November 5, 2009

Mountain Hardwear Ladies Night at Rock/Creek

"X Marks the Night at Rock/Creek, with no Ys allowed."

The Second Annual Mountain Hardwear Ladies Night is making its appearance at Rock/Creek on November 5, 2009. For a few hours (6pm- 8:30pm), we invite you and all your girlfriends to come in and enjoy some wine and cheese, make some new friends and catch up with old ones, while checking out the new Fall/Winter lines.

Rock/Creek will be closing early to host this exclusive night of personal shopping with our knowledgable female staff who will answer all your important questions and help you shop for the perfect gear necessary to embark on your next adventure - big or small.

This is a great opportunity to network with other active women in the Chattanooga area and to have a private viewing with all of our women's specific apparel and gear.

This night is filled with opportunities to win free shwag, talk to other women who share your outdoor passions and enjoy a night of private shopping with friends.

Let all the gals know you are coming! Click "Attending" via our Facebook Event!

Posted by Rachel Tucker at 2:29 PM | Comments (0)

November 3, 2009

Triple Crown Continues This Weekend + New Climbing Videos

We wanted to let you know that the Triple Crown Bouldering Series is still rolling out with Beta Videos as the months continue- bringing the second location of the bouldering series to Horse Pens-40 this November 7th weekend!

Below are the third and fourth installments of Andrew Kornylak's "Beta Film" series. Check 'em out and get inspired for this weekend's boulder sesh ~Rock/Creek

Ashley Dorough of Chapel Hill North Carolina climbs "Brutus" (V2) at Hound Ears.

The Beta - Brutus from Andrew Kornylak on Vimeo.

Brought to you by Marmot! Support Climbing Access! Learn more by going to www.rockcreek/com/marmot/triplecrown/

In this fourth Beta Video, Colorado native Andy Wellman tells us how he ended up in Chattanooga, Tennessee by way of Horse Pens 40, Alabama, and shows how to crush two Stone Fort classic V4's "Super Mario" and "Mystery Groove"

The Beta - Super Mario from Andrew Kornylak on Vimeo.

Don't forget our sweet deal going on!
Five Ten, Rock/Creek and Triple Crown have teamed up to bring you the brand spankin' new Team 5.10 Climbing Shoe... 3 months ahead of schedule! October through December, at Rock/Creek, the Team 5.10 Shoe will be 10% Off... and for each pair that's sold, Rock/Creek and Five Ten will donate a percentage of the proceeds to support climbing access along The Cumberland Trail


Read more Triple Crown Bouldering Series Horse Pens- 40 details >

Posted by Rachel Tucker at 11:13 AM | Comments (0)

October 28, 2009

Rock/Creek's first ever StumpJump 50k Film

For this year's Rock/Creek StumpJump, we wanted to bring the ultra trail running experience as close to you as possible. With the work of Andrew Kornylak from Atlanta, GA, we bring you the sights, scenes, grunts and strains from this growing trail race. The entire weekend was awesome, thanks to everyone who participated as well as volunteers and Rock/Creek staff (and a little help from the beautiful weather).
An extended version with more in depth interviews will arrive later this season.
~ Rock/Creek

2009 Rock/Creek StumpJump 50K Ultra from Rock/Creek on Vimeo
Can't see the video above? Watch the Rock/Creek StumpJump video on YouTube > 

2009 FINAL results posted:  11 Miler  |  50k

Now in it's 9th year running, the Rock/Creek StumpJump is gaining national recognition and prestige as one of the top 50k trail runs in the country, with racers from 20 states in attendance. This year's race will go down in Rock/Creek Trail Series history as the beginning of something tremendous for Southeast trail running, acting as a magnet for running talents and sponsored athletes such as Dean Karnazes (The North Face), Krissy Moehl and Bryan Dayton (Vasque) as well as hometown heroes like Josh Wheeler and Jaclyn Greenhill. Moehl, who also represents Patagonia, had just come from a victory at the Tour de Mont Blanc, and decided not to race but was on hand to volunteer.

Thanks to all volunteers and especially the race sponsors! Rock/Creek, SmartWool, Salomon, The North Face, Marmot, Vasque Project, Hammer Nutrition, Patagonia, La Sportiva, Deuter, Columbia, END Footwear, Greenlife Grocery, Trail Runner Magazine, and Southern Sprint Water.

For more race information, visit rockcreek.com/stumpjump/

Produced by Andrew Kornylak akornphoto.com

 Become a fan of the Rock/Creek StumpJump on Facebook 



Become a fan of Rock/Creek on Facebook

Follow the StumpJump twitter feed for year-round updates on the race & training runs

Posted by Rachel Tucker at 10:39 AM | Comments (1)

October 23, 2009

Wild & Scenic Environmental Film Festival (Nov. 13 & 15)

Join Tennessee River Gorge Trust when they host the Wild & Scenic Environmental Film Festival, On Tour at the Tennessee Aquarium on Friday, November 13 and Sunday, November 15, 2009.

These educational films aim to motivate viewers to make a difference in their community and around the world. The films expose people to forward-thinking ideas and global awareness with topics that range from community activism, conservation and wildlife to some that are just plain fun! Patagonia, one of our favorite brands at Rock/Creek, and one of the most environmentally-minded companies in our industry, sponsors this festival every year.

Friday (November 13) evening's films are geared toward a more mature audience with complimentary soft drinks, refreshments and a cash bar. Friday's feature films include Fighting Goliath: Texas Coal Wars, Homegrown Revolution, Renewal, and The Story of Stuff.

Sunday's (November 15) family-friendly event includes refreshments, storytelling by Jim Pfitzer, and light-hearted and thoughtful films that will inspire children and adults including Goldfish, Once Upon a Tide, and Seed.
To view film bios, please visit Wild & Scenic Environmental Film Festival.

EVENT DETAILS:

Dates and Times:
Friday, November 13, 7:00-10:00 p.m. Cost: $15/Adult
Family-Friendly Showing: Sunday, November 15, 2:00-3:30 p.m. Cost: $10/Adult & $5 Child (12- under)

Tickets can be purchased at www.tnaqua.org, Prices and Registration details available here. Proceeds Benefit the Tennessee River Gorge Trust. For more information, please visit www.trgt.org or contact the Trust office at 423.266.0314.

Posted by Rachel Tucker at 8:53 AM | Comments (0)

October 19, 2009

Over $13,000 Raised for Trails at 9th Rock/Creek StumpJump 50k

Crisp air and Tennessee dirt packed trails welcomed more than 600 determined trail runners the morning of October 3, 2009, for the 9th Annual Rock/Creek StumpJump 50k and 11 miler. Today, Rock/Creek announced that race entries and matching donations from a variety of sponsors raised over $13,000 for The Wilderness Trail Running Association (aka The Boonies). The money will be used in The Boonies' ongoing efforts to secure access to new trails, maintain existing trail systems, and run great trail races. Specifically, beneficiaries this year include The Cumberland Trail Conference, Friends of the Cumberland Trail, Lula Lake Land Trust, and the Signal Mountain High School Cross Country team.

Winner Joshua Wheeler of the Rock/Creek Race Team came in three minutes ahead of last year's time for a first place men's winning time of 4:15:00. Wheeler grew up in Signal Mountain and lives in Boone, NC. Nicholas Selbo, from Chattanooga, TN, came in second with a time of 4:21:53. Third place male finisher, Bryan Dayton came in at 4:34:57. He also grew up near Chattanooga and now lives in Boulder, CO and represents Vasque. First place female overall was Sally Brooking from Marietta, GA with a time of 5:37:28; just 6 minutes shy of 2008's winning time for females. Rock/Creek race team member and Signal Mountain, TN resident, Jaclyn Greenhill, came in second with 5:45:10 and Emily Ansick of Auburn, AL finished third female with a time of 5:51:39.

Male Masters winner Jay Curwen from Asheville, NC didn't quite clear the stumps, resulting in a slight injury on the trail, however, that did not hinder his solid finish time of 4:55:34. Following behind him were male masters finishers John Dove from Georgia with a time of 5:10:48 and third place male and Rock/Creek Race Team Member Randy Whorton from Chattanooga, TN with a time of 5:17:43. First place female masters winner was Enid Gonzalez from Kennesaw, GA in 6:13:48 and second place was Nancy Lewis From Greensboro, GA with 6:58:48. Third place, in 6:59:43, was Lisa Zaccarelli of Nashville, TN.

Runners Theodore Towse from Nashville, Marcus Faudi from Soddy Daisy, TN, and Brad Schneider from Bowling Green, KY took the podium spots in the 11 mile race with times of 1:25:41, 1:26:59, and 1:27:16. The women's podium included Shanna Hutchinson of Aspen, CO, Elizabeth Callaway of Athens, GA, and Lucie Becus of Franklin, TN, with times of 1:39:37, 1:42:32 and 1:45:42 respectively.

Rock/Creek hosted a vibrant vendor fair and packet pick up the Friday before the race at their 2 North Shore location. As hundreds of racers came through to pick up packets, the general public was invited to browse the latest gear and sign up for giveaways and raffles from race sponsors. After the fair, registered racers enjoyed a catered carbo supper where Laura Fryer from La Sportiva gave away dozens of pairs of free trail running shoes.

Saturday came quickly and beautiful weather awaited the runners as they congregated at Signal Mountain High School for the race start. After a pep talk from race organizers, the 50k and 11 Mile racers were off for a road start to thin the field before they hopped on to narrow singletrack trails. The race was a spectacle of gazelle-like speed, agility, and athleticism, as the top runners confronted challenging descents and climbs. First time racers were surprised by a few unique geological formations with names like Mushroom Rock, Indian Rock House, and the ankle-busting Rock Garden.

The Chattanooga area was represented by the accomplished ultramarathon runner and Rock/Creek Race Team Member, Joshua Wheeler, from Signal Mountain, TN. Andy Anderson from Truckee, CA, brother of 2008 StumpJump Champion and fellow team member, John Anderson (now of Boulder, CO), also grew up here. Wheeler, coming off a recent tibia injury, took a risk to train hard for this race after returning from a medical mission in Africa. He started building mileage in Africa and ramped up his weekly mileage to 100-120 miles a week in mid to late August. "For six weeks I went and found the most technical and steepest trails around. I knew going into the race that Bryan Dayton would be strong; being the 50k National Champion, I knew he was the greatest threat. It has always been a project and a dream of mine to win that race [StumpJump 50k]; I'm thrilled to have a high finish against a pretty competitive field while coming off an injury. It was finally great to string all the training together," Wheeler explains.

Race Director Jonathan Mobley credited the perfect combination of weather, racers, volunteers, and sponsors for the ultimate success of the race: "Rock/Creek's StumpJump exceeded my expectations on more levels than I could take the time to explain. We could not have asked for a more beautiful early Fall day. Participants were anxious to get on the trail and were excited by what they had accomplished when they crossed the finish line. No matter what personal goals runners had set forth for themselves, they were all equally inspiring. I would like to personally thank all of our sponsors for their endless support and volunteers for their tireless efforts to make this race a huge success. Looking forward to seeing everyone again next year!"

Now in it's 9th year running, the Rock/Creek StumpJump is gaining national recognition and prestige as one of the top 50k trail runs in the country, with racers form 20 states in attendance. This year's race will go down in Rock/Creek Trail Series history as the beginning of something tremendous for Southeast trail running, acting as a magnet for running talents and sponsored athletes such as Dean Karnazes (The North Face), Krissy Moehl and Bryan Dayton (Vasque) and hometown heroes like Wheeler and Greenhill. Moehl, who also represents Patagonia, had just come from a victory at the Tour de Mont Blanc, and decided not to race but was on hand to volunteer.

Top racers as well as raffle winners took home over $20,000 worth of prizes from various sponsors, including tents, sleeping bags and packs from The North Face. All 50k racers took home a pair of SmartWool socks and everyone down to the volunteers scored a technical t-shirt from Marmot. Hammer Nutrition and Greenlife Grocery provided race day nutrition and prizes. Volunteers from Signal Mountain and Ooltewah Cross Country teams helped hand out finishers' medals and cook hamburgers for the post-race meal. The day's festivities didn't end with that meal however, as Dean Karnazes headed back down the mountain after running the race to give another presentation as part of The North Face Speaker Series. A private VIP reception before the show raised well over $6,000 for Lula Lake Land Trust, with money coming in from ticket sales and being matched by Volkswagen, Audi Chattanooga, and First Tennessee. Other sponsors included Lyndhurst Foundation, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Medium, Talk Radio 102.3, Riverside Wine and Spirits, and Smart|Furniture.

The Rock/Creek StumpJump 50k and 11 mile course would not exist in its current location without the support of the Cumberland Trail Conference, a non-profit organization responsible for trail building, maintenance, and fund raising for what will eventually be a 300+ mile trail stretching across the state of Tennessee. As a beneficiary of the race, the CTC is guaranteed funds for support and published trail maintenance days, so be sure to check with the Rock/Creek Chronicle to plan for upcoming events.

Race sponsors included Rock/Creek, The North Face, SmartWool, Marmot, Vasque Project and BOA Lacing System, Salomon, Hammer Nutrition, Patagonia, La Sportiva, Deuter, Columbia, END Footwear, KEEN, Chaco, Merrell, Greenlife Grocery, Trail Runner Magazine, and Southern Spring Water.

Rock/Creek StumpJump is the oldest and largest of the 10 Rock/Creek Trail Series races. The next race will be the Upchuck 50k in November, then on to the longest trail race in Tennessee history, the Lookout Mountain 100k. For more information on the series, visit: http://www.rockcreek.com/trailseries/

For photography and official results, visit http://www.rockcreek.com/stumpjump/

Photos courtesy Rock/Creek, c. Lucas George (top) and Rachel Tucker (middle & bottom).

Posted by Mark McKnight at 1:25 PM | Comments (0)

October 14, 2009

Eric Charette's Rock/Creek StumpJump 50k Report

Eric Charette from the Huntsville Track Club came up for the Rock/Creek StumpJump 50k and has compiled a great race report with photography from all over the course. Eric placed well, 5th overall, with a time of 4:44:35. You may remember Eric from his 2nd place finish in the Chattanooga Mountains Stage Race back in June. Great job Eric, and thanks for the awesome report!

Here are a couple highlights:

To soak in sweeping views of the Tennessee River Gorge while running above the cloud line along the rim of Signal Mountain on some of the best trails in the east amongst national class talent in perfect temperatures with great race management is the best way I can describe this race. In its 9th Annual running, Stump Jump 50km by Rock/Creek is a classic and should be on every runners future race calendar.

In this race there were several keys to my success. The first one was advanced course knowledge. This summer in the Stage Race, we ran the first 6 miles of the course and then on a later trip, Joey Butler, Eric Fritz and I came out to run the middle 20. Knowing that the two miles out to Mushroom Rock was on a jeep road and very fast helped me to create some separation before running through the first aid station.

Read the full report on Eric's blog, Sirius Ultra Runner.

Posted by Mark McKnight at 10:27 AM | Comments (0)

Rock/Creek StumpJump in Ultra Running News

If you had a tough time last weekend at the 9th annual Rock/Creek StumpJump 50k, you weren't the only one! Check out this race report from Faun Ramey for Ultra Running News:

The 8:00 start time finally came and we lined up on the start line. I lined up toward the back knowing I would not challenge the leaders this day. Right before the gun went off, I noticed that Dean Karnazes was taking off his sweats. He jumped into the crowd just in front of me. It was kind of cool having an ultrarunning legend right in front of me.

The gun sounded and we were off. The first bit was on the road as the crowd thinned a bit. We then hit a gravel portion of trail. It went on for about 2 miles and the pace was around 8:30 or so. At one point during this stretch I was actually ahead of Dean! It didn't last long though, as he roared past me on a downhill section and I never saw him again.

With all thoughts of staying ahead of Dean Karnazes to the finish gone, I settled into a rythym. We left the gravel trail and hit dirt but the trail stayed pretty smooth and wide enough for everyone as the runners were still concentrated a bit. It wasn't long before we left this smooth and wide section for narrower single track that was uneven and mostly downhill over rocks and boulders. I remember sarcastically making the comment to anyone who could hear that, "I can't wait to come back up this!" It was extremely steep downhill navigating that was impossible to run.

Read the full report at Ultra Running News

See full results, photography, and more at rockcreek.com/stumpjump

Posted by Mark McKnight at 10:17 AM | Comments (1)

October 6, 2009

Rock/Creek StumpJump Results & Photos

Rock/Creek's 9th Annual StumpJump 50k & 11 Mile trail race results are now posted! Check the race page for results. Also, be sure to become a fan of the StumpJump on Facebook and post links to your photos & race reports!

Rock/Creek Race Team member Josh Wheeler won the race in 4:15:00. He also set a record for this new course (we're running for the second year on this course, which is generally accepted as a "longer" 50k than the original course). Nicholas Selbo, also a Chattanooga native, placed second. Bryan Dayton of Boulder, CO, who won the race back in 2005 and held course record on the old course (prior to construction of Signal Mountain High School), came in 3rd.

Sally Brooking of Marietta, GA came in first female with a time of 5:27:28. Rock/Creek Race Team member Jaclyn Greenhill took second in 5:45:10. Jenny Hadfield of Willow Spring, IL took third in 5:46:44.

Race results have been posted online. The race went off Saturday with beautiful weather and world-class runners. In addition to Josh's win, we had several Rock/Creek Race Team members place well: Jeff Edmonds and Andy Anderson, came in 4th and 6th. Masters winner Jay Curwen of Asheville, NC finished and won the masters title despite breaking his arm on the course. He refused help and finished the race before heading off for treatment.

Josh Wheeler, originally of Signal Mountain, grew up in the area and has raced the StumpJump several times. He said he was coming off an injury and was thrilled to win the race. "I always wanted to win that race; it always was a project and a dream of mine to win," Josh said.

"Sponsors and volunteers made the race happen," explains Race Director Jonathan Mobley: "We really have to thank The North Face, SmartWool, Marmot, Vasque Project, Salomon, Hammer Nutrition, Patagonia, La Sportiva, Deuter Packs, Columbia, END Footwear, Greenlife Grocery, Trail Runner, KEEN, Chaco, Trail Runner Magazine, Southern Spring Water, and of course Signal Mountain High School, The Cumberland Trail and all the rangers at Prentice Cooper WMA. Without all these players we would not have a race."

Congrats to all finishers, and everyone who had the courage to come out and give it a try! We're really looking forward to an amazing 10th anniversary race, so stay tuned for 2010 details.

Mark your calendars now for the next race on October 2, 2010! Visit the Rock/Creek StumpJump Web site for year-round updates on sponsors, venues, and other developments.

Also keep in mind that the Rock/Creek Trail Series includes 10 race dates throughout the year. Our next race is the Upchuck 50k, a very tough ultra for those who didn't think the StumpJump was hard enough. December 19th's Lookout Mountain 100k & 10k is also part of the Vasque Project and should not be missed. Come run with us before you gorge yourself on turkey and holiday sweets!

Come join the discussion at the new Boonies Web site, http://www.runintheboonies.org/

Posted by Mark McKnight at 2:45 PM | Comments (0)

October 1, 2009

Rock/Creek StumpJump speaker Dean Karnazes in Chattanooga Times Free Press

As the weekend's momentum for the Rock/Creek StumpJump events are about to hit full swing, Rock/Creek is proud to share local coverage our StumpJump guest speaker Dean Karnazes is receiving for his accomplishments and coming arrival.
Coming to Chattanooga as part of the StumpJump 50k weekend, The North Face sponsored athlete Dean Karnazes will be speaking to the racers and the public for two nights only.

Joan Garrett, Chattanooga Times Free Press reporter, caught up with Dean for a quick phone interview before he heads our way. Here are a few things Dean had to say when asked questions about his beginning to run and why. He was out celebrating his 30th birthday and expressed a life changing moment...

A:...at 11pm at night I just said ' I am leaving, I am going running...to run 30 miles tonight to celebrate my 30th birthday' That one night of gusto changed the course of my life"
Q: What do you think about when you want to quit?
A: I use a technique I call baby steps. We tend to get ahead of ourselves especially in a marathon or half marathon... Don't think about what is still left in front of you. Just be in the moment, and be really present. Think about your next footstep. Do your very best in your next footstep, your next footstep and your next footstep"
[Read the Full Article w/ Audio]

Last Minute ticket purchases for Saturday's (10/3) public presentation at 7pm are still available online. Follow the link to PURCHASE SATURDAY TICKETS >

Posted by Rachel Tucker at 11:21 AM | Comments (0)

September 18, 2009

Rock/Creek & Urban Rocks Host Climbing Gear Demo

Rock/Creek has teamed up with local Chattanooga climbing gym, Urban Rocks, to offer a night of climbing and gear demos from some of the top selling climbing gear manufacturers. Get your hands chalked and your feet ready for a night of gear demos as you slip on this year's best rated gear.

Top brands Metolius, Sterling and Evolv will have plenty of products to test out on the climbing walls.

Here are the details:
When: Wednesday, September 30th
Time: 5PM - 9PM

Price: The first 50 people can climb and test products for free!
*After the 1st 50 people normal Urban Rocks Day Pass rates apply.

A big thanks passed around to Rock/Creek, Metolius, Sterling and Evolv for making this night possible.

Posted by Rachel Tucker at 5:14 PM | Comments (0)

August 25, 2009

Rock/Creek Race Team takes prelim Second Place

Rock/Creek Race Team members Matt Sims and Sheridan Ames have been tearing it up on the trail in Colorado as a part of the strenuous GORE-TEX Transrockies Run; a six-day stage race from Buena Vista to Beaver Creek, CO.
Our boys are listed in second place for the preliminary second stage finish in their age group. [Results in PDF Format]

The race started on August 23 and will finish on August 28th. Running teams of two represent numerous states, countries and sponsored athletes who are battling it out for daily stage finishes and the coveted first place bragging rights.

Matt sent our office an email to let us know how the race has been going:

" Sheridan and I are having a great time, the altitude of course is kicking our tails but we are getting stronger every day. After day 1 we finished 6th place but only 4 minutes behind the 3rd place podium...Today [day 2] was awesome! Lots of climbs and we hit a high point today at 12,500. This event is a real production and really worth the time and investment.

Oh, one more thing. We talked to Dean Karnazes about his upcoming trip to Chattanooga for the StumpJump 50k; He's a little scared we're going to make him drink moonshine and do things he doesn't want to do. [EDITOR'S NOTE: We really DON'T just sit around and drink moonshine] I told him to be prepared for a good time.

Our legs are holding up fine, Thanks for all the support!"
Adios- Matt

The video made from the Second Stage race below shows our Rock/Creek Race Team member Matt Sims while stretching within the first few seconds of the videos beginning. (Sims is the guy with the white visor on!)

We hope you pick up the feeds and follow our Rock/Creek Race Team guys as they continue on and hope for a strong finish on the 28th!

Posted by Rachel Tucker at 3:52 PM | Comments (0)

August 14, 2009

Rock/Creek Donates $1,600 After Successful Greenway 5 Mile Trail Race

Locally-owned specialty outdoor retailer Rock/Creek announces a $1,600 donation from last Saturday's 2nd Annual Greenway 5 Mile Trail Race in Chattanooga, TN. The money will go to benefit local non-profit, The Wilderness Trail Running Association, aka, The Boonies. Rock/Creek's donation will be used to fund future races and trail maintenance efforts necessary to sustain open access to trail systems in the surrounding region. "We are committed to supporting The Boonies and other like-minded non-profit organizations and landowners who are working to preserve our region's natural resources for responsible and sustainable recreational use for years to come," says Dawson Wheeler, co-owner of Rock/Creek.

The Greenway 5 Mile Trail Race took place at Outdoor Chattanooga's Greenway Farm in Hixson, TN. Established in 2003 by the city of Chattanooga, Outdoor Chattanooga strives to increase tourism, bring new residents to the community, protect our natural resources, and enhance the health and well-being of citizens and visitors alike. "Our hope is that in partnering with events like the Greenway 5 Mile Trail Race, we can use venues like Greenway Farm to promote outdoor recreation as a signature lifestyle in and around Chattanooga," commented Philip Grymes, Executive Director of Outdoor Chattanooga.

New and experienced runners alike took to the trails in last Saturday's race. Jonathan Mobley, race director for the Rock/Creek Trail Series, estimates that at least half of the runners were racing for the first time on the trail: "We always do a quick straw poll before the race, and this time at least half of the runners raised their hand to identify themselves as first-time trail racers. We're seeing familiar faces from the road running crowd."

The race course led runners on a mixture of open gravel and grassy paths as well as a short section of singletrack named the Boy Scout loop. Although more challenging than some may have expected, this race was a great opportunity for those new to the sport of trail running.

Alan Horton of Knoxville, TN set a new course record with a blinding time of 29:23:00. Close behind in 2nd and 3rd place respectively were John Sillery of Chattanooga, 30:11:00 and Kevin Boucher of Chattanooga, 32:43:00. Amanda Afdahl, new to the Rock/Creek Trail Series this year, led the women's division with a time of 39:42. Amanda, a Resident Director at Covenant College in neighboring Lookout Mountain, GA, shared the podium with 3rd place finisher and fellow employee Debby Vannoy, 42:42:00. Debby is the Covenant College Cross Country Coach. Laurie Cook finished 2nd in the women's division with a time of 42:00.

When asked his thoughts on the race, Steve Hamaker, local Chattanooga resident and race participant, had this to say: "It rocked! The race was well organized. The course had a good balance of singletrack, switchbacks, and wide trails and was especially great for beginners. And Greenway Farm is a great location in Chattanooga for this sort of family-oriented event. I really enjoyed the race and am ready to do it again."

Mobley credits the success of the race to the support of sponsors and tireless efforts of race volunteers: "I am incredibly grateful first and foremost to Outdoor Chattanooga for providing access to Greenway Farm for the race, to Rock/Creek, Marmot, Salomon, SmartWool, END Footwear, Archer Physical Therapy and Greenlife Grocery for their generous support. And like any other race in the series, the Greenway 5 Mile would not be possible were it not for the efforts of our volunteer staff."

The Greenway 5 Mile Trail Race is the 5th of 8 races in the Rock/Creek Trail Race Series. For more information on the race, visit: http://www.rockcreek.com/greenway and for other races go to http://www.rockcreek.com/trailseries/

About Rock/Creek:

Rock/Creek, member of the Grassroots Outdoor Alliance, is an independent specialty outdoor retailer based in Chattanooga, TN. Rock/Creek was named 2009 Online Retailer of the Year by Backpacker Magazine and SNEWS and was listed as a Top 25 Retailer by Outdoor Business for 2008 and 2009. Along with its online shops, RockCreek.com and ClimbingGear.com, Rock/Creek provides quality outdoor clothing and gear for a host of activities including kayaking, rock climbing, camping, hiking, trail running, travel and adventure racing. Rock/Creek is committed to making a positive impact on the environment. For this reason, it uses outdoor retail as a platform to encourage outdoor recreation and environmental stewardship and to improve public access to the backcountry. Rock/Creek supports worthy nonprofits such as the Southeastern Climbers' Coalition and the Wilderness Trail Running Association. For related articles on Rock/Creek, visit www.rockcreek.com/media/

Posted by Mark McKnight at 10:22 AM | Comments (0)

August 12, 2009

Rock/Creek's Rolling O' Lab event featured on iMultisport

Our friends at iMultisport have begun video coverage for a variety of sports and highlights from community events. They were present at Rock/Creek's Two North Shore location when we hosted the Oakley Rolling O' Lab back in June. If you missed the event this year, click on the iMultisport logo below and take a look at the full spectrum of tests and insights the Oakley Rolling O'Lab had to offer.

The Oakley Rep in the beginning of the video is wearing the Oakley Jupiter Sunglasses. The Oakley Jupiter has High Definition Optic lenses as demonstrated in the visual clarity test conducted inside the Rolling O' Lab.

The Oakley Sunglasses used inside the Rolling O' Lab for the (ANSI) Industrial Impact test were the Oakley GasCans. The demonstration included the High Velocity Impact Test with a Quarter Inch ball bearing shot at the Plutonite® lens, 150 ft/second= 102 MPH.

Writer's Pick:
"The Oakley Enduring Edge Sunglasses for Women is currently my most favorite sporty looking pair of Oakley Sunglasses! For men, I have to say the Oakley Half Jacket Sunglasses (REG) are really good looking glasses on a guy" -Rachel

Posted by Rachel Tucker at 5:34 PM | Comments (0)

August 6, 2009

Rock/Creek Race Team Member Finishes GA AT Charity Run

~For those of you who have followed the inspiring story of Rock/Creek's Race Team Member Matt Karzen's run for a cause, you will be pleased to hear he has successfully completed his goal of running along the Georgia Appalachian Trail (about 76 miles). Matt started the adventure on July 25th. Matt is now rested and recovering and put this event report together. He shares his experience with our community in order to inspire others to parallel their activities with their passions to go and do good to make our world better.~ Rock/Creek



"I knew up front this effort to 'one-shot' the 76 miles of the Georgia AT would be at the outer marker of my capacity to endure - that is, after all, sort of the point. But this time the journey to the edge of my possibilities was for a reason way bigger than me. It was beyond the usual motivators, like running just because it's fun, or racing other people. This run was planned and executed to raise money for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation - an organization that provides educational grants (and other crucial services) to the children of U.S. Special Forces Operators killed or injured in the line of duty. All told it looks like we will raise about $6,000.00, so in the end, despite the grinding fatigue, the hollow nausea, the numb spots in my left foot, the spiders in my face and the bear attack on my car (for real..), it was, in my book, a big success. Here are the gory and beautiful details:"-MK

Pre- Race Preparation:

The Georgia Appalachian Trail from north to south, consists of 76 rocky single track miles, about 20,000 feet of vertical climbing and descending spread among a stack of steep grades that profiles like the read-out on a heart rate monitor. It is an excellent place to find humility.

Friday, June 24, 2009, 5:30 p.m.: Ben Green and I drove up to Blue Ridge Gap, located on an unforgiving forest road that intersects the A.T. about 3 miles from the North Carolina state line. Ben was there to provide all manner of logistical support AND to run the last 50K with me. A former Army Blackhawk helicopter pilot who worked SAR duty in the Pacific, and an Ironman finisher, the young man is no stranger to suffering or helping others. Up front things got interesting, as I struggled to get my sedan up the rutted dirt road so as to limit our hike into the camp site to 3 miles. Once miraculously parked at the gap, we grabbed up the tent etc., mixed up some powdered nutrition drinks on my trunk and started up the trail. Upon arrival, we chilled out at the base of the gnarled tree that dominates the GA/NC border at Bly Gap, and went lights out about 9:00 p.m. During the night, unbeknownst to us, rats ate our toilet paper and, get this, a bear, apparently thinking the spilled Hammer Perpetuem on my trunk meant there was food inside, tried to eat my car. Claw scratches and tooth puncture marks now bedazzle my rear plastic bumper, and my license plate was folded in half. Did not see that coming.

Morning Beginning:
Saturday, June 25, 5:00 a.m.: I shuffled around the tent, greased up the feet with Vaseline, slid on the SmartWool socks, tightened up the Salamon XT-Wings, guzzled some coffee from the Jet-Boil, and at 6:30 a.m., I stood at the GA/NC line, pressed the button on my stopwatch, and started running.

Miles 1-9: The trail from the state line at Bly Gap to Dick's Creek Gap is super nice, especially when moving south, as it is gently downhill most of the way. I did stop by my car to ponder what wilderness-bound scoundrel might have vandalized the bumper and trunk - I did not realize it was the bear in whose living room I had parked until Ben figured it out later. Other than that, it was a very peaceful run through the early morning woods to Highway 75.

Miles 10-25: This section, through the Tray Mountain wilderness area, is challenging, home to the twin peaks of Tray and Rocky Mountains - steep, sharp topography on the section's west end. The climb out of Dick's Creek on the east end is also sort of a biggy, but it was the first real one of the day, so I rambled up at a clip that was appropriate given the overall goal, but making good time none the less. About mile 17, the trail arcs up, to the top of Tray Mountain. By this time it was getting warm, I was getting tired and I bumped into my first encounter with "the sadness": That's the emotional valley, the low in "highs and lows" that people talk about when they do things like run big long distances. About that time my buddy Jeff, who was waiting to run with me at Unicoi Gap, sent me a text message meant to motivate: "U suck. Hurry up." Had I been on an emotional high, I might have clued in to his actual intent and been inspired to attempt a throttle-up. However, not being happy at that moment, I replied, and I quote: "Bite me. Go Home." Sorry brother - you know I love you. Up and over Tray, fast on the down to Indian Grave Gap, heinous march up Rocky Mountain, and there were my boys at the top: TJ, Jeff, John, Ben, Rob and Georgia State Patrol Trooper Atwood, all ready to run. Sensing the desperation in my cyber-tantrum text message, they had hiked up from Unicoi. We ran down Rocky Mountain at a solid clip, to Unicoi Gap, recklessly ignoring the miles yet to come and having too much fun with that steep, technical Hahanenkam of a descent. Re-supplied at Unicoi, Ben drove on to the next road crossing down range, and off we went - me, Jeff, John, Rob, TJ and Trooper Atwood.

Miles 26-40: After the steep freefall from Rocky into Unicoi Gap, the first thing we did is head straight back up about 1100' in just over 1 rock strewn mile. We topped out, and Johnny set a nice pace at the front. A good section of the trail is an old wagon road that slopes gently down in this direction, so for the next 9 miles or so, we were all smiling and running.

However, it was the first time running on the AT for several of the dudes with me, and during their recruitment I did not really tell them much except to say "it's only 14 miles, pretty mellow terrain, only one real climb". All technically true, but I guess I forgot to mention the sharp rocks that cover much of the trail, and between those, and the big climb, some of the boys were hit with empty water bottles and sore feet about ¾ of the way through. When Rob, another Ironman finisher, went to the front and stepped up the tempo with about 3 or 4 miles to go, dehydration and bruised feet took their toll on the other road-shoe clad, single water bottle guys.

Trooper Atwood went off the back, and Jeff hung with him. John and TJ had road shoes on also, and after a bit slipped back a tad with sore feet, as Rob lead me into Hogpen Gap looking a lot stronger than the previous 40 miles under foot intended. At Hogpen were Ben, and David Crowe and his wife Gay. David is a supremely powerful cyclist, a former pro, founder of Athens' notorious Winter Bike League and a man with a gigantic heart of gold. He and Gay had a cooler full of PB&J, Coke, icy water, dark chocolate and even Heinekens. Ben, ever the first responder, had a ground pad laid out for me and I took a load off for a spell. After a PB&J and a Coke, I re-supplied and stood to move out. When I left, Trooper Atwood was still out there, somewhere, in the woods, no doubt praying he didn't get into a foot chase that night on his shift.

Miles 41-46: This stretch from Hogpen to Neels Gap I ran alone - not real long, but with several stout, short, steep climbs. Around 6:00 p.m. the rhythmic stride of my time chasing Rob into Hogpen disappeared with a bout of ugly nausea, and it was here, around mile 43, that I began to draw on the inspiration of the Special Forces kids: No way was I going to go negative, dwell on my petty nausea and the long slog ahead. I thought of the sacrifice and resilience of those SF soldiers, and their children, and in a bizarre flip, it was they who were helping me - I knew the donations were in, I knew the money would go to the kids whether I dropped out or not, but it was the thought of what they and their parents go through that inspired.

It was then that I truly realized what an honor it was to have the luxury of doing this. Being, in that moment, all about the love of family, I called wife Pam and son Sam, who were waiting at Neels. The sound of a loved ones voice is a miracle-worker, and they urged me on, with giggles, so I stepped it up again and pushed hard into Neels Gap. There were Pam and Sam, along with Ben and others in support. What a welcome site. I munched some pretzels, took a bite of date bar, goofed off with Sam and draped a towel over my head to see if the nausea would pass. After about 30 minutes, it sorta-kinda did, so Ben and I geared up and stepped together across the road to the base of Blood Mountain: 30 miles to go, and it was definitely about to get dark in those woods.

Miles 47-56: The prospect of marching straight up 1250' from Neels Gap to the top of Blood was so daunting that I think the utter helplessness of it actually made it easier: I recently discovered the phrase "Embrace the Suck" - one of my new favorites. Once I let go of the dread, it was actually a pleasant, although difficult, climb. It's quite steep, with big 18" step-ups to add to the fun. Ben and I plodded up, and somewhere along the way, the sky filled with ink. It was pitch black, with a sharp crescent moon peaking through the forest canopy, and when we hit the top of Blood, the view literally stopped us in our tracks.

Looking south, the lights of the small hamlets of north Georgia twinkled in the broad basins (valleys?) below, and the sky was awash in stars. Here we were, just north of Cleveland, Georgia, and my mouth was hanging open. It was awesome - period. There was, however, much work to be done, so after a brief audience with some of the best Mother Nature has to offer, we tipped over the summit and moved down the trail. This is where things got tricky, on so many levels.

First, it was about here that my quads sent me the bill for the fast descents earlier in the day. Each step off any ledge or on any steep down-slope activated a gland in my legs I didn't even know I had which apparently produces pure ground glass. Plus, even with a quality 4-bulb LED headlamp, the A.T. is sketchy in the dark - sharp granite edges pop out of the trail like weeds, so any misstep could be, well, painful at best. I guess what I am trying to say is, I slowed way down.

We also got totally freaked out by the sounds of an invisible, but very large and lumbering, mammal thumping off the trail nearby, and we either saw or imagined a C-130 military aircraft rip-skimming the ridgeline on night maneuvers. Ben tells me he used to practice night flying in his Blackhawk in this area, so I guess it was real... After a while we managed to fumble our way to Woody Gap. Waiting for us there was Kirk Smith, another local animal, multiple Ironman finisher, Boston 26.2 dude and a guy who voluntarily rides a bike with Crowe. Kirk had gone on a 65 mile "single-file Saturday" bike ride that morning with David, then at 9:00 p.m., jumped in his car and drove up from Athens to do the last 20 miles with us. The man is the man. We shuffled into his company at Woody Gap about 1:45 a.m. or so, re-loaded, and now we were three for the final push.

Miles 57-76: A couple years ago, when my brother paced me at Leadville, he said afterward that "running at night has a quality all its own. If things are going to get weird, that's where it is going to happen." Confirmed. Again. Kirk was a great source of stability - as he put it, he was the "the only sober guy at the party". His grounding presence notwithstanding, I could swear I dreamt the 3 hours from 2:00 a.m. until 5:00 a.m. I sort of floated between a deep, hollow void, and a giddy delusional euphoria. The down moments involved a stomach so empty it echoed, coupled with a gag reflex intolerant of more than ½ a gel at a time, plus the whole glass-in-the-quads thing.

The up moments were like having beer goggles on and looking in the mirror: I thought I was doing great, cruising along, and I was for sure having fun, but I was actually the same old worn out dude not moving very fast. The funky, head-tilting moments are too numerous to recall, but I do remember the following: The eyes of tiny spiders sitting on the low grass and leaves, reflecting like mirrors in my headlamp; some bigger spiders and their webs wrapping around my face as I passed through; a HUGE spider sitting high in his web, that looked like a freaking crab (can you tell I have a spider thing?); the dew on the underside of the leaves, reflecting a hue in the glow of our headlamps that made them look like they were covered in white fur or snow; the periodic bear rambling sounds and getting to the point where that hardly warranted a glance; eating one of Kirk's PB&J's while sitting in the dark, in the dirt, in the woods; disclosing more details than one ever should about the location of more problematic chafes; the first light of the morning sky. Beyond that, all I can tell you is that running (or hiking) through the woods all night is something that everyone should do at least once - I guarantee you will not regret it.

Once daylight broke, fatigue, specifically sleep deprivation, became overwhelming. The effort itself takes its toll, but once you get near 22 hours without sleep, that, at least for me, becomes the elephant on the back. The trail seemed to constantly break straight up for a short brutal 10-15 minute climb, then drop straight down in a stabbing, wincing descent, again and again and again. At one point, Ben was seeing foxholes covered in camo-netting and non-existent bridges over ravines. When the wind kicked up through a big canyon between the ridge we were on and the one to our left, I swear I heard a tailgate party: For about 10 minutes, it sounded like we were trumbling through the parking lot at UGA's Sanford Stadium about an hour before kickoff, complete with the sounds of the Red Coat Band warming up someplace in the distance.

Auditory and visual hallucinations by our side, we pressed on. The paucity of mile markers, coupled with my earlier delusion as to our pace between 2 and 5 in the morning, left me scratching my head (and really wanting to whine) after a while as to why we were not done yet. When we hit the sign that said, to my eyes, "Matt, you still have 4.2 miles to go, and its uphill, so step up brother", I had another moment of what I think may be a powerful new zone for me, if it continues to make itself available: Embrace the Suck. I experienced an involuntary resignation to my inevitable reality, true acceptance, and it was suddenly not nearly so troublesome. I think that if we just let go of it - if we, as Christopher McDougall said recently, "demand nothing from our endurance", it will thrive, it will provide and it will get us where we need to be. So, in the end, at the end, the last 4.2 miles I actually felt pretty good.

Springer Mountain: David and Gay Crowe, and dog Gibby, met us at the finish. I don't even want to know how long they may have waited. They, and Kirk, shuttled Ben and I in all of our stinky funk, back to my Yogi Bear-chew-toy car at Neels Gap. I changed clothes, ate some jerky, drank a sprite, and stapled my eyelids open to drive home because all I wanted was to see my wife and son.

Conclusion:

So, the whole thing, as things like this are meant to be, was a grand adventure. I remain convinced that probing the boundaries of suffering and sacrifice in this manner is good for everyone, wherever those boundaries might be, and I know it is good for me. But traversing terrain in this way, on a beautiful summer weekend in the mountains a couple hours from my house, with my friends, is, in the end, a tremendous luxury.

The U.S. Special Forces push their boundaries on a level that I can only pretend to comprehend, leaving their families for months on end, ducking bullets and pursuing antagonists that specifically intend only one brutal fate for them. Indulging in my luxury run this past weekend, while challenging, vivid and beautiful, was primarily to honor all of them in the best way I knew how. They 'do' for the rest of us, without hesitation, at the ultimate cost and under the most grueling and dangerous of circumstances. They are my heroes, their children are my heroes, and I hope they will be blessed with strength and peace.
Matt Karzen, 7/29/09

Donate to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation through First Giving

Donate Directly to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation through their website

Inspired to test your skills and endurance on a trail? Register for the upcoming Rock/Creek Trail Series, the StumpJump 50K & 11 Mile Trail Race October 3, 2009 in Chattanooga, TN.

Weekend events feature special guest Ultramarathon Man, Dean Karnazes, for Friday 10/2 and Saturday 10/3 night speaking opportunities and VIP Reception Saturday 10/3. As well as a huge Vendor Fair hosted at Rock/Creek Two North Shore store location on Friday.

Posted by Rachel Tucker at 10:57 AM | Comments (0)

July 21, 2009

Volunteer for the Cumberland Trail Conference!

To our local Chattanooga community: If you are looking for a fun, organized, and low stress opportunity to get involved, please consider the following volunteer options presented by The Cumberland Trail Conference.

August 1, 2009: On Saturday, 2:00pm EST, Obed Wild and Scenic River National Park visitor center, Wartburg, Tennessee, Tony Hook, General Manager, Cumberland Trail Conference, will be presenting the Cumberland Trail project. Information concerning the Cumberland Trail project's past, present and future will be discussed. For further information, please contact the park visitor center at 423-346-6294.

September 25-27: Trail maintenance Tennessee River Gorge Segment. Interested volunteers will meet in the morning at 8:00am EST at Signal Point parking lot. Volunteers will be helping to repair wooden steps at Signal Point. This is a National Public Lands Day (September 26) event. Volunteers will need work gloves, water, and lunch. Please register for this event at www. cumberlandtrail.org or by contacting the CTC at 931-456-6259

September 28-30: Trail maintenance Tennessee River Gorge Segment. Trail maintenance will be performed from Mushroom Rock to Indian Rock House, and the Mullins Cove and Pot Point loops. This maintenance is in preparation for the October 3, Stump Jump Race. Interested volunteers please contact Tony Hook at cumberlandtrail@rocketmail.com or 931-456-6259.

October 2-3: Rock/Creek Outfitters in Chattanooga, Vendor Fair and 2009 Stump Jump Trail Race. A portion of the proceeds benefits the Cumberland Trail project. Please contact Rock/Creek at 888-707-6708(toll free), 423-266-8200 or visit the website at www.rockcreek.com/stumpjump for more information.

October 6-9: Trail maintenance New River segment (formally Smoky Mountain segment). Maintenance will be performed from Cove Lake SP trailhead to Norma Road. Interested volunteers please contact CTC office at cumberlandtrail@rocketmail.com or 931-456-6259.

October 15-19, 22-25 and November 12-16: Bridge replacement Rock Creek segment. Deteriorated log bridges across Boiling Springs, Flat Branch, and Rocky Branch will be replaced. Volunteers are needed to help move material and construct bridges made of treated lumber, further details TBA. Interested volunteers please contact CTC office at cumberlandtrail@rocketmail.com or 931-456-6259.

November 6-8: Annual Statewide TTA meeting, Townsend, Tennessee. Please visit www.tennesseetrails.org for more information.

February 21-March27, 2010: Annual BreakAway program. Lodging will be at the Dogwood Lodge, Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee. Trail construction and maintenance will be in the North Chickamauga Gorge segment, further details TBA.

April-June 2010: Trail construction in the New River segment. This construction will take place in the North Cumberland WMA located in Anderson, Morgan, and Scott counties, further details TBA.

Keep in mind, these volunteer options fulfill activity suggestions from the Passport to the Outdoors Sweepstakes Entries!

For further questions about The Cumberland Trail Conference visit their website at: http://www.cumberlandtrail.org/index.html

Posted by Rachel Tucker at 5:43 PM | Comments (0)

June 29, 2009

Words from the Master of a Stage Race

Coach Lee Simril, the Chattanooga Mountains Stage Race Men's Masters winner, shares his impressions of the 2009 Stage Race. He is a guest writer for the Rock/Creek Chronicle, and with that said, here are some words from his three day trail experience:

"First of all, a BIG congratulations to all the finishers this weekend - what a huge accomplishment.

Secondly...Wow, what a cool race! This was my first running stage race and I was not sure how I felt about stacking multiple days of hard and long running races together. I tend to take a couple of easy days in between hard running efforts, but I just could not resist doing this race in my own backyard.

I have to say I was pleasantly surprised how my body handled the back to back days. Maybe it is the fact that the race is held on trails and not road, so it minimizes the pounding. I felt a little stiff and tired warming up each day, but once the gun fired it felt like any other trail race.

Competing for your overall raking in a stage race is very interesting. Each day you race for a finish on the day's race, while at the same time you are building an overall ranking for the combination of the three days. The concept is simple: each day you try to make up time on the people ranked in front of you. The trick is being able to do that without burning yourself out and getting caught by the people behind you.

Most people in the race had their own little battles going on with the people around them, and it made for very interesting racing. After the days' stages we all congratulated each other and had a few laughs about the events of the day.

The race organizers set up ice baths to use after each stage to aid in recovery. The ice baths were very popular and well used. Natalie Sims had one of my favorite quotes of the weekend when she advised a runner who was unsure about getting in the bucket right after he finished that "maybe you should wait on taking an ice bath...so that I can do mine now"...Now that is diplomacy!

Tempted to add this event to your calendar for next year? You do not have to be a superman or woman to finish a running stage race, you just need to build your running mileage for a few months beforehand and be willing to push yourself. The course is challenging and the weather can be hot, but it would not be a truly epic adventure if it was easy."

About the author:

Lee Simril, USAT Certified Coach, USA Swimming Coach

Since competing in his first triathlon in 1985, Lee has had a passion for the sport. Lee was the captain of his soccer team at Brevard College and went on to run track at High Point College in N.C. He was a captain and MVP at the conference and district meets.

After college, he competed nationally as a Triathlete. Lee thought he would eventually get a "real" job and leave sports behind, until he met his wife Brenda. Brenda was equally passionate about endurance sports, and within a few years, they had formed a four person Adventure Racing team that won the United States Adventure Racing Association's (USARA) National Championship.

Lee has coached Soccer, Masters Swimming, Youth Swimming, and Track and field for over twenty years. For the last thirteen years he worked for the American Bicycle Group (ABG), which manufactures Litespeed, Merlin and QR bicycles. During this time he worked with top athletes from around the world in the sales and design of wetsuits and bicycles.

Check out the Simril Multisport Coaching website to find out how you can "Reach Your Full Potential" through SMC for quality consultation and training www.simrilmultisportcoaching.com/default.html.

The next races in the Rock/Creek Trail Series have opened registration. Check out these upcoming races:

Rock/Creek Greenway
5 Mile Trail Race
August 8, 2009
Greenway Farms Chattanooga, TN
http://www.rockcreek.com/greenway

Rock/Creek Stump Jump 50K
50K & 11 Mile Trail Running Race
October 3, 2009
Chattanooga, TN
http://www.rockcreek.com/stumpjump/

Posted by Rachel Tucker at 12:43 PM | Comments (0)

June 25, 2009

Legendary Wilderness Crusader Doug Scott to speak at Rock/Creek on June 26th

REMINDER: This event takes place TOMORROW, THIS FRIDAY. Please come out! It's going to be a great opportunity to learn about saving our wilderness areas and to hear some of the history behind our American wilderness. Oakley has stepped up to provide some catering, so we'll have some food available. Please RSVP so we know how many are coming, but don't let that keep you away if you haven't been able to RSVP.

It takes an act of Congress to designate specific areas of land as forever protected "Wilderness" lands. Our natural, untouched resources are seemingly the most neglected areas by mankind. However, once land is selected, maintenance and preservation is reinforced, prolonging the existence of precious acres all across the nation.

In this current economic time of budget cuts and expenses causing a decrease in advocacy, what will the future be for our unprotected lands? Who will speak for them?

Come join Rock/Creek at the Two North Shore location on Friday, June 26th at 6pm to hear the answers to all these questions and more, as we welcome Doug Scott, a nationally recognized author and Policy Director for the Campaign for America's Wilderness. Rock/Creek has the privilege to host an evening of discussion and a book signing with this transformational public figure, as he talks attendees through his history with Wilderness campaigning, community support, and instruction on how to help pass along a gift to future generations.

Doug formerly managed a local environmental group in the San Juan Islands of Washington State, worked at The Wilderness Society, and for 17 years for the Sierra Club, including as conservation director and associate executive director. Doug was involved in enactment of the Eastern Wilderness Areas Act (1975), The Endangered American Wilderness Act (1978), the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness (Idaho, 1980), The Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (1980), and the California Desert Protection Act (California, 1994), among others. Doug's status as a wilderness crusader takes him all around the United States for workshops, panel discussions, book signings, and radio talk show appearances such as the Dian Rehme Show, this past March.

Mark your calendars, and don't miss out on this eye-opening experience, free to the public however, RSVP is required below.
You may also RSVP by calling Rock/Creek at 423.266.8200 ext: 1112. Leave a message with your Name, Number, and Number of expected attendees

Posted by Rachel Tucker at 4:15 PM | Comments (0)

June 10, 2009

Kris Whorton's Chattanooga Mountains Stage Race "Pep Talk"

In preparation for the Chattanooga Mountains Stage Race, Rock/Creek Race Team member and 2009 Female Masters 100 Mile champion Kris Whorton takes a few moments to talk participants through a multi-day trail running race from preparation, completion, to recovery.

Physical Training:
Depending on the length of the event, you want to try to simulate the conditions you'll be running in, especially duration (both distances and number of days), and speed. Plan to do several three day back to back runs to be mentally and physically prepared. Your longer preparation runs should be no more than 30% shorter than the actual distances you will run. You will, of course, be more mentally prepared if you run the distances you will be running in the event. Additionally, you should know what foods and drinks work for you while running as well as before and after. The distances for the Chattanooga Mountains Stage Race are short enough that you should be able to pull through if you run into issues with foods and fluids. Still, it is best to bring what you need and carry it with you.

Don't surprise your system and don't leave anything that you can control to chance.

Mental Training:
As with any event, focus on what has gone well in your training and practice positive mental self-talk. Learn to stay present in your run rather than thinking about what remains. This will serve you well when you are only 10 miles into day one,15 miles into day two, or 5 miles into day three. If you've done the physical training then you have to be able to count on your mind. It can convince you to quit when there is no reason to except fatigue or the daunting fact of miles or hours remaining. Repeatedly tell yourself you feel strong, you feel fresh, your training is solid, you are enjoying the day. Don't focus on anything that isn't positive. The trails will be difficult but you are ready for them. It will be hot but you love the heat and run well in it. If your stomach starts to turn on you, tell yourself you feel good.

Another tactic is to smile or even force yourself to laugh when you are really feeling bad, and then you will start smiling or laughing at the thought that you are smiling or laughing when you feel terrible. It sounds crazy but it works.

Pre-race week:
Don't attempt to "carbo load" the week going into the event, or "really" hydrate, or "load up" on salt. Approach the event like it is a marathon or a 50k and do the things you would normally do. Eat well, drink, sleep. Run what you feel like but definitely on the light side (M - 4, T- 3, W - 4, Th- 0, F - day 1 of event).

Each day's approach:
Eat some breakfast, something you are used to, and give yourself time to digest enough that you won't have stomach problems. You typically need about 3 hours; if you don't have 3 hours, go ultra light on pre-race food and start taking in calories early in the event. Do what you would for a marathon or 50k.

Approach the start line with the idea that you are running the first part of a race and you must pace yourself accordingly. Don't go out too fast since you don't want to stress your body too much. Be mindful of food, fluids, and electrolytes over the course of the run. Be mindful of the toll of the miles, and the heat.

Each day's completion:
Be sure to have a recovery drink of choice and a snack in your car. We'll have some food at the end but it's best to go with what you are used to and supplement it with what we have. Your body will recover and be better prepared for the next day if it isn't shocked with food it isn't used to. You'll want a small amount of food and plenty of fluids, enough to get you off the mountain to your hotel or home where you can get a shower, get horizontal with your feet up, and then eat and drink some more. It is critical that you eat and drink and rest. Plan on your snack and a very light meal immediately following your run and then have something again before 7:00. Soak in a tub with Epsom salts. Get a good night's sleep.

Preparation for next day:
At the end of each day, get to your hotel and get your feet up. You must rest. Each day will be challenging (mentally and physically) in this event but each day you will know that you are closer to being done.

Recovery (the week after):
If you were properly trained and have no significant soreness, resume your running schedule. The stage race shouldn't represent any kind of upset. If you are sore or overly tired, scale back for a week or two.

Challenges:
Food -You may experience a loss of appetite during or after each stage, but you must eat and drink - you will have a significantly more difficult time finishing all three days if you don't replenish your fuel stores.
Chaffing/blisters - Wear shorts, shirts, bras that discourage chafing, and shoes and socks that you know will work for you. Lube up! Wear sunscreen, a hat, glasses. Bring all the things you need and normally use on a long run.
Mental recharging - At the end of the day, focus on what went well and what you plan to do the next day. Do not think about what didn't go well, unless you are planning to eat more, drink more (do some small adjustment to improve your run). Feel free to take time in the days following the event to consider what you will do differently next time, but until you are completely done, maintain a positive outlook and stay present. Don't think about the next stage until you are in it. What this means is don't run day one and think, "How am I going to do this for two more days?" Instead, tell yourself that you are doing great and you are enjoying the day and the course you are running.

DON'T DO ANYTHING NEW!!!

Benefits: Increased strength and confidence. A powerful sense of accomplishment!

Thank you Kris. Rock/Creek wishes everyone a safe preparation time this week and we will see all race participants bright and early on Friday, June 19.

Posted by Rachel Tucker at 2:53 PM | Comments (0)

June 8, 2009

Rock/Creek Scenic City Race Report from Coach Lee Simril

"Coach Lee" Simril, the third place overall finisher of the marathon length in the Scenic City Marathon and Half Marathon, shares his impression of the recent race, presented by Rock/Creek and The Vasque Project. Coach Lee's wife Brenda also won the women's division of the Marathon.

The Scenic City Trail Marathon was promoted as a fast trail race...

"The trails at Raccoon are fast and forgiving, making for a great leisurely race for new trail runners or a full-on speed fest for those in the hunt for the first state record for a trail race."

This may be true, but if you expected this to be a 26 mile jaunt on a Rail-Trail or a gravel road, you were in for a big surprise. The trails at Raccoon Mountain are real single track trails. The climbs are not long, but by the time you start your second lap of the course you will know that you are in for a battle.

Race day offered sun and pleasant temperatures. Any of you that have done other races in the series know that we have been racing in rain more often than not, so the sunshine was a nice treat. Between the Half Marathon and the Marathon, over 250 runners had the pleasure of running on the fantastic trails on top of Raccoon Mountain.

The entire field started together, which made the race even more interesting because marathoners were forced to monitor their own pace and avoid getting suckered into an unrealistic pace set by the half-marathoners. The great turnout made the first lap very fun and exciting with lots of company along the way. Once we made the split to head towards the 2nd loop, the familiar loneliness and single-mindedness of the distance trail runner took effect. The venue atop Raccoon Mountain is a perfect setting to enjoy the outdoors and push you to the limits.

There were many highlights of the day from the course - weather, aid stations, swag bag - but it really came down to the hamburgers at the end of the race. Shortly after completing the race, my wife Brenda said she was not sure if her stomach was ready for food. She accepted a burger anyway, knowing that she needed the nourishment. I think it took her about 30 seconds to down the whole thing after the tentative first bite. This seemed to also ease the aches associated with the major digger she took while negotiating one of the steep downhills about 4 miles from the finish. Crossing the finish line covered in sweat, mud and blood, it certainly made for a good photo op. Another reminder that this was not a stroll in the park!

From someone that travels a lot to races like this, one of the great things is that this is a true mountain run that is located within 15 minutes of a major city. Chattanooga has nice hotels, food, tourist activity, etc. so you get a great trail race and are not stuck in the middle of nowhere. This is a must do race, so add it to your calendar for 2010.

See the full results, photos, and keep tabs on next year's race details on The Scenic City Trail Marathon Web site >

About the author:

Lee Simril, USAT Certified Coach, USA Swimming Coach

Since competing in his first triathlon in 1985, Lee has had a passion for the sport. Lee was the captain of his soccer team at Brevard College and went on to run track at High Point College in N.C. He was a captain and MVP at the conference and district meets. After college, he competed nationally as a Triathlete. Lee thought he would eventually get a "real" job and leave sports behind, until he met his wife Brenda. Brenda was equally passionate about endurance sports, and within a few years, they had formed a four person Adventure Racing team that won the United States Adventure Racing Association's (USARA) National Championship.

Lee has coached Soccer, Masters Swimming, Youth Swimming, and Track and field for over twenty years. For the last thirteen years he worked for the American Bicycle Group (ABG), which manufactures Litespeed, Merlin and QR bicycles. During this time he worked with top athletes from around the world in the sales and design of wetsuits and bicycles.
Check out the Simril Multisport Coaching website to find out how you can "Reach Your Full Potential" through SMC for quality consultation and training www.simrilmultisportcoaching.com/default.html.

The next races in the Rock/Creek Trail Series have opened registration. Check out these upcoming races:

Chattanooga Mountains Stage Race
3 days of mountain trail running: 22 mile / 18 mile / 20 mile
June 19-21, 2009
Lookout, Raccoon, and Signal Mountains
http://www.rockcreek.com/stagerace/

Rock/Creek Stump Jump 50K
50K & 11 Mile Trail Running Race
October 3, 2009
Chattanooga, TN
http://www.rockcreek.com/stumpjump/

Posted by Rachel Tucker at 5:24 PM | Comments (0)

June 3, 2009

Rock/Creek Race Member, Josh Wheeler Successful at White Lake Half Triathlon

Rock/Creek Race Team Member, Josh Wheeler, finished third at the White Lake Half II Triathlon for the Open Males Division. Wheeler, native to Signal Mountain, TN now living in Boone, NC finished in 4:20:27 with a swimming time of 29:57, a bike time of 2:21:51 and a run time of 1:25:49.

" I waded out into the water, dolphin dived twice and was then informed by the announcer that the race would be starting in 45 seconds. 'Cool,' I thought, 'Let's get it on'...The first hour we were rolling mad thunder. I think I clocked through the 27mi maker at the hour... I stayed calm and continued to focus on good nutrition and my own rhythm... With a mile left, I re-attacked on the downhill, surging and opened a small gap..."

Follow him through his whole race day at White Lake and previous races, by visiting his personal Blog at http://jrwheeler.blogspot.com/

Great work Josh! We look forward to reporting your continued success with school and races.

Posted by Rachel Tucker at 3:31 PM | Comments (0)

June 2, 2009

Rock/Creek Announces New Finisher's Prize from SmartWool for the Chattanooga Mountains Stage Race

Two more weeks to sign up for this challenging trail running race

Today Rock/Creek announces a new finisher's prize for their 3nd annual Chattanooga Mountains Stage Race, presented by SmartWool benefiting The Boonies. The first 50 racers who finish all three grueling days will receive a merino top honoring them as finishers in one of the most challenging races in the area. The third running of the race will take place on June 19, 20, 21, 2009. This caliber of a race, never seen in the Southeast until recently, consists of 3 exhilarating days of mountainous trail running.

"All race battle wounds are healed from last year's debut race, and racers now have experience with the intense course. This should really up the ante and make for a high level of competition" says Mark McKnight, one of the race organizers; "We already have ten states represented and I imagine SmartWool's finisher's prize will attract even more world-class athletes to Chattanooga."

The course showcases three beautiful mountains surrounding Chattanooga, including 20 miles on Lookout Mountain on day one, 18 miles on Raccoon Mountain on day two, and 22 miles to a grand finish on Signal Mountain for day three.

This challenging yet attainable race benefits The Boonies (Wilderness Trail Running Association) with their ongoing trail building and maintenance campaigns. The race will be presented by Rock/Creek, sponsored by SmartWool, Marmot, Salomon, Hammer Nutrition and Greenlife. Pre-registered participants will receive a technical tee by Marmot. Prizes and raffles will be provided as well. The race is the fourth in the 2009 Rock/Creek Trail Series; the next race will be the Greenway 5 Mile Trail Race in August.

See full details and register online at
http://www.rockcreek.com/stagerace/

REGISTRATION + free Tee Shirt offer ENDS JUNE 11, 2009
Late Registrants after JUNE 11, will not receive a tee-shirt

Posted by Rachel Tucker at 4:06 PM | Comments (0)

June 1, 2009

Rock/Creek Raises $5,000 for The Boonies at 3rd Annual Scenic City Trail Marathon

(Chattanooga, TN)- Locally-owned specialty outdoor retailer Rock/Creek today announces a $5,000 donation for The Boonies, the latest in a string of donations stemming from the Rock/Creek Trail Series. The Boonies will use the money to help run future events as well as secure access to single track trails. These funds came from last Saturday morning's third annual Scenic City Trail Marathon and Half Marathon, presented by Vasque PROJECT and Rock/Creek. Other contributing sponsors include SmartWool, Marmot, The North Face, and Hammer Nutrition. Local sponsors include Greenlife Grocery and Cleveland Toyota.

Threatening clouds and the forecast rain held off just long enough for the 183 half marathon and 73 marathon finishers to come across the line. The race took place on the trails around TVA's Raccoon Mountain Pumped Storage Facility. Compared to 2008, the race saw 25% growth in half marathon runners and 62% growth in marathon runners.

The course makes this a fast race, and this years' winner set a new course record. Rock/Creek Race Team Member Matt Sims cruised through the cloudy weather for an overall winning time of 3:11:47; nearly 27 minutes faster than last years' Marathon time of 3:38:04. Sims had this to say: "I am pleased with the race and I did exactly what I wanted to do. My hope was to stay with the lead group for the first loop and then try to gain ground through miles 17 through 24. This section is the more difficult and I figured it would be a good place to get ahead. It was a great course and a quality event."

Brenda Simril from Chattanooga battled it out on the course and placed first overall female with a time of 3:52:55. Second male overall was Josh Hite from Cookeville, TN with a time of 3:17:46 and Brenda's husband and owner of Simril Multisport Coaching, Coach Lee Simril placed third in 3:25:35. Dreama Campbell, also of Chattanooga, placed second female overall with 3:58:32. Cheri Fine from Atlanta, GA placed third female overall with a time of 4:00:53.

In the half marathon, Theodore Towse of Nashville took first in 1:29:18, just 3 minutes shy of last year's winning time and the current course record of 1:26:51. Sam Linhoss from Chattanooga and Jonathan Warner from Ringgold, GA were less than a minute apart. Linhoss placed second male in 1:30:41 and Warner placed third in 1:31:11. Taking the women's title, Jan Gautier from Chattanooga finished with a time of 1:39:13 followed by Theresa Saupé from Murfreesboro, TN in 1:44:30. Rock/Creek employee Deborah Jones from Hixson, TN finished third in 1:49:55.

Race Director Jonathan Mobley enjoyed the race, as he explains: "It was a great race overall. You could feel the excitement at the start line coming from a group of runners, far surpassing the number of participants in last year's race. It is encouraging to see the Rock/Creek Trail Series grow and I look forward to seeing more people experience these races in the future. I am extremely grateful to the volunteers, the sponsors, and the Vasque PROJECT for giving their time and resources to make this race possible."

The course runs along the perimeter trail of Raccoon Mountain, a TVA pumped-storage facility, and is a low impact single track created by SORBA (Southeast Off-Road Bicycle Organization). The trails offer declines, straight-a-ways, a rock bridge bypass, and hill climbs, making it one of the best trail running and mountain biking locations within 25 minutes of downtown Chattanooga.

Proceeds from both events go to The Wilderness Trail Running Association (aka The Boonies) and will be used for future trail races, trail maintenance, and sustainability efforts in the Cumberland and Southern Appalachian Mountains. A portion of the money raised will go to help with SORBA's trail building efforts. $2,000 of the total came from Vasque's PROJECT Thanks, an initiative that has been developed to drive awareness and donations to marquee nonprofit groups working to preserve trails across the country. The Vasque PROJECT is an effort, through nation-wide sponsorship of trail races, to foster competition, community, and stewardship. Through PROJECT Thanks, Vasque PROJECT event directors encourage partners to donate a portion of race fees to trail preservation or similar philanthropic groups in their local area. The Rock/Creek StumpJump 50k on October 3rd and The Lookout Mountain 100K & 10K on December 19th will also be part of The Vasque PROJECT.

The Scenic City Trail Marathon is part of the increasingly popular Rock/Creek Trail Series, a year-long trail running race series with 9 race dates and 13 distance options. The race attained national recognition this year with runners representing 10 states. The next event in the series is the Chattanooga Mountains Stage Race, taking place on June 19, 20, and 21. For more information on the series, visit http://www.rockcreek.com/trailseries/

About Rock/Creek:

Rock/Creek, member of the Grassroots Outdoor Alliance, is an independent specialty outdoor retailer based in Chattanooga, TN. Rock/Creek was named 2009 Online Retailer of the Year by Backpacker Magazine and SNEWS and was listed as a Top 25 Retailer by Outdoor Business for 2008 and 2009. Along with its online shops, RockCreek.com and ClimbingGear.com, Rock/Creek provides quality outdoor clothing and gear for a host of activities including kayaking, rock climbing, camping, hiking, trail running, travel and adventure racing. Rock/Creek is committed to making a positive impact on the environment. For this reason, it uses outdoor retail as a platform to encourage outdoor recreation and environmental stewardship and to improve public access to the backcountry. Rock/Creek supports worthy nonprofits such as the Southeastern Climbers' Coalition and the Wilderness Trail Running Association. For related articles on Rock/Creek, visit www.rockcreek.com/media/

Posted by Mark McKnight at 3:18 PM | Comments (0)

May 21, 2009

Nearly 300 Signed up for Saturday's Scenic City Trail Marathon

******Media Alert*********

This Saturday, Rock/Creek and the Vasque Project Present The Scenic City Trail Marathon & 1/2 Marathon, benefiting The Boonies

What: Nearly 300 runners have signed up to run a fast, forgiving trail in the second race of the Rock/Creek Trail Series
Where: TVA Raccoon Mountain Pumped Storage Facility
When: Saturday, May 23, 2009, 8:00 a.m EST race start
Who: Rock/Creek, Vasque Project, The Boonies (Wilderness Trail Running Association)

Photo Opportunities:
Nearly 300 trail runners from around the United States will be competing on a beautiful course with sweeping views of the TN River Gorge and the Raccoon Mountain Reservoir.

Interview Opportunities:
Shiloh Mielke, world-class trail runner and Vasque Project athlete
Randy Whorton, President, The Boonies
Kris Whorton, fastest Female Masters 100-mile trail runner

Map to TVA's Raccoon Mountain Pumped Storage Facility (via Google Maps):
http://tinyurl.com/6dh9tu
When you get to the TVA Road, you follow it up to the gates to the facility. From there you will see signs directing you to Laurel Point.

Rock/Creek and the Vasque Project proudly present the third annual Scenic City Trail Marathon & 1/2 Marathon, taking place at TVA's Raccoon Mountain Pumped Storage Facility on the trails developed by SORBA-Chattanooga this Saturday. Both of these trail runs begin at 8:00 a.m. EST. Race-day registration and check-in will open at 7 a.m. The race begins and ends at the Laurel Point Parking Lot.

This increasingly popular Chattanooga race will be a stunning display of several hundred runners' determination to conquer fast and lenient trails, while posing the challenge of the imminent Course Record. Racers from 10 different states will be witness to beautiful landscapes, pristine forests and incredible community as a part of Rock/Creek's Trail Series.

"With 270 runners currently signed up to race, this now eclipses the 8-year-old Rock/Creek River Gorge Trail Race in participation, and becomes our second largest event after the StumpJump. I'm impressed with the level of commitment shown by the trail running community, as well as the many first-time trail runners I've heard from, people who are willing to move off the roads and try something new," explains Mark McKnight, one of the event organizers.

The Scenic City Trail Marathon is a journey for all runners, weather a beginner or an ultra fast runner aiming for the course record. This year's event includes a running clinic Friday night at Rock/Creek's Two North Shore location. The presenter will be world class trail runner Shiloh Mielke. Sponsors for the race include: Rock/Creek, Vasque Project, Marmot, Hammer Nutrition, The North Face, SmartWool, Greenlife Grocery, and Toyota of Cleveland. Participants who pre-registered will receive a technical tshirt from Marmot. Prizes and raffles will be provided as well.

Proceeds from the race benefit the Wilderness Trail Running Association (a.k.a. "The Boonies") for trail building efforts within the Cumberland and Southern Appalachian mountains.

For more information visit:
http://www.rockcreek.com/trailmarathon/

Contact:

Jonathan Mobley, Race Director
423.991.6008
jonathan.c.mobley@gmail.com

Mark McKnight, Marketing Director, Rock/Creek
423.643.1528 (office)
423.596.1573 (mobile)
mark@rockcreek.com

About Rock/Creek:

Rock/Creek, member of the Grassroots Outdoor Alliance, is an independent specialty outdoor retailer based in Chattanooga, TN. Rock/Creek was named 2009 Online Retailer of the Year by Backpacker Magazine and SNEWS and was listed as a Top 25 Retailer by Outdoor Business for 2008 and 2009. Along with its online shops, RockCreek.com and ClimbingGear.com, Rock/Creek provides quality outdoor clothing and gear for a host of activities including kayaking, rock climbing, camping, hiking, trail running, travel and adventure racing. Rock/Creek is committed to making a positive impact on the environment. For this reason, it uses outdoor retail as a platform to encourage outdoor recreation and environmental stewardship and to improve public access to the backcountry. Rock/Creek supports worthy nonprofits such as the Southeastern Climbers' Coalition and the Wilderness Trail Running Association. For related articles on Rock/Creek, visit www.rockcreek.com/media/

###

Posted by Mark McKnight at 11:50 AM | Comments (0)

May 18, 2009

Shiloh Mielke Trail Running Clinic Friday at Rock/Creek

Join Rock/Creek at our Two North Shore location, on Friday, May 22, at 6 pm, as we host a trail running clinic conducted by world-class mountain runner Shiloh Mielke. Scenic City Trail Marathon racers who have pre-registered may also pick up their race packets between 4 and 7pm. The clinic is open to the general public, and we invite you to come chat with the racers who will be in town from all over the country. We currently have 265 racers signed up, with 10 states represented.

A few details about Shiloh for those of you who haven't met him at local races: Elected to the 2009 Vasque Trail Team in April, Shiloh, 29, joins other team members on the basis of their dedication and accomplishment with their sport, as well as their holistic reputation.

Shiloh, a native to the Asheville, North Carolina, area has been making his mark along the high rolling mountain ranges since 2006. What started out as a track and cross country career from Brevard College and Northern Arizona University evolved into a placement on the 2006 US World Mountain Running Team. He ran again in 2007 and placed an impressive 37th overall and 2nd American. Mielke has plans to compete in the Mount Washington Road race, the Cranmore Hill Climb (host of the 2009 US Mountain Running Championships) and the World Mountain Running Championship in Camodolcina, Italy.

In between those races, he plans to head home to Asheville and improve his race record of 2 hours 16 min 55 sec at the infamous Shut-In Ridge trail race. Shiloh's leadership in the mountain running community certainly wins him titles, but more importantly, he inspires people in the outdoor community.

We're looking forward to sharing Shiloh's accomplishments with the trail running community. His talk will be a great kickoff for the Scenic City Trail Marathon & 1/2 Marathon weekend. This race is the first of three Rock/Creek Trail Series races supported through the Vasque Project, powered by Boa Lacing System. Vasque will also be involved with the Rock/Creek StumpJump 50k and the Lookout Mountain 100k.

Posted by Rachel Tucker at 10:56 AM | Comments (0)

May 7, 2009

Trail Running: What You Need for Healthy Speed!

Archer Physical Therapy, Providing Event Medical Coverage & The Recovery Acceleration Program at the Scenic City Trail Marathon & 1/2 Marathon

Your body takes a beating during a competition, and you may have already been pushing your limits during training. We at Archer Physical Therapy understand what it takes to be an endurance athlete, and we will be there to help you during the race and after on Raccoon Mountain.

What is Recovery Acceleration?

The Archer Recovery Acceleration Program was developed by Debra Martin, MSPT, CLT to provide you with the top quality care you need at local events. Stop by our first aid station & learn more about making sure you have the right amount of fluids after the event. You can also receive a therapeutic massage, or information on when to contact your doctor about an injury. We also have a wide variety of ways to prevent and treat blisters, as well as cleansing and covering wounds.

Feel free to ask questions about any aches & pains & what is the best next step to take to get back on track. We want to use our knowledge & skills to speed your recovery so that you will stay healthy & continue to press on towards your goals! Even if you think you just have a small pain, bruise or cut, stop by & take advantage of the free health care available for you at the race. A few moments of aid can prevent weeks of problems down the road.

Quick Tips for Warm Weather Race Days

• Run smart and be sure to stay hydrated before, during & after the race
• If there are medical concerns you would like us to know about, & you have not already mentioned them on your entry form, send an e-mail to debra@archerpt.com, or let her know at the first aid station the day of the race
• If you have asthma, bring your inhaler
• If you have an Epi-pen - be sure it is not past the expiration date & bring it with you
• If you have other allergies, bring the medications that you usually use to treat it (Benadryl, etc.)
• Plan to carry these items with you during the race. Having your medication in your car won't be nearly as helpful as having it at hand when you need it on the trail!

A Trail Runner's Shoe Quiz:
Which of the following shoes are the best choice to wear on race day?

1. The oldest & most worn out shoes you own - they will get muddy on the trail anyway
2. Your usual road running shoes
3. New trail shoes
4. Sandals

Of the choices above, "3" - New trail shoes - are the best! Or, if your current trail shoes have over 400-500 miles on them, it's time to make the switch to a new pair.

More tips on hydration, warm weather running & information on how trail shoes differ from road shoes can be found through the Run Fit page on the Archer PT web site: www.archerpt.com. Also check out Rock/Creek's Trail Running Gear Guide.

You can find portable first aid supplies, bags to carry them as you run, and a wide variety of trail running shoes at Rock/Creek.

About the author:

Archer Physical Therapy offers unique assistance at many events in the TN & GA area through the Event Medical Coverage & Recovery Acceleration Program, developed by Debra Martin, MSPT, CLT. Debra has combined her 15 years of experience in treating wounds & athletic injuries throughout the rehabilitation process with cutting-edge research on medical care to meet the needs of endurance and adventure-sports athletes. In fact, she's probably thinking of ways to get you better even faster while you are reading this - she's just that cool. She also set the record for the flexed arm hang test at Leda Shishoff Elementary School at a little over 2 min., & perhaps would still be there if the gym teacher had not made her come down.
You may reach Archer Physical Therapy at 423-693-5490 or find out more on the web: www.archerpt.com

Posted by Mark McKnight at 4:12 PM | Comments (1)

May 6, 2009

Rock/Creek Youngest Race Member takes 7th at Twenty12 ID

Rock/ Creek Race Team's youngest member, Johanna Gartman age 15, was youngest again as she competed Saturday April 18, 2009 in the USAT 2012 Talent ID Race, following the 2009 Collegiate National Triathlon Championships in Lubbock, TX at Buffalo Springs Lake. The course consists of a 750m swim, 20K bike and 5K run. Johanna finished 7th, surpassed only by women primarily age 25 and above, who were invited to this race because they were ranked in the 90th percentile nationally with hopes of showcasing their talent for a transition from amateur age grouper to professional elite.

Johanna was the third female out of the frigid 56 degree water with a swimtime of 6:43, was able to hang on the back wheel and contribute to a pace line on a hilly, windy three lap course with a biketime of 46:48 at 16.7mph, and ended up with the fourth fastest run time with a runpace of 7:01 and runtime of 21:47.

Johanna accomplished her goal of wanting another ITU race under her belt before competing in the Pan American Championships next month. At the Pan American Tirathlon Confederation Championships (PATCO) race in Oklahoma City, she will actually be representing the U.S. for the first time, racing against the best Junior Elite (16-19) girls from Canada, the U.S., and South America. The U.S. girls will contend for one of the three available spots on the Junior National Team, which will travel to World Championships in Gold Coast, Australia this September. The two other slots will be granted to the top two females at the Strawberry Fields Junior Elite Cup in Oxnard, CA, where Johanna will race in July.

Posted by Rachel Tucker at 9:30 AM | Comments (0)

May 4, 2009

Rock/Creek Kayak Demo Offers Latest and Greatest

Do not let your Saturday float on by without visiting Rock/Creek and Outdoor Chattanooga's Kayak Demo, Saturday May 9th from 10 AM to 4 PM at Camping World in East Ridge.

Do you desire to see what the latest and greatest boats are before your investment or are you looking to start up the sport but do not know where to begin? This demo is for you! All variations of shape, size, style, color, and brand will be FREE to the public for testing. Boats from Liquid Logic, Native Watercraft, Dagger, Wilderness Systems and Perception, as well as a selection of paddles from Werner Paddles will be available for demo in the Camping World Campground Lake located at Exit 1 off I-75. No need to make reservations or bring personal gear. Our Rock/Creek Down Under Staff and Outdoor Chattanooga Staff will be available for help. All you need to participate is a willingness to have fun, and get wet! We will see you there!

Posted by Rachel Tucker at 12:02 PM | Comments (0)

April 27, 2009

Rock/Creek's Kris Whorton Sets New Record For Female Masters Runner in 100 Mile Event

Simril Multisport Coaching's Lee Simril Interview with Ultra Runner Kris Whorton


Please join our Rock/Creek Race Team family in celebration of Kris Whorton's amazing accomplishment at Umstead 100. We honor her achievement by sharing this inspiring interview between Rock/Creek's Kris Whorton, and our newest Rock/Creek Chronicle guest writer, Coach Lee Simril, from Simril Miltisport Coaching:

LS: Congratulations on finishing the 2009 Umstead 100 mile Trail Race

KW: Thanks. It's been a good week.

LS: Is it true that you set a new record for female masters runners in a 100 mile event?

KW: Yes. The previous record was 17:13, set by Connie Gardner in 2006.

LS: How was your training leading up to the big day?

KW: Training for Umstead was a bit atypical because we had a big 4 months last year with four 100 milers between July 19th and November 8th so I figured I would just carry it through the year after I signed up for Umstead in September. The first 100 was great, but we DNF'd on the second (three weeks later) with only about 18 miles to go. I still feel wonder at what happened to us on that one because we both felt good physically but we weren't into it mentally after about 55 miles for me and 75 for Randy. The next two 100s went well but I think I came out of the year feeling a little more worn out than I expected I would. I guess I was mentally tired because my head just wasn't in my training over the next few months and although I did the miles, averaging about 50 a week from November to the end of February and ran a few races, I didn't have my head in them and without the mental component, I just wasn't running like I wanted to. Umstead had been in the back of my mind for months, but I hadn't committed emotionally and I didn't want to go up there and run a half-assed race so about the third week of February I had a little talking to myself about commitment and attitude. Two weeks later we headed over to Mississippi and I ran a really solid, comfortable race, and had a PR. It gave me the mental confidence I needed and I figured I could gut out a borderline 17 hour finish at Umstead. I kept my mileage up for the second and third week of March and then only ran about 35 miles two weeks before and 4 miles the week of Umstead.

LS: Please give me a run down of your nutrition for race day, beginning with the night before the race and ending at the finish line.

KW: At about 4:30 we had an early dinner of rice pilaf, mashed potatoes, broccoli, and a beer. Race morning I had a little oatmeal about 2 hours before the start and half of a Recoverite. I'm not a big eater before or during races because I don't want to give my stomach fits. During the race, I had a Heed/ Perpetuem mix in my water bottle about every hour and I went through about two packets of Clif Blocks. I also ate a few cantaloupe cubes, a few pieces of potato with salt, and in the early evening, I drank Mountain Dew or Pepsi at the aid stations to try to settle my stomach a bit. The Heed/Perpetuem mix really works for me. Randy met me with a Recoverite at the end of the race.

LS: Please tell me your best moment of race.

KW: The whole day was really lovely and I enjoyed most of it, but I actually enjoyed mile 98.5 to 99.5 the most. We were running up the road to make the last turn into the finish stretch and it felt like we were flying because we were moving so fast. I don't know what the actual time on that mile was but it felt like a 7 minute mile and it was really empowering to feel so strong and so good at that stage. I felt like I could run like that pace for a couple more miles.

LS: Please tell me your worst moment of the race.

KW: I don't think I really had any worst moments on this one. Two years ago I had a lot of stomach problems and had many pit stops so when my stomach started going south on lap 7, I was a little concerned. I had to stop three times during those 25 miles but it was okay and everything held together.

LS: Did you use any pacers or safety runners during the race?

KW: I did run with "pacers" from 50 miles onward but it was more for conversation/company than pacing. Randy ran 50 to 75 with me and Stephen Smith ran the last 25. Pacing is really a misnomer because it's unrealistic for someone who's run 50 miles to be able to keep up with someone fresh. The "pacer" is there for companionship and the runner sets the pace. My companions, Randy and Stephen, did a great job keeping me company and I was happy to run with my usual training partners. I ended up feeling like I was out there on a training run.

LS: Did you get to enjoy the post race party? Do they have post race parties at 100 mile running races?

KW: We had our own little post race party actually. I came in about 3.5 minutes after the lead woman (Jill Perry) and didn't realize at the time that she had just finished. She was nearly 40 minutes ahead of me at the end of the 6th lap so I had no idea I was so close to her. I came in and Blake, the race director, and some of the other race personnel were talking to her but I still didn't get that she had just finished. My contacts were kind of gooped up from the pollen and I noticed a guy off to my left. He was standing there sort of expectantly and I didn't recognize that he was my friend Kean Hankins from Pinhoti. Randy came running in, bummed he'd missed the photo op at the finish line and Stephen sort of stepped off to the side. Then I realized the guy was Kean and Randy, then Stephen, and then Kean hugged me. We went inside, sat in front of the fire about 20 minutes, and just felt happy. Randy took care of me like he always does--he handed me a long sleeve shirt and a Recoverite and was generally awesome. Kean gave me a bottle of Champagne and then Randy, Stephen and I went back to the hotel and I got a shower, a beer, and some pizza. I could only handle about 2 bites but it was good. The race "party" was the next day at noon when the race was officially over but by then, we were nearly to Asheville where we had a great lunch of bison burgers, spinach salad and beer.

LS: What motivates you to compete in Ultra Running Races, as opposed to just exercising for the sake of fitness?

KW: I love running and being outside. Races give me the opportunity to explore a new or favorite place, to see old friends, and to get food and water on the way. Some people really get inspired by the competition element but I'm not very good about thinking in terms of beating someone else because I see a race as a challenge to myself and it doesn't make sense to try to have it be about how or what I can do against someone else. Sometimes I go into them with a goal, but usually I just want to enjoy the day. Races also encourage me to stay on track with my training--if I don't put in the miles, it will be harder to get through the event.

LS: What are some of your race plans for the rest of 2009?

KW: We have a fun marathon planned in Louisville at the end of the month (Kentucky Derby), Sweetwater 50K in Georgia in May, and Tahoe 100 in July. We don't have anything on the schedule beyond that, except maybe UpChuck 50k but Randy is planning on Pinhoti and I'll probably crew for him to return the favor for all he's done for me the last 6 months.

About the author:

Lee Simril, USAT Certified Coach, USA Swimming Coach

"Since competing in his first triathlon in 1985, Lee has had a passion for the sport. Lee was the captain of his soccer team at Brevard College and went on to run track at High Point College in N.C. He was a captain and MVP at the conference and district meets. After college, he competed nationally as a Triathlete. Lee thought he would eventually get a "real" job and leave sports behind, until he met his wife Brenda. Brenda was equally passionate about endurance sports, and within a few years, they had formed a four person Adventure Racing team that won the United States Adventure Racing Association's (USARA) National Championship. Lee has coached Soccer, Masters Swimming, Youth Swimming, and Track and field for over twenty years. For the last thirteen years he worked for the American Bicycle Group (ABG), which manufactures Litespeed, Merlin and QR bicycles. During this time he worked with top athletes from around the world in the sales and design of wetsuits and bicycles." Check out the Simril Multisport Coaching website to find out how you can "Reach Your Full Potential" through SMC for quality consultation and training www.simrilmultisportcoaching.com/default.html.

The next races in the Rock/Creek Trail Series have opened registration. Check out these upcoming races:

Scenic City Trail Marathon & 1/2 Marathon, Presented by Vasque
May 23, 2009 - Raccoon Mountain - Chattanooga, TN
http://www.rockcreek.com/trailmarathon/

Chattanooga Mountains Stage Race
3 days of mountain trail running: 22 mile / 18 mile / 20 mile
June 19-21, 2009
Lookout, Raccoon, and Signal Mountains
http://www.rockcreek.com/stagerace/

Rock/Creek Stump Jump 50K
50K & 11 Mile Trail Running Race
October 3, 2009
Chattanooga, TN
http://www.rockcreek.com/stumpjump/

Posted by Rachel Tucker at 10:52 AM | Comments (0)

April 2, 2009

Rock/Creek Race Team Member Andy Anderson Wins Rucky Chucky 50k

Rock/Creek Race Team Member Andy Anderson ran circles around the recent Rucky Chucky Roundabout 50k on March 21, 2009 in Foresthill, CA, resulting in a first place win. Andy won the race with a time of 4:18:04.00, making it the second fastest time in the history of the Rucky Chuchy 50k. He missed the course's fastest record time, 4:15:00.00, by five minutes. As Andy states rather simply, " I ran the second fastest time in race history which was fun, but HARD! It went down for 16 miles, then back up 16 miles."

The Rucky Chucky 50k is the second race in a larger series of races facilitated through Ultrarunner.net. Runners remember the course for its 4500 ft elevation change through the duration of the race. Despite the dramatic climbs, a previous race report by Scott Dunlap provides testimony to the beautiful spring atmosphere along the American River. The course runs from Foresthill, follows the Western States 100 course to Rucky Chucky, then snakes back to Foresthill.

Find full Results for the Rucky Chucky Roundabout 50k and more information about the Race Series at www.Ultrarunner.net/raceseries.

Andy, the newest member of the Rock/Creek Race Team, grew up nearby in Signal Mountain, TN along with his brother, John Anderson, who is a Race Team Member as well.

Posted by Mark McKnight at 11:05 AM | Comments (0)

April 1, 2009

Rock/Creek River Gorge Race Report

A Foggy Start Clears to Reveal the Unwavering Spirit of the Trail Runner

The 2009 Rock/Creek River Gorge Trail Race started with many uncertainties -
Would everyone find the starting line after the drive up Suck Creek Road in the fog? Would the runners face a hailstorm at the finish line? And would the race organizers play retro disco music the entire morning?

Questions like these seemed to hover in the air... much like the threatened extreme weather. This 8th annual race started out with rain and a murky haze, and then continued with a wild wind that stirred up the trees over the runner's heads along the course. Thankfully, though, we dodged the hail and thunderstorms that hit Alabama, and managed to have a muddy but lightning-free time.

Athletes came from ten states, along with parents and friends to cheer them on, from as far away as Wisconsin. The course was a technical one, with wet rocks resulting in some ankle rolls, but steep and slippery downhills caused most of the falls from what we gathered at the Medical Tent. Most of the runners, however, did manage to stay upright and enjoyed the challenge of staying focused on their footwork throughout the race.

Nicholas Selbo of Chattanooga won the 10.2 mile race with a time of 1:15 for the men, keeping the times pretty close to last year's. The women's race was led by Jan Gautier (for the second year in a row) with a time of 1:35. Jack McAfee and Deb Jones, both from Chattanooga, won the 6.5 mile men's and women's divisions, with times of 48:54 and 1:02:26 respectively. Jack actually beat last year's winning time of just over 50 minutes. Congrats to all!

Big thanks to the sponsors: Rock/Creek, The Boonies, SmartWool, Marmot, The North Face, Salomon, Hammer Nutrition, Cleveland Toyota, and Greenlife Grocery.

Seeing the cheerfulness of those who run in these conditions no longer surprises me - trail runners are a gritty bunch as a whole. What has caught me off guard since this particular race was the reactions of some of the runners who were injured. It seems that some equate an injury with failure, even though they had the courage to finish, or the good sense to avoid further injury by choosing to walk back.

As athletes, it is good to set goals - they drive us to train harder and reach higher. Goals serve us well in many areas of life, providing direction and focus. Sometimes, though, hyper-focusing on goals may cause us to lose sight of what we've accomplished, and this narrow vision can undermine what the goals were meant to do in the first place. In other words, it's great to set targets for training and our competitions, yet if we beat ourselves up for being a little short, it can rob us of the joy of being in the race. We can lose the pleasure of moving swiftly through the wild, crossing streams, toughing it out over hills, breathing hard, whipping past the trees and waterfalls...and isn't that at least part of why we've chosen to run, regardless of the weather?

Storms happen, injuries happen - even to the best of athletes, with the best of coaches, nutritionists, and equipment at their disposal. Someone once said, "No wonder experience is the best teacher. It has to teach us things we don't want to learn." Life does come with unexpected speed bumps, and circumstances beyond our control. In those disappointing times we can choose to learn and grow, and get something good out of it all.

H. Weldon once said, "The crime is not to avoid failure, the crime is to not give triumph a chance." I would add that as an athlete, just showing up at the starting line is evidence that you are not interested in avoiding failure. Remember to celebrate your good efforts, even in the face of disappointment. You can allow your goals to serve you as you shape your season, yet there is no need to allow them to rob you of your joy. My congratulations to all who entered and ran.

"If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with success unexpected in common hours."
--Henry David Thoreau

About the author:
Debra (Dee) Martin, MSPT, CLT
Owner, Archer Physical Therapy
Specializing in the Endurance Athlete, Lymphedema and Swelling

Debra brings her 15 years of experience as a Physical Therapist and years of running, hiking, canoeing, kayaking, climbing and cycling across the country together to provide top quality care to athletes in the GA and TN area. She also was a mean basketball player in high school - working the position of "benchwarmer" with great style. Her grandmother has accurately described her as someone who "only has a kitchen because it came with the house." For more information on how to turn your injuries into opportunities to become a better athlete than ever, call to make an appointment today at 423-693-5490.

Check out the Archer Physical Therapy website for Race Day Tips and learn more about Preventing Running Injuries at www.archerpt.com.

To see the full results and photography, visit the official race Web site:
http://www.rockcreek.com/rivergorge/

The next races in the Rock/Creek Trail Series have opened registration. Check out these upcoming races:

Scenic City Trail Marathon & 1/2 Marathon, Presented by Vasque
May 23, 2009 - Raccoon Mountain - Chattanooga, TN
http://www.rockcreek.com/trailmarathon/

Chattanooga Mountains Stage Race
3 days of mountain trail running: 22 mile / 18 mile / 20 mile
June 19-21, 2009
Lookout, Raccoon, and Signal Mountains
http://www.rockcreek.com/stagerace/

Posted by Mark McKnight at 11:58 AM | Comments (1)

March 18, 2009

Register by 3/19 for Rock/Creek River Gorge Trail Race!

$25 Registration fee. Synthetic wicking t-shirt from Marmot and socks from SmartWool will be included for free.
NO T-SHIRTS FOR LATE REGISTRANTS.
REGISTER BY MARCH 19TH FOR A T-SHIRT.

2009 Rock/Creek

River Gorge Trail Race

10.2 & 6.5 Mile Options

NEW DATE:
Saturday, March 28, 2009

Proceeds go to The Boonies and The Cumberland Trail Conference for trail maintenance & access.

Packet pick-up starts at 7:00 AM EST
10.2 Race starts at 8:30 AM EST
6.5 mile race starts at 9:00 AM EST

Sign up online at Raceit.com >

VOLUNTEERS Needed as well; simply follow the registration link and select "Volunteer ($0)" 

See who's signed up so far.
Questions? Contact events@rockcreek.com.

These are single track trails with varied terrain. Lots of hills, rocks, and the occasional mild stream crossing. Every participant receives a performance tee shirt.
The race starts and finishes in the Cumberland Trail parking lot, located at Prentice Cooper Wilderness Management Area. The trail footing varies considerably and in some sections are rocky and narrow.

Please support our sponsors:

Posted by Mark McKnight at 9:07 AM | Comments (0)

March 10, 2009

Rock/Creek Takes Victory in Both Divisions of Mississippi Trail 50

The Rock/Creek Race Team left the Mississippi Trail 50 feeling confident and empowered despite this year's weather and course changes. What was intended to be a training run resulted in two great achievements of the day. John Brower won the overall 50 mile title (for the second time) by about 20 minutes with a final time of 7:21:50 and Kris Whorton won the women's overall 50K title with a final time of 8:05:44.

The Carl Touchstone Mississippi Trail 50 in Laurel, MS demonstrated the meaning of the phrase, "over hill, over dale, over fire burnt trail" this past race. The race trail underwent a minor change after controlled burning in the area caused some remapping. Rock/Creek Race Team Members Randy Whoton, Kris Whoton, Goug Dooley, and John Brower each had a different experience out on the trail compared to previous years.

Rock/Creek Race Team member Randy Whorton recalls the MS50 event;
The scalding 80 plus degree heat influenced Randy's decision to back down to the 50K event, but still offered enough mercy for his 7th overall finish. Randy was not the only runner to feel the heat that day. Bear comments from the MS50 race day report, "We may have the only 50K in the country where 62 people sign up, 60 start, and 92 finish!"

Randy praises Doug Dooley, who "presented good strength and pace, despite uncertainty of his healing double stress fractured foot, and placed 10th in the 20K event." His intention for the race was to test his foot strength and feel out his recovery efforts.

The weather was no match for Kris Whorton, and Rock/Creeks newest member John Brower. Kris won the women's overall 50K title. Randy explains: "Kris did have some competition. Ann Heaslett led Kris by nearly 10 minutes with 17 miles to go. Ann won two national ultra titles in 2002 (50 mile and 24 hour) and was named the USA Track and Field 'Ultrarunner of the Year' in 2005. Kris not only caught her, but ended up winning by over 12 minutes, also beating all but 4 of the guys. Doug aptly called it the 4th quarter smack down."

Posted by Mark McKnight at 1:08 PM | Comments (0)

A Cold Day at Mount Mitchell Challenge

This year's Mount Mitchell Challenge turned out to be the worst, weather-wise, in the race's history. Nick Whited, one of our newest Rock/Creek Race Team members, has this report:

The challenge; What a race it was. I started off at a good clip but being smart. Everyone seemed to want to push the pace with Mark Lundblad. I was up there for a mile or so then wisely eased off the pace and let them be 15-20 seconds up on me. We then hit the hills inside of Montreat College and it seemed that everyone hit the brakes. I steadily began moving up (I was in 7th or 8th at the time); by the time we got onto the Buncombe County Horse Trail I had moved into third. All of this was occurring as the temps were in the mid 40's in a steady rain. As I approached the summit I began to notice how sluggish I was getting by my inability to move on the technical stuff. I then starting shaking uncontrollably. My jaw became so tightly clenched I thought I was going to break a tooth. I got near the top and a cameraman was worried about my appearance and told the EMT. They made me go inside a building and took my vitals - hypothermia. They stripped me down, wrapped me up and put a blanket over me. Took me over an hour to finally warm back up. An EPIC run to begin the season and with Rock/Creek. I'll get 'em another day. Seems everyone who finished had a little more beef to them. The tall skinny individuals with little body fat were the ones suffering.

Mark Lundblad ended up taking the win and Cynthia Arnold took the women's victory. In the Citizen-Times article on the race, Arnold describes the race:

"I felt like I was running in ice water," Arnold said. "The race staff and volunteers helped me to keep going. I was lucky and got some hot water near the top when I felt like I was going to pass out. The conditions got worse the higher I got up the mountain."

Glad to hear that you made it off the mountain safely, Nick, and we look forward to hearing about your next races.

Posted by Mark McKnight at 12:51 PM | Comments (0)

March 5, 2009

Race Team Member Greenhill in Local Paper

Rock/Creek Race Team member Jaclyn Greenhill showed up on the front page of the Chattanooga Times-Free Press this morning. In the article [read online or via PDF download], she talks about her recent experience finishing second female (9th overall) in the Coastal Challenge, a 6-day stage race in the Costa Rican jungle. There's also an audio clip on the Web version of the article; about halfway through she talks about the monkeys howling in the jungle, which seems like fun. We followed her progress here on the Chronicle on day one when she took the lead, day two, as well as in this post from stage four, and this final post.

You can read Jaclyn's race team biography online.

For a multi-day stage race closer to home, read about the Chattanooga Mountains Stage Race, also mentioned in the article.

Posted by Mark McKnight at 9:40 AM | Comments (0)

February 26, 2009

Matt Sims Reports on Black Warrior 25k Win

Matt Sims, Rock/Creek Race Team member, gives us this Black Warrior 50k and 25k race report. As I mentioned in a previous post, Matt took the 25k win, setting a new course record. Jamie & Wendi Dial won their 50k divisions and also set course records. Great job to all! Thanks for the report Matt.

The Black Warrior Wildlife Area is in the Bankhead National Forest. The Bankhead National Forest is south of Moulton, Alabama and Moulton is in the middle of nowhere, Alabama.

A small group of us rallied for dinner in Huntsville, Alabama. The Whortons used to live in Huntsville, so we let them pick the spot. We all had nice healthy portions of pasta while we listened to the latest greatest hero moments in the life of Stephen Smith.

After dinner we went our separate ways and planned to meet up in the morning. The Whortons, Stephen and Doug Dooley all headed to their luxury accomodations in Moulton, Alabama while we decided to meet up with Jamie and Wendi Dial in Decatur, Alabama.

The next morning we headed off to the race site for a 7am start time. The temperature was 31 degrees and as usual there was a lot of anticipation of how the day might turn out. We had a great group from Chattanooga: Tracy and Jacquell Gartman, Brenda and Lee Simril, Randy and Kris Whorton, Doug Dooley, Stephen Smith, Sal Coll, Jason Hamrick, Mark Mason and of course my beautiful bride, Natalie Sims.

The 25k and 50k started together and at mile 8 split off. As we headed off in the cool morning air I quickly realized that my new training program might be a mistake. I won't go into the details, but basically "run a lot" is the program. This goes against my exercise mantra of "do what you want, when you wanna do it".

Off we go down the dirt road for 2-3 miles. I find myself in 6th place. There are 3 guys doing the 25k and 2 guys doing the 50k in front of me. I think this is a good place to be for a normal guy like myself. I typically allow guys with ear rings, tattoos, and fancy arm warmers to be ahead of me. Jamie D is running right in front of me and before we get about the business he gives me the look followed by "those are your 3 guys right there". He was referring to the 3 guys in front of me that he expected me to catch sometime over the next 13 miles. Jamie likes to call me "rocket boy" because I normally go out fast and then blow up somewhere well before the finish line. Today, rocket boy was being a good boy and pacing himself.

The single track horse trail marks the start of the business. Hats, gloves and arm warmers are off by now and we are moving. There are now 4 guys in front of me, 1 of which was a 50k runner and he was in the lead! This guy was flying. Aid station #1 comes around mile 6 and to my surprise, of the 3 guys in front of me, the 2 guys in the 25k stopped to get water and I cruised on by them carrying my little handheld. I actually felt like I had out smarted them, which is typically how I win any race.

Mile 8 comes and the lead guy splits off to the right and I head off to the left. I knew Jamie would pass that guy relatively soon. On the tight switchbacks I could see the guys behind me and I knew Jamie was keeping his eye on the prize.

So there I was, all by myself in the front. Being chased is not my favorite thing. I would much rather be in the chase group. The 2 guys behind me could see me for the next 3 miles. I was trying to put some time on them and just get away enough so that they couldn't see me. The forest is bare from all vegetation so your line of sight was pretty far ahead. I knew we had 1 more aid station and that they would probably stop again. Sometime around mile 11.5, I had put about 40 seconds on the two guys behind me. Enough time now that I was in the "out of sight, out of mind" position. I cruised in to the finish line in 1:46:03.

One of my favorite things about doing the lesser of the 2 events is the non-reaction you get at the finish line. There was 1 guy standing there and he said, "good job man". I don't expect a marching band or anything but a few bull horns would be nice.

I took a quick shower, ate 2 hamburgers and positioned myself at the finish line to see the "main event" unfold.

I should mention that the course is 100% horse trail. The trail is a big muddy ditch filled with horse pee and whatever else finds it's way in. It's hard to run in and if you were just going to do a fun casual training run this is not where you would go. I do however think it makes a great venue for a race. It's the type of course that will mentally wear you down over a 50k distance. Constantly dodging puddles of muck is hard and hard and hard.

I wanted to set you up for what we all thought was unbelievable. When Natalie crossed the finish line she had that look on her face as she always does. The look of, "I'm so slow". The thing that caught our attention is that she looked like she hadn't even done the race. She was as clean at the finish line as she was at the start. Not a speck of mud on her. She spent the better part of the day avoiding all the mud troughs. Unbelievable!

Overall, Black Warrior is worth doing. It's a really fun, low key, low budget race. 100 people in the 50k and 100 in the 25k. They give really nice cotton sweatshirts and synthetic running shirts to all participants. The race director is a solid dude and does a great job.

Posted by Mark McKnight at 10:46 AM | Comments (0)

February 24, 2009

Race Results + New Photos from Southern 6 Trail Race

The Southern 6 Trail Race went well this past Sunday. Rock/Creek, Southern Adventist University and The Boonies presented this first-time event, which took place on Southern's beautiful Biology trail. Proceeds went to their Outdoor Leadership program, and we'll make a formal announcement soon about the money raised.

The results are posted on the race page, as well as a few photos that I took at the start/finish area. We'll have more photography soon from the trail. Congrats to all the winners, and the Rock/Creek Race Team members who finished well in the race, as well as Black Warrior on Saturday.

The Southern 6 was the first race in the 2009 Rock/Creek Trail Series. The next race in the series, the Rock/Creek River Gorge Trail Race, is now open for registration. This race always sells out, so go ahead and sign up early. Also, synthetic tees from Marmot will be available only to pre-registered runners.

Thanks to Sunbelt Snacks, Bi-Lo Ooltewah, and Archer Physical Therapy for their supporting sponsorships.

www.flickr.com

Posted by Mark McKnight at 2:47 PM | Comments (0)

February 17, 2009

Josh Wheeler PR's at Mercedes Half-Marathon

Rock/Creek Race Team member Josh Wheeler set a PR at this past weekend's Mercedes Benz Half-Marathon in Birmingham, AL. He finished 3rd in his age group and 8th overall with a time of 1:14:23, and was pleased with the result, as he explains on his blog:

"After doing almost all of my tempo runs and track workouts in the snow, I am happy with my level of fitness for February. I felt in control the entire race and stuck to my pre-race plan completely. A great way to start of the 2009 season." [Read the full race report on Josh's blog].

Congrats Josh!

Posted by Mark McKnight at 11:43 AM | Comments (0)

February 13, 2009

Telluride MountainFilm on Tour in Chattanooga

What: Telluride MountainFilm on Tour. Consisting of seven to eleven videos from the Telluride MountainFilm Festival.

When: Thursday, February 26. Expo 7 p.m. :: Movie 7:30 p.m.

Where: Chattanooga Theatre Centre

Cost: $10 at the door

Who: Ticket sales to benefit Southeastern Climbing Coalition, Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association, and Appalachian Voices.

More About Telluride Mountainfilm on Tour: The Mountainfilm on Tour is dedicated to educating and inspiring audiences about issues that matter, cultures worth exploring, environments worth preserving, and conversations worth sustaining.

"Mountainfilm on Tour inspires us - it informs us; it challenges us; it makes us laugh; it even makes us cry; it makes us mad as hell and, above all, it shows us the power of film to change the world."

1st Annual Telluride Mountainfilm on Tour in Chattanooga Trailer from Sam Silvey on Vimeo.

In 2000, the Mountainfilm in Telluride festival embarked on a new journey - Mountainfilm on Tour. Each year, a selection of films from the international film festival are taken on the road to reach audiences who otherwise wouldn't have a chance to experience the festival. Those films display themes of adventure, mountaineering, remarkable personalities and important environmental and social messages.

For more information about the three non-profit organizations that we are benefiting, please visit their websites.

Click Here for Seclimbers.org
Click Here for Sorba.org
Click Here for AppVoices.org

This event was made possible by the Weldon F. Osborne Foundation and the sponsors listed on this page. Thank you very much for your help!

For more information on this event, or if you are interested in sponsoring this event, email Sam Silvey at samsilvey@lookoutdoornews.com.

To get more info about MountainFilm on Tour, visit MountainFilmonTour.com

Posted by Mark McKnight at 8:13 AM | Comments (0)

February 10, 2009

Greenhill Finishes Second in Coastal Challenge

The final race update from Costa Rica's Coastal Challenge came out this weekend, and Rock/Creek Race Team member Jaclyn Greenhill, who had been fighting it out for six days with Costa Rican Ligia Madrigal, took second place. Madrigal put about thirty minutes on Jaclyn, finishing at 34 hours, 59 minutes. It sounds like she was suffering a bit toward the end. According to the official race report, "American Jaclyn Greenhill traded pole position with Madrigal throughout the six-day race, but pulled back on Friday due to blisters and a sprained ankle. She finished second overall with a time of 35 hours, 31 minutes."

Congrats Jaclyn! What a great race and an awesome performance. Can't wait to hear your thoughts.

About The Coastal Challenge

The Coastal Challenge is the "World's Expedition Runâ„¢," releasing runners over approximately 230 kilometers of exotic and wild Costa Rican mountainous regions and rugged coastline. For six days, runners embrace the spirit of adventure, discovery and camaraderie within a long distance running competition while navigating wide river crossings, rainforests, jungles, windswept highlands, beaches, and rock outcroppings. It is an expedition run of epic proportions introducing competitors to the hospitality of the local Tico culture while pushing the limits of their will and endurance. For more information visit www.thecoastalchallenge.com.

Posted by Mark McKnight at 5:53 PM | Comments (0)

February 6, 2009

Update: Greenhill Fighting for First in Costa Rica

Stage Four's reports have been published, and Rock/Creek Race Team member Jaclyn Greenhill continues to vie for the top spot in the Coastal Challenge in Costa Rica. With less than an hour separating the top women (Greenhill at 25:53, Costa Rican Ligia Madrigal at 25:22), the next few stages should be very interesting as they duke it out. Stage Four marks the midway point, so the next stages will be critical.

Jaclyn and Madrigal tied for first in Stage Three with a time of 8:50, which gave Greenhill the overall top spot for a day. According to race reports, that was the longest stage, challenging "competitors with blistering sand, cool rivers, and dusty roads before ending at the pristine coastline of Playa Ventanas."

In the full report from Stage Three, posted on the event Web site, the race designer describes the course:

"We threw competitors a curveball with a waterfall traverse at the beginning of the course," said Rodrigo Carazo, race designer, who set up day three so that competitors were forced to cross several rivers. "Today was another difficult trek into remote areas of Costa Rica that visitors would never see or experience on any type of tour."

Stage Four, named "The Revenge of the Borucas," after the original inhabitants of the area, the Borucas Indians, gave the racers up and down hill climbs that one competitor described as a "roller coaster." You can read the full Stage Four report here.

Good luck Jaclyn!

Posted by Mark McKnight at 6:56 PM | Comments (0)

February 2, 2009

Greenhill First in Day One of Costa Rican Expedition Race

Rock/Creek Race Team member Jaclyn Greenhill of Chattanooga, TN is currently competing in a seven-day expedition race in the Savegre Valley in Costa Rica. Yesterday was the first day of The Coastal Challenge, and she came in first place. According to the race report, the first day of the race brought heat and humidity and covered more than 33k of dirt roads, rain forests and rivers.

Awesome job Jaclyn, and we'll be keeping an eye on your progress over the next week!

More from the race report...

"We were thrilled to have intense heat, cooling rain, and a challenging route that brought competitors to an oasis in the middle of the rain forest," said Tim Holmstrom, race director, alluding to the pool and tropical lodge at the finish line where competitors relaxed before setting up their tents. "From grueling trail paths to the final water crossing - where competitors could either cross by swimming or using a hand trolley - this was far from a typical long-distance run." [...]

"In the women's expedition field, Jaclyn Greenhill of the U.S. cruised to the top spot in a time of three hours and 47 minutes. Kelly Ridgway, also from the U.S., finished second (3:58), while Costa Rican Ligia Madrigal (4:03) took third. The expedition run - the cornerstone of TCC - pushes competitors over 237 kilometers in the ultimate test of will and determination...

"Greenhill, who was soaking in the lodge's natural pool after finishing, said she most enjoyed the water section and "cow-patty trails" of the first stage. She also noted she was traveling with her mother, Janet, who is participating in TCC's adventure tours. [Full report online]

Check out Jaclyn's profile on the Rock/Creek Race Team page >
Meet the entire team >
Sign up for the 2009 Rock/Creek Trail Series >

Posted by Mark McKnight at 10:51 AM | Comments (0)

January 17, 2009

Stone Fort Bouldering Comp Wrap-Up

Triple Crown Bouldering Series

Stone Fort Recap
Words By Kevin Jorgeson
Photos by Sarah Gale

For those unfamiliar, The Triple Crown Bouldering Series is presented by Rock/Creek and has three stops: Horse Pens 40 in Alabama, Hound Ears in North Carolina, and The Stone Fort (formerly Little Rock City) in Tennessee. The goal of these events is twofold: First and foremost, the mission is to raise funds for the Southeastern Climbers' Coalition and the Carolina Climbers' Coalition. Secondly, these unique events provide the vendors to promote the sport of bouldering. These two goals go hand in hand as access is sensitive in these areas. As the number of climbers that practice bouldering grows, education and awareness of responsible land use is key.

Thanks in large part to the work done by the event directors, Chad Wykle and Jim Horton, in conjunction with the SCC, CCC and Rock/Creek, a strong community has been developed in the South, access to many areas has been secured and positive relationships have been developed with private land-owners, BLM, and National Forest management alike. The night before the comp, Rock/Creek hosted the premiere of Andrew Kornylak and Josh Fowler's new movie, Heart of Stone. Over 400 people came out to watch the film, which focuses on the past successes and present challenges to climbing access in the Southeast. Lisa Rands, Tommy Caldwell, Beth Rodden-Caldwell, myself, and other regional activists also spoke out at the premiere in an effort to raise funds and awareness.

Departing for my first Triple Crown event, I was planning on being a spectator due to the nature of my recently injured finger. However, it only took 5 minutes at the bouldering area to realize that my injury was no match for a little tape and determination.

In its sixth consecutive year, The Triple Crown Bouldering Series has been growing in popularity. Over 480 climbers registered to compete in the last stop of the 2008 tour, enough to require 4 school buses and a Uhaul truck to transport everyone and their crash pads!

Conditions were prime, with the temperatures hovering just above freezing most of the morning and evening. To stay warm, I only needed a Power Stretch Full Zip Jacket and the TR6 Jacket. The Power Stretch provided the perfect balance of warmth, comfort, and flexibility. The TR6 was light enough to pack into my carry on baggage and the synthetic insulation kept me plenty warm between climbs.

Despite having so many climbers in one area, it rarely felt crowded. The long stretch of boulders spread out the crowds so that you could enjoy yourself on the problems. The sheer diversity of style and difficulty that Stone Fort provides is amazing. With grades for all levels and angles for every style, you were bound to find climbs that not only suited you, but also left you smiling long after you topped out.

I spent the first half of the day cruising around, climbing as many easy classics as I could find. Let me say, there are a lot! Despite the event technically being a competition, it didn't feel like it. There was the occasional stressful moment for climbers when an important climb did not come together, but on the whole, the atmosphere was that of a day out bouldering with A LOT of friends.

As the day progressed, I was psyched to see some of the hard climbs the area had to offer, in particular, The Shield. This beautiful wall is made possible by an intricate series of seams and edges up an otherwise blank sandstone wall. Despite my finger, I could not resist a few attempts. I did all the moves pretty quickly, but in the end did not link it all together. After not bouldering for over two months, it felt good to try really hard again. Here is a picture of my friend Max coming close.

Moving on from this line, I returned to a nice 30' wall that we had walked past on the way to The Shield. What makes Stone Fort so unique is the features the rock provides. Sandstone is typically blank in nature, with sloping features dominating the landscape. At Stone Fort however, you see the features typical of volcanic rock (pockets, knobs, and perfect edges) but with the texture of sandstone. This wall in particular was riddled with knobs, creating a puzzle of holds to sort through from start to finish.

Overall, the 2008 Triple Crown Bouldering Series was a great success, raising over $20,000 for local access initiatives. A big thank you goes out to Rock/Creek as the driving force behind the event, Marmot as the title sponsor, the SCC, the CCC, and all the companies that supported these events. Access to climbing is a privilege, not a right, and the work done in the South has set a great example for how to approach, negotiate, secure and respect land for climbing on.

Marmot has been a long-time supporter of the Triple Crown Bouldering Series and 2008 marked Marmot's second year as Title Sponsor. Kevin Jorgeson has been a Marmot Athlete for several years and has climbed at the Triple Crown, Yosemite, England and more in the past year. Learn more about him on marmotpro.com.

Watch Heart of Stone, a new film by Andrew Kornylak celebrating rock climbing in the Southeastern United States which debuted at the 2008 Triple Crown during a special event hosted by Rock/Creek Outfitters.

Posted by Mark McKnight at 1:13 PM | Comments (0)

January 14, 2009

Urban Rocks Climbing Gym Grand Opening Saturday

Urban Rocks Gym, the city's first indoor climbing gym, will celebrate its grand opening on January 17 at 1007 Appling Street.

The grand opening will feature raffles, outdoor vendor booths, and refreshments. Free belay lessons will be available all day offering a great chance to learn the skills necessary to rock climb. Special introductory membership rates will also be available.

A ribbon cutting, which is being arranged by the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce, will begin at 2 p.m.

Urban Rocks is providing Chattanooga residents with a world-class climbing facility with 10,000 square feet of indoor climbing built by the country's leading wall designer and builder, Rockwerx Inc.

The facility offers lead climbing, top rope and top out bouldering, with over 100 routes and an unlimited number of bouldering challenges. With rock-like structures soaring 35 feet to the ceiling peak and multi-colored holds littering the wall's surface, the gym is a unique addition to Chattanooga's fitness and outdoor oriented lifestyles.

Owner Chris Gibson says he hopes the gym will foster a positive atmosphere that is welcoming to newcomers and energizing for its members. Urban Rocks will also offer programs for children, a wide range of classes, birthday parties and a training area. With a helpful and knowledgeable staff as well as a full rental gear shop Urban Rocks provides all the tools necessary for a fun day on the ropes.

Mr. Gibson has been climbing for over 20 years and is proficient in all types of climbing, including traditional climbing, sport climbing and bouldering. "One of climbing's addictive elements is the personal sense of accomplishment attained after succeeding on a route that has been thwarting your previous attempts," said Gibson. "It also creates an insatiable drive to travel to new places to climb. While Chattanooga has always been my home base, climbing has been a wonderful opportunity for me to travel and see new places - something that many traditional sports don't provide."

Gibson and co-owner Rebecca Robran spent three years traveling and working to save the funds for the gym. "It was a long process of scrimping and saving, finding a location for the gym and getting a bank to realize this was a viable business." said Robran.

"We feel we're bringing something special to Chattanooga. The gym will provide a chance for everyone to experience rock climbing in a safe and non-threatening environment. It's an amazing sport and we are very excited to share our passion with the area's residents."

Urban Rocks will employ eight to ten employees and rock climbing instructors. Hours of operation will range from noon to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

For more information contact Rebecca Robran at 423 475-6578 or send an email to contact@urbanrocksgym.com.

Join the Urban Rocks Gym Facebook group >

Visit the Urban Rocks Gym Web site for more videos and information >

Directions to the gym from Rock/Creek at Two North Shore:

View Larger Map

Posted by Mark McKnight at 11:55 AM | Comments (0)

January 7, 2009

Jamie Dial Third in Tsali Foot Fest

Rock/Creek Race Team member Jamie Dial placed third in the Tsali Foot Fest in Almond, NC, this past weekend. He came in after our friend Mark Lundblad and Jeff Edmonds. Lundblad came in at 3:46:33, Edmonds 3:51:33, and Dial came in close behind at 3:53:58. Congrats to all!

The race benefits the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, and has a 50k, 25k, or 8 k option.

Here are the other top 3 positions from the race:

Women's 50k top three:
1.Rebecca Phalen - 4:54:56
2.Sarah Woerner - 5:25:23
3.Dominique Benson - 5:40:31

Men's 25k top three:
1.Kevin Lisska - 1:49:36
2.Mark Ledyard - 1:50:57
3.Matt Roane - 1:51:46

Women's 25k top three:
1.Anne Lunblad - 1:57:06
2.Elizabeth Patrick - 1:59:32
3.Kelsey Hanger - 2:08:58

Men's 8k top three:
1.Curtis Rowe - 37:16:00
2.Jason Aytes - 38:00:00
3.John Hillman - 38:04:00

Women's 8k top three:
1.Julie Richards - 38:20:00
2.Michelle Scifers - 40:19:00
3.Rebecca Graham - 43:05

(Thanks to Asheville's Citizen-Times for the tip)

Read more about the Rock/Creek Race Team >

Posted by Mark McKnight at 10:10 AM | Comments (0)

November 25, 2008

Heart of Stone Climbing Film Premieres at Rock/Creek

Heart of Stone Climbing Film Premieres at Rock/Creek Friday December 5th

November 25, 2008 (Chattanooga, TN) - Rock/Creek and The Triple Crown Bouldering Series proudly present an exclusive premiere showing of the highly anticipated climbing access film-- Heart of Stone-- a film by Andrew Kornylak and Josh Fowler. Rock/Creek invites the general public to their retail location at Two North Shore in Chattanooga, TN for the premiere. The store will close at 7:00 pm on Friday, December 5th and doors will open at 7:15. The show will start promptly at 7:30 PM EST.

Heart of Stone investigates a critical point in rock climbing history in the southeast, while celebrating the many fantastic rock climbing resources that the Southeast has to offer.

As Kornylak explains, "the film celebrates what I think is the beginning of a golden age of discovery and stewardship of the amazing treasure of rock we have in the Southeast. The grassroots climbing community here is a miraculous mix of activism, generosity and respect for tradition: the Heart of Stone."

After the presentation of the film, acclaimed climbing athletes/activists Tommy Caldwell, Beth Rodden-Caldwell, Lisa Rands, and Kevin Jorgeson will speak with the audience about the current state of climbing access in the southeast and across the country.

It's no mystery that the Southeast holds some of the best rock climbing in the country. From uncountable fields of immaculate sandstone, granite, gneiss and quartzite boulders, to fantastic buttresses of steep, single pitch crags, to valleys filled with giant multi-pitch granite domes, the South simply has it all for the rock climber.

However, unlike the Western United States, most of the land of the Southeast is privately owned, with much of the remaining property being managed by State and National Parks. Rock climbing in the Southeast has become a matter of relationships between the climbing community and land managers.

Historically, climbers as a group have been known to the general public as conservationists...and simply excellent stewards of land. The number of rock climbers participating in the sport has increased dramatically over the last ten years, however. This increase in the number of climbers and the popularity of some of the rock climbing resources has placed a strain on some of the natural environments where climbers recreate, and as a result have placed the relationship between climber and land manager at risk.

Active local non-profit climbing organizations like the Southeastern Climbers' Coalition, the Carolina Climbers' Coalition, and regional activists are struggling to find a common voice for the entire climbing community--a voice that is steeped in the historical tradition of respect for the environment and the private landowner, but also one that advocates a spirit of adventure.

Please join us at the debut of this film at Rock/Creek's Two North Shore location. For directions and more information on our stores, visit: http://www.rockcreek.com/customer_service/locations.asp

A trailer for the film can be viewed online:
http://blog.rockcreek.com/archives/heart_of_stone_a_film_about_climbing_access_in_the_southeast.html

If the link is broken, try:
http://tinyurl.com/5eu24k

For more information on the Triple Crown Bouldering Series, visit:
http://triplecrownbouldering.org/

High-res photography available upon request.

Contact:
Mark McKnight
423.643.1528
mark@rockcreek.com

About Rock/Creek:

Rock/Creek, member of the Grassroots Outdoor Alliance, is an independent specialty outdoor retailer with over two decades of experience in the Southeast. Along with its online shops, RockCreek.com and ClimbingGear.com, Rock/Creek provides quality outdoor clothing and gear for a host of activities including kayaking, rock climbing, camping, hiking, trail running, and adventure racing. Rock/Creek is committed to enacting positive change in the community and for our environment. For this reason, it uses outdoor retail as a platform to encourage outdoor recreation and environmental stewardship and to improve public access to the backcountry. Rock/Creek supports worthy nonprofits such as the Southeastern Climbers' Coalition and the Wilderness Trail Running Association.

###

Posted by Mark McKnight at 12:40 PM | Comments (0)

November 24, 2008

Upchuck 50k Report from the Race Director

Race directors: Matt Sims and Chad Wamack
Written by: Chad Wamack

This year was the first official Upchuck 50k on the Cumberland Trail in Chattanooga, TN. The previous two years the event was more of a group run with a very light turn out, namely Matt Sims and I. The word has spread about the Cumberland Trail and this year we had 25 people toe the line. The entry field included racers from seven different states and a good mix of locals. The point to point race as advertised was basically unsupported and marked with the existing blazes.

There were two check-in stations at mile 8 and 18 and a convenience store where racers could fuel up and discuss the disappointing Tennessee football season with the locals. (A couple of years ago Matt and I stopped in and I ate way too much and hence the name Upchuck.) The previous runs on the Upchuck course have been run South to North but due to logistical difficulties we changed the direction. The 2008 Upchuck course started to the North on the Rock Creek segment and traveled south for 31.6 miles through the Possum Creek and Soddy segments of the Cumberland Trail.

The morning of the race everyone met at the finish area at the base of the mountain and boarded the "Magic Bus" to the start. The bus ride was filled with nervous energy like the first day of school. The previous two days had dropped two inches of rain which brought down the brightly colored leaves and had caused the creeks to swell, making the course even more technical. When the race started and everyone headed up the mountain, it started to rain again. The weather proved to fluctuate as much as the elevation going from rain to sun to sleet. The high for the day was 50 degrees at 7 am and by the finish it was in the 30's.

The Cumberland Trail Conference recently finished construction on two new bridges at Rock Creek and Big Possum Creek. The runners were spared these creek crossings but the remaining 6 creek crossing added a lot of character to the course. The last 5 miles of the course goes right through the Deep Creek Gorge, a course that highlights the effects of the controversial surface rock mining that has devastated the Cumberland Plateau.

The winner was our own John Wiygul of Chattanooga, with a time of 5:25:29. John Brower of Jackson, MS gave him all he could handle and was just 2 seconds back. Natalie Sims, also of Chattanooga, brought in the Women's best time at 6:52:38.

Many thanks to the volunteers and rangers who braved the weather and helped to make the event possible. Rock/Creek once again came up big. This locally-owned retailer's support really made this race a reality. Other important sponsors were: SmartWool, Mountain Hardwear, and Hammer Nutrition. The Cumberland Trail is an incredible trail network that we are all very fortunate to have. The race is the second to last race in the Rock/Creek Trail Series. The Lookout Mountain 100k & 10k will close out the season on Lookout Mountain in Tennessee and Georgia. For more information on these races, visit http://www.rockcreek.com/trailseries/

For more information on the Upchuck 50k Trail Race, including links to race results and photography, visit http://www.rockcreek.com/upchuck/

Also be sure to check out our friend Dreama Campbell's race report on her blog, "Dreama Campbell ... Life after Ironman #2"

Here she talks about those notorious creek crossings:

Then came a series of creek crossings that I knew would leave my shoes and socks soaking wet! Argh.... I had to toughen up and take the plunge. The first one was ankle deep. The second one was calf deep. The third one was knee deep and in order not to fall further in I had to put my arms in up to my elbows! After that nasty crossing.... I had to regroup on the other side as I seriously thought to myself "Oh my god.... I'm going to get hypothermia!". I was shaking and downright COLD. Fortunately... I had stashed a vest and Smartwool gloves in my pack and I took a minute to put these items on. Thankfully the extra clothing helped warm me up and I was able to slowly press forward. The last creek crossing had a rope to help guide you across.... I did not get wet anywhere above the ankle there. [Continued]

Posted by Mark McKnight at 10:15 AM | Comments (0)

November 21, 2008

Upchuck 50k Trail Race Report & Photos

John Wiygul and John Brower fought hard for the win at this past weekend's Upchuck 50k. Wiygul, from Chattanooga, came in seconds before Brower, a former Chattanoogan living in Jackson, MS. Wiygul captured first after almost five and a half hours of tough trail running. Stephen Smith of Chattanooga took third. Wiygul has raced many of our trail races and will be joining the Rock/Creek race team for 2009.

This first annual (official) Upchuck 50k took place on the Cumberland Trail and was presented by Rock/Creek and The Boonies. We had 23 finishers on this rather difficult course; the cold temperatures and off-and-on rain certainly contributed to the difficulty of the course. Several stream crossings ensured that the runners were going to be wet even before the rain.

Mark took a few photos from the finish line >
Robert took photos on the trail >

See full race results online >

We'll have a full race report from Chad Wamack in the next couple days, but in the mean time I thought I'd share Matt Sims' recollections of the first (much less official) Upchuck:

History of the Upchuck 50k (as told by Matt Sims)
Chad and I run together all the time. I am well aware of his dietary habits, running pace, what he likes to talk about when he runs, etc. This particular day we headed out to run 36 miles of the continuous Cumberland Trail segment that has recently been completed outside the Chattanooga area.

We did the normal car drop off at the "take out", and then shuttled the car a LONG way to the beginning of what would be a very memorable trail for us both. Chad likes to plan the route and is very methodical in what he might need. Lucky for me really, because I am not a good planner and I typically rely on Chad to figure it all out. We decided to run South to North, which now the official Upchuck 50k course runs North to South.

I won't bore you with the detail of the actual trail description and what we saw and how we felt and how many times I stopped to pee, etc. I will simply say, the Cumberland Trail is ridiculously well done. We are really fortunate to have the trail system and to have such a thoughtful group of planners and volunteers to make it happen.

I have gone through times of being very disciplined with what I eat and what I drink. I don't typically get caught up in all the fancy powders that are available today, although certainly I should because I bet I would be a real superstar runner. We do have a couple of really incredible runners in town and they are fanatic about Heed, an electrolyte replacement drink. They put the "hard sell" on Chad and I think Chad bought a couple of gallons of this stuff and probably stock in the company at the same time. So there we are running along with hydration packs. Mine was filled with water and Chad's was filled with Heed. Keep in mind this was the first time he had really used it, which typically isn't the best idea when you are pretty much committing to an all day run. But, oh well. Chad knows what he's doing.

We get about 18 miles into the run when we cross the Hwy 111, Jones Gap Road Crossing. This is unfortunate in some ways because you actually have to run on a bit of pavement to join the next trail segment, but in doing so you run right by a convenient store. Chad and I stopped in there to re-fuel and talk about Nascar with some of the locals.

Chad comes out of the store with a Mountain Dew, Gatorade, Water, Snickers, Cheese Crackers and a Fig Newton. I remember observing his carefully planned out purchase, and I have to admit I was a little jealous. Chad has a "go big or go home" approach to things, so I just figured he would carry what he didn't eat in his pack and eat it as we go. I was wrong. Chad dug in to what I comically refer to as "the last supper".

Off we go and off go the wheels. It took about 3 minutes of running before I heard Chad say, "I don't feel so good". I proceeded to turn around and see this bloated bellied figure start puking all over the place. I ran ahead so I didn't start puking myself. For the next 10+ miles Chad would puke occasionally and then start running again, all the while that Heed was keeping him company.

All in all I had a great run and Chad had a terrible one. It's funny now and I think he thinks so too. Just remember not to get carried away this year at the Jones Gap Road Convenience store.

Learn more about the Upchuck 50k >

Posted by Mark McKnight at 11:21 AM | Comments (0)

October 29, 2008

The North Face Customer Appreciation Night

Everyone come check out The North Face Customer Appreciation Night on Thursday, Nov. 6th from 6-8 pm at Rock / Creek Outfitters 2 North Shore location off Manufactures Rd. in North Chattanooga.

The 1st 30 people thru the door will receive a FREE The North Face beanie! Plus, The North Face will be raffling off FREE Jester daypacks and a Rock 22 tent! To top it off, there will be FREE organic finger foods and drinks provided by your local GreenLife grocery.

The North Face factory reps will also be onsite to chat about The North Face gear and swap stories from your latest adventures. Rock / Creek Outfitters will be fully stocked in a wide selection of The North Face apparel, footwear, and equipment to prepare you for your next great outdoor adventure! Don't miss this incredible event!

Posted by Mark McKnight at 9:42 AM | Comments (0)

October 20, 2008

Race Team Report from Two Lakes Trail Run

Rock/Creek Race Team member Jamie Dial gives us a quick report from the Two Lakes Trail Run in Nashville, TN. Jamie took fourth place and his wife Wendi Parker-Dial won the women's division.

On Saturday, Wendi and I went to Montgomery Bell State Park for the 1st race in the Tennessee State Parks Running Tour. In its second year, the Trail race had another good turnout with 129 runners in the mix. Race Director Dr. John Spencer in Dickson TN did an excellent job and the staff at MBSP really do a great job maintaining the trails.

On to the race....

I knew it was to be a tough day as Wendi and I ran our warm up, my heart rate was abnormally high. I thought it would settle down, but a few miles into the event my worries were a reality. I never could get into a rhythm and my HR was sky high throughout the entire race. After 2 miles or so the leaders were out of sight and I settled into a semi comfortable place, doing my best to pick off those who were shelled from the front. The 7.6 mile course is not flat (it was actually pretty challenging!) and on the 7th and final climb of the day, I was relegated to a slow walk. I thought my heart was going to explode. This is how the entire day was... Crawl up the hills and blast the downs. My La Sportiva Crosslite trail running shoes allowed me to really cut loose on the down hills with total confidence. On the off cambered terrain and tight turns, I never once felt like I was slipping. The tread on these shoes are amazing. Anyhow, back to the finish- Nearing the end I was caught by a fella who was a little hungrier than me that day and I let him by for the final podium spot. In the end, I was 4th place.

In the womens race, it was a different story. 17 year old High School Senior Brooke Earhart took the race out fast and soon Wendi and local favorite Tonya Lumphreys were fighting for 2nd. Around mile 2 Wendi caught up with local trail runner Johhny Pryor who bridged Wendi up to Brooke. Once contact was made, the race was on. Brooke and Wendi would continue swapping leads all the way to the end. With about 1 mile to go, Wendi knew she had to make a move, so she hammered the final descent only to have Brooke hang on like a warrior. Once back to the campground Wendi found an extra gear and beat her back to the finish to get 11th overall and take the Women's win.

It was nice to actually run a local trail race instead of having to travel so far. Lots of folks asked about Rock Creek and we were able to pass on a little history about the shop and their events. Thanks for the continued support.

Full results are posted on the Nashville Striders site >
The Tennessee State Parks' Running Tour information is posted at state.tn.us >
Photography from the race on Picasa >

Posted by Mark McKnight at 3:29 PM | Comments (0)

Chris Sharma Coming to Rock/Creek November 5th

Rock/Creek Presents World Class Rock Climber Chris Sharma's Signature Slide Show Tour, Sponsored by Evolv and Sterling Rope

Free admission; tickets available now at any Rock/Creek location

Date/Time:
Wednesday November 5, 2008
Poster signing 6:30pm EST
Show starts 7:30pm EST

Location:
Rock/Creek at Two North Shore
301 Manufacturers Road,
Chattanooga, TN 37405

You need to meet Chris Sharma! And why not? He is the most recognized, skilled, inviting and friendly figure in rock climbing. Chris's life has allowed him countless experiences during his travels from one edge of the globe to the other and on Wednesday November 5th you can experience them with him as he recounts these moments LIVE at Rock/Creek's Two North Shore location! Admission is free, tickets are available at any Rock/Creek location.

Sharma's recognition comes not only from his groundbreaking ascents but also from being such a character and genuine athlete. Chris is involved with his community wherever he is, whether he's in his new home in Spain or his old stomping grounds of Northern California.

Join Chris on November 5th as he shares recollections and photos from trips such as recent climbing expeditions off the Spanish island of Mallorca, where Corey Rich took iconic photographs of Sharma hanging precipitously over the ocean as blue waves crash against the shore below.

Chris started rock climbing at age 12 and by the time he reached 14 he won the Bouldering Nationals and completed Necessary Evil (14c). Also on Chris' resume: his groundbreaking ascent of the Mandala, solidifying the first ascent of a 5.15 with Realization, the first ascent of Dreamcatcher, and the monumental send Pontas Arch!

Since the show is LIVE it will not only be better than any other show you have attended before but also different every time he gives it. This is not only the first Tour Chris has ever given in the South but also is exclusively presented by Evolv dealers. With this show, Chris is going to be showcasing his Sharma Signature Series, his personal line of shoes developed in coordination with Evolv Footwear. Rock/Creek and Evolv will also have a raffle for a free pair of Chris' new Signature Series rock climbing shoes. Check out the Optimus Prime, Optimus Slipper, Pontas, and Pontas Lace-up.

So be sure to load up the van with all your climbing amigos and show up for a romping, stomping good time with Chris Sharma.

Photography available on request
Contact:
Rock/Creek
423-265-5969
www.rockcreek.com/sharma/

About Rock/Creek:
Rock/Creek, member of the Grassroots Outdoor Alliance, is an independent specialty outdoor retailer with over two decades of experience in the Southeast. Along with its online shops, RockCreek.com and ClimbingGear.com, Rock/Creek provides quality outdoor clothing and gear for a host of activities including rock climbing, kayaking, camping, hiking, trail running, and adventure racing. With a dedicated staff of outdoor enthusiasts and gear experts, Rock/Creek offers only the very best outdoor apparel and equipment from top brands like Evolv, Sterling Rope, Mammut, Patagonia and others to ensure that customers are comfortable and safe in the outdoors.

Posted by Mark McKnight at 12:06 PM | Comments (0)

October 13, 2008

$9,000 Raised for Trails at 2008 Rock/Creek StumpJump 50k

Locally-owned outdoor retailer Rock/Creek makes $9,000 donation for trails from the 8th Annual Rock/Creek StumpJump, a 50k and 11 mile trail running race that took place on the Cumberland Trail in Signal Mountain, Tennessee.

October 9, 2008 (Chattanooga, TN) - Rock/Creek today announces a $9,000 donation for trails. The Chattanooga-based retailer raised the money at the 8th Annual Rock/Creek StumpJump this past weekend. $3,500 will go to the Cumberland Trail Conference (CTC) for their ongoing work on the 300-plus-mile long Cumberland Trail. The Trail, still under construction, stretches across the state of Tennessee from Chattanooga to Cumberland Gap.

Another $3,500 will go to The Wilderness Trail Running Association (The Boonies). Their mission is to promote trail running as a cornerstone to optimum health and as an avenue to adventure by focusing on expanding trail access, building new trails, maintaining existing trails, and organizing great trail races. The remaining $2,000 will go to the new Signal Mountain High School Cross Country team for work on their cross country course, which Boonies members will help construct.

The Rock/Creek StumpJump has become one of the largest ultramarathon-distance races in the country. This year's race took place on Saturday, October 4, 2008. Over 200 runners finished the 50k and 170 finished the 11 mile race. Runners came from across the country and the world, with runners representing 25 of the 50 states as well as Micronesia, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Canada.

"Once again we had a great race" said Dawson Wheeler, Signal Mountain resident and co-owner of Rock/Creek: "We were able to raise significant funds this year and we look forward to building many miles of new trails. We could not have had this level of success without generous donations from our sponsors and the hundreds of volunteer hours contributed to the race."

Rock/Creek Race Team members fared well in the 50k race, with team members taking several top spots: John Anderson from Boulder, CO (originally of Signal Mountain) won first place in the 50k. Michael Green came in second. Jaclyn Greenhill won the women's division.

Other top finishers: Kevin Johnson of Ogden, UT finished third; Ryan Mittwede from Ridgeland, MS finished fourth. In the women's division, Abby Zeveloff from Carrboro, NC came in second, Lisa Purul from Panama City Beach, FL took third. Liz Lee of Knoxville, TN took fourth. Masters winners were: Phil Canning of Atlanta, GA; John Cobbs of Birmingham, AL; Tom Remaley of Cosby, TN; Marty Coleman of Marietta, GA.

Rock/Creek employee Deb Jones took first in the female division of the 11 mile race. Race team member Cathi Cannon took fourth.
Other 11 mile finishers included: Mark Lundblad of Swannanoa, NC (Team Inov8) took first. Tom Borschel from Idaho Falls, ID (Team LaSportiva) took second. Third went to local Sam Linhoss. Fourth, Jim Wueste from Atlanta, GA. Casey Malone of Memphis, TN came in as second place female. Lucie Becus from Cincinnati, OH took third.

Before the race, on Friday, October 3, Rock/Creek hosted the general public for a Vendor Fair and served 400 racers and family members for a catered carbo supper at their new store at Two North Shore on Manufacturers' Road. This family-friendly event showcased the race's sponsors and also served as a packet pick-up for racers. In addition, Dr. Charley Cropley from Boulder, Colorado gave a talk on natural foods and healthy nutrition for endurance activities.

Also on Friday live seamstresses worked to turn customers' old cotton t-shirts into sustainable shopping bags through the Icebreaker and Rock/Creek Bagging Cotton program. The promotion continues through the end of the month. Customers are invited to bring their old cotton t-shirts into Rock/Creek's Two North Shore location now through October 31st. Rock/Creek will transform the tee into a reusable shopping bag and customers will receive $10 off an Icebreaker pure merino top of their choice. For more details visit http://www.rockcreek.com/icebreaker/baggingcotton.asp

Sponsors of the race include SmartWool, Mountain Hardwear, Salomon, Hammer Nutrition, La Sportiva, The North Face, Greenlife Grocery, Vasque, Deuter, KEEN, CamelBak, Southern Spring Water, Inov8 and Trail Runner Magazine. Next year's event will take place on October 3, 2009.

Photography available to the media by request.

For registration information, results and photography, please visit http://www.rockcreek.com/stumpjump/

About Rock/Creek:

Rock/Creek, member of the Grassroots Outdoor Alliance, is an independent specialty outdoor retailer with over two decades of experience in the Southeast. Along with its online shops, RockCreek.com and ClimbingGear.com, Rock/Creek provides quality outdoor clothing and gear for a host of activities including kayaking, rock climbing, camping, hiking, trail running, and adventure racing. Rock/Creek is committed to enacting positive change in the community and for our environment. For this reason, it uses outdoor retail as a platform to encourage outdoor recreation and environmental stewardship and to improve public access to the backcountry. Rock/Creek supports worthy nonprofits such as the Southeastern Climbers' Coalition and the Wilderness Trail Running Association.

###

Posted by Mark McKnight at 10:59 AM | Comments (0)

September 18, 2008

Friday the 19th is National Park(ing) Day

There are good and bad ways to bring awareness to your cause, and I think the Trust for Public Land has found a creative and positive way to draw people's attention to the importance of urban parks. They've declared Friday, September 19th National Park(ing) Day, and they're encouraging you to turn a parking space into a temporary urban park. The Trust for Public Land has done quite a bit of great work in Chattanooga's renaissance as a city. They've been behind the Chattanooga Greenways Program, working hard with local authorities and land owners to fund land acquisition, city planning, and maintenance of parks. The key feature of the program: Chattanooga's Riverwalk, a 12-mile urban trail linking Coolidge & Renaissance Parks on North Chattanooga to the Bluff View Art District, UT Chattanooga, and Amnicola Highway all the way to the Chickamauga Dam. The Riverwalk links our new Two North Shore store as well as our Down Under store on River Street, and is also how I bike to and from work.

Get involved, check out the Trust for Public Land National Park(ing) Day Web site >

SAN FRANCISCO, 9/15/2008: On National Park(ing) Day - Friday, September 19 - volunteers in more than seventy cities across the U.S. will create more than four hundred temporary parks in public parking spaces. The goals of the event, according to organizers, are to celebrate parks and promote the need for parks in America's cities.

National Park(ing) Day is sponsored by The Trust for Public Land (TPL), a national conservation nonprofit, based on an idea conceived by REBAR, a San Francisco art collective. Friday's second annual National Park(ing) Day will see the creation of single park destinations in such cities as Kenosha, Wis., and Ardmore, Penn., while volunteers will create dozens of parks in several cities, including Tucson, Lake Worth, Fla., and San Francisco, which will feature the first Wedd(ing) Park.

For a full list of cities, maps, and descriptions, visit tpl.org/parkingday.

"By turning parking spaces into instant parks, National Park(ing) Day creatively demonstrates how much our cities need parks," said Will Rogers, TPL president. "Across America, cities are renewing their investments in parks, because civic leaders have come to recognize that close-to-home parks, gardens, and playgrounds are essential if we are to have cities that aren't just livable, but lovable."

In 2007, National Park(ing) Day spawned more than 200 new parks in more than fifty cities nationwide and around the world.

Photos from last year's event, as well as a full list of cities with maps and details is available online at tpl.org/parkingday.

National Park(ing) Day 2008 is a concept created by San Francisco art collective Rebar in 2005 to re-imagine the potential of the metered parking space. In 2006, in collaboration with TPL, REBAR founded "PARK(ing) Day": a global exploration of the creative potential of streets.

The Trust for Public Land (TPL) is a national, nonprofit, land conservation organization that conserves land for people to enjoy as parks, community gardens, historic sites, rural lands, and other natural places, ensuring livable communities for generations to come. Since 1972, TPL has protected more than two million acres nationwide. TPL depends on the support of individuals, corporations, and foundations.

Posted by Mark McKnight at 12:37 PM | Comments (0)

September 9, 2008

The Triple Crown is Coming Soon!

The 2008 Triple Crown Bouldering Series is almost here! Kurt Smith was in the office today which reminded me of how much fun this event can be. We expect another great year of competition and comeraderie. The event always raises a good amount of money for climbing access as well. In the mean time, check out this great video that Andrew Kornylak shot at the '06 Stone Fort event.

Triple Crown Video by Andrew Kornylak from The Stone Fort 2006 from Rock/Creek on Vimeo.

More about the Triple Crown at www.triplecrownbouldering.org >
(Be sure to roll your mouse over the picture of Kurt for a taste of what to expect).

Shop for Limited Edition Triple Crown Sandals ($20 of the purchase price goes toward access) >

See the new Triple Crown Edition Marmot DriClime Jackets >

Posted by Mark McKnight at 2:09 PM | Comments (0)

September 4, 2008

Rock/Creek StumpJump Trail Race in the News

This month's In the City magazine featured the Rock/Creek StumpJump, our most popular trail running race. Now in it's 8th year, the race includes a 50k and 11 mile option. So far we have over 400 people signed up, with roughly fifty spots remaining for each of the distance options.

Click here to check out the article online [requires Flash player] or click here to download a PDF version of the article.

If you were thinking about signing up, do so today because this race has historically sold out well in advance. Visit the Rock/Creek StumpJump detail page online to sign up today.

Posted by Mark McKnight at 11:26 AM | Comments (0)

September 3, 2008

Rock/Creek Race Team Member on Podium at Triathlon Championships

Johanna Gartman was on the podium in her first draft legal event at the recent Youth Elite National Triathlon Championships in Colorado Springs.

She went 33:12 in the 400m/10k/2.5k sprint distance event to place 3rd in a very experienced field.

A day after the start of the Olympics in Beijing, over 350 athletes competed in Colorado Springs. Rock/Creek is proud to have had an athlete compete and win a spot on the podium. Congratulations Johanna!

Youth Elite Women

1. Jenn Howland, 15, Elburn, Ill., 32:26.2
2. Breanna Hemming, 15, Kiowa, Colo., 32:52.9
3. Johanna Gartman,15, Chattanooga, Tenn., 33:12.4

Read the official race report at USA Triathlon >

Posted by Mark McKnight at 2:49 PM | Comments (0)

August 25, 2008

Rock/Creek Race Team Wins Flatlanders Division at Wild West Relay

Plane ticket to Denver: $250

30 zip-lock baggies filled with boiled potatoes: $40

20 gallons of water: $25

Rental of a 12-passenger van, aka "The Stank Tank": $800

Participating in the suffer-fest known as The Wild West Relay: Priceless

On Friday, August 1, 120 teams pushed off from Fort Collins, Colorado to begin the 2008 Wild West Relay, a 195-mile, running relay in its fifth year. The race took teams on a northwestern route from Fort Collins up into the Rockies, crossed into Wyoming then headed Southwest over the Continental Divide before finishing in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. The nonstop event took teams anywhere from 24 hours to 35 hours to complete and consisted of 36 individual legs or sections. A single member of each team would run one of the legs, tag a teammate at the end of the leg, and hop into the team van to ride to the next exchange zone.

The Wild West Relay welcomes all varieties of teams and we witnessed this on the course - the super competitive (some elite teams averaged close to 6:00 miles), the super ultra (a team of only three completed the entire course), and the teams that painted their faces, wore skirts (both men and women) and wrote crazy sayings on the sides of their team vans.

Our Rock/Creek team consisted of six runners placing us in the ultra division. Each of us had participated in endurance events of some kind before - triathlons, bike racing, ultras, adventure racing, etc. - however, this event presented a few challenges that would new to some of us. Elevation: The elevation during the race ranged from 6,000 ft to 10,000 ft above sea level. Elevation plus lots of running = lots of fun. Although our team was constantly moving, each runner had a couple of hours of "downtime" between each leg. Just enough time for your body to cool off and tighten up before the next run. Minimal sleep: I don't believe anyone got much more than 30 minutes of sleep. For adventure races, this is evidently the norm; however, for several of us, this was a new race addition.

There was also unanticipated (for some of us) fourth element - the heat. Chad Wamack had warned me that "it gets pretty hot in Colorado in July and August." I kept thinking to myself, "but it's a dry heat. That won't affect a Tennessee boy used to suffocating humidity." Well, a dry heat of 102, as it was on Friday afternoon, can affect you. The dry heat sucks the water out of your body exceptionally fast. So, we quickly learned (or at least I did) to get out of the sun and get in plenty of fluids as fast as possible after a stage. I started to run with a "technical" shirt because it retained just enough moisture to help keep my body temperature down.

After our team had gone through a complete rotation (each person running a leg), I believe we all got into our own routine for recovering from a leg, "cleaning up" (consisted of some combination of wiping off with moist "toilettes", changing clothes, hanging up clothes to dry out, etc.), getting in fluids and food, and "warming up" before the next run. As the race wore on, it became a challenge to continue to eat. After throwing down Power Bars, Cliff Bars, Gatorade, Pop Tarts, boiled potatoes, potato chips, and chocolate milk, your stomach just wants a break.

The one constant in the event, the great scenery provided by the Colorado countryside, made staying up well worth it. Covering the distance on foot (and staying awake for over 24 hours) really lets you soak in the landscapes and experience the Colorado outdoors - the mountains, the valleys, the rivers - at all times of the day - sun rise, high noon, sun set, and the pre-dawn, quiet hours.

Definitely a great experience. We finished as the first place flatlanders team (all team members residing below 2,500 feet sea level) and 22nd overall. A continuous relay of this length really made me appreciate taking the post-race shower, the post-race nap, and that I don't regularly live out of a van (aka The Stank Tank).

-Kevin Boucher

2008 Wild West Relay Rock/Creek Team:

Sam "Lightning" Linhoss, Team Captain

Leigh "It never looks like I'm running hard" Linhoss, Team Accountant

Matt "Look me in the eyes when I'm talking to you" Sims, Team Outfitter

Natalie "Everyone Remain Calm, Heat Stroke is a Learning Experience" Sims, Van Decorator

Chad "Captain Lats" Womack

Lisa "Yes, I look at feet every day but even I'm not touching your feet Chad" Womack, Team Podiatrist and Driver

Kevin Boucher, Team Fighter Pilot

Posted by Mark McKnight at 3:24 PM | Comments (0)

August 20, 2008

Greenway 5 Mile Trail Race Entices New Trail Runners

Saturday August 9th proved to be another beautiful day in the Rock/Creek race series. The cool August morning brought 95 runners to Chattanooga's Greenway Farm to compete on 5 miles of mixed trail that included sections of gravel, grass and paved trail. Though shorter than other races in the Rock/Creek Trail Series, the race was well attended by both beginning and experienced trail runners. Rock/Creek is happy to report that out of 95 total runners 40% were first time trail racers!

Like other races in the Rock/Creek Trail Series, proceeds from this event support the Boonies Wilderness Trail Running Association, a.k.a. The Boonies. The Greenway 5 Mile Trail Race raised money for trail access and future trail races in the Chattanooga area.

Special thanks goes to the City of Chattanooga's Parks and Rec department for allowing Greenway Farm to be the site of the 6th race in the 2008 Rock/Creek Trail Series. The park was the perfect venue for the short, relaxed race. Greenway Farm, part of the North Chick Greenway, is one of Chattanooga's premier green spaces, if you haven't had the opportunity to to spend an afternoon on the park's comfortable trails, Rock/Creek encourages you to do so.

Rock/Creek would like to additionally thank event sponsors Mountain Hardwear, SmartWool, La Sportiva, Hammer Nutrition and Greenlife Grocery. As always, a special thank you goes out to the individuals from the Rock/Creek race team and the Boonies who dedicated their personal time to the event and its preparation.

Chris Heberer was the first male finisher and Jan Gauthier was the first female to cross the finish line. The top 25 finishers are below, entire results and photos from the event can be found at http://www.rockcreek.com/greenway/.

Chris Heberer 33:07:03
Calvin Cofield 33:08:40
Joey Howe 33:45:40
Tom Sell 34:21:14
Matt Gregory 34:40:27
Aaron Saylor 34:45:18
Zach Cowart 35:39:14
Jan Gauthier 35:57:37
Mark Gregory 36:19:21
Mitchell Kohlmann 36:40:90
Samuel Hammonds 36:45:25
Jason Hamrick 37:18:17
Thompson Wells 38:13:58
Katie Hammill 38:19:14
Erin Rayburn 39:18:46
Thomas Demoss 39:22:11
Mike Martin 39:31:00
Sheldon Millican 39:34:08
Sergio Bianchini 39:43:83
Will Hutchinson 39:44:37
Derek Usury 39:45:14
Kurt Lamon 39:57:08
Josh Henderson 40:05:24
Alex Tonsberg 40:06:24
Daniel Gross 40:32:27

Next up is the grand daddy of the Rock/Creek Trail Series; the 8th annual Rock/Creek StumpJump 50k. For those who have run this one in the past you know it's a race that can't be missed. Already about 350 runners from across the country have signed up for this popular event. For runners looking to put in less mileage there is a 11 mile version of the race as well. Both races will take place on October 4th, with a vendor fair and packet pick-up at Rock/Creek's Two North Shore location on October 3rd. Information and registration are online at http://www.rockcreek.com/stumpjump/.

Posted by bradmcallister at 6:57 PM | Comments (0)

August 12, 2008

Rock/Creek Race Team Member Finishes 2nd in Wasatch Speedgoat 50k

Rock/Creek race team member John Anderson flew out to Utah for the mountainous Wasatch Speedgoat 50K. John gave an outstanding effort and finished in second, just 3 minutes behind the winner. Below is John's story of the race. If you are interested in John's other accomplishment, and the accomplishments of the entire Rock/Creek Race Team, visit their profiles at http://www.rockcreek.com/raceteam.

The Wasatch Speedgoat 50k is based out of Snowbird, Utah and you get the unique experience of being cheered on by people riding up on the tram. You also get the unique experience of feeling your legs go through pain, then numbness, then pain again, and thankfully back to numbness as the course ascends 10,500 ft and descends the same in 50k. The race is directed by Karl Meltzer (several time winner of the Hardrock 100 who will be attempting to break the AT speed record starting on August 9th), and he puts on a great quad smashing race.

We started the day in the cool Wasatch mountains and headed uphill for the initial 4500' climb. By the time we got halfway up there was a lead pack of 4 runners, and Nate McDowell and I chatted about our kids between trying to catch our breath. Luckily for me Nate's daughter has a longer name than my son so he had to talk more. By the time we got to the top, Nate had a couple minute lead on me, and we came crashing down Mt. Baldy, complete with ropes and spotters from Black Diamond and settled in for a long day in the mountains.

The next several hours were spent climbing and descending the newly designed race course, some of it off trail, some singletrack, some on forest service roads, a short stretch through the ski tunnel that connects Snowbird to Alta at around 10,000 ft, and even a little time rolling around on the ground. The La Sportiva Fireblades performed excellently again--perfect for the technical terrain and the steep descents.

When all was said and done, Nate won in 5:43 and I finished up in second in 5:56. Although I did manage to chuck a snowball at Nate as he climbed above me in the final ascent. My ankles are sore and my lips are chapped, but it was a stellar race with outstanding views (and next time I'll remember the lip balm...)

Gear List for race: Patagonia Airius Top, Patagonia Long Haul Runners, La Sportiva Fireblade shoes, Patagonia Ultra Lightweight Socks, Smith Factor polarized sunglasses, Nathan Quickdraw water bottle, and Nathan 10k Hip Pack.

--John

Posted by bradmcallister at 3:57 PM | Comments (0)

July 17, 2008

Running for Kate. Support the Katie Hammontree Whitlow Fund

Running for Kate is trail running team that has been racing to raise donations in the name of a friend lost to Acute Myeloid Leukemia. At the time of her death Kate was 4 months pregnant. Her grandfather, Georgia Senator Dr. Don Thomas set up the fund in her name. Rock/Creek is a corporate sponsor of the Katie Hammontree Whitlow fund. For more information about the fund and how you can donate please visit www.khwfund.org

Posted by bradmcallister at 4:22 PM | Comments (0)

July 15, 2008

Florida Native Completes 3-day Circuit at 2008 Stage Race, Participant Entry

Capt. Scott Griffith sent us this narrative after running all three stages of the 2008 Rock/Creek Mountains Stage Race. Enjoy and if you have a story that you would like to submit send it to media@rockcreek.com

Maybe I should have said no.

I received an e-mail from Lisa Purul eleven days before the race. That gave me just enough time to get in my one long run five days out and then start my taper. For those not familiar with this race, it's a three-day, staged trail race. Each day, runners traverse approximately twenty miles on the scenic trails just outside of Chattanooga, TN.

I should have read the description on the website more thoroughly before agreeing to the race. I still don't know how far we really ran, but it was long and more challenging than any of the hills we have around here. The trails were on Lookout Mountain, Raccoon Mountain, and Signal Mountain. From the recurring "mountain" theme, I should have been a little more leery.

I replied to Lisa's e-mail with a "yes," and Lisa, Paul Brannon, and I headed off to Chattanooga. While Lisa and I were planning to run the first two days of the race, Paul planned only to run one of the days.

For being a small race (probably not the largest budget), you could not have asked for more. Chad Wamack, one of the Rock Creek Racing Team members, arranged our heavily-discounted lodging at a very nice hotel in the middle of Chattanooga. Luckily for us, he also agreed to meet us after breakfast each morning so we could follow him to the race sites without getting lost. I've run the Marine Corps, Chicago, and Boston Marathons and never received such an accommodating reception.

After arriving at Lookout Mountain for the first day's race, we met Kris Whorton--inarguably an accomplished runner. She was the official cat-herder for the race, making sure everything went off smoothly. By the start of the race, she already knew everyone's name, proving a keen attention to detail. Her bio can be found at www.rockcreek.com/raceteam/#kris.

Off we went the first day, following a bicycle escort for the first bit of the course until we hit the trails. Chad told me the bike would drop me; so, naturally, I had to stay with it until it turned off. And I did. And I paid for it.

After we hit the trails, I had no idea where we were going. I figured I would just follow the guys in front of me. Bad plan. Apparently, the leaders didn't know the course that well, either, so we took the scenic route. The good news was that the back-tracking was downhill. For those who are wondering, getting lost two miles into a twenty-mile race is not a good start. After that, we were a little more careful and paranoid about following the trail. We continued past the aid station/gummy bear stop (they must have known I was coming) and ran out to Covenant College. When you drive into town, you can see the college perched on top of the mountain, a vantage point that affords it a great view of its surroundings.

Up the mountain, down the mountain, up the mountain, down the mountain.

With .6 miles to go, you hit the one water crossing. You could go around it, but that would be no fun--especially with the photographer sitting there yelling at you to go through it. So I went back and splashed in the water. It probably didn't help the race time, but I had fun.

On day two, Chad led us out to Raccoon Mountain, described as a flat and fast course. In fact, the course was supposed to be so flat that the official course description included no elevation profiles. Never trust a Tennessee designation of the word flat. The course was hilly enough and overgrown enough that the most mileage anyone recorded on their Garmin was 12.6. The trail was eighteen miles long, plus detours. It was, however, faster than the previous day. The highlight of my weekend came on this day, when I passed one of the mountain bikers on an uphill stretch. As day two came to a finish, I waited for Paul and Lisa. Despite his aforementioned plans to run only one of the race days, Paul crossed the finish line. Lisa followed in short order, and both formed a consensus to hang up their shoes for the rest of the race.

For our third day, Chad led us out to Signal Mountain.

Wait a minute...didn't we only plan to run two days?

Signal Mountain was, by far, the hardest of the trails. Fortunately, everyone was sufficiently well-rested after the flat course the day before. The times were slow, but you don't get to run trails like this in Florida. At one point, the trail dead-ended into a rock face where the trail simply went up. The pace varied from less than a crawl to running full-blast through sticker bushes and thorns where you couldn't see the rocks and roots you were tripping over. By the end of the day, only twenty-six of the thirty-four people that started the race at Signal Mountain finished. About sixty people raced at least one of the races. Paul ran all three races, beating Lisa in only one of the three. He did, however, finish just ahead of her in the overall standings, which made his day. Lisa was second overall woman. And I had fun.

The 2008 Stage Race benefited The Boonies (Wilderness Trail Running Association). Now part of the Rock/Creek Trail Series, this year's stage race was an incredible experience. It was presented by Rock/Creek and sponsored by Mountain Hardwear, SmartWool, and La Sportiva. Participants received a technical Wicked Tee from Mountain Hardwear. Prizes and raffles were provided as well. For more information on the Rock/Creek Trail series and for dates of future events visit. http://www.rockcreek.com/trailseries/default.asp

Posted by bradmcallister at 2:47 PM | Comments (0)

June 26, 2008

Scenic City Trail Marathon Video

Our friend Jon over at iMultisport has just posted the Scenic City Trail Marathon video on YouTube. I know some of you had trouble viewing the other videos, so I thought I'd share this one.

For results, photos, and more information on the Scenic City Trail Marathon, visit rockcreek.com/trailmarathon/

Posted by Mark McKnight at 11:18 AM | Comments (1)

June 16, 2008

Our Youngest Race Team Member, Johanna Gartman

Rock/Creek is proud to announce our latest Race Team member, Johanna Gartman. At only 15 years old, she is also our youngest member. Please join us in welcoming her to the team!

School: Homeschool
Age: 15

Current Team Affiliations:
Scenic City Aquatic Club, USAT Southeast Youth Elite Team

Races/Accomplishments:

2007
Ironkids National Champion (Phoenix,AZ )
USAT National Ranking (Age Group 9th)
USAT Southeast Regional Ranking (Age Group 2nd)
Ironkids Atlanta (1st overall female)
Sports Barn Triathlon (2nd overall female/ age group winner)
River Gorge Trail Run —10k ( 2nd overall female)
Clemson Triathlon SC State Championship (age group winner/9th overall)
Orlando Triathlon (age group winner/6th overall female)
Grandman Triathlon Mobile,AL(age group winner/8th overall female)
Scenic City Triathlon (age group winner/4th overall female)
Chattanooga Waterfront Triathlon (age group winner)

2006
USA Triathlon Grand Prix Series National Champion
USAT Youth National Championship (5th place) Wiscconsin Dells, WI

“I would like to gain more experience in trail running, and I feel that being a part of the team could provide insight for maturing that goal. It would be a privilege for me to be a part of a team whose members are such intense endurance athletes.”



Read more about Rock/Creek’s sponsored athletes online >

Posted by Mark McKnight at 11:40 AM | Comments (0)

June 2, 2008

Scenic City Trail Marathon Videos

Thanks to Jon from iMultisport for this video from the Scenic City Trail Marathon. Enjoy!

Online Videos by Veoh.com

More about the Scenic City Trail Marathon & 1/2 Marathon online, including results, photography, and more >

The Marathon raised over $3000 for the Wilderness Trail Running Association (The Boonies). Read the race report here >

Posted by Mark McKnight at 1:33 PM | Comments (0)

May 31, 2008

Josh Wheeler Wins Age Group at Florida Ironman 70.3

Rock/Creek Race Team member Josh Wheeler from Signal Mountain, TN won his division at last weekend's Florida Ironman 70.3 Triathlon. Josh, competing in only his second Half Ironman, came in with an impressive 4:30:44. His performance at the race makes him a 2008 Clearwater 70.3 World Championship Qualifier.

After a challenging swim, Josh came out of the water 20th in his age group. He made up some time on the bike and came off the bike in 4th place, then made up nearly four minutes in the run.

Josh blasted across the line after an incredible run, winning the Men's 18-24 age group. He collapsed over the finish line, having given the race everything he had.

Josh came in over a minute before his closest age group competitor, putting him in 28th place overall in a field of nearly 2000 racers. Congrats Josh!

Here's the full story from Josh, with a mile-by-mile breakdown of the run:

Leading into this race all the stars seemed to line up perfectly. Getting down to Florida six days before the race payed off tremendously allowing my body to acclimatize to the heat and humidity plus recover mentally and physically from the last few weeks of school. I knew the course, my taper went well and I remained confident in my fitness.

I woke up about thirty minutes before my alarm was to go off on race morning (3:30am). Showered, shaved and ate my oatmeal breakfast. I drank 16oz of Gu20 before I got in the car. Having packed the night before, we were able to simply walk down stairs and get in the car. I wanted to get to the bus drop off at about 5:40am thinking that would give me enough time to finalize my transition area and get a good warm up in. We stopped for coffee and by the time we got to the bus it was 5:55am. Oh well, I figured I didn't need that long of a warm up anyway. Standing in line, I got to shake hands and talk to Craig Alexander, who wished me good luck in his sexy Australian accent. The bus ride was smooth. Kept sipping on my second bottle of Gu20 as I strolled into the transition area around six o'clock.

I had a great transition spot. I made sure everything was dialed in before I left the transition. My tires were 145-150psi since I thought the road would be hot and the tires might expand on me a little. I made sure all my nutrition was secure and left transition around 6:10am with about twenty minutes left before my wave was scheduled to hit the water. Ran a few above LT pickups to get my heart rate up, stretched and walked down the beach start.

Waiting on my wave to get into the water I ran a few more strides to stay loose until the race announcer called us down. I felt I had a great starting spot. I was on the far outside in line with the first buoy. All the way until the gun went off I really did not get nervous. I simply remained focused on my game plan for the swim and listened for the cannon.

Once the race was underway, I ran as far as I could out into the lake and started to dolphin dive. I think I got in two dolphin dives before I abandoned the notion that I could dolphin dive and started to swim. I did not swim all out to the first buoy as I normally do in a race. I knew it was going to be a long day and I wanted to make sure I got a good position in the swim without having to red line my heart rate too early. On the way out to the first turn buoy I swam alone.

I saw a good pack forming to my right but they were about 30m off the buoy and I was swimming slightly slower than them but in a straight line, buoy to buoy. So I decided to hold my line for now, thinking I would intercept them at the first left hand turn. Once rounding the turn buoy and swimming over the top of a few of the slower swimmers from the previous wave, I found some feet wearing a green swim cap (aka my age-group) and stuck to his hip like glue till we made the second turn. I knew that I only had about 750m left in the swim and at this point felt comfortably uncomfortable.

I put my head down and started to hammer for the shore. The guys' feet I had been drafting off of fell off pace so I left him for open water. To my right once again the same pack of swimmers had formed and they were still about 30m off the buoy line. I made the executive decision to swim diagonally and intercept them thinking that swimming in that pack would save some energy for the bike. However, by the time I bridged over to their group I realized that they were not swimming as efficiently as I would like, so I made the second executive decision to bridge back over to buoy and swim alone for the final 500m.

Continue reading "Josh Wheeler Wins Age Group at Florida Ironman 70.3"

Posted by Mark McKnight at 2:07 PM | Comments (0)

May 30, 2008

$3300 Raised for The Boonies at 2nd Annual Scenic City Trail Marathon presented by Rock/Creek & Vasque

Chattanooga, TN- Clear skies and the promise of warm temperatures met the 45 marathoners and 147 half marathoners who turned out Saturday morning for the second annual Scenic City Trail Marathon and Half on Raccoon Mountain. The two trail running races, presented by Rock/Creek and Vasque, raised $3300 for The Wilderness Trail Running Association, aka Boonies. Proceeds from both events are used to run trail races, develop new and maintain existing trails in the Chattanooga area.

John Cobbs of Birmingham, Alabama won the event with an impressive time of 3:38:04. Rock/Creek Race Team member Jaclyn Greenhill of Signal Mountain, Tennessee came in less than a minute back to win the women's division with a time of 3:38:49. Sal Coll of Chattanooga, Tennessee finished second male in 3:44:38 and Eric Ashley of Glenrose, Texas finished 3rd male in 3:50:18. Katie Grove from Smryna, Georgia was second female in 4:33:40 and DeDe DuBose from Chattanooga, Tennessee finished third female in 4:47:29.

In the half marathon, Rock/Creek Race Team members Michael Green and Clay Warner finished first and second. Green, of Rocky Face, Georgia finished first in 1:26:57, and Warner, of Ringgold, Georgia, finished second in 1:26:59. 17-year-old Nick Lewis 1:28:49 of Hanceville, Alabama finished third. Sue Kelly from Atlanta, Georgia, was first female in 1:39:46, Hope Hessler from Lookout Mountain, Tennessee was second with a time of 1:57:32 and Ashley Morris from Johnson City, Tennessee with a 2:02:01 finish was 3rd. Full race results are posted online at http://www.rockcreek.com/trailmarathon/

"We couldn't have asked for a better day or a better venue for the run," said race director Jamie Sanders: "Everyone had a great time out there today." Sanders thanked the many volunteers and sponsors, including Rock/Creek, Vasque Footwear, Mountain Hardwear, SmartWool, Black Diamond, Greenlife Grocery, and Hammer Nutrition.

The course is a scenic and rolling, single-track trail created by SORBA (Southeast Off-Road Bicycle Organization). The trail hugs the perimeter of Raccoon Mountain, a TVA pumped-storage facility and is one of the best trail running and mountain biking locations within 25 minutes of downtown Chattanooga.

The Scenic City Trail Marathon is part of the Rock/Creek Trail Series, a year-long trail running race series with 9 race dates and 13 distance options. The next event in the series is the Chattanooga Mountains Stage Race, taking place on June 20, 21 and 22. For more information on the series, visit http://www.rockcreek.com/trailseries/

The race also was a part of Vasque's North American Trail Tour. The Lookout Mountain 100k & 10k on December 20th will also be a part of the Tour.

Photography available online:
http://flickr.com/photos/imultisport/sets/72157605234803616/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rockcreek/sets/72157605331055809/

About Rock/Creek:

Rock/Creek, member of the Grassroots Outdoor Alliance, is an independent specialty outdoor retailer with over two decades of experience in the Southeast. Along with its online shops, RockCreek.com and ClimbingGear.com, Rock/Creek provides quality outdoor clothing and gear for a host of activities including kayaking, rock climbing, camping, hiking, trail running, and adventure racing. Rock/Creek is committed to making a positive impact on the environment. For this reason, it uses outdoor retail as a platform to encourage outdoor recreation and environmental stewardship and to improve public access to the backcountry. Rock/Creek supports worthy nonprofits such as the Southeastern Climbers' Coalition and the Wilderness Trail Running Association.

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Posted by Mark McKnight at 3:08 PM | Comments (0)

May 19, 2008

Media Alert: Rock/Creek and Vasque Present The Scenic City Trail Marathon & 1/2 Marathon, benefiting The Boonies

Media Alert
May 20, 2008

Contact:
Jamie Sanders, Race Director
423.505.0310 (mobile)
stumpjump50k@rockcreek.com

Mark McKnight, Marketing Director, Rock/Creek
423.643.1528 (office)
423.596.1573 (mobile)
mark@rockcreek.com

Rock/Creek and Vasque Present The Scenic City Trail Marathon & 1/2 Marathon, benefiting The Boonies

What: Scenic City Trail Marathon & 1/2 Marathon presented by Rock/Creek & Vasque, benefiting The Boonies
Where: TVA Raccoon Mountain Pumped Storage Facility
When: Saturday, May 24, 2008, 8:00 a.m race start
Who: Rock/Creek, Vasque Footwear, The Boonies (Wilderness Trail Running Association)

Rock/Creek and Vasque proudly present the second annual Scenic City Trail Marathon & 1/2 Marathon, taking place at TVA's Raccoon Mountain Pumped Storage Facility on the trails developed by SORBA-Chattanooga. Both of these trail runs begin at 8:00 a.m. Race-day registration and check-in will open at 6:45 a.m. The race begins and ends at the Laurel Point Parking Lot.

The Scenic City Trail Marathon will set the bench for a state record in trail running. The trails at Raccoon will be fast and forgiving, making for a great leisurely race for new trail runners or a full-on speed fest for those in the hunt for the first state record for a trail race.

Now part of the Vasque North American Trail Tour, this year's Scenic City Trail Marathon & 1/2 Marathon promises to be an incredible experience. Sponsored by Rock/Creek, Vasque, Mountain Hardwear, and SmartWool. Participants will receive a technical Wicked Tee from Mountain Hardwear. Prizes and raffles will be provided as well.

Proceeds from the race benefit the trail building efforts of the Wilderness Trail Running Association (a.k.a. "The Boonies"). Specifically, the proceeds from this race will help build the trail for the Lookout Mountain 100k, taking place on December 20, 2008 along with a 10k.

For more information visit:
http://www.rockcreek.com/trailmarathon/

Photo Opportunities:
Well over 100 trail runners from around the United States will be competing on a beautiful course with sweeping views of the TN River Gorge and the Raccoon Mountain Reservoir.

Interview Opportunities:
Jamie Sanders, Race Director
Randy Whorton, President, The Boonies

Map to TVA's Raccoon Mountain Pumped Storage Facility (via Google Maps):
http://tinyurl.com/6dh9tu
When you get to the TVA Road, you follow it up to the gates to the facility. From there you will see signs directing you to Laurel Point.

About Rock/Creek:

Rock/Creek, member of the Grassroots Outdoor Alliance, is an independent specialty outdoor retailer with over two decades of experience in the Southeast. Along with its online shops, RockCreek.com and ClimbingGear.com, Rock/Creek provides quality outdoor clothing and gear for a host of activities including kayaking, rock climbing, camping, hiking, trail running, and adventure racing. Rock/Creek is committed to making a positive impact on the environment. For this reason, it uses outdoor retail as a platform to encourage outdoor recreation and environmental stewardship and to improve public access to the backcountry. Rock/Creek supports worthy nonprofits such as the Southeastern Climbers' Coalition and the Wilderness Trail Running Association.

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Posted by Mark McKnight at 4:49 PM | Comments (0)

May 1, 2008

Rock/Creek Race Team Members Take Southeast Regional Championship Titles

Rock/Creek Race Team Members Take Southeast Regional Championship Titles for Trail Running in 50k & Half Marathon Distances

This past weekend the Rock/Creek Race Team took several podium spots in trail races around the country. The Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) held the southeast regional championship for trail running at the Sweetwater 50k and Half Marathon. Both titles went to Signal Mountain residents and Race Team members this year. Long-time Signal Mountain resident and team member Sheridan Ames took first place in the 50K with an impressive time of 5:01:44. Rock/Creek team captain and new Signal Mountain resident Matt Sims continued the domination by taking first in the half marathon with a time of 1:38:16. Kathy Johns finished as 6th woman overall. She was the 30th overall finisher of the 50k with a time of 6:41.

This second annual race took place on Saturday, April 26th. Located right outside of Atlanta, Sweetwater State Park offers a challenging course including steep climbs, gnarly downhills and treacherous creek crossings. This year, team Rock/Creek made their presence known at the race, and they obviously made an impression that will not soon be forgotten. For Sheridan Ames, the 50k title had special significance as his first ever 1st place win. Ames has been to the Ironman World Championships in Kona, has run the Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim solo, and has run races for years, so the southeast regional championship was well deserved. Ames reflects on the race, explaining that "the course was very challenging, physically and mentally. The river crossing was particularly interesting. Wading through waist deep cold rushing water while holding onto a rope to keep you from being washed downstream was a new one for me. Sharing the win with fellow team members made the race particularly special, and I'm now looking forward to the Shadow of Giants 50K at the end of the month."

Matt and his wife Natalie Sims as well as Kathy Johns and Sheridan Ames, all Rock/Creek Race Team members, met up at 4:45 a.m. in Chattanooga and arrived at the race about two hours later, ready for a challenge. Matt Sims had to fight for the half marathon title. Since there were 150 runners in the half marathon, he headed out to the front early. Sims maintained his lead throughout most of the race. He says: "As soon as we joined the trail, I was able to get away from [the other runner challenging for the lead] on some technical turns and steep rocky downhills and never saw anyone again until mile 12.5. I thought I pretty much had this one in the bag until I heard the leaves rustling behind me with a younger runner bearing down on me in the last half mile. Miraculously I was able to hold him off and crossed the line with 15 or so seconds to spare."

Several other Rock/Creek Race Team members finished strong this weekend as well. Race team members Johanna Gartman and Stephen Taylor won the overall women's and overall men's titles at Chattanooga's Scenic City Triathlon. Johanna is a new member of the team, and at only 15 years old has already won several races including the 2007 Ironkids National Championship in Phoenix, AZ.

John Anderson, fresh off a win at the Old Pueblo 50 Miler in Arizona, managed another impressive podium finish this weekend. He finished second behind La Sportiva athlete Anton Krupicka at the Zane Grey 50 miler, which takes place on the Highline Trail near Payson, Arizona. John is a Signal Mountain native who currently studies medicine at the University of Colorado. He describes the race course, which "has around 11,000 feet of climbing and the 'trail' consists of downed trees, washed out gullies and tons of loose, ankle-breaking rocks. While the race is billed as the toughest 50 miler in the US, I don't know if it's the most difficult, but it is certainly one of the most technical courses with only a few steps of actual smooth trail."

Rock/Creek and all the race team sponsors congratulate Sheridan, Matt, Johanna, Stephen, and all the race team members for their victory and continued support of the sport of trail running: "These racers continue to blow away our expectations as they have taken the podium in races across the country this Spring. In addition, our race team members have been working on building new trails, organizing and supporting the Rock/Creek Trail Series, and raising money for The Boonies," explains Rock/Creek co-owner Dawson Wheeler: "We're proud to have them associated with Rock/Creek."

For more information about the Rock/Creek Race Team, visit http://www.rockcreek.com/raceteam/

About Rock/Creek:

Rock/Creek, member of the Grassroots Outdoor Alliance, is an independent specialty outdoor retailer with over two decades of experience in the Southeast. Along with its online shops, RockCreek.com and ClimbingGear.com, Rock/Creek provides quality outdoor clothing and gear for a host of activities including kayaking, rock climbing, camping, hiking, trail running, and adventure racing. Rock/Creek is committed to making a positive impact on the environment. For this reason, it uses outdoor retail as a platform to encourage outdoor recreation and environmental stewardship and to improve public access to the backcountry. Rock/Creek supports worthy nonprofits such as the Southeastern Climbers' Coalition and the Wilderness Trail Running Association.

##

RELATED ARTICLES:


Rock/Creek Runners Win Sweetwater 50k & Half Marathon
Wheeler Wins Half Marathon, Continuing Rock/Creek Race Team's Winning Streak
John Anderson Wins Old Pueblo 50 Miler
Wheeler Wins Half Marathon, Continuing Rock/Creek Race Team's Winning Streak
Race Team Dominates Mt. Cheaha 50k
Black Warrior Race Report
Strong Finishes at Mountain Mist 50k
$4000 Raised at Rock/Creek StumpJump
Leadville 100: Race Team Report
Life is (Not Always) An Adventure Race: The StumpJump 50K
There's no 'I' in Adventure Race Team
Why I Love Adventure Racing...
How to Train for a 50K
Cotton vs Synthetic

Shop for Hydration Packs in our Gear Store
Make the RockCreek.com StumpJump 50K Your First Ultra Marathon
Get details on the RockCreek.com StumpJump 50K & 11 Mile Trail Race

Posted by Mark McKnight at 12:24 PM | Comments (0)

April 28, 2008

Rock/Creek Runners Win Sweetwater 50k & Half Marathon

The Rock/Creek Race Team kicked some butt this weekend in Georgia. Check out this race report from Matt Sims, the team captain and a great trail runner who won the Half Marathon this weekend:

The Sweetwater 50K (southeast regional championship) and the Sweetwater Half Marathon, both won by Team members.
http://www.sweeth20races.com/

In short,

62 runners started the 50K.
153 runners started the Half Marathon

This the second annual Sweetwater 50K and the RRCA has named this 50k the Southeast Regional Championship Race.
The race was well done and consists of some pretty technical trails in Sweetwater State Park, just west of Downtown Atlanta.

Myself, Natalie, Kathy Johns, and Sheridan Ames drove down to Lithia Springs, GA early Saturday morning. Met at the Rock/Creek parking lot at 4:45am and got to the race at 6:35am. Both the 50k and the Half Marathon started together and then split off to their repsective distances at about mile 12.

There were over 150 runners in the Half Marathon so I decided I should get away early so that I could get on the trail and not be hampered by slower runners. Myself and one other guy took off from the starting line and ran the first mile on the road together. As soon as we joined the trail, I was able to get away from him on some technical turns and steep rocky downhills and never saw anyone again until mile 12.5. I thought I pretty much had this one in the bag until I heard the leaves rustling behind me with a younger runner bearing down on me in the last half mile. Miraculously, I was able to hold him off and crossed the line with 15 or so seconds to spare.

Matt Sims 1:38:16

Natalie felt the effects of being sick earlier in the week and within 20 minutes of the run, felt her hair stand up on her skin and was having cold chills. Not a great sign when the starting temperature was 67 degrees.

She bailed out at mile 13.

Kathy Johns finished as 6th woman overall. She was the 30 finisher of the 50k with a time of 6:41.

AND THE BIG NEWS...

Sheridan Ames finished 1st place in 5:01:44. Sheridan said the course was brutal. The humidity and the 80 degree temps made the day pretty hard mentally and physically.

-Matt Sims

Posted by Mark McKnight at 10:20 AM | Comments (0)

April 14, 2008

Earth Day Celebration Saturday April 19th

Earth-Friendly Food, Fun and Festivities at Two North Shore Saturday April 19th

Contact:
Krista Steere
krista.steere@csassociates.net
423.821.2121

Chattanooga, TN (April, 2008) - Two North Shore and Greenlife Grocery invite the public to an Earth Day festival at 301 Manufacturers Road on Chattanooga's North Shore. The festival will take place Saturday April 19, 2008 from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm. There will be an awards ceremony at 1:00 pm and Jeff Cannon of green|spaces will open the ceremony with a quick talk on green building.

This free day of celebration will contain an afternoon of local acoustic music, activities for the young and not so young, a dog training demo from Roddy Reynolds of RODDYDOGS, and much more. Rock/Creek will speak to their environmental stewardship efforts as well as feature environmentally friendly clothing options. Stop by and learn about annually renewable merino wool, organic cotton and the many recycled items Rock/Creek offers. At 3:00 pm, Rock/Creek will host a Leave No Trace community clinic teaching low impact caving, backpacking, and climbing techniques.

The Tennessee Aquarium will be present with live animals. They will be celebrating the Year of the Frog and educating kids and adults alike on the challenges frogs currently face across the world. They will also have information about the new IMAX film, "Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk," brought to Chattanooga locally by Greenlife Grocery and Rock/Creek. The Chattanooga Nature Center will also be present with a live animal.

Continue reading "Earth Day Celebration Saturday April 19th"

Posted by Mark McKnight at 4:53 PM

April 7, 2008

$1500 Raised at Rock/Creek River Gorge Trail Race

Chattanooga, TN - (April 3, 2008) – Rock/Creek today presented the Cumberland Trail Conference with a check for $1500. The Chattanooga-based outdoor retailer raised the money at last weekend's Rock/Creek River Gorge Trail Race. Now in its seventh year, the race was well attended as about 300 athletes showed up despite torrential rains before the race. This nonprofit organization is dedicated to building and maintaining over 300 miles of trails on the Cumberland Plateau.

Anthony Hook, General Manager of the Cumberland Trail Conference, shares his gratitude: "This race hosted by Rock/Creek helps support the Cumberland Trail Conference and demonstrates the various recreational pursuits that the Cumberland Trail offers. Races such as the Rock/Creek River Gorge Trail Race provide the challenge that trail runners seek and increases awareness of the Cumberland Trail. This money will be used to support our trail building and maintenance programs in Hamilton and Rhea counties. The CTC appreciates Rock/Creek's continuous support and generosity."

Appropriately, the race takes place on the Cumberland Trail, in Prentice Cooper Wildlife Management Area. The two distance options, 10.2 mile and 6.5 mile, both used parts of the challenging Mullens Cove Loop. Prentice Cooper is located in Marion County, on top of Suck Creek Mountain, overlooking the Tennessee River Gorge.

Thunderstorms and heavy rain greeted about 300 athletes on Saturday morning, making this one of the largest and certainly the wettest turnouts in the history of the race. "Having a successful turnout like this, despite the rain, made for a fantastic start to the spring trail running season," states race director, Jamie Sanders. "We are excited to see how continued growth of this sport encourages people to come out, rain or shine, every year."

Covered in mud and soaked in rain and sweat, several of these trail runners battled for the finish, making for a winning time almost a minute faster than last year's time. Joseph Goetz finished first with a 1:13:58 in the 10.2 mile. Rock /Creek Race Team member Stephen Taylor from Nashville ran a great race, finishing just behind Joseph in 1:14:39. Several Chattanooga-based Rock/Creek team members fared well: Geno Phillips finished fourth, Matt Sims came in seventh, while Randy Whorton finished 16th. Rock/Creek employee Clay Warner finished fourth with a time of 1:17:43.

In the women's division, Jan Gautier finished first with a time of 1:28:02, placing 18th overall. Heather Stone of Chattanooga finished 2nd; Michelle Meek of Knoxville, TN took third. Chattanooga native Natalie Sims of Team Rock/Creek ran hard and placed fifth in the women's division.

In the 6.5 miler, Zach McElrath of Phoenix, AZ took the podium with a time of 50:25, beating last year's winning time of 51:31. Tom Sell of Chattanooga came in second in the men's category and Cody Carlson from Rock Face, GA came in third, with a time of 51:26. In the women's division, Mary Mingedorff-Lee finished in 1:03:58, taking first. Cathi Cannon, a Chattanooga native and new member of the Rock/Creek Race Team, came in second, while Angela Pewitt, from Birmingham, AL, finished third with a time of 1:09:56.

Rock/Creek co-owner and president, Dawson Wheeler, from Signal Mountain, TN, expresses his gratitude to the sponsors and volunteers: "Without serious financial and time commitments from our sponsors and volunteers, we never could have raised this much money or had such a successful race." Mr. Wheeler also highlighted the importance of environmental stewardship: "Rock/Creek believes in the work of the Cumberland Trail Conference. By supporting what they do, we hope to encourage others to do their part as well. The future of the activities we love depends on protecting our natural resources through the volunteer work we do now as well as our financial commitments to conservation organizations."

SmartWool, Mountain Hardwear, and Patagonia were major sponsors of the event. The North Face, Salomon, Hammer Nutrition, Greenlife Grocery, Larabar, TrailRunner, and The Gear Junkie also sponsored. The Rock/Creek River Gorge Trail Race was the first in the Rock/Creek Trail Series, a new year-long points series with 9 race dates and 13 distance options. The series benefits trail building and maintenance efforts through The Wilderness Trail Running Association (The Boonies). For more information on the series, visit http://www.rockcreek.com/trailseries/ and for more information on The Boonies visit http://www.runintheboonies.org. The Cumberland Trail Conference can be found at http://www.cumberlandtrail.org.

The next race in the Rock/Creek Trail Series will be the Scenic City Marathon & Half Marathon, presented by Vasque, May 24th, 2008. Registration is currently open: http://www.rockcreek.com/trailmarathon/

Videos & Photography Available online:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rockcreek/2387669404/in/set-72157604361477847/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rockcreek/sets/72157604361477847/
http://rockcreekblog.com/archives/video_photos_from_race_last_weekend.html

About Rock/Creek:

Rock/Creek, member of the Grassroots Outdoor Alliance, is an independent specialty outdoor retailer with over two decades of experience in the Southeast. Along with its online shops, RockCreek.com and ClimbingGear.com, Rock/Creek provides quality outdoor clothing and gear for a host of activities including kayaking, rock climbing, camping, hiking, trail running, and adventure racing. Rock/Creek is committed to making a positive impact on the environment. For this reason, it uses outdoor retail as a platform to encourage outdoor recreation and environmental stewardship and to improve public access to the backcountry. Rock/Creek supports worthy nonprofits such as the Southeastern Climbers' Coalition and the Wilderness Trail Running Association.

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Posted by Mark McKnight at 12:27 PM

April 4, 2008

More Photos from the River Gorge Trail Race

We have a few more photos from this past weekend's Rock/Creek River Gorge Trail Race. Come check them out- there are still more to come when I get a chance, hopefully this weekend.

Don't forget about our next race, the Scenic City Trail Marathon & Half Marathon, coming up on May 24th. The Marathon will set the bench for a state record in trail running. The trails at Raccoon will be fast and forgiving making for a great leisurely race for new trail runners or a full-on speed fest for those in the hunt for the first state record for a trail race. Check out the Scenic City Trail Marathon Web page.

These races are part of the larger Rock/Creek Trail Series, benefiting the Wilderness Trail Running Association (The Boonies).

Posted by Mark McKnight at 9:51 AM

April 1, 2008

Video + Photos from Race Last Weekend

The 2008 Rock/Creek River Gorge Trail Race was a great success, despite torrential rains in the morning before the event. The rain slacked off a bit by the time we started the race, but the course was muddy and the footing unstable all day long. This of course made it a lot of fun for the 260+ trail runners who finished the race.

Check out the photographs from Wilderness Adventure Photography here >

There are also photos from Jon Moss and three videos that he shot at the race:

Thanks to all our sponsors and the volunteers who made this such a great event. We'll have a full race recap this week and will announce the donation for the Cumberland Trail Conference at that time.

For full results and information as it becomes available, visit the race Web site:
http://www.rockcreek.com/rivergorge/

Posted by Mark McKnight at 5:17 PM

March 24, 2008

New Race Team Members, Early Season Victories

Rock/Creek celebrates continued success for the 2008 race season, as well as four new additions to the team. The season started off strong with team member Kris Whorton as she took the win at the Black Warrior 50K Trail Race. This race takes place in the Brushy Lake Recreational Area, a part of Alabama's William B. Bankhead National Forest. Kris also had the #7 fastest 100 mile time on UltraRunning magazine's recently released 2007 North American Ultra List. Her Umstead 100 miler time of 18:13 was the fastest trail 100 miler time for a female over 40, as well as the 4th fastest for any female in the world. In addition, Kris won the female masters' division of the Mountain Mist 50k back in January, where she also set a new course record for her division. "I am hoping that some of that talent can start rubbing off on me," her husband and running partner Randy quips.

The Cheaha 50k trail race, held on February 27,2008 continued the winning streak for Team Rock/Creek. Husband and wife team members Jamie Dial and Wendi Parker-Dial, of Nashville, took first place in the mens and women's divisions, respectively. Jamie's time broke the course record by 20 minutes. Another husband and wife team, Matt and Natalie Sims, both placed 5th in their respective categories. Kathy Johns finished 9th in her division.

On March 8th, Josh Wheeler won Chattanooga's Scenic City Half Marathon. Josh is a returning Rock/Creek team member, cancer survivor, long time resident of Signal Mountain and former student of The McCallie School. Josh's time of 1:14:56 put him on the podium with another inspiring victory.

Team Rock/Creek's most recent victory is credited to new comer John Anderson. John is originally from Signal Mountain and a former student of The Baylor School. On March 10, 2008 John took the podium at the Old Pueblo 50 Miler Trail Run, located in Arizona. This race consists of loops of forest service roads and trails that are located along the south eastern part of the Santa Rita Mountains (part of the Arizona Mountains). John came in with a time of 7:20:45.

"We're excited to sponsor such a talented group of athletes," explains Dawson Wheeler, co-owner and President of Rock/Creek: "Our Race Team represents us in everything from 5 mile to 100+ mile races across the world. The Whortons are running stage races in Europe while Josh is winning a half marathon right here in downtown Chattanooga. The dedication and the diversity of interests- both athletically and in terms of volunteer and professional work- makes me proud to have these men and women associated with Rock/Creek. They are great role models to other runners as well as environmental stewards working to improve the trail systems in our state and national forest lands."

Rock/Creek proudly introduces this year's new team members:

John Anderson, Medical Student, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Boulder CO
Cathi Cannon, Graphic Designer, Chattanooga, TN
Jaclyn Greenhill, Pediatric ER Nurse, Chattanooga, TN
Kathy Jones, Medical Assistant, Chattanooga, TN

Returning this year:

Sheridan Ames, Hudson Construction project manager, Chattanooga, TN
Jamie Dial, Activities Coordinator, Vanderbilt University Outdoor Program, Nashville, TN
Wendi Parker-Dial, Artist, Art Teacher, Nashville, TN
Michael Green, High School Cross Country/Track Coach, Spray Tech (Golf Course), Chattanooga, TN
Matt Karzen, Laywer, Athens, GA
Geno Phillips, History Teacher, Chattanooga, TN
Matt Sims, Patagonia Sales Rep., Chattanooga, TN
Natalie Sims, Interior Designer, Chattanooga, TN
Stephen Taylor, Fitness Trainer and Endurance Coach, Nashville, TN
Chad Wamack, Commercial Real Estate Brokerage & Development, Chattanooga, TN
Josh Wheeler, Student at Appalachian State University Exercise Physiology program, Signal Mountain, TN
Kris Whorton, UTC English Professor, Chattanooga, TN
Randy Whorton, Environmental business owner/operator, Chattanooga, TN


Rock/Creek would like to thank the Race Team sponsors: Patagonia, La Sportiva, and Vasque.

For more information and individual team profiles, visit http://www.rockcreek.com/raceteam/


About Rock/Creek
Rock/Creek, member of the Grassroots Outdoor Alliance, is an independent specialty outdoor retailer with over two decades of experience in the Southeast. Along with its online shops, http://www.RockCreek.com and http://www.ClimbingGear.com, Rock/Creek provides quality outdoor clothing and gear for a host of activities including kayaking, rock climbing, camping, hiking, trail running, travel, and adventure racing. Rock/Creek is committed to making a positive impact on the environment. For this reason, it uses outdoor retail as a platform to encourage outdoor recreation and environmental stewardship and to improve public access to the backcountry. Rock/Creek supports worthy nonprofits such as the Southeastern Climbers Coalition and the Wilderness Trail Running Association.

RELATED ARTICLES:

John Anderson Wins Old Pueblo 50 Miler
Wheeler Wins Half Marathon, Continuing Rock/Creek Race Team's Winning Streak
Race Team Dominates Mt. Cheaha 50k
Black Warrior Race Report
Strong Finishes at Mountain Mist 50k
$4000 Raised at Rock/Creek StumpJump
Leadville 100: Race Team Report
Life is (Not Always) An Adventure Race: The StumpJump 50K
There's no 'I' in Adventure Race Team
Why I Love Adventure Racing...
How to Train for a 50K
Cotton vs Synthetic

Shop for Hydration Packs in our Gear Store
Make the RockCreek.com StumpJump 50K Your First Ultra Marathon
Get details on the RockCreek.com StumpJump 50K & 11 Mile Trail Race

Posted by Mark McKnight at 3:07 PM

March 19, 2008

It's Not Too Late for the Rock/Creek River Gorge Trail Race

On Saturday March 27, 2008 Prentice Cooper Wilderness Management Area will open its gate for the 2008 River Gorge Race, a 10.2 mile and 6.5 mile race that will challenge running enthusiasts of all ages. The course is designed to cover the Mullins Cove Loop. The longer 10.2 mile run is all single track running with the race beginning at 8:30 am. The challenging 6.5 mile run starts at 9:00 am and contains a mixture of single track and Jeep Roads that will keep you on your toes.

Registration is still open, so lace up your kicks and join us for a Saturday that the whole family can enjoy.

It is not too late to sign up. Online registration closes on March 24,2008 at 10:00 pm. Click on the link below for full race details.

Proceeds from this race as well as all of the Rock/Creek Trail Series benefits the The Wilderness Trail Running Association,
a.k.a. "The Boonies"

Click here for full race details and to sign up today >

Posted by Mark McKnight at 9:32 AM

March 13, 2008

Video: Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk Trailer

Rock/Creek and Greenlife Grocery are proud to present a new IMAX film at the Tennessee Aquarium in downtown Chattanooga, TN. The film, "Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk," has a strong conservation message, explaining in clear terms how intensely our water resources are being strained by the demands of population growth. Robert Redford narrates and the Dave Matthews Band provides the soundtrack. Robert F. Kennedy, founder of the Riverkeepers, as well as anthropologist and author Wade Davis travel down the river on a rafting trip with their daughters and Shana Watahomigie, a member of the Havasupai tribe and the first Native American to become a National Park Ranger and river guide.

The film opened today for a limited audience of local school children and the media. I attended the preview and have to say that the movie was well worth watching. I didn't realize how drastically world population growth has effected our water resources. The Colorado River, in fact, no longer reaches the delta. One of the most striking images from the film shows a cracked and completely dry river bed where the Colorado used to flow. I'll post photos from the event tomorrow. The movie opens Saturday the 15th, and will run for several months. Be sure to stop by the Aquarium IMAX and check it out.

We're also running a $300 Gift Card giveaway on our Web site in connection with the sponsorship. Sign up today!

Read the TN Aquarium's Press Release on the movie >

Posted by Mark McKnight at 12:43 PM

March 11, 2008

Jaclyn Greenhill Joins Rock/Creek Race Team

We're happy to welcome Jaclyn Greenhill to the Rock/Creek Race Team. Jaclyn lives in Chattanooga and has been running with several of our race team members for years. Here she talks a bit about what motivates her to run, gives a few top finishes from the past, and outlines her projected 2008 race schedule. If you see her at a race, be sure to introduce yourself! Welcome Jaclyn!

Occupation: Pediatric ER Nurse
Age: 30

Favorite Run: Mesa Trail at Chautaqua Park in Co; Prentice Cooper. There really is not a trail I have run that does not contribute to my overall growing passion for trail running. Each trail provides a different beauty that I cannot find many other places in life. So with that said, all trails are
pretty much my favorite.

What I love most about running:

There is a simplicity to trail running that you cannot really get with any other sport. You put your running shoes on, drive, or run to that special trail and go. A few seconds later you realize that all of the stresses and worries you had before are no longer there.
It is just you and the trail.

Check our flickr page for more of Jaclyn's photos >

Races/ Significant Accomplishments:
Atlanta Marathon 2003 -2nd place
Efix Adventure race 2004- 2nd place
Blue Ridge Adventure race 2003,2004- 6th place
Iceland half Marathon 2005 -2nd age division
Cohutta 100 mile mt bike race 2005
Carrboro 50K 2006- 2nd female
Holiday Lake 50K 2006- 5th female
Goblin Valley ultra 2006- 3rd in division
Twin Falls ultra 40 miler 2006- 3rd female
Fort Yargo adventure race 2007- 1st all female team
Stump Jump 2007- 3rd female
+ several other adventure races, triathlons

Upcoming races 2008:
Dirty Spokes 12 hr mountain bike race
Oak Mountain 50 K
Rock/Creek River George Trail Race
Scenic City Trail Marathon
Pikes Peak Marathon-?
Transalps stage race-?
Rock/Creek StumpJump 50k

RELATED ARTICLES:

John Anderson Wins Old Pueblo 50 Miler
Wheeler Wins Half Marathon, Continuing Rock/Creek Race Team's Winning Streak
Race Team Dominates Mt. Cheaha 50k
Black Warrior Race Report
Strong Finishes at Mountain Mist 50k
$4000 Raised at Rock/Creek StumpJump
Leadville 100: Race Team Report
Life is (Not Always) An Adventure Race: The StumpJump 50K
There's no 'I' in Adventure Race Team
Why I Love Adventure Racing...
How to Train for a 50K
Cotton vs Synthetic

Shop for Hydration Packs in our Gear Store
Make the RockCreek.com StumpJump 50K Your First Ultra Marathon
Get details on the RockCreek.com StumpJump 50K & 11 Mile Trail Race

Posted by Mark McKnight at 10:21 AM

March 10, 2008

John Anderson Wins Old Pueblo 50 Miler

The winning streak continues for the Rock/Creek Race Team. John Anderson took first place in the Old Pueblo 50 Mile Endurance Run in Sonoita, Arizona. John, originally of Signal Mountain, Tennessee, currently lives in Boulder, Colorado where he studies medicine at the University of Colorado. He joined the team this year. Here's his race report from this weekend:

I've been going to the Old Pueblo 50 Mile trail race for 3 years now and it's always a well run event. It takes place in the mountains outside of Tucson and the course climbs about 7500 ft throughout the race. If you see a helicopter it's not because ESPN 8 is filming the race--it's close to the Mexican border so the area is fairly heavily patrolled. I didn't see any Border Patrol during the race but driving to and from the start/finish I saw several government trucks.

The first half of the course is a mix of singletrack on the AZ trail, 4WD roads, desert gullies, and about 4-5 miles of gravel road. The next half is mostly single track as well as some 4WD roads. Along the course there are plenty of yucca, cacti, and amazing desert views. There are even a few creek crossing, but I'm pretty sure that even the smallest playboat wouldn't fit.

This year was definitely the hottest one I remembered and the hottest that the race director, Duane Arter, remembered as well. The day started off in the mid 40s and was somewhere around 80 by the time I finished.

The morning was clear and the moon was still bright enough to run without a headlamp, so off we went trying to get some miles in before the sun came out blazing. I was feeling a bit under-heat trained, but as luck would have it so were Sean (Team Inov-8 runner) and Nate (Team LaSportiva runner). Anyway, The three of us went out pretty hard as we knew that it would be hot soon. Sean dropped back on the climb up Gunsight Pass (mile 17ish), but then Nate left me around mile 25 on the way up to California Gulch.

I caught Nate at mile 33 and we ran together for the next 3-4 miles, and then Nate started having some ankle and hydration problems (by the time he finished his ankle was beat up pretty badly from the loose grapefruit sized rocks and steep downhills).

Not really knowing where these guys were, but knowing that they were both strong finishers (Sean has won Mt Masochist and this event in the past and Nate had the CR at Wasatch for several years) I tried to push a little bit on the way out of the aid station at mile 40. Also, I knew that Matt Sims might cover me in fish oil and let his cat Roscoe chase me if I got passed in the last few miles.

My calf started to cramp up and I was starting to lose the hydration battle, but I smelled the barn (or was it my own body odor?) and headed to the finish. The mile long meadow at the end seemed to take forever but I did blow by a few trees like they were standing still. Anyway, it was a fun weekend and I managed to convince a few folks from VA to check out the StumpJump in the future.

RELATED ARTICLES:

Wheeler Wins Half Marathon, Continuing Rock/Creek Race Team's Winning Streak
Race Team Dominates Mt. Cheaha 50k
Black Warrior Race Report
Strong Finishes at Mountain Mist 50k
$4000 Raised at Rock/Creek StumpJump
Leadville 100: Race Team Report
Life is (Not Always) An Adventure Race: The StumpJump 50K
There's no 'I' in Adventure Race Team
Why I Love Adventure Racing...
How to Train for a 50K
Cotton vs Synthetic

Shop for Hydration Packs in our Gear Store
Make the RockCreek.com StumpJump 50K Your First Ultra Marathon
Get details on the RockCreek.com StumpJump 50K & 11 Mile Trail Race

Posted by Mark McKnight at 12:39 PM

March 7, 2008

Wheeler Wins Half Marathon, Continuing Rock/Creek Race Team's Winning Streak

Rock/Creek Race Team member Josh Wheeler won last weekend's Scenic City Half Marathon here in Chattanooga, TN, with a time of 1 hour, 14 minutes and 56 seconds. Congratulations Josh! He continues the Race Team's winning streak this season with this incredible run. Josh, a twenty-year-old runner from Chattanooga, is currently a student at Appalachian State University.

Josh won the race ahead of two strong seniors from Bryan College's running program. With his usual self-deprecating humility, he describes the battle:

While he seemed to win with ease, the 5-foot-5 Wheeler said that was not the case.
"I was absolutely running scared," he said, smiling. "Those guys behind me were running well. I'm definitely not built to be a runner. I'm short and stocky, not like those long drinks of water chasing me." [Chattanooga Times-Free Press, click the image to the left to view full article]

Josh has an incredible story. He was already a great athlete in high school at The McCallie School. He was on his way to being a national champion in wrestling when a brain tumor ended his wrestling days. Josh became a triathlete immediately after recovering from the multiple surgeries, and became a source of hope and a role model for many. He has raised many thousands of dollars for cancer research and was inducted into the Tennessee chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame last year.

Josh continues to train for his current focus on the sport of triathlon. Saturday's Half Marathon was training for the Florida Half Ironman triathlon. You can read more about Josh's philosophy and see his top finishes on his Rock/Creek Race Team profile.

RELATED ARTICLES:

Race Team Dominates Mt. Cheaha 50k
Black Warrior Race Report
Strong Finishes at Mountain Mist 50k
$4000 Raised at Rock/Creek StumpJump
Leadville 100: Race Team Report
Life is (Not Always) An Adventure Race: The StumpJump 50K
There's no 'I' in Adventure Race Team
Why I Love Adventure Racing...
How to Train for a 50K
Cotton vs Synthetic

Shop for Hydration Packs in our Gear Store
Make the RockCreek.com StumpJump 50K Your First Ultra Marathon
Get details on the RockCreek.com StumpJump 50K & 11 Mile Trail Race

Posted by Mark McKnight at 10:29 AM

March 3, 2008

More Photos of Mt. Cheaha 50k

We have a few more images that just came in from last weekend's Mount Cheaha 50k. Check them out on flickr (click the photo to browse):

RELATED ARTICLES:

Race Team Dominates Mt. Cheaha 50k
Black Warrior Race Report
Strong Finishes at Mountain Mist 50k
$4000 Raised at Rock/Creek StumpJump
Leadville 100: Race Team Report
Life is (Not Always) An Adventure Race: The StumpJump 50K
There's no 'I' in Adventure Race Team
Why I Love Adventure Racing...
How to Train for a 50K
Cotton vs Synthetic

Shop for Hydration Packs in our Gear Store
Make the RockCreek.com StumpJump 50K Your First Ultra Marathon
Get details on the RockCreek.com StumpJump 50K & 11 Mile Trail Race

Posted by Mark McKnight at 12:54 PM

February 27, 2008

Race Team Dominates Cheaha 50k

Rock/Creek's Race Team continues to bring home the glory in ultramarathons across the Southeast this winter. Husband and wife team members Jamie Dial and Wendi Parker-Dial took first place in the mens' and womens' divisions, respectively. Jamie's time broke the course record by 20 minutes. Another husband and wife pair from the team fared well: Matt Sims placed 5th and his wife Natalie placed 5th female. Kathy Johns finished 9th female. Great job guys!

Here's what Jamie had to say about the course on The Boonies forum:

The course is really amazing and has a good mix of terrain. Though rarely "flat", it does have some dirt road sections that give your brain a slight reprieve from the single track rollers. I loved seeing the state park signs below Blue Hell that say STEEP TRAIL AHEAD. There were other signs that probably said keep children close or something, but I had tunnel vision at that point and only remember STEEP TRAIL....

Get in on the discussion here (forum requires signup to post, but it's free, so please come join us!).

A bulletin sent out to the Anniston Runners Club sums up the race pretty well, and I'll post any other details that come in from our racers. The Anniston e-mail follows:

TO ALL ANNISTON RUNNERS CLUB MEMBERS AND TRAIL JUNKIES – Mount Cheaha 50K ultra-trail run could be considered a triathlon (combination of three sports)! Trail running! Rock Scrambling! Creek Swimming! (See attached picture of runner swimming on Hubbard Creek near Lake Chinnabee.)

140 runners from as far away as California, Washington, Massachusetts, and Colorado toed the line yesterday at the start of the 3rd annual 31 mile race to the top of Mount Cheaha. 113 finished the whole event and lived to tell about it.

Was it rugged? Yes.

Was it unforgiving? Yes.

Was it steep? Oh yes!

Was it muddy and wet and cold? Of course!

Is Blue Hell hellish? #%X!#$%@!

Was it fun? You betcha.

Congrats to the overall winners who happen to be a husband and wife team! (And related to our own Dunaway Conner!) Jamie Dial was the first place male, and his wife Wendi Parker-Dial took home the first place female honors. (See attached pictures.)

More pictures of ARC members to come with a direct link to a photo album in a later email! Thanks to Leigh Marsh and Tom Nelson. AND Todd will have the link for the results up sometime soon. He’s working on it!

Seven Aid Stations!!! This has got to be the best supported race around. Each aid station was well-stocked with everything from basic gu to an assortment of chips, pretzels, and candy to hot taters with salt to hamburgers and hot dogs! And of course, there was plenty of water and Gatorade.

RELATED ARTICLES:

Black Warrior Race Report
Strong Finishes at Mountain Mist 50k
$4000 Raised at Rock/Creek StumpJump
Leadville 100: Race Team Report
Life is (Not Always) An Adventure Race: The StumpJump 50K
There's no 'I' in Adventure Race Team
Why I Love Adventure Racing...
How to Train for a 50K
Cotton vs Synthetic

Shop for Hydration Packs in our Gear Store
Make the RockCreek.com StumpJump 50K Your First Ultra Marathon
Get details on the RockCreek.com StumpJump 50K & 11 Mile Trail Race

Posted by Mark McKnight at 3:15 PM

February 19, 2008

StumpJump in "Marathon und Mehr"

I received a package last week containing a German running magazine, Marathon und Mehr, along with a note from Gerd Duerr, who ran the Rock/Creek StumpJump 50k in 2007. He had written an article about the race, published along with quite a few photographs in a three-page spread in the magazine. As he said in his letter, the StumpJump ended up being a very difficult race: "It was really a very very hard job for me," he says, "cause till the start, I thought of a lovely street-race of 50k through the beautiful Cumberland mountains. I was a little bit ignorant." In the article, Duerr calls this "the toughest race of my life." He wishes us luck with future races and hopes we get more racers from Europe. I'm sure we will with such great press. Thanks Mr. Duerr! The full article follows, translated very graciously by our friend Jim Johnson of the Chattanooga Bike Club. Click on the image to view the original article on flickr.

"50 Kilometer Cumberland Trail Stump Jump in Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA"
A report by Gerd Duerr, originally published in Marathon & Mehr, January 2008.

Just to get it out of the way at the outset, yes, this is the same Chattanooga that Glenn Miller made immortal in 1942 with his song about a train. The famous train hasn’t run since the 1970s and, beyond its touristy reincarnation into part of a Holiday Inn, there’s nothing left to see.

From my perspective, I don’t have much more to say about the town, since the hidden secret of the region is a bit north of and above the city in the suburb of Signal Mountain: the Cumberland Trail. It’s part of the challenging Appalachian Trail, the long-distance trail into the Appalachian Mountains.

An otherwise quiet town, Signal Mountain comes alive once a year in the beginning of October as the starting point of the 50-kilometer “Stump Jump,” an unbelievable trail race. The race takes place along the Cumberland Trail. Other than this trail, it’s not possible to take other routes through the woods due to the thick vegetation.

A vacation in the South of the United States gave me the opportunity to participate in the race.

Carbo Supper in the Evening
The usual Pasta Party (called here a “Carbo Supper”) was held the evening before the race. Put on by the Chattanooga Track Club and the local outfitter “Rock Creek,” it took place outdoors in downtown Chattanooga. The weather was beautiful: from 18-27 degrees Centigrade and no clouds blocked the view to the blue skies. The setting was akin to a beer garden, which, along with the great food, made for a wonderful atmosphere... [plenty more below the fold]

Continue reading "StumpJump in "Marathon und Mehr""

Posted by Mark McKnight at 9:41 AM

February 18, 2008

Black Warrior Race Report

"This behavior clearly qualifies as domestic abuse," writes Randy Whorton in his race report from the Black Warrior 50k this past weekend. He's describing his wife Kris Whorton's win, and the fact that he had a hard time keeping up. All kidding aside, they did a phenomenal job this weekend, and Rock/Creek congratulates their efforts. The couple finished 5th overall, and Kris beat her previous course record. Kris and Randy are Rock/Creek race team members with a number of top finishes and course records on their resumes.

Here's Randy's story:

Kris had sort of a rough run, but wow did she crank it up the last 10K. I really had a tough time keeping up. This behavior clearly qualifies as domestic abuse. She did win and lowered her course record by 6 minutes (4:45), and we finished 5th overall out of around 70 finishers. Fantastic conditions for us, really muddy with the temp hanging around 50. We encountered roughly 30 horses which mainly caused the mud fest.

Black Warrior takes place in the Brushy Lake Recreational Area, a part of Alabama's William B. Bankhead National Forest.

RELATED ARTICLES:

Strong Finishes at Mountain Mist 50k
$4000 Raised at Rock/Creek StumpJump
Leadville 100: Race Team Report
Life is (Not Always) An Adventure Race: The StumpJump 50K
There's no 'I' in Adventure Race Team
Why I Love Adventure Racing...
How to Train for a 50K
Cotton vs Synthetic

Shop for Hydration Packs in our Gear Store
Make the RockCreek.com StumpJump 50K Your First Ultra Marathon
Get details on the RockCreek.com StumpJump 50K & 11 Mile Trail Race

Posted by Mark McKnight at 10:53 AM

February 13, 2008

GPS Map for River Gorge Race (6.5 Mile Course)

I recently lent out my Garmin Forerunner GPS watch to our race director so he could mark the course for the upcoming Rock/Creek River Gorge Trail Race. Jamie ran the 6.5 mile course, and the results are below. If you've never tried a GPS unit, I warn you ahead of time that it's highly possible that you'll never want to leave the house without it.

So here's what you get from MotionBased when you export to Google. Be sure to switch between the satellite and the terrain views with the "Sat" and "Ter" buttons. As you can see, this is a beautiful run along a ridge on the Cumberland Plateau, and you're overlooking the Tennessee River on most of the course:

View Larger Map

The idea is simple, but it bears repeating because it blows my mind every time I think about it: the government developed a system where they send big hunks of metal into space on a space shuttle or rocket or whatever so they can track whatever it is they track, and they end up allowing the general public to access these satellites. So now when you head out on a run, ride, paddle- or whatever you do outside- you can wear a watch that checks in with these things flying around in space.

When you get back home, you plug the watch into the computer and it overlays your route on a map that you can drag around and zoom in and out. Also, it sends your route through another service that checks the elevation against the map and gives you an elevation profile. What? How cool is that!

MotionBased also gives you some options for analyzing your speed and pace. The Forerunner has a "lap" button that you can use to manually set laps, or you can choose to have it auto-lap each mile while running.

Of course, Garmin offers a variety of GPS units, some with navigation features and maps. We offer quite a few choices at Rock/Creek.

You also might want to check out our Suunto GPS-enabled watches, like the X9i, which are ideal for mountaineers, skiiers, and any athletes who want high technology and bombproof construction.

Sign up for the Rock/Creek River Gorge Trail Race >
Check out the full 2008 Rock/Creek Trail Series >
Shop GPS Units for Navigation or Sports at Rock/Creek >

Posted by Mark McKnight at 4:39 PM

February 4, 2008

Strong Finishes at Mountain Mist 50k

Several Rock/Creek Race Team members finished strong at last weekend's Mountain Mist 50k in Huntsville, AL. The women stole the show: Kris Whorton finished 1st in her age group, 3nd women's and 25th overall. Wendi Parker-Dial finished 2nd in her age group, 2nd women's and 16th overall. Congrats to Patricia Smith for winning the women's division and placing 14th overall. (Patricia actually has raced with Jim Farmer under the Rock/Creek banner in past adventure races). Jaclyn Greenhill finished 3rd in her age group, 5th female and 41st overall.

As for the men, Jamie Dial focused on pacing his wife Wendi but finished with a respectable 9th for his age group, 17th overall. Michael Green finished 11th in his age group, 23rd overall. Our friend Stephen Smith finished 3rd in his age group, 18th overall, in his first official ultra.

See the full results here.

We also have some good race reports coming in on the Boonies forum. Here's one from Larry "Snake" Lyda:

"This year was my first Mountain Mist Race. Having heard all the stories about it being Alabama’s Toughest Trail Run, I was at first not sure just what to expect. This year was the 14th running and the weather over the years has been very consistant—unpredictable. This year the weathermen had all got fired up using the 4 letter word, “snow” and winter storm advisory. Sitting at my sister’s house in Bridgeport, I was beginning to wonder if the race would be cancelled even if I could make it up Monte Sano Mountain. I had a 4 wheel drive but, no good on ice. Well, as it turned out, no ice on the roads but a fine mist on the mountain. No problems with the roads, only some slick rocks. Especially the ones on the sidewalk in front of the Park Lodge. The trees and small bushes on top of the mountain had a beautiful layer of ice formed on them in some places. The weather was not a factor, actually I found the cool temperatures beneficial." [Read the full report here...]

Great job guys! Sounds like a fun weekend.

[UPDATE 2/6: I was just made aware of the fact that Randy Whorton also received his 10-year finisher's jacket. Pretty sweet to have finished such a tough race 10 times! Congrats Randy.]

[UPDATE 2/5: I just found this great race report online.]

RELATED ARTICLES:

Team Rock Creek Outfitters Takes 2nd in Goldrush 24
Team Rock Creek Outfitters Wins Again at the Challenge 4
Team Rock Creek Pulls a Hat Trick Victory at Fall Creek Falls
Life is (Not Always) An Adventure Race: The StumpJump 50K
There's no 'I' in Adventure Race Team
Why I Love Adventure Racing...
How to Train for a 50K
Cotton vs Synthetic

Shop for Hydration Packs in our Gear Store
Make the RockCreek.com StumpJump 50K Your First Ultra Marathon
Get details on the RockCreek.com StumpJump 50K & 11 Mile Trail Race

Posted by Mark McKnight at 4:47 PM

December 7, 2007

$20,000 Raised for Access at 2007 Triple Crown

$20,000 Raised by Rock/Creek and Triple Crown Bouldering Series for Climbing Access

Chattanooga retailer Rock/Creek, with Triple Crown Bouldering Series organizers, announce that $20,000 in funds have been raised in 2007 for various causes benefiting climbing access; $65,000 raised over the five-year history of the Triple Crown. Over 1000 climbers and spectators enjoy a three-part climbing competition taking place in AL, TN, and NC.

December 4, 2007, Chattanooga, TN- By the end of the third and final comp in the Triple Crown Bouldering Series, the climbers and sponsors supporting the event- Rock/Creek, Marmot, Chaco, and others- had raised over $20,000 to help secure access to the best climbing areas and to fund hiking trail maintenance in the Southeast. "$20,000 in a single year is an incredible achievement, and it's hard to understate the value of this money to the outdoor community," said Scott Howell, SCC representative. The 5th annual event ended in Chattanooga, Tennessee with a slide show at the new Rock/Creek location on the North Shore on Friday, the final bouldering comp at the Stone Fort Saturday, and a subsequent awards ceremony that night at the Coolidge Park Pavilion. The Triple Crown consists of three climbing events: Hound Ears, Horse Pens, and The Stone Fort, taking place on the first weekend of October, November, and December, respectively. Around 200 competitors signed up for all three events, and another 200 climbers competed at each event, making for a total of around 400 competitors at each weekend.

$10,000 of the money raised came from the very popular limited edition Triple Crown sandals, a collaboration between Rock/Creek and Chaco where $20 of each sandal purchase goes directly to access. This money will go to the Southeastern Climbers Coalition (SCC). Raffles and auctions taking place at the events accounted for another $5,000 that will go to the Access Fund and the SCC. Earlier in the year, the Series raised $2,000 for the Carolina Climbers Coalition to cover a year of the lease that the Triple Crown has committed to paying each year for access to the Ashboro Boulders. Event organizer Chad Wykle describes this area as "a beautiful boulder field that had been closed to climbers for years and now will be open for outdoor recreation." The North Face also partnered with The Triple Crown to help raise another $1,000 this year for the Access Fund at the Outdoor Retailer trade show. Kate McGinness gave her entire winnings ($2,400) directly back to the SCC. She won Horse Pens and placed second at Hound Ears and Stone Fort. "This is a wonderful example of an athlete going above and beyond to do the right thing for access, and we're all very proud to be associated with competitors and friends like her. Kate sets a wonderful example for a younger generation of climbers," Wykle explained.

Rock/Creek, Chaco, and Marmot have a long history of raising money for climbing access in the region through the Triple Crown Bouldering Series. "We see events as a great way to involve the core users of an area with the fundraising process. If you want to climb in the Southeast, where the vast majority of climbing resources are located on private land, then you have to be involved in the discussions with landowners, the fundraising for purchasing new areas, and the administration of clubs like the SCC that are making the decisions and providing the leadership to organize trail days and secure access," said Dawson Wheeler, Rock/Creek owner and long-time advocate for access. "If you account for all the money we've raised through the Triple Crown, you're looking back at over $65,000 that's gone to direct action causes, non-profit donations to the SCC, CCC, and Access Fund as well as Habitat for Humanity."

Jim Horton, event co-founder and director, summed up the appreciation felt by the climbing community as a whole: "We thank all of our sponsors for making such a great event happen and for their considerable financial and time commitment. The sponsor list reads like a who's who of the outdoor industry." Rock/Creek, Marmot, and Chaco are presenting sponsors. The North Face, Rock & Ice, Mammut, prAna, Crumpler, and ClifBar made a serious commitment as well, and many others contributed: Five Ten, LaSportiva, Metolius, Mountain Hardwear, Powersox, BlueWater Ropes, Sterling Rope, Black Diamond, Mountain High Outfitters, Footsloggers, Misty Mountain, Oakley, Scarpa, and Evolv. "We'd also like to thank Chad and Jim, the organizers, volunteers, the Montlake Golf Club, Hound Ears Country Club, the Mike Shultz Family, Adam Henry, and Chattanooga Parks & Recreation," added Wheeler.

About Rock/Creek:

Rock/Creek, member of the Grassroots Outdoor Alliance, is an independent specialty outdoor retailer with over two decades of experience in the Southeast. Along with its online shops, RockCreek.com and ClimbingGear.com, Rock/Creek provides quality outdoor clothing and gear for a host of activities including kayaking, rock climbing, camping, hiking, trail running, and adventure racing. Rock/Creek is committed to making a positive impact on the environment. For this reason, it uses outdoor retail as a platform to encourage outdoor recreation and environmental stewardship and to improve public access to the backcountry. Rock/Creek supports worthy nonprofits such as the Southeastern Climbers' Coalition and the Wilderness Trail Running Association.

###

Posted by Mark McKnight at 3:48 PM

October 11, 2007

$4000 Raised at Rock/Creek StumpJump

400 Ultrarunners attend 7th Annual Rock/Creek StumpJump 50K, contend with difficult course, record heat, and raise $4000 for the Cumberland Trail Conference.

Contact:
Mark McKnight
423.266.8200 ext. 1113
mark@rockcreek.com

Chattanooga, TN, October 10, 2007 -- Four hundred trail running enthusiasts weathered unseasonably hot and humid conditions at Saturday's Rock/Creek StumpJump 50K. The 7th annual race sold out months in advance. "Despite the heat, this was probably the best StumpJump we've put on so far," said Race Director Jamie Sanders; "We were happy that it sold out early and that we were able to expand this year's race to accommodate increased demand." The heat did take it's toll, with over 20 runners pulling out of the race. It's doubtful that anyone set a personal record this year. Matt Karzen, veteran ultrarunner and Rock/Creek Race Team member, summed it up well: "StumpJump 2007 was the toughest 50K I've run. The topography makes it a challenge, but the unseasonably warm temps this year made wise pacing and diligent hydration key. I didn't do either very well, and boy did I pay for it. Luckily the beauty of the course, including ridgetop views of the Tennessee river, martian-like rock formations and shadowy drainages out of Narnia, kept me smiling. I had a great time and I'll be back for sure."

Continue reading "$4000 Raised at Rock/Creek StumpJump"

Posted by Mark McKnight at 11:02 AM

October 10, 2007

Rock/Creek StumpJump Results & Photos Available

Over 400 racers weathered an unseasonably warm October day on Signal Mountain Saturday for the 7th Annual Rock/Creek StumpJump 50K Trail Race.

We had a great time; most people ran through the pain to finish, and even those who didn't left with a little more experience running on a really hot day.

We just posted the race results and photographs from one of the photographers (myself). We're still waiting on the photos from the 11 Mile race. I'll post the full story later, but wanted to pass this on ASAP.

Check out the Rock/Creek StumpJump page for details >

Posted by Mark McKnight at 1:43 PM

October 9, 2007

Mountain Hardwear Divas Discovered at Rock/Creek

To venerate all that is woman, Mountain Hardwear is devoting the entire month of October to women everywhere.

In Chattanooga, local retailer Rock/Creek is co-hosting a Mountain Hardwear Ladies’ Night on October 25th, 2007 from 6:30-8:30p.m. During this after-hours event, ladies will mingle and discuss women-specific equipment and apparel design, shop for hot new outdoor styles and enjoy the camaraderie of other outdoor Divas. The event will take place at Rock/Creek’s new downtown location at 301 Manufacturers Road. There will be refreshments and appetizers, 10% off all Mountain Hardwear gear and apparel, free Tasha scarves for sales over $100, and free product raffles. All equipment questions will be answered by the knowledgeable Rock/Creek staff. For more information on this local event, call Rock/Creek at 423.265.5969 or feel free to check rockcreek.com for upcoming events.

Nationally, Mountain Hardwear is using this opportunity to raise awareness about HERA Women’s Cancer Foundation, one of the company’s Gives Back grantees. HERA is committed to finding solutions to ovarian cancer in our lifetime by empowering women with information, supplying researchers with the resources to find new directions in early detection, and providing treatment and prevention through community support. The HERA Foundation is a registered non-profit that donates over 85% of funds to the cause through programs including research grants, community grants and HERA Climb4Life -- a series of rock climbing fundraising events that attract women, men and children of all ages, from beginners to professional athletes. Climb4Life events have raised over a half-million dollars while touching thousands of lives and generating immeasurable amounts of awareness of ovarian cancer.

Do you personally know a Mountain Hardwear Diva? Mountain Hardwear invites you to nominate a friend (or yourself) to be recognized as a Mountain Hardwear Diva. Who are the Mountain Hardwear Divas? While they divide and conquer work and family lives, today’s outdoor divas still find time to climb, bike, hike, swim, surf, trail run and paddle. Mountain Hardwear wants to celebrate these amazing women and give them some great gear and a chance to spend a day playing with one the company’s athletes. To nominate a Diva, give us 300 words on why she is a Mountain Hardwear Diva and how Mountain Hardwear gear helps her out. Include a photo or two to illustrate her diva status. We’ll post all entries on our new blog (set to launch October 1st) devoted to divas of all walks, climbs and rides. http://blog.mountainhardwear.com/divas

Posted by Mark McKnight at 3:47 PM

September 10, 2007

Creatures of the Canyon: Real and Imagined

The Tennessee River Gorge Trust will continue its educational series on Saturday, September 22, with Creatures of the Canyon: Real and Imagined, a night of storytelling, hiking, and learning in the Gorge.

TRGT Education Coordinator Moriah Salter, along with Chattanooga’s Storyteller Jim Pfitzer, will join families at the historic Pot Point Cabin for another fun and unforgettable learning experience.

The evening will begin with Jim Pfitzer, a local artist famous for his stories of factual and fanciful fauna alike. Acclaimed storyteller and author, Donald Davis, says that “Jim Pfitzer’s nature stories are not stories of naïve ecology, but rather stories of the honest struggle to fit human needs…into the…natural world.” Sing Out! Magazine also praises Jim’s work, saying, “All the elements of childhood are here.”

The educational evening will continue after sunset with a headlamp hike through the woods, where the group will experience nocturnal creatures of “Tennessee’s Grand Canyon” first-hand.

“Support for these events so far has been remarkable,” says Ms. Salter. “Attendees at previous TRGT educational outings including the Firefly Festival have been very complimentary. One participant called that program ‘brilliant,’ and I think our events will only get better from here.”

Creatures of the Canyon is free, open to all ages, and will begin at 7 pm. Pre-register for this event by calling the TRGT office at (423) 266-0314 or by emailing moriahs@trgt.org. Visit www.trgt.org for directions.

Events like this one help the Tennessee River Gorge Trust fulfill its mission to enrich the community by conservation of the Tennessee River Gorge through land protection, education, and the promotion of good land stewardship. To learn more about the Tennessee River Gorge Trust, please visit www.trgt.org.

Related Links:

TN Blueway Canoe & Kayak Race September 22nd

Gorge Fest '07 at Baylor School on October 20th

Rock Creek Sponsors Successful TN River Gorge Trust Fundraiser

Rock/Creek Raises $3000 for CTC

Posted by Mark McKnight at 11:16 AM

August 30, 2007

Leadville 100: Race Team Report

We'd like to congratulate Rock/Creek Race Team member Matt Karzen for his recent finish at the Leadville Trail 100 ultramarathon. He's provided us with a great blow-by-blow report from the race.

Leadville was gigantic. I went out monday prior and did some short hikes with my brother (4-5 miles) at around 10,000 ft. Four a.m. saturday 592 of us took off west from Leadville (also at 10,000 ft.) into the sawatch range. First 14 miles were dark, downhill and came easy. From Mayqueen aid station south and up over Sugarloaf pass the sun was rising, and despite the climb, the miles still came pretty easy – stunning beauty definitely takes your mind off the work.

At about mile 23 I got a look down the valley south and saw Hope Pass, which is near the turnaround. The size of it, even from 25 or so miles away, made me suddenly very nervous – no point dwelling on that, so I just kept plugging along. Long dirt road to the Colorado Trail and a sturdy climb and FUN fast drop into 9200 ft., and I found myself at Twin Lakes aid station. Smiled with some friends waiting there, which was about the last true smile for the next 21 hours. Hope Pass - wow. First, cross a mud bog and an icy river. Then hump up 5 miles and 3400 ft. - hard, but OK, I knew this was coming. Not. Going down the south side of Hope I knew immediately that finishing ...

Continue reading "Leadville 100: Race Team Report"

Posted by Mark McKnight at 10:45 AM

August 29, 2007

Gorge Fest '07 October 20th at Baylor School

Come join us at the Gorge Fest '07, Saturday October 20th, 2007, from 11am to 4pm at Baylor School here in Chattanooga.

This is a family friendly event with: Live Music, Hay Rides, Face Painting, Trips to Williams Island, Mountain Biking, Petting Zoo, Kayaking & Canoeing, Hot Air Balloon Rides, Inflatables, Story Telling, Geo-Caching, Refreshments & Lunch, Turtle Programs, and more.

There will also be demonstrations from various vendors, including: Wood Working, Glass Blowing, Copper Making, a Blacksmith, a Natural Dye Station, and Kettle Corn.

$10 for Adults
$5 for Children (4-12)
Free for Children 3 & under.

Baylor School on Google Maps

All proceeds from Gorge Fest '07 support the mission of the Tennessee River Gorge Trust, to enrich our community by conservation of the Tennessee River Gorge through land protection, education and the promotion of good land stewardship.

Special Thanks to the Sponsors: Baylor School, Greenlife Grocery, Rock Creek Down Under, Chattem, Chattanooga Zoo, Outdoor Chattanooga, Coca-Cola and Blue Moon Cruises.

Contact:

Julie Beach
Business & Development Director
Tennessee River Gorge Trust
535 Chestnut Street, Suite 214
Chattanooga, TN 37402
(423) 266-0314
www.trgt.org

Posted by Mark McKnight at 9:43 AM

August 20, 2007

Reel Rock Tour added to AAC Event in October

We're happy to report that the Chattanooga on the Rocks event I mentioned last week has just become even cooler, with the addition of the Reel Rock Film Tour. They'll be showing two brand new climbing films:

King Lines, featured Chris Sharma's most outrageous ascents and visionary projects, and Committed, celebrating a new era of hard and dangerous UK trad climbing.

Showtime is 7:30PM Saturday, October 27, at Rock/Creek's North Shore location. Tickets for the movie screening are $8 and can be purchased at Rock/Creek stores or by calling 423-265-5969.

Download updated Chattanooga on the Rocks flyer >

To participate in the climbing, show up to Rock/Creek's North Shore location at 9:00 AM Saturday, October 27. (Climbing is free).

Questions? Contact Max Poppel at max.poppel@gmail.com

See the original post >

Shop for Climbing and Bouldering Gear at RockCreek.com >

Posted by Mark McKnight at 4:00 PM

StumpJump Full!

UPDATE: We're now full! Come see who's running:

We've posted a list of who's running the StumpJump >

Get details online at RockCreek.com/StumpJump >

Posted by Mark McKnight at 10:42 AM

August 16, 2007

Tennessee River Blueway Canoe and Kayak Race

This just in from Ruthie at Outdoor Chattanooga:

Outdoor Chattanooga and the City of Chattanooga Parks and Recreation Department will present the first annual Tennessee River Blueway Canoe and Kayak Race on Saturday, September 22. The race, sponsored by Merrill Lynch and Rock Creek Outfitters, will feature a 4-mile downriver course on the Tennessee River, starting at South Chickamauga Creek and ending at Ross’ Landing on the downtown Chattanooga waterfront.

Competition will be open to kayakers and canoeists with categories for racing kayaks, long and short canoes and kayaks, and tandem kayaks. Trophies will be awarded for the winnersof sixteen categories. All participants will receive a goodie bag, free lunch, and a chance fordoor prizes.

The entry fee will be $25 per person, with all proceeds going toward upgrading facilities and information resources (Web and print) for Tennessee River Blueway users.

“The Blueway has been a designated river trail since 2002,” says Outdoor Chattanooga Executive Director Philip Grymes. “We’ve had canoeists and kayakers using the trail in a limited way, but now it’s time to ramp up the information available to paddlers who may want to explore this amazing resource.”

“A canoe and kayak race is a great way to have some fun and introduce paddlers to the downtown Chattanooga section of the trail,” adds Grymes.

The original idea for the Blueway was conceived by the Tennessee River Gorge Trust and the National Park Service River Trails and Conservation Assistance program in 2001. The 50-mile corridor flows from Chickamauga Dam to Nickajack Dam in Marion County, Tennessee.

Boat launches and primitive campsites through the Tennessee River Gorge allow paddlers to use the trail for multi-day camping excursions, as well as single day trips. The goal of the canoe and kayak race is to raise funds to improve facilities and create a central resource for paddlers wishing to navigate the Blueway.

“Right now, kayakers have to rely on several different agencies to make campground reservations, get reliable river maps, put-in locations, and even find grocery stores along the trail,” says Grymes. “The entry fees from the Canoe and Kayak race will help us launch a Website and print useable information about the trail.”

Download race flyer [PDF]

Continue reading "Tennessee River Blueway Canoe and Kayak Race"

Posted by Mark McKnight at 10:02 AM

August 10, 2007

Chattanooga on the Rocks AAC Climbing Weekend

Plan now to join with the American Alpine Club on October 27 and 28 for "Chattanooga on the Rocks", a fun fall weekend of bouldering and traditional rock climbing on the world-class rock of Chattanooga, TN.

Saturday will be devoted to bouldering at the world class boulders of The Stone Fort (formerly Little Rock City), site of the third leg of the Triple Crown Bouldering Series. Saturday evening we'll head over to the Mellow Mushroom in downtown Chattanooga for pizza, beer and giveaways. Sunday morning it's take to the ropes at the famous Tennessee Wall for a day of good ol' fashioned trad. Routes of all difficulties, incredible rock quality, and a scenic setting come together to make T-Wall worthy of a road trip in and of itself.

Overnight accommodations for out of town climbers range from camping close to Sunday's climbing venue at the Tennessee Wall, to reasonably priced, climber friendly hotels in downtown Chattanooga.

"The southeast's best sandstone boulderfield is Little Rock City, north of Chattanooga…rocks which, if they were out west, would inspire visible displays of lust. " – John Sherman

Top 10 Reasons to join the American Alpine Club [PDF] >

Read more about Climbing in the Southeast at RockCreek.com >

Posted by Mark McKnight at 9:39 AM

July 31, 2007

Meet our Newest Race Team Members

We have two new race team members to welcome, Matt Karzen and Stephen Taylor. We're proud to have these guys on the Rock/Creek Race Team. If you happen to see Matt at Leadville next month, or if you're subjected to one of Stephen's grueling triathlon training sessions, congratulate them on joining the team.

Stephen Taylor
Occupation: Fitness Trainer and Endurance Coach

Stephen's ultra running highlights:
 
2007:
72 Mile Appalacian Trail Run in the Smoky Mountains with Jamie Dial 
Boston Marathon 2:47 (in a Noreasterner)
Mount Mitchell 3rd
Mountain Mist 3rd 
 
2006:
Stumpjump 50K (my first ultra)
 
PRs:
Ironman: 9:37
Marathon 2:44
Half Ironman 4:22
Half Marathon 1:17
 

Stephen Taylor comes from a competitive running and triathlon background.  After spending the last few years doing 6 ironman tris, he has found his strongest passion with ultra trail running.
 
What I like best about running: I like how ultrarunning is an adventure within yourself.  Some people travel the world, and ultra racing has taken me to some beautiful places, but the most interesting things I have learned were about my own capabilities.
 
"I am especially impressed with the cool culture of ultrarunning.  I have greatly enjoyed training runs with the Rock/Creek Race Team and I am honored to be involved.  The races are so much more chill than triathlons that it is hard to even get motivated to swim and bike."
 
Tips for other runners: Learn to use your emotions as a source of information and strength.  If you are dreading training, then your body is telling you something.  If you happen to have a super competitve personality (and I won't name any names) then you better be especially vigilant to hold back early in an ultra.  Then when it is time for the 4th quarter smackdown, activate whatever emotions you need to endure the suffering. 
 
I credit Jamie Dial with introducing me to trail ultras.  I moved here from Missouri in a bit of a funk after having a bad race in Ironman Arizona.  The first weekend I was in town we ran the Fiery Gizzard Trail with Chad Wamack--in the dark.  I was instantly hooked.  He continues to mentor and push me.  I cherish the many 4th Quarter Smackdown workouts we do.

Matt Karzen
Athens, GA
Age: 40

Raised in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, Matt moved to GA in 2002 to be near his wife's family. After working as a professional ski patroller at Steamboat, law school and a decade as a D.A., he became the sole proprietor of a small law practice in Athens.

"I am a big fan of Rock/Creek's outdoor presence in the southeast, particularly their commitment to trail running and preserving our opportunities to get out and get dirty." 

"I also think Stump Jump is a killer fun race - well done.  I've been running regular and hard for a few years now, after a lengthy hiatus of laziness, early fatherhood and schooling.  I have ramped up my mileage over the past few months - currently at about 70-80 per week, in preparation for the Leadville 100, and assuming good health, I am looking to get some good results this fall and winter at the trail 50K and marathon distances."

Races or Other Significant Accomplishments:
2005 Pine Mountain 50 Mile Trail Run (13th);
2006 Oak Mountain 50K (11th); Stump Jump 50K (20th); Pikes Peak Marathon (under 6 hours); Heritage Park Xterra Scramble Trail 5K (3rd, 1st Master)
2007 Black Mountain Marathon (13th); Oak Mountain 50K (7th)

More about the Rock/Creek Race Team >

Sign up for our epic Rock/Creek StumpJump 50K race coming up in October >

Posted by Mark McKnight at 3:35 PM

July 30, 2007

Epic Trail Runs 'R Us

We have a couple new additions to the Rock/Creek Race Team, one of whom wrote a great (short) article about a not so short recent run with Jamie Dial on the AT. More to come on the new racers, but for now check out Stephen Taylor's article and a couple photos on his site.

The 100 mile event he speaks of went off well. I'm waiting to hear back from Jamie with more details on that, but we do have a couple photos from the Tahoe Rim Trail 100 Miler on our flickr site.

More about the Rock/Creek Race Team >

Sign up for our epic Rock/Creek StumpJump 50K race coming up in October >

Posted by Mark McKnight at 3:37 PM

June 28, 2007

Triple Crooown!

Okay guys and gals, it's time to register for the 2007 Triple Crown Bouldering Series. Chad Wykle, Jim Horton, and their crew have launched a great new design for the Web site and have officially opened registration. Be sure to click on the video from Andrew Kornylak. It chronicles last year's Stone Fort comp from the slide show the night before through sunrise and of course lots of climbing on the day of the comp. Andrew took thousands of still photos and stitched them together into what looks like a stop-motion animation video except everyone's real instead of clay. Sweet. Here are the comp details from the site:

COMP DETAILS

The Triple Crown
The Triple Crown consists of 3 events scheduled 1 month apart. Hound Ears (Boone, North Carolina), Horse Pens 40 (Steele, Alabama), and The Stone Fort, formerly known as Little Rock City (Chattanooga, Tennessee).

Winners
Winners are determined by highest scores. Each problem has a point value. You can do as many as you want, but your score is determined by adding the total of your 10 highest valued problems. In the event of a tie, the next highest problem will be added, and the person with the highest average will win.

Competition Prizes
Prizes will be awarded for each individual event. These will go to the top finishers of each category. Grand prizes will be awarded at the final event to competitors with the highest cumulative score from all three events. Door prizes will be awarded at each event. These will be given out in a number of unique ways. Grand door prizes will be awarded to competitors who compete in all 3 events. These will be awarded in a number of ways.

Rain Dates
Rain dates are always the day after the scheduled event date. If the rock is still wet, the event will be rescheduled for a later date and competitors will be informed by both the Triple Crown web site and by email.

Special Events
Special events will take place the night before each event.

Spectators
Due to transportation and overcrowding concerns, all spectators, parents and guardians must register and pay the same as a competitor at the The Stone Fort and Hound Ears events.

Related stuff on RockCreek.com:

Rock Creek and Chaco Help Raise $8000 for Boat Rock >
Interview with the Founders of the Triple Crown >
Earth Day Every Day; A discussion with Kurt Smith on Access and Responsibility >
2006 Hound Ears Report >
Bouldering Gear Guide >

Posted by Mark McKnight at 1:15 PM

June 21, 2007

SORBA Singletracks Expo

Rock Creek has recently signed on as a sponsor of SORBA Chattanooga. With all the trail building these guys have accomplished in the last few years, we couldn't stand by and not help out. The new trails up at Raccoon Mountain will serve as our Stage II race course [PDF map] for the Boonies Mountain Stage Race this weekend.

If you're free this weekend and in Chattanooga, be sure to stop by the SORBA Singletracks Gear Expo on Sunday, June 24th, from Noon to 4PM at the Chattanooga Market. (You can click on the image to the left for a larger version of the poster). Lots of vendors and nonprofits will be there talking about gear and laying plans for upcoming events, and of course signing up new members.

We'll be there with the Rock Creek tent, and we'll also be representing our new trail running club, the Boonies. Look for Jim Farmer or myself at the TrailBlazers tent for more information on becoming a member.

All the money raised will go directly to trail work, and let me tell you these guys aren't kidding around. They've made Chattanooga one of the best singletrack destinations around, and in a very short time period. Check out this Bike magazine article or the recent Times-Free Press article if you don't believe me.

Need a rack for that bike? Check out our Yakima configurator at RockCreek.com and get 10% Off all Yakima stuff.

Posted by Mark McKnight at 6:06 PM

June 11, 2007

Rolling O Lab Coming to RockCreek

I just found out that Oakley plans to bring their "Rolling O Lab" to our Hamilton Crossings store location on June 15th. It looks pretty cool, so if you have a chance be sure to stop by and check out some of Oakley's high-tech sunglasses. We'll have a drawing where you can sign up to win one of two pair of sunglasses that we're giving away. They'll be here 10-4, with lunch at noon. We'll also have some special Father's Day gift ideas and discounts available.

You can check out my favorites, the Oakley Fives 3.0 or the always-popular Oakley Half Jacket.

Here's what Oakley has to say about it:

Oakley Deploys Rolling O Lab to Bring High Definition Optics to the Masses

Foothill Ranch, CA January 30th, 2007

Mobile Facility Educates Public about Companys Optics Superiority

Oakley, Inc. (NYSE: OO) today announced the deployment of the Rolling O Lab, a mobile demonstration unit that will travel the nation to educate consumers about the companys superior High Definition Optics(®) (HDO(®)) technology. Built as a 40-foot motor coach, the fully self-contained facility will offer live demonstrations of the companys optical performance and protection at retail locations, sport venues and other select public events.

“Consumers need to open their eyes to the fact that not all sunglasses are created equal, said Colin Baden, president of Oakley, Inc. We developed the Rolling O Lab to educate people about the truth of todays eyewear and to show firsthand how Oakleys HDO(®) sunglasses provide the best optical clarity, impact resistance and UV protection in the industry. By taking our science to the street, we can reach out to those who might not have an opportunity to learn about the quality and performance of our eyewear.”

“In educating the public, the Rolling O Lab will also serve as a mobile marketing unit that entertains and enlightens, maintaining a positive and powerful brand presence. It presents a high-quality image of the company by utilizing a comprehensive and meticulously crafted audio/visual package,” continued Baden . “Scheduled to be on the road more than 300 days a year, it offers a brand emersion experience that tells the Oakley story, one of technical innovation, inspiration and optical superiority.”

Posted by Mark McKnight at 12:07 PM

June 8, 2007

Bike to Riverbend

As I've mentioned before on my bike to work day post, one of the easiest ways keep a few pounds of nasty greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere is to replace a few miles of your everyday car travel with a few miles of cycling (or, walking). So I was thrilled to learn that the Riverbend Festival will offer free bike valet service (again) this year. Riverbend is a huge outdoor music festival taking place on the Chattanooga waterfront, and it is also, therefore, a huge outdoor parking festival. It's nice to see these kind of efforts to promote cycling in the city.

Here's the beta (thanks Ruthie from Outdoor Chattanooga):

Bike to Riverbend June 8 – 16
Ride your bicycle to Riverbend and leave it with our safe and secure free valet service at the south end of the Walnut Street Bridge. Enjoy the music and fun without the traffic hassles. Valet service will be available from 5:00 p.m. to Midnight every night except Monday, June 11. Free automobile parking will be available in the Amnicola Marsh parking lot along the Tennessee Riverwalk. For more information, visit www.riverbendfestival.com.

So, make for one less car and take your bike this year. Or, if you're coming from outside of the city, call me and you can park at my house for free and walk with us.

Flickr photo courtesy hugovk.

Posted by Mark McKnight at 9:14 AM

June 7, 2007

Going to Kona: Rock Creek's Sheridan Ames

Rock Creek Race Team member Sheridan Ames, who's currently training for Ironman Kona, showed up in a video on the Times-Free Press this week. There's also a full article on his triathlon training.

Baby boomer Sheridan Ames has qualified for the Ford Ironman World Championship on Oct. 13 in Kona, Hawaii. In the video, the 46-year-old Signal Mountain resident shows how he prepares for the event and shares his thoughts on what the competition is like for someone his age.

Read more about the Rock Creek Race Team on our site.

See our other Press mentions on the Rock Creek PR Clippings page.

Posted by Mark McKnight at 4:58 PM

April 23, 2007

Tour de Georgia Wrapup

Rock Creek sponsored the Brasstown Bald finish for Stage 5 of the The Tour de Georgia, which turned out to be another solid victory for Discovery. Levi Leipheimer took the stage, with Tom Danielson a close second, and overall Tour winner Brajkovic keeping his leader jersey by keeping up with CSC's Vande Velde.

Quite a few fans showed up this year for this exciting hors categorie climb, and they were cheering the riders all the way up to the top. We stayed the night in Hiawasee, GA and woke up early to set up our booth at the expo down below the Bald. We had the pleasure of setting up right in front of the giant fake Waffle House and next to Jittery Joe's, so we had plenty of caffeine to keep us alert.

Overall it was a great Tour, with Discovery taking the overall win. I'm hoping there was enough support from sponsors (many of whom came in late in the game) to continue the Tour next year. This is one of our favorite events, and it clearly brings a lot of people and money into Georgia and Tennessee.

Photo: Mark McKnight handing over the Brasstown Bald check to Levi Leipheimer from Discovery. Courtesy Greg Browning.

Posted by Mark McKnight at 4:13 PM

April 19, 2007

Kevin Seeldraeyers wins KOM

Dawson Wheeler presents the Burkhalter Gap KOM check to Kevin Seeldraeyers, Belgium, Saunier Duval. Tour de Georgia 2007. Chattanooga, TN. c. Mark McKnight.

Yesterday's Stage 3 of the Tour de Georgia ended up being the deciding stage, with an unexpected and very early break by a group of riders who put nearly thirty minutes on the peloton. Jason Sumner from VeloNews called it "one of the strangest days in recent U.S. cycling history."

Rock Creek was happy to be a part of the action, sponsoring the final KOM climb on Burkhalter Gap on Lookout Mountain.

Check out Jason Sumner's article on VeloNews, "Game over? 13-man break shakes up Tour de Georgia."

Posted by Mark McKnight at 9:57 AM

April 12, 2007

Ready for the Tour de Georgia? We Are.

The Tour de Georgia is right around the corner and we're running around here at Rock Creek making the final preparations for our sponsorship of Stages 3 and 5. We are sponsoring two KOM's again this year. Here's the PR from last year). We also had an article in SNews [PDF].

The stages have changed a bit, so we're sponsoring the Burkhalter Gap KOM on Wednesday's Stage 3 (Rome to Chattanooga) and the Brasstown Bald KOM at Stage 5 (Dalton to Brasstown). Looking at the arrival times, you know how incredible these riders are because the estimated arrival times are based on a chart with three paces, 24, 26, and 28 miles per hour. So these guys will be riding over 100 miles a day up and down some of the most challenging terrain our region has to offer, all in three to five hours. You can see the log sheets and course maps here. I've also uploaded a couple photos from last year onto the Rock Creek Flickr page.

Philip Pugliese, Outdoor Chattanooga's bicycle coordinator, just stopped by in the middle of my writing this blog and dropped off some spectator guides for the Chattanooga Stage 3 events. They'll be coming out in tomorrow's Times-Free Press, so keep an eye out for them.

I also asked him about the "bike in tunnel" lights that are going up on the Brainerd and Red Bank tunnels. The parts are here, so he's hoping they'll be able to get them assembled and installed within the next few weeks. This will allow a cyclist to slap a button without getting off the bike and ride through the tunnel with the added safety of a flashing light for motorists. I'm sure it will help some, and I'm very appreciative since I've been going through one of those tunnels at dusk a few times a week.

Posted by Mark McKnight at 3:53 PM

April 11, 2007

Kayak for Conservation Almost Full

Julie Beach from the Tennessee River Gorge Trust just let me know there are a few spots left on the Kayak for Conservation trip May 5th. Be sure to sign up now if you haven't already!

See full details on the original post.

Posted by Mark McKnight at 12:34 PM

April 9, 2007

Raisin Hope Ride a Success

Good news from Saul Raisin; the Raisin' Hope ride last weekend was a big success (See it on flickr). Our friends next door at River City Bicycles had a booth there, and said it went well.

Here's what Saul had to say: "My Raisin Hope ride was a total success.. I can not explain the emotions I had during the ride and event.. It feels so good to have that much support and to be able to raise money and hope for some many good people.. I would like to give thanks and big hugs to all of the 550+ riders and 100+ Volunteers that came out to the ride."

Rock Creek wishes you the best, Saul, and we hope to see you at the Tour de Georgia next week.

Posted by Mark McKnight at 11:12 AM

April 3, 2007

River Gorge Race Photos & Results Available

Check out the race results and photographs from the River Gorge Trail Race. We raised a good amount of money for the Cumberland Trail Conference, and I think everyone had a good time. No major injuries.

Saturday morning was a beautiful day here in Tennessee; blue skies and cool temperatures made this the perfect day for a trail race. About 230 runners showed up at Prentice Cooper as the sun rose over the Tennessee River Gorge. After packet pick up and registration, the 10.2 mile racers began the race, and 6.5 mile racers started at 9:00.

Rock Creek race team members and employees were well represented. On the 10.2 mile course, Geno Phillips finished third. Hamilton Place employee Clay Werner finished fourth. Chad Wamack and Sheridan Ames finished 17th and 18th. On the 6.5 mile course, Tom Sell and Jim Farmer came across the line in first and second place (in the photo above, Jim is in front, Tom behind).

See full results and photographs online at RockCreek.com/RiverGorge/ >>

Again, don't forget to sign up for the StumpJump 50k. This race will sell out! >>

Read our Nutrition Tips for Trail Running >>

Read our Trail Running Gear Guide >>

Posted by Mark McKnight at 4:42 PM

March 28, 2007

River Gorge Registration Update

Just to give an update on the Rock Creek River Gorge Race: We have closed online registration, and we have about 200 runners signed up. We WILL have day-of-race registration. Try to be there as early as possible; I would recommend 7:15 AM EST. We can't guarantee a race tee unless you're pre-registered.

The race director and some volunteers from the Wilderness Trail Running Association just marked the trail last night, the weather looks good (hot, cloudy, 10% chance of rain), and it looks like this is going to be another great race. I can't wait to see you all out there.

The tees just came in from the printers by the way, and they're Mountain Hardwear Wicked Tees just like last year, but this time they are a nice dark forest green for men and a lighter green for women. As always, we will have a pair of trail running socks as well, this year provided by Wigwam. Man, you just can't beat the swag we throw out at these races. Well worth your entry fee!

Also be sure to sign up now for the StumpJump 50K- this is a popular race and will sell out again this year. ALL registration will be online at Active.com.

Posted by Mark McKnight at 4:29 PM

March 15, 2007

StumpJump 50K Registration Open (11 Mile Option Available)

Registration is officially open for the RockCreek.com StumpJump 50K & 11 Mile Trail Race. Sign up for the StumpJump today!

Even though we're only a couple weeks away from the River Gorge Trail Race*, now's the time to start planning your fall race calendar. Come join us for this great race. Racers get a free synthetic race tee, a pair of wool socks, and lots of other goodies. There's also a free carbo supper and vendor fair the night before. Remember there's an 11 Mile option if you're not quite ready to go whole hog, or if you have a friend or spouse who wants to come with you and run a shorter distance.

Much of the popularity of this race has to be attributed to the beautiful scenery. Overall there's about 2200 feet of elevation gain, and you're running through the beautiful Suck Creek Canyon and into the Prentice Cooper Wildlife Management Area. The race begins at Nolan Elementary School, goes through Shackleford Ridge Park to Mushroom Rock, across a swinging bridge over North Suck Creek into Prentice Cooper. Snooper's Rock offers a great view of the Tennessee River Gorge, the "Grand Canyon of Tennessee," but you won't want to spend too much time gawking, because at this point the race course goes onto the popular Mullen's Cove Loop, which includes the aptly-named Rock Garden, site of many a sprained ankle. This area will slow down even the most nimble runners with its mossy boulders. When you hit the Indian Rock House for the second time, you know you've hit mile 20. All that's left is the trek back across Prentice Cooper to Suck Creek again, and then back up Signal Mountain to the finish at Nolan.

There's a reason we're opening registration so early: This has become one of the most anticipated ultramarathons in the Southeast, and we had to turn down a lot of runners last year.

This year all registration will be handled online, and when the race fills up, we can't help you! So register TODAY.

We had a great race last year with 350 runners, and we expect this to be the best year yet. Race proceeds go to benefit the organization charged with building and maintaining the trails we use for the race. We raised $3000 for the Cumberland Trail Conference last year, and we hope to raise even more this year.

Want to try the StumpJump as your first 50K? Check out our article on training for your first 50K.

Read Jim Farmer's 2006 Race Report.

Check out the StumpJump 50K Race Map.

*You can still sign up for the River Gorge Race. We're about halfway full for that race, so sign up for that one too! It's a great way to get in shape and ramp up your training for the StumpJump.

Posted by Mark McKnight at 10:18 AM

March 7, 2007

Kayak for Conservation: Sign up Now!

The popular Kayak for Conservation event is coming up on Saturday, May 5, 2007. Be sure to sign up now, because this event always fills up quickly and is great fun for a great cause. The Tennessee River Gorge Trust, Outdoor Chattanooga and Rock Creek Down Under have partnered to bring back the much anticipated Kayak for Conservation. Come and enjoy an eight-mile paddle showcasing “Tennessee’s Grand Canyon.”

The Gorge has great ecological and historical value. Kayakers will likely get to witness wildlife such as osprey, great blue heron and red-tailed hawks.

When: Saturday, May 5, 2007
Where: Rock Creek Down Under
Cost: $40 Per Person (must be or become a TRGT member)
Included: Equipment (if needed), lunch thanks to Greenlife Grocery and the
"Post Paddle Party" (includes snacks, drinks and a silent auction).

ALL proceeds from this event go to support the mission of the Tennessee River Gorge Trust… to enrich our community by conservation of the Tennessee River Gorge through land protection, education and the promotion of good land stewardship.

This event is limited and will be filled on a first come first serve basis. Please call the Trust today to reserve your spot!

Julie F. Beach
Business & Development Director
Tennessee River Gorge Trust
(423) 266-0314

26 Years of Protecting "Tennessee's Grand Canyon"

Related Links:

Get information on Local Creeks

Check out the latest Whitewater Kayaks

Go to Whitewater Paddles

Read "A Suck Creek Christmas"

See all Paddling DVDs (aka Kayak Porn)

Visit our Kayaks and Paddling Gear Section

Posted by Mark McKnight at 2:24 PM

March 6, 2007

LRC Trail Day & Mini-Comp

Stone Fort
Bouldering Competition and Clean-Up
Saturday, 9:00am
April 7, 2007

The Plan: Roadside clean-up along the Brow Road and the Clubhouse Road for Montlake. Trail maintenance in the boulder field and update the kiosk.

There will be a small half day mini-competition for those who attend the trail day.
Winners will be the ones who collect the most stars. As in 3 Star Classics!

We’ll have food and refreshments after the clean-up/comp inside the clubhouse.
We’ll also hand out some awards to few hardworking climbers and grunts.

Contact Chad Wykle for more information.
chadwykle@yahoo.com 423.618.4466

Related Pages:

• RockCreek.com's Bouldering Gear Guide
• Preserving Rock Creek Watershed
• RockCreek.com and Chaco Team up to Raise Funds for Climbing Access
• Chaco Recycling Initiative: Recycle Your Old Chacos
• Our Environmental Statement

Posted by Mark McKnight at 11:35 AM

March 2, 2007

Saul Raisin Charity Ride

While RockCreek doesn't sell cycling equipment, we have many avid cyclists in our midst, so when Saul Raisin stopped by the office Wednesday, a couple of us were a bit starstruck.

Raisin is a bit of a local hero here in the Chattanooga area. If you're not familiar with his rise to the top of professional cycling, or the heinous crash that left him in a coma, you might not understand why.

But if you have been following Raisin's story, the fact that he made it up the spiral staircase into the office is in itself a minor miracle. (I mean some days I have trouble with that d** staircase, and I haven't been in a coma.)

I have to say he looked great, and he's fired up about giving back to the people who have helped during his recovery, and serving as an example for others who have been injured or are suffering from physical handicaps.

So, he dropped off some promotional materials for his upcoming "Raisin' Hope" Charity Bike Ride, and we said we'd help spread the word. Here are the details:

Ride Options:
15-Mile
35-Mile
50-mile (Will include a climb up Fort Mountain)

All registered riders will recieve sag stops, a post ride meal, and a Raisin Hope T-Shirt

Directions to start location, Heritage Point Park: From north or south 1-75, exit #336 Dalton/Rocky Face. Turn right on Highway 41/76. Go 4.1 miles, Heritage Point Park will be on the right.

To register: Go to www.saulraisin.com and follow the links to the Raisin Hope Ride.
To donate: If you cannot ride please consider a donation. Go to www.saulraisin.com and follow the same links to the donation page.

There will also be an online silent auction during the month of March. To see a list of items and place a bid go to: www.saulraisin.com and follow the links. All winning bids will be donated to the ride charities.

Please join me in riding at my first annual benefit ride. This benefit ride is my way of giving back to some wonderful organizations that helped me throughout my injury and recovery as well as others that are close to my heart.

-Saul Raisin

Anything you can do to help would be appreciated! Let's support this hometown hero. In the midst of all the negativity surrounding cycling lately, it's nice to see Saul Raisin doing something positive for the community.

Update: Check out this entry over on the Motionbased blog- good stuff:
http://blog.motionbased.com/2007/02/raisin_hope_wit.html

Posted by Mark McKnight at 12:11 PM

February 16, 2007

River Gorge Trail Race Registration Open

It is time to sign up for the Rock/Creek River Gorge Race! Say goodbye to that holiday weight by getting ready for a scenic trail race of 6.5 or 10.2 miles in the Prentice Cooper State Park. If you are new to trail running this is a great way to get started – if you are a seasoned trail runner come out and run with some of the area’s best! There will be prizes for the top three male and female runners in each race (must be present to win) and raffles and goodies for the rest! All registration is online this year so click on: www.RockCreek.com/RiverGorge/ for more information and to register. Space is limited - sign up today! What: 6.5 and 10.2 mile Trail Race When: March 31 What Time: 8:30 start for 10.2 mile run 9:00 start for 6.5 mile run (Check in no later than 30 min before your start time) Where: Prentice Cooper State Park, Mullen’s Cove parking lot Why: Fun, fitness, friends Questions? Any questions after reading the webpage – e-mail race director Jamie Sanders at StumpJump50k@RockCreek.com

Related Links:

StumpJump 50K & 11 Mile Trail Race: October 6, 2007

Trail Running Gear Guide

Posted by Mark McKnight at 10:45 AM

January 3, 2007

Stone Fort Bouldering Comp Wrap-Up

The Finale to the Triple Crown Bouldering Series—The Stone Fort

The fourth annual Triple Crown Bouldering Series rolled in to Chattanooga last Friday night under the best of circumstances. A sweeping cold front complete with chilly temps and powerful winds blew in to town just in time for the comp. The front had followed weeklong rains, and as every seasoned boulderer knows, this combination sets a unique stage—one that is perfect for “sticky” climbing conditions.

Continue reading "Stone Fort Bouldering Comp Wrap-Up"

Posted by Mark McKnight at 8:24 AM

November 28, 2006

Tommy & Beth Movie at Rock/Creek December 1, 2006

Rock/Creek Outfitters and Marmot are proud to present Tommy Caldwell & Beth Rodden Caldwell's "The First Couple of Rock." The movie and slideshow will take place at Rock/Creek Outfitters' Tremont Street location in Downtown Chattanooga, TN. The show starts 7:30 PM, Friday, December 1, 2006.

Come join us for this exciting movie; there will be a poster signing after the show. Here's what Beth & Tommy's Web site has to say about the film:

"From stories of 'first dates' while sleeping on El Capitan, to learning about the sacrifice and dedication it takes to complete one of the hardest rock climbing rouetes in the world, 'The First Couple of Rock' is a one-of-a-kind show profiling the lives of Beth Rodden and Tommy Caldwell. Using a mixture of stunning video and dramatic still images, the show follows the recently married couple over the course of a few months for a glimpse into the life of professional climibng.

Continue reading "Tommy & Beth Movie at Rock/Creek December 1, 2006"

Posted by Mark McKnight at 3:37 PM

November 22, 2006

Triple Crown Habitat for Humanity Fundraiser

Triple Crown - Habitat for Humanity Fundraiser 2006

Triple Crowners! The finale to the Triple Crown is just around the corner, and we have been hard-at-work to make this the best competition in the history of this series. To add to the fun, the event has once again been extended into Sunday!

The Chattanooga Market has asked us (The Triple Crown/Southeastern Climbers’ Coalition) to once again help them raise money and awareness for Habitat for Humanity*, by having an indoor difficulty and dyno competition. These competitions will be held on Sunday December 3 (the day after the Little Rock City/Stone Fort comp). The location will be the same as our kick-off/awards ceremony site—the giant First Tennessee Pavilion in downtown Chattanooga. This event will coincide with the Chattanooga Market—a weekly event held at the pavilion. The Market will have over 50 local vendors (arts, crafts, and food). The Market typically draws between 1,000 and 5,000 visitors each weekend. We’ll begin taking registrations for the indoor comps at 10 am on Sunday on-site at the First Tennessee Pavilion.

Continue reading "Triple Crown Habitat for Humanity Fundraiser"

Posted by Mark McKnight at 4:54 PM

November 9, 2006

"My First StumpJump Adventure"

Angela Stansberry from Hanceville, AL sent in this great race report from this year's StumpJump 11 Mile race. Her husband ran the 50K and it sounds like they both had a great weekend here in Chattanooga. If you have any race stories to share, please send them on to Mark at mark @ rockcreek.com

I'll try to keep this quick & to the point! This was my first ever trail race & I had an absolute blast!!! My husband Mike has finished several 100 milers, 50 milers & 50Ks -- I've always been his crew & really enjoyed the atmosphere & people....Well, this year he felt that I was ready to run my own race while he ran his....talk about SCARED! I was afraid I'd get lost (no way -- it was marked too well), that I'd be last (not that there's anything wrong with being last -- to finish is to win, right?), or that I'd fall off the mountain (well, I very nearly did)....we came up the day before for the tasty carbo load dinner & slide show -- lo & behold, both my husband & I were winners of some snazzy prizes in the raffle! This was an omen of things to come.... the day dawned clear & frosty, but many of us were "hanging out" in the restrooms prior to the start of the race (if you know what I mean -- race nerves). I was armed with long sleeved layers to shed later when the sweating started, my trusty iPod Shuffle loaded with Led Zeppelin & Steve Miller Band tunes, & my regular road trainers....how intimidating to be in the midst of all these seasoned, Montrail-clad, half-naked mountain goats! My goal was just to finish....

My husband & I had strolled on the first mile or so of trail the day before -- he warned me that it was deceiving....well, he was right. I kept up with a smart pack of chattering youngsters until the trail changed....they sped off without me, their colorful singlets flashing, & left me in a lull....as I bounded down a rocky gully, I rolled an ankle & hit the ground with a grunt. I sprang to my feet expecting a broken ankle but it was suprisingly fine...then I expected a leg drenched in blood but no, it was only scraped....at least nobody witnessed the crash! I darted down the trail before the others caught up to me, heading into the roughest terrain I'd ever seen! Those swinging bridges made me spazz out & the skinny goat trails made me clench my teeth but I trudged onward....the aid stations were fabulous & so encouraging! They pumped me up & sent me out with the ominous words "It gets interesting from here on out"....imagine my panic by this announcement. There were times that I thought I was in big trouble -- climbing straight up the teeth of Signal mountain causes the ol' quads to seize up! I was exhausted already, with many miles left to go....

On the return trip, I was pushed by a great guy who dogged my footsteps the entire way....I could hear the bridges creak as he stepped up & his gasps for air; these propelled me into constant forward motion, sometimes almost crawling. Bouncing down the rocks, constantly putting on my brakes while wiping sweat out of my eyes -- well, I thought my knee was toast. It was just me & the guy behind me....I put some distance between us & halted mid-trail to lay hands on my knee & ask the Lord for some help....He came through, as always, & I managed to trot my way back out to the pavement. Man, was I excited to find out I didn't have to re-enter the woods! I was actually almost done, the finish line was in sight, & the faithful crowd clapped & cheered as I gasped my way past the time clock (which read 2 hrs. & 27 min.). I scavenged an ice bag for my knee & collapsed on the grass to bask in the glory of my first 11 miler....my husband came streaking across that same finish line in 6 hrs. & all in one piece.....we were proud of each other & thrilled to be a part of the same race....

Thanks, Rock Creek Outfitters! Because of your great atmosphere, fine give-aways & fabulous volunteers, I had a perfect weekend....now excuse me as while go dig the gravel out of my leg! See you next year...

Angela Stansberry
Hanceville, Alabama

Read more about the StumpJump 50K & 11 Mile Trail Race, and shop for trail running gear at RockCreek.com

Posted by Mark McKnight at 10:57 AM

October 18, 2006

2006 Hound Ears Report from Chad Wykle

Chad Wykle, former Rock/Creek employee, co-founder of the Triple Crown Bouldering Series and current sales rep for Chaco and Marmot, gives us a rundown of last weekend's Hound Ears competition in Boone, NC on October 7, 2006. The first stage of the three-part competition, Hound Ears is located on private property and is only accessible one day a year, for this comp. This was the 13th year for Hound Ears and as usual the event sold out well in advance. Chad gives us a detailed report on the weekend's events, from the bad omens Friday afternoon all the way through to a spectacular first-- and then SECOND- female ascent of the challenging 'Fuc Yo' V9 problem. The event also raised an impressive $1200 toward the acquisition of the Boat Rock bouldering field in Metro Atlanta, GA. 

Triple Crown rolled in to Boone on Friday afternoon with all the trappings of an impending disaster.   Despite the bluebird conditions that held sway overhead, a change in the forecast called for rain on Saturday and Sunday-

Could it be that the organizers (Jim Horton and Chad Wykle) had taken things one- step too far?  After all, it was year number 13 for the event, and the two refused to follow the obligatory rules regarding the "unlucky" number.  Go to any hotel and scroll through the floor numbers, or any long standing event and look over the years-you won't find a 13th floor or "the 13th annual" anything.  

Instead of following "good luck" protocol, the two actually billed the event as the 13th annual "Lucky 13" Hound Ears Bouldering Competition, complete with classic flaming skull logo and a judge tee shirt that depicted former president Richard Nixon with a red face and devil horns. 

Continue reading "2006 Hound Ears Report from Chad Wykle"

Posted by Mark McKnight at 12:08 PM

September 7, 2006

John Stamstad: Ultra-Marathon Man

Patagonia and Rock/Creek Outfitters present a
John Stamstad Ultra-Marathon Slideshow

Friday, October 6, 2006
at the Vendor Fair and Carbo Supper before the StumpJump 50K
Rock/Creek Outfitters, 100 Tremont Street, Chattanooga, TN  37405

Patagonia and Rock/Creek Outfitters are proud to present John Stamstad, an extreme endurance athlete and sponsored Patagonia trail running ambassador. John will present a slideshow at Rock/Creek Outfitters' Tremont Street location in downtown Chattanooga, TN, the night before the StumpJump 50K & 11 Mile Trail Race. John embodies the determination and commitment to the outdoors necessary for success in events such as the StumpJump 50K. He serves as an example to us all, and will undoubtably offer an impressive slideshow.

"I enjoy working with Patagonia because they are a leader in making clothing systems that work in the field under extreme conditions. My strongest contribution to this partnership is in product feedback and development. Some of my events and projects cross the line between Endurance and Alpine and put gear to the highest test. Crossing 300 miles in Alaska, or 100 miles in the desert, puts clothing to the ultimate test – if it will work under those conditions it will work for anyone, anywhere."  -John Stamstad

That's an important fact, because as a kid, John wanted to be an explorer. "I knew that I wanted to explore. I remember feeling disappointed that I wasn't born a couple hundred years earlier to be able to experience the undiscovered world first-hand."

John knew he needed adventure in his life, but he just didn't know how he was going to get it. "Luckily, I got to forge a few trails myself on a mountain bike and also explore the limits of my own endurance," John says. "I was extremely fortunate to be at the forefront long distance mountain biking. It gave me the opportunity to do things that hadn't been done before and explore the frontiers of a new sport."

See full details on the StumpJump 50K & 11 Mile Trail Race and sign up online.

Continue reading "John Stamstad: Ultra-Marathon Man"

Posted by Mark McKnight at 1:45 PM

September 5, 2006

Rock Creek Wins Again!

Adventure racing in the southeast is a tough business. With races seemingly every other weekend and many strong teams that keep getting faster year after year, it’s not an easy task trying to be competitive in this endurance arena. Rock Creek Outfitters (www.rockcreek.com) came to the rescue of the Chattanooga-based team of experienced adventure athletes, providing much needed support for a long year of racing. Jim Farmer and Dan Miller, both Chattanoogans, were lucky enough to recruit the efforts of two of the strongest females in the region, Patricia Williams Smith of Maryville, Tennessee, and Shannon Greenhill of Atlanta, to make their newfound sponsor proud.

Continue reading "Rock Creek Wins Again!"

Posted by Mark McKnight at 4:24 PM

August 9, 2006

StumpJump 50K & 11 Mile Race Coming Up in October

It's hard to believe with 100+ degree days here in Chattanooga, but Fall is right around the corner, and Fall means nothing less than the best ultramarathon in the Southeast, the StumpJump 50K (& 11 Mile) Trail Run. Now's the time to sign up for the race, which will be held October 7, 2006.

We had a great race last year with about 250 runners, and we expect this to be the best year yet. We have a FREE Carbo Supper sponsored by Salomon, makers of high-quality trail running shoes, as well as a Vendor Fair where you can come check out the latest technology in trail running shoes, aparrel, and nifty toys like Suunto's wristtop GPS units.

We just got word that Mountain Hardwear is stepping on as a major sponsor this year. We're happy to hear it, and you should be too, because that means we'll have the Mountain Hardwear Wicked Tee as our race shirts this year. The Wicked Tee, if you don't already have a few, will change your expectations of a wicking synthetic tee. These things are great. (By the way, we also have a free Wicked Tee offer right now on the Web site, so if you want to go ahead and pick one up for your training, now's the time).

Sign up for the StumpJump Trail Race online at Active.com or download an application here.

Posted by Mark McKnight at 2:19 PM

June 28, 2006

Motorcycle Adventurers Coming to RockCreek

Rock/Creek Outfitters is proud to announce a slideshow presented by global voyagers, Uwe Krasuss and Romona Eichhorn. The event will take place at the 100 Tremont Street, Rock Creek Outfitters location at 7 p.m. on Sunday, July 16th. This is an event that should not be missed.


Romona and Uwe have spent the past five years taking pictures and recording all of their adventures traveling by motorcycle in over forty different countries. Their trips have ranged from the rainforests of southern Chili to the coasts of New Zealand. Both Uwe and Romona work as freelance photojournalists for numerous international magazines and publications, such as RoadRUNNER Magazine. Donations at the door will benefit Uwe and Romona’s traveling funds, and their striking photographic prints will also be available for purchase.

Before becoming a global adventurer via motorcycle, Romona worked as an interpreter and translator while Uwe managed a construction company as a civil engineer. Growing up near the Thuringian Forest in the southernmost portion of Germany, both Romona and Uwe dreamed of the day when they could roam the world freely. Following the demise of the Soviet Union in 1989, Uwe and Romona got together and dreamed up an adventure so crazy that it left many of their friends and family scratching their heads.

Their plan was to sell all of their possessions and attempt to ride a motorcycle around the world in five years. There was only one problem: Romona, had never ridden a motorcycle before. Romona recalls, “By mid-November I finally had a license in my pocket. The very next day winter arrived and heavy snow fell. Therefore, my ‘riding experience’ was severely limited…I would eventually have to improve my ‘riding skills’ on the way!” Amazingly, after having virtually no riding experience, travel experience, nor money, Romona and Uwe embarked upon their worldwide journey.

Since that time Romona and Uwe have traveled the world and visited some of the most beautiful and dangerous sites on the face of the planet. From dealing with sticky customs officials at the Liberian border, mechanical issues in Egypt, to roaming the Carretera Austral in Chile, Romona and Uwe are modern day Magellans. They have traversed across some of the most technical and desolate expanses of land on the face of the Earth. Romona best sums up their journey when she says, “We wanted to ride off the beaten path…the worst roads would always lead you to the most beautiful places.”

Recently, Uwe and Romona were featured at the Americade in Lake George and at the Honda Hot in Knoxville. Since starting their globetrotting, these moto-adventurers have written for over fourteen different international publications as freelance journalists. Read about their current adventures in South America in RoadRUNNER magazine. Be sure to be at Rock/Creek on the 16th of July at 7 p.m. and let Romona Eichhorn be your tour guide for your own private adventure around the world.

About Rock Creek Outfitters: Rock Creek is a specialty outdoor retailer with two decades of brick and mortar experience in the Southeastern United States. From the very beginning, Rock Creek has been a resource for travel and adventure gear and expertise. Through its online specialty shops, RockCreek.com and ClimbingGear.com, Rock Creek provides quality gear for a host of outdoor sports to customers across the world. With a dedicated staff of outdoor enthusiasts and gear experts, Rock Creek selects only the very best outdoor apparel and equipment from top name brands to ensure that customers are safe and comfortable whether they be kayaking, rock climbing, camping, hiking, trail running, or adventure racing.

Posted by Mark McKnight at 6:00 PM

April 11, 2006

Rock/Creek Outfitters Sponsors Tour de Georgia

Rock/Creek Outfitters to Sponsor North America’s Premier Cycling Event

Chattanooga-based outdoor specialty store will be sponsoring two King of the Mountain Climbs during the annual 2006 Ford Tour de Georgia from Tuesday, April 18th to Sunday, April 22nd

Chattanooga, TN - Rock/Creek Outfitters and RockCreek.com is proud to announce their sponsorship of two King of the Mountain Climbs (KOM) during the annual 2006 Ford Tour de Georgia.  The Tour de Georgia is recognized as North America’s premier cycling event and rolling festival.  The six-day, six-stage event draws the many of the best international and national cyclists cycling teams and showcases some of the unique towns and terrain in Georgia and Chattanooga Tennessee. “We’re psyched to have the opportunity to work with the Tour de Georgia again this year,” remarked Rock/Creek owner and cycling enthusiast Dawson Wheeler.  This is Rock/Creek’s second year to be involved in sponsoring a KOM event.

The 2006 Ford Tour de Georgia will begin in Augusta, Georgia on Tuesday, April 18th, and the 600-plus mile cycling course will end with a grand finale in Alpharetta, Georgia on Sunday, April 23.  This event is owned by the Georgia Partnership for Economic Development (GPED) and governed by the GPED Board of Directors.  As a 501c(6) non-profit entity, GPED’s mission is to develop the Tour property as an economic and marketing property for the state of Georgia and for the benefit of the Georgia Cancer Coalition.

Stage Four of the Tour de Georgia is a 118.9 mile stretch from Dalton to Dahlonega taking place on Friday, April 21.  Rock/Creek Outfitters and RockCreek.com will be sponsoring Stage Four’s first KOM climb to the top of Fort Mountain, a 2875 foot (876 m) tall mountain.  The KOM finish line is located 23.8 miles into Stage Four and is a Category 2 climb.  The first rider to cross the line will be awarded $1,500 from Rock/Creek Outfitters. 

The second KOM climb sponsored by Rock/Creek Outfitters and RockCreek.com will be held on Saturday, April 22 during Stage Five of the Tour de Georgia.  Stage Five is a 94.5 mile stretch from Blairsville to an epic finish atop Brasstown Bald.   The KOM will share a finish line with Stage Five.  It is a Category 1 climb up Brasstown Bald, the highest peak in Georgia that has been compared to Alpe d’Huez of the Tour de France.  The first cyclist to cross the finish line will be awarded $1,500 from Rock/Creek Outfitters.

About Rock/Creek Outfitters and RockCreek.com:

Rock/Creek Outfitters is a specialty outdoor retailer with two decades of brick and mortar experience. We are committed to personal and professional leadership in the outdoor industry and the larger community, especially with regard to environmental initiatives. We use outdoor retail as a platform to encourage all people to get outside and become active. We know that in order to make a positive impact on the environment, we need to share our own love of the outdoors with others. For this reason, our sponsorship and environmental efforts are aimed at promoting outdoor recreation and permanently improving access to the backcountry.

For more information, see our Tour de Georgia page or contact Katherine Nielsen at (423) 265-0406 ext. 1113 or katherinenielsen @rockcreek.com.

Posted by Mark McKnight at 4:48 PM

April 3, 2006

River Gorge Race Results

The 2006 Rock/Creek River Gorge Race turned out to be a great success, with over 200 runners competing. The course was wet and we had a couple injuries and many falls, but most runners found the race to be fun and challenging.

Be sure to check out these photos from the race >>

(try this link to Wilderness Adventure Photography if that does not work)


Here are the preliminary results (scroll down for 6.2 Mile results).

2006 RIVER GORGE TRAIL RUN - 10.2 MILE COURSE

PRENTICE COOPER STATE FOREST - SIGNAL MTN, TN

April 1, 2006

Sponsored by Rock\Creek Outfitters & The Chattanooga Track Club

      PlaceNameAgeSexCityStateTime

      1 Barry Lucas 39M1:14:44

      2 Jonathan Krichev 29MHuntsville AL1:19:08

      3 Geno Phillips M1:20:21

      4 Michael Green M1:22:28

      5 Cory Hall 30MChattanooga TN1:22:53

      6 Bill Fletcher M1:24:52

      7 Benjamin Myers 28MMcMinnville TN1:25:52

      8 Matt Sims M1:26:23

      9 Kevin Boucher M1:26:28

      10 Mike Berry M1:27:20

Continue reading "River Gorge Race Results"

Posted by Mark McKnight at 11:08 AM

Come and Celebrate the 6th Annual High Octane Climbing Competition!

Tennessee Bouldering Authority is inviting the public to join them in their newly renovated climbing gym on April 15, 2006 for a killer climbing competition

Chattanooga, TN - The Tennessee Bouldering Authority (TBA), in cooperation with The North Face and Rock/Creek Outfitters, is proud to announce the 6th Annual High Octane Competition. On April 15th, 2006 at 11:00 am, TBA is inviting the public to join them in their newly renovated gym located at 3804 St. Elmo Ave, Suite 10. Three Divisions of Competitions will be held, including Unleaded, Super-Unleaded, and High Octane. Prizes for the winners of each division will include LaSportiva and Five Ten climbing shoes. The cost to compete is $25.00, and there is a spectator fee of $10.00.

These entry fees include a free entrée from Mojo Borrito as well as access to the 6th Anniversary Dub and Groove After-Party. There will also be plenty of door prizes and swag from the broad spectrum of sponsors. In addition, Michelle Smith will be sharing a slide show presentation that covers her two week road trip sponsored by Red Chili and Wild Country. The road trip included eight people in one RV. They began in Salt Lake City went to California and ended the trip back in Utah. Smith has conquered numerous V8's and V9's as well as bold trad leads, and high scores including several 1st place finishes in comps.

Following the days events, the gym will be transformed into a studio for the 6th Anniversary Dub and Groove After-Party. According to TBA’s Luis Rodriguez, this year is going to be, ‘especially festive.’ The entry fee for the celebration is included in the High Octane Competition entry fee or there is a $5.00 entry fee at the door. Entertainment will be provided by DJ Mafioso (hip hop), DJ ArchBishop (Progressive House), and DJ HeavyWeight (Dub & Reggae). There will be cocktails available in exchange for small donations.

For more information, please contact Luis Rodriguez at 423-822-6800.

About Tennessee Bouldering Authority
Bouldering is the essence of rock climbing, allowing the mind and body to learn the basic tenets of moving over stone. TBA is a training facility specifically built to develop climbing strength and challenge the mind. All the tools are available to take you from a novice to an expert level in a comforting, appealing environment. TBA is an indoor bouldering gym unlike any other.

Posted by Mark McKnight at 9:42 AM

March 15, 2006

LRC Trail Day April 22, 2006

Rock/Creek, along with Chaco and Five Ten, is sponsoring a trail day up at one of our favorite crags, Little Rock City. This incredible boulder field is owned by a Golf Club and the owners graciously allow us to climb on their private property. As a way of giving back, and in an effort to ensure future access, we have periodic trail days at LRC.

Our next event is planned for April 22, 2006, at 9AM, and will last about 5 hours.

Location: Mont Lake Golf Course, Soddy-Daisy TN

On tap will be two activities for the Montlake Golf Club:

1) Parking lot landscaping and cleaning
2) Cleaning out dead wood from climbing areas
3) Re-establishing trails in climbing areas
4) Cleaning (and climbing!) as many problems as possible

We are also planning to have some hotdogs, hamburgers and cokes for participants. We're not sure yet if the SCC will be covering this or if Montlake will be "cooking."

"I spoke with the landowner's wife a few weeks ago--she was very thankful for the climbing community and the work that we have done in the boulderfield and on the golf course. She, her husband and the community at Montlake have been very good to us, and I passed that fact and thanks on to her--just wanted to share that with you all. Thanks for all that you have done and continue to do for LRC and the community of Montlake." says Chad Wykle

Posted by Mark McKnight at 4:32 PM

March 14, 2006

Sign up now for the Rock/Creek River Gorge Trail Race

It's almost time for the Rock/Creek River Gorge Trail Race, presented by The North Face. The race will start at 8:00 AM EST on April 1, 2006 (and that's no joke), at the Cumberland Trail parking lot on Signal Mountain outside Chattanooga, TN. Come enjoy some of the best trail running in the region and see why Rock/Creek is famous for their race bags.

WHO SHOULD RUN THIS RACE?

All Runners! This race is meant to be fun and expose those of us who don't normally run on trails to the beautiful wilderness areas surrounding Chattanooga. Do not feel intimidated if you have never run on dirt trails before. It is not uncommon to walk many sections of a trail run. Remember that trail running is strenuous. Practice before you participate; it makes the race more fun.

TRAIL DESCRIPTIONS:

6.5 Mile Loop: The trail is a portion of Mullens Cove loop trail. The first 3 miles are on the rim of the gorge, providing spectacular views on the Tennessee River Gorge and Chattanooga. This trail crosses 3 small creeks. At Snoopers Rock Overlook the trail turns back onto a jeep road for about 1 mile, then rejoins the single track trail and back to the Cumberland Trail Parking area to finish. Race begins at 9:00 a.m. Hydration station is provided at mile 3.

10.2 Mile Loop: This trail is the entire Mullens Cove loop trail. It shares the first 3.2 miles of the 6.5 mile loop then continues across Tower Road and back onto single track trail. There are numerous creek crossings and some rocky terrain. The trail is a bit more strenuous but the terrain and the views are unbeatable. The trail ends at Cumberland Trail Parking lot. 100% single track the whole length. Race begins at 8:45 a.m. Hydration stations will be located at mile 3 and 7.

For complete race details, and to sign up online, see the race information page on rockcreek.com.

Posted by Mark McKnight at 11:06 AM

March 6, 2006

More press for RockCreek Adventure Race Team

I just found another article mentioning the RockCreek Adventure Race Team and their outstanding performance in the Goldrush 24. This article from Greg Yetter comes from sleepmonsters.com:

After a night of gusty winds and near freezing temps, dawn arrived and with it a hope for a warm day. With the better conditions teams moved through the race course with determination. A determination to finish.

Earlier race officials calculated that only 6 teams could finish the entire course in the allotted time. Of those only HALF did and all were 3 person coed teams.

First across the finish line was Team 2-Enduraventure. With every report from the outlying CP/TA's the team showed no hint of losing their lead on the chase teams.

Next, Team 17-Rock Creek Outfitters were reported at TA4. In short order they ran from the canoe take-out to downtown Woodstock, GA and a crowd cheering them into the finish line. Some of the crowd was provided by the city of Woodstock. It was great that a Chili/Barbeque Cook Off was held in the same park as the finish line. [Continued on sleepmonsters.com]

Stay up to date on the latest from RockCreek's Adventure Race Team at RockCreek.com. Be sure to check the "Events" and "Announcing" sections on the bottom of the home page.

Posted by Mark McKnight at 2:38 PM

RockCreek Team Places 2nd in Goldrush 24 Adventure Race

Congratulations to RockCreek's Adventure Racing team, which placed 2nd this weekend in the Goldrush 24 Adventure Race in Woodstock, Georgia. They were the second of only three teams to finish this grueling race within 24 hours.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution had a great article about the team:

Seconds after completing a 24-hour, 75-plus-mile race over grueling terrain and freezing waters, Patricia Williams Smith had one question.

"What can we eat?" she asked as her exhausted colleagues with the Rock Creek Outfitters team, Dan Miller and Jim Farmer, wondered the same thing.

"We have some barbecue and chili for you. All you want," said Toby Bramblett, the director of the Goldrush 24 YMCA Adventure Race in Woodstock.

Food and racing. A perfect combination on a perfect day. It was the first time that Woodstock has held either the chili and barbecue cook-off or the adventure race. Residents could enjoy plenty of good eating while waiting for the teams to stagger to the finish line. And after making it to the finish, the teams could enjoy good food as the sweet smell of barbecue and hickory smoke formed a pleasant sensory cloud over the finish line.

"That's the only reason we wanted to get to the finish line," Farmer said, only half-joking. "That was the motivation." [continued on ajc.com]

We're sure to hear more great things from the newly created RockCreek Adventure Racing Team: Jim Farmer, Dan Miller and Patricia Williams Smith.

The Goldrush 24 is sponsored by the YMCA of Atlanta and the City of Woodstock. For more details, see the YMCA page.

Stay up to date on the latest from RockCreek's Adventure Race Team at RockCreek.com. Be sure to check the "Events" and "Announcing" sections on the bottom of the home page.

Posted by Mark McKnight at 9:12 AM

February 20, 2006

Triple Crown feature by Climbing Magazine

Climbing Magazine has a great writeup of the Triple Crown with a photo gallery. Check it out at this page on their Web site.

I think this feature will also be in the next issue of the magazine, so watch your news stands as well.

RockCreek has been a proud sponsor of the Triple Crown since its inception several years ago. For updates on the series, check our Triple Crown page on RockCreek.com.

Posted by Mark McKnight at 10:01 AM

February 6, 2006

Update on Triple Crown Fundraising Efforts

2 February 2006

Update on Triple Crown Fundraising Efforts:

In the Fall of 2005, in an unprecedented effort to raise money for direct access, Chaco Sandals “teamed up” with RockCreek.com, Alabama Outdoors, and The Triple Crown Bouldering Series.

Long recognized as a major contributor to environmental causes, Chaco, in conjunction with Rock/Creek Outfitters and Alabama Outdoors provided unique Custom Performance Sandals for competitors to purchase at the 2005 Triple Crown. The sandals were developed using a custom strap and also had the new Stealth Diamond Pattern Sole. Ultimately, over $4,000 was raised through the sale of the Chaco sandals!

Proceeds from the sandal sales were earmarked for donation to Rumbling Bald. However, during the course of the Triple Crown series, negotiations between the Carolina Climbers’ Coalition and the State of North Carolina secured access for the future to this fantastic bouldering/trad climbing area. Rumbling Bald will become a State Park!

With the serious concern that has developed in regard to the CCC’s purchase of Laurel Knob located in Jackson County NC, a decision was made to re-direct the Chaco Sandals donation toward the purchase of this fantastic crag. For a full update on the massive efforts to gain access to this resource, see the CCC homepage. http://www.carolinaclimbers.org/

The Triple Crown and The Southeastern Climbers’ Coalition want to take the opportunity to say a huge thank-you to Chaco. These guys have quietly gone about the business of gaining and maintaining access for outdoor recreation for years. With the help of regional retailers like Rock/Creek Outfitters, Alabama Outdoors, The Great Outdoor Provision Company, and others, Chaco will put close to $20,000 into direct action causes in 2006 here in the Southeast alone. Thanks Chaco for supporting access to the many outdoor resources here in the Southeast and throughout the United States.

-Chad Wykle

Posted by Mark McKnight at 12:26 PM

January 31, 2006

Triple Crown Final Results

January 7th dawned cold and perfectly sunny in Chattanooga for the Triple Crown Finale - and amazing conditions unfolded at Little Rock City by mid-day that allowed for one of the best weather days of the season.

Was it the weather that provided all of the inspired bouldering, or was it some kind of strange "Kharmic" mix of motivated friends that produced "career days" for so many? Who knows-but one thing's for sure; fantastic scores were the norm, and the day felt more like a massive "session" than a competition.

Continue reading "Triple Crown Final Results"

Posted by Mark McKnight at 4:43 PM

December 19, 2005

Triple Crown LRC Comp Rescheduled

Dear Triple Crowners!-

We have rescheduled the Little Rock City Bouldering Competition for Saturday January 7th 2006. An e-mail containing all of the competition particulars will be coming in the next few weeks. The itinerary for the competition will be very similar to the plan that we had for December 3rd. Should the weather be poor on the 7th the competition will be moved to Sunday January 8th.

We also want to send out a very special thank-you to all of the folks who braved the weather and came out to the First Tennessee Pavilion on Sunday for our Speed Climbing and Dyno competition. We raised over $3,000 for Habitat for Humanity! We want to say a very special thank-you to the competitors that donated their cash prizes ($900) to the cause as well—Heath Bailey, Kate Reese, Alli Rainey-Wendling, Ronnie Jenkins, Dave Graham and Nancy Jackson.

The representatives for Habitat for Humanity were brought to tears by the size of the donation, and extremely thankful to the entire climbing community for their support. They reported that, “this money would cover the cost of a roof or floor for a new home for an underprivileged family.” They were especially moved by the fact that the competitors gave back their winnings.

Big thanks to all of our sponsors (Rock/Creek Outfitters, Marmot, Mountain Hardwear, Chaco, Misty Mountain, Oakley, Rockstar Beverages, Arborwear, Montrail, and Metolius), our volunteers, and climbers for helping us make this happen!

Please keep checking the SCC website and the Triple Crown website for updates and information.

**Those participants that cannot attend should contact us by no later than Monday December 19th—

Best Regards,

Jim and Chad

Posted by Mark McKnight at 9:33 AM

November 14, 2005

Custom Chaco Sandals for the Triple Crown

From the latest SNews issue:

Chaco footwear, in conjunction with Rock Creek Outfitters [RockCreek.com's parent company] and Alabama Outdoors, will offer one-of-a-kind performance sandals available for purchase at the 2005 Triple Crown Bouldering Series. Proceeds will help the Southeastern Climbers' Coalition and the Carolina Climbers' Coalition gain permanent public access to bouldering, climbing and hiking areas in the United States.

Featuring two custom webbing designs not available in stores, Chaco performance sandals will be available for purchase to all participants and attendees of the Triple Crown series at nearly 40 percent off regular retail. A large portion of the proceeds are going to help create a new state park at Rumbling Bald, N.C., known for climbing and bouldering. Upcoming Triple Crown www.triplecrownbouldering.org.

Events are Nov. 5 in Steele, Ala., and Dec. 3 in Chattanooga, Tenn. Chaco, Rock Creek and Alabama Outdoors say they'll put close to $20,000 into direct action causes in 2006 in the Southeast alone.

Posted by Mark McKnight at 3:03 PM

October 31, 2005

The Truth about the RockCreek.com Stump Jump 50K

10.10.05
By: Big Red Robinson

The Stump Jump is one of the easiest 50K's in the East.

There's really not much climbing--the total is only about 2200'.

Aside from a couple of little rocky patches, the trail is smooth and
non-technical. It's a much easier course than Mountain Mist.

Oh yes, and possums are purple, have fairy wings, and fly South for the Winter.

'Well, this is a pretty nasty hill, early in the race, but it must be one of very few, since there's only about 2000 feet of climbing. I guess I'll push it while I can.'

The course began as asphalt and stayed that way for a half-mile or so. I charged ahead to take the lead shortly after the gun and maintained this position for several tens of yards. It was quite satisfying. I felt like the real Big Red. There was a short fella and a fella with a big tattoo on one leg at the front. I ogled them from behind before overtaking them in my one show of strength for the day. I knew the short fella was going to be strong, because the tattooed fella called him Josh. The tattooed fella, though larger and bit rougher, I knew would be swift, because of the tattoos. (You see, this inking contains a not so coded message, regardless of the graphical details: 'I'm real fast and I torture ALL of the hills.' Most of my competent ultra friends have these markings. I, alas, have nothing remarkable on my peel aside from a few hairy moles.) Later, my friend Stephen, who also has no tattoos, would explain to me that this kid was none other than Bryan Dayton, training partner of Dave Mackey, destroyer of 50K fields. Stephen also explained that Bryan was at the Stump Jump because his parents live in the South, not far from Signal Mountain, in Tullahoma, Tennessee. 'He's probably a nice guy with a good upbringing,' I reflected.

My strategy was to go out hard then settle into my true place in the universe within that No Man's Land, that Void, between the leaders and the masses. Hard indeed. After six or seven miles of brutally rocky, wildly ragged, Cumberland style punishment, I really thought I might DNF. 'This is gonna require anywhere from 1.5 to 2.0 liters of Coca Cola to pull off,' I thought to myself. 'Pretty soon I'm gonna start gettin passed like a Sunday driver. The Tennessee River Gorge sure is pretty today.' I was quite miserable, but in the end, I learned that I was in a lot better endurance shape than I thought, as I was able to continue making myself miserable for the next four hours. I could do nothing with the bigger climbs but walk fast and shuffle intermittently but I managed to blaze the downs and the very rare flats hard enough to maintain my self-respect.

At mile six or seven, the leader (intimidatingly tattooed Bryan) comes up behind me and passes me! Holy! 'How far ahead are they?' 'Around ten minutes I would guess.' Later I would learn that a whole lot of folks took a wrong turn early in the race and accumulated a few bonus miles in the process. This could partially explain why no one passed me in the race. Bryan, despite having lost ten, fifteen minutes went on to win in a course record time of, get this, 4:01. When he passed me this second time, I noticed how colorful and elaborate the picture on his leg really was.

A massive boulder perched on a delicate column. The shattered remains of an old plateau, crust of an ocean bottom, sliding away over eons. The gaping maw opening up to catch me on its loamy palate, to chew on me with its granite teeth. I'm tossed up and down on phantasmagoric earth waves, splattered over a field of smooth, ancient stones, thrown down the devil's staircase. I hear no footsteps behind me. I catch two men, uniformed in black, in a mossy gulch. 'Where do you come from?' I came from Rocket City, but I was born in the valley below at Memorial Hospital. Cool. I pass over a familiar road again. A man at an aid station notes, 'It says here Big Robinson for runner number 90.' 'I'm an egotist and I'm sparing a more accomplished athlete from having his reputation intertwined with mine.' Tripwires snatch at my size 14 Orizabas. Fear of the two men in black pulls me up a nauseating climb to the last aid station. I slam four Coca-Colas, for the sixth and last time. A young kid wearing green appears before me, swaggering, tank absolutely empty. 'C'mon, kid, let's go!! I know you got somethin' left.' I hit asphalt again, flying, all out. I see the clock at the finish line at the top of the last, small hill. 5:01. My chest heaves and embarassingly loud grunts issue forth. I might have said a cuss word, but I don't think it came out fully formed. Shoulda broken five. Coincidences reach up from the past to weigh on my used up mind.

As confirmed by another runner's altimeter watch, the climb is much more than 2200'. More like 3500'. With the extra upsy-downsies that the organizers missed with their GPS mappings, they also probably missed a little horizontal distance.

The Truth is that the Stump Jump is a formidable eastern 50K (especially if you approach it with the mindset that it'll be easy) with a lot of technical running. It's at least as difficult as Mountain Mist, if not more, and it should be measured in units of Horton miles. That is The Truth.

More importantly, the Stump Jump is a beautiful course in an unusual geological setting. I had outrageous fun. The aid stations are wonderful and staffed by extremely helpful and friendly people who understand the importance of Coca-Cola. The goodie bag was totally on, with two pairs of technical wool trail socks, a North Face drop bag, a Marmot tech-T, and the latest Trail Runner. Saves me at least two shopping trips. Thank you. I'll see you again next fall.

2005 Race Results

Fastest of the Fast Blaze the StumpJump

Race Information and Application

Posted by Mark McKnight at 11:06 AM

October 14, 2005

Houndears Results

Results are in for Houndears. Click here to check them out! The 4th annual Triple Crown Series - Houndears competition took place on Saturday, October 5th 2005 near Boone, North Carolina. Over 400 climbers and spectators lined up to be a part of the opening of fall climbing season in the deep south.

RockCreek.com is a proud sponsor of the Triple Crown Bouldering Competition.

Posted by Mark McKnight at 11:38 AM

October 13, 2005

StumpJump Results Posted

We had a great time at the RockCreek.com StumpJump 50K and 11 Mile trail race this weekend. Despite a bit of rain on Friday we had a great vendor fair at the downtown Chattanooga store. We had a great carbo supper which was free to racers this year. This event continues to grow; we had about 250 racers this year.

The race results are available here.

If you missed it this year, be sure to check back with us next year! We are always trying to improve this race and we look forward to an even better time in 2006.

Posted by Mark McKnight at 2:23 PM

September 28, 2005

StumpJump Quickly Approaching

RockCreek.com's popular StumpJump 50K and 11 Mile trail race will take place October 8th. We have over 200 signups so far, so if you wanted to run this year make sure to get your application in soon! You can sign up online and get more information by clicking here.

Our sponsors have been gathering all their giveaways and raffle prizes for the Saturday night packet pick-up and vendor fair. The Vendor Fair runs October 7, 2005, 1-6PM EST, at 100 Tremont Street. The Carbo Supper (FREE for registered runners, $8 for non-runners, requires RSVP to Mike at StumpJump50K@comcast.net): 6-7PM EST, 100 Tremont Street.

Posted by Mark McKnight at 5:22 PM