Yup indeed, it’s that time of month again! No, not THAT time of month, silly! Yesterday was the first Sunday of the month, and that meant it was time again for the Rock/Creek First Sunday Staff/Customer Paddle Trip!!

Contrary to the weather reports and predictions of thunderstorms, as well as prevailing insanity from the previous night’s Super Moon and remnants Cinco de Mayo, the day dawned bright and sunny with absolutely fantastic temperatures. With four staff from the R/C Paddlesports Store, 6 customers, and limitless options for where to play for the day, we were guaranteed to have a great time.

After a bit of discussion, general consensus led us to the public access put in at the far north (east?) end of the Tennessee Riverwalk. We caravanned down the road a mere 5 minutes from the Paddle Sports store to the put in and offloaded boats. After tweaking some outfitting in boats and on PFDs, and adjusting ferrules, we took off across the water to investigate North Chickamauga Creek.

Located literally just below the Chickamauga Dam on the north side of the Tennessee River, and accessible via the far entrance to the Tennessee Riverwalk (from town) this particular put in is nice for several reasons, the least of which is the shady parking spots which aren’t generally readily available at other put ins! Other reasons include the obvious (proximity to downtown; Highway 153; ease of access from the River proper into North Chickamauga Creek and Greenway Farms.

Some of the not-so-obvious reasons to check out this put-in, you ask? Personally, knowing that the Riverpark is a Chattanooga city park, I’m more comfortable leaving my car for a day there than at other put-ins I’ve (dubiously) explored because this area is highly trafficked area by pedestrians, bikers, runners and picnickers. It’s also patrolled by Park Rangers. OK, enough of the logistics!

Crossing the River, we moved to the far (south) shore and, staying out of the navigational channel, moved up the mouth of and into North Chick Creek. Though we didn’t make it as far up-creek as we have on previous trips, we do have an excuse in that we did a LOT of gear-talkin’ and boat-swappin’. With four different brands represented, and 6 different types of craft, there was a lot for all of us to try out, and try out we did! It was fun to check out the various craft and paddles represented, and the day helped all of us tweak our preferences that much more.

With hunger kicking in full force, we all turned back towards the take out.

The only problem with days like this? Realizing that either you didn’t want what you THOUGHT you wanted, and/or finding out that there’s gear that you don’t have or need to upgrade that is exactly what you’ve been looking for!!

That’s the whole point of these trips, though, is to provide a no pressure opportunity for both customers (and staff!) to try out new and different gear while having an on water resource with whom to consult. The ultimate goal? Actually spending quality time on the water.

When your gear is comfortable, when it performs exactly as YOU want and need it to, you’re going to be happier and your overall quality of life increases. And then and when you find those extra gadgets that truly luxe out your boat or board and make your day just that little bit easier, it’s aaaalll the better!

If you’re local to Chattanooga and interested in joining us for June’s First Sunday Paddle Trip, please call the Paddlesports Store (423 – 265-1836) to reserve your spot. We look forward to meeting you, and in the meantime, happy boating!

Once again, it’s time for the Five Ten Days of May event! We’re giving away over $1,000 in prizes, and you’ll have 10 unique ways to enter for a chance to win. Below are instructions for entering each day’s contest, along with the the shoe prize for each day. Check back each day for updates on how to win a pair of Five Ten shoes!

• Tuesday, May 1 (Five Ten Guide Tennie Canvas): Today is a “pin to win” contest on Pinterest! Follow these instructions to enter the giveaway: https://www.facebook.com/rockcreekoutfitters/app_222646557846367
• Wednesday, May 2 (Five Ten Camp Four): Write a review of your favorite Five Ten style on rockcreek.com! Be sure to enter your email address to become a “verified reviewer” when you’re done; that’s how we will receive your entry, and that’s how we’ll contact you when we select a winner.
• Thursday, May 3 (Five Ten Arrowhead): Go to rockcreek.com, “like” the Five Ten shoe of your choice, then post a comment on our Facebook post here saying which shoe you liked and why. Pick your shoe at http://www.rockcreek.com/five-ten.rc
• Friday, May 4 (Five Ten Quantum): Post a comment below this blog article and tell us about your most memorable moment climbing. Was it sending your toughest climb? An epic multi-day trip? Your first time leading a route? The sky’s the limit, and we’ll pick our favorite entry… so make your case compelling!
• Saturday, May 5 (Five Ten Blackwing): “Like” Wild Trails on Facebook. No, really, that’s it. Wild Trails is our non-profit that’s focused on trail work and access, playing a key role in climbing-related projects this past year like the Deep Creek trailhead and the Stone Fort impact repair project. If you’re already a fan of the Wild Trails facebook page, post in our Facebook thread here.
• Sunday, May 6 (Five Ten Freerider): Today’s giveaway is a Twitter challenge: tweet why YOU should win a pair of Five Ten Freeriders, and be sure to mention @rockcreekgear in your tweet! We’ll pick our favorite.
• Monday, May 7 (Five Ten Coyote VCS Canvas): Today’s shoe is the Coyote VCS Canvas (now available in a women’s version)! To enter, watch this video — http://vimeo.com/29090844 — and email social@rockcreek.com with the answer to the following question: How far into the video (m:ss) does local Five Ten rep John Dorough accidentally spit beer all over Rock/Creek climbing buyer Chad Wykle?
• Tuesday, May 8 (Five Ten Warhawk or Five Ten D’Aescent): To enter today’s Five Ten contest, sign up for our email newsletter and check “Five Ten” as one of your interests. If you’re already a subscriber, update your profile to make sure Five Ten is checked!
• Wednesday, May 9 (Five Ten Water Tennie): Today’s giveaway is a little different: the feature shoe is the Water Tennie, a river shoe that’s perfect for paddling, fishing or even canyoneering. Want to win a pair? Visit our Facebook thread here, tell us what you would do with them in a comment below, and we’ll pick one lucky winner.
• Thursday, May 10 (brand new BLACK color Five Ten Team 5.10 Shoe): This one is my favorite — we’re the first to have the new Five Ten TEAM BLACK, and we want to give you a pair… but you’re going to have to convince us that you’re the best recipient for a fresh pair of hardcore sport climbing & bouldering shoes! Visit our Facebook page and post your most epic climbing photo… we’ll send one lucky winner a pair of shoes to take them to the next level!

Entrants have until May 10th to enter each of the contests, at which point we’ll select and announce the winners. Meanwhile, go shop Five Ten and pick out the shoes you’d choose if you win. We have most shoes on sale for 20% off during the 5.10 Days of May: http://www.rockcreek.com/five-ten.rc

–

Well, a picture is worth a thousand words, so here is a picture of my ankle with fashionable polka-dotted duck tape.

I had to use the tape at the North Shore turnaround to allow myself to run the last 14 miles without twisting my left ankle any more. Before this point I had endured five smaller ankle twists and the two massive rolls that occurred from the one hour point to the 2:36 time when I reached the turn around. I considered dropping out of the race several times, due to the rocky trail surface, which wreaked havoc with my ankle. It should be noted that I taped my ankle with athletic tape before the race started to try and avoid any issues, to no avail.

The only other time I have experienced this intense of an ankle problem was the first year I ran Stump Jump 50k in 2009, and resorted to the same battlefield triage with duck tape.

The Ouachita course starts and finishes with 2.7 miles of paved road, which was a big relief at the end. This smooth surface allowed me to lengthen my stride and improve my finishing placement from 5th to 4th place. The weather conditions were ideal for the race, with temperatures in the upper 40’s to start and mid 60’s for a high. After a very rushed pre-race process of getting my GU and water bottle ready, I lost my black magic marker and got a race volunteer to write Rock/Creek on my chest in what turned out to be dark pink color (see photo)!

Right after the race started, I briefly chatted with Nick Lewis, my teammate, from Memphis as we picked up speed running along the state park road. Nick dominated the 50 mile race and set a new course record (7:06). I proceeded to pull ahead of the other runners and enjoyed some solitude on the road.

I was feeling inspired until I crossed into a clearing and caught sight of Pinnacle Mountain. I let out some choice words knowing I had to climb the rocky east side of the mountain in a matter of minutes.

Nick Lewis (a Rock/Creek teammate) and Matt Pruitt caught up with me on the assent of the mountain. Matt would also have a great day, setting a new course record for the 50k in his debut race (4:10). Nick climbed up the large boulders on Pinnacle like a circus monkey, while Matt and I tried unsuccessfully to keep up. Once we started down the back side of the mountain, Matt and Nick blazed off and I gingerly descended, trying to protect my ankle, which had not yet been twisted. I ran alone for about 30 minutes until I had my bad ankle twisting incident at about 90 minutes into the race (two extreme twists almost back to back).

I got passed by two guys, which was somewhat expected since I was mainly walking with some intermittent jogging. I lethargically arrived at the Northshore turnaround, where I doctored my ankle and Kyle McWilliams got ahead of me. My goal at this point became just to jog/run the remainder of the course and finish. Fortunately, I received some encouragement from all the runners I passed who were still progressing to the turnaround. The Tylenol I took at the two hour mark was starting to help and I got into a groove. I begin asking everyone I came upon, how far ahead was the next runner? I obtained varied answers from two minutes to five minutes. Nonetheless it gave me a glimmer of hope.

I longed to finish the lake trail and get back to brief road section before returning to the base of Pinnacle Mountain and the trail which leads to the home stretch on pavement. I reached the last aid station at 4:21, meaning I had 39 minutes to run 4 miles to slide in under 5 hours.

Hooray, I finally got back on the road! I figured it was safer to run facing traffic on the road to the finish at Pavilion #8. This proved to be entertaining due to the packs of cyclists who were moving fast and acted almost surprised to see runners.

In the distance I caught sight of Kyle, who was dressed in long sleeves and long tights. I thought he was a tri-athlete doing a brick workout (bike and then run immediately afterwards)! My goal was to catch him, regardless. I caught up to him with less than a mile from the finish. Kyle told me he was cramping, and I then realized he was racing. I pushed on to the finish, scared he was catching back up to me. I ended up 4th overall in a time of 4:52:58.

In conclusion, it was a tough day for me, but I am glad I had the resolve not to drop out and to buckle down and finish. The event was very well organized and well supported with volunteers. If you like technical rocky trails, this is a must-do race. As for me, it is time to head out West to try my hand at a little 100k called Miwok.

–

For three of the last four years the third weekend in April has landed me in Little Rock, Arkansas for the Ouachita (pronounced ‘watch-it-ta’) 50 miler. In 2009 it was my first 50 mile trail race and quite the learning experience.

Luckily, in 2011 I was able to take a bit more experience to the table and broke the course record despite pretty rough course conditions. This year’s race was incredible. The weather was perfect, the course was almost entirely dry and the field was fast.

Heading into the race, I really wanted to crack 7 hours. After 3 Days of Syllamo last month, I took a long time to recover and was focusing a bit more on shorter, faster runs with the hopes that the base I had leading up to 3 Days would carry over a bit. A friend of mine, Matt Pruitt, registered for the 50k (his first) with the intention of going after John Muir’s course record (a realistic goal for him, after breaking the Sylamore 25k CR in February).

We decided to work together until he hit the Northshore aid station (his turnaround). That meant we would be going fast for my race, relatively relaxed for his, we would have each other as company (aww how cute, right?) and, with the exception of two occasions I can think of off the top of my head, he would get the sweetest lines on the course (especially up Pinnacle).

Race morning came, the weather was goregous, Chrissy started the race exactly on-time per usual, and the pace early on was zesty. Matt, R/C teammate Owen Bradley and I were off-the-front in our own little pack pretty quick. Owen asked how long the road section was and, when I replied “2.7 miles…but it feels like 10 coming back,” he took off on up the road. I looked down to see 6:40 for the first mile and I was pretty content with sitting back where we were.

After the relatively technical descent from the Pinnacle Visitor’s Center to the East Parking Lot, the race really gets fun. For those of you who have not experienced climbing up the East side of Pinnacle, it is just shy of needing some chalk and a spotter in some places. Matt tucked in behind me and we went to work on the line I have taken so many times before and we caught Owen about two-thirds of the way up. Fortunately, I had dropped my bottle at the bottom (you loop back around to it) because there was a ton of litter that I was able to collect and the photographer at the top kindly took it off my hands before the descent (the funnest part of the race).

Things really settled down and a firm rhythm was established once we hit the bottom, Matt caught up to me and we got on the Ouachita Trail. It is the perfect mix of rolling/technical/wide open to keep you on your toes as the trail meanders along the northern edge of Lake Maumelle. Matt and I cruised along and were pretty much exactly where he wanted to be/I was comfortable with considering the added distance I had to tackle. At one point just before the Northshore aid station (the 50k turnaround) I stopped to fill up a bottle and Matt shot ahead down the trail and I ran solo the rest of the day.

I hit the Highway 10 turnaround somewhere around 20 minutes faster than I did last year, about what I expected and pretty close to where I wanted to be to give that 7 hour mark a shot. With the race going up and over Pinnacle on the way out but not on the way back, the turn is actually just over 26 miles, so it is especially reassuring that the big time consumer is out of the way and it is (relatively) smooth sailing from there. Despite relaxing a good bit in the six or eight miles before the turn around, I was still rolling along strong and kept that momentum going after Highway 10. It wasn’t until I took a gel at about 5.5 hours and it refluxed on me that I slowed down.

The last thing you want happening in a race is uncontrolled vomiting, so I backed way off and tried to take some water, which went just as well as the gel. With a tough decision on my hands considering the circumstances, I decided to skip eating and see if my stomach would settle down. I had a ShotBlok in my pocket that I nibbled on and in the last hour-and-a-half I managed to eat about one-third of it, that was all. That slowed things down a lot. I had to walk quite a few of the climbs both because I was cramping from caloric/sodium debt and flipped the switch to finish/survival mode.

As expected, hitting the road with 2.7 miles to go was a rude awakening but by the bottom of the first hill I was able to get into a decent rhythm and carry that on into the finish – in 7:06:04 – 20 minutes under my course record from last year.

If anyone is looking for a great 50 miler in the spring that is well-organized and VERY well-marked, Chrissy and Stan put on a great race over in Little Rock and you should definitely put it on your race calendar!

Very, very special thanks to everyone that participated in the Stone Fort trail day on Saturday March 17! Volunteers gathered at 9:00 am at the trailhead, where Southeastern Climber’s Coalition intern Michael Wurzel had delivered a variety of trees from Blankenship Farms, along with mulch, soil conditioner, mattocks and shovels.

Included were long time local climbing activists John Dorough and Chad Wykle. John is also a sales representative for Five Ten & Petzl; Chad is a buyer for Rock/Creek and board member of SCC, Wild Trails and Friends of the Cumberland Trail.

The Crash Pad also delivered a large stack of flagstone! All of these were key ingredients for the huge plate of work that had been scheduled for the day.

This particular trail day, and the two trail days that preceded it, were developed as a result of an Environmental Impact Study that began in November of 2010. With the support of Dr. Rob Porter, the University of Western Illinois and long-time local climbing activist John Dorough, this study set a significant precedent, with Triple Crown and Wild Trails covered the $700 expense of the study.

View the complete study here.

Studies of this type are generally applied to moderate-to-large areas such as federal Wilderness Areas, or large-scale climbing areas like the New River Gorge and Yosemite. The result likely represents the best way for climbers to proactively address & mitigate impact to our climbing areas in the future, by closely measuring this impact over time. It’s a relatively unprecedented effort by these non-profit organizations, who are seeking the “next level” of responsible land management.

To make this trail day possible, a $2,000 Wild Trails Grant was awarded in the winter of 2012. Per the proposal, these grant monies were earmarked for the purchase of trees and materials intended to alleviate impact identified by the Environmental Impact Study. Recognition is due again to our friends at Wild Trails, Rock/Creek and the Triple Crown Bouldering Series for continuing to support the land stewardship efforts of the SCC!

Anyway, on to the Trail Day:

During the first 30 minutes on Saturday morning, climbers lugged trees and equipment to the Wave area. Michael Wurzel then held an excellent ‘planting class’ for our volunteers, teaching us several pieces of key info that helped green up our brown thumbs!

Based upon information from the Climbing Impact Study, Michael had chosen key sites in the Genghis Khan, Wave, Fire Crack, and Crescent areas to plant our trees.

We quickly went to work in groups of two (one mattock, one shovel) to dig our holes, mix in soil conditioner, place trees at just the right height, re-cover, and surround with mulch.

With the help of several strong backs — in particular Matt Ballard, Whitney Boland, Ron Nance, and Access Fund Regional Coordinator Zach Lesh-Huie — many large pieces of flagstone were also toted in. These were used to redefine the green spaces in the Wave/Fire Crack Corridor, and to define some of the green border behind Genghis Khan. The trees and landscaping made an immediate, positive visual impact.

Two groups also worked in the Crescent area, planting and landscaping. As this area was being completed, a small group also worked in the Space and Odyssey Corridor. Then, a bit later (with the help of golf carts), more trees, mulch, soil conditioner, tools and flagstone were driven out to the Crack of Doom Area.

Cody Averbeck and Dan Rose addressed the steep trail below the Cable Route. This former social trail followed the fall line of the hill, and had set up an erosion issue. Cody and Dan led a group that built a new flagstone stairway to eliminate the erosion at the site.

At the same time, the rest of our volunteers redefined the trail systems between the Crack of Doom Area and the boulders below the Cable Route. Volunteers also planted many trees in this area as well.

In all, 45 trees were planted, green spaces were defined in the Wave/Fire Crack Area, Crescent Area, Space and Odyssey Area and the hillside below the Cable Route. For good measure, volunteers also planted several Crepe Myrtle Trees along the flagstone walkway above the 18th Green.

Very special thanks to all of our volunteers! Each one of them worked super hard. The trail day would have been impossible without their support: Michael Wurzel, Cody Averbeck, Theresa Averbeck, Whitney Boland, Matt Ballard, Ron Nance, Zach Lesh-Huie, Dan Rose, Cecelia, Shay, Chad Wykle, Jennifer Baxter & friends, and YES: Wills Young and Lisa Rands!

Please encourage everyone you see at Stone Fort (and all of our climbing areas) to travel ONLY on established trails. Always avoid stepping on, or placing your gear and crashpads on, any plants or vegetation when bouldering.

–
Georgia Jewel 100k

So I will begin this redacted race report with the caveat that both Johnny Clemons & Owen Bradley’s takes should be read first, as they both provide spot-on assessments of the course. My Rock/Creek teammates exhibited much more common sense in opting for the 50k as opposed to the 100k version of this race.

And so my day was much, very much longer than theirs—as I completed four of these ‘unique’ loops. It being a 100k for me, I ran at a more reserved pace, as evidenced by the fact that the aforementioned goats that chased my teammates were sprawled in the grass lazily staring at me as I strolled by.

I can only presume that they were winded from trying to catch Johnny and Owen.

This course had to be seen to be believed, not only for its beautiful pastoral setting, but for its wildly brazen character. The first 5 mile section was literally a bulldozed track of loose dirt and rock that, well, “bulldozed” directly up, over, and down a series of hills—“dozer-trail running” at its best. The large sections of forest floor charred by prescribed burns, dusty and black, smattered with charred curls of barbed wire, juxtaposed nicely to the long sections of random “forest-running”, trail-less, through thick stands of hardwoods, briars, crotch-high saplings, and spider-webs. Then there was the “pasture-running” through thigh-high grasses, brilliant red clover, and cow-pies. All interspersed with stream crossings and the most underestimated elevation gain I’ve ever seen.

What, in theory, was to be a relatively simple day just logging some miles quickly eroded into a slogfest of just having the will to continue repeating these loops that were becoming somewhat reminiscent of an estranged setting in a Cormac McCarthy novel. After completing the first two laps in a respectable 5 hrs 35 min, the final two took roughly 7 hrs 59 min. 35 minutes of which was contemplating the merits of dropping out back at the “House” Aid Station after the fourth 5 mile “dozer” loop—with only 12.5 miles to go…I have never dropped from a race before and this was the closest I have ever come to having that feral monkey off my back.

In fact that monkey had all but taken his shoes off before veteran hundred-miler and Super-race-director-turned-torture-artist Karen Pearson insisted I continue. The only way I would move again would be with that one food that no one in their right mind ever eats unless it is during an obscenely long ultra: RAMEN. That priceless, pure liquid salt foodstuff that turns even the most decomposed zombies into fully-fleshed and spry vegans. And that it did… Karen (who did and awesome job as RD) personally cooked me up a cup and after I was able to run the final 12.5 in a tight 2 hours and 15 minutes for a 7th place finish of 13:34:30, and another sweet buckle.

Again, congratulations to my Rock/Creek teammates Johnny Clemons, Owen Bradley, and Natalie Sims for their strong finishes on such an “unsuspectingly hard” 50k as well as props to course companions, Michael Scherzer and Robert Lewellen, for their 100k finishes—who are more than ready to represent the Peach state at Western States after conquering this course.

Also of note:

Female participant at finish of 50k: “I kept seeing this guy running and every time I saw him he was carrying some different kind of feather or even some deer antlers! I’m surprised he didn’t find the turtle shell on the stump.”
My wife: “Yeah …that was probably my husband. He doesn’t just race…”

And I was the one that placed the shell on the stump. In retrospect, an awesome day!

Gear:
Rock/Creek Race Team Patagonia Air Flow Tank
2010 Patagonia Nine Trails Shorts (w/ zip pockets)
New Balance MT110 (sockless)
1 Ultimate Direction Handheld

Fuel:
Honey Stinger Energy Chews
Beef Jerky
Mountain Dew
3 Chocolate Ensures
1 Cup of Ramen

Found:
2 Turkey feathers
1 Red-Tail hawk feather
1 5-point antler!
1 unfortunately-burnt whole Box turtle shell

Album(s):
My Morning Jacket, It Still Moves/Evil Urges
Led Zeppelin, Mothership (Remastered)
Massive Attack, Mezzanine

–

The night before the first annual GA Jewel 50k I had a dream I had super speed and endurance. In my dream I was running fast, but could not figure out where to go. I kept passing the turns, and backtracking my steps. No matter how fast I went, everyone kept catching back up to me, and my record-breaking speed was wasted. Well, that’s a lot like what started to happened in this race.

It was a beautiful morning for a 50k. The weather had cooled to the low 40’s with no wind and it looked to be a sunny day. I was excited to be running a course that was easy with little climbs. After all, that’s what the course description read! LOL…

At the starting line, it was good to see familiar faces. It doesn’t take long to make friends at a trail ultra. We are there to spend the day together! My wife Rachel was already making friends as we toed the line in front of an old white farm house. I was happy to see Owen Bradley (Rock/Creek teammate) in the race; I knew I would have someone to run with.

As we started the race, Owen and I went out fast down a gravel driveway to the back of the old white house. We ran fast for about 400 yards then turned left into a cow field. We stopped running and looked around and to see where to go next. That is pretty much how the first 15.5 miles went. Remembering my dream, there was no way I was going to take off anymore. Owen and I worked the course together. We opened the gates and cut the paths. There was a lot of weeds and thorns everywhere. We made jokes about how the course description led us to believe it was an easy course. I said this race should be renamed to the Barkley 50K after the Barkley 100.

We ran together for the first 18 miles. A large portion of the course was not a trail… just thorns, grass, woods, and creeks. We got cut up a lot by the thorns… and barbed wire fences! Many creek crossings. It even had a hill that was a lot like blue hell from Mt. Cheaha 50K, which we had to run twice. It felt like it was straight uphill. Then there was another climb just over a mile long, which we climbed twice.

We ran with goats, dogs, and a lot of cows. The goats followed us for about a mile up the long climb, which was pretty cool. It felt like we were in a different country. The race was an honest 31.3 miles by my GPS; Owen said it was one of the toughest course he’d ever run.

I stayed way back from what I had planned for the first half and first loop at 2:14. After running 2 to 3 more miles with Owen, he told me to go ahead. I made sure he was OK then the race was on with the clock.

Knowing the path that we’d made, and with the gates now opened, I ran a negative split of 1:51. My last ten miles (with a mile long hill) was 1:07; an average of 6:42 a mile, with one mile in 5:18! I ran fast when I could… that was fun!

I stayed on top of nutrition and, honestly, I felt great the whole time. I won in 4:06. Not bad, but I feel like I’m ready for sub-4-hour trail 50k’s.

After the race I learned that we climbed over 5000 ft… and that I had poison ivy. I really had a fun time. It sure was an adventure! My wife and I made some friends, and that’s what it’s all about.

Results: ultrasignup.com/results_event.aspx?did=15480

–

From Owen Bradley:

“Based on the over-simplified course description provided online, I was expecting a relatively flat and fast 15.5 mile loop course for the 50k. I could not have been more shocked with the chaos that ensued in the next 5 hours of my life. Here is my best effort at describing the course:”

“Racing in a field of high grass toward small pink flags, squeezing through a barely opened gate, running amongst cows, moving over the loose ground of a freshly cut bulldozer trail, climbing up three big hills in the first five miles spray painted at the top in Gary Cantrell fashion, frequent stops to try and determine which way to proceed in the leaf-covered forest, undoing a motorcycle strap to open a barbed wire gate, more bushwhacking through woods with no trail whatsoever following pink ribbons hanging from tree branches, being chased for over 1/2 a mile by a mangy looking dog and a herd of goats wearing bells, a tough mile climb on a gravel road followed by another climb to the water town and a massive decent, then throw in some creek crossings and spider webs since Johnny Clemons (my Rock/Creek teammate) and I were the first runners around the course. And that was just the first loop.”

“Johnny and I worked together on the fist loop since trying to stay on course required two sets of eyes. We completed the first loop in 2:14, which caused the race director to run a quarter mile down the road with us, questioning if we had missed a turn and cut the first loop short (which was not at all the case; we ran the entire 15.5 miles). My legs were exhausted after the first loop and my will to keep pushing had dissipated. I encouraged Johnny to press ahead while I took in some GU and nursed my twisted left ankle.”

“I walked most of the hills on the first 5 mile section of the second loop. I passed the start finish area and tried to improve my spirits, with only 10 miles to go. I ended up walking some of the next five mile stretch before the aid station, until I saw a bright orange neon shirt in the woods getting closer to me (the third place runner Aaron Bush). His presence instantly caused me to speed up out of fear of being passed. I ran hard enough the last 6 miles to be out of Aaron’s sight. I ended up getting second place overall and held off Aaron’s strong pursuit, in a time of 4:53:10. (My slowest 50k in a few years).”

“Overall, it was a frustrating course that was much more challenging than the description alluded to. I never got into a rhythm. The first lap was tough, and the second lap was a big slow down for me at 2:39. I guess you can say the unblazed trails and thorns won the battle. It should be noted this course is entirely on private property and shares no trails with The Georgia Jewel 100 mile course.”

I had been on the periphery of this race the year before when my wife made it 80+ miles before succumbing to the elements and low blood sugar levels (which reduced her to a zombie), so I knew first-hand of the excitement that I was to experience throughout the day, and was more than excited to get another 100 mile finish, and maybe a PR.

The course is basically a crushed gravel road, in the fashion of a 12.5 mile loop. The total elevation is said to be 8000 feet, so I knew that the climbing would be minimal, and nothing like the enduring rope-climbs of the Double Top, which I had DNF’d at a month before. The weather set up to be wild throughout the day, with showers expected early, and sunshine throughout the day.

I knew that hydration, especially early, would be crucial to my success, so I tanked up the 100ozer several times the day before. Following the pre-race meeting and a plate of spaghetti ‘n’ meatballs, it was time to hit the hotel for some sleep.

So the alarm hit at 4am, and it was time to get to work! I ate my pre-race breakfast of a snickers bar, guzzled two cups of coffee, and my wife and I headed for the Park, arriving in plenty of time to get a prime parking place that would make it easy for our crew to spot us coming and going from the start/finish spur. At 5:55, the electricity was evident within all those gathered, and Blake took his position on the top of a stump and announced “5 minutes!”

All of the participants gathered together in the light rain that had begun to fall, ready for whatever the day might bring. “One minute!” was the announcement, and I waited patiently for the gun to fire…looking around, I recognized a few folks, but one stood out in particular…Mike Morton. I had just read a great article on his “comeback” to the sport, and I was excited to toe the line with such an awesome, but humble runner. Mike would go on to set the course record in 13:11.

The gun sounded, and we were off, into the darkness and the rain. The front runners were gone in an instant, while the rest of us began to feel for a pace that would get us to where we needed to be. My strategy for the day was this: seeing that it was raining at the start, I wanted to run the first few loops faster than would be appropriate for me. This would allow for me to slow down in the middle laps when the sun was going to come out, and thus be prepared to fight it out at the end of the day for a possible PR.

So off I went. Lap one in 1:49, and lap two in 1:50, and lap three in 2:06. Each visit to the aid station at mile 7 brought with it half of a PBJ, and I filled up my hand-held at every water stop (5 per loop). At each S/F spur, my buddy would hand me a pre-labeled baggie containing an appropriate number of GU’s, and I would request 2 generic oreo cookies. This was my pattern for fueling throughout the entire day…I never deviated from it. I used the PBJ’s and the cookies for sustainable fuel, and used the GU every 45 minutes for supplemental fuel. Every other lap, I was taking two Metasalt pills just to be sure that my electrolyte levels were where they needed to be.

Lap four brought the sun out for the first time, and also brought out a bit of a re-evaluation. Up to this point, I had not really been enjoying myself. I was certainly pumping out some splits, and I felt fine in terms of energy, but my head was in the wrong spot. The Umstead course lends itself to seeing large numbers of participants due to an out-and-back spur near the start, and a few overlaps in the loop.

I began to notice the other participant’s faces, and how much most of them were enjoying themselves, giving cheers of encouragement to me as I passed…and what was I doing for them? Nothing…just giving a bit of a head nod in acknowledgment. And that is not me, and that is not the sport that I know. The accomplishment of being on your feet for 100 miles, no matter the pace, place, or time, is the driving factor of everybody out there, and shame on me for not giving the other participants the same amount of encouragement, if not more! While I was on pace to be done at a reasonable time, there were many out there that would be persevering through the whole of the night, and into the morning sunrise, expending much more energy and showing much more perseverance than I would be.

So I pulled up on my pace, and decided to be me again. I began encouraging most all of the runners that I passed by, and for the first time that day I felt the camaraderie that makes ultrarunning contagious. And I began smiling, and loving the run, and loving being out there, and soon enough, I came up on my wife who was finishing up her third lap. I decided to run in the rest of the loop with her, and experience at least a part of the day together. I finished up lap four in 2:22.

Heading out on lap five, with an all new perspective on this thing, I felt great, and knew that I only had 50 miles left to run. The sun was out full-blast at this point, and the humidity was rising steadily, making for more of a jungle-like feel to the afternoon. While much of the course is shaded, the foliage does serve to hold the moisture, so staying well hydrated was the only option there was. I drank a ton this lap, both water and Gatorade, and managed to stay on top of it.

NOTE TO ALL FUTURE UMSTEAD RUNNERS: WEAR GAITERS! I did NOT wear any gaiters, and my poor feet were beginning to pay for my lack of foresight. At both the start/finish and at the aid station, I would have to sit down and empty the accumulated quarry of rock that was in my shoes. By the end of the day, I had a few mean blood blisters, but oh well, what are you gonna do, but keep moving forward. Lap five split was a 2:32.

Lap six began with the knowledge that I only had 37.5 miles to go…not that far! My plan was to stay conservative here, while the late afternoon sun was out and the heat was up. I stuck with my plan of being present, in the here-and-now of the race, continuing to dispense encouragement to my fellow runners, and just to enjoy the day. I began to formulate a plan for the last two loops, as I knew that finishing would not be an issue, but a PR was in reach. I put the ipod shuffle on, and immersed myself in some killer tunes, dissociating from song to song, but always staying cognizant enough to be in the moment, with the course, and with my comrades. I came to the start/finish area, changed into a dry Patagonia shirt, got the headlamp, got my GU’s, ate my cookies, dumped out the rocks from my shoes, and headed back out. Lap six split was 2:44.

I began to do a bit of calculating in my brain, and figured out that if I ran smart and conservative for loop seven, I could try and “blast out” (a relative term on stiff legs) loop 8 and beat my PR, set at Rocky Raccoon, of 19:12. As darkness set in, the figures that were once my fellow racing participants became dark shadows with beams of light…kinda like Cyclops, I guess.

There were now but a few moments of encouragement from all of us to one another, as we knew that with the dark came the real challenges of the race. I continued to keep a very conservative pace throughout this loop, taking my time and waiting for loop 8. The ipod was not letting me down, pumping out hit after hit, working in combination with the maximum levels of caffeine that I was ingesting from my GU Roctane, keeping my energy level up and my enthusiasm high. The finish was near; all I had to do was get there.

I have found that in each 100 miler I do, I always learn something about running long distances, and this time was no different. I began to realize that, if I just had the courage to run, that I could. Following a walk break or an uphill section, it is always a challenge to get the stiff legs to turn over once again, and in past runs, I have seemed to be more hesitant about starting back running. But this time, I knew that if I just had the courage to start back, that I could, and when I did start back, the stiffness and discomfort goes away, and before you know it, you are moving at a good clip. This became my mantra for the rest of the run…”just have the courage, JB…strong and courageous”.

I finished up loop seven in 2:50, my slowest loop of the day, but the great part of it was that I had gone that slowly purposefully. The course, nor the fatigue, made me go that slow, but the discipline and the desire of a PR had me going slow…and now it was time to get the job done!

I headed back out on my final loop with the clock reading 16:18. I knew I had this PR if I just stayed on track and was disciplined. I continued eating GU every 45 minutes, right up to the end, to insure that there was fuel in the tank. Lightning began to light up the sky, and what was in the distance came right on top of us in a hurry. The wind picked up, and the thunder was clapping much louder than the beats on my ipod.

Soon enough, I was running in a full-fledged thunderstorm, in all its power, and I was feeding off the fury. I cruised into the aid station, dumped out my shoes, grabbed my last half of a PBJ for the day, thanked the volunteers for taking care of me, and headed back into the woods, determined to break my PR. I glanced down at my watch, and it read 17:29…but it had read 17:29 at my last glance…so I realized that my battery was dead, and that I really didn’t know what the time was…but one thing I knew was that if I gave it all I had from this point on, all the way to the finish, I would be golden, and I would have a new PR.

So I hit it, and ran as much of the “sawtooth” section of the course as I could, but walked what I had to. I cruised down the hill at mile 10, opening up my gait, determined that I would finish with everything I had. Up the hill to about mile 10.5, and then I determined to be courageous, and run every last step of this thing, as fast as I could. I began making some really weird sounds, kind of a cross between a grunt and a growl, and with each step it became louder and louder. I passed mile mark 11…courageous…pounded up and over “widowmaker”…strong and courageous…I was looking for the turn-off now that would take me to the finish line, and before I knew it, there it was…now it’s time to let it all go.

I hit that last half mile as hard as I have ever run, riding the momentum of the downhill and the adrenaline of the moment into the uphill steps to the finish, guiding my steps with reckless abandon, and hitting the finish line…but what was my time? My watch was dead…the finish clock was temporarily down…had I done it? My effort said “surely”, but I really had no idea.

My wife’s friend was there at the finish giving me a big congrats…”What was my time?” I asked. “18:57” she replied. I released a big, big sigh…I did it! 13th OA and a new PR! And the excitement of the day wasn’t even over! My wife had come back for revenge on the course that had defeated her the previous year, and she meticulously made her way towards redemption, one step at a time, and came through in 23:30. Awesome job! I am so proud of her perseverance, and even though right after finishing she swore that she wouldn’t do another hundred miler, I know she is already plotting out her next one!

I love running, and I love running a long ways, through the woods, or wherever the path may take me. I am so thankful for each step that I get to take, and am thankful and grateful for the experiences and the people and the camaraderie that ultrarunning gives to me. Thanks to the RD Blake Norwood for allowing me to participate in this great event, and thanks to Rock/Creek for letting me pimp the logo for 18+ hours in the best running apparel out there. Congrats to all finishers and a big “thank you” to all of the participants for allowing me to be a part of something that is bigger than all of us. I can’t wait to get back out there and toe the line once again, and I hope that you can’t either! See you out there!!!! LONG LIVE THE RUN!!!

–

Mountains-to-Sea Trail 12M/50K Challenge, Wake Forest, NC; April 1, 2012

I planned on doing this inaugural (50K) race last year but it was canceled due to turkeys.

Or, more specifically, turkey hunters. Evidently the hunters took issue with a 100 or so runners tramping through their line of sight and foiling their efforts to bag a prize for the mantel. This year, however, it was our turn to take it to the woods, with a similar intent.

While an out-and-back course is generally not among my favorites, this course was a surprising exception. It’s almost entirely tight, technical rolling single track with very limited downrange sighting. You have to stay really focused on exactly what’s just in front of you or you risk slamming a tree root, rock or branch protruding into the side of the well marked and maintained trail. When I say rolling, I mean rolling. There are no real killer hills but neither is there a flat portion where you can open it up and fly.

The 50K runners start an hour before the 12M race and we run by their starting line. It was great to be greeted by a cheering crowd and the first aid station at just over 3 miles in. That’s the last time you see much of anyone or anything other than beautiful scenery until the next series of aid stations equally spaced at about 3 mile intervals. Despite it being a heavily populated area (as evidenced by the horrible traffic) the trail is devoid of much evidence to this fact. Aid stations were manned by helpful pleasant volunteers and well stocked with fluids and gels. Snacks and food were sparse, so if you are a heavy eater during a 50K you might want to consider packing something yourself.

The turnaround and 12M finish line comes up sooner than you think and again it’s nice to see an enthusiastic group of people in this case waiting on the 12M runners to come across the line formalizing the end of their effort. As for me; I had another half to go and several challenges to overcome.

It’s not long after the runaround before I begin to encounter the first of approximately 250 12M runners coming in the opposite direction. Since I’m only the 5th or so runner they have encountered coming toward them; many seem to have not as yet figured out how opposite lane trail edict works. Compounding both of our efforts is their desire to get to the finish as quickly as possible, my general fatigue and a tight, narrow, rocky and root-filled winding path. Most everyone, however, is very gracious and encouraging. Several near misses, a few off-trail excursions and apologies later I am through the gauntlet and on my own once again.

Being on my own only lasts a short time before I am passed by not 1, not 2 but 3 runners. As they disappear down the trail I noticed that despite their speed they were all heavily soaked in sweat and 2 of the 3 did not carry any hydration pack of any kind. I figured I would be seeing one or more of them later on.

Sure enough, one aid station later one stopped to fill his depleted tank as I ran by with hand held bottle still mostly full from a previous station. I did grab a GU pack at this stop and the next which turned out to serve me well in the final stages of the race.

The last couple of miles are more uphill than down and as luck would have it, I periodically caught a glimpse of the guy in front of me walking the hills. He would then pick up the pace, but he was walking the hills. I became hopeful. Sure enough, within a mile of the finish I caught him walking and flew by as decisively as possible. There was a response from him, albeit futile. With less than a quarter mile to go I saw another runner doing the death march (bent at the waist, head down, pushing the top of your knee with your hands) mid way up a long steep hill. I told the engine room I needed more power and thankfully the dilithium crystals lit me up, just as he seemed to get sucked into his own personal black hole.

Finish is in a big park with lots of space and soft grass. Two big tents covered food tables with hot soup, fresh bread and drinks. All of which were a welcome sight after running for 4 hours and 38 minutes. A time good enough for 5th place overall. It had been a great day for me.

For the 50K’s inaugural year this was a particularly well organized race. The frequency of the aid stations and the rolling course made this a fast course despite the technical trail. Great race to try the “light and fast” approach to shoe, clothing and hydration selection on for size.

As for me,

• Shoes:Salomon XT Wings 2, but the Salomon Speedcross 3 may have been a better choice.
• Socks: Patagonia Strider Short, 5” inseam
• Top: Patagonia Airflow Tank Top
• Hydration System: Nathan Sports Hand held (filled with HEED)

~Sheridan Ames
“Watch the traffic, the light will not hit you.”

If you are upright, reading this blog, your core is hard at work keeping you stable with good posture and will flex with every movement you have to better your position. The core muscle group consists of roughly 30 muscles that link the upper body with the lower body. These include muscles in your abdominals, back, pelvic floor and hips; basically all of the muscles of your torso.

For the most part, these muscles are buried deep within your body and are not very visible with exception of the rectus abdominis — which we commonly refer to as “six-pack abs” — and the latissimus dorsi, another very visible muscle that gets to show itself off somewhat by its V-shaped appearance.

That is pretty much it as far as glamour goes with regards to your core muscles, but they are so important in your trail running… allow me to explain.

I recently competed in the Rock/Creek River Gorge 10.2 mile trail race. I had several former wrestling buddies compete as well. My wrestling friends and I did pretty well in the race, as 5 of us were in the top 30 and two of us in the top 10. The common link is our wrestling background? By nature wrestlers HAVE to have a very strong core. The daily rigorous training forces wrestlers to develop amazing core strength.

I will use my good friend Brandon Wright as a prime example. Brandon has spent the last 6 months practicing wrestling almost every day. He had just won the Southern Conference wrestling title for the second straight year and had wrestled in the NCAA Wrestling tournament the week before the River Gorge Race. He had run only half a dozen times in that six months and never more than 6 miles at one time, yet on race day he powered through the course in 1:32 in 26th place.

Why could he do this? His core is unbelievably strong. Anytime you hit a slippery surface or hit uneven terrain (think wet boulders in the infamous rock garden) your core muscles are working overtime to keep you stabilized.

Just the act of merely standing upright calls into play a dozen stabilizing muscles to keep your posture. If you were to throw in the sharp uphills and uneven, slippery surfaces you could see how your body’s core muscles get worked overtime during this race. As your foot slips your core springs into action by counter acting as sort of a human traction control device-your core does this automatically without any conscious thought on your part. Throughout your run if your core weakens you will be forced to recruit other muscles to compensate to get you through –this is where injuries occur.

Don’t get me wrong; the cardiovascular element of trail running is important, but so is core strength. I bet everybody has noticed how a lot of older people walk in a hunched over position due to really weak core muscles that do no allow them to straighten up. All muscles work in pairs with both providing tension to keep us upright.

Your core muscles do get used every time you workout no question, but I have found that a two day a week routine targeting the core muscles will help keep your middle solid and your body performing at its peak. The following are some exercises I include in my circuit training to help attain a strong foundation:

• Hanging ab raises: Holding onto a pull up bar raise your knees up to your chest and hold it for a five count. Variations include lifting your knees to either side triggering your obliques, raising your legs straight out in front of you, or kicking your feet up above your head.
• Plank: I love the plank position (push up position resting on your forearms). I can feel my core tighten as I assume plank position and hold that position for a minute or two. I always mix it up by lifting one leg at a time or by balancing on an exercise ball with my arms and lifting a leg at a time.
• Superman: Lay flat facedown on a mat- Raise your chest and your knees off that mat and hold it as an isometric for a count of about 100. To vary it put your arms out in front like you actually flying. Squeeze your glutes and feel the burn.
• Crunches: Knees up flat on your back and curl up and then back down a lot of times in a row. Variations include use of a medicine ball and twisting near the top to recruit the obliques.
• Push ups: Regular push ups in perfectly straight position. Variations include doing the push ups on softballs or one softball at a time passing it to the other hand in between each rep. I also like to use dumbbells and lift one at a time on each rep to your chest or lift it to the sky rotating up on one arm. Mix it up
• V-position- Hold your body like a V for a count of 100. Build up time spent in this isometric position.
• Bear Crawl- What a great exercise to workout those core muscles. You basically walk on all fours using your hands as feet. To make it tougher pretend one leg is broken and walk on your hands and one leg while holding the other straight up in the air.

The bottom line is in trail running core strength is everything; learn something from wrestlers (and yoga people) and develop some core strength. Figure out a way to incorporate core strength work into your routine. The hills and slippery rocks will become easier… trust me.

Tom Sell is a former UTC wrestler 8th on the all time wins list. He also has won the masters division in the last 3 Rock Creek Events and is still waiting on Dana White to send him an invite to fight in the UFC Octagon…Questions: tsell@whitfield.k12.ga.us