Ten Bears Den
The 10 Bears is awarded for mastering the sport of ultrarunning. It is a clock and a standing Grizzly Bear mounted on a large slab of native Montana juniper or cedar. It is earned by a runner who completes 10 Le Grizz events as a registered entrant. The runs do not need to be completed consecutively, and there is no time limit, but there is a penalty for not finishing: No credit for a completion. This award is unique in the sport of ultra running, as it takes at least 10 years to earn. Learning to run ultras is an undertaking that takes years, has nothing to do with accidentally finishing one's first ultra attempt, and is different for everyone. The 10 Bears Award is a measure of the commitment, perseverance, injury management and mental tenacity one must develop to persist in the sport. An occasional DNF or missed year is simply part of a runner's development. This award, unlike recognition for winning or setting a record time, emphasizes! finishing. It places a premium on the patience needed to incorporate necessary recovery periods (with their attendant physical deterioration) into one's lifestyle, to stop and smell the roses rather than just stop and smell. It provides incentive to learn pacing, or to tough it out when a fast time is not going to happen. And it makes one hell of a belt buckle.
The Chief 10 Bears Award
The Chief 10 Bears Award enhances membership in the 10 Bears Den by recognizing lifetime achievement. It is conferred on a runner with 20 completions.
Pam Naugle
Year of Award: 2007
Years to Earn Award: 15
Age Award Achieved: 55
Hometown: Butte & Helena MT
Performance Data
1993 10:20:02
1994 10:33:24
1995 10:48:18
1997 11:26:34
1998 11:19:28
1999 11:32:23
2001 11:41:00
2002 11:25:31
2003 11:06:19
2007 12:35:28 – 10 Bears awarded
1994
Jocelyn & Byron Chikinda
Year of Award: 2007
Years to Earn Award: 11
Age Award Achieved: 47 & 56
Hometown: Edmonton AB Canada
Performance Data
1997 10:26:52 – Women’s Open Winner (Jocelyn)
1998 10:44:55
1999 10:17:31
2000 9:38:45
2002 10:48:33
2003 10:14:50
2004 10:47:14
2005 10:33:56
2006 11:31:38
2007 11:04:03 – 10 Bears awarded
2008 10:25:50 Byron (Jocelyn crewed)
2010 Checkpoint-Aid Station Staff
2000
Ron Carey
Year of Award: 2008
Years to Earn Award: 18
Age Award Achieved: 57
Hometown: Salem OR
Performance Data
1991 7:50:05
1992 8:42:27
1993 7:44:10
1996 7:56:18
1997 7:47:30
1998 7:57:52
2004 8:46:13
2005 8:43:00
2006 10:17:20
2008 11:08:39 – 10 Bears awarded
2009 10:51:58
2006
Brooks Wade
Year of Award: 2008
Years to Earn Award: 17
Age Award Achieved: 63
Hometown: Anchorage AK
Performance Data
1992 7:47:23
1993 7:38:36
1994 7:49:49
1995 8:01:38
1996 8:28:30
1997 8:47:50
2005 10:11:17
2006 10:37:20
2007 10:04:59
2008 10:27:30 – 10 Bears award
1997
Mary Ritz
Year of Award: 2008
Years to Earn Award: 10
Age Award Achieved: 53
Hometown: Gooding ID & Cody WY
Performance Data
1999 11:38:13
2000 11:17:38
2001 11:08:47
2002 11:24:09
2003 11:25:32
2004 11:20:51
2005 11:06:02
2006 11:18:12
2007 11:26:45
2008 11:26:14 – 10 Bears awarded
2003
Kathie Lang
Year of Award: 2008
Years to Earn Award: 13
Age Award Achieved: 59
Hometown: Bozeman MT & Klamath Falls OR
Performance Data
1996 Dropped @ 36 miles – dnf
1997 11:47:33
1998 11:52:43
1999 11:53:13
2001 11:41:52
2002 11:37:20
2004 12:11:31
2005 11:58:49
2006 12:16:18
2007 12:35:28
2008 12:08:31 – 10 Bears awarded
2009 12:51:04
2011 12:15:53
2012 11:43:33
2013 12:29:41
2014 11:59:40
2015 12:35:14
2016 12:36:28
2017 13:02:41
2018 13:43:58
2019 13:11:53 – Chief 10 Bears Awarded
2020 15:58:55
2021 13:54:47
2022 14:43:23
2023 16:02:59
2008
Larry Vandenburg
Year of Award: 2009
Years to Earn Award: 17
Age Award Achieved: 55
Hometown: Spokane WA
Performance Data
1993 7:41:13
1994 6:56:17
1995 6:56:13
1999 6:55:15 – Men´s Masters Winner
2001 7:05:15
2004 7:43:50
2005 7:19:38
2007 8:04:22
2008 7:55:48 – Men´s Seniors Winner
2009 7:35:25 – Men´s Seniors Winner – 10 Bears awarded
2010 Entrant crew
1995
Murray Barker
Year of Award: 2009
Years to Earn Award: 12
Age Award Achieved: 46
Hometown: Medicine Hat AB
Performance Data
1998 6:34:12
1999 6:54:31
2000 7:13:04
2002 7:16:50 – Men’s Open Winner
2003 8:30:02
2005 7:11:40
2006 7:50:30
2007 7:41:58
2008 7:47:42
2009 8:15:21 – Men’s Masters Winner – 10 Bears awarded
2010 7:40:54
2007
Bob Johnson
Year of Award: 2009
Years to Earn Award: 11
Age Award Achieved: 71
Hometown: Bozeman MT
Performance Data
1999 10:57:32
2000 11:16:24
2001 11:07:41
2002 10:24:41
2003 10:54:06
2004 11:07:12
2005 10:52:19
2006 11:19:38
2007 11:45:36
2009 12:13:37 – 10 Bears awarded
2010 Entrant crew
2004
Gregg Martell
Year of Award: 2010
Years to Earn Award: 19
Age Award Achieved: 53
Hometown: Teton Village WY & Tetonia ID
Performance Data
1992 8:15:04
1993 8:10:12
1994 8:05:20
1998 8:34:12
2001 8:57:06
2003 8:51:14
2004 9:08:55
2007 9:53:06
2009 10:59:28
2010 10:58:42 – 10 Bears awarded
