Salomon athlete and StumpJump 50k course-record-holder David Riddle made the trip from Cincinnati for this one, and did not disappoint with an impressive win and new course record. Previous CR-holder Daniel Mueller finished a strong second place, just a few minutes off of his 2011 pace. After some position shuffling, an injury-related DNF and a bit of number-crunching on our end, Ooltewah’s Bob Adams took home third place despite a late charge by Olaf Wasternack and Mitchell Pless.

Among the women, Sarah Gollub won two stages and Meredith Smith won the other, with Sarah taking the overall win. Kathy Youngren finished third. Visit UltraSignup for complete race results.

      Top Men’s Finishers:
      David Riddle, 31, Cincinatti (OH), 6:47:15 (course record)
      Daniel Mueller, 27 Nashville (TN), 6:59:22
      Bob Adams, 33, Ooltewah (TN), 7:12:40

      Top Women’s Finishers:
      Sarah Gollub, 25, Nashville (TN), 9:05:26
      Meredith Smith, 42, Ashland City (TN), 9:15:09
      Kathy Youngren, 38, Huntsville (AL), 9:26:26

Here are links to photo sets from each day — there are quite a few! We’ll add more links if we come across any additional photo sets.

      Day 1
      Photos by R/C’s Jeff Bartlett
      Photos by R/C’s Mark McKnight
      Photos by Charlene Simmons

      Day 2
      Photos by R/C’s Jeff Bartlett
      Photos by R/C’s Katharina Handwerker
      Photos by R/C’s Mark McKnight
      Photos by Charlene Simmons

      Day 3
      Photos by R/C’s Jeff Bartlett
      Photos by R/C’s Mark McKnight
      Photos by Heather Williamson-Lamar (all 3 days)

While it’s probably obvious, it bears repeating that this race would be impossible without our many volunteers and sponsors. Hosting a three-day stage race is a huge black hole for resources, and at the end of the day it’s our local trail running community, Rock/Creek employees and others who sacrifice their own time to make this happen.

Whether the crews who spent past weekends clearing fresh deadfalls from all three mountains, the Collier Construction team who drove all the aid station supplies 5 miles out to Edwards Point on a rugged 4WD road, or the dozens of Chattanooga runners up at 4:30 AM every day to set up the start/finish, we owe them all a major debt.

As always, please support Salomon, Rock/Creek and the following trail series sponsors: Toyota, Collier Construction, Patagonia, Smartwool, Get Out Chattanooga, Trail Runner Magazine, YMCA Chattanooga, Hammer Nutrition, Whole Foods Chattanooga & Suunto.

We’ll see you in August for the Still Hollow 1/2 Marathon & 10k!

This was the most pure run I have done, probably in my lifetime up to now; pure in the sense that there were no interruptions of other people racing, or aid stations, or clocks, or course markings, or expectations… just a trail that has been there for 90+ years, traversed by a countless number of people, marked with simple white blazes that might as well be birch… nowhere else to go but to follow the well-worn path, and the beauty that it entails.

As we went I couldn’t help but be reminded of those I had known of that had a history with the Appalachian Trail, from thru-hikers, to section hikers, to other running buddies that had shared this experience, and to think that their feet had traversed exactly where mine were… in this we shared a wonderful experience without even being together, and I took great joy in knowing that we were sharing in this experience, albeit at differing times in our lives, but we all were there, climbing, descending, suffering.

The tale will stay with me forever, and the experience will soon be replicated, and completed in one haul… but for this write up, I will share the highlights of the trip, and let the pictures (click here) and the imagination fill in the holes… until you decide that it’s time to find out the real story on your own, and take on the Smokies Challenge Adventure Run (SCAR) for yourselves.

• The total length of the SCAR is about 72 miles, with about 18,000 feet of climbing.
• While the section of the AT can be run in either direction, we chose the more traditional route, being south to north, or Fontana Dam to Davenport Gap, with a refueling check-in at Newfound Gap (mile 40ish).



• We started from the far side of Fontana Dam at about 9:30am on Saturday.
• My buddies and I made it to Newfound gap in about 13h30m, at which point the fatigue and the cold caused my friends to throw in the towel, and call it a day. I chose to do the same, given that it would be a long, cold night out there for the second half by my lonesome…and God-forbid that I break an ankle and have to hike it on one paw for 20+ miles.
• After a restless few hours, I got up, and upon a bit of encouragement and cooperation, I put on my crusty clothes from the day before (except I did have a change of socks), I had my buddies drive me to Davenport Gap, where I proceeded to run back to Newfound Gap solo in 7h30m. This route added about 2000 ft. of vertical to the experience, so final stats for the two-day haul were about 72 miles with about 20,000 ft of elevation gain.
• While this gave me the satisfaction of completing the task, I certainly have unfinished business with the SCAR. I am planning a return trip this fall, this time solo, with experience in tow.
• A HUGE thanks to Jim and Cap’n Harold for the aid and the Airstream (1989 beauty!), to Ed and Greg for the company, to my wife for the encouragement, and to God for the ability, the courage and the beauty of creation.

This is a run that I highly recommend to everyone out there… the Smokies are freaking amazing, and God reveals himself on every inch of the journey. VAMOS!!!

Gear used:
Salomon Running Pack (the one I won at Stumpjump 50k a looong time ago)
Salomon EXO Shorts
Patagonia SS Top (Thanks R/C)
Day one socks – Balega wool
Day two socks – Smartwool
Hoka Stinson Evo shoes
Huma Gel
Oreos, Nutter Butters, and Chips Ahoy cookies
Katahdin water filter pump (freaking genius)
Camelbak Insulated bottles

–

Age: 44
Number of years running: 30
Location: Emory-Meadowview, VA
Occupation: College Professor

–

Favorite trail race(s):
Promise Land 50K in VA

Favorite trails to train on:
The Iron Mountain Trail in SW Virginia runs parallel to the Appalachian Trail. The two can be linked for various-sized and always interesting training loops.

Favorite trail running shoe:
Salomon Speedcross 3

Lifelong running goals:
I want to use running to understand what motivates people. I want to support communities of people who strive to be better.

Biography:
I live with my family on the rural campus of Emory & Henry College in Southwest Virginia, where I help prepare teachers. I grew up in Louisville, KY, and began running when I entered high school at the age of 14. I have maintained a near constant and competitive running career ever since. I have been running ultras for about the last 10 years and have completed about 80 events spanning everything from 50K to 100 miles. I have thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail and have a special interest in multi-day adventure running.

2012 season summary:
In the spring of 2012 I focused on setting the course record at the storied Promise Land 50K in the Shenandoah Mountains of Virginia. I used two other 50Ks: Louisville’s Love’n the Hills and Terrapin Mountain in VA to build my fitness and then blasted through Promise Land with everything that I had. My time of 4:25 for this long (34 mi) and mountainous course broke the course record that had stood for many years.

In the summer I directed and participated in the Tour De Virginia, a 14-day stage race of the AT. I averaged just over 4mph for the 550 miles of technical single track despite oppressive heat and humidity and continuous blow downs from spring storms. In the fall I focused on the Baltimore Marathon, a surprisingly hilly road marathon. Although I have stayed off the roads in the last many years, I was able to run 2:33 and win the master’s division for the race. In November I ran the Mountain Masochist 50 mile trail run (2nd) and in December the Hellgate 100K (2nd).

Proudest running accomplishments:
My longevity as a competitive runner clearly stands out. I won the state championship 3200m in 1985, 27 years before winning the master’s division of the Baltimore Marathon. My body is far from bomb proof – I’m as prone to injury as anyone. I have had to figure out how to manage injury with high level fitness training over a long period of time. The bigger accomplishment, though, is staying motivated to run while building a family and professional career.

Planned races for 2013:
My training is focused on a summer attempt at the fastest known time for completing the 480 mile long Colorado Trail. The current record is 8 ½ days. I will run the inaugural Cruel Jewel 100 in Georgia in May as part of my preparation. As long as I stay healthy I plan to run the Iron Mountain 50 mile trail run in September, the Stump Jump 50K in October, the Mountain Masochist Trail Run in November, and then try to reclaim my course record for the Hellgate 100K in December.

We somehow managed to dodge the looming thunderstorms; the race was run beneath overcast skies, the forest lush with patches of fog and plenty of moisture and humidity! Since this one is often a battle against heat and dehydration for those unfamiliar with running in the southeast, it was a pleasant change.

From the start, the marathon was a battle between Rock/Creek Race Team members Nick Lewis and Johnny Clemons, the latter of whom missed the CR by five seconds last year. Midway through the race, Clemons suffered an injury and was forced to drop; Lewis soldiered onward for the win in 2:55:44.

For the women, 42-year-old Meredith Smith took home top honors, and her finish of 3:34:16 is the third-fastest women’s time in race history. Nancy Costilow and Emily Anne Vall, finishing almost exactly one minute apart, round out the women’s podium.

In the half marathon, two-time race winner Daniel Mueller from Nashville, TN made it a three-peat, charging to victory in 1:19:34. He now owns three of the four fastest times on this course! Blake Davenport and Matt Pruitt took second and third; that’s consecutive 2nd-place finishes for Davenport, and a strong showing for Pruitt in his first Trail Series race since StumpJump 50k.

As for Mueller, we look forward to seeing him back for the Chattanooga Mountains Stage Race, where he’ll defend his course record against StumpJump 50k record-holder David Riddle.

Speaking of repeats, remember Annie Kelly? She won the women’s half marathon last year with a course-record time of 1:36:14… and came back this year to win again and obliterate her own CR! With an absolutely scorching time of 1:30:26, she becomes the first woman to maintain a sub-7-minute-mile pace for the duration of the trail half, and she managed to finish 5th overall.

Meanwhile, Emily Ansick wasn’t far behind, taking second place and 6th overall. Meghan Shaffer-Lewis, newly married to marathon winner Nick Lewis, finished third.

All three women on the half-marathon podium bested the previous women’s CR. The men had better watch out next year!

All told, only 408 runners finished this year’s race (231 half, 177 full) despite nearly 600 registrations. Perhaps the threat of thunderstorms scared many runners away?

Complete Results:

      Trail Marathon results
      Half Marathon results

Race Photography:

      Photos by R/C’s Jeff Bartlett
      Photos by R/C’s Rina Handwerker
      Photos by R/C’s Mark McKnight
      Photos by R/C’s O’Ryan Lovins (coming soon)

Special thanks are due to our many volunteers, and the generous sponsors who make this race possible. Please support these vendors, all of whom have chosen to support trail running:

Salomon, Toyota of Cleveland & Capitol Toyota, Collier Construction, Get Out Chattanooga, Patagonia, The North Face, Outdoor Research, Marmot, SmartWool, Whole Foods Chattanooga, Hammer Nutrition, Blue Smoke Coffee and Orion Sports Timing.

What’s next for the Salomon Rock/Creek Trail Series? Why, our iconic Chattanooga Mountains Stage Race, of course. 60 miles, three mountains, three days. It’s completely sold out, and has been for months, so there’s no hope of getting in — but if you’re in the area, come volunteer and hang out with us!

It was a windy day, 10-14 miles per hour. But fairly cool temps, the high being about 70. We both had no expectations going into the race; it was the first triathlon of the season for us. I had not raced a triathlon since last September, having to take some time off due to a sprained ankle and injured achilles tendon. We both had a great day.

My swim was fine; I came out of the water sixth in my group with a time of 33:06. The bike was windy and I played it conservatively with a time of 2:34:24. I do not have much of an advantage on a flat windy course. Where are the hills?

I had a great run though. I started the run with a 7:09 average for the first 5.7; took the lead for my age group at mile 4. I tried to push the pace a little, 7:06 average for the next 2.8 miles. I still felt good and had a strong finish with a 6:54 average for the last 4.6 miles.

I came out at 4:43:29, winning my age group and 97th overall with the pros. Johnny came in 4th in his age group and we both qualified again for the Ironman 70.3 World Championships. It was a great trip down to the Big Easy.

I was still hot from the Blackjack tables in Vegas — more than quadrupled my money at Harrah’s. Yea buddy!

Chattanooga is a bustling mid-size city. Once an environmental wasteland, it has garnered widespread admiration for its turnaround into a beautiful outdoor mecca.

In the mid-1980′s, Chattanooga was hemorrhaging citizens. Young people went to college and didn’t come back. Businesses were shutting down. After 5PM, the downtown corridor was deserted.

There was no Coolidge Park. The Walnut Street Bridge was scheduled for demolition. The word ‘startup’ would have been received with, “do what now?”. There were no innovative retail developments like 2NorthShore. Iconic local businesses like Rock/Creek, Greenlife Grocery, and Smart Furniture were yet to exist.

The outdoor recreation that has become so central to the city’s identity remained isolated in fringes, enjoyed only by the burliest adventurers, like Rock/Creek co-founders Marvin Webb and Dawson Wheeler (forgive the cellphone picture of a framed photo).

Fast forward 25 years. Young people are flocking to Chattanooga to work in its thriving local businesses and play in its mountains, rivers, and forests. After 5PM, there is burgeoning night life with fantastic local restaurants like Meeting Place, Lupis, and Urban Stack to name a few. The majestic Walnut Street Bridge spans the Tennessee, linking pedestrians to the north and south shores–a proud demonstration of visionary urban planning and preservation. There is a robust and growing startup ecosystem. Rock/Creek sits at the center of a local shopping development that caters to what has become an entire culture emblematic of today’s Chattanooga. The city boats some of the finest climbing, paddling, trail running, hiking, hang gliding, mountain biking, cycling, and backpacking in the world. It is truly a mecca.

RootsRated, the startup I co-founded last year, exists because of these changes to the city’s fabric. It’s an exciting place to be, and we strive to connect people to our best local experiences.

If you’re thinking about what to do this Saturday, here are a few ideas of which we’re particularly fond.

Start the morning with a latte at the Camp House. Enjoy the beautiful contrast between steel rafters and white, wooden ceilings, as sunlight floods into what was once a 19th century manufacturing space.

Then hit the trail. Drive 30 minutes to Prentice Cooper to run the 10.2 mile Mullens Cove Loop. With Soft single track and breathtaking views of the Tennessee River Gorge, this is seriously one of the best trail running experiences in the continental United States. Be sure to bring some energy bars and enough liquid to stay hydrated.

When you finish, you’re going to be hungry. Hit up Mojo Burrito for $1 tacos and a nice cold Mexican Beer, and then head over to Coolidge Park with a frisbee and a good book (I highly recommend Airships by Barry Hannah). A nap might not be a bad idea either.

At about 7:45, grab a friend, maybe a boyfriend or girlfriend, and head up Lookout to catch an unforgettable sunset, before heading back down to Urban Stack for amazing burgers and bourbon.

Happy weekend!

John Brower: I bought my first pair of Hoka running shoes, the Mafate, as soon as I heard about them… basically right after they came out. At the time, there were no models to choose from; it was Mafate or bust, so I went big …literally!

I had been looking for a shoe that would offer me underfoot protection for roots and rocks, but that would be soft enough to supply comfort for my feet for longer runs. I had found that many of the minimal shoes, while extremely comfortable and lightweight, just didn’t protect my feet enough on my long runs off-road.

I purposefully bought the bright yellow style, simply because I wasn’t going to hide in them anyways, so why not just let them speak for themselves!

My first impression of them didn’t have to do with their looks or size, but their weight! I couldn’t believe how light they were! When I put them on and bounced around my living room, I knew right away these babies were going to be an amazing ride.

(editor’s note: That’s a great mental image, JB — living-room-bouncing pics or it didn’t happen!)

I have worn the Mafate and the Stinson Evo Trail. I am currently in love with my Stinsons, but I continue to use the Mafate on training runs. The Stinson seems to be just a smudge lighter and a bit more streamlined, and I love them for race day!

In terms of terrain, I certainly think either one will suffice. My longest run (thus far) in the Stinson was the 24 hours of Hostelity…you can read my race report for details on the race, it was definitely a tough one …but with the Stinson under my feet there were noooooo problems.

R/C: Obviously, the big story with the Mafate and other Hoka models is the “maximalist” cushioning underfoot. Do you find that this works particularly well for certain types of runs? Are there other features that stand out for you which are, perhaps, overlooked?

JB: Well, the tremendous cushioning just makes for an incredibly secure run… meaning you don’t have to worry about your foot-fall. You can step anywhere — loose rocks, roots, pointy rocks — with the utmost confidence. This makes for a very enjoyable run! With Hokas, I have the freedom to just run, rarely worrying about what the rock I’m gonna step on is going to feel like.

Another feature of the Hokas I would mention, pertaining to its size, is the surface area under your foot. Some people are concerned that the shoe has no posting or support mechanism built into it; however, the support is inherent in the size, meaning the surface area of the outsole acts as the support for the shoe!

By increasing the surface area that your foot comes into contact with the ground, the “rolling” effect that an over-pronater suffers from is alleviated. This contributes to the lightness of the shoe, by simply reducing the “hardware” that other pronation-preventative shoes have.

R/C: I’ve heard some runners say that the increased stack height is a little daunting; do you feel like you’re too high off the ground, or that you’re lacking stability on trails with lots of rocks, roots or other kinds of tricky footing?

KB: Great question. I have some friends who are prone to have weak ankles. Their ankles will roll anytime they run in the woods and step on an unevenly spaced root or rock. Honestly, the shoe does nothing to prevent this from happening, and I can see where the idea comes from, that your foot being raised would “cause” you to be more prone to roll an ankle. My gut feeling on this is that the person would probably roll their ankle anyways, Hoka or not.

The shoe is designed so that you foot actually “sinks” into the recesses of the cushioned sole. So while the illusion is that your foot is sitting high in the shoe, it is actually not. Think of how a boat floats: you can put tons of stuff in a boat and it still floats… why?

Because the weight is sitting low in the hull of the ship, thus making it “stable”, with a low center of gravity. That is how the Hoka works.

Your foot sits deep into the shoe, so that the center of gravity is lower to the ground, thus creating a stable ride, with no proneness to rolling!

R/C: For races approaching the 100 mile range, does having the extra cushion actually increase your pace and confidence early in the race, or is it simply a matter of not wearing down as much physically when you’re grinding out the late hours of an epic run?

JB: For me, it is not wearing down as much. In long races I start out relatively slow anyways, so I don’t have to worry about how the Hokas affect my speed… but I know for certain that it allows me to progress through the miles with comfort and confidence, knowing that as I get more and more tired, and my gait gets more and more sloppy, the shoe will protect my foot.

I have also seen a tremendous benefit in my ability to recover, with little to no unusual muscle strain or discomfort, just normal muscle wear & tear. This really amazes me about the shoe; it takes so much stress off my tendons, ligaments, and joints, so I never have to worry about those getting geeked up, which makes recovery so much easier!

R/C: I know you’ve done a lot of running for the past several years in minimal footwear with a lower heel drop than traditional running shoes. Was developing that natural foot stride sort of a “gateway drug” for transitioning into the Hoka Mafate? Do they basically run true-to-size?

JB: I was running (and continue to run) in some models of shoes that are anywhere from a 4mm drop to a negative heel-drop. I think this certainly eased the transition into using the Hoka. I think this is what many people lose by simply passing judgment on the shoe before they research it: it has a 4mm heel drop!

It is going to encourage you to run more naturally than a traditional running shoe, meaning it will allow you to run on your mid- and forefoot much more easily and naturally! As has been studied by exercise physiologists, this allows you to run with less chance of injury; however, it is something that you have to work into.

DO NOT throw on your brand new Mafates and hit the trail for a 20 miler! You may end up with some serious calf, soleus, and achilles pain, and that’s no fun…rather, work into them gradually, allowing your muscles and tendons and ligaments to adjust to the “new” gait you are developing. So the shoe is actually a “minimalist” shoe in disguise!

I will say, if you are balling down the mushroom rock trail, you will be thankful for the huge layer of cushion under your foot. While you can run mid-and forefoot on flats and uphills, its tough to not go heel-toe flying down a steep grade!

As for sizing, my foot is very thick, with a high instep, and my feet are prone to swelling quite a bit. While I normally wear a 10.5 in most shoes, I wear an 11 in the Hoka.

Q. Gotta ask this one. The first time our customers try a pair of Hokas on, everyone giggles and admits they look a little wacky. How many PRs does it take before they stop looking goofy in the mirror?

A. It never stops… you may get used to seeing yourself in them after a while, but no one else will get used to seeing you in them! You gotta just embrace the whack. Thats why my first pair of Mafate were canary yellow… and now I wear the Stinson with the Hoka OneOne flagging!

Heavy rains in the area Wednesday night and Friday afternoon made for a sloppy course in several places — especially a gooshy, shoe-sucking mud bog along the banks of Chickamauga Creek — and turned a minor creek crossing into a significant one. So it goes in the Southeast in springtime, of course, and race participants didn’t seem to mind!

Cullom Boyd basically led wire-to-wire, with Kevin Boucher hot on his heels most of the way; somewhere in the last segment of the race, fellow Rock/Creek Race Team member Brian Costilow overtook Boucher for 2nd place, and that’s how they would cross the line.

In a hotly-contested women’s race — three top finishers separated by less than 30 seconds — Kiersten Vradenbaugh narrowly edged Rachel Mason & Jan Gautier for her first Salomon Rock/Creek Trail Series win.

Here are the top finishers and times:

Men’s overall

1. Cullom Boyd, 28, 56:31
2. Brian Costilow, 39, 56:34
3. Kevin Boucher, 34, 57:25

Women’s overall

1. Kiersten Vradenburgh, 22, 1:06:02
2. Rachel Mason, 27, 1:06:12
3. Jan Gautier, 47, 1:06:34

Despite 275+ registrations, this race only had 218 finishers. We’ve received word that some runners may have actually run the wrong race — presumably the long-standing 15k road run — so please send feedback if you think this could be addressed in a better way next year. After all, we’re excited to add a trail element to this local classic, but it only counts as a trail race if you make it to the trail!

Click here for complete race results.

Several Rock/Creek staffers and Wild Trails volunteers fanned out along the course to take photos and GoPro video; you probably noticed us along the muddiest (or most picturesque) parts of the course…

Here are the available photo albums from the race:

• Photos by R/C’s Rina Handwerker
• Photos by R/C’s Jeff Bartlett
• Photos by R/C’s Mark McKnight

Have photos, stories or thoughts to share from the race? Come join the discussion at our Chickamauga Chase Trail Race facebook page.

The next race in the Salomon Rock/Creek Trail Series is one of our favorites: the Scenic City Trail Marathon & 1/2 Marathon, taking place on the fast singletrack atop Raccoon Mountain on May 18. The half marathon is completely full, and the marathon distance is down to about 70 spots, so act fast if you want to run one of the largest trail marathons around!

The full Salomon Rock/Creek Trail Series schedule is available here:
http://www.rockcreek.com/race.rco