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.
Andrew Matulionis
Year of Award: 2010
Years to Earn Award: 14
Age Award Achieved: 45
Hometown: Whitefish MT
Performance Data
1997 7:46:16
1998 7:28:07
1999 7:16:51
2002 7:52:42
2004 8:33:23 – Men’s Open Winner
2006 7:58:54
2007 7:48:25
2008 8:35:13
2009 8:27:21
2010 9:17:19 – 10 Bears awarded
2013 8:22:08
1997
John Hallsten
Year of Award: 2010
Years to Earn Award: 12
Age Award Achieved: 53
Hometown: Helena MT
Performance Data
1999 7:48:47
2000 7:10:49
2001 7:51:38
2002 8:07:58
2005 7:26:30
2006 8:49:41
2007 7:57:50 – Men’s Seniors Winner
2008 8:48:59
2009 8:33:25
2010 8:53:55 – 10 Bears awarded
1999
Tim Marchant
Year of Award: 2010
Years to Earn Award: 10
Age Award Achieved: 52
Hometown: St. Ignatius MT
Performance Data
2001 11:10:56
2002 10:11:02
2003 9:51:09
2004 10:52:55
2005 10:58:41
2006 12:47:30
2007 10:46:26
2008 11:38:10
2009 10:50:50
2010 11:23:10 – 10 Bears awarded
2011 12:15:53
2012 12:21:54
2013 12:40:52
2014 12:45:21
2015 13:12:08
2016 12:30:45
2017 12:51:48
2018 12:41:04
2019 12:28:53
2020 13:13:55 – Chief 10 Bears Awarded
2021 13:18:02
2008
Kevin Hebb
Year of Award: 2010
Years to Earn Award: 11
Age Award Achieved: 59
Hometown: Exshaw AB
Performance Data
2000 8:36:47
2002 8:18:35
2003 8:51:47
2004 9:43:43
2005 9:20:01
2006 9:07:40
2007 9:42:51
2008 10:36:25
2009 10:36:22
2010 9:21:38 – 10 Bears awarded
2007
Charles Steele
Year of Award: 2010
Years to Earn Award: 28
Age Award Achieved: 55
Hometown: Great Falls, Bozeman & Belgrade MT
Performance Data
1983 9:25:02
1994 8:27:28
1996 10:37:01
1997 9:06:47
2003 9:06:54
2004 8:44:58
2005 11:10:59
2007 10:05:16
2009 11:40:03
2010 11:17:16 – 10 Bears awarded
2011 11:06:01
2012 11:46:06
2013 11:39:11
2014 12:14:21
2015 12.21.01
2016 12:24:00
2018 13:21:47
2019 13:25:25
2020 13:57:07
2021 13:17:17 – Chief 10 Bears Awarded
2022 13:38:32
2023 15:10:51
1983 & 2010
Mike Otterberg
Year of Award: 2011
Years to Earn Award: 11
Age Award Achieved: 66
Hometown: Glasgow & Fort Peck MT
Performance Data
2001 11:07:41
2002 9:56:22
2003 11:13:24
2005 10:52:19
2006 10:53:09
2007 11:45:36
2008 11:42:54
2009 12:13:37
2010 11:31:23
2011 11:47:00 – 10 Bears awarded
2012 13:24:54
2013 12:29:21
2006
Mike Mustari
Year of Award: 2013
Years to Earn Award: 11
Age Award Achieved: 65
Hometown: Tucker GA & Edmonds WA
Performance Data
2003 11:43:10
2004 12:54:13
2005 13:23:34
2006 12:36:06
2007 11:59:50
2008 12:43:00
2010 12:48:08
2011 13:00:37
2012 13:36:13
2013 13:43:52 – 10 Bears awarded
2014 Dropped @ 18 miles – dnf
2008
James Derby
Year of Award: 2015
Years to Earn Award:10
Age Award Achieved: 51
Hometown: Spokane, WA
Performance Data
2006 10:34:17
2007 8:59:32
2008 9:35:25
2009 8:55:50
2010 8:36:12
2011 9:48:20
2012 9:11:41
2013 10:28:53
2014 9:38:39
2015 10:38:21 – 10 Bears Awarded
2016 Checkpoint/Aid Station Staff
2017 Checkpoint/Aid Station Staff
2018 Checkpoint/Aid Station Staff
2019 Checkpoint/Aid Station Staff
2020 Checkpoint/Aid Station Staff
2015
Martin Miller
Year of Award: 2018
Years to Earn Award: 29
Age Award Achieved: 66
Hometown: Helena, MT
Performance Data
1990 8:18:23
1991 8:11:31
2007 9:53:58
2008 9:57:38
2009 10:01:22
2010 9:34:29
2012 9:40:58
2014 9:54:35
2016 11:00:30
2018 10:55:35 – 10 Bears Awarded
2019 Entrant crew
2022 Relay Team
2010
Matt Glew
Year of Award: 2018
Years to Earn Award:11
Age Award Achieved: 39
Hometown: Newcastle & Renton, WA
Performance Data
2008 10:11:37
2009 10:13:55
2010 9:39:31
2011 10:23:47
2012 11:10:39
2013 11:11:58
2014 dnf
2015 11:15:18
2016 10:33:15
2017 11:45:24
2018 12:01:19 – 10 Bears Awarded
