The Once And Future AC100 Course Record Beckons

 "Some records are meant to be broken"
I just saw this post from the AC100 Official Very Official FB page. The record here is Jim O'Brien's 1989 AC100 GOAT 17:35:48.

Nobody's come close. Ever. Ben Hian admitted it was untouchable. Since the 2026 date is finally moved back to its nearly original Oct 6, somebody thinks they have a shot at it. Which begs the question: How? Reining in my usual withering sarcasm, but fully activating my years in the sport: here goes.

 THE COURSE

First. You’d have to run it on the original course. No cut outs. That means up over Mt [Sonny Boy] Williamson, no PGT [Pretty Good Tunnel] on Highway 2.

Then, the original Cooper Cyn. The local MYLFs [Mountain Yellow-Legged Frog, you perv] will watch you thunder by. Again, no Pleasant Valley bypass trail. Up and over to Cloudburst, Glenwood Springs, Sulphur Springs. Mt Hillyer, with the Original Crotchless Gorilla suit. On to Short Cut via Charlton Flats. Down the Edison Road to Newcombs. Up and over down to Chantry Flats.

This is where it gets fun: up and over the only OG Manzanita Ridge [no Winton Bypass, because that's for pussies] That Manzanita Ridge trail was a concept of a plan stapled to the side of a sandy ridge, which then ran a ridgeline rollercoaster to where Dead Man's Bench now sits. You're welcome to reconsider life choices here.

Up to the Mt Wilson-Phillips Toll Road. Try to hang on. Let it rip thru Idle Hour, Sam Merrill. Go down Echo Mountain, and be sure to take the Sunset Trail to Millard. Avoid the lurid temptations of the Mt Lowe Road. Once you go blacktop you never go back-top. 

Now jam on past Johnson’s Field, hit the sand and whatever sediment with local and exotic shrubberies, over Devil’s Gate Debris Dam. Run thru that dark n spooky tunnel, home of many Art center film projects. Then down the stairs, past the golf course, to the Rose Bowl. The golfers probably won't be out at the 17hr mark, so you'll miss their sleek porcine figures with aftershave, fabric softener etc.

In a just world you'll be knackered all to shit, but Guns N Roses won't be playing that night.That's just the course. Now, let's discuss kit. 

UD pack from 1991. Wide-mouth bottles came later, they were still the dainty-throated bike bottle-cage ingenues.

 THE KIT

No bladder packs or running vests. Waist-belts only. I remember Kenny had the Angeles Pack Co waist-pack that came in grey only. Bottles? Hand-helds, maybe with a neoprene band, or a slashed bike inner tube.

No poly pro. Only cotton tees and long-sleeves. COTTON SOX. Thorlos. Vaseline for nips and feet. I didnt hear about Cramer Skin Lube until 1993, from [wait for it] Jim O'Brien.

It could run for days, unlike you

TECH

Casio G-Shock only. No HRMs, smart watches. Nope. Point & shoot film cameras only. Your flashlight [no headlamps, unless they have halogen bulbs] will be 2 D-cell Maglites. Or maybe C-bats for budget reasons, your call.

 

The parallel lines converge on the infinite horizon of perception, truth-seeker. This was my 1991 100-go-to.

CONCLUSION

If we’re gonna go full RennFaire here, details matter. Now let's see who's gonna bust that course record. Class dismissed.

Thanks to the archivists at D&L Holistic Industries; avec Dr Casino Bingo, et Chris, the Cynical Frenchie, joined with the Cryptic Pig sitting in the 2CV, smoking a Gauloise, for their input. Et merde.