In one hour, Joe Fejes will have been running for three days. So far, he's covered 320 miles and is on pace to once again break the coveted 600-mile mark for six-day racing. Fejes has been a human piston, firing as consistent as a well-tuned muscle car. Hovering around three minutes per lap, (Pettit indoor in Milwaukee - 443 meters) he hasn't been fazed by fast early times or crumbling ultrarunners at his side; he hits his numbers. Like a golfer, he isn't looking at the hazards but at his yardage book. Yep, there is a reason for caddies. They aren't just there for looks.
Fejes is no stranger to the six-day. In fact, he is the American record holder at that distance. At 53, dismiss him at your own peril, cause he is a fine wine, touched over the years by South Carolina Sun. He is a pro. A veteran. He knows the ropes, and he's showing it.
The Pettit dome has proven fast, yielding several records, including the fastest 100 miles ever run. Who knows what we are witnessing right now? Anyone who says they know, doesn't. We know what we've seen, and the possibilities are tantalizing. In an hour, he'll hit the halfway point, and if the second half is anything like the first, hold your breath, grab a beer, and enjoy a lost sport, and an artist at work in the heart of it.