Taming Mt. Noodle, embracing generosity drive ACHM
The start of the Amish Country Half Marathon may look like a jumbled mess of humanity, but eventually, the cream rises, runners fan out and they can take in the scenic beauty of the area during their 13.1-mile run through Holmes County.
The Amish Country Half Marathon has become well-known on several fronts. From its challenging hills and the piping hot noodles that each participant receives at the end of the race to the heartwarming generosity, support and hospitality of the race committee, East Holmes Fire Department and the many locals who line the route to root on the runners, the ACHM has developed a large following among runners who come back year after year.
Now, you can add to the mix a sense of humor.
Over the years, the track at the race has been well documented as more than a little challenging because of its many steep climbs that challenge the most ardent of runners.
So, at this year’s race, which took place Saturday, Sept. 9, and started and ended at Grace Church in Berlin, Brent Miller and the rest of the race committee decided to embrace the nature of the course and lean into the many challenges the hilly terrain presents.
“People have always embraced the hot noodles at the end of the race as a wonderful reward, but most runners aren’t really fond of the many hills, so we decided we’d really embrace the hills this year,” Miller said.
It began with the tongue-in-cheek description of “gently rolling hills,” and then the team decided to really turn up the fun factor by labeling two of the monstrous climbs.
Miller said they named the first giant hill “Mt. Silo” in honor of the silo that perches high atop its upward stretch, and they saved the best for last.
Miller said the final climb near the end of the race features a nearly one-mile hill climb that they dubbed “Mt. Noodle” perhaps as a way to encourage the runners that their steaming bowl of noodles awaited them not long after they reached the apex of “Mt. Noodle.”
“We actually put up a huge sign at the bottom of the hill that read, ‘Now entering Mt. Noodle,’” Miller said with a laugh. “We figured if people hate the hills, we can at least make light of the situation, and they can have a laugh and hopefully embrace it.”
He said King of the Hill has a mile tracker, so they tracked that final, seemingly endless climb and presented an award to the runner who completed just that mile in the fastest time.
With perfect weather, mild temperatures and plenty of quality runners, including 450-plus half-marathoners, along with nearly 200 apiece for the 5K and 10K, it was a glorious morning for all involved.
While the running took center stage, Miller said one other aspect of the race was a big reason everyone talks about this contest.
“Every year, we consistently hear that the hospitality people experience here is incredible, and that makes us all happy to hear,” Miller said. “That’s one thing this community truly presents, and runners who aren’t from around here recognize that.”
That running list included participants from 27 different states and Mexico.
Miller said before the event they have volunteers traverse the course and talk to citizens along the trek, inviting them to get out to cheer on the runners. They give them cowbells, and those little nuances help make the Amish Country Half Marathon the spectacle it has become.
Miller also said the race volunteers made an immediate impact this year, as always, and it is only because of their generosity that the race succeeds.
He said a crew of volunteers from Weaver Leather hopped on board as part of the company’s service-oriented paid day of community service and together tackled the almost never-ending chore of putting packets and awards together.
“That was a huge blessing,” Miller said.
In addition, the usual crew of volunteers who have served faithfully over the years did an exceptional job that made race day much easier for everyone.
“We’ve got an exceptional crew of volunteers who have been serving from the beginning, and at this point, they know exactly what needs to be done, and they do it gladly,” Miller said.
As always, they also got a helping hand from the East Holmes Fire and EMS crew, who manned intersections and served as cheerleaders. As has always been the case, part of the proceeds from the race went to the fire department, while the other half went to Pure Gift of God, a local nonprofit organization that works with parents seeking to adopt.
After the successful finish of the day, Miller said the committee asks itself three simple questions, and if the answer to each is “yes,” then they can call the day a success.
“We always strive to hit three main goals,” Miller said. “Did we glorify God in the race? Can we use something we have a passion for as a hobby to advocate for the orphans through fundraising for Pure Gift of God? And finally, we really strive to present the hospitality side of it, to represent our community to others in a positive, meaningful way.
“We can do as much as we want, but if the community doesn’t rally around us and support us, then it makes it tough to pull all of that off.”
The answer to all three questions was a very big yes, and Miller said they heard time and again from people outside the community that the hospitality and purpose behind this race is what keeps them coming back for more.
That’s why runners are already marking their race calendars to return next fall to try to tame “Mt. Noodle” and the rest of the Amish Country race course.