Sparky Races 500+ Miles of HOPE

Perhaps the Black Hills 100 dnf didn't sit well
I needed to know, if I wasn't sick w a stomach bug, could I?
Felt the affects of Kettle Morraine 100 at about mile 30
Held off the serious slow me down s**t until Mile 70
70-100 was a pure grind, just get there dawg
Just because I can't be a gnarly bandit finisher, doesn't mean I can't still be gnarly
Things to remember
1. Quads a lower back were fried, so I used bio freeze to combat that. It was hot, so I needed to l**e more often. Advice! Always l**e first, then rub in the bio freeze, doing it the other way around will make it feel as though the nuggets are going to go up in flames
2. Feet got wet from the dew, mile 81 I suddenly felt like my feet were being stabbed by a million needles. The onset of trench foot, change socks and shoes more often then twice
3. When Don says, let's go, finish strong! It's ok tell him to f**k off and keep walking
4. When doing a self supported hundo, expect your aid station visits to take much longer. Remember to thank those volunteers at your next race, they woulda save me 2 hrs.
5. When in doubt, say f**k it, and go for it!
6. I'm doing this bats**t crazy stuff for a cause!! Raising $ in honor of our veterans and active duty through our PGA reach and HOPE programs. I have attached the link in the comments for your perusing enjoyment!
7. What a great way to spend the 4th, happy 250 ya all

Independence Day is gonna be TUF!

The look of disappointment!
Woke at 3am throwing up, only to flip around and use the toilet to sit on, along with fever and the shivers. The stomach flu 7 hrs before race start. I showed up at the start line with hopes that my body would miraculously turn itself around, but that never happened, as it only got worse (go figure)! I couldn't keep any calories or hydration down, was throwing up everything, just getting to the aid station to drop was ridiculously difficult.
My gnarly bandit endeavor is over, my heart is broken, I am sure there is a lesson in this somewhere. I will need a day to grieve this loss, then I will get back on the trails, and continue to pursue growth, adventure, mastery, and resilience.
Next up will now be the Wild Duluth 100k, then on to New York for the marathon. Still raising funds and awareness for our veterans out there, that enjoy getting together for our PGA Hope programs.
Thanks all for following, and the kind words, here we go, upwards and onwards.
Sparky

Black Hills 💯 in 3 hrs!

Our two Gnarly Bandit hopefuls Mark Nygaard and Peter Koenig successfully finished Kettle Morraine 100, the second 100 miler in the Gnarly Bandit series!! They now head into the Black Hills 100 in South Dakota after a short two week turn around.
Best of luck to you both!

Our Gnarly Bandit series is sponsored by Performance Running Gym (PRG). PGR is a gym in St. Louis Park designed specifically for runners. Go to performancerungym.com to see how they can help you.

Kettle Moraine 100
Hot! Went out too fast, paid the price as miles 70-90 were a complete grind, and that's on me, and it sucked, I like to think lesson learned, but we will see. lol
Gnarly Bandit Series
Zumbro 💯 ✅
Kettle Morraine 💯✅
Black Hills 💯in 12 days 😲
Superior 💯
Wild Duluth 100k
Congrats to Zach on an epic finish, seriously had tears in my eyes when this young man crossed the finish line, as he got the WHOLE hundo experience! The fun, the dark, the light, and the finisher buckle.
Special thx to Scott for keeping us in the game, dude was a key factor to our success!

See?!!!

Last year, I went through the PGA HOPE program as a participant. This year, I have the opportunity to give back as a volunteer, and last night was my second week helping with the program.

PGA HOPE is a free golf program for veterans and active-duty service members of all skill levels. Whether you’ve never picked up a club before or you’ve been playing for years, it’s a great way to learn, improve your game, and connect with other military members who understand your experiences.

One of the best parts of the program is the community. Some of the friendships I made through PGA REACH Nebraska have extended well beyond the golf course. Three of the people I met through the program even attended our wedding, which just goes to show how meaningful these programs can be.

This program is nation-wide, so no matter where you are If you’re a veteran or active-duty service member who’s been thinking about trying golf or just looking for a way to connect with others, I can’t recommend it enough. They will teach you everything you need to now and clubs are available if you don’t have your own, so all you have to do is show up.

If you want to learn more you can visit their website at nebraskapga.com/pgahope or I’d also be happy to answer any questions you have!

Thank you to everyone who makes this program possible.

Race number 2 of the Gnarly Bandit series!
6am it’s on!
And thank you so much to those that been so kind with your help reaching our goal with regards to our PGA REACH team, we are 15% of the way there!
Sleep, drink, eat, run……far! LFG
Follow the journey here!

Mark Nygaard Results Discover Mark Nygaard in the 100 Mile at Kettle Moraine 100.

My first time “running for a cause”, and the cause is because I care! I work a lot with our active duty and military veterans through our PGA HOPE program, and would love some love to help us reach our goal!
$500 to sponsor a race (give ya props if ya want em)
$100 to sponsor a mile Of the New York Marathon (you pick the mile and I will let you know what I ran that mile in)
$50 to be an “Aid Station” sponsor
I thank you for your time and love in advance!
Kettle Moraine 100 in 3 days, let’s do this!

Mark Nygaard's fundraising page for PGA of America REACH Foundation Veteran. PGA Professional. Endurance Athlete. I’m racing 500+ miles, doing the Gnarly Bandit serise and the NYC Marathon to raise awareness and support of our veterans thru PGA REACH!This mission is deeply personal, every mile is for those who’ve served!

Great build post Zumbro 100, locked and loaded for Kettle Morraine 100 in 9 days! Giddy, excited, nervous, all the feels! LFG