Dima Kaliakin makes it look like running ultras is fun.
Not one to rest on his earlier ultra-exploits this summer, CRR Dimitri (“Dima”) Kaliakin, son of CRR Vic Kaliakin, competed in two more grueling endurance events.
On July 28 at 5 a.m., Kaliakin hit the starting line to compete in the Viaduct Trail Ultra 100 miler in Lanesboro in northeastern Pennsylvania. The rail-trail course comprised four laps of a 25-mile out-and-back route. There were 19 (17 men and 2 women) who began the event; eleven (10 men and one woman) finished. Kaliakin was second among those who completed the event, finishing 41 minutes after midnight on July 29—a time of 19 hours, 41 minutes. Even father Vic got a good workout, bicycling alongside his son for 30 of the miles.
On Sept. 2 of Labor Day weekend, Kaliakin competed in the Labor Pains 12-Hour Endurance Trail Run in Reading, Pa. This trail course consisted of a 5-mile loop including steep uphills and downhills done multiple times. The 23-year-old Kaliakin completed 13 laps within the 12-hour limit, covering 65 miles, finishing second overall out of 400 runners. His official time for those 13 laps was 11:11:38. Note: runners were not allowed out on another loop if they would not be able to finish the loop within the 12-hour total time limit.
Well done, but yikes!
When 23-year-old CRR Dima Kaliakin races, typically a marathon is but a warm-up distance.