running & cycling

2011-09-13T09:50:00.000-07:00

The Massanutten Ring
September 3-4, 2011

I had absolutely no business even attempting this run. My ankle was tender and I hadn't made it through a long run in over two years. My 100 mile attempts had come up short since 2008. I should have just accepted my fate as a 50k to 40 mile runner...but I still had the bug.

I spent the night in Front Royal, just 15 minutes from the start. I only knew a couple of the runners but a fair number of the volunteers. There was essentially a one to one ratio between volunteers and runners. Past initiates into the Fellowship of the Ring did most of the volunteering so they knew precisely what we had signed up for and what hell we'd be put through.

I was familiar with much of the Massanutten Trail and would soon get to experience the remainder. I figured the Ring would be easier than the MMT 100. I'm not so sure anymore. There is less climbing on the Ring (~14,000 vs. 19,000) but that doesn't tell the entire story. The rocks and boulders are relentless. The trail is an absolute challenge just to follow at night. The tedious nature of constantly searching for the trail is mentally exhaustive. 32 runners started. Many would fall victim the trail's nightmarish rock, boulders, heat and humidity. The forecast was for humidity and 93--yikes!

We started up the wrong way, promptly turned around and went in the right direction. Stay on orange is what we were told, otherwise, we were all on our own. The first mile is a gentle grade with more dirt than rock. There wouldn't be too many more miles like this. Another wrong turn was made by a long line of runners. I looked at the right direction but it wasn't properly marked so I followed. everyone turned around and I found myself at the front, where I really don't want to be heading into a 1500 foot climb.

This climb almost destroyed me at MMT100 in May, but was also a great triumph for me at MMT100 in 2007. It was the final climb in the 102 mile race where I moved up from #50 to finish at #43. This climb treated me well again. I took my time and stayed close to the group. I knew I was nearly last by the top but that mattered little as I passed a several runners on the levels and descents.

Rock, rock, rock was the order of the day--an appetizer of gravel, a salad of stones; a boulder and roots for the main course and a dessert of rock candy

I cruised along and hit a nice downhill. This is where I shine and today was no different. I put some space between myself and the group behind me. They quickly caught up as the trail turned into an old road bed with large gravel, of which I'm none too impressed.

Most everyone passed me up on the second climb. I moved along fairly well and was not concerned. At the top of the ridge it becomes a rockercoaster of bunny hops and I galloped like a gazzelle. One part sends you off the ridge where it really gets a bit hairy. One slip and down about 50 yards you go. I took it easy on this, especially since I tweaked my Achilles here once before.

The trail hits the ridge again and soon the first aid station is encountered. Several runners were still milling around. i loaded up and headed out. 13 miles down in 4:02.

I expected things to get easier from here. They did not. The climbing on the ridge was far more substantial than I'd anticipated. The heat was getting to me and I was forced to crawl up the hills.

The last runner caught me and passed me well before Kennedy Peak. We played cat and mouse for the next several miles. Kennedy Peak nearly broke me due to the heat. I told myself to hang on until the night. It might finally cool off.

The descent to the second aid station was gradual on an old road bed. The trail then turned into single track I went ahead of Mark, and cruised into the aid station. 25 miles down in 8:10.

The next section was marked with bugs, bugs and more bugs. Gnats swarmed me most of the way up the four mile climb. It wasn't steep but it went on forever. The heat was still beating me down. I grudgingly continued, thinking that I'd be done at the next aid. The top of the ridge couldn't come quickly enough. I started to move with more hast down the other side but as soon as my momentum got going I had to take a left and climb some more.

I entered into a cove which was wet and slick. I stumbled and slid down a ways and then heard Mark ahead of me. I sped past and then really started moving well. Down I went until the bottom of Waterfall, where I caught Miranda. Waterfall is a half mile climb which rises 950 feet. It's almost like climbing the steps of a skyscraper. I quit no less than three times on this climb. Everyone passed me yet again and I was beat by the time I made it to the top. There's an easy half mile from there to the aid station--a good thing as I likely would have dropped if it had been right at the top.

I changed shoes into a more rugged pair. I knew what was to come and it wasn't pretty, plus nightfall was just a short while away. 34 miles in 12:02.

Kerns Mountain doesn't have any big climbs but it does have the highest concentration of rocks I'd ever encountered in my life. The trail starts out easy but doesn't stay that way. It soon becomes rocky and begins a neverending ascent and descent of the ridge. It undulates on either side for a while and then climbs to the other side, teasing and mocking you like the masochist you are.

I went ahead of Miranda and into the darkness. Others had chosen to stay at the the aid station and tend to their wounds, be they physical or bruised ego. The trail became more difficult to follow. It vanished in some spots, awash in a sea of rocks, all possible routes appearing equally feasible.

I saw a bright light ahead and knew it had to be Mark. I soon caught him and swiftly moved past. He was struggling to find the trail in the dark even with a super bright headlamp. I had to keep moving or I could face possible cutoff time issues. Getting stopped for a cutoff on this race was not an option for me. I floated on down over the rocks until the next intersection. It did't get much easier here except that I now had gravity on my side. I was soon stumbling more frequently but felt strong as I made my way to the aid station. I got word that Miranda had dropped up on the ridge and would be possibly hours until she made it down. Mark was nowhere to be seen. I assumed no one behind me would continue. 40 miles in 13:44.

Short Mountain was up next. This has a ferocious reputation but I have never been bothered by it, in fact I rather enjoy it. The first mile is easy and the climb isn't all that bad either. It has much in common with Kerns but has much more dirt so you're not on rocks the entire time. It also goes up and over repeatedly for a couple of miles but then eases into a fairly normal, rocky trail. I made good time the entire way.

The descent off Short carries on a bit too long but at least it moves well. Upon coming out to the road, I saw another runner, Mike. He was lost so I straightened him out and we headed to the aid station. Mike didn't continue and I was all alone again. 48 miles in 17:50.

The climb from Edinburg starts gradually, then gets steeper and proceeds over a couple of false summits. It wasn't as taxing as I'd expected. The cooler night air certainly helped in that regard. There was much more over the top action on this segment. The trail stayed below the ridge for longer periods. The terrain was less rocky than the two previous sections but there was still much more rock than there was dirt.

On a descent, I passed up a guy named Jeff, who was plodding along very slowly. I scurried past and continued into the endless void of rock and darkness. Two side trails came and went. an owl's eyes shone in the dark. A snake startled me. It appeared to be a copperhead but on closer examination I concluded it was not poisonous. Just a bit more to go. Finally, the old landslide opening on the left appeared. I admired the unobstructed view into the valley and the lights from the towns. Two hundred more yards and Woodstock Tower. 56 miles in 21:27.

The humidity was bad all day and night. This led to an unimaginable ultra funk. This funk seeps into every race but it reared its ugly head early on at the Ring...and it kept getting worse. I actually offended myself. I can't imagine how the volunteers felt.

The shortest section on the course awaited me. I was still alone but didn't have to be concerned with a big climb. This part consisted of more over the ridge and back running/hiking. I changed shorts since chafing was becoming annoying and changed back in a half mile as the other shorts just made issues worse. The night was getting to me and I became sleepy but kept on moving at a decidedly slower pace. The trail off to the right appeared and I stumbled down to Powell's Fort. 100k in 23:45.

The last section was 4 miles up and 4 miles down. It was mostly road bed for the climb. I detest road sections but this was actually a welcome sight. I sputtered up the road and around the reservoir. The road climbed gently until the very top, where it became washed out and fairly steep. There's a radio tower on Signal Knob and a nice lookout. It was hazy but on a clear day, DC would be visible.

I thought it was 4 miles to this point but it was only three. Single track climbed another mile near Meneka Peak. I was warned at the last aid station that this was a notoriously rocky section, even for Massanutten standards. They weren't kidding! My feet were in perilous pain. I tried to land midfoot rather than on the balls of my feet. The grade was gentle on the downslope but it was rocky.

With less than 4 miles to go I was given a new lesson in bouldering. For the next three miles, there were was more time spent in boulder fields than on rocky trail. It took large steps to traverse the fields, the kind of step you've simply lost the desire to make. I would love this in the reverse ring but after 68 miles, I'd had enough. A woman from the last aid station came up from the finish and offered encouragement. It helped but there was still work to be done. Finally, a switchback and the boulder fields were no more. The last mile was incredibly dry and the sun was beating down on me. Shade soon became a luxury. Gravity came to my aid and I picked up the pace a bit. The pines disappeared and a hardwood forest emerged, always a good sign. One more switchback and soon I could hear cars speeding by. The parking lot was ahead. I had joined the Fellowship of the Ring!
71 miles in 27:29.

This run appeared to be more difficult than SCAR. The climbing was a bit more moderate at around 14,000 but the endless rocks and boulders really take their toll, especially at night, where it becomes so tedious and mentally taxing just trying to follow the trail and then not fallin g down. I managed to stay on my feet the entire time despite numerous slips and over 100 stumbles. I recommend this only for someone who wants an absolutely incredible challenge as there is little support from others. This a true solo endeavor, just like SCAR.

I later found out that only 12 of the 32 runners completed the Ring. I finished
11th.

B-Rex

2011-04-25T10:13:00.000-07:00

July 24, 2009
Smokies Challenge Adventure Run

After I heard about a crew taking on this beast, I decided two days beforehand to join them. Mohammed Idlibi, Matt Kirk, Mike Day and his daughter met up for a pre-race dinner in Bryson City, and then headed toward Fontana to start the adventure just after sunset.

Matt waited for a midnight start but the rest of us began around 9:00. We crossed Fontana dam and started up the road. We then ascended on trail. I fell behind about 200 yards in. My only goal was to finish. I took my time and hiked all of the climbs.

Toward the top of the first climb, I heard multiple owls letting out their eerie calls. It is other worldly being in the middle of nowhere at night, hearing these fabulous creatures. They make no sounds with their wings but make up for it scaring the bejeezus out of hikers.

After being alone for a long while, I saw some lights ahead. I thought that I was gaining on mike and Mo but it turned out to be hikers coming toward me. That was unexpected in the least.

I passed the first trail junction and had a little downhill. I finally got in some running. The trail became moderate with small climbs and small descents. I was starting to enter cruise mode and then a noise startled me. A bear was off the trail about 20 yards or so. That's not generally a problem but I heard the bear circle back and follow me from a distance. I'd never experienced a bear tracking me before.

The noise behind me ceased and I trudged on through the night. Mountain after mountain, up and down, repeated repeatedly. Eventually, I came into a clearing with a series of heath balds, called Spence Fields. Views opened up on either side and the lights of the towns shone brightly.

Daylight slowly crept up as I approached Thunderhead Mountain. The east side has a steep, rocky downhill, on which I slid a good deal but didn't leave my feet. Daylight tends to have an energizing effect on me so I picked up my pace a bit.

I soon encountered a shelter where Lily, Matt's fiancee, was staying and had water all ready for each of us. I filled up and headed out, knowing that Matt was soon to be nipping at my heels, despite having started several hours after the rest of us. Evidence of wild boars was prevalent for the next quarter mile. They had rooted all around the trail, doing substantial damage to the undergrowth. I have still yet to actually see one.

On a steep climb nearing Silers Bald, Matt caught up to me. he hiked with me for a bit and then continued on his quest for the fastest transit of the Smokies. I struggled up the series of climbs which culminates in the ascent of Clingman's Dome. It started to get warm and the sun beat down. The false summits were getting to me and I was out of water. I knew the aid at Clingman wouldn't still be there when I made it. It looked like the end of the line for me.

When I made it to Clingman's, I searched for aid but it was nowhere to be found. I was, however, greeted by two megaultrarunners and friends who just happened to be doing some hiking with family, Susan Donnelly and Rob Apple. They only have about 800 ultras under their belts, collectively.

I hoped to find water on the trail and decided to continue. The trail between Clingman's and Newfound Gap is by far my favorite section of trail. It's lush and scenic with assorted mosses and is thick with red spruce and Fraser Fir. At a side trail, I considered heading down to a shelter and a spring to refill but didn't want to add an extra mile to do so. I continued on the AT and heard a trickle. It was a glorious sound and it flowed out of the ground like a spigot. I experienced the very best water of my life. I was on the verge of calling it a day, parched and dehydrated, and this super clean water was flowing from the source. needless to say, it energized me and took off with a renewed vigor. An extended downhill greeted me at the optimal time. I finally started to make some good time!

I ran into some hikers and talked with them for a few minutes. Upon hearing of my endeavor, they were impressed and aghast at how ridiculous an endeavor it was.

The trail moves well coming into Newfound Gap, but I was still in for one more surprise in the final half mile. I was cruising along and heard a little snap of a branch to my left. I turned, did a double take and stopped. I noticed a bear about six feet away, sitting on top of a bush. She snarled at me, a first for any bear. I then noticed why as there were two cubs just behind her. I started jogging again and left them all alone. I soon found myself at Newfound Gap.

Mike Day was there as well as Greg Paige. Mike had called it a day but Mohammed and Matt were still on the trail. Greg saw to it that I got my stomach filled and had everything I needed to continue on my journey. I was feeling outstandingly well and didn't have to think about whether I should continue. My body said go so I went on my way.

I was done with the ridiculous climbing and looked forward to some more level running. I conveniently forgot just how much more climbing there actually was. I took my time and rested on the frequent boulders. I ran into Susan and Rob again. They would take on the Smokies themselves in the near future.

It took a good while to reach the Icewater Shelter. From there it did level out a bit and Charlie's Bunion was coming up soon. The Bunion is loaded with rock outcroppings. It's a fantastic place to explore but is also quite dangerous. I didn't stick around long and headed on down the trail.

Nightfall wasn't far off. I'd hoped to have just ten miles after dark but wound up with about 20. By the time I approached Tricorner Knob, it was getting dark. The sunset seemed to last forever and was visible almost constantly from the trail as it headed north a bit. The last vestiges of the sunset faded into black and I was in for another long night on the trail.

It got extremely dark and the foliage became thicker and thicker. Some of these seemingly impenetrable peaks must be traversed for the SB6K. Fortunately, I could stay on the trail for SCAR.

The mountains tallied again as I inched closer tom the goal. I'd done this section in reverse previously and I recalled a much smoother and flatter trail. They always seem this way when I'm fresh but I now had 50+ miles on my feet, which were really starting to feel the pain. I'd done 80 miles at Mohican five weeks prior to SCAR. It was muddy and there were many deep stream crossings, leading to blisters, epic blisters. The blisters on the balls of my feet became so large that they were no longer just on the bottoms of my feet. They had crept up along the sides of my feet as well. My feet still had no entirely healed even after five weeks.

The pain increased and I had to start sitting along the trail more frequently to relieve the pain. I felt every rock on the trail and it was getting difficult to continue. I seriously expected to spend at least several hours in a shelter. At less than six miles to go I decided to tough it out and finish. The last climb just about killed me but then it was all downhill to the finish.

I started doing more running and my speed increased dramatically and soon I found myself losing control, heading for a major wipeout. I slowed down a bit but continued to move faster than I had all day and night. It took longer than anticipated to reach the bottom of the descent. It just kept going and going. Every time I thought I was finished, the trail extended itself. Eventually, I came to the road and my journey was complete. There was no fanfare and even nobody there to greet me. I was a little unnerved at the lack of anyone at all, expecting Mohammed and Matt to be camping there.

I sat down for a while and then lay down, trying to sleep. I felt like an easy target for any wild animal so it was tough to even nod off. I did get some sleep and awakened at daybreak. Mike Day and family arrived shortly thereafter and we headed home.

I had done it with just two days prior to think about it. 18,500 feet of climb and 71 miles of trail and rock. I'd done it 99+% by myself. It's actually tougher than some hundreds.

B_Rex

2009-04-23T09:28:00.000-07:00

March 21, 2009
Bushwhacking Journey in Old Fort

I met up with Matt, Patty and David Kirk, along with Lily Chang-Chien and Uwharrie for some morning trail maintenance. We worked on clearing a trail in Mackey Mountain Bear Preserve. The road we hiked to the trail involved a precarious stream crossing on two cables, one for feet and one for hands.

We cleared foliage nad in some places searched for the actual route. I got in a nap at one point. We had lunch and then Matt, David, Uwharrie and I headed up a steep slope to begin our journey. I took lead like I like to do when the trail is faint. My legs got scratched but that's merely collateral damage. After a significant amount of climbing, we reached a maintained portion of trail. I'd approached this from the other side years ago but turned back at this point.

We headed down the other side toward Curtis Creek campground. I took off, blazing down the mountainside, through numerous switchbacks and lush greenery. I stopped at the waterfall to wait for everybody. Soon, it was off again and into the campground.

From there, we headed up Snooks nose, a repressingly steep hike which gets worse the further you go. I couldn't keep up with them on this stretch. The downhill was a different matter. I blazed down again and came up to a section of private property. Covert operations were in effect. We traipsed through someone's yard and found the trail, across a small creek and up a steep grade.

We climbed up, grabbing roots and saplings and entered onto the trail. This was Star Gap and took us up to Jarrett Creek road. We opted to continue on singletrack until it was apparent we were moving away from the road so we backtracked to Jarrett Creek rd. I lost them at this point and knew there was no way I'd catch them on a road.

I plodded along until I got to a point where the road doubled back on itself. I bushwhacked down a fairly steep bank and onto the road. One more bushwhack cut off nearly a mile. This one wasn't nearly as easy. I cruised down a ways but then entered a rhododendron hell. I climbed up and over myriad entanglements, eventually reaching the road, but not before I fell backward on my butt.

It was just another mile to the car. We went to the finest Mexican joint in Old Fort, which is actually a bit better than any Mexican place in Asheville.

B-Rex

2009-04-23T09:25:00.000-07:00

March 22, 2009
Doughton Park Trail Run (16 miles)

Annette Bednosky invited all comers to join her on either a 16 mile trail run or a 32mile trail/road run. We all opted for the trail run. I picked up Matt Kirk and Uwharrie and we headed up north.

Matt and I had just tackled some challenging trails the day before in Old Fort. We arrived late but they waited for us. Doug Blackford and an ultra newbie joined us for the run.

I took my usual position at the back of the pack but moved along pretty well. A open spot led us over a little hump and then up the first climb. This was a rocky ascent, leading to the finest view of the day.

I trailed the group until the big descent. I cruised down the trail with reckless abandon. It felt fantastic to be able to open up all the way again. Finally, all joints and muscles were in top form.

I ran with Uwharrie, who kept cutting switchbacks to catch me. Eventually, I got ahead of her and she couldn't catch me. The views were tremendous but I was focused on speed. I waited at the bottom for everyone else and then I knew it would be a hike back up to the top.

On the way home, Matt and I stopped in Boone for a meal and to hit up a nice brew store. We didn't go home empty handed.

B-Rex

2009-03-31T09:02:00.000-07:00

March 7, 2009
Seven Sisters Summit

Chris, Adam, Wendy and Jim joined me on the third annual Seven Sisters run. This is more of a hike than a run. Over the course of 14 miles, the total elevation change is approximately 9,000 feet, with much of it being extremely rugged.

I stayed with Jim, who was unfamiliar with the area, and the rest went ahead. On the rocky crag of Lookout, we met up with Adam, but Wendy and Chris were nowhere to be found. Adam went ahead to catch them since they had likely missed a turn and continued on trestle.

I soon went on my own again as Jim assured me he'd be able to follow the course. The rest of the way I'd be by myself. It was nice to take in the sights and go at my own pace. The steep ups and downs didn't bother me.

The views were tremendous! Every summit afforded a clear view of other mountain ranges. The view from Walker Knob was the most stellar, looking out over Black Mountain and the Swannanoa range.

I was running low on water despite filling up midway. Thankfully, there was snow here and there so I filled my bottle at every opportunity. The temperature had warmed considerably and I would have been in major trouble without the snow. I noticed only one pair of footprints in the snow, which concerned me a bit.

I reached Greybeard, the high point of the journey, at 5400 feet. Views were senational to the north and the east! After relaxing a while, I headed back down and onto the Westridge trail. This is very technical with some boulder hopping and fancy footwork. Fortunately, it's on a downward trend, so it's a little easier on the lungs.

Many view spots exist along Westrigde and I took them in. The Asheville watershed lies along the trail and the reservoir is visible below. At one point, there is a very convincing visage of the old man of the moutain. The nose is formed by one rock while the head is of a different one, giving a bit of a Pinocchio effect.

Heading down from the ridge, I came across another wonderful view spot. I soaked up a few rays and took in the views, then headed down. The last bit of trail becomes exceedingly steep, with a few rocks at 60 degrees. My Innovates handled the rocks well and gripped even at that angle.

A short road section led me back to the car. It took about 4:20 to do the loop. Adam had left but Chris's and Wendy's vehichles were still there. They came in shortly afterward. It turned out they'd down about five extra miles due to numerous wrong turns. They had passed Jim several times as well. Chris and I enjoyed grub at Camino's, which is once again a top notch eatery, due to new ownership.

B-Rex

2009-03-11T09:21:00.000-07:00

February 28, 2009
Mount Mitchell Challenge

The weather appeared to be a non factor again. The forecast two days out called for 50's and mild weather. That changed on Friday, when rain, high winds and snow were forecast. My wardrobe plan would have to change.

I arrived close to start time so I didn't get to talk to everybody before the race. Rain was falling so I wanted to limit my time in it. That way I was warm at the start.

We started up Cherry Street and out onto Montreat. It was quite comfortable despite the steady sky tears. I ran with Bryan Hill for a while and Adam Hill cheered us on as we passed through the stone arches of Montreat. I slowed up a bit and met up with Travis Cowan. We stayed together on Rainbow road but then he went ahead.

I didn't push it on any part of the climb. The weather was miserable but I didn't let it get me down. My pace was slow and deliberate so I could save some for the downhill.

Nearing the Parkway, I was informed by search and rescue that the time cutoff had been changed. I'd been through two aid stations since the decision was made and no one communicated anything whatsoever about the change. I had made the official cutoff time with over 15 minutes to spare but was prevented from ascending Mt. Mitchell due to high winds and snow.

The purpose of having this race in February is to throw in the wild card of potentially severe weather. Some runners did suffer from hypothermia. The addition of drop bags at the Parkway aid station would have eliminated this problem.

I ran into Bryan Hill right before the aid station and he ran back to it with me. Our race was over so there was no hurry to finish up. We hadn't planned on running a marathon so the return trip plodded along at a leisurely pace. I helped out a woman who had lost all dexterity in her fingers. She couldn't open her pack. Hours upon hours of rain tend to render simple tasks impossible.

At the second to last aid station, I met up with Bedford Boyce. We trotted out the rest of the course together. It still meant plenty of time on our feet so it wasn't a lost cause.

B-Rex

2009-02-16T07:57:00.000-08:00

February 7, 2009
Uwharrie Mountain Run
41 miles

Uwharrie was a return to the site of my very first ultra, in 2006. That attempt took every ounce of determination I could muster just to toe the finish line. I felt confidant but unsure of how I'd perform this year. Last year featured a worn out body which had slept in a car at subfreezing temperatures and a lost contoact, which resulted in a cyclopsian run.

The weather at in Asheboro was cozy, nearly 50 degrees as I left. I opted for a hotel this year and that got things rolling smoothly. The temperature at the start was in the mid 30's. Uwharrie is loaded with microclimates.

I started off a little quicker. I've noticed that I start off too slowly I never get up to speed. Lisa Arnold and I compared notes about this phenomena during the race. On the first climb, I knew Ihad overdressed a bit. The air was much warmer on the hilltops but the valleys remained cold throughout the morning.

I moved well and continued to do so. Eventually, I met up with Lisa Arnold, and we stayed together most of the run. At one point, I was leading a train of four runners and I took a spill, rolling comically but jumping right back up with a renewed vigor.

I also ran much of the first half with Walt Robinson and Quattro Hubbard. I knew running with Quattro would keep me moving at the pace I wanted to maintain. Walt was fairly new to ultras and we ran off and on together for the entire day.

I saw Charlie Roberts about a mile and a half rom the turn, which was a very good sign. Shortly afterward, Doug Blackford and Rick Gray passed. I was exstatic that I was only a short distance behind them.

My goal of hitting the midpoint at 4:20 was right on target. I made the turn and headed back. Chris Shields was finishing up his 20 mile run. Mike Day caught up with me after an extended rest at the turn.

I was on my own for a good part of the second half. Walt went ahead and I saw no one for a few miles except for 20 milers. On the first big climb of the second half, Claire Oberg caught up and I could not stay with her for long. She was the sixth place woman at the turn and wound up second overall.

I kept moving and expecting to run into problems. I never did! I had a few slowdowns but never hit the wall. Mentally, I was inspired, and physically, I had only minor pains, which went away. My right ankle and hamstring had been tweaked but were holding up well.

After an extended period in isolation, I went straight where I should have turned. I noted the potential confusion on the way out but completely forgot about it and added a few hundred yards before I realized I was off trail. In the meantime, Quattro pulled ahead.

On a very long stretch, I approached Lisa Wilber. We traded on the ups and downs and eventually caught up to Lisa Arnold again. I stayed close to both of them. At the final aid station, I left ahead of Lisa A. and tried to catch the guy in the purple shirt, who appeared to be struggling. He was moving faster than me so I gave up on that notion. Lisa caught me again and we just moseyed up the last climb. My goal of ten hours was well within reach.

We took our time on the descent, not expecting to catch anybody. The rock gardens seem much larger and more numerous on the return. It's very easy to hurt a foot or ankle as I had done in 2006. After the rock gardens, I spied the guy in the purple shirt. I had tracked him like a one armed man and was set to pounce. I told Lisa that I was going to catch him before the finish, less than a quarter mile away. It took all of 10 seconds to make up the 50 yards between us. 50 yards ahead of him were Walt and Lisa W. I went after them and blew past like a freight train. Two more turns and then I did something incredibly stupid! There is a 90 degree turn just five yards from the finish line. I turned the oppoosite way, with a high rate of speed and pulled a 270. I could have easily wound up hitting a tree or at least taking the flagging down. Fortunately, i was facing the right direction and high stepped across the line.

I made it in 9:44, a new personal record by 1:21! I'd never broken 11 hours in two tries before, 55 out of 84 finishers and about 100-105 starters. This was just the confidence boost I'd needed.

B-Rex

2008-12-22T13:30:00.001-08:00

December 20, 2009
Art Loeb Trail Adventure Run

The 8th running of ALTAR saw a large group of over 20 runners. The weather looked fairly mild again with the warmest start. Some rain and wind were expected, which would be magnifies significantly at the higher elevations.

I picked up Kevin Lane and headed south of Canton to Camp Daniel Boone. Some folks were just tearing into some spaghetti. We said our hellos and joined the feast.

The cabin has seven bunkrooms, a bevy of showers, a full function kitchen and a large lodge room.It's just about the perfect place to start and finish an ultra.

I wound up bunking with Charlie Roberts, David Horton and Jennifer Pharr-Davis. David is one of the most revered ultrarunners of all time. He has held the AT speed record and still owns the Pacific Crest record. In addition, he puts on the Lynchburg Ultra Series, the most popular ultra series in the east. Jennifer just set the female AT speed record this year. I followed her blog throughout her journey. It was nice to meet her in person. Ultrarunning has the most accessible superstars. You usually can't tell who is an ultrarunner by sight and even the most elite are friendly and supportive. If they have major egos, they hide them well.

We followed the buddy system to make sure everybody made it through. There are few exits and a wrong turn can mean a life threatening situation. I was paired up with Dennis Michel, a 61 year old heart attack survivor. He had just run a sub 4 hour marathon so I didn't expect him to drag me down. He didn't. I had trouble staying with him.

The trail starts out flat but soon starts climbing and doesn't stop climbing for long for 17 miles. At mid elevation the town of Brevard recedes and views of Looking Glass Rock get more impressive. It's nice to watch the play of light off this enormous granite outcropping throughout the morning. It's a favorite of rock climbers. I did a follow up run to the summit the day after ALTAR in 2006.

At Gloucester Gap, we got some company in the form of Scott Brockmeier and Liz Bauer, followed closely by David Kirk and Andy Ritger. I stayed with Scott and Liz for the first of the truly hellacious climbs. Pilot Mountain starts out in a relatively difficult fashion but becomes much more steep. The switchbacks hit a 30% grade briefly. We simply took our time and enjoyed it the best we could. Instead of looking toward the summit, we looked back at what we'd accomplished in such a short time. The escarpment approaches 75 degrees and appears even steeper! The layout of the first 13 miles presents itself for those who want to see what has so far been attained.

Pilot Mountain has a couple of false summits, which are an enormous energy zap. The yoga I've been doing helped to calm me and keep my mind off of the horrendous climbs still awaiting me. After two false summits, we finally crested and I rested and took in the view. Everyone got ahead of me but I wasn't concerned.

I could see five bodies making their way down the numerous switchbacks. I got a burst of energy and started to close in on them rapidly. I unleashed the dinosaur in me and B-Rex picked up steam, knocking down trees and gobbling up trail. At the bottom of the descent I was again by myself. My knees held up and I felt absolutely fantanstic!

I got to a shelter on the next climb and rested for a bit. Scott and Liz quickly caught me and we searched for a spring to refill. We were off again on another ridiculous climb up to the Parkway.

Eventually, everybody caught and passed me. I took some rest breaks and wasn't too concerned with bringing up the rear. I just wanted to be near other runners at the top of this climb.

Everyone was having a snack at the Parkway when I reached them. It was getting windy and it had started to sprinkle. I put on my raincoat and trudged up my final climb.

A mile later, Patty Kirk and Melinda Daye had water and food for us. The plan was for no aid stations, in part because it's very easy to call it a day after the brutal climb.

I opted out of traversing the balds, in part to get out of the wind and in part because I didn't wan't to be stuck out after dark again, in the rain. I followed the road to the Ivestor Gap trail and took that to the Shining Rock Wilderness.

The rain fell faster and may have had some sleet mixed in. I tried to avoid puddles and keep my feet reasonably dry. It became increasingly difficult but I made it to the horse trail with fairly dry feet. This descent is much prettier than the normal ALTAR drop through the mud. It begins in a spruce forest and then drops through beach, hemlock and mixed hardwood forests on its gradual descent to Daniel Boone.

The only drawback from this route was the dearth of blowdowns. In most cases, they were minor but there was one monster of a tree which took considerable off-trailing to surpass.

I wound down until I came to a stream. The trail deadended so I figured a ford was in order. Across and down a bit, I noticed someone running so my feet would be soaked but there couldn't be much further to go so I quickly crossed.

Seeing another runner pumped me up. I'd hiked most of the last six miles so I had had plenty of recovery time from the beastly climb. This was also excellent trail with a slight drop and enough rocks to make it interesting. I plowed past Andy and Dennis and then David and kept going. This was the fastest I'd run in quite some time. It felt fantastic to run at 8 minute pace again, even if it was downhill.

Eventually, I approached the camp. I made it off the trail in 9:44, which was a personal best for ALTAR, but the easier descent likely took off 1 1/2 hours, so it wasn't truly my fastest.

B-Rex

2008-12-22T10:27:00.000-08:00

November 27-30, 2008
Shenandoah and Pandapas runs

I'd met up with Melissa Beaver for a 9 mile run in the Iron Mountains and then got together over Thanksgiving for a series of runs. We started with an AT/ Neighbor mountain run. I did about 6 and she did a bit more. We followed it up with a hike in Whiteoak Canyon. The trail dropped alongside a series of waterfalls. This is a popular destination so it was good to hike it as opposed to running it.

Back in Blacksburg, we hit Pandapas for two days of running. The first day was an out and back along Poverty Creek, followed by a run around the lake. I logged about 7 easy miles. The following day climbed up Snake Root and down Jacob's Ladder, followed by Poverty Creek and another lake run. I logged about 9 miles, but these weren't as easy as the day before.

There was ice coating the trees at the highest elevation. I didn't get to run with Melissa for much of it. She's quite a bit faster than I but I hope to be able to saty with her for longer periods in the near future.

B-Rex

2008-12-22T10:13:00.000-08:00

November 1, 2008
Shut-in Ridge Trail Race

I kept my goal reasonable this year. The primary goal was just to finish under the cutoff. 4 1/2 hours would be nice but didn't much matter to me. I was feeling recovered from a year of overtraining and two nagging injuries.

I started out very slowly, managing to stay ahead of just several runners over the first few miles. Slowly, I passed several more. I experienced long periods without seeing anyone else. I climbed slowly and trotted the levels. I made it to the halfway point to be greeted by Adam and Suzanne Hill. She was the second half sweep.

I continued to plod along, thinking 4 1/2 could be a reality. The last two miles quickly turn that perceived reality over on itself. These last two are legendary in their difficulty, but are easier if you've taken it easy to that point. After giving all you have for 16 miles, the final push turns many runners into whimpering blobs, barely able to put one foot in front of the other.

I made it off the trail under 5 hours, but just by 11 minutes. Three straight finishes despite severely lagging times. Adam paced the final two and we all went out to Papas and Beer for a fine Mexican dinner.

B-Rex

2008-12-22T09:32:00.000-08:00

October 11-12, 2008
New River 50k & Dupont Marathon

This was my volunteer weekend. I traveled to Fries, VA, to help out Annette with her inaugural 50k race. This took place on the very flat New River rail trail. I worked at the primary aid station. I stayed in a house right by the start/finish and spent the eving with Annette and George and David and Patty Kirk.

Morning came quickly and I tried to assemble my group of volunteers. We rode out with the forst service and set up all of the goodies for the runners. Many friends were racing so I got to see a multitude of friendly faces.

There was a lull between the outbound and inbound traffic so we went out on a fantastic rail bridge and hung out in the sun. I got to talking with one volunteer, Melissa Beaver and we hit it off rather well.

We made our way back to the station and readied ourselves for the returning runners. They came in slowly at first but soon we were again inundated. It was fast and furious but also very enjoyable.

Afterward, I got to know Melissa a bit better and knew she was someone I needed to be in touch with. The entire experience was well worth it for me and there was a bonus on top of it all.

That Sunday, I worked the primary intersection at the Dupont Marathon. I acted as traffic cop, signaling directions and attempting to avoid collisions. This was my frst ever marathon, in 2005, and I'd volunteered in 2006. There is a waiting game at the start but once they start coming, things really take off.

Watching the dynamic of the front runners and how they gain or lose is something I rarely get to witness as a middle to back of the pack runner. Everyone passes the intersection five times so we get a different view of the race each time.

Some interesting sidebars; a geo cacher came by and was looking under some rocks right next to us. People use coordinates to find stashes and take something from the container and leave something in its place.

Another incident involved some horse riders, who were less than congenial. Despite knowing there was a matahon in progress, they chose to ride on the course without regard to the runners. Horse riders have right of way on trails which allow horses but one rider gave absolutely no respect to the runners and trotted out in front of a couple of them. She acted like she owned the trail. I called out to alert the runners, since it was a somewhat blind intersection, and another rider complained about me hollering. I had a few choice but polite words for her. The next group of riders was very polite.

All in all, things went well. I paces the second to last runner to within 200 yards of the finish and then went back to pace the final runner for about a mile to within 100 yards of the finish. The Dupont Marathon had been her first ever maraton the previous year, at age 50, and it was her second marathon this year. She beat her time by one minute this year.

B-Rex

2008-12-22T08:53:00.000-08:00

Oct. 4, 2008
Looking Glass Loop

This was to be a 40+ mile trek up the Art Loeb Trail, the Mountains to Sea Trail and the Monutains to Sea alternate. It's a neatly packaged loop but I saw it as taking 12+ hours to complete and opted to start up top. I left Charlie Robert's vehicle at Black Balsam road, after relaxing in the surprisingly warm sun for a couple of hours.

I started out before noon, so I could get a head start and take my time. My goal was to enjoy every bit of the run. I would start out hiking and run when I felt like it. My feet had recovered from the metatalsalgia issues and my knees felt better but still flared up on occasion. Starting out slowly seemed to benefit the knees and as a bonus I could take in more of the trail, as I had been on the first portion of the MTS only once before and had never done a six mile stretch of it.

The trail starts on a slight decline, occasionally following an old railbed. It's been washed in portions but much of it is still intact. Soon, switchbacks lead down to a trail junction, which leads to the Graveyard Fields area. A gorgeous heath tunnel then swallows you up in a sea of green. The rhododendrons are mature and emit odoriferous decaying scents which are most pleasing to the olfactories and help to energize. I sped up and surprised some hikers. I'd heard voices for some time but took a while to prove that I wasn't simply hearing voices.

Shortly thereafter, I happened upon a group of senior hikers. They were surprised at how fast I was moving downhill and I was impressed just to see them out hiking. The trail then opened up into a mixed forest with a fair number of large trees. I had thoughts about visiting Yellowstone Falls but opted to pass and save the extra mile.

It was then downward toward Skinny Dip Falls. I'd been here only once, in support of Adam Hill, on his Pingman's quest in 2007. I was pushed off a rock into the swimming hole, which made for a nice photo. Matt Kirk was slated to start here and finish off the run with everyone else. I missed him by about an hour but expected him to reach me at some point.

I was very pleased with the decision to skip the arduous Art Loeb climb. I still had some climbing in store but nothing like that 7,000 feet of climb. I only do that once a year, at ALTAR.

The trail crossed the Parkway and 276, skirting the Blue Ridge escarpment, until the alternate MTS turns right and heads toward the Pink Beds. There's a short bomber descent and then it stays flat for a while.

I expected to see someone come from behind but there was no one. I moved quicker than I thought I had and soon started a gradual climb up toward Black Mountain. I was unfamiliar with this portion as well but recognized a few spots. It had to be the correct route but I still couldn't help to wonder if I'd taken the wrong trail.

Things got steeper and gnarlier. Some mountain bikers were coming toward me at about two miles an hour. How they navigated the ridiculous rock formations is beyond me. Reaching the top of Clawhammer, I enjoyed a brief downhill but to my dismay, Black Mountain loomed ahead. Both peaks are quite rocky and steep.

The other side of Black Mountain was a bit smoother and made for an extended, enjoyable descent. As I enjoyed the drop, dog tags rattled from behind. Uwharrie had been sniffing me out just like she had at the Bartram run on New Year's Day. Matt Kirk wasn't far behind. We ran together for just over a half mile but my lungs didn't permit me to stay with him. The rest of my body felt strong but I'd forgotten just how much effort it took to downhill at a rapid pace.

The downhill went on for miles, one of the better downhills I've run. I made it out well before dark, which was in doubt about seven miles earlier. The rest of the gang, Mohammed, Charlie, Matthew and Adam met us in the parking lot. Mohammed, Charlie, Matt and Lily dined in Brevard.

I got in 24 miles with a bunch of downhill. My knees held up and everything felt right. It was evident that I wasn't in the best of shape but now things could progress as I was again running without pain.

B-Rex

2008-09-18T08:03:00.000-07:00

August 9, 2008
Laurel Valley 35 Miler

This was my third running of the venerable Laurel Valley run. I'd also done it as part of a longer run in February. I wasn't in the kind of shape I'd like to be. Last year, I'd just completed my third 100 miler in 75 days and was on an emotional high. This year, I was lacking conditioning but was at least well rested.

I started out quickly into the darkness. I tried to stay ahead of a pack of runners and succeeded in doing this for about two miles, then the pack broke up and some passed while others lagged. I soon found myself all alone and would remain all alone for most of the next 33 miles.

Numerous waterfalls line the trail. The first one was barely a trickle due to the drought. A new road had been cut along the trail. A new road gets crossed by the trail several times at this point for the next two miles.

I saw someone up ahead, thinking I was going to pass somebody. It turned out to be one of the early runners from a 5:30 start. This allows slower runners to finish no later than 6:00, but that didn't happen for several runners again this year. I caught the rest of the group shortly thereafter.

The trail follows an old road bed for the next couple of miles, passing another waterfall. This one was a bit more impressive yet nothing compared to how it looked in February.

At the start of the first major climb, at 8 1/2 miles, I was passed by Richard Sexton and a two others. I stayed with them briefly but couldn't keep up on the ascent.

David King and Bill Keane caught me near the top of the climb. Bill is an absolute trip and one of the funniest guys I know! We ran together for a while until I hammered the long, steep descent. This was the first time hammering a descent in six months. It felt extremely empowering but I resisted the temptation to do it again on the next one.

Next up was the stair section. It begins with an extremely steep three stage climb up a narrow ridge. After much gasping for air, I reached the top and began the express elevator to hell descent. It's even steeper on the downhill, almost like descending a ladder. They caught me soon after and I didn't see them again.

I was alone from that point until the final mile and a half. I took it easy after 20 miles and did an awful lot of hiking. The long climbs took a considerable amount oftime but I just kept plugging away. I stopped in one stream to cool off, expecting somebody to catch me but it never happened.

The gorges came and went. It all tends to blend together after so many miles. Finally, I approached the final river. Whitewater was in my sight and the 1.7 mile marker was a reality. The actual distance left is a bit more. I noticed someone else ahead of me on the trail so I attempted to close in on him. It was Leon Harmon, and he was having stomach issues. I hiked with him for a few minutes, then ran ahead.

The waterfalls at the river crossings wasn't nearly what it was in February. I started the final ascent, closing in on two more runners. It took a while to catch them but I did so shortly before the Whitewater Falls overlook. I took in the view for a minute then made the final push up the wooden stairs. The rest was gravy as I sprinted to the finish in 10:27, a bit slower than last year but still pleased to have made it despite being considerably out of shape.

B-Rex

2008-08-05T05:39:00.000-07:00

July 26, 2008
Smokies Challenge Adventure Run

We headed out midday Friday to find a place to camp. Adam Hill, Drew Shelfer, Charlie Roberts and I cruised into Big Creek but the camp was full. We hung out there for a while and then went to the Pigeon River where Drew was doing some fly fishing. We had a few beers in the sun and then got into some competitive rock skipping.

We still needed to find a place to rest so we scoped out a gravel road which led us up through a backwood area. Some guys were constructing a building so we stopped to chat with them about finding a place to camp. They were quite accomodating and offered up a church further up the road. Jimmy Barnes gave us his blessing and said to tell anyone who questioned us at Brown's Missionary Baptist Churchus that he said it was okay. We offered up a donation to the church and we had our renegade campsite. Upon inspecting the graveyard, it became clear why it was called Brown's as over half of the names on the stones were Browns. Da Browns.

We met Mike Day and his daughter Jessica and headed back up to the church. There was a large pavillion so we didn't even bother with tents. We enjoyed a meal and talked for a bit and then started sawing logs, at least I did, which prevented some others from getting a good night's rest. We had a visit from coon dogs. They'd been making noise for a good while and one came up and checked us out.

The morning came quickly, in part because it was only 4am. We gathered our stuff and headed to the rendezvous point at Davenport Gap. We met up with Denise Davis and Brian Kistner, and Byron Backer was also there to lend support.

I took off ahead of the group. The trail climbed right away but kept a gradual grade. I could hear the sounds of I-40 for the first couple of miles. Soon the group caught me but Adam was nowhere to be seen. He came along a good bit later, just as it started raining lightly. That light rain turned to a solid rain as I reached higher elevations.

The first trail junction was at the Mount Cammerer trail at 5.2 miles. It took me just over two hours to reach that point. Suddenly 10 hours to get to Newfound Gap seemed beyond reach. That was my conservative goal. I was hoping for 9-9 1/2 hours. My myriad ailments over the past ten months had taken their toll on my fitness level.

At 8:45, I heard a noise just off the trail and saw a black creature walking through the brush. A bear cub plopped down onto the trail about 25 feet ahead of me. It headed on without noticing me. I heard a grunt and down came mama bear. She was aware of my presence and she stopped on the trail to check me out. She was quite large for a female and spent a couple of seconds looking at me and then determined I wasn't a threat and leapt off the trail, leaving skidmarks in the mud over a foot long. I still wasn't sure if the cub was on the trail so I proceeded cautiously so as not to wind up between the two.

That incident gave me bursts of adrenaline and energy. I moved much more quickly and enjoyed an extended downhill. The trail went up and down but remained much closer to level. The big climb was over and it became much smoother sailing.

Looking off to the left, I noticed some metal objects. After closer examination, I noticed they were the remnants of a plane crash. The plane hit the mountain just several yards off trail.

I saw my first human in many hours and was able to gauge how far in back of Denise I was. I thought it posiible to catch her but by the time I saw another hiker, I had fallen back further. It would be just myself and the trail the rest of the way.

As I neared the final shelter before Newfound Gap, the hikers became more plentiful. Everyone was doing a section hike and most were averaging 10 miles per day. I met one duo who had done no more than 7 miles a day. They rested about every 100 yards.

After passing the Icerock shelter, more day hikers were present. I had a mostly downhill stretch to Newfound Gap. I knew this was as far as I was going today. My legs started moving very quickly over the extremely rugged terrain. My feet started reacting with the rock and I got a feeling I hadn't had in almost a year. I no longer had to think about foot placement or worry about my knees or feet. I had no pain and was moving at a torrid pace. As I leapt from rock to rock, I got the sensation of being a gazelle, gliding across outcroppings with ease. This is close to the sensation of flying in a dream. Freedom found me and I welcomed it back.

Mike Day was waiting at the car. All but two had dropped. I enjoyed a Subway sandwich and then we headed to Fontana, where we ate again and then set up camp at the Fontana Hilton. Adam and Charlie made it through before midnight, in fine form. I slept out under the stars. I did 34 miles.

B-Rex

For other accounts: http://www.ncultra.org/article.php?story=20080801120356495
http://www.charlieroberts.com/archives/75

2008-07-21T07:38:00.000-07:00

Mohican 100 Mile Run
June 21, 2008

I really enjoyed this run last year. It was my second 100 miler and looked forward to running it again. It will remain on my schedule for next year.

The drive to Ohio went quickly. In Cincinnati, the cicadas were so loud I had to put up the windows briefly. That was on the highway with all sorts of noise to drown them out and they were still deafening.

I got to Mohican and checked in with Amy Kaylor, who had been my pacer last year. She took over registration for the event this year. Her husband, Chris, was back with all of his trail running goodies for those who forgot anything, like me. They actually met while working an aid station last year.

I got a camping spot along the river, thinking it'd be peaceful. The group next to me was up until 1 am partying. I had to be up around 4:15, so that was decidedly inconvenient for me. When I did rise, there was a group several sites down who were still partying.

I had originally planned to run this in under 24 hours. I had Achilles heel issues last year which slowed me down on the descents. I figured I would have run it in 25 1/2 hours if I hadn't had that pain.

What a difference a year makes! I'd experienced myriad overuse ailments. Nothing which completely stopped me but many issues which slowed me down dramatically. I hadn't been on the bike much and hadn't been doing yoga or lifting weights with any frequency, all three of which had been integral parts of my training. I paid the price for it this year.

I started off moving well. I passed runners going uphill. I want to increase my uphill hiking stride a bit more but it worked well for me. When I hit the first big downhill, I let gravity take over and I moved more quickly than I had in ten months. I still didn't want to go 100% but I was quite pleased with how well my body responded.

I ran back and forth with Jay and Anita Finkle. Everything felt fine and I had some lungs as well. It was nice to get to the trail section, however.

I really plowed through this last year but still moved okay this year. The trails are fast and very runnable. I had forgotten just how smooth they were. I only wished I were in better shape so I could really push myself. I caught a runner out of the corner of my eye doing something that shouldn't be done so close to the trail. He was only about ten yards off and not well concealed. I conversed with a group of three women ahead shortly afterward but fortunately they didn't bear witness to the defiling of forest.

I ran with Kim intermittently. She's a larger bodied runner but it was all I could do to keep pace with her. We both felt proud when we passed up a very thin runner on a climb.

We came to the third aid station more quickly than anticipated. I continued to move well along the green loop. The trail grew wider and had more gravel, which was my enemy. I avoided it at all cost since my metatarsalgia caused great paind whenever the ball of either foot struck a rock.

Soon the tower was in site and I made my way to the aid station. I was well ahead of cutoff but well back in the pack. The portion to the covered bridge contained excessive amounts of large gravel so I wound up hiking more than I'd liked to.

The orange loop was different than last year. The course now has more singletrack and a road section has been eliminated. I started this with Todd, whom I met while trying to beat the cutoff at Massanutten. The orange loop from the covered bridge to the state park entrance is the highlight of the run. This is by far the most scenic section. The trail rolls along surprisingly tall hills on mountain biking trails. The trails undulate like a roller coaster with countless twists and turns.

Getting to the Grist Mill was not a pleasant task. The temperature had warmed up and this grassy expanse was quite exposed to the sun. This was a step down from last year's course and will hopefully be eliminated next year. The loop after the Grist Mill was removed. This loop was the steepest part and caused great pains the second time through last year so I was okay with it getting gone.

The trek back to the covered bridge was extremely hot. The climbs were tougher than I'd remembered and the flats alonf the river just kept going. When it was time to ford the river, I welcomed the cool water. It was a challenge getting through it since it was littered with large rocks. I stumbled and plodded my way across.

The blue loop was up next. Last year this almost broke me due to the intense heat. It was later in the day this year so I didn't experience all that much direct sunlight. It seemed much easier this year. The 75 degree incline was tough. You have to pull yourself up through roots and rocks. Every run should have a part like this!

Making my way back to the covered bridge again, I ran into Terri Hayes. She didn't have a chance of making the cutoff so she was opting for a 100k route of her choosing simply to get in as many miles as possible. I felt the best I'd felt all day coming off the blue loop.

Heading up on the red loop, which followed a slightly different course from last year, I was soon gasping for air. The high I'd just felt was replaced by exaspiration. I'd made the last cutoff by an hour and planned on making up time here. That wasn't the case and then some rough weather moved in on me. At the top of a ridge, it was calm and then all of a sudden, small trees were at 90 degree angles and large ones were at 30 degree angles. The wind whipped across the trail and branches snapped. I was hit by one but kept on moving. figuring rougher weather was soon to come.

Just before the aid station, the sky opened up and it poured and hailed. Todd and I huddled under the tent to wait it out. There was a report of a tornado in the county so we stayed put a while. Eventually, we headed out into the driving rain. Our cushion of time had almost evaporated so we had no choice.

Todd went ahead on the first big climb and I was left alone with my thoughts. The red loop had several stream crossings. There was no way to stay dry. I'd had some chafing issues before the rain but they were exacerbated after the steady downpour. Soon it hurt to walk but surprisingly felt less painful to run. I knew I was very likely the last runner to leave the previous aid station.

The climb away from the stream after the final crossing went on forever, just as it had during the night last year. I finally made it out to the road and then back onto the last section of trail I would run. It was a soggy mess.

A climb on dirt road brought me back to where the trail section had started earlier. One loop was all I would do this year. I was 52 miles in but in tremendous pain. I had just an 8 minute time cushion. My feet hurt almost as much as the chafing so I knew it was time to stop.

There is a consolation finisher's medal is you get to at least 50 miles so I did receive a medal. My finish percentage for 100 milers was now at 50. I wasn't all that bothered by not finishing. I'd overdone it lately and experienced constant injuries. I still look forward to the next adventure.

B-Rex

2008-07-21T07:21:00.000-07:00

Chattooga 50k

My body doesn't handle hot weather very well. When it's in the 80's, I slow down significantly. When it's in the 90's, I'm reduced to a snail's pace. No problem, on this day it would only be 102!

After failing to make a cutoff at Massanutten, I vowed to start out much quicker. Even though there was no time limit, I wanted to get moving and cover as much ground as possible before it got ridiculously hot.

I started out near the front and avoided the early logjams. Most races start on the road and the field is opened up a bit before hitting single track. This one started and remained on single track the entire course.

I kept my pace for a good while but started to experience shin splints so I was forced to ease up a bit. That kept the pain at bay but I was still on the verge of it for a few miles. Many runners passed me at this point.

The trail heads down to the river and follows it for a good while. It then veers away, returns and then exits into the hills. It's on a portion of the Foothills Trail, which is also used for the Laurel Valley 35 miler and is the site of the February Foothills Trail (76+ mi) run, which will be revisited in November.

The heat didn't feel all that bad at first but the humidity was extremely high. I was drenched an hour and a half into the run. The humidity started to drop but the heat really kicked in.

After my shin splints faded, I got moving pretty quickly. There was an extended downhill and I jumped to the front of the train and led a group down. I stayed in the first position for a while on the flat but overdid it and had to derail.

I was forced to slow down my pace and it would remain slow the rest of the day. I ran with Gregg Shockley for most of the outbound section. I got behind him for a bit and took a wrong turn but corrected myself quickly.

At the first aid station, which took an eternity to get to, I caught up to several runners who had passed me much earlier. This was a boost and Gregg and I took off for an extended downhill. Brian Kistner came toward us, about ten miles ahead of us. He was followed by several more and then after a lull, others did as well.

By the time we made it to the turn around point, the heat was stifling. I hadn't realized just how hot it actually was, surmising that it was in the mid 90's. It had hit 102 in nearby Greenville so it was within a couple of degrees of that where we were.

It was really stinking hot at this point. I dreaded climbing back up the mountain we'd just descended. We started out and Gregg went ahead. On the long climb, I suffered from heat exhaustion. I'd experienced it at Laurel Valley last year but this was worse. At first, my body would start to shut down after just 30 yards of running. Later on, I was shutting down from simply hiking uphill.

I tried to keep moving but felt faint and knew I was risking passing out by continuing. I battled over whether or not to continue. This was just a 50k but the heat was ruining me. I sat down for a while to collect myself and had to do this a couple of more times. When I made it to the aid station, I dowsed myself with cold water, which did help. Feeling better, I opted to continue.

With smaller climbs ahead, I felt much better mentally. Getting that big climb out of the way equaled having a large weight lifted from me. I was able to run a bit on the downhill. I was still overheating but was no longer approaching heat exhaustion. It would be an incredibly slow go the rest of the way but at least I knew I was able to keep moving.

It seemed like forever before I got back to the river. Having cool water next to me for much of the remainder was extremely comforting. I hopped in and it felt like bath water, not what I'd expected. At least it was wet which helped. I jumped in again and found a cooler spot in the shade. It would have been easy to stay in for a half hour but I trudged onward.

I took in some of the scenery which I missed in the morning. Hemlocks towered along the shores, appearing to hit 150 feet or more in height. The blight was taking its toll on them but many healthey specimens still reside.

The turnoff back to the finish area took an insane amount of time to reach. I thought I'd missed it. When I made to the turn, I entered the home stretch. Knowing it was less than a mile to go got me moving a bit. I despise being passed late in a race and generally do not allow it. That meant pushing a little harder but the heat had eased and I had only a short while to go. Entering the final turn, My body just went into overdrive and I went into a full sprint across the finish, nearly taking out the scorer's table and distributing the finisher's awards all over the parking lot.

As it turned out, I had almost caught two runners and the next one after me was 18 minutes back. 10 1/2 hours seems like a poor effort but I gave all I could under the conditions and was proud to finish. I'd never been so tempted to drop out of a 50k but I didn't. This boosted my confidence and hopefully has started me back to my previous level of mental fortitude.

The finisher's award was a wood cutout shaped like the state of South Carolina with a photo of the course on it. Terri Hayes put the race on practically by herself and asked only for donations.

B-Rex

2008-07-14T09:11:00.000-07:00

May 17-18, 2008
Massanutten Mountain Trails 100

This had been my first ever 100 mile run in 2007. I was in much better shape and injury free last year. This year was a different story. Multiple overuse injuries had hampered my training and slowed me to a crawl. I wasn't about to drop out however.

The comraderie at these events draws me back as much as the runs themselves. It's always refreshing to see so many familiar faces filled with eager anticipation.

I had some foot issues but my knees were finally feeling strong. I started out at a nice pace but soon slowed due to shin splints. My lack of training invited this uncomfortable condition. I soon found myself nearly last as I entered the trail. I felt I moved fairly well on the road portion but the trail is where I excel.

The first climb coinsides with the coming of twilight. Near the top, the sun piqued my curiosity as it peeked over the distant peaks. I was a bit further along last year when it first appeared.

The first ridge is one of the highlights of the run. It's very rugged but you have fresh legs so it's easy to move quickly.

I noticed the that runners around me were ones who often flirted with cutoff times. I motored ahead but some caught me at the aid station. The first major descent allowed me to make some time on them.

The descent led to an extended road stretch. I despise flat road stretches but managed to move fairly well on it this time. Still, I was running well behind schedule, just 45 minutes ahead of the cutoff time.

The next section was one of my favorites from last year and where I made up time on all of my buddies. I moved alright, running with Leonard Martin for a good while but I had to take a few short breaks and I lost him. I made solid time heading downhill but my feet were causing a good deal of distress. Every time I landed on a rock, I had a pain in my left forefoot. This pain increased when my stride increased. I came upon a runner resting by a stream. We took off and I went ahead after a while.

I thought I was approaching the aid station but it was just a small parking area and I still had a couple of minutes to go. The cutoff time was nigh as I scooted in with 1 1/2 minutes to go. I had to be out of the aid station in five minutes' time.

I took off with Todd, the guy from the stream, and we moved very well for a while but I'd run myself out. I reduced my pace to a crawl and pretty much called it a day. David Hughes approached me as I was sitting on a log. I knew my day was about to end. He opted to try and make the next cutoff.

I lazily made the last climb after fording several streams. The trail was quite muddy as opposed to last year's dry conditions. The only wet part was the descent that was coming up. I took my time descending as well. I passed a sign pointing out where there had been a rattlesnake earlier.

I turned in my number at the aid station and filled up on food. Both Todd and David returned to the station after starting the next section. That was the section which gave me the most trouble last year. We hung out for a good long while and watched the lead runners come through for the second time. Mike Mason decided to call it a day, despite running fifth, which eased my pain a bit.

I was majorly disappointed at not having the opportunity to finish. I had foot issues and very likely would not have been able to complete the entire circuit but certainly wanted to try. The cutoff times aren't all based on 36 hours. the early ones are based on 28-30 hours. This puts undue pressure on runners to push themselves too hard early on. I'm a strong finisher and a slow starter so this weighed heavily on me. I never failed to keep moving but was unable to move fast enough.

This was the first time I'd ever been pulled from a race, and at just 39 miles. Hopefully, I'll be able to train more and get my fitness back to where it needs to be. There is no question about my endurance. I also lacked a bit of the mental focus and drive which pushed me through last year. That's something which needs to return as well.

After getting a lift back to the ranch, I ate and hung out, then went to sleep. In the early morning I got up to watch the finishers and helped keep track of those who crossed the finish line. Before I knew it, I became a volunteer and continued for next ten hours. This was extremely enjoyable and made the trip more complete.

B-Rex

2008-05-13T07:48:00.000-07:00

May 3, 2008
Blue Planet (Run for Africa) 24 Hour Run

Last year at this run, I'd logged my longest run to date, with 90 miles, in preparation for my first 100 miler. This year I was undertrained but would still try to get in 100 miles if the opportunity presented itself. The course was a five mile cross country loop with singletrack, a whole lot of gravel road and grass.

The first two laps went well and I was at the proper pace. The third lap proved much more difficult. I was already starting to develop hot spots on the balls of my feet at mile 12. I hadn't expected them until about 40 miles in. Also, my hips began to hurt and they caused more hip pain than I'd ever experienced before.

I spent some time resting on the course and did more hiking than I'd wanted to at this stage. Lap 4 got no better but I'd changed shoes, hoping this would alleviate the pain. It didn't so I suffered through lap 6.

Lap 7 presented a new challenge. My left foot began to hurt on the extended downhill and eventually it became excruciatingly painful. I had to lie down on a rock and prop my feet up against a tree. I lay there for a good while. It helped the situation. I thought my day was already done but the extended rest allowed me to continue. There was an extended grass section afterward which further massaged my foot.

I was way behind schedule to attempt 100 miles at this point so I lowered my expectations and that stress relief helped dramatically. My ailments seemed to vanish and I could continue at whatever pace I felt appropriate.

I fell back in the standings but knew from last year that many runners would either drop at 12 hours or take an extended rest. I'd managed just 45 miles in 12 hours but didn't much care. Massanutten was just two weeks away so the fewer the miles the better.

I stopped for a while to get a full meal. I ate with Rich Lilly, who just finished his 12 hour run with 70 miles, and Liz Luccarelli, an ultra newcomer who was moving very well in her first event.

The rate at which I was getting passed up was a little disheartening but I kept my head up. Drew Shelfer was tearing it up all day and wound up with 70 miles in under 11 hours! Rich continually passed me as did Mohammed Idlibi and Basil Glaros. Mo dropped to the 12 hour race. Denise Davis and Gerald Buckner kept plugging away and I knew they'd keep it up for the full 24. They both wound up with 100 miles each!
Kent Green, who also ran 50 at McNaughton in Illinois, racked up 70 miles very quickly and was heading toward an easy victory. He took a brief rest and woke up six hours later.

I continued throughout the night and into morning. I felt much better but maintained an easy pace. I had one burst of energy where I ran a mile at just over six minute pace but then it was back to a slow go. At 70 miles, I sprinted across the finish line and called it a day. There wasn't much to be gained from completing another lap although I had plenty of time to do so.

At the awards ceremony, I actually got a placement prize. I received the third place award for under 40. I didn't expect there to be separate age categories. By taking it easy, I allowed my body the chance to recover for Massanutten, which is one of my favorites and a marquee event both regionally and nationally.

B-Rex

2008-04-16T13:00:00.000-07:00

April 11-12, 2008
McNaughton Trail Run

This was supposed to be my first 150 mile run. I hadn't been able to train for it so I knew it'd be a rough go. My knee took a few weeks to heal after I banged it on a rock during the Foothills run. My knees had been experiencing overuse pain as well for several months. This meant virtually no running leading up to McNaughton.

The drive took 11 hours. I encountered heavy rain just over an hour out. I was hoping for a dry weekend, knowing full well that the course would be muddy and contained stream crossings.

I met Liz Bauer for dinner and other runners joined us as well. John Sherpa LaCroix, the race director for the New England 200 was there. La Gondola sounds like a fine Italian restaurant, but it didn't pass muster. They didn't even have marinara sauce so I was forced to eat spaghetti without any sauce. The salad left much to be desired as well.

It was off to the start to set up camp in high winds. It took some doing but I got the tent up and got a reasonable night's rest despite the barrage of breezes.

The race didn't start until 12:00, so there was much waiting around but it allowed time for meeting runners. This is a more social type of set up with laps. I'd done two lap courses in 24 hour runs before.

We were off at the sound of the horn and trudged through a mucky mess which led down to a grass field. I settled into a very slow pace and mixed in some walking right off the bat.

With my knees still bothering me, I was glad to experience running on very soft surfaces. The soft grass gave way to soft mud and more grass. The course ran across several grassy knolls linked together with forested trail. There were five grass fields as well.

The first lap went well but took longer than anticipated. The temperature was around 50 at the start but it was windy. We had to run through two streams on each lap. This meant there would be no such thing as dry feet. The ups and downs were steep and a little slick to start off and they just became worse over time. Sound trail building techniques eluded the staff at McNaughton Park.

The trail often descends into small, steep gulleys. These are momentum killers. I run on momentum so they certainly didn't help my cause. The flats went slowly but I felt I was moving well. The downhills slowed me as they would all day and night. The climbs were easy, one with the aid of a rope due to the steepness and the footing. The rope helped immensely.

The stream crossings were cold but my feet warmed up within 30 seconds. There was one giant mud pit with shoe sucking mud. Each time through this became larger and more tenacious. The last section of the loop passed through a disc golf course with kick in the teeth hill, which was easy the first time through but could be a problem later.

The second lap took a bit longer than the first. Each ensuing lap took a little longer than the previous one. Doing the math, it appeared that I would not have enough time to finish if I were to take an extended break. This weighed heavily on my mind.

It didn't take long before Paul Stofko lapped me. He was followed by Dave Goggins and Ryan Decker. The second time I was lapped by Paul, I ran with him for a bit. Dave passed me again shortl afterward. He had cut into Paul's lead substantially and passed him shortly afterward. Liz had also lapped me as well as Charlotte.

On my fifth lap, I attempted to cross the stream on a tree. The tree was slick and required a jump from the other side. Landing sent reverberations through my entire body, especially my back. After a few more miles, my back was hurting substantially and I made the decision to rest when I got back to the tent. I figured I'd do at least another 50 come morning.

The 100 and the 50 mile runners started at 6:00 and I was still in my tent, coughing and trying to stay warm. The plague that I had in February resurfaced, but only after I had stopped running. The primary problem was the loss of body heat after stopping. I wasn't cold while I was moving but my core temp plummeted after I stopped. I got up after a few hours but was still a bit chilled.

I had hopes of continuing but couldn't convince myself to continue. Every time it looked like the clouds were about to break, it started raining again. I just didn't want to be miserable any more.

I met a bunch of runners from all over the country. It seems that ultra runners are friendly no matter where they live. I may head back next year to complete unfinished business. It's only a failure if you stop trying. In the meanwhile, I'll take the DNF as motivation in my upcoming events.

B-Rex

2008-03-17T09:55:00.000-07:00

March 15, 2008
Foothills Trail 76 mile run

I thought I might be a bit crazy for attempting this beast of a run so early in the year and without much training for it. Uwharrie was the only ultra I'd completed thus far in the new year. One ultra was cut short when I took a wrong turn. One had been cut short by bad knees and one had been cut short by bronchitis or something similar.

Matt and I headed down to Greenville, SC to Byron Backer's place. Rich Lilly and Brian Kistner were there as well. The plan was to get in a short nap and then head to the trailhead for a midnight start. I didn't get much of a nap in but soon it was time to go. Irene Backer drove us to Table Rock State Park. We had to walk on the road a good while to get to the trail.

We started at 12:20 am. The trail climbed gently along a stream. The rocks were wet but we were just hiking so it didn't seem to be a problem. I went ahead and Matt came along. I figured if I had a decent lead early, then I might stay with the group through the first section.

On a small stream crossing, I stepped on a wet rock at a 45 degree angle. My foot slipped and my knee hit the rock with plenty of force. I walked it off, hobbling away but it hurt something awful.

The others caught up when I had to wait at an intersection. I was choosing the wrong path so it was a good idea to wait. We climbed steeply and summited Pinnacle Mountain. The top was exposed granite slickrock which required all fours to navigate. Two tents were pitched at the top and we woke up the inhabitants.

I slid frequently on the descent so I fell behind everybody else. I'd planned on taking it easy due to an overuse knee issue but had added an additional knee issue when I fell so caution was the course of action on the downhills, especially at night.

The view from the top was of a sea of clouds. A half moon illuminated the cloudscape while other mountains poked through to form islands.

Interesting rock formations greeted me on the descent. I stepped on a stick with one foot and impaled my other ankle. This was a pain that would soon fade but it had a major impact briefly.

I caught sight of a headlamp on the coming switchbacks but that was the only time I'd see a light on the trail. Approaching Rocky Bottom, a thriving metropolis of over a dozen people, I could see the lights of a camp. It seemed awfully close but was actually quite far off. I crossed a road and became baffled because I did not recognize it. I confused it with a previous road crossing on the map and thought I was at the start of the Laurel Valley section.

Continuing, the trail got leveled out and then became rocky. A camper had pitched his tent right smack in the middle of the trail. I awoke him and pressed on to 178.
This was where Byron had dropped some food and drinks for us. I grabbed a fair amount of food but foolishly left some. Since I was the last one through, I should have taken every last morsel and later regretted not having done so.

The Laurel Valley section was the one I was familiar with. It's about 35 miles but feels like 40+. The first half isn't too bad but the second half is a beast. It would be 35 miles until I saw another soul. I started up the steps to the single track. Looking down at the road, I regretted not hopping on it just to save several minutes.

Before I knew it, I was passing the first of many waterfalls. The morning light was creeping in and the temperature was perfect for running. Approaching the second waterfall, it started to sprinkle and then it began raining in earnest. I put on my garbage bag, which really does work quite well as a raincoat and at almost zero weight and space, and settled in for the first major climb of the LV section.

The trail plateaus for a while and then heads down to Lake Jocassee. The lake wasn't where it was supposed to be. One channel had water but the rest of the lake bed had tall grass growing in it. The drought had lowered the level considerably.

After crossing a bridge over the first major stream, I removed the garbage bag and noticed a small animal hopping about a log. It was a woodcock, a fairly common but rarely seen bird with a rotund body and a very long, curved beak. It hops along like a rabbit.

Plenty more climbs awaited me. This one would be the steepest. The trail climbs up a knife ridge, using hundreds of steps pressed into the dirt. It's a rollercoaster climb until you're sent straight down an express elevator of 200 godawful steep steps until you're spit out at a campground with trails shooting in all directions.

A flast section runs along the lake, where old stumps are visible withinthe tall grass. For the next 15 miles, it's nothing but climbing and descending. The second half of the section is significantly more difficult than the first. The climbs get progressively tougher and they really wear down a body. Adding to the difficulty is the rain, which started up again, but this time with much more force.

I passed some backpackers, two of which were having a miserable time as they were attempting to backpack the entire. It was nice to see people. Shortly thereafter, the skies opened up. The hard, driving rain soaked the trail in the low spots. I'd been battling within my psyche whether or not to continue past Whitewater Falls. That is the 50 mile point. The trail trends downhill after the Falls but it's still nearly 30 more miles to the finish.

The long bridges over the larger rivers were quite slick from the rain. After crossing the Toxaway River, There is a steep staircase which exhausted me. I was wishing I was nearer the finish but had to suck it up and continue because my day was far from over.

The distance between rivers looks shorter on the map than in reality. Lightning and thunder were making themselves known in the distance. They don't bother me unless the strikes get within a half mile. They soon got a bit closer.

On the descent to the Horsepasture River, they got a little close for comfort. I slowly and steadily made my way across the bridge and experienced near simultaneity of lighning and thunder. This meant it was within a hundred yards, perhaps even closer. I was crossing a body of water with local strikes raining down upon me.

I was a bit shaken and opted to seek the shelter of a large rock outcropping just across the river. While I was there, the rain turned its power up a few notches and it came down much harder.

After cowering for a good while, I pressed on through the driving rain. Much of the trail turned into a stream. I had still had miles to go but was wishing that it soon would be over. The slog through the lighning continued. The last few hills before the flat section seemed much easier than usual. The summer heat makes them real killers but not so with cooler weather.

I came to the last campsite sooner than anticipated and knew there was just one small descent before the Whitewater River. It was still a slow go on the flat mile but I just had two miles to go. There was no logical reason to continue on into the night with more rain on the way.

The waterfalls at the finish were roaring with an intensity I'd never seen before! They had to be appreciated for a spell but I didn't everyone waiting on me any longer than necessary. I slowly made the rock crossing and the last climb up to the steps. The steps are tough at the end but they signal the final half mile so they don't hurt as much as the ones in the middle of the run.

It was almost 6:00 when I finally made it to the shelter. 17 1/2 hours later the ordeal was over. Byron and Rich had the sense to call it a day as well. Brian K continued a bit further and Matt completed the journey for the second time, remaining the only know runner to have completed the entire trail at one time. I figured it'd take another nine or ten hours for me to finish it.

We had a nice cabin at the finish. November will see another attempt and barring rough weather, it should be successful.

B-Rex

2008-03-17T08:25:00.000-07:00

February 9, 2008
Rattle My Heart 50k

The Rattle My Heart fun run began in Montreat, climbed up to Rattlesnake, headed through Ridgecrest, traveled down Kitsuma, followed a road for a bit, headed up Heartbreak Ridge and cme back on the Toll Road and the Lookout trail. I was looking forward to this run. I'd done Kitsuma and Heartbreak out and back each with Sarah last year. I'd introduced Adam to these trails and they are certainly among my favorite anywhere.

I was in no hurry and just wanted to get in the miles as a recovery run after Uwharrie. My knees had been bothering me but I had no issues at Uwharrie since I took it easy on the downhills. I thought my knees were fully recovered so I'd test them out on a downhill or two.

I took a different route to Rattlesnake and easily beat everyone there. Everyone was surprised to see me at the summit since I began in the back. I was able to rest and get ready for the first descent. I hammered it and felt fantastic doing it.

At the tennis courts, some runners made a wrong turn and headed down to Ridgecrest. Steve Parrish, Rob Rikkoon, Adam and I headed up the steep road to the lookout, took some pictures and descended on a steep trail. My knees were now feeling it. I had to take it very slowly. I stayed with Steve until we met Charlie Roberts at the Kitsuma trailhead.

Steve went ahead with Adam and Rob and I took my time. Two other runners caught me at the top of the mountain but I could no longer descend so Kitsuma became more of a death march for me since it is primarily downhill. I hiked the trail and then hiked most of the road to the Heartbreak trailhead. I filled up on food and headed back to the finish with Charlie. It was nice to hang out and wait on the finishers.

February 23, 2008
Mt. Mitchell Challenge

I'd been stricken with a nasty cough the Monday before the race. By Friday, it seemed as if it had run its course. Liz Bauer, Scott Brockmeier and Mohammed Idlibi joined Matt, Lily and myself for a feast of pasta, bread and salad on Friday night.

I felt just fine before the race. I made my rounds talking to dozens of friends who were running. I was a sweep, along with Stu Gibeau and India Coleman. I found out that India would not be running. I started out slowly and wound up falling behind Stu and an elderly runner. It looked like it would be a long day. A couple of late starters caught up to me but when the climbing started, I couldn't stay with them.

At the first aid stop, I informed the captain that I would be unable to complete my duties as sweep. The plan was to just do the marathon course. My chest congestion proved to be a formidable foe. I wound up stopping at the Parkway, after just 14 miles of pretty much hiking. Every time I tried to run I coughed up nastiness.

I got the chance to see all of the marathoners run back down and cheer them on. Some Challenge runners passed as well and I got in a few quick words with many. Annette Bednosky looked strong and well on her way to victory. Kevin Lane and Matt Kirk looked very relaxed and they would both cross in third place.

I hung out at the Parkway aid station and greeted many more runners. Sarah had some issues and was forced to stop there on her way back. We expected to have to wait until everyone was through to get a ride back. The photographer showed up and offered us a ride to the finish so we went.

I talked with some finishers and then got drafted to work the finish line. I relayed info to Wally Dunn, who announced the runners as they were about to cross the finish line. Chris Shields had been grabbing finishers' numbers and then joined me with the name relays. It was quite enjoyable and I still got to work a full day for the race. The dinner, the best post race meal around was very enjoyable and most runners showed up. It's one the better social hours around for distance runners.

B-Rex

2008-02-08T06:14:00.000-08:00

February 2, 2008
Uwharrie Mountain Run 41 miler

Uwharrie was the site of my first ever ultra. It took me over 11 hours to complete it but the only goal was to finish. This year I'd hoped to improve on that time a good bit. I was looking to do it in under 9 1/2.

My body was well rested but I'd been running slowly for the past several months. I just didn't feel like turning it up a notch. I'd overdone it last year with so many high mileage runs and with the frequency of them.

Matt, Uwharrie and I headed out Fridy to attend the dinner. The pre-race dinner is the best one I'd attended so it was a must to attend. They even had premium brew. I had my 2500 calories and was stuffed to the gills. After the meal, door prizes were given away and I got a fleece blanket which had the Uwharrie Run logo embroidered on it. It came in handy right away.

I opted for sleeping in my car rather than set up a tent. It got quite cold at night so the fleece certainly helped. Getting ready in the morning, I dropped a contact and could not locate it. I'd have to run with impaired vision.

I started out quickly but the first climb slowed me down. The rock garden was a major challenge to my eyesight. My depth perception was off, especially in the predawn hour. Most people fall at least once on this course so I fully expected to fall several times.

I fell back in the pack a bit and ran with Andy "Hellfire" Wright for a good while. It was going to be a long day but dealing with adversity tends to reward a runner in the long run.

The trail was pretty much how I remembered it. Shortly after the first aid station, an extensive downhill allowed for some recovery. I couldn't go as quickly as I'd liked but I made reasonable time on it. I'd traded places with Jen Jacobs numerous times and then got to talking. She had been a triathlete but was focusing more on trail running and ultras these days. We'd each done Massanutten as our first 100 last year.

Eventually, she pulled ahead and I was left by myself for a quite a while. Runners on their return kept flying by. These were the only people I saw for extended periods.

The turn around had sevral friendly faces including Charlie Roberts, Amy "Flame" Brown and DC Lucchesi. DC had crewed for a group of us at Massanutten. I talked for a bit and then headed back for the return trip. It had taken almost five hours for the first half so ten hours for the entire run was extremely doubtful.

I had few issues with eyesight during the middle of the day. The long shadows were what played havoc on my sight so I wanted to make sure I made good time while the sun was high in the sky.

I ran with a few different guys for spells but was by myself for much of the last 20 miles. Eventually, I hooked up with Paul Menser after catching up with him at a few aid stations. We stayed reasonably close and ran in together from the last aid station. We wanted to break 11 hours but it wasn't worth the risk to do so. My eye sight had deteriorated with the loss of light and that rock garden would be quite formidable with my hindrance so we jusrt eased to the finish in 11:05.

My knees, which were my greatest concern, held up over the entire run. My contact problem probably helped my knees since I wasn't able to hammer any downhills. No other ailments reared their ugly heads so despite the slow time it was actually a pretty successful run and will hopefully be a catalyst for the myriad long runs I have planned for this year.

B-Rex

2008-02-05T13:45:00.000-08:00

January 12,19,26, 2008
Fun Runs

Standing Indian Loop

Thirteen of us headed west to the Franklin area for an AT loop. This was supposed to be about a 27 miler. I fell to the back of the pack on the road and made it to the trail alright. I made the correct turn and followed the blue blazes. After a while, I expected to cross a road. I finally did come to a trail junction on an old road bed. Unfortunately, all four directions were blazed blue.

After milling around for a while, deciding upon which route to take, I chose the steepest trail, thinking it would get me to the AT the fastest. My map was of little help as the trail configuration was not present on it.

Continuing, I still thought I was on the right track. When I finally got to another intersection with a sign, I discovered I was way off track. An old road bed led to the AT, but it was nearly four miles away and I was already behind so I made the decision to form my own loop.

I had taken the Park Ridge connector, which was not shown on the map but which was blazed blue just like the trail I was supposed to take. I took Park Ridge up to the intersection and then headed back down Park Creek. This trail had nemerous stream crossings but managed to keep my feet dry with some fancy footwork on logs and rocks.

I passed the start of Park Ridge and headed back up the original trail to see where I made my wrong turn. It was then back to the cars where I would wait for a good while. My loop was only 14 miles while everyone else was doing 27. Fortunately, Drew had a comforter in the back of his truck so I bundled up in the parking lot and waited.

Drew Shelfer was the first one in and soon after, Matt Kirk and Andrew Moore came in. After a while, Adam Hill, Rick Gray and myself headed down the Wasilik Poplar trail. WE have pictures of us hugging the enormous beast. It's a tuliptree with a circumference of 27 feet at abh and about 35 feet at the ground!

On the way back up, I tried to beat Adam by cutting off a long switchback. I Barkleyed my way up but the 40% grade wore me out.

Toll Road

Eleven intrepid souls showed up to tackle a good portion of the Mitchell Challenge/Blk Mtn Marathon Course on Saturday. The trails were mostly snow covered with spots of ice. The air was cold and it snowed for much of the run. The course would be run under realistic race conditions.
We weren't the only group out there. A group of women was encountered early as well as two groups of friends, including Mike Piercy and Jon Snow in one, Mark and Anne Lundblad and Mike Mason in another,and a solo runner, Kevin Lane.
Rick and Tammy Gray, along with Josh Helms came from Johnson City and Nick Whited came down from Virginia. Adam ran a portion and Jason Hayward & Tsali, Wendy Wright, Sarah, John and William ran as well. I hope I got people's names right since there were several I hadn't met before. It was a mix of newbies and veterans of the upcoming race. Six of us headed to Camino's to fill our bellies afterward.
This Saturday is the Seven Sisters fun run/trek. It'll be 14 miles of mostly gnarly and steep single track. The total climb will be 4300 feet. Bring your cameras because it is one of the most scenic courses anywhere. Expect it to take at least four hours to complete. Same meeting place, the parking lot by Lake Susan in Montreat. We'll meet around 9:00 and head out by 9:30.
Brian Beduhn (B-Rex)

Seven Sisters Summit

Five runners completed the Seven Sisters Summit loop in Montreat Saturday. Wendy Wright, Chris Shields, Jason and Elizabeth Hayward, Tsali and I tortured our muscles on some sick climbs and fast downhills. The trails were in good shape with some snow and ice on the north slopes.
This time of year affords clear views. The first lookout is on Lookout Mountain. It's a rock scramble to the top and gives an excellent vantage point for the entire route. The course looks very difficult from there and it doesn't disappoint in its ability to challenge.
After some ups and downs on East Ridge, Trestle allows for some recovery time. The easy part doesn't last however, and soon it's up the Greybeard Trail. After passing a back country shelter, we encounter Walkers Knob, with its stellar lookout point. All of Montreat and Black Mountain are in full view as are Mt. Pisgah and the Black Balsams and numerous other ranges.
Greybeard Summit looms in the distance as we continue our ascent. At 5400 feet, Greybeard provides a panoramic view. This is one of the better vantage points in the east. We spend some time on top but it does get chilly so we head down West Ridge.
West Ridge is a moderately descending trail but is punctuated with numerous rock outcroppings and presents a challenge for even nimble footed runners. There is some scrambling as we traverse the Seven Sisters.
Big Piney Ridge takes us back to Montreat. After a quick drop, it levels out and opens up to a granite exposure. The sun did its job and warmed it up nicely so we relaxed a good while here. A bomber of a dropoff takes us back to a road, which leads back to the start.The total distance is just over 14 miles, but the run climbs 4300 feet!
B-Rex

2008-01-07T12:57:00.000-08:00

December 29, 2007 - January 1, 2008
Bartram Four Day Stage Adventure Run

Matt Kirk devised this traverse of the entire Bartram trail, starting in Georgia, and finishing at the Nantahala Outdoor Center in North Carolina, after adding in some miles on the AT. Two home bases were procured to alleviate the logistics.

Matt, Mohammed Idlibi, Uwharrie and I were the only takers. Matt, Uwharrie and I headed down to Georgia, where we met Mohammed.

Saturday's run started along the Chatooga River right at the South Carolina/Georgia border. After posing for start pictures, we headed down the trail. I dropped back early and adopted a very comfortable pace. The trail went through pine forest and remained fairly level.

I was surprised to see Matt and Uwharrie. They were at a confusing junction. I ran with them for a half mile or so and then they went on ahead. Six hours was the goal for this 23 mile stretch. It would be the easiest day but with three more to go, I was in no hurry.

Eventually, the hills became larger and there was a fair amount of ridge running. The views were nice and I could see what was in store for the next day. An extended downhill brought me to Warwoman Dell, a picnic area, which meant 19 miles were done.

The climb out passed a very nice waterfall. About a mile further, it became quite lush with a waterfall/sluice next to the trail. After a confusing circular hitch in the trail, an even more spectacular waterfall showed itself. Past it, trail markers were everywhere. The yellow markers were ubiquitous and mind boggling. I sorted them out and found the correct direction.

The last two miles contained much more climbing than expected. I filled up my bladder with some fresh spring water and continued to the gap where a side trail brought me down. Matt and Mohammed had already finished and driven back to the start to retrieve Mo's truck. Day one was over without incident. We covered 23 miles with about 4,000 feet of climb. Saturday's meal was Italian at restaurant near the hotel.

Day two's forecast was for rain throughout the day. I volunteered to run support and wisely so. This was the longest and most difficult day. Matt and Mo headed back up the side trail to hit Bartram just before daybreak. I had time to lounge around the hotel room. Uwharrie stayed with me in the morning.

I met them on Route 106. They both showed up earlier than I'd expected. I picked up some Subway for them. I paced Mo for about a mile up Scaly Mountain and then headed back to the car to go to the finish. It was still raining a bit but I got out and headed up a ways and then back to the car. Matt had picked up U-Dog at 106 and they came in again sooner than expected.

I waited a while and then headed back up to greet Mohammed. I hadn't dressed properly so I returned. The next time I had a better jacket, which actually kept me dry. I saw Mo a quarter mile up and we headed down. Mo hopped in a stream to soak. Matt and Mo covered 33 miles with over 8300 feet of climb. I stayed comfortable and did 5 miles. Sunday's meal was Chinese in Clayton, GA.

Monday's stage began west of Franklin and finished at Appletree Campground. I drove to the finish and ran back toward them. I was making good time, going opposite of a stretch I'd just done three weeks prior. The climb up from Nantahala Lake was difficult but the trail was in much better shape than it had been. I met Matt and U-Dog about four miles from Wayah Bald. I met Mo about two miles later.

Wayah Bald was clear but I'd forgotten my light so I couldn't spend too much time there. The trail was more technical on Wayah. I filled up in a spring and readied for the descent. The trail dropped in a hurry. Two long switchbacks led to a very steep ridgeline descent. It was a rollercoaster the rest of the day. I climbed and descended mountain after mountain. The trail almost always went over the peaks. I was cursing the trail builders.

One spot forked and I went the right way first but saw no blazes. The other way was devoid of blazes as well. I trusted my instincts and followed the first path. I'd turned back to early. This was the correct way.

The mountains kept coming. Eventually, I hit a cove and I knew I'd be done soon. A hiker told me it was about a mile to go. I still had daylight but wouldn't make it back to Nantahala before nightfall. I kept looking at the sun and it seemed to stay still for several hours. It appeared to be at the same spot all afternoon until I enetered the cove. Satge 3 was 23 miles at 6,600 feet of gain. The New Year's Eve meal was Mexican in Bryson City. Adam Hill called to see how the run was going and to warn us of a winter storm heading our way.

The Nantahala cabin was extremely cozy and we each had our own room. None of us was interested in staying up to ring in the new year.

For the final day, I dropped them off and went to the rafting put-in. I decided to continue where I'd left off on the previous Bartram run. The bike path was flat but as soon as the trail crossed the river and the road, it started climbing. There would be seven creek crossings so I wore Gore-tex hikers. It was wise since I slid off a rock during the first crossing. It was below freezing and the Gore-tex kept my foot from becoming drenched but some water got in over the top.

The trail climbed very steeply from there and then headed back toward the creek for another crossing. This one went better but the third one required shimmying across and ice covered log. Stream crossings are nice in the summer but on January first with a winter storm on the way, they're not quite so appealing.

The trail rose steeply through the rocks. Footing was difficult at times and I took it easy as a result. I would find out later that Uwharrie had been tracking me when she was on this section with Matt.

The climb seemed endless and I continued to rock hop streams. The trail finally attained some high altitude and then leveled off a bit. I welcomed the moderate climbing. However, several footbridges now appeared on the trail. They were over dry runs, which added insult to injury since there were none over the actual streams.

The final stream crossing led to a wide trail which crossed an old roadbed. I saw on the map that the next section would be straight up and it was. The climb to Little Bald was dastardly steep. Fortunately, Cheoah wasn't much higher. The trail intersected with the AT and went to Cheoah Bald.

The Bald didn't disappoint. Vast strtches of grass grew down from the summit and the view on the north side went on for 40 miles or more. The advantage of running/hiking in January is that the air is clear and the best views can be had. On the downside, it can be quite a different world at 5,000 feet. The temperature was below freezing, verified by an icy bite tube and the wind chill was in the single digits. Running shorts don't provide much protection in those conditions so I didn't admire the view for long.

The trail descended Cheoah in a hurry, for which I was quite pleased. The AT tended to straddle the mountains, skipping most of the peaks. This was a welcome relief from the countless peak topping of the day before.

After exiting the ridgeline, it really warmed up and the wind became a nonfactor. I stopped to talk to a hiker for a bit after surprising him. I told him another runner would be by soon and that was an accurate statement. I figured Matt and U-Dog weren't far behind, despite the extra mileage they were covering.

I came to a road, checked the map and saw it was just over a mile to the river. I picked up my pace and completed the journey. The cabin was a full 20 yards off the AT. Just 14 minutes after I arrived, Matt showed up. I went down to the Nantahala with U-Dog and then we picked up the start vehicle. By the time we got back, Mo had already completed his journey as well. Then it was down to the river for a soak in the frigid water.

I covered 65 miles over the four days with about 17,000 feet of climb while Matt and Mohammed both completed the full 105, with 25,500 feet of climb. I was very impressed with the way they held up. A stage run was a new experience for all of us.

Mo headed out Tuesday evening and we headed to Bryson City for pizza. The winter storm hit during the night and the ride home took three hours, instead of the usual hour and a half.

B-Rex

2008-01-07T12:49:00.000-08:00

December 22, 2007
ALTAR Art Loeb Trail Adventure Run

In 2006, I'd underestimated this beast of a run. It's only a 50k but the climb packs quite a whallop! Over 17 miles, the trail gains 7,000 feet.

This year, Matt Kirk reserved a cabin at Camp Daniel Boone Boy Scout Camp. I expected a sparse cabin with few amenities and was pleasantly surprised when I arrived to find a full kitchen and seven showers.

I met a few ulrarunners I'd never met before, including David Horton. He discussed The Pacific Crest Trail traverse and the Barkley course, which is on my to-do list some time in the next few years.

The trail is flat for a little while to allow for a warmup but it soon starts climbing. I ran with India and Arena, as well as another group, who had planned on the very same traverse, coincidentally at the same time.

We took our time in order to save something for the dreadful climb at mile 13. We walked a bit more than we should have and took over four hours to reach Gloucester Gap. Sikes Ragan was there to provide some aid. It was the only aid stop we'd have.

The ridiculous climb up Pilot Mountain was tedious and laborious. The dreaded switchbacks mocked us on our journey. Reaching the summit brought some relief but another climb, this time a bit less steep would greet us soon enough.

It seemed as if the Parkway would never show its face. I was sure it was just another 100 yards on multiple occasions. We did make it eventually and refueled for the final steep climb to the junction of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail.

The wind became fierce at the higher elevations. Clouds engulfed us in a surreal fashion. It was tough to keep our feet dry with the myriad puddles.

The Black Balsam area is home to some of the finest views around but on this day, visibility was severely hampered by the thick clouds. We'd been in the clouds most of the day but now it was becoming colder and the wind gusted ferociously.

The trail is no longer marked after the entrance to Shining Rock Wilderness. I left my maps at the cabin but knew the trail well enough. Some ribbons were hung at tricky intersections but another runner thought he was last and had removed them as he went.

Darkness was becoming a concern. The trail would soon hit a craggy knife edge and I wanted to be certain to make it through it by nightfall. The rockiest parts were slick with rain and mud and provided a challenge to conquer them.

We made it to Deep Gap right at nightfall. It's normally just an easy hour down to the cabin but it would take significantly more time after dark in the mud. It never rained very hard but the trail had taken a beating. We had only two lights between the three of us. This complicated things further.

I tried to run without a light and we made better time but many trees were down and it was rockier than I'd recalled. The trail continually slid downhill and our legs often went with it. After almost 13 hours, we finally emerged from the forest and made it to the cabin. There had been some concern over us being out there so long. I heard of visions of me protecting the ladies. This wasn't quite the case as I struggled all day along with India. Arena was the strongest of us from the getgo on that day.

It was awesome to be able to crash right next to the trail. The showers were abundant and food was ready. The Kirks did a an outstanding job in the kitchen and had wonderful meals prepared for us. The cabin looks to become a tradition along with the ALTAR Solstice Adventure Run.

B-Rex

Even after taking it easy, the climb really whipped me.

2007-12-18T09:27:00.000-08:00

December 8, 2007
Burningtown 100k

This run was devised as an alternative to the Hellgate 100k. Denise Davis planned it after not being able to get into the Hellgate run. The route consisted primarily of a loop on the Appalachian and Bartram Trails along with some dirt road to fill out the 100k distance.

I expected it to be a tough go. The weather was nearly ideal, especially for December, but I knew the route trail would be exceedingly difficult, even approaching 100 milers in terms of difficulty.

We met Friday night to get set for the midnight start. Just three of us set out, Denise, Alan and myself. Denise's husband, Tony, would supply aid after daybreak.

The dirt road climbed to the AT at Tellico Gap. We then headed south on the AT, continuing the climb. The trail was covered with leaves. As we climbed further, they became wet and soon we experienced some light rain.

I struggled to keep pace but we stayed together for most of the run. The lookout spot at the top of the climb was relatively worthless with the fog and darkness. We passed a shelter, which was right on the trail. No one was sleeping there.

The climb to Wayah Bald was difficult for me. The trail became more technical which, when coupled with rain and fog, made it a slow go. It rained harder on Wayah. The weather report stated no rain, but each time we approached 5,000 feet, It rained.

Our time for Wayah was just 15 minutes off of our goal. I knew the trail for the next 15 miles, but it was quite muddy, which really slowed me down. The first descent was tricky to follow. The trail was covered with leaves and I kept getting off of it.

The descent to Nanatahala lake would be formidable. The leaves and mud made it treacherous as I struggled to maintain footing. I was quite ecstatic when the mudslide to the lake was over.

After a brief pavement section, it was back onto trail. This was a pleasure and I finally took the lead for a while. There's a fair amount of descending and this wasn't muddy. The trail drops onto a dirt road, which took us to our first aid stop. Tony Davis had a carfull of goodies and we were soon off again.

Alan took off and stayed with Denise. He had plenty of energy and I was lacking it. This section was mostly runnable, so we made good time. After a lenthy, gradual descent, Denise went ahead. The last climb for me was exhausting, although it wasn't all that steep. Coming off the mountain, the trail switches back repeatedly until a large water tower comes into view. From there, it's road down to the power plant.

I had planned on dropping at this point. My body was just too beat up from so many ultras this year. Tony gave me a ride back to my car. Alan and Denise wisely changed the route and headed back toward Wayah via Piercy Creek. They called it a day at 50 miles and I stopped at 37. I could've continued but it would have been at a snail's pace. I was quite comfortable with calling it a day. I knew I'd be back on this trail again soon for the Bartram Stage Run anyway.

B-Rex

2007-12-06T09:53:00.000-08:00

November 17, 2007
Bent Creek Gobbler 50k run

The second running of the Gobbler saw a fun run record of 21 participants. Most only did one loop last year, but it would be an even split this year. The first loop starts on a gravel road which climbs gently with some rolling hills.

I started out in first for about three seconds and then dropped back. Eventually, nearly everyone passed and I was by myself. Tammy Gray was just a bit behind and since I couldn't put more than 50 yards between us, I just waited for her and we ran most of the gravel section together.

At the aid stop, manned by Matthew Johnson, I learned I was five minutes behind the last runners. I made it a point to catch them before the next aid stop and I caught them just as we all pulled in. I ran with Mike Piercy and Curt Euler until the next hill and then took off in pursuit of others. I never caught anyone else.

The route followed the Shut-in trail from Hardtimes up to Bent Creek Gap Road. The road is all downhill so I just let gravity take over.

The second loop follows the road a bit and then takes Explorer and Pine Tree, two mountain biking favorites. Then it's around Lake Powhatan, and on to the Hardtimes Connector.

I struggled as I climbed up Wolf Branch and then Ingles Field. My body wasn't in the mood to run very fast. Ingles Field took longer than anticipated. I enjoyed Little Hickory Top and Sidehill. They have some nice downhills and then spill off onto a gravel road, which leads to the last trail, Lower Sidehill.

Lower Sidehill received a makeover and is now very bicycle friendly. It's one of the best trails in Bent Creek, alongside Ingles Field Gap and Explorer. Green's Lick is easily the best riding trail, but it's a bit dangerous for runners due to its popularity amongst bikers.

Knowing I was on the last trail was reassuring. I'd struggled throughout most of the day so a PR was not a possibility. I still got my second best time for a 50k, but was again slower than the previous year. Nine runners finished the 50k as opposed to just four last year. I have the distiction of being the last finisher two years running. My 6:30 time doesn't sound too bad but it's a relatively fast course. The total climb is about 4200 feet.

B-Rex

2007-11-20T12:47:00.000-08:00

November 3, 2007
Shut-in Ridge 18 Mile Trail Race

The North Carolina Arboretum is the host of both the pre-race dinner and the start of this point to point run. The dinner is catered in grand style. I look forward to this race as much for all of the familiar faces as I do the challenging run itself.

My body has been put through an awful lot this year. As a result, my endurance is at an all time high but my speed has degraded a fair amount. This would be a test of just how much speed I had left. My goal is generally to beat my previous time. I knew on this distance it would be a major challenge to even come close to it. I settled on breaking four hours with the intent of running in the low 3:50's.

Some runners bore pink and purple hearts in honor of Maggie Everette, who had recently experienced a stroke. I wound up finding one on the trail so I had it with me for much of the run.

At the start, I felt fine but knew I wouldn't have a particularly strong run. I wanted to start out a little slower than last year, where I experienced side cramps in the second mile and was forced to walk until they had gone away. I tried to jog more and without my usual bursts of speed. I figured more jogging and less fast running coupled with excessive hiking would get me to the finish line more comfortably.

I wasn't passing as many runners as I had last year. My comfort level remained high but I knew my time was a bit slow. Not using a watch helped me psychologically. I wasn't concerned about being at a certain place at a certain time.

I started out running with India Coleman and we stayed together until the first aid station. I kept going while she stopped and remained a few minutes ahead at each stop.

Past the midpoint, I caught up to Lloyd Basten. At 70, he would become the oldest runner to complete Shut-in. At the last aid stop, I saw Bob Cutler, who was manning it. He ran the race 25 times before retiring and becoming a volunteer.

I felt fantastic, with no major fatigue until the last section. Even after taking it easy the one mile climb toward the end got to me a bit. I still moved well and didn't have to stop to catch my breath like last year. Crossing the finish, I glanced at the clock. I was a bit disappointed with my time of 4:13, especially since I ran it in 3:47 last year. All of the miles had taken their toll on my body and it simply didn't want to travel any faster than it did.

B-Rex

2007-11-01T11:11:00.000-07:00

October 13-14, 2007
24 Hours of Momentum

Back to back 24 hour events may not sound very appealing to many. I wanted to see how my body would react to such stress on consecutive weekends. Also, the last 24 hour lap race I tried turned out to be my only racing victory.

I awoke at 2:45am to make the drive to Richmond, VA. On the way, I discovered that however thoughtfully I packed my bag and cooler, I left my Camelbak at home. Since the circuit is just five miles, a water bottle would do just fine. I didn't have a water bottle holder so I had to call Dave Snipes to borrow one. He gave me his usual "What the **** are you thinking?!", mocked me a bit but brought the bottle to save the day.

The race took place at a Boy Scout camp which had been host to many endurance mountain bike races. The start/finish was totally exposed to the sun but there was a large shelter as well. The solo runners set up camp in an easy access area.

I like the noon start for 24 hour races. It limits your time in the sun. By the time your body starts heating up, the temperature begins dropping.

The run started off with me drifting toward the back. I thought I was the last one to make it through a lap but two runners werte well behind me. I had tried to stay with the runner who looked like Jessica Simpson. I talked to her after the race and found out she had recently completed The Badwater 135 mile desert run.

It didn't take long for someone to lap me. Two relay runners passed me on the second lap. On the third lap, Bryon Powell and Michael Hayden lapped me. Micheal had recently placed second overall at the 108 mile Burning River race in Ohio, setting a junior American record for a 100 miler. I finished over 7 1/2 hours behind him so I wasn't terribly concerned.

The laps came and went. The course was mostly on mountain biking trails. It was runnable but contrary to the name, it was difficult to maintain momentum. I'm used to mountain trails with extended climbs and descents. These were all tight climbs and descents with assorted dips which zapped any and all momentum. I had trouble maintaining a pace for any length of time.

The temperature was stable during the day. There was plenty of shade and I never overheated. Only a small portion was exposed to the sun and it was near the end of each lap. The course fools you into thinking you're through with the lap but just before it hits camp it sends you away and back into forest for another 1/3 mile.

Some solo runners dropped early or took extended breaks. I continued around the course very slowly. I sat after each lap to give my feet a rest. Dave Snipes was having a strong run and continued to pass me along with Michael Hayden and Bryon Powell.

Just before nightfall, I grabbed my headlamp and set out into the dusk. I'd just used it the week before and hadn't thought about changing the batteries. My spotlight was dim and narrow, just like my thinking when I forgot to change the batteries. There was still some residual daylight but the heavily forested sections were difficult to traverse.

I continued on, barely able to see. When a relay runner passed, I'd stay with them for a while but couldn't maintain the pace for long. I appeared to be doomed until the next runner arrived and then something ridiculously bright lit up the forest, like an UFO in the movies. It was a mountain bike with two halogen spotlights. The rider was sweeping the course to aid the runners. I told him of my plight and he followed me along. It was the fastest bit I'd run all day!

I went out for the next lap well prepared for the darkness. My pace was slow but I kept moving. Several 24 hour runners continually lapped me.

I had a couple of run-ins with wildlife. A very large animal was quite agitated and made a ridiculous amount of noise. I assume it was a bear as it resembled other bear encounters. Another animal moved through the forset. This one was much smaller, so I figured it was a raccoon. On the next lap in the same area, I heard it again but it was much closer this time. It ran behind some brush but the trail turned around the brush and I had a very close encounter with a beautiful fox. It was about six feet away and didn't take off in a hurry, rather it slowly scampered away.

I spent a little more time in the chair between laps as the night wore on. The temperature dropped but it didn't warrant adding much clothing. I began to frequent an amphitheater on the course where I could lay down flat on my back and relax. The pounding of four straight ultras was taking its toll on my body. I developed shin splints in my left leg, which slowed me considerably. After the thirteenth lap, I knew I'd only complete one more. With that realization, my body relaxed.

I took plenty of time resting before lap fourteen. When I departed, I used only one gear, except for a couple of downhills. I gazed at the stars from the amphitheater. Some runners passed and inquired about my state of being. I was at peace and relieved to be nearly finished with my day's work.

The sky came alive with the first rays of morning as I approached the shelter. My body thanked me for not pushing on for another lap. It was only 19 hours into the run but I would retire from it. My shin was in pretty intense pain with every step and the only logical thing to do was to relax. I caught a nap and then watched the last few hours. Dave recorded 22 laps while Michael logged 23. My pittence of 14 was still good enough for fourth place.

B-Rex

2007-10-23T06:32:00.000-07:00

October 5-6, 2007
Pitchell 110K Fun Run

Last year’s Pitchell run had marked a new high for me in both distance and time on my feet. I hadn’t run more than 41 miles previously. This year, I had the advantage of having run a greater distance several times this year. That is also a liability as it’s easy to think you can always do something you’d done before. Last year, I didn’t really know what to expect but this year two sections really stood out as being formidable, Lane Pinnacle and Blackstock Knob.

The list for running Pitchell stood at 13, but dwindled to 9, and then 7, by race day. We met at Adam Hill’s house for pizza and a prerace briefing. After dropping vehicles at the Folk Art Center, we headed up toward Mt. Pisgah, one car dropping aid along the way.

Last year, we nearly froze waiting for midnight atop Pisgah. This year, a few of us planned on starting a bit earlier. I hiked to the summit with Mohammed Idlibi and India Coleman. We left the summit at 10:25, gingerly hiking down the wet, rocky Pisgah trail. When we arrived at the parking lot, the rest of the crew was ready to summit. Adam Hill, two time finisher, Kevin Lane, who started last year, Charlie Roberts and Stu Gibeau headed up the Pisgah trail while we hit the Shut-in.

The first climb is very steep and I let them go ahead, knowing I’d catch them on the downhill. This is the last stretch on the famous Shut-in Ridge trail run.

Descending it at night is rather precarious. A few spots have precipitous drops and the wetness added to the danger.

It didn’t take long before we had our first bear encounter. Mo was in front and the bear was right on the trail. It took off and ran up to the left of us into some brush. We soon made it to 151, where Sarah Almodovar was waiting with an aid car. Matt Kirk was also there, slowly driving my car back from Pisgah, along with Uwharrie, who had both hiked most of the AT already this year.

Refueled, we continued. I set a relaxed pace. Mohammed was holding back a bit since he likes to start out pretty fast. India and I pace very well together. We crossed the Parkway several times and had another bear encounter.

The climb up Ferrin Knob was difficult, made more so by rollerblading on the numerous acorns. On the way down, yet another bear was on the trail. It took off to the right. I searched for it with my headlamp and saw its eyes. The last thing you’re supposed to do is to stare down a bear, but with the light on him, he just froze.

A noise followed us in the form of Charlie. He had left an hour later but caught us just ten miles in. He flew past us and we met up with Sarah again at Bent Creek Gap. Just as we arrived, Kevin came in as well. Mohammed took off ahead of us and Adam came in just as we were leaving. Kevin went ahead and Adam soon caught us and stayed with us for a while. He then took off to catch Mohammed.

India and I plodded along, continuing to take our time. It would have been nice to break last year’s time but I wasn’t nearly rested enough to even give it a try. India just wanted to finish and become the first woman to do so.

After a couple more miles, Stu caught up as well. I felt for him being in the back by himself as I was for the entire run last year.

We met Sarah again at the Hardtimes trail. The yellow, crescent moon rose through the trees. India taped her feet and we were on our way down to the river. I stopped along the way and set my pack down, apparently in some poison ivy since I broke out a few days later.

The Asheville section is quite forgiving but we still took it easy. Sarah met us for the last time at the I-26 bridge. We got in more running but were still behind our expected pace. We took the Parkway briefly to save a few minutes and jumped back on the trail to hit the Folk Art Center, where the 50k runners started and where Matt was waiting for us with much appreciated sustenance.

This is the point where the climbing really begins. It’s mostly upward all the way to Rich Knob. I struggled on the climb and lingered behind a bit. After a few quick rest stops, we made it over the top and then enjoyed smooth sailing for a good while. The rest of the section contained gentle climbs and descents with a fair amount of relatively flat terrain, where I finally got my groove on with some bursts of speed.

The guardrail at Craven Gap provided an outstanding spot to lie down and relax our entire bodies. As the miles wear on, the desire to sit and to lie becomes rather obsessive. The next short section is one of my favorites.

This rocky stretch features a gradual climb with some short dips and rock gardens. We were met half way through by Mike Jackson, who had helped plan the original Pitchell run with Adam, but was unable to run it due to injury. At the aid station, Matt Johnson was waiting for us. He had run a portion of the first Pitchell and continued from that point on the second running to cover the entire course. A nagging ailment prevented him from trying the entire run this year so he assumed the role of support.

The next eight miles would be a serious test. Last year, it took me over three hours to run it. It starts out with a relatively easy bit and then climbs gradually toward the site of the old Rattlesnake Lodge. We saw more than a dozen hikers at the site. There's a half mile trail leading up from the Parkway to the site.

From Rattlesnake Lodge on there is nothing but climbing. It's not all steep but it increases in grade as it ascends. It also becomes very rocky. We stopped a few times to rest and get off our feet.

The trail goes through a gap and then ascends sharply to the left. This is the area that can break a runner trying to complete the task. It's here where you can question why you're even bothering to do this. Last year, I'd had the luxury of ignorance in not having any idea when the madness would stop. I always remember the difficult spots but I'm always a good bit off on remembering the true distances of such spots. I thought we only had to traverse several small peaks before Lane Pinnacle stared us down. It was closer to a dozen.

These peaks weren't all that tall but they were steep and arms were required to help pull tired bodies up their faces. On one of them, a large bird landed about eight feet in front of me at about eye level. At first, it appeared to be a hawk, but the markings weren't quite rifgt. It was more grey than brown with a white pattern. Unfortunately, I said something and scared the Peregrine Falcon and off it went. The falcon taking off was quite a sight. Neither of us had ever seen a falcon up close in the wild before.

The trail wore on over more peaks until Lane was finally within sight. I saw it early on but thought there was no way it was that far off so I dismissed it as a peak we would have to climb. Lane is steep and even has a ladder built over a portion of its rock face. Above the ladder is one of the finest lookouts to be found. I'm sure everyone stops here for a spell and we were no different.

The downhill is a slow go. There's a fair amount of boulder hopping, something that has to be expected on the last twenty miles of Pitchell. The downhilling got a bit easier but the trail likes to fool you as you think you're about to pop out on the Parkway but then it turns you left through a sea of green bushes. Here, we took stock of food and ate most everything. Traveling at a slower pace, much more solid food is necessary. We were both famished and looking forward to the aid station.

We ran across a grass field next to the Parkway. Last year, I'd been upset because I thought this was where the aid would be. It was still a mile further. We headed back into the woods for another climb. It started raining lightly. When the trail turned to the right, I knew we were about there.

Todd and Gary greeted us with coolers full of food. We tore into some pizza and other assorted goodies. We were told that we looked much better and were in better spirits than anyone else. The clock was ticking and it was evident that there was no way to make it to Mitchell before dark.

After leaving the aid stop, we made our way to the Craggy picnic area and just then, it started raining again. It came down much harder this time, but fortunately, we had shelter from it so we avoided getting soaked.

It's a steep climb up to the CCC shelter on the trail. Beyond it, the trail gets extremely rocky. The trail actually becomes a series of boulders with no dirt whatsoever. India slowed down a bit. She was feeling the overall body punishment that Pitchell wields to anyone who dares to conquer it. I thought she might want to drop at the next stop. She wanted to make it through but it's one of those endeavors where there is no guarantee. Simply finishing is an incredible accomplishment, no matter how long it takes.

We slowed our pace further and she wasn't feeling well. A couple of stops helped but I still figured she was through. I would have to decide whether to continue by myself or drop as well. Considering there wasn't much time before nightfall, I came to the conclusion that I would drop as well, despite having plenty of energy.

Adam and Stu were at the aid station. They'd dropped after 55 miles and expected us to do so as well. Fortunately, as we rolled in, India said she wanted to continue. Although I would be okay wityh stopping, I really wanted to continue as well. We just had to work out an automobile scenario because nobody would be able to wait until 10:00 or whenever we would finish. Adam and Jon Snow set up two food drops and brought India's truck near the finish.

We set out again and I came up with an idea which would allow us to finish safely. A 5 1/2 mile stretch involved a ridiculous amount of boulder hopping in a very dark and remote forest. The boulders would be wet and it would be completely dark by the time we hit them. There is a rocky, gravel road which skirts the mountain range and leads to the entrance to Mt. Mitchell state park. Deciding to take the road eased my worries. There would be no one to search for us if one of us had gotten hurt. I really banged up my knee on a boulder there last year and it was plenty dry and bright.

After leaving Adam and Stu, we entered a gorgeous section replete with blueberry bushes and long range views. We took our time and soaked in the vast panorama laid out before our eyes.

A succesion of small mountain climbs led us to Balsam Gap. This is where both the gravel road and the ridiculously difficult boulder section begin. Adam left a well stocked cooler for us. I took off my shoes and socks to massage my feet. We saw Adam drive by to drop off the truck. I ran out to the Parkway in bare feet and waved my arms and he saw me in the rear view mirror. I confirmed that the gravel road did indeed come out where I thought it would and he picked up the cooler.

We forged our way down the road but stopped when we saw a truck parked in front of us and a man approaching from the rear. We ignorantly asked if it was okay to use this road since it went through private property. Signs clearly state "no trespassing". They only applied to the land along the road. The man, who is a landowner, stated that the road was open to the public. We talked for a while and said we'd just come from Pisgah. He looked at us incredulously, realizing that 6 more miles of trail wouldn't be an issue for us, even in the dark.

We didn't do much running. After all of the hiking required to reach that point, it was difficult to get the legs moving quickly again. We stopped a couple of times and wondered if the road would ever end. Some of it was overgrown, some very wet and some quite rocky. It hadn't seen vehicular traffic in some time.

After two hours, we finally made it to pavement! We searched for the truck but it was nowhere to be found. I'd expected it to be just outside the gate but all we saw was one passenger car. It was almost ten o'clock. We opted to find the truck first and then summit Mitchell. Just then, someone approached with a flashlight. It was a camper who'd shown up too late to secure a spot in the campground. He offered to take us down to the Parkway, where he'd seen a truck with a logo on its side.

On the way down, a young coyote ran across the road. We drove the truck back up to the gate and got ready to summit. Then, flashing lights came toward us. It was the feds and we thought they were after us for parking in a no parking zone. It turned out that they were searching for some lost hikers and wanted to know if we'd come across them. They may have been on the section we circumnavigated.

The trail can get to you after a while, as can aches and pains. We could have taken the Old Mitchell trail like we'd planned but opted for the road instead. It was a little longer on the road but much, much easier.

We made it to the parking lot and the elevation sign, lay down for a minute and then headed back down. The summit is still closed due to construction of a new observation tower. We hiked the road with our lights off to observe the starry sky. It grew quiet for a while but then we were startled by what sounded like several deer running on the pavement. Switching on our lights, we couldn't tell what had just happened. I scanned a cliff above the road and saw what looked like six sets of eyes. Eventually, I could make out the outline of a rather large bear.
The other sets of eyes could have been other bears but it wasn't possible to positively identify them. The noise was claws scrambling up a sheer rock face. Perhaps, there were six bears but I've never seen more than three together before.

We finally made it back to the truck and headed back toward town. The trek took about 24 hours. On the way back, There was a heavy rescue truck and several other vehicles mobilizing to search for those lost hikers we'd heard about. The ride down the Parkway took a couple of hours since we were both falling asleep and had to pull over for a few quick cat naps.

This year saw five finishers. India Coleman became the first woman to make it through. Muhammed Idlibi, Charlie Roberts and Kevin Lane all became first time finishers and I completed my second Pitchell journey. Kevin set a course record with an astounding time of 15:18. Thanks to all of the volunteers, including Jason Hayward and Jon Snow, both of whom we didn't get to see but who were manning aid stations.

B-Rex

2007-10-12T11:58:00.000-07:00

September 29, 2007
Great Eastern Endurance Race 100k & 50k

My body didn’t respond well last week so I was glad to be a sweep on this adventure. I would follow the last runner to make sure everybody made it to each checkpoint safely and clean up course markings along the way. I’d also close off certain trails which wouldn’t be used again in the race. On the last two stretches, I would hang chem. Lights for 100k runners.

I stayed on location Friday night along with a guy named Marty. He would be running the primary aid station and get the finish line organized. Being on site meant there was no rush in the morning but I would be sleeping in my car.

I let everybody go ahead of me and looked around for late starters. The run started on the road but quickly turned onto a singletrack trail. This trail climbed rapidly. I caught up to the last runners and warned them of my presence but I also informed them that I wasn’t enforcing cutoffs and found it acceptable to finish in twelve hours. One woman approached from behind. She had made a pit stop and then briefly got on the wrong trail. I’d already taken down some streamers and flags.

At the top of the steep climb, the trail turned and it was well marked. It took several minutes to clear off all of the trail markings. This allowed the slower runners to put some space between them and me. I was now on a ridgeline, enjoying the sunrise. Several overlooks afforded views of the area.

I took my time but still caught up again. Fortunately, there was a trail to close off which ate up some time. Getting the flags to penetrate the extremely dry dirt was quite a chore. When I made it to camp Marty, the first aid station, one guy was still there but my presence made him move a bit quicker. The next section was all trail, very enjoyable and more moderate in elevation change.

I took my time at the next aid station and then took off along the Blue Ridge Parkway. The lead runners were already coming at me, nearly 14 miles ahead at that point. I cheered them all on as I passed them. Having an extended out and back section meant that you got to see everybody else. I passed many familiar faces and chatted with a few runners. I saw Sarah Almodovar, Marc Castleberry, who had been awakened by a bear while napping on the Table Rock Run, John Straub, Dave Snipes, Bedford Boyce, and a bit later, Debbee Straub.

After a good while on the Parkway, I took a gravel road. This went on for about four miles downhill. The course then headed back up that same road for a gain of over 1500 feet. The last runner chatted with me for a while and then went on his way. I assured him that he was doing alright on time and that I wouldn’t pressure him at his current pace.

Again on trail, I cleared off course markings and closed off another trail. I headed back to camp Marty, where I met up with the 100k sweep, also named Brian. I did my fastest running of the day for the next mile. I hit the next turn around spot well before three. I didn’t want to start hanging chem lights until 4:00, so I grabbed a chair and just looked out onto the view from one the highest points on the run. I headed out at three, figuring the lights would last long enough, which they did.

I didn’t have to worry about any 50k runners since they were well ahead at that point. I passed through camp Marty again. About a mile past the station, I heard some noise to the left of the trail. It sounded like a squirrel so I didn’t pay much attention. The animal then walked onto the trail. It was a large cat! I’d never seen a bobcat or a mountain lion in the wild before. Although it was 4:30, it was difficult to make out any markings. I only saw it for a few seconds. It seemed a bit dark for a bobcat but had to have been between 30 and 35 pounds, the perfect size for an adult bobcat.

There was a steep downhill and then a nice, easy section. I made it through the downhill just fine and then ran into complications on the easy bit. I don’t fall often, but when I do, it’s typically on an easy stretch following a difficult one. I was hiking and had just started to run and I clipped a short stump. I tumbled forward, trying to stay on my feet but my momentum was too great and I hit the dirt on my hands and one knee, and then continued to roll over my hands and hit my chin on the dirt. I cursed a few times and got back on my feet.

I was running out of chem. lights and still had some trail left. I’d rationed them fairly well but ran out before the end. The trail gave way to a grassy dam crossing and then a road to the finish. The first 100k runners arrived shortly after I finished.

2007-10-12T09:00:00.000-07:00

September 22, 2007
Haw Ridge 54k

In my infinite wisdom, I opted for a night of drinking before the race. This turned into a much longer night than was planned. Midnight rolled around and it was time to stop drinking and sober up. I wasn’t in bad shape, but it was time to quit. I still hung out for a while and headed home at 2am. By 3am, I was out the door and on my way to Tennessee. The drive was difficult on no sleep, but I arrived ready to run.

Haw Ridge is a peninsula near Oak Ridge. It consists of some modest climbing and a fair deal of running along the lakeshore. It’s a four loop course and it’s nearly impossible to make a wrong turn.

I started out strong but slowed down near the top of the first climb. Some runners were only doing one or two loops, so they were going far too quickly for me. My body was tired from the Bridge to Bridge ride six days prior to this race.

The course was nearly all singletrack. The lay of the land was well suited to me but I couldn’t perform as well as I would have like to due to all over body fatigue. The first lap saw me come in near the back and I didn’t improve on the second one. Embarrassingly, I was lapped by two runners before I completed two laps. I knew it would be a long day.

The temperature rose rapidly and I slowed accordingly. On the third lap, I saw a man with trekking poles. I thought that a walker had caught up to me. My anxiety was eased after I talked to the man for a while. He was Leonard Martin, who had run Massanutten, Hard Rock and Barkley many times. He just ran Wasatch two weeks prior and rode the Bridge to Bridge one week ago. We were both moving slowly, but we were both beat down from so many endurance events. My anxiety faded and I became content with the idea of just finishing, no matter what the time or placing.

As I came through, I said goodbye to Chris Kaylor, who put me up at Burning River. He and Amy Bly were heading up to Ohio after the race. Amy had paced me at both Mohican and Burning River. She finished this race seventh overall, and was the first female finisher, on only her second ultra race.

I continued to struggle with the heat. I was only ahead of one runner at this point. He would drop out so I had to catch the guy ahead of me to avoid finishing last. I knew he would walk the entire course so I wasn’t too concerned. I caught him about a mile in and stayed with him for a moment before heading on. I finished second to last but it was still an accomplishment since I’d pushed my body so hard the previous weekend. I knew all of this racing would eventually catch up to me as well as the lack of sleep the night before.

2007-10-05T12:29:00.000-07:00

September 16, 2007
Bridge to Bridge Incredible Challenge 100 mile ride

The Bridge to Bridge Incredible Challenge is among the most difficult century rides in the region. After traveling around on rolling hills, riders are confronted with a 13 mile climb up to the Blue Ridge Parkway on route 181. Then, after a spectacular ride on the Parkway, crossing the Linn Cove Viaduct, it continues to entrance to Grandfather Mountain. This is where the real fun begins.

This was my fourth time doing this ride but the first century ride of the year. The start had been moved back two hours but the cutoff time for riding Grandfather was kept the same. As a bonus, the course had an additional 1,000 feet of climbing. This brought the total climb to 10,500 feet.

The 800 rider mass start electrifies the spectators. It’s a wonderful sight seeing hundreds of riders in multicolored jerseys filling up the road as far as the eye can see.

The first 51 miles flew by quickly in 3 hours flat. The hills aren’t bad but they’re large enough to get you ready for the real climbing in the second half of the ride. This year’s cool weather provided optimal climbing temperatures and the climb up route 181 seemed much easier than usual. The sun didn’t beat down as fiercely as it had in the past.

Riding along the Parkway, I heard deafening screams of anguish. A rider was unleashing tormented cries due to severe cramping. Another one stopped along the road, trying to dismount, but wasn’t able to due to cramps so he just had to fall onto the grass with his bike toppling over him. Despite the ideal temps, there was still a fair share of muscle cramps.

Making the 7½ hour cutoff was a challenge and I came in with just a minute and a half to spare. Like I said, this is where the real fun begins. It can actually take longer to ride the last two miles than to walk it. Another rider started walking up while I rode and I didn’t pass him until the very top. Grandfather climbs 1,200 feet over its two mile ascent for an average grade of 13%, topping out at a whopping 24%. After riding 100 miles, doing a climb like that is no easy task.

A cramp strangled my right leg on the first steep switchback. I was forced to rest for several minutes and tried not to push too hard on the pedals the rest of the way. In the last half mile, a rider couldn’t pedal any more and simply feel onto his side, the sound of metal hitting pavement permeating the air.

The last switchback is one of the toughest and there’s an audience to watch you. I caught the guy who walked up with a last second burst of speed, which garnered some applause for the effort.

I still had some daylight left, so after retrieving my bike below Grandfather, I took off for Lenoir. The ride down 181 is unbelievably satisfying. It's 13 miles of nearly continuous downhill. Unfortunately, daylight was getting rare. I had a light but riding around blind curves at night is a bit dangerous. Fortunately, a pickup truck stopped and the driver offered me a ride back to my car. He had run support for the ride but only had to pick up one rider during the event.

I got 125 miles. That was by far the longest ride for me this year. Another Bridge to Bridge is in the books.

2007-10-05T12:25:00.000-07:00

September 8, 2007
TR and More in 24
Table Rock to Montreat Trail Run

I hadn’t run in the Linville Gorge before. I’d hiked a portion of the route and recalled it was very difficult terrain even for just hiking. It would be a slow go much of the day, but a fantastic way to spend my birthday.

We met for a prerace meeting at Adam’s and then headed east to Black Mountain for burritos at Camino’s. The finish point was to be in Montreat, so we left vehicles there and carpooled to the gorge. The drive concluded with an endless journey through a veritable sandstorm of white dirt. The road was so dry from the drought that all of the vehicles became caked with dust. Rear windows were completely covered with over a quarter inch. Wipers had to be employed constantly. It looked like we had evacuated the site of a volcanic eruption.

We weren’t the only ones looking to camp in the area. The weather was fantastic and fortunately so, since we camped out under the stars. After getting situated on the solid rock atop Table Rock, we got to enjoy a couple of light shows. The fabled Brown Mountain lights made an appearance. These lights have been recorded for hundreds of years and appear as glowing balls of light often darting around and making their way up the mountain. Scientists still debate how they are formed, but they are most certainly not illusions or swamp gas.

One light flared brilliantly and was joined by another intermittently. They didn’t dance around for us but they did entertain and had us guessing if they were headlamps of hikers but they were way too bright for that. A couple of shooting stars lit up the sky as did the Milky Way. Getting away from the city lights, nebulae and the Andromeda galaxy were observable by the naked eye.

Drew brought up some Bud tallboys, which Adam and I enjoyed with him. Most of the others were nodding off but we stayed up a bit and observed the city lights in the distance. Soon it was time to go to sleep. The 5:00 wake up time wasn’t far off.

We made our way down the mountain and dropped off our sleeping gear. I led the pack up the trail briefly and then dropped back. Soon, all but one runner had gone ahead. India and I were in the back and we decided it was more important to pace ourselves than it was to stay with the others.

Running through the Chimneys is quite challenging. It was still a bit dark and the use of hands is required to negotiate the terrain. The trail is a bit deceiving. The area is a mecca for climbers and routes go off in all directions. The trail isn’t always marked at regular intervals. We came to a spot where the trail appeared to stop. We retreated, thinking we’d made a wrong turn, taking several of these climbing routes but none continued for long. Finally finding a course marking, we retraced the dead end trail to the spot where we turned back. It was a bit overgrown, but we had been on course the first time.

We had a long descent through some Carolina Hemlocks through rattlesnake territory. It was still early so no snakes showed themselves. The sun came up with a pink and then an orange hue.

Late spring saw a tremendous wildfire in the gorge. Entire trees had been scorched and the trail was nonexistent for good stretches. The fires had left a barren, almost lunar type landscape. Everything was blackened except for a small white coloration where the trail had been.

We continued to take it at an easy pace. We left the scorched area and entered a very rocky landscape. This was the trail type where small rocks were on top of other rocks, making it rather treacherous to run with any speed. The trail took a hard right, which would have been very easy to miss as another one continued straight. I headed down very quickly and waited for India at the bottom.

We soon found ourselves amongst more scorched earth. This time the trail was not apparent. Every bit of ground was blackened and all of the trees with markings were blackened as well. We had to search for footprints to find our way. A logging road was visible ahead so we took that down to the river. We heard voices coming from that direction. We got there and found Rob, who was searching for the trail. Having been forewarned about the confusing Linville River crossing, I knew it would be challenging to find the trail. We followed trail markings upstream but it seemed like a closed trail with numerous branches across it.

We chose the old trail and crossed where the markings ran out. The water wasn’t even knee deep. On the other side, no markings were present. It was bushwhacking time but we came across a dirt road in short order. It had markings so we followed it until a singletrack trail led off uphill. This was also marked but faintly so. It spilled onto a wide trail, which we followed downhill—the wrong way. Adam and Sarah came running up and we were all confused. They should have been way ahead of us but had waited where they crossed downstream.

We turned around and began a long, hot climb up to some peak. This was a steep go. We didn’t try to keep up with Adam, Sarah or Rob. The weather really started to heat up so we stopped occasionally to rest. The peak afforded nice views but we didn’t stay. Fluids were low and we needed to get to the aid stop. I downed two cokes and loaded my Camelbak with ice for the next leg.

We had some downhill for a good while and then climbed up to a dirt road. After a couple of miles, the road gave way to a steep trail. This was another slow climb to the top, where we could see the general area for the next aid stop. It appeared as though it was only 2-3 miles away, but it was much, much further.

The descent involved 40+ switchbacks. It was around 90 degrees at this point, so we even took it easy on the downhill to avoid overheating. Thankfully, there were several areas with large, shady boulders where we could cool off. When we reached a dirt road, I thought we were approaching the aid stop. I was considerably mistaken.

We hit another single track section, leading us to some train tracks. As we crossed them, I heard some noise and around the bend came a train. At this point, at least one runner had followed the tracks and had to ford the Catawba River. There was a new footbridge for the trail, which we utilized and then followed a dirt road. I misread a trail turn and took a different road. Realizing my mistake, I looked at the map and it appeared that we were on a shortcut so I opted to continue. After a while, we went through private land and back to the Catawba. It was time to backtrack, wasting time and fluids. We still had a long way to go until route 221.

Another singletrack stretch led up over what appeared to be a small hill but it kept going up. I ran out of fluid and had to bum off India. It felt as if heatstroke wasn’t far off. The sun relentlessly pounded us as we entered onto a dirt road. We followed this road down the hill, running through the sunny spots and taking our time in the shade. We finally popped out at 221, where we were greeted by Matthew and several others. We had a plan to get a ride to the next aid station so we wouldn’t be so far behind. Then we learned that two runners dropped and two others were only 30 minutes ahead of us. Everyone had planned to drop after getting to the Parkway.

We rested a good while before continuing. The 13 mile climb to the Parkway rose gently on an old road bed. It soon gave way to a very fast and smooth extended downhill. The stream at the bottom would be the last water we’d see for hours so we soaked a bit. We hopped on a grassy stretch of road bed until a sharp turn to the right, which we almost went past. This was an arduous climb, which leveled out occasionally but continued up for some time. It had cooled off slightly, but I faced overheating issues on the steep climb. We rested a few times here.

The trail continued on a mostly inclined plane until it took a sharp left. This was also easy to miss. The run was billed as an adventure run and it was. We followed trail markings but in some stretches they were absent. Turns weren’t always well marked and trail locations had been moved, not to mention the spots where the trail had been obliterated by fire.

I thought we only had a few more miles to go judging by time, but a quick look at the map showed we still had 6+ miles to go. Every section took substantially longer than expected. The heat had taken its toll. I questioned the accuracy of the published distances. The terrain was extremely difficult in places but it was broken up with some very runnable sections.

Continuing forward, daylight started to fade. Soon, we’d need headlamps. It was getting dark and we heard some rustling about 40 yards off the trail. There was a good chance it was a small bear. A little later, just after our headlamps were switched on, there was no question this time. A larger bear was just 20 yards to our right. It took off quickly. Shortly afterward, I missed stepping on a snake by about an inch. It slithered to the edge of the trail. In a moment of sheer genius, I stood over it to see what kind it was. There was no rattle but its head was viper shaped. It bore copper like markings on a grayish base. I didn’t expect to see a copperhead on top of a mountain but that’s what it was.

The remaining three miles would have to be traversed in the dark. I ran into a sharp stick but it didn’t do much damage. I let out a sharp cry but the pain soon went away. I ran out of fluid and just a couple of minutes later, I found a cold bottle of Gatorade in the middle of the trail. Jon Snow had placed it there for us and we were thankful for it.

The sound of automobiles gave us some hope that we were about through but it was all a tease. The trail skirted the parkway and then shot away from it. Soon, we did here a voice responding to our headlamps. It was Adam hootin’ and hollarin’ and we responded in kind. Everyone else had already stopped and gone home. I was feeling fantastic since it had cooled off. India was feeling all right as well. I would’ve continued if anyone else had but I also had no problem with calling it a day. It had taken 15+ hours to cover 39 miles of trail and with wrong turns, about 41. It felt more like 50. I still question the published distance.

I expended some excess energy by sprinting along the Parkway. Then we filled up on some food. As I sat down in the car, my inner thigh/hamstring broke out in some serious pain. I had to walk it off for some time. The full distance was nearly 60 miles and would make an outstanding run for a cooler day.

2007-10-04T09:26:00.000-07:00

August 25, 2007
Dupont Waterfall Bonanza

The second running of the Dupont 22 miler saw some new faces. Adam Hill had to miss out on the running again this year but his course was utilized by six intrepid souls, out to enjoy the rugged terrain of the Dupont State forest. I had to work at 6am that morning so the start time was pushed back a bit. We started at 10:30, and I quickly fell behind the bunch. Sarah, Beth, Charlie and Matthew went ahead. India waited for me, thinking she missed a turn. The entire group waited at the turn. We set out on a downhill, and I felt simultaneous stings on both calves. I let out a scream and kept running. The group went ahead again and India and I stayed together.

The first stream crossing had been over knee deep last year but didn’t come above the shins this year. India still managed to take a spill on her third or fourth step. The cool water soothed my yellow jacket stings.

I felt a burst of energy so I took off up the hill. I hadn’t done a hill sprint in some time so it was nice to push myself. It did take its toll on me and I needed a good bit of time to recover from it.

We came to the first waterfall which was Bridal Veil Falls. Sarah headed out to go to work. A short hike up a large slab of exposed granite led us to an overhang with a solid stream of water. I went behind it for a surreal view of the world. Others followed and then we all doused ourselves with the forceful spray. It was refreshing to say the least. Thoroughly soaked, our bodies were ready to push on.

India stayed a bit in front and I wasn’t able to catch up to her completely. I’d get within 30 yards and then she’d pull away. There was a good bit of gradual climbing but I struggled on it just like last year. The trails don’t appear to be that difficult at Dupont, but I always seem to have a hard time with them.

We all met up again before the long, rocky descent to the next waterfall. This was my kind of trail but I had some tendon issues and didn’t want to go full speed. At the bottom, we encountered a few horses. From there, it was a short hike to Wintergreen Falls. An older man and a young girl were there. They had a large, green parrot with them. The girl was dressed inappropriately to be with her father so they may have been an inappropriate couple. We didn’t ask and just took them for their entertainment value.

This water was much cooler so only Matthew and I got under the falls and I didn’t stay long. The pool below felt fantastic so we all got in for a swim. Thunder clapped in the distance so it was time to move on.

After about a mile, it began to rain and the skies just opened up. The thunder was right on top of us, banging loudly and causing shudders in our bodies. We were already soaked from the swim so it wasn’t a big deal but we did decide to skip a short side trail to the smallest waterfall. India and Beth went ahead while Matthew and I took it easy. Charlie stayed back with us as well. When we got to High Falls, there was no sign of the women. We figured they went on ahead.

After the heavy rains, we didn’t feel the need to spend much time at the waterfalls. Triple Falls was next and then we got back to the parking lot, still with no sign of the ladies. Hooker Falls was a quick out and back to finish off the tour. We saw Beth and India at the parking lot. They had made a wrong turn just after they went ahead but found their way back, covering about the same distance

2007-10-04T09:23:00.000-07:00

August 18, 2007
Blue Ridge Brutal

I was invited up to West Jefferson to stay with a friend the night before the ride. I stayed with Annette Bednosky and her husband George. We had a fantastic time talking about running and enjoying a fantastic home cooked meal. I even got to watch a tape of the Western States 100 mile run, which focused on the Montrail team, of which Annette is a part.

I met Annette on this ride last year and have done many a run with her since. I’d planned on riding with her for much of the course but that didn’t work out so well. George went ahead and I tried to stay with my friend Bridgette, but she left me in the dust. Annette caught me but I couldn’t stay at her pace either. I could tell this would be a very long day.

My legs were far from recovered from the previous two weeks’ runs. When I told my thighs to push they just let out a feeble whimper and went back to lazing around. The struggle with my weary legs continued throughout the day. As I was riding along, I heard a clink. I’d broken a spoke. I was a bit upset, knowing that I’d likely break another one on the very difficult climb up Buffalo Mountain. I wasn’t really sure if I’d even be able to make it up that climb without any mechanical issues.

My stress was relieved when the decision was made to drop to the 70 mile option. I never like to give in but it was the right choice, considering the state of my body and of my wheel. This meant some waiting around and missing out on the Assault on Mt. Jefferson at the end of the ride. Bridgette and Annette both did the Assault. Next year, I’ll get in more miles on the bike to balance things out between running and riding.

2007-08-14T19:53:00.000-07:00

August 11, 2007
Laurel Valley Whitewater 33 mile ultra

On my way through Brevard, I noticed blue lights in the rear view mirror. It was 4:15 in the morning. Who cares if you speed a bit. The officer was cool and I explained that I was on my way to a race. He let me go with a warning ticket and only took up five minutes of my time. I was grateful for that gesture and made my way to the finish line to get a ride to the start. I had no business running this race since the Burning River 100 was completed just six days previous to it. Tyler Peek was also running both races so I wasn’t the only nut.

Familiar faces abounded at the start. At 6:30, we all ascended the stairs and hit the trail. I started out near the front to avoid a logjam on the singletrack trail. I ran with Tyler for a good while. The field broke up early on. I wanted to make pretty good time before it got too hot. The forecast was for mid 90’s with high humidity.

The course is gently rolling for the early going. I felt the tendons in back of my right leg but they weren’t hurting too much. I had major swelling as well from last week’s run. That went away after I got some miles in.

I approached the first waterfall but it was a mere trickle. Shortly afterward, I caught up to a large group of runners. I was feeling strong so I passed them up. A short while later, I realized I was pushing it a bit too hard, eased up and let them pass me. I caught back up to most of them and was running with Tyler and Bill Keane intermittently. Bill powered up the climbs and caught me every time. I’d power down the descents but he’d always catch me eventually.

Laurel Fork falls had considerably more water. Just past it was the day’s first long climb. It wasn’t terribly steep but it went on for a good mile or so made remarkably good time. My body wasn’t as tired as I thought it’d be. I went ahead on the downhill and moved at a solid pace. My toes hurt so I didn’t go as fast as usual but before I knew it, I was at Lake Jocassee.

A long climb was ahead of us. I forgot just how long it really was. I had to hike it but at the top it leveled out so i could make up some time. I was running with Bill and another guy until the descent, where I went ahead at a torrid pace. The downhill brought me alongside Lake Jocassee.

The lake was well below its normal level. Vegetation had taken over where water generally resided. The trail remained flat alongside the lake for a while, then crossed a bridge. I was on about an 8 hour pace, which suited me fine. Keeping that pace up would be a challenge but my goal was 9-91/2 hours.

The next section climbed relentlessly. Fortunately, the top of the climb was about the midpoint. The trail remained high with a few downs and ups. It went on much longer than I'd expected. There is a ridiculously long and steep stair climb and descent. Last year, these steps were treacherously slick but they were thankfully dry this year. I was trying to hold out on filling my camelbak until the Horsepasture river but had to give in early. 100 ounces had already been consumed and I'd have to wait another 30 minutes to drink again.

The Horsepasture is spanned by a long bridge. The water was low enough to cross without one. Long flights of stairs flank either side of the bridge. I couldn't shake Bill as he came across the bridge as I was ascending the stairs. He stalked me all day long. These last ten miles took their toll on me. The heat became unbearable. No matter how much I drank, I still felt overheated. I partially remedied this at the Thompson River when I got a little soaking in. I had waited too long however and should have done it much earlier.

Bill went ahead and I met up with Mike Hopton. We continued together, taking it very easy. It took longer than anticipated to make it to the turn at the Whitewater river. This was flat but we still hiked it. We passed a high waterfall as we crossed Corbin Creek. The Whitewater crossing is just 100 yards further and consists of some bouldering to get onto and off of the bridge. I enjoyed this part last year as I did the final ascent but the heat made it extremely difficult. We started the climb out of the gorge. I struggled mightily and Mike went ahead. Eventually, the trail became more moderate but it still posed a problem. Stone steps took me up more steeply and led to the overlook platform.

I enjoyed the view of Whitewater Falls. It makes all of the suffering somewhat worthwhile. I rested a bit for the final flight of 100+ steps. I'd planned on running them but this was simply not possible. I trudged my way up and hit the paved quarter mile trail to the finish. I picked up speed when I saw the finish line and came across in a near sprint.

I had told several runners that Laurel Valley wasn't all that difficult. That was the opinion of someone who had mostly hiked it in very comfortable conditions. In 94 degree heat and running much of the course, my opinion has changed dramatically. It is an extremely challenging run which is more difficult than most 40 mile runs and even some 50 milers.

Raging Bull

2007-08-13T17:58:00.001-07:00

August 4-5, 2007
Burning River 100 mile run

The start line was in front of Squire’s Castle in the Metroparks. It was built in the early 20th century, fell into disrepair, and has been partially restored. We took off across a field of grass and entered onto Chagrin River road. I’d driven this road many times in my Cleveland days but had never run on it. I started out running with David Snipes, John and Kevin Lane. They all slowly drifted ahead of me. Margie Hughes caught up to me. I’d run with her at Catherine’s two weeks prior. We stayed together for a while and then they lost me. Sean McCormick, whom I’d run with at Mohican, ran with me the last 7 miles of the road section.

Chagrin River road runs along the Chagrin river and has many 19th century homes. These are all in impeccable shape. The village of Gates Mills was the site of our first aid stop. Every building is white with dark trim. It looks like a quaint New England village.

The road stretch ended at the polo field. I stopped to eat and Sean went ahead. The first trail section was flat and relatively deserted. I only saw one other runner for several miles, something very unusual that early in a run. There were several rock hop streams and eventually, the trail gained some altitude. A few groups approached from behind as I spied two young deer 15 yards to the right. They checked me out but weren’t bothered by my presence.

The trail turned from dirt/gravel to grass after the next aid station. It followed around a lake and briefly entered a residential area. The grass was more difficult to run on due to the myriad holes obscured by the blades. I soon passed a fine site. An enormous landfill rose to my left. Fortunately, we didn’t have to scale it and breathe the methane gas as fuel.

The next stretch was outstanding singletrack. Large trees lined the route as the river followed on the right. I got my mojo going again as it felt a bit like running at home. The trail twisted and turned with plenty of dips and rises to make it interesting. All good things come to an end and I soon found myself on pavement again with intermittent stretches of trail. I was running through Bedford, a city where I’d lived for six months.

We reentered the Metroparks by Shawnee Hills golf course. I’d played there frequently in my Cleveland days but had been oblivious to the existence of an extensive trail system running right next to it. I found myself running right next to and well above a deep gorge. The sheer dropoff was over 100 feet. This led to another aid station and then to more trail.

The nice singletrack gave way to a horse trail. This trail was covered with gravel. It ate up my feet a good bit. I was running with a guy named Steve, who knew the entire trail layout for the day. He struggled with the gravel as well but was an extraordinary power walker so he stayed close the whole time. Jay Finkle approached from behind. We ran and chatted a bit and then he went ahead. I pushed on through to the next station. I was at a 20 hour pace and wanted to keep that pace at least until the 30 mile mark.

At the station, I talked with an ironman triathlete named Kyle, whom I met the day before. He asked if I was going to do it in 24 hours and I responded with “It looks possible.” Only it wouldn’t be possible for much longer. Winding singletrack led down to a road and after some pavement, the canal towpath. By this time, the weather had heated up considerably. The towpath had next to no shade. The direct sunlight, intense heat and high humidity would wear on me over the next several hours just like at Mohican.

The towpath was comprised mainly of crushed gravel with some pavement. It’s the site of the Towpath Marathon as well. Even the gravel sections were about as hard as pavement. The sunlight overpowered me from above and the coarse trail beat me up from below. I was passed up by many runners but most resorted to walking as well and I kept them in sight. There was supposed to be just two miles of towpath but there were three. This section was mismarked considerably. According to the course measurement, I’d gone five miles in two hours. My 20 hour pace was history due to the weather and incorrect distance.

I got to the 30.6 mile station and was greeted by Amy Bly and Chris Kaylor. They were providing crew support and Amy would pace me again like at Mohican. They took care of me while I swapped out shoes. I had a six mile out and back/loop section next. Unfortunately, part of it was back on the towpath. From 11:00 to 1:00, I was stuck on that forsaken, exposed, miserable towpath. Margie passed me just as I’d set out. David wasn’t far behind, followed closely by John.

After two miles, I took a left and headed up steeply. This was a difficult grade and I took my time, especially since it was above 90 degrees at that point. It was also the steepest grade I’d encountered. Steve caught up with me and informed me that we’d already gone nearly 40 miles, although the next station was supposed to be at 36.3 miles. GPS devices tend to be accurate to within 1% and it made sense to me considering how long it had taken to cover the “ten miles” over the last two sections. I was still pretty close to a 20 hour pace on the actual mileage but became concerned about hitting the cutoff times with the heat and the extra mileage.

The trail continued on flats and downhills and over long footbridges. The bridges spanned gullies because private property encroached nearby, prohibiting skirting the gullies. A very fast downhill brought me back to the towpath and then it was on to the station. I switched my shoes back to the originals, cleaned myself up a bit and sat in the shade. Chris and Amy got my pack refueled and I told them I should be at mile 65 around 8:30-9:00. I knew that was wishful thinking with the heat and possibly more extra mileage thrown in.

From there, we embarked on a dizzying array of trail connections. We went on a mix of singletrack and bridle trails. I was running with Steve and we were passed by two runners going back wards on the trail. The bridle trail was being used by a horse riding club and they had a sign stating for us to turn around and return. It confounded two runners. When we got to the sign, we realized it wasn't intended for runners. At the aid station, the two eventually came in after realizing they'd made a mistake.

The next two sections were on the Buckeye trail. I was now running with two guys who were doing their first 100. One guy was Aaron and the other was Jason Haines. Jason was an ironman triathlete but had never run for more than 12 hours before. I tired to tutor them on the nuances of running for nearly 30 hours. Jason was very receptive to my advice and paced himself well. We walked a fair amount simply for conservation. There were some nice, steep downhills which I hammered and then walked until they caught back up.

Jason and I got ahead of Aaron and we came into the Boston Store station. The next section looped back to the Boston Store. I saw Kevin there. He was four miles ahead and looking strong. Jason and I headed out on the towpath, where we saw two deer cross the path ahead of us. We turned and came to a paved road. Jason went ahead. I wasn't doing well on the hard surface. At an arrow, I turned and did some bushwhacking looking for the trail. I realized I turned too early and the route stayed on the road which took a 90 degree turn. At this point, Aaron caught up with me and we ran together to Brandywine Falls. It was a long four miles back to Boston Store. They had podiatrists on duty so I took advantage and had some blisters looked at.

I headed out solo on the Buckeye trail. There was little light left as the sun had bedded down for the evening. The trail skirted along the highway. I eventually came upon a woman. She was the only person I saw on this stretch. By the time I made it to Pine Lane, It was completely dark. It was already after 9:00, and I still had five miles yet to where I'd meet Amy.

A short trail led to a very straight road section. At the end of that road we headed onto another straight road and then on to the hike and bike trail. This is a paved rail trail which has rock outcroppings lining much of it. After two interminable miles, the route took a wide trail, which seemed to go in multiple circles. Frustration built as I wondered if I'd ever reach the aid station. I'd been alone for the last three miles. Finally, I came out of the forest and saw some cars.

It was 10:30 and I finally made it to Happy Days. I was two hours behind schedule. They had wonderful pasta and I indulged myself after changing shirts and socks. I made myself comfortable as I like to do after the sun goes down. My feet needed the rest and I was finally able to eat some real food. Trail food gets old after a while. The problem with this station was that the volunteers tried to rush me out of there. They wanted me to eat on the run and even got on Amy for not pushing me to go on immediately. She knew better than to push me but shouldn't have had to listen to that nonsense. I go when I'm ready and I got a bit upset with one guy. I told him I'd go when I was good and ready. I'm not a fighting person but He was pushing me when I didn't want to be pushed. That was the low point of the run.

We left and discussed the arrogance of the volunteers at the last station. They wouldn't let Amy approach the food table or have any food or water. This meant that Chris would have to run support for her. It was time to forget about the incident and focus on the trail. It became a bit more of a climb than a run. There was substantial bouldering for the first mile. It was a challenging way to warm up a pacer.

The next trail saw us warm up our lungs. I started singing with "Mr. Jones" and "Wonderful World". We also sang some Prince tunes, "Kiss" and "When Doves Cry". I like to wait until we're relatively alone before singing. I don't know if anyone else heard us but I hope they enjoyed the show if they did.

Some nice downhills got us moving very quickly. A grassy, cross country trail took us within sight of the next station at Kendall Lake. It was a tease as we had to encircle the lake first. The lake was a bit larger than it appeared. After meandering for about a mile, we finally made it there. This was a very comfortable place and they even had a veggie sausage for me. That truly hit the spot.

We entered the forest again. Coming out of the forest, The temperature dropped considerably. We were on a grassy trail surrounded by higher grasses. A large grassy dome lay in the distance. This must have been the highest point in the county. They called this the "Sound of Music" hill with good reason. We went down one and up another grassy hill to the next station.

The salt run trail was soft and sandy. Our feet got a welcome break from the pounding of hard surfaces. This section would go on for an eternity. We crossed a couple of roads and moved very well on a relatively flat trail. By gaging my pace, I expected to be at the next station. We went on until we came to a corn field, where Jason was hobbling along. He had encountered a major ankle problem but kept on plugging along. We stayed with him for a few minutes, offering moral support. The trail left the corn field and crossed the towpath. Unfortunately, that wouldn't be the last time we'd see the towpath. We came into another field and circled it and then crossed the road and traversed a grassy field to the covered bridge.

Chris was at the covered bridge. We resupplied and headed out on a loop. Jason had caught us as we relaxed and just kept going. I had some peanuts, which are an outstanding energy food during the nighttime hours. I had me great speedburst at Mohican after eating peanuts and had a little burst on the toughest climbs of the day. The trail went straight up and we moved very quickly. At the top we increased our pace significantly. It took a while to catch Jason but I didn't expect him to make it all the way through the 100+ miles. We went down and up repeatedly. All of the ups and downs were steep but we made it through the four miles in under an hour.

We again left the covered bridge and followed a road, passing Hale Farm & Village. We moved better than the other runners around us. We passed four and entered the Buckeye trail again. It was becoming light so we switched off our lights and enjoyed the morning view. Soon, we hit another station, O'Neill Woods. We got plenty of attention and got some socializing in. The field was pretty spread out and we wouldn't see another runner for a few miles.

We headed down the trail to a road and then onto the towpath again. It was difficult to run on this surface. Both of us had sore feet and tended to walk rather than run. We saw a young runner ahead, struggling mightily. He still had enough time to walk it all the way in. We were at about 89 miles now and came upon a sewage treatment plant. The plant eminated the foulest stench I'd ever laid my olfactories upon. We covered our noses and breathed through our mouths but to no avail. There was no way to stop the putrid, malodorous funk. It was all we could do to keep from puking.

The towpath continued uneventfully until it abutted a busy road. There were fast food loints and other businesses but no sign of an aid station. A female hiker passed by and we asked if she'd seen the station. She nodded but implied it was still a good way ahead. We eventually got there. The supposed 3.3 mile section was beyond five miles. We were treated well and told that we had well over an hour to spare before the cutoff.

It was back on the towpath. We saw two deer and when we came to a nice set of benches, we rested our weary feet again. Two runners came upon us so we got up and started walking again. The distances were frequently inaccurate so we wanted to keep moving. A sign said one mile to go and we were elated. For once, the distance discrepancy was in our favor. We hit the final aid station. There were just five miles to go!

We crossed a bridge and climbed on a brick road. A grassy downhill led us to a trail along the Cuyahoga. This was fairly flat until we came to the stairs. These stone steps weren't easy to climb. Up the trail, we had more steps. We went under a large bridge and entered onto a gravel trail. The gravel played havoc with my feet and several runners caught and passed us. I usually pick off runners toward the end of a race but the gravel, pavement and heat took their toll. I just had to walk this trail. We came to mile 99, where multiple pacers were allowed. Across a bridge and onto the final trail section we went. This was a very nice trail, considering it was in a downtown area. They saved a good number of rocks for the final mile. I perked up since it was such a nice trail and I was nearing the end of the day's journey. We came out onto a road where we could see the finish line. Amy pushed me to keep my place. We'd passed one runner on the trail but I still let a half dozen pass me in the final six miles.

Getting closer to the finish, I walked so that I could have a strong finish. I picked up my pace and got into a full sprint across the finish line. It took 28 hours and 37 minutes. I wound up 57th out of 68 finishers and 144 starters. Over half of the field dropped out. That was to be expected since the temperature hit 93 with very high humidity. I'd finished my third 100 while Amy had run her third ultra in two months. The actual length was between 106 and 107 miles. The total climb was uncertain. I'd heard 7,000 feet beforehand and 11,000 feet according to GPS. It's probably closer to the 11,000 figure despite the extended flat sections. Growing up nearby, I had no idea how rugged and steep the trails in the area actaully are.

Some of my friends finished and some didn't. Jason made it across 45 minutes after I did. I was extremely impressed with his fortitude. David Snipes had a very strong run. I stayed for the awards and had my feet doctored again. My 24 hour expectation was foolhardy. Next time, I'll just concertrate on finishing when doing a new 100.

Raging Bull

2007-08-13T17:58:00.000-07:00

July 21, 2007
Catherine's Fat Ass 50k

We camped in a pickup truck a couple of miles from the starting line. This would be Amy's first 50k race. She'd done the distance on a fun run and had paced me for 40 miles at Mohican, but this course was a beast, as is anything at Massanutten. We started with a level section which gradually turned into a climb. We were making good time, especially for so early in a run. I generally go out conservatively but pushed a little harder on that day.

We soon made it to a steep climb, a flat bit and then a rocky climb up toward Bird Knob. I was familiar with this since I'd done this run in 2006, and on the Massanutten Trails 100 in May. We ran with Gary Knipling and David Snipes. Gary is a bit older and is pure entertainment. He is far from shy and loves to make any kind of comment without any worry of what others think. He isn't always politically correct but again, he is pure entertainment.

At the top of the climb, a couple of overlooks afford a fantastic view of the valley below. From here, it's almost level but extremely rocky. Amy had no trouble with the footing. The footing is what makes the Massanutten area so difficult for runners. There are many tough climbs but step placement is the real challenge of the area.

We got to the first aid station quickly. After fueling up, it was down a dirt road for a good while to the next station. The road continued along a mountain stream with multiple cascades. We ran with Margie Hughes. The road turned and headed up for a long climb. At this point, we passed a couple just out sightseeing, driving along the river. The woman stated "You people make me sick", just audible enough to be heard under her breath. We took no offense to offending her by doing something athletic. Slovenly behavior can sometimes be offensive to me.

We took our time and hiked much of it up to the aid station. A man hollered that this was a run, not a walk, so I sprinted up the hill to the station. Amy called me an idiot doing that but I've gotten used to people calling me names for little bursts of speed.

The trail started out easy, then followed a stream bed full of boulders. We crossed it many times. This is the prettiest part of the run. Large boulders and ledges rise on either side. We increased our lead on the group we left back at the station. We both seem to do best on the more rugged sections. Soon we were back on ordinary trail and took a right onto the Massanutten trail. This is where it started to heat up.

The sun beat down and the trees provided only partial shade. I kept saying there was an out and back trail coming up on the right. My estimate of distance was a bit off; way off. Amy got tired of my false estimates. She'd heard them before so she was a bit leary of them anyway. We did make it to the out and back which climbed moderately to a lookout. On the way back, we made good time and it was mostly downhill to the next station. One runner skipped the out and back section but we still passed him up and didn't see him again. This was a relaxed race but it isn't cool when somebody cheats on the course.

We repeated a section of road and came to a confusing intersection. We figured it out and made it to Catherine's Furnace, where smelting occurred from the 1840's to the 1860's. The purple trail started next to the furnace. This trail starts out deceptively easy but gradually becomes steeper. The temperature wasn't all that high until the climbing kicked in. Less tree cover led to discomfort. The trail got steep and we still had over two miles to go on the climb. The start of the switchbacks is where Amy kicked it into high gear and I had trouble keeping up with her. After struggling for several miles, she was now leading the way. We broke away from the group we were with and put an awful lot of space between us and them.

The trail became more rocky as we continued. Several more switchbacks and we were at the top of the ridge. The downhill was quite steep and covered with pine needles and rocks. This led to a road and then to the last aid station. Beyond the station, lay the anthill road. The anthills are several feet across and each one seems to be larger than the last.

The last few miles are the same as the first few in reverse. We ran well over the rocks and entered the steep rocky downhill we traversed in the morning. With weary legs, every step is precarious. WE made it through and continued on some more downhills. No one was in sight until the last mile, where we passed a young runner and finished in 7:16. I took five minutes off of my 2006 time and Amy finished her first 50k race.

Raging Bull

2007-08-07T20:29:00.000-07:00

July 15, 2007
Dancin' in the Trees 28 mile Ultra Fun Run

I rolled in at 10:00, the planned starting time. Fortunately, I wasn't the last to arrive so I had plenty of time. This run was organized by Sarah Almodovar with consultation from Adam Hill. This would be a new experience for me, since I had just ridden a 100k bike ride the previous day. I figured the course would be challenging but it wound up being a bit more difficult than I'd imagined.

We started out on an easy stretch. I actually got to run with Sarah, Adam and Annette Bednosky for a good while. They usually drop me about a quarter mile in. I focused a little more on speed and my body was responding. After starting in the Pink Beds, we headed toward Pilot Rock. I battled some stinging nettles along the way. Pilot Rock afforded a baffling view as I had absolutely no idea what mountains I was looking at. We relaxed on the exposed rock and enjoyed the view.

Sarah forewarned me of the upcoming downhill. It was extremely rooty, rocky and steep, just how I like it. She stayed close behind while I powered my way down. That was one of the top few downhills I've ever run.

After another climb, we hit a nice, fast stretch where Adam and Sarah saw a bear run down the trail in the same direction we were running. I was running with Annette and Jon Snow. Another steep downhill was upon us so I motored on through to try and catch Adam.

The next stretch followed the river and since it was so ridiculously hot and humid, we searched for a good water hole to chill our bones a bit. Most of us got in. The water was frigid but it did the trick. We continued along the river and hit a road stretch where everyone dropped me.

At this point, we were ready for the ridiculous climb up to the Pisgah Inn. I got a head start up the hill but everyone caught me. The trail became progressively steeper as I went. Even hiking nearly became anaerobic. The trail was gorgeous, climbing through multiple forest types. I hadn't seen or heard from anyone in quite a while. After many miles of climbing, I finally reached the top and descended to the Mountains to Sea trail. This led to the Pisgah Inn, where I saw Adam and Sarah, but not Rob and India, who were also ahead of me.

Rob and India had turned right instead of left and compounded the wrong turn by taking another turn, adding about four miles to their trek. We waited for a while and then headed back toward the Pink Beds. The trail became very rocky and I was moving well until I got a slight cramp and had to ease up a bit.

The last half mile of the descent was straight down and then I just had to run the Pink Beds. This stretch was much longer than I'd remembered. I made it to the parking lot after nearly eight hours.

Raging Bull

2007-08-07T20:28:00.000-07:00

July 14, 2007
Hot Doggett 100k ride

I was doing a long run the following day and the heat was stifling last year so I opted for the 100k rather than the full century. I started out a little fast but eased up for the first climb. I took it easy until the first big climb, where I eased off a bit more. I started riding with a woman from Raleigh named Teresa. This was her first mountain 100k and I wasn't about to push too hard so we rode the entire ride together.

I heard a plink in a spoke two days before the ride. I'd hoped it was just a bit loose but it was broken. One broken spoke on a rear wheel isn't too big of a deal.

I ran into another woman from my gym named Karen, who rode with us a bit. The weather was much cooler than last year's ride. It made it much easier. The climb up Devil's Fork didn't wear me out like it did last year but it still pushed me. It gets very steep and is difficult to ride even in granny gear. There was a photo op and I showed off for the camera. I did a short sprint up the steep grade and heard a pop. Another spoke broke. At the aid station, I played with the brakes a bit to get the wheel to turn. It tacoed a bit so I had to open the brakes almost all the way to allow the wheel to move. I couldn't even get half a rotation when I spun the wheel. It looked as if my ride was over.

I tested it out on the road and it pretty much worked when there was weight on it. Since I couldn't get a ride back any time soon, I opted for continuing the ride. It was a bit foreboding doing a long descent with only front brakes and a weak back wheel. I've never been much for common sense so I tossed caution to the wind and hunkered down the mountain. Surprisingly, I had no problems so I kept on going.

Sam's Gap is a nice five mile climb in the heat of the day. I didn't ride it quickly but I had plenty of energy at the top. The following descent was a bit treacherous without full brakes and a wobbly wheel. I made it through and finished the ride. It took 5:54, which is very slow for a 100k but I took it easy and just enjoyed myself, leaving a bit for the next day's adventure.

Raging Bull

2007-08-07T18:52:00.000-07:00

July 4, 2007
Fabulous 4th 100k Ride

This was my fourth riding of the Fabulous 4th 100k. I hadn't ridden many long rides yet so I expected to have some trouble. Last year I'd done it in four hours flat. I expected to take at least 4:20 this year.

I started out a little fast and had a few early bursts of energy where I passed dozens of riders at a time but they'd always pass me up shortly thereafter.

The scenery was fantastic. Pastoral landscapes and plenty of horse farms greeted me at every turn. The weather was perfect. I rode comfortably and didn't push it too hard.

This ride is famous for its short, steep grunt hills. I had to drop to granny gear to climb them. I attacked the steepest one, which was only twenty feet high, just past a dam. I dropped to an easy gear and hit about 130 rpm, blowing past several riders. Over the winter, I worked on increasing rpm in my training. It works the lungs a little harder but the leg muscles recover more quickly.

I rode intermittently with Dave and with Drew Shelfer. Drew was riding a mountain bike with street slicks. I stayed with him for most of the ride. The big grunt hill just about wiped me out but the long climb went smoothly. The final descent toward the finish was the fastest I'd ridden in the four years I'd done the ride. My time was 30 minutes slower than last year. The lack of time on the bike was showing through.

Raging Bull

2007-06-23T16:53:00.000-07:00

June 16-17, 2007
Mohican 100 Mile Run

This would be my second 100 miler in 30 days. I realized I hadn't given my body enough time to fully recover from Massanutten. I had tendonitis in my ankle and shin but figured I could run through the pain for however long it takes.

I felt fine for the first twenty yards and then the tendonitis started to kick in. I expected it to bother me but not quite that soon. The first ten miles were on a mix of dirt and paved roads. The hills were substantial but I didn't think too much of them in the morning. The return the following morning would be a completely different story.

I ran alongside four runners from Cincinnati. One guy had run Wasatch and six other 100's. We stayed together for most of the road section. I was known to them as either "Asheville" or "Massanutten" for the remainder of the race.

Ten miles in, the singletrack started. This was the Green loop and would be repeated later in the day. I'm always happier on the trails. I picked up the pace and enjoyed the gently rolling terrain. I thought much of the run would be like this. I made excellent time but had to get my feet wet on a stream crossing.

I made it to the third aid station at 14 miles in 2 1/2 hours. That was way ahead of the pace I'd expected. Amy Bly was working it and was filled with enthusiasm. It's always a boost to see someone you know and I didn't know a single runner in the race. She gave me some words of encouragement and I went on my way.

The rest of the Green loop went well. I ran with a couple of women from Michigan who'd never even tried a 50 miler but were trying to tackle a 100. I also ran with the Cincy runners but foolishly took the lead and really pushed the pace. We made outstanding time for the next mile but I knew I was overdoing it and had to drop back.

The covered bridge was the site of an aid station that would be passed five times. I crossed it and made the first big climb of the day. This was the only one with switchbacks and reminded me a bit of the Smoky Mountain trails. It was a bit steep, especially for Ohio. At the top was a road section and then it was back to the trail. On a slight downhill, I encoutered one of the best stretches of trail I'd ever seen. It was smooth and snaked around myriad twists and turns. Another guy took it at my pace and we put an incredible amount of space between us and the group we were with.

I continued on the Orange loop and was at a 20 hour pace at the 30 mile point. The temperature started to heat up and my tendonitis became very painful. I had to do a bit of walking, even on the easy parts. I came upon an out and back stretch and didn't recognize any of the runners who were passing me. That meant I still had a while before the aid station. When I got there, Amy was waiting for me. She had a break from her aid station since it was at 14 and 56 miles into the run. That was a major pick-me-up. I dropped my bag and did a short, steep loop and then it was back to the station again. Getting through the Orange loop took a while and I was glad to be done with that 17 mile stretch. At the covered bridge, we had to wade through the river. It was extremely refreshing and I took my time and soaked my ankle.

Next up was the Blue loop. Runners were coming back from it looking exhausted. I had another thing to contend with--crowds. Throngs of kids were out playing on this trail. It was quite rocky and had difficult footing. When I turned up to the left, the trail became a stream bed. It was nothing but boulder hopping until I reached the steep part. It was a climb on roots and rocks using all fours. It was short but was at a 75 degree angle. The trail climbed a bit more to the dam and then it was on the road and in the sun. The road climb was endless and led to a trail climb. It was then back down to another rocky trail and back to the covered bridge. The stated distance was four miles but it took about 1:40 to traverse it. I was glad that this loop would not be repeated.

The Red loop contained the two greatest climbs and the first started immediately. It was nothing next to the Massanutten climbs but it tested me a bit, especially with the heat. After a brief reprieve, another climb reared its ugly head. I was running with Suzanne, on her first hundred. We traded off position for the next twenty miles. A very exposed section of trail led to the bridle area and a rest stop. I was really feeling the heat after the sun had beat down.

Most of the Red loop was relatively flat but it went on for a good while. I had to rock hop a couple of streams and then wade through another. I was an enticing idea but one I simply could not entertain. I'd dragged a pacer up from Tennessee and couldn't let her down plus I'm not into giving up without a great struggle. A climb led to a road which went past a church and cemetary and then back to single track which took me to the Green loop again.

The Green loop was my favorite. It was nice to be on such friendly stretches of trail. There was another stream crossing but I could change my socks and have dry feet again until mile 87. I struggled with the climbs that came so easily that morning. 52 miles take their toll on a set of legs. The tendonitis was holding steady since I adjusted my foot strikes to land a bit more on my heels. It was still a sweet stretch of dirt and I cruised into Amy's aid station again with a smile on my face.

I still had four miles until Amy could pace me. I headed toward the fire tower, where the largest crowd waited and cheered us on. This was another easy stretch but it took longer the second time through. When I saw singletrack, I knew I was close. I strolled in and loaded up on food, changed clothes and Amy was ready to go.

The remainder of the Green loop was a nice stretch to start on. It followed a stream and was mostly downhill. A few fallen trees presented hazards but we made it to the covered bridge quickly. The Orange loop was up next for the second time. It started with a switchback climb and then onto a road. We came upon an older runner who appeared to be struggling. It turned out he was 69 years old and had run eight previous hundreds. He asked if we were married and told us not to wait too long. He then offered up his 39 year old daughter to me if I'd move out to California. He said she was single and owned her own home. You can't blame him for trying but pimping out his daughter was a bit tacky, especially in front of a woman he thought I was married to.

We reached a grassy trail and headed downhill. It was starting to get dark but Amy insisted on running without a headlamp. I wussed out and switched mine on. I'd walked a fair amount during the hottest hours of the day. This had allowed me to run a fair amount at night. My pace was mostly slow but at least I was able to jog. This was the most scenic forest on the run. Unfortunately, this time it was dark so Amy couldn't see it. We followed a ridgeline and then switched back just below the ridge. The aid station had grilled cheese sandwiches so I filled up on them. The generator at the aid station went out just as we were leaving.

At around mile 70, we were on a mountain biking trail which curved all over a hill. We could see headlamps bobbing around in every direction. It was difficult to tell if someone was ahead of us or behind us. We closed in a number of runners, slowly passing them. Then all of a sudden, I got a burst of energy and speed and we took off. I had run this very slowly during the day but made up for it with an unprecedented surge in the forest. Amy did well to stay with me. She had little experience at night running. She encouraged me to keep it up and we blazed past over a dozen runners, sometimes going off trail rather than waiting for them to let us pass. The pace continued down the hill and onto a grassy section. I stopped running since we still had over 25 miles to go. We made it to the Grist mill aid stop and sat for a spell.

The short loop was up again but I hiked the entire thing rather than doing something stupid on the steep terrain. The steep drops were taking their toll on my ankle so I did some sidestepping down them. Heading back on the grass we were in good spirits but I opted to walk for a bit. Amy said that she'd done some singing at her aid station so she asked if I'd sing a bit. I broke into "Mr. Jones" and "Born to Run". I didn't sing quietly but rather very loudly. We got a few cheers from runners going the opposite direction on the out and back. Amy sang some "West Side Story" tunes and then we broke into "The Sound of Music". Singing takes the edge off of night hiking but it's quite difficult to climb a hill and sing at the top of your lungs simultaneously. We had a blast with it though.

After a steep drop, we had a level section back to the bridge again. We made good time, moving steadily. This time, we could actually cross the bridge rather than wade through the river. I took a load off my feet again. The stops were getting longer but really helped in the following stretches.

The Red loop's climbs concerned me a bit. Amy handled them with aplomb but I struggled and rested a couple of times at log crossings. She continued to encourage me with positive messages. At night, that truly makes a difference. The second Red climb was just as difficult as the first. It got continually steeper. I didn't remember it from the day time. We had some winged visitors swirl around our heads but the bats didn't bother us any. We made it to the bridle station again as I gingerly descended the singletrack. The volunteers at the bridle station were extremly friendly and we talked for a good while. I loaded up on food since it would be over seven miles to the next one.

Most of this section was easy but it still contained some climbing. The temperature was warm until we got near the river where it dropped dramatically. A rock hop led us to a nice climb and some more flats. The river popped up again later and we rock hopped again. I miscalculated where the stream crossing was and thought the trail had been changed for the night time. I was wrong and we did have to wade through. I thought the road was just a quarter mile further. We could hear traffic but didn't see the road. I kept saying it was right around the bend. I said this for two miles or more. Amy didn't believe me any more and doubted that there even was a road. Despite my delusion, she continued to encourage me.

The road did appear, but after daylight approached. I'd hoped to be nearing the finish by daybreak but it was not meant to be. We passed the church and the "Enter at own risk" sign at the cemetary. The singletrack was a godsend since it was all down hill. It was just another mile of trail and then on to the ten mile road finish. I was actually looking forward to some road running. I changed my mind after a couple of miles.

The hills on the roads seemed endless. They didn't bother me at all on Saturday morning. Sunday morning, however, was a different story. I kept jogging as much as I could. It was comical because Amy was walking at the pace I was jogging. I think she was a bit frustrated but certainly understood that I didn't have much left. She kept saying how proud she was of me for making it over 90 miles.
A guy named Jeff had tried Mohican the last two years and dropped out each time. He bumped into us at aid stations and we passed each other on the course. A guy in blue had been doing the same thing until his body crashed and could no longer run.

The aid station at mile 95 took an eternity to reach. There was much relief and rejoicing when we made it there. The home stretch was now within reach. The last five went slowly as well. We passed a couple of more runners and Jeff caught up with us. The third try would be the charm for him. I maged to run a good bit on the roads but walked with Jeff for a while. On the last climb he went ahead and I just let him go. I wasn't sure how much further we had to go and we still had a good bit left. The last downhill was incredibly steep. One guy was sidestepping at a snail's pace. I took it easy on the descent and we came to a level stretch. The camp wasn't in sight yet so we plugged on and came upon a few runners. We passed them easily and then we could see the finish. Two more runners were passed and we entered the camp.

I thought about sprinting across the finish but since I was in enough pain already, I decided against it. When we reached the last two turns, my body made its own decision and it kicked into high gear. I felt no pain and sprinted across the finish. I was seen as a bit of a badass for being able to run a full sprint after 100 miles.

I received congratulations from many people. Amy completed her first 40 miler. I wasn't able to push her too much as far as speed but she still spent 13 1/2 hours on her feet. I completed the run in 27:49:37. That was four hours less than Massanutten. It was a much easier course but there is no such thing as an easy 100 miler.

Raging Bull

2007-06-23T16:41:00.000-07:00

June 1-2, 2007
Pingman's Run

We met up and went to Marco's Pizza for the prerun feast. We had to carb up with a couple of brews and throw down enormous quantities of za. This was certainly a task for which I was down. Adam, Todd and I then headed up to Mt. Pisgah to camp out and head out for an adventure in the morning. Adam was attempting to run from Mt. Pisgah to Clingman's Dome in the Smokies. Todd and I would run support and then I would pace him, while Matt Johson and Sarah Almodovar would pace him toward the end.

In my infinite wisdom, I left the sleeping bag and pad in the car and we hiked up to the summit. It's just 1 1/2 miles, but it climbs 700 feet and is extremely rocky. We made it up and set up camp on the lookout platform. After turning in for the night, we were awakened by a dog sticking its nose in the tent. A guy had hiked up at midnight with his three dogs. Not surprisingly, I didn't sleep well.

Morning broke and we made breakfast, broke camp and headed down the mountain. Todd and I filled up on supplies at the camping store and set out down the Blue Ridge Parkway to meet up with Adam a bit later. While waiting, I was doing yoga in tights while Todd was strumming his guitar and singing. It had to have looked comical. Adam arrived quickly and we moved on.

Adam cruised right along and we met him on the trail at Skinny Dip falls. It has a rep for nude bathing. We were all topless but kept our business covered. They both jumped from an 8 foot high rock. I'm a bit of a wuss with jumping into shallow pools so I just jumped/got pushed off a 3 footer.

On the way to next meeting point, the skies became dark and we heard numerous thunderous clangs. The trail would become soup in short order. I wasn't looking forward to starting out in the rain but this is an adventure run so it was time to suck it up.

I started running at mile 24. It was pouring down rain and we were going through a wilderness area. The trail is not marked so we had to guess a bit. We made some wrong turns and had to backtrack several times. It was a challenge getting through that but the worst was yet to come.

The next section was 25 miles without aid. It started out climbing and then we hit a forest road stretch. I don't generally like forest roads but this was soft, with no gravel. We hammered it, probably setting personal best 10k times. The trail stayed on the forest road for a good while until an old growth singletrack section. That 1 1/2 mile stretch took about 45 minutes. The footing was insane, and loaded with posthole opportunities. It definitely was a not a place we wanted to be after dark. We stumbled constantly and hoped for easier trail.

We did encounter more forest road. At 8:00, I looked up the ridge and saw a mama bear, followed by two tiny cubs. She climbed a boulder and turned and looked at us. She didn't feel threatened, so she went on her way. She looked more like a male bear in size.

It was a slow go after dark. The trail went on forever. We though we'd pop out between 10:30 and 11:00. Those times came and went. We moved on. The trail just got rockier and rockier. We were banging our feet and ankles constantly. Mentally, it was taking it's toll on us. It was if the trail was trying to spite us. We had entered a Bermuda triangle of dirt and rock. Another bear took off running. We caught a deer in our headlamps.

After midnight, we were still going. We saw lights down below and thought we were just about there. The trail took us within earshot of traffic and then out of earshot. It did it to us several more times. It just would not end.

We finally made it to the rendezvous point after 1:30, three hours later than we'd anticipated. The 25 mile section took over 8 hours! Only, in actuality, it was at least 35, perhaps more. The guide book was way off. He decided this would be the end of the line. He did 65 miles and I did 45. It took 17 hours. The entire trek would have likely taken 33 hours or more. Sarah and Matthew greeted us with pizza and we headed home.
Raging Bull

2007-06-10T17:35:00.000-07:00

May 19-20, 2007
Massanutten 100 Mile Run

I'd been forewarned about the nature of MMT. This isn't the one for the first time 100 miler. It's the race that eats its young.

Mohammed and I met up and drove up to northern Virginia. After the dinner, we hooked up with some Charlotte runners and Dave Snipes. Dave went over what we could expect tomorrow.

My 13 pound pack didn't sit well with many other runners. I was told it would really weigh me down later in the run. The one time I went light on a long run I struggled mightily. I wasn't going to let that happen again.

At 5am, we set out down the road. I lost everybody and headed up the trail by myself. On the first climb, I was stuck behind a logjam. I tried to pass one at a time but it proved futile. I had to go off trail to get around the group with a burst of speed. I heard somebody say that wasn't something you do a 100 miler but that's how I roll. I met up with John and Bedford near the top of the mountain. The rocks jutted out of the mountain. I love running on that type of rock. They're stable and I wouldn't see too many more stable rocks for the rest of the run.

I took off like a mountain goat. Rocky trails give me an adrenaline rush but sometimes I get carried away. The previous night's rain soaked the trail. I saw three boulders well spaced and took a flying leap between each one. While landing on the third one, my foot slipped and I fell into a pushup position, banging my elbow against a rock. I got my first fall out of the way early and drew blood. That was a stupid move but it settled me down and I chose the route of caution the rest of the way. I enjoyed the rest of the downhill but took it a bit easier.

John and Bedford caught up to me on a dirt road and we ran together for a good while. This led to a regular country road for two miles. The smell of breakfast permeated the air well in advance of the aid station. I loaded up on some pancakes and started another climb. The route came back down toward the road again and I finally caught up to Dave Snipes on Indian Grave Ridge. This was a fast, easy downhill and one on the few that wasn't entirely strewn with rocks.

As we pulled into the aid station, DC was ready for us, having everything laid out. He was Dave's crew, along with John, his pacer. All of us took advantage since we were pretty close together on the course. We refueled and headed up to Habron Gap, along with a triathlete named Kari. It was a slow go to the top but I recovered during the climb and ran ahead on the ridge and then the descent. I caught Bedford and John and then Mohammed. I ran with him briefly and then went ahead to Gary Knipling, a ten time finisher.

DC was surprised to see me come through before the others. I headed up Duncan Hollow and ran into Kari again. She passed me on the flat section, which led to another climb. This climb was amongst the toughest of the day/night/day. It became progressively steeper toward the top. The descent into Jawbone was very mucky and would be revisited at night. I was able to avoid a good portion of the mud during the day but the night time would be a different scenario.

The Jawbone aid station had quesadillas. I loaded up on a few and started yet another climb. This one was smooth and grassy, a welcome relief from the countless rocks. At the top of the climb was Kern's mountain. This stretch almost broke me. I stumbled about the rocks and stepped on a large one which shifted and squashed my left foot. This was easily the most painful moment of the entire run. I feared a couple of toes were broken. Much limping ensued.

The trail kept crossing over the ridge with no end in sight. I don't know if it was tougher mentally or physically. My toes hurt profusely and I had to tell myself to keep going. Other runners obviously had issues as well since nobody caught up to me. I just felt like I was getting nowhere.

The trail finally changed and I caught up to several runners. The footing became comfortable and flat for a bit. This wouldn't last as the Waterfall trail was coming up. Waterfall doesn't use switchbacks in its ridiculous descent. It's straight down, an express elevator to hell. I curled my toes to prevent banging in the toe box and took very fast baby steps due to the coverage of leaves. There weren't too many rocks but really opening up the speed could be hazardous. I cruised right past a couple of runners and was soon on an easier trail, leading to a dirt road which took me to the aid station.

My pacer, Sarah, was waiting there at 211. Since I made it well before 6:00, I continued on to Bird Knob and she'd join me on the return. The Bird Knob section was the one section I had run before. It involves an easy climb which gets progressively more difficult. The trail becomes solid rock and gets to be a crawl. At the top it levels out and stays fairly flat. I ran past enormous anthills, almost African sized. The aid station had soup so I kicked back for a spell. On the return to 211, I passed by Mohammed, Bedford, John and Dave. They were closer to me than I thought they were. I ascended Bird Knob slowly but made up for it on the return.

The second time at 211 was at mile 58. It was time to change clothes and prepare for nightfall. DC took care of my feet. This was the last time I would see him since I got a little too far in front of the others. Sarah informed me that any use of expletives would be totally acceptable. I didn't know anything about having a pacer and didn't realize just how important it would be, especially on this very slow, tedious course.

We started up the road and onto singletrack, where headlamps were necessary. Two 20 year olds were hiking behind us. Making it this far was pretty unbelievable for such young runners. Older runners tend to do much better at really long distances. Both mentally and physiologically, young runners are at a disadvantage.

We ascended the ridge and ran a bit downhill. This led to the sloppy downhill I'd done earlier. This time it was in much worse shape. Nearly every step was in water, muck or both. We tried to avoid the worst of it but it was futile. I ran off trail once. All of the muck looked the same on trail and off trail. After an eternity making sure we didn't lose our shoes in the mud, we came upon the aid station. They had quesadillas, soup and all sorts of baked goods. We loaded up and went on to one of the shortest sections.

I'd climbed this mountain earlier and remembered it fondly for being one of the least challenging. I still rested at a rock shaped like a bench as I had earlier in the day. At the top, we went straight across rather than taking the godforsaken Kerns mountain again. The next aid station came up quickly. We filled up and went on our way toward the infamous Short mountain. Coming at 70 miles in, it is a misnomer as we had to go over 8 miles to the next stop. The trail is amongst the easiest of the run for the first mile. It then leads to a substantial climb but much easier than several others. On the ridge, the views of the lights from town were spectacular. The trail runs back and forth over the ridge but it is easier than Kerns mountain.

We were approached by a group of four runners while I rested. We hiked with them for a short bit and then went on ahead. They were struggling with their footing and were going too slowly for us. Sarah and I talked frequently to help pass the time. It was too dangerous to run so we just kept up a solid hiking pace. Eventually, we started to descend. The trail was just teasing us. We climbed back up, dropped down and climbed again. It seemed as if we were about through and the trail would climb yet again. By this time I had lost some of my mental faculties. I missed four glowsticks and white flour arrows on the road and tried to take a wrong turn. Sarah corrected me and I was in disbelief at how I could have missed such obvious markings. The trail can do that to you at night. It was just about time for the hallucinations to really set in.

The first hallucination of the day came just 35 miles in. A mysterious man in a gray shirt appeared up the trail. He made several appearances then went away. I didn't notice anything else until after dark. At night, I mostly heard voices. Often it was just the wind as Sarah pointed out. More came after daybreak. I saw a guy planing wood in a sawmill. A very large bus appeared ahead of us on the trail. Several phantom aid stations made themselves known to me. A fallen tree became a bus stop with several large individuals waiting to get on. The most interesting hallucination was an eight foot tall ostrich with clydesdale feet. The feet were piles of rocks and the body was a huge knob on a fallen tree with a short branch sticking up for the neck and head. Sarah didn't see it. It was there as plain as day.

More delicious food was consumed and we were on our way to Powell mountain. I struggled on the climb, although it wasn't one of the toughest ones. I needed to rest a fair amount. Along the ridge, daylight was creeping in. We were now 25 hours into the run. This was a new high for me in time on my feet. The ridge went on for an eternity. The trail didn't change much but my hallucinations kicked into high gear. Neither of us had coke at the last stop so we both became quite tired. I thought we were to the aid stop but it was an illusion. This happened several more times. A sign told us we still had two more miles to go. That was disheartening but we trodded on. We passed a beautiful overlook and two guys were walking toward us. Thinking it was still over a half mile to the aid station, we were informed it was only 200 yards. That was good news and I'd resigned myself to expect every aid stop be even further than I thought. They said there were grilled cheese sandwiches ahead. I quickly broke into a sprint to the aid station.

The grilled cheese sandwiches were heaven to our stomachs. I loaded up on Coke this time. Caffeine is a must after so many hours. At mile 85, I got an energy burst and broke into a near sprint. My legs hadn't been pushed throughout the night and they were ready to roll. I slowed down before I wore myself out since we still had 17 miles to go. The terrain became a little rockier. Sarah banged her knee against a rock. I did that at Pitchell and let out a loud yell and had to sit down to avaid passing out. She trekked onward but by the time we made it to the aid station, it had swelled considerably.

While I enjoyed pancakes, she iced her knee and it worked well enough that she was able to continue. She held tough the rest of the way. The climb toward Elizabeth Furnace was moderate. We made good time and on the downside, we moved very quickly. The temperature rose considerably and I was glad we were nearing the finish. The descent was completely exposed to the sun. The trail was parched, a perfect habitat for rattlers. I hadn't given any thought to rattlesnakes but a runner was standing in the trail telling us to stop. He had been warned by a three footer. We waited as the snake made its way off the trail. I always tend to be overly cautious after seeing a snake. Every step was made gingerly for the next few minutes.

We rolled into the final aid atation and enjoyed pizza and popsicles. Leaving the station, I made a wrong turn and had to be corrected again. The last climb had quite a reputation for being excessively difficult. It started out innocuously enough. We passed up a runner and kept a solid pace. I didn't wear a watch but Sarah informed me that we still had a chance at making 32 hours. I sped things up a bit and motored past a few more runners. The rocks became larger and steeper toward the top but it didn't slow us down much. I wanted to prevent anyone from catching us. I figured the top 50 was within reach.

On the descent, we moved very quickly through the leaves. The trail remained wide and led to another very exposed section. After a couple of more turns, to our surprise, several more runners came into view. We blew past them and hit a large gravel road. I was surprised at the amount of energy I had and we ran virtually all of the last three miles. We hiked up a paved road but ran as soon as it flattened out. A short jaunt through the woods led us to the wide open expanse of the finish lawn. I saw the clock and we were about to come in well ahead of 32 hours. The final tally was 31:49:57. I finished 43rd, much better than anticipated.

Having a pacer was paramount. It took much of the mental stress off, especially on the long, nighttime stretches. Physically, despite the myriad ailments, the run was easier than expected. With so much hiking, my muscles fared well. Mentally, I just had to take it one section at a time and not be concerned about doing 100 miles.

The ride back was difficult after being awake for so long. Mohammed started driving and I took over after a while. I did well getting back to Statesville to my car. After dark, it was a different story. I drove a good bit without turning on my headlights. I suddenly noticed that I couldn't see very well and had been concentrating on cloud formations out the side of my window. The hallucinations were back and I still had a half hour to go. I was up for a total of 44 hours straight. It's good practice for an attempt at the Barkley 100 miler, with a course record of 56 hours.

Raging Bull

2007-05-24T18:23:00.000-07:00

May 5-7, 2007
Mountain Sports Festival Trifecta

Rock2Rock 10k
Friday night's run was the Rock2Rock 10k. Most 10k's are pretty basic, with a few hills but mostly flat. This wasn't the typical 10k. We started up a moderate grade, which became a bit more steep. After a short drop, the trail went up the steep drop of the Run for Africa. The climbing was relentless. The run gained 2,700 feet.

It became moderate then steep again. An easy section followed but only gave a false sense of security. Soon we were hit like a mack truck with one of the steepest trails I've seen. It was rocky and muddy, thanks to a drizzle. The mountain was entirely enshrouded in clouds.

I moved as quickly as I could up the trail. I ran with Amy Bly much of the time. We passed each other many times but I lost her on the singletrack, thinking I wouldn't see her again until the finish. A nice downhill greeted me at the top of the first rock. It was a little slick so I took it easy but didn't get to enjoy it for long as another climb greeted me. This one was even rockier but the terrain was gorgeous. This is called the "Garden of Eden" as well as "Eden Rock". Hemlocks dominate the peakand large expanses of granite cover the rest.

The downhill required grabbing whatever you could to steady yourself. The ground was slick and ridiculously steep, easily beyond 30%. It was difficult to stay on my feet. I figured no one would catch me on this stretch since I excel on downhills but I was surprised by not one but four women who blew past me. Amy was one of them. Her downhill skiing skills paid off.

I struggled through the rest of the downhill due to sore shins. All of my friends easily beat me. I gave it all I had but it just wasn't enough. The 1:16 time was actually not bad and I did get to finish in a sprint.

Sunset Stampede 10 miler

I knew I wouldn't be running like gangbusters up to Town Mountain road. I took it easy to save something for the downhill. Last year, I made good time on the climb but struggled coming back down. I got passed up by a guy pushing a stroller with not one but two kids.
I lost Amy early on and wouldn't have the chance to catch her.

The run was fairly uneventful but I did catch the guy with the stroller on the way down. I kept my pace for the last five miles and finished in an impressive sprint. The 1:38 time wasn't anything special but it was a two minute improvement over last year. Everyone I knew who ran it easily beat me.

May Mountain Madness Mama's Half Marathon

The third run of the weekend would be a bit more laid back. Adam Hill put this one on and it took place in Mills River. Adam, Sarah, Steve, Jason, Beth, Amy and I headed up the neverending road. It really does appear never to end and I've never been to the actual end of it, but it does have an end according to the map.

I stayed with everyone for a half mile or so and then dropped back into a very relaxed pace. Amy stayed back as well so I didn't get lonely. Gravel roads tend to drive me a bit batty. I was pleased when we finally made it to singletrack. Singletrack always ignites me so I took off with a burst of speed, running like a maniac. I still acted like a wuss when it came to the first two water crossings. I rock hopped them while most everyone ran right through.

Eventually, we came to a small waterfall and a fantastic water hole. I actually got in as did everyone else. We sloshed on until we hit the reservoir. I actually swam there. I generally just do water when I have to like on the January 1st run with eight stream crossings, including a waist high traverse.

I lagged behind on the climb back to the parking lot but completed all three runs in one weekend along with Steve and Amy. Sarah completed the half marathon after winning a 40 mile road race on Saturday.

Raging Bull

2007-05-22T18:31:00.000-07:00

April 21, 2007
Crowders Mountain 50k

It was a warm start to a hot day. I felt strong, even with coming off a very long run from last week. This would be my first repeat ultra. I wanted to see improvement over last year's performance. I knew that was unlikely, considering what I'd put my body through last week.

We started up a gravel road. leading to the top of Crowders Mountain. It gets steep about a mile in and again at the top. The view is outstanding and contains the entire Charlotte skyline. I walked a good portion of the climb but got moving well heading down the mountain. The descent starts with about 300 steps, followed by a steep gravel descent and then hits rocky, rooty singletrack. About four miles in, I saw Byron Backer heading my way. He was already two miles ahead. He was followed by Annette Bednosky. Mohammed Idlibi and Greg Paige weren't far behind.

I felt strong at the turn around and headed back to the start. The singletrack went well and I cruised up the steps. The descent that was so easy last year was a good deal tougher with spent quads. I made it to the ten mile point in under two hours but I knew I'd slow down on the second circuit.

The second lap went better than expected but it still took 2:20. I ran consistently and performed well on the steps again. The heat was starting to take its toll and my body was ready to stop at twenty miles. I didn't have enough sense to listen to my body so I headed out for the third lap.

I felt fine but had no real power. I did more walking and the heat bothered me more and more. I was glad that I handled the steps much better than I did last year. As for the rest of the course, I didn't handle it as well. It took just over three hours to complete the third lap. My time was 7:26, up significantly from 6:37 last year. This was more of a test of endurance for me in preparation for Massanutten. Annette ran away with the race, winning by over 20 minutes.

Raging Bull

2007-04-29T18:56:00.000-07:00

April 14-15, 2007
Run for Africa 24 Hour Relay and Solo Race

I'd never seen so many cars for a trail running event! I had to park quite a distance from the start. Normally, this wouldn't be a problem but I was providing support for myself and had a cooler and a duffle bag to cart over. I saw Sarah Almodovar, and we lugged our stuff over together.

We placed our stuff in the giant aid tent. They would have pizza, burritos and locally brewed beer, on tap. That made it all the more difficult to keep running throughout the night. I knew if I had a cold one, it would be over.

The Run for Africa is an inaugural event to raise money for clean water in African orphanages. It's the brainchild of local ultrarunner extraordinaire Will Harlan, and his sister Jill. They traveled to Kenya last year and were compelled to do something to improve living conditions there. Will doubled as the race director and Jill as the head of aid stations. They both went above and beyond the call of duty in both organization and execution.

The event took place at Camp Rockmont, the former site of Black Mountain College and the current site of the Lake Eden Arts Festival. I'd never been to the camp before and was duly impressed with all of the amenities.

The event was primarily a team relay race with a solo option. Most teams and runners signed up for the full 24 hours with an option to drop to 12 if necessary. Teams came from all over, many camping inside the final quarter mile infield.

We started at noon and headed straight up singletrack. I let the teams pass and slowly hiked the incline. The trail leveled out for a bit and climbed steeply again. This was followed by a rolling section and the steepest climb. The aid station was just a bit further and then it was downhill on a wider trail. A steep downward pitch led to a gravel road which took us to a grass section around Lake Eden and the second aid stop. More grass and gravel took us up by the soccer field, outdoor theatre and the rifle range. Back down we passed the climbing wall and zipline and headed back toward the start. The five mile loop climbed about 700 feet.

I ran with a few 24 hour people. I spent the most time running with Denise Davis. We kept passing each other and catching up to each other. I hammered the downhills every opportunity I got. My pace was a bit faster than I'd anticipated. No timepiece was on my wrist. I just wanted to listen to my body and not worry about time. Adam Hill showed up to cheer us along and sent a couple of his Presbyterian Home kids to pace me around the camping area.

I knew the first few loops took less than an hour but I didn't know how much less. I likely would have slowed things down a bit had I known my pace. The pounding downhills took their toll on my muscles. During a sprint, my hamstring completely locked up. I had to stop and stretch and then walk for several minutes. At just 19 miles in, it looked as if I wouldn't make it till nightfall. The pain came back a few more times.

Tony Rouse and Mike Day ran with me intermittently and after lapping me, Drew Shelfer did for a while as well. Drew had just run 100 miles at Umstead two weeks previous and he was moving well in this run. Jay Curwen was the first to lap us at mile 18. Sarah passed at mile 20. Richard Lilly passed as well.

The loops continued at a steady pace. At six laps, I opted to slow down. It was six hours in and I had 30 miles covered. That was right where I wanted to be but I wouldn't make it 18 more laps at that pace. I let Denise go ahead and focused on slowing down.

Nightfall came and my hamstring was holding up. The downhills took longer but easing up was the only route to finishing. I walked most of the course, just jogging intermittently. I got passed up a second time by a few runners. It didn't faze me and just went about my business.

By midnight, most 24 hour runners scaled back to 12 hours. Tony, Stu Gibeau, Jay, Drew and Sarah had all dopped out. Only five continued throughout the night. The night did become a bit scary as a thunderstorm rolled in and lightning flashed all around. It happened as I approached the highest point on the course. Lightning flashed directly over my head as I noted that I did not cast a shadow.

The miles wore on. I ate some pizza and spent a little more time at each aid station. The aid people went out of their way to make sure we were as comfortable as we could be. Fortunately, when the hardest rain hit, I was under an aid tent.

I bided my time until morning, when I picked up a bit of speed. Mike Day was gaining on me so I picked up the pace a bit. My 16th lap was the fastest since the fifth. I knew if he got within a lap he would have an outside chance at catching me. I knew I wouldn't catch Denise but I wanted to be the top male finisher.

After completing the 17th lap, I got many cheers, even from some runners who had dropped out during the night. The cheering pumped me up a bit and I sprinted off on my final lap. This lap wound up being excruciatingly painful! The balls of my feet had become giant blisters. Every step was painful. I considered cutting the course to get the pain over with, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. The last five miles took 1:40. Denise caught me again on her 19th lap. Her husband Tony, drove up and offered a raincoat and it poured within the next ten seconds.

I couldn't stay with Denise so I limped around the course on my own. The finish line was a welcome sight. I through off my Camelbak and trudged around the final quarter mile. I mustered up enough energy to sprint the final 50 yards.

This was my first ever victory of any kind. I was the top male with 90 miles, and finished second overall. It's quite a satisfying feeling to run for over 24 hours. It's also nice to be a part of a very worthwhile charity event.

Raging Bull

2007-04-29T18:53:00.000-07:00

March 24, 2007
Bartram 21 Mile Endurance Run

We would be running through the land of the midday sun. The run started with a mile+ road stretch and then it went right through the Nantahala river. The water was low but quite cold. Most runners followed each other, very slowly through the frigid water. I went around them and shook off the cold.

The trail went straight up, next to Piercy Creek. The creek was well below the trail. It was unlike any other creek I've seen. The creekbed was mostly solid rock, extending on either side of the creek. The view was quite distracting, which made it dangerous. The trail was narrow in spots with a very steep dropoff.

The 21 milers split off from the 8 milers, or at least most did. A few 8 milers turned left and continued past the aid station, when they were explicitly told there would be no aid stations on the 8 mile run. The trail climbed gradually and then became rolling. It stayed that way until a nice downhill and then rolled alongside the Nantahala. A couple of spots were a bit tricky and I almost took the wrong trail twice. I noticed several guys running up the steepest pitches. I shook my head and just hiked them.

Beyond the aid station, the trail followed an endless gravel road. I kept looking for the trail to leave to the right but it kept on the road.
I struggle on flat gravel and was passed by several runners. A runner named Paula caught up to me and we ran together intermittently for the next six miles.

The trail finally turned into singletrack and headed up toward the Nantahala dam. The trail hit nearly 45 degrees but rewarded us with a fine waterfall view. The trail kept climbing and then turned to rolling hills and came up to an aid station along the lake.

A short road section skirted the lake and then it became trail again. The first 15 miles seemed to be way too easy. I knew we had an arduous section ahead. I would have been disappointed if there hadn't been one.

I went ahead of Paula as the trail became ridiculously steep. I'd paced myself well and expected to pass quite a few runners on this intense climb. I just power hiked up the mountain but everyone else was struggling. The climb didn't end for some time. I caught up to Mike Piercy and ran with him on a short, flat section and then it was on to more climbing.

The heat was now very noticeable. I was glad this was just a 21 mile run. The last aid station came into sight and I arrived just as Steve Parrish was leaving. They were out of water, and from the looks of the faces of the runners I'd just passed, they would be suffering mightily over the last four miles.

Surprisingly, at this higher altitude, bugs made their first appearance and stayed with me a while. They motivated me to keep running however. I ran through a burned out section. The forest fire had consumed dozens of acres on the mountain. I made my way up to the highest peak on the course, passing Denise Davis, who I would run with three weeks later in the Run for Africa. In a grass clearing, I finally made it up to Steve and we ran together as we entered the Appalachian Trail.

I thought Wayah Bald was the highest point but it was mostly downhill on the AT. I had enough energy left so I moved very well, almost at a sprint. The last little climb to Wayah was surprisingly easy and I sprinted up to the end of the singletrack, where several people were cheering on runners. I mistakenly thought this was the finish but I still had to go another 100 yards on pavement to the summit. I had to walk a bit to catch my breath so I could run across the finish.

I ran a 4:43, for the first time ever, beating my prerace goal of 4:45. I was fortunate enough to pass 15-18 runners in the last six miles. The stone tower on the summit kept the beverages cool. I drank quite a bit and relaxed, talking to a bunch of runners. The van system for transporting runners to the start broke down. Six of us crammed ourselves into a pickup bed and we made the uncomfortable trip down.

Raging Bull

2007-03-29T19:20:00.000-07:00

March 10, 2007
Greenbrier Rail Trail

The ride up to West Virginia was filled with the sounds of little known artists like Sufjan Stevens and Muse. We arrived and decided to head up to the Cranberry Glade botanical area. It's like Canadian tundra left over from the last ice age and is the furthermost south of any such area in the US. Near the entrance, we stopped at the visitor's center. We ran through the snow barefoot. Then we encountered a possum who was playing possum. It didn't respond to a snowball landing two feet from it.

The drive toward the glade traversed deep snow and my car was sliding all over the place. I couldn't control the car and we were heading downhill. Adam caught the ordeal on video. We wisely said enough is enough because we could potentially get stuck if we went further. We made it back to the entrance and pavement and ran back down the road through the snow.

The glade had a boardwalk to protect the tundra. It had frozen snow on top so we could stay on top most of the time but the occasional step led to a posthole nearly up to the knee. We didn't stay long so we could get to the cabin before nightfall.

Matt's parents arrived shortly after we did. The cabin was all log with plenty of room and a stone fireplace. Mrs. Kirk whipped up a wonderful past dinner with a vegetable laden sauce in almost no time at all. We watched some of "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou", and turned in for the night.

Morning came quickly. The drive to the trailhead took longer than expected, due to the narrow, crooked nature of all of West Virginia's roads. Deer were present around every other turn. We arrived at Cass and prepared for our journey.

The weather was perfect but the trail conditions were not. Matt and Adam took off at a torrid pace. I wasn't about to keep pace. I was well fueled but was very sluggish. My body didn't want to move. At the first aid stop, I was 45 minutes back, at just nine miles. I wanted to keep a 5 mph pace but it was more like 4 1/4. The snow was deep and it took its toll on my ankles. I walked through most of the snow. Deer were everywhere. We encountered a group in the first 200 yards.

After the aid stop, I struggled further. I didn't get a decent pace going until mile 14, but it didn't last long due to further snow and ice. I'm not much of a flat runner anyway but the snow and ice stymied my pursuit.

The scenery was spectacular and unspoiled. Occasionally, I'd encounter a house, but very little land was developed and the areas that were, were well kept. Much of the land bordering the river is either parkland or state forest.

The trail led through a dark tunnel and then crossed a trestle on the other side. The ice became more prevalant on the other side of the river. I longed for my Yaktrax and cursed myself for not bringing them. I soon ran out of fluid and opted to grab occasional handfuls of snow for sustenance. A loud noise startled me. A small boulder had tumbled onto the trail about twenty yards back. It would have enacted great pain or worse on me had it hit me. I ran on the other side of the trail from then on to avoid getting hit by any debris.

I passed two mountain bikers from Florida, who also were quite surprised by the amount of snow. They had enough sense not to follow the trail all of the way into Cass. Little did I know that it would be just as difficult on the ice further south.

The only sizable town on the route is Marlinton. This was at 24 miles and another aid stop. The aid car, however, was not there. I kept going, thinking they were further up the trail but they had left. I was stuck with no food or liquid or cash. I went back to town and sat on a bench for a while, contemplating my next move. I could beg for food or bug out and head for the cabin. Just then, the couple I'd met rode by again and said they'd found my package. I went right by the aid drop. They offered to get me coffee but I opted to refuel and head on down the trail. I'd done the last nine miles without food or liquid, except for the snow I'd been consuming from time to time.
I didn't get any faster. The snow turned to ice again. I was out of painkillers and electrolytes. My Yaktrax were in the cabin. I didn't bring the trail map with me. I guess a pattern developed. I made myriad mistakes but felt that I needed to deal with adversity and continue despite my follies.

The weather started heating up so I stripped down a bit. It actually became uncomfortably warm for a while. My ankle started to really bother me so I ran less and less. I heard a strange sound, like that of an antique tractor engine. It wound up being a group of ducks. The sound was surreal and very pleasing. I resolved to just enjoying the scenery while accepting my fate of hiking only from that point on.

I drudged on in what was to become the Marlinton Death March. I couldn't run due to ankle issues and eventually my feet blistered substantially. I got to the next drop and quickly inhaled the food. I figured one more drop and that would be it.

I hiked onward, on what would be the last 15 mile section for the day. It slowly became dark and it was a different world. Another brush with death greeted me as a large icicle fell right next to me. It missed me but not by much. I looked around and saw green illuminations floating in the distance. LED headlamps make deer eyes green. It felt like a hallucination.

I did make a couple of friends on the trail. A hunting dog ran with me for a half mile and I followed a skunk for a quarter mile. It didn't want to leave the trail. I couldn't tell much about my surroundings other than they were pitch black.

I got to the fifty mile point and figured it was time to stop. With the backtracking, I'd gone 54 miles and had been in pain for hours. It was time to make a wise decision and stay put. I waited to be picked up. I waited for 2 1/2 hours and at 12:30, was offered a ride by good samaritan. Everyone thought I dropped out earlier and the stop I was at was difficult to get to in daylight. I made it back after 1am. Adam and Matt were planning a rescue but didn't know where to start and were very tired.

Adam made it the entire 78 miles despite taking off so quickly. He had dehydration issues and became chilled when it rained. Matt did 35 miles and his dad did 30. That's about what they'd planned on doing. The guy, Steve, who gave me a ride, had also offered a ride to Adam and David Kirk. Matt and Patty had waited for two hours at what would be the next stop, six miles down the trail. I was just happy to be sleeping in a bed after doing pushups to stay warm at midnight on a dark, deserted trail.

On Sunday, we struggled through the stair laden boardwalk at Beartown State Park. Not much running took place but we got to see some fantastic sandstone features. I'm officially retiring from flat runs over a 50k.

Raging Bull or B-Rex

2007-03-19T18:04:00.000-07:00

February 24, 2007
Mount Mitchell Challenge
40 mile run

The weather was more than cooperating. The temperature was pretty comfortable in the mid 30's. We were off at 7 am, running the streets of Black Mountain, enroute to Montreat and eventually, Mount Mitchell. I started off running with Chris Shields. We proceeded to poke fun at other runners and ourselves while maneuvering into a strong finishing position, all within the first half mile. I couldn't hold his pace and dropped back a bit. Then I dropped back a bit more. Travis Cowan had caught up to me so we ran together for a good while. We'd run Crowders Mtn. together in April, so we paced each other here. It seemed as if we were going too slow but our time was right where we wanted it.

Entering Montreat, we noticed that we were in the last ten runners for both races combined. You'd think that would bother us but we're slow starters and we did have another 38 miles to go. The road got steeper and turned into gravel. Shortly thereafter, the trail section started. From this point, I made up plenty of ground on other runners.

Rainbow road is a wide trail but has plenty of rocks. It narrows into singletrack for a bit and then opens up and hits Trestle. Trestle is a rail trail that has grown in a bit and washed away in spots and is essentially singletrack. This was frustrating because there was a logjam and nowhere to pass. I passed anyway, one runner at a time and increased my speed dramatically. This brought on another problem as I started getting a side cramp, or stitch. I eased off in time to keep it at bay.

Travis caught up to me just before the aid station. We were on the proper pace and headed up the Toll road. The Toll road comprises about half of the course. It does get a bit monotonous at times.

I went ahead of Travis when I felt a burst of energy. I started passing all the runners who had passed me in the first couple of miles. I knew a steep downhill leading into Pot Cove Gap was coming up so I sped up a bit until the downhill and then I was off. I didn't see anyone I'd just passed again.

An old hermit couple resides on the Toll road. They must travel a very rocky, narrow road for several miles to get anywhere. They live in a very modest home but apparently, they're very happy up there.

Beyond their abode, the trail gets rockier and climbs at a greater clip. I was feeling strong so I did a ten second walk, thirty second jog mix to start passing runners. They looked rather exhausted but I felt fresh. I continued to improve my standing for the next few miles.

A couple of miles before the Parkway, I met up with a girl from Chicago. Amy Comstock is an adventurous soul who was informed about the Mitchell Challenge by relatives in Burnsville. I don't know how she handled the terrain so well. The last time I was in Chicago, I recalled flat pavement. We ran together all the way to the summit.

We made it to the Parkway and on up 128, to the Buncombe Horse trail. We picked up a 10 year Mitchell veteran along the way and paced each other on the trail. I surprisingly took the lead and set the pace. This worked for two miles, through patches of ice. Eventually, the vet took off ahead us.

We came to a mini glacier. I knew how to get around it by going offtrail. Another runner stopped to put on Yaktrax and we were past it by the time he got them on. The temperature rose as we entered a large clearing. The trail became steeper so we walked a bit.

We reached the start of the gnarly, rocky, icy singletrack. This was not a place to run. We still had twenty miles ahead of us so we hiked the entire section to the summit. It was a slow go but it made sense to conserve.

The view at the top was clear, though not as much so as the prior week. I took off in a fury down the mountain and onto the singletrack. The trail goes from rock to rock, requiring a keen sense of balance to be able to run it at all. I passed about ten runners over the mile long descent.

After the suicide sprint, there was another climb up the Commissary road. The temperature increased and I stripped down at the next aid station. From there, it was downhill on pavement for two miles and another half mile on the Parkway. I was glad to get back to trail after all of the pavement pounding. Amy had caught up and gone ahead. I ran most of the rest by myself.

The Toll road was a bit tougher than I expected coming back down. I could only force myself to run the steeper parts. The legs just weren't responding on the flats. I passed a few runners and was passed by a few.

I got another burst of energy at Appalachian Way, which is the steepest part of the run. I blew past several runners, having just enough braking strength to keep myself from tumbling down the mountain. I surprised myself, considering how sluggishly I had run on the Toll road. Pavement lay ahead but the first bit was all downhill.

Coming into the last aid station, I met up with a veteran runner who had had major IT band issues. He was just trying to finish, as was I. I went ahead on the Gate trail but he caught me on the road. We stayed pretty much together for the remainder. We both struggled on the road toward Lake Tomahawk. Finally, the gravel trail surrounding the lake was in view. It's kind of like a track finish. You get to take a victory lap into the finish area. I had to finish in a sprint so I went ahead and thundered across the finish line at 8:04.

Fortunately, many runners decided to hang out afterwards. This is one of the more social runs, with assorted accoutrements to tantalize the taste buds and replace the many lost calories. The dinner was fantastic except for the seating situation. Some of us had to sit on the floor but any sitting was a welcome endeavor after 40 miles on your feet.

Raging Bull

2007-03-08T19:14:00.000-08:00

February 17, 2007
Mt. Mitchell Hike

I met up with Mohammed, Greg and Jim for a hike up to the summit of Mitchell from the Black Mountain campground. I'd never been up this way and wanted to check out the summit again. It had just snowed so picked up a pair of Yaktrax and we started up the mountain. The trail was moderately steep pretty much the entire way. I felt overdressed but the extra layers would come in handy later.

Greg and Mohammed went ahead and I didn't see them for three miles. As I climbed, more snow was evident and eventually it was everywhere. I saw a large forest jumping mouse hop across the snow. This was only the second time I'd seen one of these little beasts. Several more tracks were spotted later.

As I entered a spruce-fir forest, ice became apparent. It became plentiful as I neared Commissary ridge. On Commissary ridge, I traversed a frozen stream. The ice gave a bit but didn't break through. I caught up to Greg and Mo. We all headed up the trail toward the summit.

About a half mile up I slid, went completely airborne and wound up flat on my back. I had tempted fate too many times. It was definitely time to put on the Yaktrax. In the two minutes it took to put them on, my hands had turned to an icy concrete mix. It was much colder than it felt.

The trail climbed steeply and split. The trail to the summit was blockaded, but that didn't stop us. We made it to the summit and viewed snowy mountaintops all around us. I finally remembered to bring a camera, but with the cold, it didn't work. It said the battery was not charged despite the fact it had been fully charged the night before. Fortunately, Mohammed took plenty of shots.

The wind was fierce on the summit so we didn't stay long. The wind chill was in the -25 to -30 range so we headed for the more sheltered trail below. I had no issues traversing the ice with the Yaktrax but was still a bit leery of the downward sloping ice.

The snow disappeared at the lower elevations. I ran a good bit of the descent but hiked some as well. This was a bit more than I should have done the week before the Challenge. My legs really felt it. Most of my Mitchell training was run on gently sloping trails, with the exception of the Montreat run.

Raging Bull

2007-03-08T19:12:00.000-08:00

February 10, 2007
Mt. Mitchell Summit 30 Miler

Another cold morning and we were in no hurry. Six of us headed up the very steep Appalachian Way. Adam Hill had a mishap in the first 100 yards. His Camelbak started flowing onto his gloves. He made a quick change and joined us up the hill. I didn't start drinking early enough and my first sip was a Gatorade slushy. I had two Camelbaks and both mouthpieces were soon frozen solid.

We were joined by Steve Parrish, Chris Sields, Sarah Almodovar and Drew Shelfer. The pace was relaxed since the Challenge was only two weeks away. The run was uneventful up the Toll road except for some icy patches. I fell behind a bit as usual and ran most of it by myself. Drew and Sarah turned back at the Parkway.

The Parkway had wonderful ice sculptures flowing out of the rock. Naturally, I forgot the camera again. We ran up route 128 until the Buncombe Horse trail veered off to the right. Much of it was snow covered. The icy patches were much more slick than the ones on the Toll road. Chris and Steve put on their Yaktrax and had no issues running on the ice. I, on the other hand was slipping and sliding and going off trail to avoid it. One spring had frozen completely into a cascade of ice leading well down the mountain. There was no way around it so I felt better traversing it on hands and knees. It was an amusing sight but I made it across.

The other ice floes were easy to get by until we came to a mini glacier. The stream was frozen and water had flowed down the trail into the stream as well. I was faced with an uphill climb over a sheet of smooth ice. Steve went right over it but I had to bushwhack my way around it for a good distance. We met up with Chris and Adam, who was wearing just a t-shirt despite the subfreezing temperatures.

More ice awaited us on the Commissary trail. One stream was mostly ice covered but the ice had plenty of give. We were fortunate to make it across without the ice giving way and dumping us into the frigid water.

The last mile to the summit is mainly very rugged singletrack. The forest transitions to a thick spruce-fir covering with mossy undergrowth. Ice was less prevalent in the forest except for two springs which turned intp massive frozen Niagras.

Beyond the singletrack and the signs which stated that none shall pass lies a wide gravel road leading to the summit of Mitchell. The old tower has been removed and a new tower is to built in its place. The summit is currently closed to visitors. The signs on the trail had been knocked down or perhaps had blown over. Anyway, we really didn't know what they said so onward we went to the summit.

I'd never been all that impressed with the views from Mitchell. It had always been hazy when I was up there. On this day, every mountain range for 100 miles was crystal clear. Adam and I pointed out mountain ranges and marveled at the distance of the Pitchell run. We saw Mt. Sterling, where we'd run on New Year's Day.

The weather changed abruptly and the wind really picked up so we headed back down. I took the lead for the onlt time during the run since we had a steep, rocky downhill, my favorite type of trail. Adam commented "Brian's downhill name is Beduhnasaurus Rex. Mine is Sally." That's certainly not true as Adam is one of the best downhillers I know.

We took the Old Mitchell Trail all the way to the Ranger Station. The northern exposures were snow covered but we were ascending them so there wasn't much of a problem. From the station, it was pavement back to the Toll road. A lenticular cloud was positioned right above Table Rock. It appeared a bit like Close Encounters.

Along the road, we all split up and ran at our own paces. I took 7:10 to make it through. It was a confidence builder since we didn't push it and we spent time admiring views. This was the last long run before the Mitchell Challenge.

On Sunday, a day after the run, there was a 5k Valentine run. Not so wisely, I had signed up for it. I started off a bit quicker than usual and didn't have any issues with tired legs. I couldn't push as hard as I'd wanted to but maintained a steady pace for two+ miles and then sped up a bit after that. I kicked it into high gear at the finish and ended with a full, powerful sprint. It was a new PR for me at 23:45. That may not sound all that impressive but it was acheived the day after a 30 mile run to the summit of Mt. Mitchell and back.

Raging Bull

2007-02-03T20:10:00.000-08:00

February 3, 2007
Thermal Belt Rail Trail Ultra

I looked at the thermometer-20 degrees, ouch! I was in no rush to hit the trail. Greenbrier will be a flat rail trail so I figured I should get in some time on the flat. The plan was either to run it once and ride it once or to run it twice. Since I didn't sign up for Uwharrie on time, I was hoping to get in my own ultra this day.

The drive to Rutherford County passed a number of clearcuts along the road. Many mountains had been stripped completely of their precious trees. Rutherford also boasts the highest unemployment rate in WNC, and the greatest number of meth lab busts in the state.

I arrived after 10:00, which was fine considering the chilly weather. A hawk greeted me as I got out of the car. I started in an urban section where the trail ran between two motor roads. Only a quarter mile in, I passed a homeless hangout consisting of two cinder blocks and a clear plastic lean-to. The trail ran through a sparsely populated neighborhood for a bit and then through an industrial sector. This area used to be replete with furniture and textile mills but most have been shut down and many have been demolished. Some mill towns have become ghost towns.

Further along, the trail finally got rural. I scared up a pair of vultures and would do so again on the repeat voyage. Yes, the suspense is over. I ran it twice. The views opened up a bit and distant mountains made their presence known. I had read that many pines had fallen across the trail. I saw only one and it obscured only half of the trail.

Since it ran near to many homes, I expected dogs to run out on the trail after me. I wasn't disappointed, they barked and growled but none came very close to me. I hit the turn around, which I thought was four miles but it took a full hour. How could it take an hour to go four, flat miles? It wasn't entirely flat but had very modest elevation changes. The supposed halfway point was actually 5 1/2 miles from that end, not 4.

The trail stopped at a sawmill. Apparently, they still use the rail line to the north, which is a shame because the scenery is far more compelling. It follows a stream and passes many hills and mountains. I snacked and headed back south. The same dogs had something to say to me again.
The return was otherwise uneventful and I reached the car at two hours.

South of the car, the winds actually picked up. There were more trees in the rural section to block the wind. The trail followed the road for a while and then veered off a bit along a wooded area. Garbage was strewn all around and several camps were apparent. Trails led into the woods every fifty yards or so. I named this the "Homeless Forest".

Beyond the Homeless Forest, An enormous, vacant mill filled my line of site. I wondered just how many people resided in the forest. I approached downtown Spindale and soon the rail trail became a grand boulevard. It again passed between two roads and was lined with trees on either side. I was pleasantly surprised to see that Barley's Taproom had just opened. I would park in Spindale the next time in order to take advantage.

The boulevard stopped when the tracks appeared. The section open is eight miles in length. I would try to cover the entire length four times. During the next trip through the forest, I saw a man walk from McDonald's across the trail and disappear into the wooded abyss. He vanished into the brush. McDonald's is 15 yards off the trail.

I got back to the car again and decided I was ready for 16 more miles. I jogged about two more miles and I couldn't continue jogging any further without walking a bit. I made it 18 miles without doing any walking at all, which was a new record for me. I hadn't run into any nonhomeless people until I came upon a typical couple walking their goats. I hadn't yet seen anyone walking their dog, riding a bike or running, but I ran into a couple walking their goats. They were being trained as pack goats and would be able to carry 60 pounds eventually.

On this return, I actually saw a runner. He was working harder than I was but I resigned myself to a much slower pace than the first round. The next time through the forest I didn't see anyone. This surprised me since it wasn't that long until darkness.

I had made it 32 miles. I wasn't sure I could do it this day because I'd been ramping up my mileage lately, and had spent two hours each of the previous two days lifting weights, including deep squats and leg extensions the day before. My quads had been hurting for hours, but I wanted to run tired and sore to prepare for the really long runs I have planned over the next several months.

Raging Bull

2007-02-03T20:08:00.000-08:00

January 27, 2007
Seven Sisters Summit 50k

The morning was brisk but the forecast was promising. Five of us embarked on a journey through the challenging and occasionally insane singletrack of Montreat. Sarah Almodovar, Steve Parrish, Mike Piercy, Kevin Lane and I bundled up to fight the freezing temperatures. Our pace was slow but there was no need to hurry. After a brief warmup on the Gate trail, we ascended quickly on the Rainbow trail. At times, you have to use your hands to steady yourself on this trail. The grade tops 40% for two brief periods. The tough go got a bit easier at the summit of Rainbow mountain.

We continued to Lookout trail. This went up into a rocky crag. This wasn't a spot for running or hiking. It was all climbing until we hit the summit and were rewarded with the first spectacular view of the day. We looked down upon Montreat and were amazed at how far up we had climbed in such a short time. The temperature had increased a bit so we basked in the sunlight and took in much of the mountain ranges we would soon traverse.

The East Ridge trail follows the ridgeline for its entirety. It ascends several mountain peaks along the way. It's a steep go in some spots. Sarah and Kevin tended to get well ahead of us on the climbs. I always look forward to the downhills and hammering the descents is where I excel. On Rocky Head, we could see Table Rock and Hawksbill mountain in the Linville Gorge wilderness.

We took the Trestle trail to get to the Graybeard trail. Trestle was the path of the Mt. Mitchell train tracks and was used in part for the Mitchell Toll road for automobiles. This was where Sarah headed down to set up an aid spot for us. The rest of us headed up Graybeard trail. It's a slow go and passes a small waterfall. We ascended for quite some time until we came upon a shelter, which had much of its roof ripped off by high winds. A short side trail led to Walker Knob, and an unbelievable vista of Montreat, Black Mountain and beyond.

The trail continued steeply up Big Slaty and then on to Graybeard mountain. At 5408 feet, this would be the high altitude for the run. It is also one of my favorite views anywhere. We stared in awe for a while and headed back toward the Westridge trail.

Westridge is no more steep than Eastridge but it is extremely rocky. It's not just a little rocky. it's almost entirely run on rocks. This means any wrong step can lead to disaster. Kevin and I hammered it anyway. It was nice to be ahead for a good while. I'm usually trying just to stay in site of the runner in front of me. The Asheville watershed came into view. The reservoir looked bluer than I'd ever seen it.

After a good bit of downhilling, we came to Big Piney Ridge. We followed the trail to the Rattlesnake overlook, which afforded yet another spectacular view, this time of Black Mountain. We basked in the warm sun and could see the fountain in Lake Tomahawk, which is soon to greet us as we make our final turn in the Mt. Mitchell Challenge in late February.

Big Piney soon became very steep as well. The trail had recently been relocated in spots to ease runoff and make it a bit less steep. Short switchbacks led us to its terminus at a road, which we followed to Sarah's car. She had homemade cookies and other assorted goodies for us. She had run up and down Big Piney and a bit of the Westridge trail while she was waiting for us.

After filling our bellies, we embarked on loop two. The lower part of the Graybeard trail follows a stream amongst many boulders. Steve had an unfortunate fall but it kept him very alert from that point on. At Pot Cove Gap, we followed the Toll road up to a higher part of Graybeard, and descended this time. I was really feeling it in my knees at this point. I no longer cared about running the third loop. The constant, steep, up and down nature of the run was taking its toll on my legs.

We hit the Toll road again and then on up Eastridge from the opposite direction. This bit was straight up to Rocky Head. I hadn't traversed Rocky Head trail before, so it would be new to me as well. I'd heard it was steep, but I had no idea just how steep. It descended rapidly but trees were everywhere so you could grab one whenever necessary. It was about a 30% grade until it leveled out a bit and became quite pleasant. This trail wasn't so bad after all. The moderate grade allowed some recovery after all of that pounding. I was now thinking that the third loop was a possibility.

Then, I came upon a dam. What was it doing way up on the side of a mountain? I waited for Steve and Mike and we figured it was an old reservoir for Montreat's drinking supply. The dam actually was for holding ponds that were used for an electrical generation plant in the early 1900's. (Info courtesy of the Montreat Conference Center)

Standing on the dam, we wondered where the trail went. Turning around, we saw that it went straight down. It was literally a 50% grade, straight down into oblivion. There were no trees to grab for support. There were many rocks to hop and to trip over. Containing speed was not easy but essential because a fall would mean intense pain, broken bones and pools of blood. The trail followed the pipeline for the generator, without switchbacks, for a 1/4 mile. Finally, we made it to an ordinary section of trail and Kevin was waiting for us at the bottom. I will never lead anyone down that trail again. Up, now that is still a possibilty.

A gravel and a paved road led us back to Montreat, where we all decided we had had enough. We only covered 19 miles but it took about 7 hours. That's what happens when you climb and decend 6200 feet. I was pretty beat up and was glad nobody else wanted to continue. Also, we would have been fighting darkness if we had done 12 more miles.

I went back Sunday to finish up the 50k. It was about the same morning temperature but it actually dropped throughout the day. I cut out the pavement and forgot to do a short trail, so my run was only 10 miles. I was pleased to be able to run that much after the previous day.

Many thanks to Sarah for keeping us going.

Raging Bull

2007-01-31T19:08:00.000-08:00

January 20, 2007
Shut-in/Mountains-to-Sea Run

Saturday morning was quite cold. This always presents a dilemma. We'd be climbing into higher altitudes but during the climb much warmth would be created. So, how many layers are enough? Since this was an out and back run, extra clothing could be ditched and retrieved on the return.

Sarah Almodovar had organized the run. Her original intent was to do a double Shut-in. She had run the upper half the previous week and the weather would be a bit sketchy so the run was modified to the lower half of Shut-in and the Mountains-to-Sea trail on the other side of the French Broad river. Since I'd recently run a double Shut-in, I certainly understood not wanting to run the same section two weeks in a row. This would be my first excursion on the trail since early November. It beat me up a good bit and I had no desire to conquer it again for some time.

Two guys came down from Boone to join us. Doug was a veteran runner who I met during a bicycle ride in the high country, and who had run the Shut-in race four times before. Dennis is a newby to this trail. I stayed with everyone until the first big climb, a whole 1/4 mile into the run. From there I was on my own until I met them on their return.

I was not loving the trail this day. I simply couldn't run as much of it as I'd wanted. Some days it just doesn't click. I'm used to this and when this happens, I just take it easy and take in more of the scenery. Long, slow distance is an important part of training and I'd get in my share of the slow distance.

The turn around point was at nine miles. I met the others at about 8 1/2 miles and turned back when I saw them. I then led the group for a while until I ran myself to exhaustion. They went ahead and I was on my own again. I don't mind getting behind but I don't like it when people have to wait an extended period of time for me. As I approached a steep hill, I made the decision to skip it and follow the Parkway for a mile or so. I thought this would close the gap and maybe I would actually catch someone by doing this but the plan backfired. I got around the hill climb but I actually added some distance.

Passing some hikers, I inquired how far ahead they were and they said about three or four minutes so I was pleased. I made it to the parking lot and loaded up food for the next out and back leg.

Crossing the bridge over the river, we were greeted by Adam Hill and his group home kids. He was taking them on a hike and brought us a bounty of sustenance in the form of bagels and pastries. We chatted a bit and went on our way. I stayed with them for a good while. After crossing the highway, there was a short, steep downhill where I hammered down and went way out in front. The downhill was also my downfall. I was exhausted after it and I fell far behind.

I just took it easy again from that point. I passed the tree where I surprised a bear on the Pitchell run. I was even closer to it than I'd remembered. Hendersonville road seemed like a good place to turn around so I wouldn't be caught lagging behind for the rest of the run. Sarah, Doug and Dennis went to Sweeten Creek road and turned back. They would run 30 1/2 miles while I would run about 27. My body was very worn down from training and I was nursing an ankle sprain from last week so 27 was more than I expected to cover.

I managed to stay ahead until the last mile. We made it back to the cars and decided to partake in the obligatory postrun burrito. The Lucky Otter was the spot this time. Local brew, a couple of margaritas and burritos rounded out our day.

Raging Bull

2007-01-31T19:05:00.000-08:00

January 13, 2007
Mt. Mitchell Training Run

'Twas just a typical January morning in the Carolinas, 50 degrees and sunny. I was hosting a training run on a portion of the Mitchell Challenge course. I had just lugged 4 1/2 gallons up a 20+% grade for about a kilometer and readied myself for a 20+ mile run. 14 runners participated.

I handed out maps and soon we were on our way. I ran with Annette Bednosky early on because I knew she'd be ahead of me very soon. I soon lagged behind just about everybody. I spent most of my time running with Steve Parrish. We discussed ecobuilding as he is a home builder. The trail is a fantastic place to get to know someone. I only wish I could stay with more runners so I could converse more. If I push hard enough to stay with the faster runners, I breathe too heavy to carry on a conversation.

The turn around point was over ten miles in where a side trail summited Rocky Knob. We saw a runner who just came down from the top but he said no one was up there. They had all run past the trail and continued to the Parkway, another 2+ miles further. Steve and I hiked to the overlook. Breathtaking is a term that is a bit cliched but it truly was breathtaking and incredibly clear. One of these times, I'll remember my camera.

We headed back toward the start, thinking we'd gone far enough, then I had a change of heart and wanted to meet up with those who went to the Parkway. We didn't have to go too far. I mentioned the summit hike and a few guys decided to head up. Matt Kirk, Chris Shields and Brad Smythe and I cruised up and enjoyed the viewshed. Humor flowed freely and we simply had a fantasic time.

We leisurely ran back on the Toll road, taking in the sites along the way. When we got to the aid spot, the decision was made to cut the run a bit short and head down Appalachian Way. This is a dirt road but it is heinously steep. I went into Beduhnasaurus mode and hammered it. I ran so hard that my IT band just about gave out. I also sprained my ankle in the process but it was unbeknownst to me until the following day when my ankle swelled up and I limped noticeably.

At the parking lot, we could here screams coming from the stream. Cold water is outstanding after a long run but it causes me pain. Adam Hill and Matt would live in the water if they could. Rob Rikoon had the stuff we needed. Cold PBR's were waiting for us. I'm not much of a fan of PBR but wow, did they ever hit the spot. Of course, we had to find some more brew and burritos, which taste so fine after 22 miles, so five of us headed to Camino's in Black Mountain.

Raging Bull

2007-01-05T20:26:00.000-08:00

January 1, 2007
Smokies Big Creek Adventure Run

The rains came for two days before the run. Normally, this wouldn't matter but the course included fords, one of them through Big Creek. We should have been singing tunes from "The Sound of Music". We would climb every mountain and ford every stream. This was another of Adam Hill's fun/adventure runs, with the emphasis on adventure.

We started up the Baxter Creek trail. I do mean up, as the trail climbs 4,000 feet over 6.2 miles. I couldn't keep up with the others. Eventually, Matt Kirk took pity on me and dropped back. Near the top, the clouds broke but it was quite dark as we we found ourselves in the midst of a dense, lush spruce forest. The sun's rays peaked through the trees like spotlights on a stage.

We all met up at the Mt. Sterling fire tower. It was a harrowing climb to the top but well worth it for the crystal clear views. Of course we had to pose for the obligatory picture.

The descent from Mt. Sterling was rocky with tricky footing. This is the one area where I excel. I rumbled by everyone and garnered a new nickname. I was dubbed "Beduhn-a-saurus Rex" for my aggressive downhill style. If only I could be that aggressive on the uphills.

The downhill didn't last forever and soon I again found myself at the back of the pack. I thought I saw a little green creature with a cane. I couldn't understand the cane when he was such a badass jedi. We were running through Dagobah on the top of a 5,000 foot mountain. The rains filled the horse beaten trail. Lush vegetation surrounded either side and an X-wing fighter hovered nearby.

A trail junction brought us together again. But soon I dropped back yet again. I tried to keep up with Sarah Almodovar and Mohammed Idlibi, but my effort was in vain. They slowly crept out of site and I was alone. This got frustrating, thinking I was holding everybody up. The trail grew wetter and wetter and I was trying to keep my feet dry until we came upon the fords. I forgot to bring my light and grew concerned over whether I'd make it through by nightfall. This apprehension was illfound and it quickly went away when I met up with the group again, as they were partaking in some nappage in the sun.

I was imbued with a newfound energy and led the pack to the next junction. This bit had some tricky footing and I ran well over the rooty, rocky terrain. A sign with bold, red letters greeted us-"Do not use Gunter Fork in times of high water". We took a picture of it and promptly ignored the warning. This was, after all, an adventure run.

Gunter Fork trail descends rapidly and is a bit off camber. Maintaining the proper balance of speed and agility presents quite a challenge. We all cruised the downhill at a rapid pace. Mohammed almost slid off the mountain but maintained his balance. The trail started to level out a bit after two miles and we were greeted with a wonder of nature.

Before us was quite a sight to behold! An enormous waterfall spilled over 150 foot rock face in front of us. To the left was a 50 foot waterfall. We had to ford our first stream. The water was cold but it didn't take long to get across. This was followed immediately by another ford. We stopped a while to admire the cascade.

The trail leveled out a bit and we really got to know Gunter Fork. We crossed again and again and the crossings grew wider. There were more fords than a used car dealership. We drove a chevy to the levy but the levy was flooded. The last crossing of the fork was quite difficult. The current was strong and the whitewater prevented sight to the bottom. I barely made it without tumbling. We'll call this one "Mustang".

Finally, the last ford was upon us. We'll call this one "Thunderbird". A human chain stretched part way across it. Adam was anchored in the middle helping everyone else across. Carl Laniak retreated to help out as well. The current was considerably stronger than the last one. This was Big Creek, with easily twice as much water as Gunter Fork. I opted out of the human chain and went upstream a bit to avoid the current. Still waters run deep and it got up to my waist but the footing was solid and I kept my upper body dry.

From there, it was all pretty level. We followed the river but the next two crossings had bridges. I sang off pitch to entertain myself as everyone had run ahead again. I'd heard about Midnight Hole and how it was a must to swim there. It was January 1st, but I knew that wouldn't stop Adam, Matt and Carl from swimming. I'd had enough water already. Mohammed also got in on the action. Sarah, Steve and I had enough sense to opt out. There's even a video of those nuts jumping off an eight foot high rock into the frigid stream.

The trail from Midnight Hole to the finish was fast and furious. We all had a blast despite spending so much time in the water.

What run is complete without a fine meal of pizza? Most of us headed out to Asheville Pizza and Brewing and chowed down on some mondo sized delish za's. That was a fine way to spend New Year's Day. It wasn't quite an ultra but the 23 miles certainly felt like it.

Raging Bull

2007-01-05T19:39:00.000-08:00

December 16, 2006
ALTAR (Art Loeb Trail Adventure Run)

This is more than just a run. It's a party. It's comraderie. It's ALTAR. The Art Loeb Trail Adventure Run takes place near the winter solstice. The challenge is to make the traverse in the daylight hours. This is a speed hike more than it is a run.

Matt Kirk rented a "cabin" for us. This cabin was far more luxurious than any of our homes. Good times were had over dinner and afterward. Adam Hill led a singalong and we all swapped war stories of life on the trail. Wonderful brew from French Broad Brewery was had in abundance.

We were greeted with a balmy 29 degrees at the trailhead. The obligatory photos were taken and 24 of us commenced on the epic journey. The first half mile is flat-- pancake flat. We wouldn't see much more of this flat nonsense.

The trail crossed a bridge and it was up, up, up. I started out near the front and stayed there far longer than I'd anticipated. I was leading the main running pack for about a mile. I heard Adam talking behind me and I knew I shouldn't be leading this pack. I stepped aside and let everyone pass and then resumed at a more relaxed pace.

I ran pretty much alone for several miles. I ran with Mike Day off and on and with David Kirk and Sammy Pangle. They went ahead and I ran around Cedar Rock by myself. Cedar Rock is a large rock face. The trail skirts just below the exposed granite. The temptation to explore the face was definitely there but time was of the essence as I still had many more miles to go. I passed a hunter shortly after Cedar Rock.

The trail reached a shelter and I headed past it down a faint trail. This didn't seem worn enough so I turned back toward the shelter to look at the map but then Mike, Rob Rikoon and India Coleman came running and took a right up the hill so I followed.

The first aid stop was at 12+ miles. It wound up taking 3 1/2 hours to cover that distance. The problem was that we hadn't even hit the steep climbs yet. This was just a warmup and it took almost as long as the Shut-in race. We found out that some runners had already dropped out.

After leaving the aid station, the trail climbed steadily at a reasonable rate for a half mile. Then it got ridiculous. The grade increased dramatically to about 30% for a good stretch. I was exhausted just going at a slow hiking pace. I couldn't keep up with Rob and India but I could still hear their voices.

Eventually we all made it to Pilot Rock. The view was 360 degrees and we could see nearly to the starting point and nearly to the finish. It was still a good ways to the Parkway, which would mark the point just before the end of the primary climb.

Since Pilot was a pinnacle, we had a steep descent down the other side. That just meant more climbing to make up for the lost altitude. On the climb, we experienced leaves. We'd heard about foot deep sections of leaves but that sounded a bit far fetched. The leaves got deeper as we climbed. Some steps would result in knee deep leaves. Getting off the trail didn't help much either. Leaves were everywhere.

Finally, after nearly 6 hours, we crossed the Parkway. But we still weren't done climbing. A 26% grade greeted us on the other side. We were now in a spruce/fir forest so it was quite scenic. I just had to keep moving and eventually things would get easier. There was relief when we connected to the Mountains to Sea trail. I was lagging behind but I didn't care because the 7,000 foot climb was now over.

The second aid station had some extra people, as a few runners who dropped out helped. One group never showed up at the first station and they eventually took forest roads back to the start. That meant that we were likely the last runners still on the trail. I took off ahead of Rob and India to get a head start on the next climb. I saw someone ahead of me on the mountain. It was Sammy, and he waited for me to catch up to him. This section is the highlight of the run. Black Balsam is a bald mountain with views everywhere. You can see all the way to Mt. Mitchell, 80+ miles away by trail. Nearly the entire Pitchell route is visible. It doesn't seem possible to believe it can be traversed in one day when you look at it.

I had finally recovered from the climb but then another problem popped up. I made a rookie mistake by eating something I'd never tried before on a run. I consumed too much dried fruit and it was doing a number on my intestinal tract. This plagued me for the rest of the run.

We ran a few more balds and then entered the Shining Rock wilderness. There would no longer be any markings along the trail. Despite the wilderness tag, this was the easiest section. Unfortunately, I couldn't run for more than 50 yards at a time. Sammy stayed back with me so I wouldn't have to do the last nine miles by myself. We came upon a confusing intersection and chose the proper route. We hollered to Rob and India and they retraced their steps to the proper trail. They could have easily headed north instead of west and wound up way off course.

We never saw Shining Rock. The confusing trail led to it in a roundabout way. I'd hiked to it several years ago. The abundance of white quartz is striking. There is so much of it protruding from the mountaintop. Our trail skirted the summit and led to a section called the narrows. Sheer drops of a thousand feet slant down either side. We heard voices ahead and were surprised to find the main pack of runners hanging out on a rock outcropping. We weren't as far back as we thought. Granted, they had taken in their share of scenery along the way but it was certainly a boost to see them all.

We didn't stay together for long on the descent. The group broke up but we only had four miles left to the finish. I had planned on ascending Cold Mountain. After all of that climbing and the intestinal pains, I made the decision that there was no freakin' way I was going to do that. It's another 1,000 feet of climb and it would put me finishing in the dark as well.

I slowly descended toward the finish, staying just behind a few runners. Uwharrie, Matt's dog and an ultrarunner in her own right, disappeared for a while. She made her presence known behind us and we called for her but she didn't come running. I turned back to make sure she wasn't hurt. I called for her and finally spotted her just off the trail across a ravine. She started to run down the ravine. I motioned for her to follow the trail and she responded. She was okay but perhaps hallucinating a bit. She stayed with me only briefly and then ran ahead on the trail. I was again alone but still moving slowly but steadily.

The camp was coming within earshot. Hoots and hollers were heard as several runners splashed in the river. I strolled in after 10 hours, relieved to be finished. A campfire roared and soup was ready for us. Homemade Chili would be on the menu when we got back to the cabin.

Sunday brunch stretched out over two hours. Afterward, I moseyed over to Looking Glass Rock and did a little recovery hike/run. From the top, much of the Art Loeb route was visible. Pilot Rock looked every bit as steep as it felt the day before. Black Balsam looked like the top of the world. Another run was in the books. The images grow more pleasant after the fact as the memories of pain and fatigue quickly fade away. Next year, I will do Cold Mountain as well.

Raging Bull

2006-12-12T18:27:00.000-08:00

November 18, 2006
Bent Creek Gobbler 50k

Fun runs are friendly gatherings. The stiff competition isn't there. That doesn't mean people don't try. It's just not cutthroat like at some races.

The temperature was amenable for running and we carpooled to the start. I was joined by a few runners from HEAT. Mike Kennedy, our fearless leader, Dan House of adventure racing fame and Loren Shriner, a newcomer to distance running. Also there were Steve Parrish and Mike Piercy, from FAC 50k and Shut-in, Kevin Lane from Pitchell and Sandy Austin from Shut-in. Some elite runners showed up as well. Annette Bednosky, Danny Dreyer, Matt Kirk and Adam Hill, the race director were all present.

The course was to consist of two 15-16 mile loops. The first would take us on a good portion of the Shut-in Trail. The second would utilize many shorter trails.

We started on Bent Creek's South Ridge road. This is a wide gravel road with mostly gentle climbs which winds its way on the side of a mountain range to its intersection with Shut-in.

I started out near the front but quickly faded toward the back. I'd like to stay with the elite runners to converse but I'd be too tired to talk with them if I did. I finally got to meet Lloyd Basten, a true veteran runner who, next year could become the first 70 year old to complete the Shut-in Ridge race. I ran with Mike Kennedy and Loren Shriner from HEAT (High Endurance Athletic Training) for a while. They were on their first long trail run and completed the big 16+ mile loop. I also ran with Lloyd and Sandy for some time.

I ran the last six miles of the first loop alone and would be alone the entire second loop as well. The rest between loops yielded some outstanding homemade juice by Patti Kirk. The only problem with homemade juice is how difficult it is to go back to store bought afterward. I quickly caught up with some other runners and then headed down the road with Dan. He went on to his car as I hit the trails again.

First up was Explorer, a popular mountain biking trail. This led to Pine Tree, past the dam and on to the Hardtimes connector. My pace was slow but steady as the miles wore on. It was on to Wolf Branch, which I hadn't been on in years. This trail climbs gently to a road which leads to Ingles Field. This trail was full of mountain bikers and I had to leap out of the way a couple of times. This climb is much easier than the Shut-in climb.

Hickory leads down to Sidehill, which takes us to the final stint on Lower Sidehill. This trail has been manicured and is a pleasure both to run and to ride. I hollered a few times as I neared the finish to let everyone know I was near the finish as the lot was just a bit below me. Bent Creek road was upon me and led straight down to the finish, where Adam and Matthew were waiting. Mathew ran two aid stations and then ran the second loop. Just four of us did the entire run. I struggled through it as I wasn't fully recovered from the double Shut-in two weeks prior. I still ran it in 5:50, setting a personal best for an ultra.

Raging Bull

2006-11-21T18:58:00.000-08:00

November 4, 2006
Shut-in Ridge Trail Run and Return

The morning was crisp and clear. The temperature had edged up above the freezing point. I was prepared for a cold day as a took a one mile warmup run. The mile worked so I shed some clothing and was ready to go. This would be my first attempt at the legendary Shut-in Ridge Trail Run. The Shut-in trail was originally constructed as the route up to the Buck Spring Lodge for George Vanderbilt from his chateau in Asheville. This was all a part of his property before he transferred it to the Forest Service.

The race starts on pavement but quickly switches to dirt roads and at 2 1/2 miles it becomes singletrack. It's fairly moderate terrain until the singletrack starts. Then it's straight up and two miles later, straight up again. I saw nobody foolish enough to try to run either section.

I started out strong and stayed in the middle of the pack until the singletrack. Rob Rikkoon, with whom I'd planned to run the return trip, passed me just before the singletrack. Where the Hardtimes trail meets the Shut-in, people lined either side to cheer us on. I recognized several faces which is always a plus. The Shut-in climbs steeply from Hardtimes and everyone wisely walked it. Above the steep section, the trail widens and follows the originally constructed roadbed which predates the Blue Ridge Parkway. It's overgrown along the trail making passing difficult. I finally decided to run through the two foot grasses and pass a couple of packs who were taking it easy.

I never saw Rob again until the finish but I caught up with Mike Piercy and Steve Parrish who also ran the half Pitchell 50k run in conjunction with Pitchell. I got on board a train and we made good time until the next rest stop where it got derailed and then reformed a bit later with me as the engine. That wore me down after a while and I had to drop back.

The miles wore on until Bent Creek road which was roughly the midpoint of the run. This is where Andie McDowell called it a day. The climbing to this point, with two short exceptions, had been relatively easy. The big climb was just ahead. Ferrin Knob is the second toughest climb in the race as it ascends 800 feet over 1.2 miles. I power hiked the climb and distanced myself from several runners. On the way down, my foot found a rock while I was descending at a pretty strong clip and my body went flailing down the mountain. It's difficult to put on the brakes with so many leaves everywhere. Somehow I managed to stay on my feet slowly reducing speed until I was under control.

The trail continues its climb toward Pisgah with more ups and a few downs. I was more careful on the remaining downs. The speed I'd been traveling was a bit faster than I was accustomed. The last two miles were upon me. These are the toughest miles on the course. This isn't a run where you can just limp across the finish line. You most certainly have to earn it.

The climbing starts almost immediately. This bit isn't easy but isn't insane. That would come in another mile. After hiking a while there is a nice, flat, pleasant section. I ran it a bit but my legs were rebelling so I took it rather easy. Another short climb led to one of my favorite spots on the trail. This is also flat and home to a number of mature trees, mostly oaks. This is the last place to recover for the final climb.

I rarely breathe heavily from hiking but after all the climbing I just did, my body was exhausted. Generally, on long distances I don't push it too hard but this was Shut-in and I wanted to have a good finish time. At some points it was all I could do to put one foot in front of the other on the 23% grade. The excruciating climb did eventually end. A level part at the top allowed a quick recovery for the 25% descent, all of which was rocky and covered with leaves. I wasn't the only one hurting as I passed up seven runners in the final two miles despite the fact that I was struggling to make it through.

I crossed the finish line at 3:47, and was greeted by Adam Hill, the Pitchell organizer, and Annette, my wife. I hadn't caught up to Rob and was hoping he no longer wanted to run the return leg. I was in no mood to run another 18 miles. My legs were spent and I was mentally drained. Unfortunately, he was psyched to do it. I gave in and said I'd do half but on the way down, I relented again and we were off to complete another 30+ miler.

We started the return from 151 so as not to interfere with the runners still on the course. The running was slow but we kept moving. I slowed Rob down a good bit but he was patient with me. Downhills really pound your thighs into submission, so much so that you lose a good deal of braking power so you really have to watch your speed.

Thye miles blended together. I kept checking the mileage signs at the overlooks but the mileage didn't change dramatically enough for me. I just wanted the run to be over.

Eventually, the sky became a bit darker and the full moon came out. It loomed largely on the horizon as we descended the last bit of Shut-in. I had nothing left in the tank. The last three miles would be a slow walk. The headlamp came out and the temperature dropped. It wound up taking four hours to come back down.

Next year, I won't do the return trip after racing up. An increase in speed just takes too much out of my body to continue into an ultra. If I need a few more miles, I'll summit Pisgah.

Raging Bull

2006-10-28T15:40:00.000-07:00

Some Pitchell Pics

2006-10-10T18:22:00.000-07:00

October 7, 2006
Pitchell 67 Mile Fun Run

I'm not that strong a runner. So why would I subject myself to the demands placed on me by this event? I guess I like the challenge of it. I'm not the brightest fish in the drawer. To paraphrase Yogi Berra, "90% of running is half mental".

Pitchell is an innocuous enough sounding name. It doesn't sound like Hellgate, with which it has much in common. It's also billed as a "fun run", which it is in part but that monicker belies the truly grueling and exasperating nature of the event. This run has also been described as "Pitchellicious". There is simply no arguing with that assessment.

We arrived at the Pisgah parking lot with high expectations for the night and the following day. Just five of us would attempt the entire 67 miles. Adam, the only previous finisher, Kevin, Matt, his dog Uwharrie and myself. Uwharrie found Matt during a Uwharrie ultramarathon and followed for ten miles so she adopted Matt as owner. Uwharrie was also the site of my first ultra and the previous longest run I'd ever done at 41 miles.

We hiked to the summit of Mt. Pisgah so we could leave the summit at midnight. The fog was so thick that we couldn't see the full moon or the higher lights on the radio tower. When 12:00 rolled around we descended. I was moving well but could not keep up with the others. The trail is almost solid rock and incredibly steep for a quarter mile then eases up a bit but is still full of rocks. This would be my first ever night run and sunrise wasn't until 7:30.

It was a lonely descent down the Shut-in trail. This is the site of the Shut-in Ridge Trail Run in November, but that runs upward and takes place in the daylight hours. It's also the next race on my agenda. The trail is steep in many parts especially at the top. It's a virtual freefall where all you can do is slow yourself enough to avoid a head over heels tumble down the mountain.

Running at night is an entirely different experience. Flowers and leaves look different under a full moon and LED headlamps. Purple flowers look like they're under blacklight. Leaves glisten and apper to be made of plastic. Grades affect you differently at night. Not seeing very far ahead of you affects your perception of how steep the trail is. Time actually seems to go by quicker because you're focused on a small patch right in front of you. Psychologically, you shut out everything else around you. You hear noises but they blend in with the landscape. Eventually, you do tend to hallucinate. I heard voices on many occasions. They were just a word at a time. Some sounded like children's voices.

The time continued to pass quickly. A positive mental attitude kept me sane amidst the solitude and darkness. The trail kept coming and going. Focusing on the dirt and rock is meditative. The vibrations of the forest blend into the background. I was in the zone and transferred my hand held light and took my eyes off the trail. I hit the dirt and fell part way off the trail. It was a wake up call to never ignore the trail, even when it's relatively flat.

I finally reached the French Broad river at 4:45. The portion ahead was my usual running terrain so I was relieved to be on it. I didn't expect to have any issues staying on the trail but it's different at night. I constantly got off a bit but quickly found my way back each time. It was pretty uneventful until I heard a noise off to my left and a bear scurried up a tree. It was about ten feet off to the left near Otoolay road between 26 and Hendersonville road. I didn't stop to commiserate with the ursa minor just in case mama bear was eating porridge nearby.

I viewed the distance to the Folk Art Center as one ultra and beyond as another. It became light as I crossed 74A, and the first ultra was nearly finished. I got some looks from the cows under the Parkway bridge and moseyed on up to the Folk Art Center, where my wife Annette, Mrs. Kirk and the shut-in trainees greeted me.

I refueled and headed up the trail. The shut-in runners soon caught me. Their presence helped immensely. I had nobody to run with for nearly eight hours but for the next hour and a half I would have company. They made me pick up the pace a bit and I made the best time of the entire trek. I arrived at Ox Creek in high spirits. The next section is an epic eight mile stretch which passes over several peaks, including Lane Pinnacle. I ate a fair amount and cruised up toward Rattlesnake Lodge. The first few miles weren't bad but then the trail became steep and rocky. This terrain was relentless and took nearly three hours to traverse. At Bee Tree Gap, I was greeted by Annette and Keri, a friend and running partner.

Craggy picnic area provided facilities to change and take care of nature. Fresh, dry clothes can really add a little zip to your step. Unfortunately, the trail shot straight uphill so the zip got zapped. I got numerous looks and comments from tourists. This section is the most popular on the MTS. They didn't see the enormity of the undertaking and I received comments about how I didn't have to work so hard. Little did they know.

Just before Craggy visitor center, the trail veers off into a rocky abyss. For the next three miles it's nothing but boulder hopping. It's actually difficult to even find dirt on the trail. I wanted to run but the stabilizing muscles in my legs were exhausted and I still had a long way to go so it was mostly hiking here.

Two short sections lay ahead. The first is among the most scenic parts with open balds and exposed granite. The views were incredible and the skies were clear. It was tempting to camp out on a rock for a spell but I kept moving. The toughest section, after Balsam Gap, would take an awfully long time so I was anxious to get started on it.

Why I was anxious I have no idea. This is the most god forsaken bit of trail there is. I'll have nightmares about it for months. It begins with 19 switchbacks that simply never end. The spruce-fir forest is gorgeous but after 57 miles the climbing dulls your senses, exhausts your legs and breaks your spirit. My thigh muscles felt like they'd been shredded through a cheese grater. I had a positive attitude the entire way until this bit. For the first time on the entire trek I considered throwing in the towel. I knew if I just made it through the switchbacks I'd be okay. I had to convince myself many times that this was the proper course of action. An iron will took over. The insane terrain caused much pain but it would not be in vain.

The switchbacks finally ended and I reached the top of the ridge. The trail became more runnable until Blackstock Knob and its 25% grade. The other side was a steep downhill but leveled out after a while. The entire ridge was enshrouded in clouds. The field of vision looked more like a dreamscape under the dark, thick canopy and milky white fog. A figure appeared ahead...a ghostly apparition hovering over the trail. The white figure approached me and spoke. This wasn't a hallucination. A tall hiker in a flowing white jacket passed me. Two grouse startled me. If you've never heard them take off before, hope it doesn't happen with a full bladder.

The rock outcroppings popped up in every direction. This section was a beast with enormous granite fangs sucking the lifeforce of all who attempted passage. None shall pass without losing a bit of one's soul. It takes more than a shrubbery to appease the gods of Blackstock Knob.

The trail writhed and slithered through mini canyons of granite. I wondered when it would head over to the north side of the mountain. It kept heading south, away from the destination. The boulder jumping increased, adding stress to weary legs. It was like a rollercoaster without wheels. I had to balance on the rails and risk falling off the edge. It just didn't end. The descent simply went on and on and on and on ad infinitum.

It did end eventually and I exited the dark, dank spruce-fir forest. My spirits brightened with the sunny sky. The clouds had parted and I was elated. Unfortunately, there still were boulders and I let my guard down, ramming my knee on one of them. I'm not the sharpest bulb in the ocean. I let out a few @$#&%&%'s and continued. You simply cannot take boulders for granite, or feldspar.

The rock hopping continued. I swore I'd traversed six miles already but the trail continued. It finally got runnable but the duration of this section was highly disconcerting. After more than two hours, I finally completed the five mile section. I again was greeted by Annette and we had a dilemma to solve. The gate at Mt. Mitchell State Park closed at 7:00. There was no possible way that I'd finish by seven. She asked the rangers to let her stay up after 7:00 to meet me. I didn't know if she'd be there or if I'd have to walk back three more miles to the gate. I left on my way.

The Buncombe Horse trail is the only flat section on the Mountains-to-Sea trail. It tends to be extremely muddy with a dozen springs originating along the edge of the trail. This time of year it's not too wet so I kept my feet fairly dry. Although the section was level, I could only run about half of it. I still needed a bit for the final ascent. Commissary Ridge and the Camp Alice trail finally came into view. It was now dark again and the forest was thick. Just one final push awaited me. Rangers were there to meet me since Annette was not allowed to wait for me. I didn't complain. I couldn't summit, since the old tower was being replaced, so the last third of a mile didn't happen. Next year, the new tower will be in place so it will truly be a summit to summit experience.

Pitchell was a piece of cake-a great big piece of stoneground boulder cake with shards of glass and razors and arsenic & strichnine. It's most certainly a test of will and fortitude.

The feeling of accomplishment is intense after something of this magnitude. This was the longest run I'd ever done. It's the first ever night run for me and it's both the greatest climb and descent I'd ever accomplished by a great margin. Previous highs were 8,000 feet and 41 miles. Other runners also set new personal records on the Folk Art Center run. I became just the second runner, after Adam, to complete the full Pitchell run. 67 miles is quite a long way to run/hike. Nearly 20 hours is a long time to be on the trail. It hasn't really set in yet but I think I'll look at this as one of my greatest accomplishments. Kudos to Adam for setting up such an absurdly insane event for idiots like me to try to finish.

The ride back down the Parkway led us through some of the thickest fog imaginable. We had to hug the yellow line for several miles because the edge of the road blended into the fog. A fox greeted us along the way. Thanks to Annette for doing an outstanding job of support.

Raging Bull

2006-09-24T18:06:00.000-07:00

September 23, 2006
Dupont Waterfall Run

A beautiful, sunny day greeted us at the Hooker Falls parking lot.
There were no scantily clad overly made up ladies of the evening
selling wares of the flesh despite the name. Due to race organizer
Adam's inopportune absence, only four runners participated.
The low turnout didn't dampen our spirits but I'd like to see 20
runners next time. We split into teams of two, which was a wise
decision as the run became as much an adventure race as it was a
run. The distance appeared to be 22 miles but they were a long 22
miles. The course was tougher than the Dupont Marathon.

Carl and Sam went ahead of Rob and myself up the paved road. We all
missed the first turn. We looked at it but it was unmarked so we
went past. Rob and I backtracked and concluded that the trail was
correct so we took it. We came back to the point were we turned
around and proceeded across the road. The trails were somewhat
rocky at this point but mostly runnable with the exception of a few
short, steep climbs.

Dupont is full of sand. It has more sand than some beaches.
Fortunately, the sand is gentle on the feet until it gets deeper and
then it tends to suck you doen and you work a bit harder to keep
going. Corn Mill Shoals trail is a nice wide trail until it
seemingly deadends at a stream. I looked around for a way to cross
without getting wet and figured there was no way around it. Rob and
I crossed at a shallow point but the current and the slick rock just
about sent me on my ass. Once you get your feet wet you don't mind
doing it again.

The trail continued on beautiful single track which I'd never
experienced since I'd always wussed out on the stream crossing. The
climbing had begun. The first waterfall was soon to come. Bridal
Veil Falls drops over a large slab of granite. The water was
plentiful and the most I'd seen at this waterfall. We didn't get in
and swim this time.

The run took us past Lake Julia, bluer than the sky above and
inviting for any and all watersports. The trail crossed a bridge
and we entered an extremely lush section and then started ascending.
My shortcoming is running long inclines. I slowed Rob down a bit
but he didn't seem to mind. He knew the value of traveling slowly,
having completed the Leadville 100 in August.

The climbing continued until we hit a dirt road. It was about two
miles to the next trail. We came upon an unnamed trailhead and were
tempted to take it. Looking at the contours of the map it seemed to
be in the wrong spot so we continued on, hoping we wouldn't regret
turning. We made the right choice and turned down an extremely
rocky trail. We moved with haste and dexterity about the myriad
rocks. It seemed like a dry riverbed and a good warmup for
Pitchell.

Another stream crossing led us to Wintergreen Falls where we heard
voices in the distance. I figured it was some kids playing in the
falls but it was the other team of runners, Carl and Sam. Carl was
under the falls which were impaling his body with great force. I
slid into the pool and had my breath taken away. The crisp, clear
water was refreshing but quite cool. I got partway under the falls
for the photo op then struggled to exit the pool on the slippery
rock.

The falls would now come more quickly. It took 16 miles to get to
the second one but in 6 more we'd have visited them all. We all
swam at Grassy Branch as well. Again the rock proved a challenge to
traverse in and out of the pool. Beyond the covered bride lay High
Falls. The water was stronger here and Carl climbed up a bit and
slid back down.

We climbed up a steep trail and headed for Triple Falls. A steep
trail brought us between levels. It was on to Hooker Falls and the
finish. After a quick jaunt on the Galax trail, we passed through
the parking lot and went on to Hooker falls. We finished back at
the lot. The traverse took 5:50 to complete, well beyond our
estimates of 4:00-4:30.

This is a highly recommended run but don't underestimate the
difficulty of terrain and the adventurous aspect as well. Some
trails are a bit confusing but this just adds to the experience.

Raging Bull

2006-09-21T19:19:00.000-07:00

September 17, 2006
Bridge to Bridge Incredible Challenge "100 Miles of Pure Hill"

The last big bicycling challenge of the year is the Bridge to Bridge Incredible Challenge. This ride seems to challenge me more than any other ride throughout the season. It doesn't climb as much as some other rides but most of the climbing is very difficult. There are bunny hills in the first half but the second half is a completely different ride. As for the finish, there is nothing like it.

800 cyclists lined up at the starting point. We were off just after the crack of dawn. The potential for multiple rider crashes is highest in the beginning of a mass start. There is little room for error with so many bodies so close together.

The peloton left downtown Lenoir on its journey toward Grandfather Mountain. I usually stay back and let the main pack go ahead to avoid accidents but decided to stay with the main group this time. Two miles in, we traveled along a five lane road with gentle hills. I could actually see the front of the group. The peloton moves much like a living, breathing organism as it undulates over the crests and troughs of the byway. It's akin to a school of fish and when there is danger it reacts much like the fish as well. Repeated chants of "slowing" fill the air as riders hammer down their brakes as the road narrows or a rider goes down. This was a new experience for me and I have the confidence and ability to avoid other riders but I'm still not so sure everyone has the ability to avoid running into me.

I tried to stay with my friend Bridgette but she was simply too fast for me. However, it did make me ride much faster out of the gate and I kept up a 20 mile/hour pace past the 50 mile marker. I rode with a couple of other friends briefly; Caroline, an ultra distance cyclist and Derel, both of whom trained with me over the winter at Asheville Velosports. Derel really impressed me, even passing me on an upslope. He had lost a sizable amount of weight since winter and gained an incredible amount of strength. Kudos to Lesli at Velosports for working with him all year.

The first half of the ride is fairly easy. The real ride is in the 2nd half. With construction on the Parkway, however, some more difficult riding was replaced with basic terrain riding. This placed the big climb at 59 miles instead of at 52 miles. The fastest I'd ever ridden a 100k was 4 hours flat. I reached the 100k point at 3:15, setting a new personal best.

The climb up route 181 goes on and on ad infinitum. A rest stop is at the bottom and top with two more during the climb. It dulls your senses over 13 grueling miles, with just a few brief recovery spots. I knew I'd be passed by dozens of riders on this section and I was right. The climb was very slow but I felt much better than I did last year.

The Parkway section provides relief from the enduring effort of 181. We did more descending than climbing. After catching a brief glimpse of our destination, we approached the technological marvel called Linn Cove Viaduct. Since Grandfather Mountain is a sensitive ecological area, the road was elevated around the mountain. Prefab sections were lowered into place, fitting perfectly and treading lightly on the terrain. The unobstructed views were absolutely sensational!! Often the views are hazy but not on this day.

Beyond the viaduct lies the longest and fastest downhill of the ride. The only problem is that it crosses several bridges which have uneven joints. I opted for slowing a bit and then jumping the joints. Mountain biking experience definitely came into play.

Route 221 usually has a wonderful downhill but that was part of the section that was rerouted. Also rerouted were the two toughest climbs on the Parkway. I didn't miss them much. 221 snakes around below the Parkway, passing waterfalls and ducking overhanging boulders. It leads to the entrance of Grandfather Mountain Park. On 221, at about mile 91, something didn't feel right in my back tire. It was rapidly losing air. Fortunately, the rest stop was within sight. I'm not terribly astute at changing tubes so it took me 20 minutes. I was having the ride of my life so the flat was unfortunate but I could still atone for it.

In 2004, I took 48 minutes and 12 breaks in the last two miles. In 2005, I improved to 30 minutes with four stops. This year, I wanted to stop just twice. Mind you, these two miles are like no other road miles and they come after 100 miles of primarily climbing. The grades reach past 20%. I started up slowly, gearing down to easy gear early on. One woman passed me but I caught her after a couple of switchbacks. After the one mile to go point, virtually every switchback had one to four riders resting up to gain the strength to make it to the next switchback. I just kept pedaling, refusing to stop unless absolutely necessary.

It became unnecessary to stop. I made it past the point where I thought I was certain to stop and eyed the top of the climb. Many riders had given up and walked their bikes up the hill. I passed them all without stopping. The final grade was the toughest but at least you know there is no further to go. I pedaled up behind a box truck used for transporting bicycles. However, another box truck was coming down leaving about 18 inches of space between the two. Of course this was just before the grade hit 20% and there was no way to stop and start again at that point. The two trucks stopped and the drivers conversed briefly. I let out a %*&#@ and they passed just in time so that I didn't have to stop pedaling.

I could hear the cheers of the spectators at the top. The finish line is very spectator friendly and the onlookers are treated to all sorts of attempts to summit by riders. Some just make it, some push hard at the end, some walk. Emotions run the gamut and breath is in short supply. I blew past the truck and two riders in front of it and made it all the way without stopping. It took 23 minutes to go two miles without stopping, averaging less than 5 miles an hour but that mattered little to me.

I didn't make my overall goal of 7 1/2 hours but that also mattered very little. Minus the flat tire, it took 7:36. Last year's time was 8:02. Next year I'll go for 7:00.

The ride finishes a good distance from the start and a chartered bus is available for the return trip. I used it the last two years but this year would be different. I would ride back to Lenoir.

The descent on 181 was unbelievably enjoyable. It made all the suffering worthwhile. The little hills below the mountain felt a bit larger on the return trip. I took my time but still made it back in 2 1/2 hours. Riders who took the bus were arriving at the parking lot as I pulled in. My legs still felt fresh after 147 miles so I went for a brief jog.

Raging Bull

2006-09-21T19:16:00.000-07:00

September 2, 2006
Waterrock Knob

I'd ridden many 100 mile rides and even a 121 and 135 miler. So why not go for a 150 miler? And to keep it challenging, doing the entire ride on the Blue Ridge Parkway sounded like a suitable endeavor.

I'd just bought a new LED headlight and was itching to try it out on the tunnels. LED's may have a long burn time but they do not throw off much light. I could barely tell it was even on. I get a strange sensation while riding through a tunnel with almost no light. It feels like I'm floating above the road. Down doesn't quite feel straight down so maintaining balance can be a bit of an issue.

The climb up to Pisgah gets easier each time but still requires a bit of fortitude. Upon exiting the final tunnel of the climb, I felt relieved. I would have a level section followed by a downhill ahead of me. The downhill wouldn't last long and I was soon climbing again but it wasn't constant like the 3,000 foot climb to Pisgah. Looking Glass Rock was obscured by clouds. The usually scenic vista was awash in white. The waterfall by Graveyard Fields was roaring and could be heard long before it could be seen.

The climbing continued past Devil's Courthouse. A series of ups and downs led me into the clouds and a fine mist. The closer I got to Watterock Knob, the greater the precipitation became. The temperature dropped as well so I simply turned around at Waterrock, the highest point on the Parkway, and proceeded downhill. Visibility was only about 100 feet anyway.

The ride back down went much more quickly. I almost stayed with the motorcyclists. The raindrops began to sting at about 30 miles an hour but soon I exited the clouds and it became a comfortable, sunny day. From just above Graveyard Fields I began a four mile descent with ample amounts of speed. A bit more climbing and a screaming downhill awaits. The tunnels pass by in a blur on the way down. Lights aren't even necessary. After the tunnels, an even steeper downhill leads you to the French Broad river.

The section between the river and the Folk Art Center is my normal stomping ground. I cruised through it to complete a 100 mile ride. Now I had to decide whether or not to continue up toward Mitchell or just ride back to the river a couple of times. I used good judgment and wussed out on the Mitchell section. I didn't have enough in my legs to do the 13 mile climb to Craggy and then on to Mitchell. I'll do the Waterrock/Mitchell ride next year when I have more daylight.

The ride to the river and back twice was difficult enough. I was still four miles short of my goal so I did a short out and back and had my first 150 miler. It took 10 1/2 hours but I felt alright afterward, just a bit tired. I had just completed a 107 miler, a 101 miler and a 150 miler over the course of 15 days.

Raging Bull

2006-09-16T18:27:00.000-07:00

August 27, 2006
Hilly Hellacious Hundred

Perfect weather for a perfect ride greeted us at the beginning of the Hilly Hellacious Hundred. This is a ride where I really like to push myself. It's extremely challenging and relentless with climbing. All you get is a brief warmup period and then you're hit with one of the most challenging climbs around--Bearwallow Mountain.

The climb starts out with a moderate climb, slowly increasing in grade and then you get hit with a beyond category climb. It peaked at around 18% and at the top had a sustained 12%. Some riders simply gave up trying to pedal and opted for the walking option. Others stood up and used all the weight they could to plow through it. I just kept spinning in easy gear and made it much more easily than last year. I actually had a burst of energy at the top of the steep grade and did a moderate sprint. The hill continued for more than I remembered it so I was regretting the mini sprint.

Descents used to scare the piss out of me. I just started using the aero position. On a 200 pound rider, the aero position means an extreme amount of speed. I don't use it unless it's during a relatively straight stretch. For the first time ever, I was stymied on a downhill because the other riders were riding too cautiously. I guess I've overcome my fear and become a bit of a speed demon at last. Barreling down a mountainside at 40 miles an hour now seems natural.

Apple country is a bit flatter with small rolling hills and one fairly long climb. I always remember the two toughest climbs of any ride but the others tend to fade into the back of my mind. The hill wasn't steep but carried on for about two miles. They take your picture at the top. They never take it on the flats. That just wouldn't be prudent.

The descent to Bat Cave-Chimney Rock-Lake Lure is fast as well but has a couple of hairpin turns. I still take it easy on these. Route 64 winds gently so I passed many riders on this section. The 100k turns left and the 100 miler turns right at Bat Cave. Yes, there really is a bat cave. It just recently opened to the public but only on select days. It's the largest granite fissure cave in North America.

Lake Lure has been named one of the top five lakes in America. Summer tends to be a bit hazy in the mountains but the views were unobstructed as it was a clear day. Rocky cliffs jut up around Lake Lure, setting up a backdrop that rivals the lakes of Italy and Switzerland. It's tempting to stop and soak up the views for an extended period of time.

After crossing the dam, I had the unusual situation of being slowed down by an automobile. Cyclists rarely pass cars on the open road but many of us were forced to pass. The driver obviously had no experience driving curvy mountain roads and was being overly cautious.

My mind was now concerned with the long climb up to route 9. There were some other climbs between myself and the big one but I was fixated on that one. The heat started kicking in at around 85 degrees. The sun was beating down and that always takes its toll on me. The moderate climbs leading up to the big one were taking their toll as well.

The big climb was upon me. I dropped to granny gear and plugged away. At least a dozen riders passed on the lower section. Fatigue had set in. I struggled until the entrance of the gated community. The slope became less demanding and then I started to improve on speed. A couple of level sections allowed recovery time and the last half mile actually seemed pretty easy. I passed several riders in that stretch and did not see them for the rest of the ride.

The coming miles were to be solitary ones. Some of the steepest climbs were saved for the end of the ride. Steep rolling hills were omnipresent. Unfortunately, momentum was not enough to propel me half way up those hills.

The heat and constant climbing wore me down but I still made it through, setting a personal best. My goal was 7 hours and a came in at 7:05, 25 minutes better than the last two years. The Hilly Hellacious only climbs 8,000 feet but is actually more difficult than the Blue Ridge Brutal, which climbs over 12,000 feet.

Raging Bull

2006-08-21T19:54:00.000-07:00

August 19, 2006
Blue Ridge Brutal 100+ mile ride

The winding roads of the Carolina mountains never fail to astound with their beauty but when you're trying to get somewhere in a hurry they can certainly put a damper on things. I rolled into the starting point about four minutes after the start. Almost a dozen other riders were getting ready at the time.

15 minutes late and I was off. I asked an officer which direction and he said "Thataway and make a left". The actual turn was two miles down the road but I made an immediate left which put me on course for Mt. Jefferson Park, which was to be a bonus climb at the end of the century ride. It seemed a bit fishy climbing so much so early. When I got to the park entrance, I descended back to the start. One other rider was just leaving so we rode together. We didn't plan on pushing it too hard to catch up with other riders. It would be a long day with an abundance of climbing.

Jim, the other late departee, was fresh off a multi-day riding trip in June in Colorado, his home state, but hadn't ridden since. The differences in our climbing were immediately apparent. He excelled at long climbs and I excelled at rolling hills and descents. The rides out west don't have many rolling hills. We caught a rider in the first ten miles and several more before the first aid staion. The ride entered the Blue Ridge Parkway and stayed there for about 15 miles. The Parkway is a bit different in Ashe county than around Asheville. You're riding on top of the world with scenic mountain vistas on both sides simultaneously. I hadn't ridden this portion before and hadn't driven it in many years.

At the exodus of the Parkway, I thought I spotted a friend, Bridgette, that I was going to ride with had I showed up on time. It wasn't her and I rode past. I looked back and she recognized me. It was Bridgette's stepmom. She told me Bridgette was 17 minutes ahead at the last aid station. Normally, this wouldn't be insurmountable but she is a very quick rider. I slammed on the gas to try to catch her but to no avail.

On an easier stretch, I experienced a near disaster when an enormous insect collided with my eye. Fortunately, I got my eyelid down in time but the impact jarred my contact and I thought my eyelid was bruised. I guess there isn't enough blood in the eyelid to bruise.

I did run into someone else. I heard a woman tell rider her name was Annette. I looked over and immediately recognized her as THE ultrarunner. I mentioned that my wife's name is Annette and that we missed her at Laurel Valley for the ultrarun. She inquired who I was and we rode and chatted until the 75/100 mile split. I guess I should be used to it by now but I'm still amazed at how friendly and accesible the elite riders and runners are, trail runners in particular. Annette is probably the top female trail runner in the country and she's as amiable as an old friend. In professional sports, egos tend to take over but not in the amateur circuit, where athletes hold real world jobs and still train just as hard or harder than the professionals.

We met up with another ultrarunning veteran, whom I met at the Mitchell Challenge this year. We discussed upcoming runs. He was trying to recruit runners for Iron Mountain and I was trying to recruit for Pitchell. Unfortunately, they landed on the same day. Iron Mountain is a 50 miler that uses a former section of the AT. Pitchell is a 67 miler on the MTS.

The ride climbed and dropped consistently. Level stretches were a rarity but so were steep climbs, until Buffalo Mountain. Annette warned me about it, saying it was a little like Snake, from Blood, Sweat and Gears. It started out innocuously enough but soared to a 13 or 14% grade and stayed there for a mile. Even Snake changed grades a bit but this was relentless and I was passed by two riders on the ascent. Thoughtfully, an aid station was placed at the top.

The ride continued on easier stretches but still climbed a good bit. Last year's ride took an old railroad grade but this year's added some hills. One of them was rather steep and the sun did get stronger by that time. I rolled across the finish in just over 7 hours. But the day wasn't over yet.

As a bonus, 25 riders would get to ride up to Mt. Jefferson. I was #9 on the waitlist but I figured my chances were pretty good at making the climb. As it turned out, only 12, including myself actually made the climb. It wasn't particulary steep but added 1454 ft. of climb. The published climb total was 12,250 + 300 I did accidentally + the 1454, for a total of 14,000 feet! I'm not sure their measurements are correct. It appears they overstated the climbing significantly.

I finally saw Bridgette just after I started the climb to Mt. Jefferson. She was being shuttled down so I had no chance of ever catching her. I'm not sure why they didn't allow riders to descend the mountain as it really wasn't very steep. If I do this ride next year, I'll be certain to make it there a bit earlier.

Raging Bull

2006-08-21T19:47:00.000-07:00

August 12, 2006
Laurel Valley Whitewater Ultra

Laurel Valley is a point to point race. Unlike most, it has no aid stations. Anyone who starts is expected to go the entire 33-36 mile legth. It's advertised as 35+ miles. According to my map, it clocks in at just under 33 miles but others have determined the length to be 35, 36 and even 40 miles. The 40 mile guesstimate is most certainly off the mark but maps are often a bit off as well.

As a newby to the event, I was slated as a trail sweep as most newbies are. This means you have to stay at the back and encourage the back of the pack runners along and possibly aid or carry them or flag down a boat if necessary. The only time you passed a runner was to get ahead of them so that you could pace them.

I camped out at the finish line the night before so that I could be certain to make the shuttle to the start, which left at 5 AM. The race started at 6:30 with a steep climb up a staircase. The four trail sweeps got a briefing from Claude, the race director, and we left shortly after the others. One runner passed us 100 yards in. Last year's winner also started late.

Six miles in, we passed the first waterfall. This was about 15 feet tall and not even listed on the map. Despite hanging out for a few minutes at the falls, we came upon two runners. When they heard that we were the sweeps they took off quickly but it looked like we'd be in for a long day of primarily hiking. We hadn't run much at all and still caught up in just over six miles.

Richard, Sylvana and Dean were the other sweeps. Richard is a sub 3:00 marathoner so the pace was extremely frustrating for him. Sylvana had run two marathons with me so I had gotten to know her a bit previously. Dean is a strong ultramarathoner. I was the least experienced of the bunch. Richard started yelling. He was hit seven times by yellow jackets. I tried to avoid them but got one sting.

At eight miles we saw a very large waterfall, called Willow Creek Falls. This was the point where the run was supposed to get a bit tougher. The climbs got longer but the footing was solid. The trail wasn't as rocky as I'd expected. The run crossed four gorges, each with raging rivers and suspension bridges to cross them. The floorboards and handrails of the bridges were as slick as ice.

We heard about many steps. At the dinner I heard there were 7000 of them. In actuality, there were just 3000. Some of them were just built in to steep banks and some were more like staircases. Many were treacherously slick. Great care was necessary to prevent a nasty fall.

The rivers were spectacular! They were all white water flowing over and around boulders. The scenery everywhere was gorgeous and unspoiled. We saw a couple of boats on Lake Jocassee and luckily we didn't have to flag one down to pick up a sick runner. The weather was perfect. Last year's race saw 90+ degrees with high humidity. It was around 70 this year and felt wonderful until the rains came.

The rain came lightly at first but picked up and became a constant downpour. It never got to be torrential but we all got soaked. Again we caught up to the last runner. Going at her pace was extremely frustrating and she kept stopping to converse with us. It took an awful lot of patience but Richard and I took turns running with her and talking to and encouraging her. We had to drop back occasionally to vent our frustration. The rain only made it worse.

As time wore on, I gained an appreciation for this runner. She is 63 and has run Western States four times. That's the 100 mile race which generally draws the stiffest competition of all 100 milers. Just to finish is quite an accomplishment. She told many stories about the early days of ultrarunning. She's been an ultrarunner for 23 years. She's having to accept that her days of ultras are coming to an end because she cannot run fast enough to make cutoffs yet she can still keep going all day long. It's sad to see her career coming to an end but it's also very encouraging to see a 63 year old still trying.

We ran into some backpackers and checked out a map posted on the side of the trail. I assumed we still had a good number of miles to go, still thinking we were on a 13 hour pace. It appeared that we only had four more to go. This provided a boost and everyone picked up the pace. We came to another river but did not cross it. Instead, we followed it upstream where it crossed into North Carolina and we entered a fantastic patch of old growth forest. It stayed flat for a bit then started gaining altitude. We then came upon another fantastic waterfall. The view from the bridge was magnanimous! A boulder scramble led us to another bridge over the Whitewater river. This would be our last crossing. Now it would be just a climb out of the gorge.

The climb was arduous. It was rocky and involved much rockhopping. But it wasn't as difficult as we'd been warned it would be. Hikers from the finish area filtered down beside us. They had no idea how far we'd gone. That last climb was about an 800 foot change in altitude. At the top of the rocky section we got to the lower viewing platform for Whitewater Falls. From here it was about 200 steps to the top. This is truly a spectacular finish to a day's work. Whitewater Falls is a 400 foot cascade and is truly picturesque. After enjoying the view for a spell, Richard and I sprinted up the stairs since we didn't have much chance on the trail. We crossed the finish line at 11:50, much better than was anticipated. Next year, our entry fees will be waived as a thank you for being trail sweeps.

Raging Bull

2006-08-01T19:51:00.000-07:00

July 29, 2006
Catherine's Fat Ass 50k run

The ride to northern Virginia was long but not arduous. I sampled a rail trail on the way up. Easy mountain biking souded like a good warmup for tomorrow's run anyway.

New Market is a small town. The only grocery stores were mom and pop joints with three aisles and the old style checkout-no barcode scanning. The food choices for breakfast were limited.

I camped at a Nat'l Forest Visitor center that I thought was the trailhead for the race. In the morning, a Ranger asked if I'd spent the night but he was cool about it and simply said I wasn't supposed to do it.

When the other runners showed up, virtually all of them were wearing shirts from races, most of them 100 milers. This was a running club event so only the hardiest runners would be involved. This was not the place for an ultra newby. I surveyed the crowd and picked out about a half dozen that I thought I could beat of the 70 assembled.

I overheard conversations about running 100 miles two weeks ago and following it up with a 50k today. I suppose rest is for the weak. The youngest guy at the event and I talked for quite a while because we were not in the veteran cliques. He told me how he ran 5 miles in 25 minutes and 5k's in 14 and change. I, in turn, run just over half as fast. How would I compete?

The course is described as mountain trails, some gravel roads, some creekbeds, some rocks. some singletrack, some anthills, it has three hills but they're kind of long. A couple of things stand out-creekbeds and anthills. You don't generally run in a creekbed and how big can these anthills be? There was also the story of a mountain goat who requested a toll for passage.

The race began with the usual slow trot and fifty yards in it claimed it's first casualty. Rocks were everywhere and one bad step can put dirt on your face. I tried something that I hadn't before. I actually passed people early instead of falling into cadence with the slower runners. I didn't realize how many I had passed.

The first climb was quite rocky but not too steep. I wanted to pass more but the trail was narrow and I had no idea what was coming up. I thought we'd reached the top as the trail leveled out so I sped around several runners, turned the corner and was confronted with a 25% grade. I expected an extended downhill and I got a virtual wall! From there, the trail got worse. The rocky trail turned into just plain rock and kept the insane grade. This was where I endured my first bee sting in ten years. A yellow jacket got me on the ankle. Ankles don't really mean much to a runner anyway. I stayed in front of the group for some time. Eventually, we did reach the top and enjoyed a fantastic overlook. From there, the terrain leveled out and you could see dirt between the rocks again.

After starting out fast, I experienced pain in my left shoulder. That went away but then I got a pain in my right shoulder. This one didn't go away until I stopped running. My body just wasn't ready to step it up that much so soon. Several runners passed me but that matters very little early on.

The first aid station came up at seven miles and earlier than I expected. I thought I was only at five miles. The race continued on gravel roads for a while. I was passed up by eight more runners and settled in with a guy named David. He went by Sniper. He was an experienced runner and soon I would find out that he was a very generous runner as well. David paced me perfectly. We didn't allow another runner to pass us for several hours.

After the gravel roads, we entered the yellow trail. It started out easy until we hit the stream bed. The trail climbed through a boulder-strewn creek bed for about a mile. The rocks were slick and the trail was difficult to follow. We made good time simply hiking as running was far too dangerous in the treacherous rock bed. The trail then led into a muddy section and then on to a sun soaked wider trail.

A side trail led to a lookout and we doubled back to the main trail. A phrase was duct taped on a tree to ensure we took the side trail. A runner two minutes behind us had a run-in with a rattlesnake at the junction.

As I was saying, David was quite generous. He shared his electrolytes with me as well as invaluable information. I'm looking to try a couple of hundred milers and he gave me inside information regarding foot placement and supplements. The manner in which your foot strikes becomes more important in the longer runs. The body can only absorb so much shock and then all of the joints and muscles respond with pain.

The gravel road returned and led us to Catherine's furnace, where lead was smelted during the Civil War. This was the beginning of the infamous purple trail. This trail started out moderately and gradually increased in steepness until it got downright ridiculous. One runner had stopped just short of passing out and another did pass out on this trail. Two older runners passed us near the top but at that point we did not care. We were just intent on getting to the top. The descent was fast and furious and I nearly took a spill.

David chilled out at the last aid station to calm his stomach. Of course, he had just run a 100 miler two weeks previously. I believe this was his 13th ultra this year. Now that is true endurance! I power walked the last hill and caught the two runners who had passed us. At the top, it leveled out for two miles. The trail became littered with anthills. These were not your typical anthills, however. They were two to three feet across and over a foot tall, but these were the small ones. One was an eight by six foot oval, towering over three feet high! Dozens of them lined the trail.

The rocky singletrack from the beginning returned. I live for singletrack descents so I put some space between myself and the two runners in back of me. I reached the point where the mountain goat attacked runners two years ago. David was the first to be accosted. The goat tried to headbutt him and licked his leg while he ran. This was easy terrain for a mountain goat but extremely challenging for a human. There was no siting of the goat this year.

I reached a brief reprieve from the technical section. Soft dirt was under my feet and only one rock present. I found that rock with my foot and fell forward. I landed on my hands, laughed it off and continued running. I sped past another runner and came to a junction. I had David with me for most of the race so a wrong turn wasn't a possibility but on my own I chose the wrong direction. I let out a few &@#*$'s and waited for a runner to pass by. I only lost a few minutes and then followed the previous runner and passed him up. I had fresh legs at 30 miles. That had never happened before. I expected to be limping across the finish because of the heat and humidity. I owe it to David for his pacing and electrolytes.

I crossed the finish at 7:21. The time doesn't sound impressive but this was a ridiculous course. I was 21st. Only 52 finished out of nearly 70. This was the first time I finished above the 50% point. This was a long drive for me but I will be back for more next year. Hopefully for the 100 miler.

Raging Bull

2006-07-23T18:03:00.000-07:00

July 15, 2006
Hot Doggett 100 mile ride

The inaugural Hot Doggett lived up to its name. The ride started in optimal conditions but the temperature heated up like an aerosol can in a bonfire. Over 100 riders were foolish enough to choose the 100 mile route along with me.

I started out quickly but at the first climb many riders zoomed past. The bite tube in my camelbak came off and doused my gloves with gatorade. I figure if that's the worst equipment malfunction of the day then I'm in pretty good shape.

The first long climb was Doggett Mountain. It started gradually, climbing through a valley, much like Alpe d'Huez in the Tour de France. Granted, it didn't have anywhere near that difficulty, but it still challenged. About half way up, I noticed a girl riding a few hundred yards in back of me. I would try to hold her off for another mile. So much for that ploy. She caught me in less than half a mile. Not a problem, I thought. Long, slow climbs are certainly not my forte. It's just that this was a girl, a young girl. She turned out to be 15.

Teenagers don't generally participate in endurance events. They tend to have good fast-twitch muscles but tire easily. This girl didn't tire easily. She blew past me with little trouble. When the grade leveled out a bit, I was able to stay with her.

Alpe d'Huez has a city at its summit. Doggett had a tent with food. It was much appreciated. Three of the four greatest climbs had rest stops at the top. Whoever came up with that idea is a genius.

On the descent, Bridgette was riding ahead of me and looked back to see where I was. Her front wheel drifted off the road, which led to a three inch drop. Bridgette and the bicycle flipped over completely. Her helmet just grazed the pavement and she landed on the asphalt, scraping a knee and an elbow. It was harrowing witnessing such a fantastic wipeout. I'd seen riders fall on mountain bikes but they were always simple collapses to one side. This one had air time and real danger.

My anxiety quickly subsided as Bridgette leapt up from the pavement and grabbed her bicycle, which had landed in the other lane. I still figured she was seriously injured. Her scrapes looked painful but were relatively small and there was a bump on her forehead. Her helmet was unscathed. The bicycle received little damage. I attempted to straighten out the grips but failed miserably. I'm not much of a mechanic. Her response was "The Lord was looking out for me". She was more concerned about the damage to her bicycle and whether her dad would be upset about it.

Fortunately, the next rider stopped. Garrett knew Bridgette from previous rides. We would make sure she'd make it through the day and complete the hundred miles. All she really needed was some moral support. She was plenty strong and tough as nails.

Hot Springs is a resort town on the AT. It's known for hiking, natural hot tubs and whitewater rafting. Water...the universal solvent...and the universal thirst quencher. Unfortunately, we could not take a dip in the water. We stopped at the aid station and Bridgette got patched up. The climb out of Hot Springs was absolutely brutal. There were no trees to provide shade and the sun beat down with incredible intensity. The temperature had reached the 80's and the lack of shade took its toll on our bodies. This wasn't the longest climb but it was the hottest. The descent cooled us off and afterward, we had the priviledge of riding along the nice, cool Laurel river.

Singing is better left to those who can actually do it. But in the absence of one who is able, talentless, off-key cyclists may be inclined to croon a few bars. Garrett started and we went down the line. One show tune and a folk song down and it was up to me. I tried my hand at Louis Armstrong and Bruce Springsteen. "What a Wonderful World" went better than expected. "Born to Run" was a spirited rendition but drew too much lung power and had to be abandoned midverse.

Devil's Fork contained the steepest climb of the day. I cramped up a bit and had to lay off a bit. At the top of the climb, we entered Tennessee, and crossed the AT for the second time. The support car was filling up with cyclists who had abandoned the ride. We would push on further.

Sam's Gap wasn't as steep a climb but continued for five long, hot miles. The final rest stop was at the top. Bridgette's stepmom appeared in a support car. She had also wiped out on Doggett, and chose to call it a day. Two other riders abandoned after wipeouts.

Three rest stops were positioned at the tops of climbs. Whoever decided to place these in such opportune locations is a tactical genius.

We all crossed the finish line together. The Hot Doggett was as challenging as Blood, Sweat and Gears. I managed to finish with minimal cramping but the heat really slowed me down. Bridgette finished after a horrific crash and Garrett was a good sport for hanging back with us.

Raging Bull

2006-07-17T19:09:00.000-07:00

June 24, 2006
Blood, Sweat and Gears 100+ mile ride

Blood-lifeforce; fluid circulated by the heart.
Sweat-to create perspiration through the pores in the skin; perspire.
Gears-toothed machine parts, such as wheels or cylinders that mesh with another toothed part to transmit motion or to change speed or direction.

Blood, sweat and gears conjure thoughts of pain, endurance and intimidation. The name implies untold effort and determination.

The morning air was crisp, clear and cool. The hour and a half drive to Valle Cruscis went smoothly. More and more cars appeared with bicycles on their roofs.

The first hill was not steep but had several false tops. These false tops give a false sense of hope that the climbing is about to end. By the end of the day I would have experienced an abundance of these teasers.

With a thousand riders, bicyclists tend to be bunched up for quite some time. On the first climb, I was behind a group of about a dozen riders. A deer darted out into the group. Despite their close proximity, no one hit the deer. We were all stunned for a bit but then it was back to business. Century rides contain some play but more business.

The Blue Ridge Parkway is a scenic route and my favorite place to ride. I'd never ridden this stretch of parkway. The climbs weren't excessively steep but were definite lung burners.

Coming off the Parkway, things got a bit easier but we still climbed. The hills became shorter and not so steep. The road actually flattened for a few miles. This was a reprieve for the work we had done and a recovery for the intense work on the horizon yet to come. One more easy mountain and then on to Snake mountain.

Snake starts out slowly. It's a moderate climb which lulls you into overworking rather than conserving. Fortunately, I had been forewarned about the bite this mountain had. I felt strange riding in easy gears while others passed me but I figured this was the best course of action.

"The mountain was angry that day, my friends; like an old man trying to send back soup in a deli!"

"I tell you that mountain was a hundred miles high if it was a foot!"

The climb gets steeper on a straightaway-about ten percent. After a brief 2% grade, the really steep climb occurs. It wavers between 15 and 20 percent. After a couple of turns, the top is in view. About a quarter of riders are now walking their bicycles, making nearly as much time as I am. I finally reached the top and all of a sudden my leg muscles start to strangle me. It was like a blood pressure test gone awry. I'd never felt such pain in a muscle cramp. The big problem is that once you get muscle cramps, you have to deal with them for the rest of the day.

The descent was fine and gave my muscles a rest but I iced them down at the next rest stop. I hydrated profusely but to little avail. Fortunately, bicycle shoes allow you to pedal on the upstroke. That would be the only way I'd be able to finish.

This ride climbs a total of 13000+ feet, or about two and a half miles. The last three climbs, all 8 to 10%, had to be done with very little pushing or the intense pain would return. Unwittingly, I did push a bit and the cramps came back. Seven times I had to walk around until the pain subsided. One time, a redneck pickup stopped and the driver offered to toss my bike in the back and give me a lift to the finish. I declined and trudged on.

Lightning flashed and thunder crashed in the distance in the last ten miles. A summer rainstorm would have provided much needed relief from the heat but I didn't get rained upon.

The finish line came into view and I felt relieved from not having to deal with the pain any more. I came in at 7:45, a bit better than I'd expected for the 105 mile ride, especially with cramping so much. I was very pleased with the amount of energy I still had. On the way back home, I stopped at Linville falls and did a little running to work out the kinks in my legs.

Raging Bull

2006-07-17T19:05:00.000-07:00

April 29, 2006
Crowders Mountain 50k Punisher run

Poison ivy can be quite nasty. I was still getting over it on race day. My ankle was still a bit swollen so I knew I might not finish but I was certainly going to try. The weather was perfect, 58 degrees and a few clouds. The course was a mystery. I'd heard there were stairs. There were many, many stairs.

Two groups formed early. The fast group would wear me out too quickly and the slow group was a bit too slow. I found myself in between along with a another guy, Travis. We got to talking and decided to work together. I recognized Travis from the Mount Mitchell Challenge. He started out way too strong and his body blew up. He had to plead with the sweep just to make it to the finish line. The sweep can pull a runner off the course if they aren't on course to finish timely enough. Travis was the last to finish, but he made it.

Our strategy was to walk any section with more than a 2% grade. We would jog the level sections and go all out on the downhills. This was a strategy that would pay off famously.

The course started out on rolling hills but quickly changed to a very steep mountain climb. We passed one from the fast group before we reached the top. The view was spectacular but fleeting as we descended the other side. This descent involved those steps I'd heard about-300 of them. They weren't so bad the first time.

After the steps, the trail descended steeply on gravel. We took a turn to single track and were greeted by roots and rock beds. Tricky footing isn't a problem early on in a race but it becomes a challenge in the later stages. Stabilizing muscles tend to get fatigued after about 20 miles.

After one hour we arrived at the turning point of the trail. I thought we went at too fast a pace. I did not expect to be able to continue at that pace. It was time to do it in reverse. We were at the lower point so the 600 foot climb at the beginning would become an 800 foot climb on the return.

The 300 steps were a slow go but we made it without losing much time. We had discussed downhill strategy and both saw ourselves as strong downhillers, perhaps in line with the elite runners. Our prognostication proved to be accurate. Travis was very strong but I pulled way out in front. Being the only 200 pounders on the course, we had gravity on our side. The return trip saw us pass two runners from that lead group. We enjoyed a negative split and reached home base at 1:55.

Home base featured a nice spread of food. We loaded up quickly and were on our way to round two. This round proceeded at only a slightly
slower pace than the first. The mountain seemed a bit taller and the steps seemed like 400 this go round. Yet, nobody was passing us. The leader was well in front but there was no chance of him lapping us. We reached home a second time at 4:15. I was ecstatic that we didn't lose much time in the second lap. The third, however, was likely to be more grueling.

More hiking was in store for us this time. About amile into the third leg, the leader came barreling by us. This climb was slower than the previous two. I could not keep up with Travis. The stairs downhill presented a formidable challenge this time. The knees were no longer nimble. The entire trail seemed about 50% longer.

Finally, the last turn was reached. The return trip proved slow but steady. The runner who had held 5th place was walking. I never expected to catch anyone on the way back. The steps were daunting but knowing that the last mile and a half were downhill kept me going. On the downhill, another runner was passed. I was back in 12th place and I made sure I held it. The finish line came into sight so I kicked it into high gear and finished in a roaring sprint.

I finished 6 minutes behind Travis. Two ultras down and many more to come this year.

Raging Bull

2006-07-17T18:42:00.000-07:00

February 4, 2006
Uwharrie 41 mile run

Friday night was the pre-race dinner. It was there that I found out exactly what I was getting into. This little race was not only tougher than the Mount Mitchell Challenge, but by a wide margin. That race which climbs from my town to the tallest mountain in the east climbs about 5000 feet overall. The Uwharrie Mountain Run climbs 7000 feet.

Shortly before the start, I was stretching my calves on a small log. logs tend to be round as was this one and I just about fell flat on my face when it rolled out from under me. I almost foiled the entire run. Unfortunately, I didn't hurt myself. The pain was yet to come.

We embarked upon our journey at 7 am at a walking pace, which would be instrumental later in the day. Ultrarunners are an odd lot. They don't seem to care about how fast they get through a race. They only care to finish and even that isn't a must.

The first mountain contained numerous rock beds with very difficult footing. We trotted along and sooner than expected, came upon the first aid station. The stations were rather gourmet with homemade cookies, fruit and beverages. The miles piled upon one another until an extended downhill. That was where I picked up the pace and left the others with whom I'd been jogging. I met up with a couple of young ladies and ran with them intermittently for the next ten miles.

Rock hopping is an art form. Fortunately, it is one of the few art forms I seem to excel at. I kept my feet dry the entire run. After the widest stream crossing, the longest climb loomed in the distance. This one took a while to scale and wore me down a bit. I trudged on for several more miles and finally arrived at the turn around point. 20 1/2 miles and 5:20 later, it was time to head back for round two.

The emotional boost of the halfway point led me to run like a gazelle for the next three miles. Also, it was nice to commiserate with those I met earlier in the run. The return run was lonely. I passed a few runners and a couple passed me. The aid stations seemed to be placed further apart on the way back. The easy downhills on the way out became tedious climbs on the way back.

6:00 at the 38 mile point was the cutoff to go on without a light. Fortunately, I had a light with me just in case. I made it to 38 at 5:45, but I was glad I had a light with me. The sunset was spectacular as I reached the top of the last mountain. The way down was through the rock beds, in the dark. I stubbed a toe on one rock so I got out the headlamp. I slipped in the rock bed and nailed the side of my foot. Since that was the most painful moment I endured, I felt fortunate. The level of muscle pain was quite low. By staying slow, no lactic acid built up.

Soon I could hear people at the camp at the trailhead. The end was near. 11 hours, 18 minutes and 41 miles later, I was greeted by the finish line. I saw several runners who were way behind me. They dropped out. About 25 of the 100+ runners did not finish. I finished 67th. My goal was simply to finish but many experienced ultrarunners did not finish. I believe there was only one other first time ultrarunner and he finished 3 minutes after me.

I'm looking forward to the next ultra. It really was enjoyable. It wasn't the grueling trek I expected. I was sore for two days but it wasn't a debilitating pain. I was on the bicycle Monday, and may run tomorrow if the snow doesn't get too deep

Raging Bull