Trekking 37 miles with temperatures approaching 90 degrees Saturday sounds like it would be a grueling challenge for anyone.

But Morgan Kiebler and Wade Endress said it was premarital bliss to take part in this year’s Rachel Carson Trail Challenge.

The couple plan to wed July 16 in Maine.

“It’s an incredibly unique thing to do together,” said Endress while catching his breath at Emmerling Park in Indiana Township.

“I think if you can suffer together, you know how to stay together.”

They were among hundreds of families participating in the challenge.

Emmerling Park was about 25 miles from the start.

“It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” said Kiebler, a physician’s assistant at Butler Hospital.

Endress, a North Hills High School track and cross country coach, said taking on the full trail is also a professional challenge because he has never run beyond 19 miles in one stretch.

Josh Gretz, 43, of Cranberry was out running with his son, Elijah, 14. It was the first time on the trail as father and son and the fourth challenge overall for Gretz.

“A couple years ago, it was beautiful,” the dad said. “This has been a ton more muddy and it’s hot, but it’s good times.”

He and other participants were assisted by “trail angels,” family and friends out at the parks and on the paths in support of their loved ones. The angels brought freeze pops, water, snacks and other supplies.

Aimee Thompson of Slippery Rock was one of these angels at Emmerling Park. She said she did the trail challenge twice years ago and understands what the participants are going through.

“There’s nothing better than trail angels,” Thompson said. “They are just people who show up randomly, and it’s the best thing to anybody on the trail. (The full trail) is the hardest thing you’ll ever do in your life, and it’s the best feeling when you get to that (finish) line).”

Morgan Kiebler’s trail angel was her mother, Shelly, 61, of Mamont. She traveled to each checkpoint and cheered on her family.

“I’m not a runner, I’m just the support,” said Shelly Kiebler. “This is one of the hardest trails out there. My husband tried it last year, but he had to drop out at mile 25 because he got leg cramps really bad.”

Greg Kiebler, 62, made it about halfway this year. The Kieblers have been married for 28 years.

Helping competitors

There were four official aid stations along the trail in addition to the multiple trail angels. Stations were about seven miles apart from each other.

They had water, Gatorade, multiple snacks and other amenities to help hikers and runners.

The areas were also staffed with about a dozen or more volunteers including various medical professionals trained to treat heat exhaustion and other complications.

Those participating in the full challenge were required to check in at each station in order to get credit for their time and distance as well as a wellness check if needed.

Brooke Decker, a pharmacist from Cranberry, served the past nine years at the final aid station before the finish line.

She said she loves helping people and wanted to be where there was the most need.

“I want to be where there might be the most action whether somebody needs a joint taped or is stroking out,” Decker said. “These runners have the final say unless we’re calling an ambulance or something. They can go. We make recommendations (on whether they can continue).”

Decker and her medical teammates had to spring into action at least once during the challenge when a woman collapsed shortly after checking in to the aid station before 1 p.m.

Volunteers used a sponge and a cool bucket of water to help bring her temperature down as well as provide beverages, snacks and conversation.

The runner was feeling better within the hour.

Record participation

Rachel Carson Trail Challenge director Steve Mentzer said this year’s challenge had the most participants he could recall, with 638 people signed up to do the full 37 miles, which started around 5:30 a.m. in Harrison Hills Park.

There were 298 registered for the 19-mile Homestead challenge starting at Springdale High School and the Friends & Family Challenge, a 7-mile hike starting at Hartwood Acres.

“Our cap is 600, but we oversell the event expecting people would drop out,” Mentzer said. “Normally we’d be at about 610-620.”

The challenge isn’t a competition, Mentzer noted.

“People of all physical abilities can do it with some training,” he said. “You see people of all shapes and sizes out here. The only thing we do is post the results on our website in order of finishing times. We do that only because that’s what everybody wants to see.”

He said the challenge would not be possible without the support of numerous property owners, including Indiana Township residents Elizabeth and James Henry, who allow a path through their property and also come out for the event.

Between 70% to 80% of people finish the full trail.

Ages of the competitors included nine older than 70, 66 in their 60s, 106 in their 50s, 196 in their 40s, 233 in their 30s, 92 in their 20s and 25 in their teens.

Participants came from multiple states including Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland and Texas.

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