This past Saturday, I made the last minute decision to head to Morganton to support the Good Samaritan Clinic by running in their 8K. The good cause aside, this had all the makings of a bad experience. The race began at 10:00 a.m.; it was a cold rain as I drove up; it was all on the Greenway--which I see far too much of; and it was a short distance for which I do absolutely no training. I had not run a short race since October's Burkemontster 5-miler. Since that event, my race distances have been: 66, 50, 62.6, and 37 miles. There was a glimmer of hope as I looked over the preregistration list on Friday, but that glimmer was quickly extinguished when I arrived and saw Robert Murray, Dwight Winters, and Josh Baker had signed up on race day.
Actually, I am exaggerating things a bit. I did this event to support the cause more than to hope to compete. I even went early and ran about five or six miles on the greenway, thinking to make this my long run for the weekend, given that last weekend was Mount Mitchell. So, it really didn't matter that all those speedsters showed up. More money for the cause.
I am not a fast starter and it felt almost like a wave coming past me when we began. There are only so many configurations of the greenway's trails that you can use for a race and this route was something new. We began at Catawba Meadows, kind of like with Sunrise Run, but picked up the greenway at a different point. Then, we ran toward Freedom High School, turning around about 1/4 mile before we reached that end of the Greenway. My usual theory is that wherever you are, position-wise, at the 1/3 point of the race is pretty much where you will finish. Well, on Saturday, my finishing position was basically set within the first 1/4 mile. From the 1/4 mile point until about the last kilometer, I passed no one and no one passed me. I did, however, manage to catch up to my friend, Robert, and pass him with about a kilometer to go. I fully expected him to pass me back, but he never did. Perhaps because he had been up three times the prior night with his newborn baby.
The race drew a good crowd of almost 150 runners, plus twenty relay teams. Ultimately, I was ok with my time of 31:56. I knew I couldn't break 30:00 and I hoped I wouldn't drift below 35:00, so it was right in there. My pace calculated out to 6:23. I keep a spreadsheet of all my races and according to it, my average 5K pace over the last ten or so races is 6:12 and my average 10K pace is 6:31. Again, this fell right in between. But, those 5 & 10Ks were all much hillier than this race, so if I account for that, I was probably a bit slower than I used to be.
They had Great Atlanta Bread providing chili and bread after the race. I didn't try the chili, but the bread was great. Awards were locally-made medallions and they had quite a few door prizes. I won a throw blanket that had the race logo on it. It's a good size to keep in the car in case a traveler gets cold.
This will likely become an annual event and, given that it's local, it's safe to assume I'll be back in future years. I just might have to make a note to do some speedwork beforehand.
www.thegoodrace8k.com
Linville Gorge from the summit of Table Rock
Monday, March 4, 2013
Saturday, February 23, 2013
2013 Mount Mitchell Challenge
I was fortunate to land a spot in the 2013 Mount Mitchell Challenge. I say fortunate because the popularity of the event has led to a lottery process for registration and with more people entering the lottery, the odds of being selected drop.
This year was like 2010 in that after the marathon turnaround, we ran straight up the Park entrance road to the summit. In 2010, my time was 5:57 something. This year, I feel certain I walked less and ran stronger, but the end result (you'll have to wait for it) was not what I had expected.
2010, I believe, had a lot of snow along the toll road and while the parkway and park entrance road were cleared, there were knee deep drifts from the Mount Mitchell parking lot to the observation tower. There was a little ice and slush this year, mostly in the last mile or so of the toll road, before the marathon turnaround. Mostly, it was mud and puddles. An early rain let up by the time I had reached mile three and my just-purchased Gore-Tex jacket came off shortly after that. Much of the race was t-shirt weather. The jacket came back on for the run up the park entrance road since I was walking some and wind would gust from time to time. The jacket came back off for good about halfway back down the park entrance road.
The "interesting" part about running this course versus the traditional one, is you know exactly who is ahead of you as they pass you on their way down. You also know how far behind the leaders you are. It wasn't as far as I expected to be, though they certainly built on the margin on the descent. Ordinarily, with the loop at the top, you never see them. It was nice to get to see some of the faster guys I've gotten to know and try to say a few words in passing.
I don't wear a watch so I have no idea of my splits, etc... I counted marathoners as they came back toward me and figured there were about 15 or so ahead of me. The first female came into the marathon turnaround aid station just as I was leaving. I just saw that she went on to win the marathon. I think there were about 13 or 14 ahead of me to the summit also, though one guy I was right beside. I look forward to the results to see if I had a gain or loss of position on the descent--I'm not very speedy downhill and especially on the steep park entrance road. I lost track once we blended in with some of the marathoners back on the toll road.
A word of caution--do not eat olive oil coated pasta within two days of a race. Thankfully, there were porta-jons, but I skipped them when I shouldn't have and it made for a miserable run until I finally hit one on the way back down.
I think the mud probably sapped the strength of a lot of us in the mortal category of runner. I bet a few might even have lost a shoe to the deeper spots. My fairly new Brooks Cascadias don't even look like shoes anymore. They are closer in appearance to unbaked pottery.
In this race, the miles in Montreat are always the toughest. It's "only" three or four, but it really seems to stretch on. The new-for-last-year detour onto a greenway gets you off of Highway 9, which is nice, but I am so shot at this point that I am wanting to walk flat stretches--plus it's a tad longer than the old route. The best part is that it pops out onto Highway 9 just one block above where we turn off and head through the residential section toward Lake Tomahawk. This was the softest I've ever seen the trail around Lake Tomahawk, but by this point, I was so wanting to be done, I would have run across hot coals--with my shoes on, of course.
So, keeping in mind that I had no watch and no idea of the time, I approached the finish thinking maybe I was in the 5:30 ballpark. Like I said, I mostly felt better, I walked less, I had to be significantly ahead of that 5:57 a few years earlier, right? I crossed the bridge, got 20-30 yards from the finish and could finally see the clock. 5:53 and change. I wasn't upset, but really surprised. Now, the course is a tad longer with the greenway section and Jay did move the finish line back about 50 yards from earlier years, so MAYBE I could equate it to a 5:51 on the old course. A six minute improvement would mean about 10 seconds per mile, so put in that perspective, I guess it's not that bad.
As for the race organizers and volunteers--great job. Everything went smoothly and actually better than promised because there was a warning on Friday night that they may not be able to get aid to the Summit, but come race day, it was there. A special thanks for letting me get a women's fleece for my wife so she'll quit stealing mine. She wears them but if anyone asks, she assures them she got it from me and that she didn't run the race.
I have a feeling I'll be back in 2014 because February just doesn't feel the same without Mount Mitchell...
This year was like 2010 in that after the marathon turnaround, we ran straight up the Park entrance road to the summit. In 2010, my time was 5:57 something. This year, I feel certain I walked less and ran stronger, but the end result (you'll have to wait for it) was not what I had expected.
2010, I believe, had a lot of snow along the toll road and while the parkway and park entrance road were cleared, there were knee deep drifts from the Mount Mitchell parking lot to the observation tower. There was a little ice and slush this year, mostly in the last mile or so of the toll road, before the marathon turnaround. Mostly, it was mud and puddles. An early rain let up by the time I had reached mile three and my just-purchased Gore-Tex jacket came off shortly after that. Much of the race was t-shirt weather. The jacket came back on for the run up the park entrance road since I was walking some and wind would gust from time to time. The jacket came back off for good about halfway back down the park entrance road.
The "interesting" part about running this course versus the traditional one, is you know exactly who is ahead of you as they pass you on their way down. You also know how far behind the leaders you are. It wasn't as far as I expected to be, though they certainly built on the margin on the descent. Ordinarily, with the loop at the top, you never see them. It was nice to get to see some of the faster guys I've gotten to know and try to say a few words in passing.
I don't wear a watch so I have no idea of my splits, etc... I counted marathoners as they came back toward me and figured there were about 15 or so ahead of me. The first female came into the marathon turnaround aid station just as I was leaving. I just saw that she went on to win the marathon. I think there were about 13 or 14 ahead of me to the summit also, though one guy I was right beside. I look forward to the results to see if I had a gain or loss of position on the descent--I'm not very speedy downhill and especially on the steep park entrance road. I lost track once we blended in with some of the marathoners back on the toll road.
A word of caution--do not eat olive oil coated pasta within two days of a race. Thankfully, there were porta-jons, but I skipped them when I shouldn't have and it made for a miserable run until I finally hit one on the way back down.
I think the mud probably sapped the strength of a lot of us in the mortal category of runner. I bet a few might even have lost a shoe to the deeper spots. My fairly new Brooks Cascadias don't even look like shoes anymore. They are closer in appearance to unbaked pottery.
In this race, the miles in Montreat are always the toughest. It's "only" three or four, but it really seems to stretch on. The new-for-last-year detour onto a greenway gets you off of Highway 9, which is nice, but I am so shot at this point that I am wanting to walk flat stretches--plus it's a tad longer than the old route. The best part is that it pops out onto Highway 9 just one block above where we turn off and head through the residential section toward Lake Tomahawk. This was the softest I've ever seen the trail around Lake Tomahawk, but by this point, I was so wanting to be done, I would have run across hot coals--with my shoes on, of course.
So, keeping in mind that I had no watch and no idea of the time, I approached the finish thinking maybe I was in the 5:30 ballpark. Like I said, I mostly felt better, I walked less, I had to be significantly ahead of that 5:57 a few years earlier, right? I crossed the bridge, got 20-30 yards from the finish and could finally see the clock. 5:53 and change. I wasn't upset, but really surprised. Now, the course is a tad longer with the greenway section and Jay did move the finish line back about 50 yards from earlier years, so MAYBE I could equate it to a 5:51 on the old course. A six minute improvement would mean about 10 seconds per mile, so put in that perspective, I guess it's not that bad.
As for the race organizers and volunteers--great job. Everything went smoothly and actually better than promised because there was a warning on Friday night that they may not be able to get aid to the Summit, but come race day, it was there. A special thanks for letting me get a women's fleece for my wife so she'll quit stealing mine. She wears them but if anyone asks, she assures them she got it from me and that she didn't run the race.
I have a feeling I'll be back in 2014 because February just doesn't feel the same without Mount Mitchell...
Monday, January 21, 2013
2013 Weymouth Woods 100K
On January 19th, 77 runners assembled for the fourth running of the Weymouth Woods 100K, in Weymouth Woods State Park, near Southern Pines, NC. Not everyone was there with the plan to complete the full 62.58 miles. As you can see in the results, there were some looking to complete a 50K and some going for 40 miles. The fact that the course was a 4.47 mile loop worked out well for both of these distances. Seven laps was a 50-K, nine was just over 40 miles, and you could even do a marathon (plus about 1/2 mile) by running six laps. The low number of runners is offset by the fact that there are loops, so you never go too long without seeing another runner, as can happen in non-loop events.
The facilities at Weymouth Woods lend themselves well to a race of this size and nature. There is a heated visitor's center right beside the course's start/finish area with nice bathrooms. As I have noticed with other NC State Parks, the staff is extremely accomodating of these types of events. One staff member even participated in the race, finishing the full 100K distance. A lady whose name I have forgotten was providing mid-race (and post-race) massages or "stretch-outs" inside for anyone who needed to work out some kinks or tight spots.
So, fourteen loops. There are pros and cons to that. I typically prefer one big loop or point-to-point simply because I am not worried about what lap I am on, you have lots of new scenery, you don't think about how nice it would be to walk over to the car and take a nap, etc... However, it also eliminates the drop bag issue. You pass your bag (or table and crew in some cases) every lap and can change clothes and/or shoes, restock what you're carrying, grab your secret powerfood, whatever you need. For those who can go longer than me without liquids, this can even eliminate the need for carrying a water bottle. The loop is 4.47 miles and there is an aid station at around mile 2.3 where you can get more water/gatorade, and some foods, though this is a smaller station than the start/finish area. For me, this worked out to be roughly the mid-point of the loop time-wise. Even though I never lost track of what lap I was on, I did find myself understating how far I had left. For example, if I had just finished lap ten and was on lap eleven, I was thinking "three laps to go" even if I was only a mile into the eleventh lap. So, instead of 13.5 miles to go, I really had 16-17.
At fairly regular intervals, David Lee (Lee Timing) prints off the "standings" and posts them on a board across from the start/finish aid station. If you are concerned about your place, this is an opportunity to see who is ahead of you, but I think it might mostly be for friends to see how you are doing and where you might be on the course. They can look at when you last came through, what your pace has been, and figure out when you should arrive again.
The sun is going to go down on most runners and there will be some laps in the dark. I was fortunate and only needed my headlamp for my last 1/2 lap. I really should say that I was extremely fortunate because my cheap batteries probably only gave me half of the 80 lumens I was supposed to be getting. I wasn't too worried about going off course because by that time, I remembered the turns pretty well. I was more concerned about catching a root and taking a spill--something I had managed to avoid up until that point. Ultimately, I just slowed down a little and if the footing was at all questionable, I walked. If you run Weymouth, double-check your batteries before coming, and bring spares!
I had come to this race several years earlier and spent the night before with a terrible stomach bug. By race day I was wiped out and only did three laps (more to get something out of the drive down than with any aspirations of actually finishing.) I had told Race Director Marie Lewis that the return trip was about redemption, but it was more about taking part in what I knew would be a well-organized event (it's the Mangum Track Club, after all) and have a good time. Jonathan Savage, a very talented ultrarunner has an informative blog (http://fellrnr.com/wiki/Main_Page) and in his 2012 WW100K report, he ponders how much people slow down with the passing laps. I looked at my split times (provided by Lee Timing) and wasn't too disappointed. I knew my early laps would be too fast because of excitement, but when I factor in bathroom breaks (always longer than I expect) and shoe changes, etc... my actual on-course times didn't slow as much as I had feared they would. Of course, had I run more laps in the dark (even with a good headlamp) I would have slowed more.
For participating, we received a nice, dark blue, long-sleeved tech shirt (which my wife promptly claimed) and drawstring bag, a water "pouch," and perhaps most appropriately a couple pieces of handmade soap (that I have to assume it were from a local vendor.) Finishers get a pottery bowl with the logo stamped into it. There are also pottery prizes for the first place overall male and female and first place male and female Mangum Track Club members. A special "tortise" award is presented to the last place finisher to recognize his or her determination.
This is a very well run event, but please do not read this to mean that the race is so good that it makes 100K easy. It remains a tough distance and even though the course isn't terribly hilly, the footing is tricky. People probably underestimate how much energy you can spend (mental and physical) dodging roots and running through sand. Race Directors Marie and Jamie Lewis and all the volunteers and state park employees, however, put together a 100K that should definitely be considered by any ultrarunner and any runner who has reached that point where a 50-miler just doesn't seem long enough, but is not yet ready to step up to the 100-miler.
Weymouth Woods 100K
Lee Timing 2013 Results
Weymouth Woods State Park
The facilities at Weymouth Woods lend themselves well to a race of this size and nature. There is a heated visitor's center right beside the course's start/finish area with nice bathrooms. As I have noticed with other NC State Parks, the staff is extremely accomodating of these types of events. One staff member even participated in the race, finishing the full 100K distance. A lady whose name I have forgotten was providing mid-race (and post-race) massages or "stretch-outs" inside for anyone who needed to work out some kinks or tight spots.
The race begins slightly off the course, along the Park entrance road. This allows runners to spread out a little before entering the woods. The majority of the trail is wide enough to run two-abreast. There are a LOT of roots in areas and some sandy spots that can really slow your momentum. Oddly, I'm not sure I saw any rocks on the entire course. The profile map on the website makes it look hillier than it really is. With the exception of the last rise leading up to the start/finish area, none are very steep or long, and that particular hill happens to have one of the densest areas of roots along the entire course. In other words: it's an ultra, and that's a great spot for a walk break. Just make sure when you reach the top of the hill and come out of the woods, that you start to run again, because the start/finish area is just around the corner of the building, and you don't want everyone to see you walking...The start/finish area, timing mats, food tent, and your gear are all located along a 200' (or so) stretch of sidewalk, between the visitor's center and the parking lot. This is the only concrete/pavement you'll see on the course. |
| It does get warm in January. |
 |
| Feeling the effects of the 11th lap, with three to go... |
At fairly regular intervals, David Lee (Lee Timing) prints off the "standings" and posts them on a board across from the start/finish aid station. If you are concerned about your place, this is an opportunity to see who is ahead of you, but I think it might mostly be for friends to see how you are doing and where you might be on the course. They can look at when you last came through, what your pace has been, and figure out when you should arrive again.
The sun is going to go down on most runners and there will be some laps in the dark. I was fortunate and only needed my headlamp for my last 1/2 lap. I really should say that I was extremely fortunate because my cheap batteries probably only gave me half of the 80 lumens I was supposed to be getting. I wasn't too worried about going off course because by that time, I remembered the turns pretty well. I was more concerned about catching a root and taking a spill--something I had managed to avoid up until that point. Ultimately, I just slowed down a little and if the footing was at all questionable, I walked. If you run Weymouth, double-check your batteries before coming, and bring spares!
I had come to this race several years earlier and spent the night before with a terrible stomach bug. By race day I was wiped out and only did three laps (more to get something out of the drive down than with any aspirations of actually finishing.) I had told Race Director Marie Lewis that the return trip was about redemption, but it was more about taking part in what I knew would be a well-organized event (it's the Mangum Track Club, after all) and have a good time. Jonathan Savage, a very talented ultrarunner has an informative blog (http://fellrnr.com/wiki/Main_Page) and in his 2012 WW100K report, he ponders how much people slow down with the passing laps. I looked at my split times (provided by Lee Timing) and wasn't too disappointed. I knew my early laps would be too fast because of excitement, but when I factor in bathroom breaks (always longer than I expect) and shoe changes, etc... my actual on-course times didn't slow as much as I had feared they would. Of course, had I run more laps in the dark (even with a good headlamp) I would have slowed more.
For participating, we received a nice, dark blue, long-sleeved tech shirt (which my wife promptly claimed) and drawstring bag, a water "pouch," and perhaps most appropriately a couple pieces of handmade soap (that I have to assume it were from a local vendor.) Finishers get a pottery bowl with the logo stamped into it. There are also pottery prizes for the first place overall male and female and first place male and female Mangum Track Club members. A special "tortise" award is presented to the last place finisher to recognize his or her determination.
This is a very well run event, but please do not read this to mean that the race is so good that it makes 100K easy. It remains a tough distance and even though the course isn't terribly hilly, the footing is tricky. People probably underestimate how much energy you can spend (mental and physical) dodging roots and running through sand. Race Directors Marie and Jamie Lewis and all the volunteers and state park employees, however, put together a 100K that should definitely be considered by any ultrarunner and any runner who has reached that point where a 50-miler just doesn't seem long enough, but is not yet ready to step up to the 100-miler.
Weymouth Woods 100K
Lee Timing 2013 Results
Weymouth Woods State Park
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