Ultra racing is all about the volunteers, who keep the 50K, 50 mile and 100K relay Dances with Dirt runners hydrated and fueled. Photo by Carter Sherline / Frog Prince Studio.

PINCKNEY (9/7) - At least one ultramarathoner crossed the Dances With Dirt finish line covered from head to toe with mud. Other runners collected sunburns, bug bites and blisters. Still others, like 100K Trail Relay participant Mark Tarnopolosky, displayed various scrapes and bruises liked war wounds.

"I had a collision with a branch," said Tarnopolosky, pointing to a welt shaped like Florida on his thigh.

At times, the race headed straight into the woods without a trail. Runners then followed colored ribbons like a trail of bread crumbs. "Wherever they take you, that's where you go," Tarnopolosky said. His team, Litzen's Sports Rules Hamilton, won the relay, ahead of the Onsted Ringers and 1/2 Fast Bucks. Joining Tarnopolosky were Ken Hawthorn, Al Magi, Doug Mahoney, and Mike Wadington.

"We're a group of professors and dentists from Hamilton, Ont.," Tarnopolosky said. "We look forward to running this every year." "Dancers" came from all over North America to tackle ultras on devilish trails through and near Pinckney Recreation Area, not far from the town of Hell.

Glenn Tachiyama, 45, of Seattle, ran the 50K (31-mile) race with Ann Arbor's Mika LaVaque-Manty, 36, and Matt Holappa, 34. "They let me finish first," Tachiyama said. He triumphed in 5:15:15, followed by LaVaque-Manty (5:15:19) and Holappa (5:15:20).

First-time ultramarathoner Jeanette Robinson, 42, of Dewitt, captured the women's 50K in 5:58:07.

"At an aid station 19.3 miles into the race, I passed the lead woman who was changing her shoes," said Robinson. "From then on, I had the lead." She caught her husband, Mark, with about four miles to go and they ran together to the finish. "It was awesome!" the winner said.

Jessica Ryu, 36, of Ann Arbor, finished second (6:17:30) and Lynn DeGrande, 41, of Plymouth, came in third (6:22:20).

Matt King, 24, of Ann Arbor won the 50-mile ultra in 9:28:36. He was followed by Mark Switala, 42, of Milford (9:42:30) and Bill Corriveau, 41, of New Franken, Wis. (9:45:27).

Another Wisconsinite was the only woman to finish the 50-miler. Carrie Schulte, 34, of Sun Prairie, won unchallenged (by humans at least) in 10:43:10.

The Dances With Dirt Trail Relay and Ultra were made possible by Running Fit stores and Nike ACG Trail Shoes. For complete results, go to www.danceswithdirt.com.