Beat the Heat

The recent heat wave gripping the area has not stopped endurance athletes from tackling the trails and roads of Putnam County — with a little help from friends to keep them safe and cool. On June 15 it was the inaugural Vulture Vista Ultra Marathon in which runners braved the trails of DePauw Nature Park as well as high temperatures for six-hour and 12-hour runs. In an effort to keep fellow runner Phil Asbell cool, Drew Brattain mists him with with water before Asbell embarks on another lap.

A week later on June 22, it’s The Mural Metric Pedal Putnam ride in which cyclists take to the roads of Putnam County for distances of 62 miles (a metric century), 40 miles and 12.5 miles, even as temps reach the mid-90s. Just behind Backwood Barbecue in Fillmore, the last of several SAG (supplies and gear) stops along the two longer routes, volunteers such as Karen Niemeyer, Bill Dory and Justin Hall make sure the riders are hydrated, as cool as possible and safe as they enter the homestretch.