Mike Morton Feature Article for Ultrarunning Magazine

I was honored to write a feature-length story about Mike Morton for the March 2012 issue of Ultrarunning Magazine, the longest-running provider and gatherer of news about our sport.

This photo was taken back in the day (mid 1990s).
Pictured are (L-R) Courtney Campbell, Dave Horton
and Morton.

Morton is no stranger to the sport of ultrarunning. He previously held the course record for the Western States Endurance Run, running a scorching 15:40 at the 1997 race, and, with Eric Clifton and Courtney Campbell, was a dominant force in the mid-1990s. Just when it seemed he was on top of the ultrarunning world, Morton, a member of the Special Forces, suffered a devastating hip injury and essentially walked away from the sport for over 10 years, losing touch with many old friends, like Campbell and Clifton.

Now 40 years old, Morton has made a remarkable comeback, running 163.9 miles at the Hinson Lake 24-Hour in 2011 and recently winning the Long Haul 100M in Florida with a fast 13:18. Yesterday, my story about Morton went live on the Ultrarunning Magazine web site and it will also appear--with many more photos--in the March issue.

Mike is too humble to tell his own story. I felt it had to be told. See, I believe in our society today we don't know who the real heroes are. We confuse people like overpaid pro athletes, singers (except Bob Seger--see below), actors, politicians, trust fund babies, rich people and reality TV "stars" as heroes when the real heroes are folks like Mike Morton, who put their lives on the line every day to protect the American Way. Mike is a true hero whose story needs to be told. It was an honor working with him to tell it. So here you go. Enjoy and be sure to check out the story in the magazine, too!

Additional reading: Click here for an interview I did with Morton back in the fall.

In that spirit, Bob Seger will always be among my all-time favorite singers. Here's a tune of his I love--"I've Been Working." Seger sang this song live "for all you workin' people in the house tonight" during his Silver Bullet tour back in the 70s when he was trying to make it. I consider myself a "workin' man's runner," kind of like how Seger sung to workin' folks like truck drivers. Where's Bob Seger today?