Saturday was the 4th running of the Mckay Hollow Madness trail run held in Monte Sano State Park in Huntsville, Alabama. The original concept of the course was to offer another distance for racing on the mountain to complement Mountain Mist 50km and also to use different trails as well, exposing runners to new portions of the park. Since then, a new race director has taken over and it has grown from 50 runners to 200. Modifications have continually been made to the course and the result is a challenging route from beginning to end.
After the race was over, inov-8 representative for the SE USA, Dwight Davis, commented, "That is the most difficult course I have ever race. The only way to make a course tougher would have been to add elevation." This finish line photo shows the final climb on top of the Death Trail Water Falls.
The first half of this race is typically known to be easier, as it is less technical and dry for the most part, but does have two significant climbs before the first aid station atop O’Shaughnessy Point at mile 5. From there, a very technical drop down into Mckay Hollow on Rest Shelter hill is followed by the muddiest part of the course, known as ‘Slush Mile’. Starting at 7.5 miles, runners climb the second most difficult hill, a 400’ technical ascent on switchbacks over 1/3 mile to the top of Natural Well. From there, the course flattens slightly before an out and back section that crosses ‘SOB Ditch’, a portion of the mountain that is slowly sliding downhill. After returning from the ditch, a fast downhill on Arrowhead trail leads to the historic cistern before 2 more miles of nearly un-runnable muddy trails. The best is saved for last as runners drop down to the deepest depths of the hollow which crosses the stream twice, then progresses to the base of the Death Trail which is an 800’ climb up a waterfall to the finish. The unofficial distance of the course is 14.25 miles.
This year Huntsville had been getting pounded with rain all spring and the week leading into the race was no different. Heavy rains through Thursday meant that the dry portions would be wet and the wet portions would be ankle deep for certain. We were given a little break with temperature as it was in the low 40’s for the 7am start and windy enough that people questioned my sanity for wearing split shorts and a singlet. I had already warmed up and knew that before we even hit the trail after the brief road section that I would be warm enough.
The competitive nature of this race was about the same as it has been in years past, with the exception of a clear favorite. For the 2nd year in a row I wore the number 1 bib number, being the fastest returning runner from the year before. In the three previous races, I had finished 6th, 4th and 2nd last year. Despite being the top seed, I had been training mainly for ultras this spring and was coming off of a fast 50 miler at Delano Park two weeks prior and had been logging 90 mile weeks in preparation for our fastest known time (FKT) attempt on the 325 mile Pinhoti Trail (PTAR FKT) coming up on May 1. I knew that I would be competitive, but was unsure if it came down to a battle with Tim Vinson, David O’Keefe or David Purinton if I could stay with them, given their recent success and training focused on shorter distance events.
Standing at the start line with each of the David’s, we looked around for Tim but he was nowhere to be found. Reports had him out warming up ahead of time, but as the gun went off, he was not part of the lead pack. I would later find out that he thought the start time was 8am and began started about 15 minutes behind the rest of us. Of course thinking that he was behind us the first few miles kept us moving quickly.
From the start, I moved out into the lead, wanting to build a small cushion before the first technical downhill. Not surprisingly, David Purinton stayed with me for the first half mile but backed off a little as we climbed past the ranger station. The road section is a little less than a mile long and I was running 5:50 pace before turning down Old Bankhead and onto the trail. Making that first turn, I was able to see that David O’Keefe had passed Purinton and was now running just a few seconds behind me. I blasted my way down the hill focusing on my form and trying to keep my breathing under control. The pace fell slightly as we ran around panther knob and up the first climb through Super Cuts, but was still 8:16 after a 6:05 first mile. O’Keefe held very steady with me as we traversed the hand climb up the rocks to the top of the bluff, and then back down to Stone Cuts bypass. My effort seemed very even, though slightly more aggressive than I had planned but did not want to relinquish the lead this year and have to play catch up. Either way, O’Keefe was ‘winning’ as we were now running his race (style) and not mine.
Coming down off the bluff toward Three Benches I was running all out on a technical downhill. It was both exhilarating and scary at the same time as despite wearing Tifosi sunglasses with yellow lenses, my eyes were watering with the pace and I had no idea if the footing was stable, or if I was going to roll an ankle with every step. Both being good climbers, we traversed back up the Sinks Trail and started to head south. Mountain Mist trail climbs ever so slightly in this direction and has very technical footing with plenty of firmly placed sharp rocks. Running this section a fast pace during the Xterra Monte Sano 15km last fall left my ankles sore for weeks after. We clocked a 7:30 3rd mile and kept that pace up to the base of War Path Ridge with a 7:34 4th mile. On the climb there was a humorous sign that read ‘Real Men Run This Hill’, which I found ironic as both O’Keefe and I took several walking steps of recovery as we climbed, not wanting to spend too much energy this early in the race. I am sure that just about everyone else behind us walked portions of it too. We reached the first aid station in 37:33 for an average pace of 7:30; but as I mentioned earlier this is the easy part of the course. The goal would be to hold the overall average pace under 8:30-8:45 given the difficulty of the next 9 miles.
I had been carrying my usual Ultimate Direction hand held bottle as my philosophy on hydration is when I need it, I want it right now. Plus it gives me a spot to carry an energy gel, which in a two hour event, I would probably need. I had been training with Honey Stinger Gold recently with much success. It doesn’t require the same amount of water to digest it like other gels do and given my normal affinity for honey and its natural ability as simple carbohydrates to turn into quick energy, it is quickly becoming my new favorite fuel source. With O’Keefe stopping at the aid station, I used that opportunity to take half of the gel on a flat section of the South Plateau Loop before the technical and rocky downhill at Rest Shelter.
Coming down rest Shelter Hill I was again running all out with blatant disregard for personal safety. From the top portion with is moderately difficult to the bottom section after the switchback turn at the bench, I picked my line and held true to it. I tried for the first time all day to make a move here and open up a small gap with a strong push downhill with a 7:53 paced mile to the bottom, but on the last switchback, I could tell that he was still right with me. I could not tell if we were the same runner today, if he was just barely hanging on, or if he was just holding back for the second half. At Xterra last fall I tried to shake him by pounding the last hill climb, but he stayed with me for a mile and a half and finished just a second back.
Mile 6 was much of the same effort, but the mud of ‘Slush Mile’ was truly debilitating. Each step was into a puddle or into the mud so the footing was poor for landing and takeoff. It was clear in looking at our 8:18 time for this mile that even though it is completely flat, that the recent rains were the clear victor on this section. I would find out on my run Sunday in this same section how poor the footing was for the back-of-the-packers after 200 people had run through there. There is no doubt in my mind that we were lucky going through it first and that the slower runners were made to be even slower as the trail conditions worsened as the day progressed.
As we approached the climb up Natural Well, I could tell that it was only a matter of how long I could hold onto the lead. The left hip pain that had been plaguing me lately was starting to flare up and I had just taken two Alleve to reduce the swelling. David was just steps back of me now, though as we made our way up, he stayed there. It was not until reaching Natural Well that I showed the first sign of weakness all day. I took just a few steps of walking to catch my breath and take a drink from my bottle and told David to go through, using proper trail etiquette during the race when you are clearly holding up stronger runners. The course continues to climb on a rocky, washed out road to the top and despite my efforts; David had obviously gotten a tremendous lift from moving into the lead and capitalized on it by picking up the pace. My time for the mile as 10:37, including the climb but as I reached the top, he was already out of sight. It was an impressive display of running, especially beating me at my own game; the hill climb. I got the pace back down to 8:17 for the 9th mile before crossing the ditch, but O’Keefe was already back across and heading back up toward the drop on Arrowhead. That would be the last time I would see him all day.
Reaching the far west side of the ditch, I checked into the aid station, greeting Josh Kennedy and James Falcon with a fleeting smile before turning around to head back. As I crossed the ditch to the east, I was very surprised to see that David Purinton had closely the gap. An equally impressive display of running, given that he was doing it on his own and until now had no idea how close he was to the leaders. The slight climb back up to Arrowhead was relatively fast paced and the drop down to the cistern equally as quick. By the time I had reached the hard right onto Big Cat Tract, I clocked mile splits of 8:10 and 8:05 for 10 and 11 but Purinton was now dangerously close and I was really beginning to fatigue, even with the Honey Stinger and the Strawberry HEED in my bottle. As we climbed out of Big Cat, David was right behind me and inevitably would pass me by. The question would be if I could stay with him and re-pass on the last hill.
Running through constant mud on Arrowhead from Big Cat to the intersection with Natural Well was slow for me. Mile splits of 8:23 and 8:50 up to mile 13 were not enough to retain second, as David passed me by. My only consolation was that he was breathing hard and it was possible that he would not have the energy to maintain that effort through the finish. The mud was possibly worse than through ‘Slush Mile’ as the trail winds around trees and rocks and is unfortunately positioned just where you want to plant a foot and make a cut. I was wearing a brand new pair of inov-8 Roclite 295’s which always seem to grip well with the sticky outsole, but now they were so covered in mud and debris, you could hardly tell the brand. I did appreciate the fact that they don’t hold a lot of water when they are immersed so my feet were not overly heavy.
Crossing both streams at the bottom of the Hollow was very refreshing on me feet with the cold water and I proceeded slowly to give them just a little more soaking than normal. On the final approach to Death Trail, there is two way traffic and I passed by people still at mile 6 on their way out. It would be a long day for them! My tactic for the final climb was to maintain a steady effort and see if I could close on David at all and then start to red-line past him and to the finish. It was this same plan that helped me to pass DeWayne Satterfield last year in this same section. As I started up, I could tell that he was consistently 1-2 switchbacks up from me and never walking. I held even through the half way point of the climb but was not making any progress toward closing the gap. Now with less than ¼ mile to go, he was still 30 seconds ahead and I slowly realized that I was not going to be able to catch him, given the narrow section at the end on the waterfalls. That said, I did not back off at all, as I had no idea how far back Derek Albritton from Grissom High School was behind me and I was not about to risk a podium finish after putting forth this type of effort in one of my favorite races of the year. I pushed hard to the end and with two switch backs to go, I could hear the clapping as David finished, which then blended into shouting for me as I came through the finish in 2:02:58. Translated into average pace, that is just below 8:40 minutes per mile on a course with 4,000’ of elevation change. Last year the course was slightly shorter at 13 miles and I ran slightly faster at 8:30 pace, but the conditions this year were just that much more difficult.
Here is a great post race picture of the top 3 (Purinton, O'Keefe, Charette), taken by race director Rob Youngren.
I am disappointed in that I was not able to hold onto the lead, but I tip my hat to both David O’Keefe and David Purinton who ran masterful races and deserved to be first and second place. On a day where I didn’t have my A game, I was still able to hang onto 3rd place overall amongst a field of 200 starters.
Here is another great snapshot of the footwear of the top 3 (same order as above). All three of us were wearing inov-8 roclite 295's and actually the majority of finishers in the top 10 were all outfitted in the same shoes!
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
2010 Mckay Hollow Madness
Basham Breaks Barkley!
Ben Nephew
2) Team member since: 2004
3) City/state of residence: Mansfield, MA
4) Occupation: Assistant Professor, Tufts University
5) Goals for 2010: Do more speed work and hill workouts. I’d also like to do more timed runs on great hiking routes that will never host a race. There are too many nice trails in New England to waste your weekends on mediocre trails just for the sake of racing.
6) Notable achievements/memories/PR’s in your sport: Representing the U.S. at the World Trail Challenge in Serre Chevalier France last year was an incredible experience for my whole family. I still think about the trip quite often.
7) Favorite inov-8 gear: The 230's for racing, and the 320's or 295's for training or long races.
8) List one thing others may not know about you: Last year, I learned how to use MRI imaging of awake rodents to study their neural responses to various stimuli.
9) Favorite energy drink/food: Concentrated ice tea and NUUN tablets.
10) Your favorite race and why? The Escarpment 30k. The trail includes every type of terrain you can think of, and a lot of it. Out of 10 or 11 attempts, I've only had a couple of races where I felt like I really ran well, so it keeps me motivated to train. Most of the time, I get beat by the trail.
11) Advice to other athletes: Run on soft surfaces as much as possible, and focus on staying healthy with the objective of continuous improvement. Don’t be afraid to try something different that you think might work for you. Personally, I have very little natural ability, but can withstand a pretty heavy training load. If I trained like most of the more talented people I run with, I’d be in the middle of the pack.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Barkley update....
Andrew Thompson is finished with a record 7 "fun run" completions of Barkley (3 loops). JB started loop 5 with minutes to spare and has only 12 hrs left to complete the final lap. Let's send him good vibes and bring him home.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Weekend Results
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Weekend Starting Line
Eric Charette will be racing the McKay Hollow Madness Trail Run this weekend. It is a 14 mile trail race over the hardest sections of Monte Sano Mountain in Huntsville, Alabama with a finish that climbs up to the top of a waterfall named "The Death Trail". Sophie Speidel and Jeremy Ramsey will be racing at the tough but beautiful Terrapin 50k, with a nice 7560' of climb in Sedalia, VA. Amy Lane will take off the snowshoes this weekend and head South to the BelMonte 50k in the George Washington National Forest at the Lake Sherando Recreation Area in VA. The 50k course has a solid 6,300' of climb on both wide jeep trails and very technical rocky singletrack, something for everyone. Amber Moran will tackle the Dupont Trail 12k just outside Brevard, NC in the Dupont State Forest. On Sunday, Jim Johnson will be running the Eastern States 20 Miler this weekend from Maine to Massachusetts (and all down the entire seacoast of NH). 3 states, 7 towns, 20 miles. Lastly Andrew Thompson will go for two in a row with his Flyroc 310's and Roclite 320's at The Barkley Marathons in Frozen Head State Park, TN. A feat that has never been done in the 25 years of this race's existence is a two time finisher much less back-to-back completions. It has 53,000' of climb and is considered to be the toughest ultra marathon to complete in the world. If you want to enter someday or have questions here is some info...ha. Good luck everyone.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Amy Lane & Jim Johnson Crowned 2010 WMAC Dion Snowshoe Champions
Monday, March 22, 2010
Weekend Results
Team Inov-8 had some solid performances this past weekend. Fairhaven, Wa was the setting for a very competative Chuckanut 50K and a great showing from team runners, Joe Grant 4th OA-3:56, Yassine Diboun 6th OA-3:57, and Brian Morrison 4:40. Checkout Yassine's race report here.
Also this weekend, was the USATF-New England Half Marathon Championship, in New Bedford, Ma. Team Inov-8 had another trio of runners mixing it up with some of the fastest legs in New England. Fast times out there guys! Jim Johnson 1:10:07-14th OA, Kevin Tilton 1:11:26-29th OA and Ben Nephew 1:15:06-75th OA.
It's starting to get a little warm in the South, but Mark and Anne Lundblad shrugged it off and pulled out solid performances at the Oak Mountain 50k. Anne took home the women's crown and 5th OA in 5:07. Mark broke the previous course record but came up just shy of win with a 2nd place 4:23. Congratulations to everyone!
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Chuckanut 50k Race Report
Nice to see a few of those stealth looking Inov-8 singlets at The Chuckanut Ridge 50k this past Saturday. The x-talon 212's may be my new favorite shoe and they served me well for this competitive 50k race. You can read my report by clicking HERE. Happy Spring!
Type rest of the post here
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Weekend Starting Line
Team Inov-8 runners will be logging big trail miles this weekend in a series of 50k events. Starting on the Left Coast, team runners Joe Grant, Yassine Diboun and Brian Morrison will be looking for nice views and solid footing at the Chuckanut 50k, near Bellingham, Wa. The profile shows a really nice downhill near the end. Ouch. Good luck out there guys.
Lainie Callahan will be heading out to the California hills for the Rucky Chucky 50k. This out and back trail tackles some of the rocky, Western States 100 course from Foresthill, CA to Ruck a Chuck and back. Beautiful and rugged country, best of luck Lainie.
Finally, Anne and Mark Lundblad are making the trip to Pelham, AL for the Oak Mountain 50k. These two are both coming off of recent trail wins and hope to continue that success on Saturday.
If you aren't racing this weekend, I hope that everyone is able to get outdoors and help chase away the winter. Sorry all you snowshoers but I'm over it! We've had a good thaw here in the southland and I'm really looking forward to some snow free trails.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Weekend Results
"Kevin and I battled in this one. I led for the first mile in blizzard conditions. Kevin took the lead at around a mile and hammered the next 5+ with me right on his heels. He lost me on a couple of the climbs and then I would catch back up on the downs and in some of the technical single-track. With about 200 meters to go, I tried a couple of unsuccessful moves, which he matched and I was unable to get around him. With about 30 yards to go, I moved to the outside and we both sprinted for the line and both dove across at exactly the same time, and collapsed. It was an incredible finish and the first unintentional tie in the history of either of the snowshoe series in New England."
Sunday, March 14, 2010
f-lite 305 PK GTX & Debrisoc 40 Review - Chris Reed
A good chunk of my training occurs on roads and in the parks of Allentown, PA. For the last four years, I’ve used Inov-8 shoes for training and racing on trails and road shoes (mostly Mizuno) for training on roads. I thought that Inov-8 could also provide me with a training solution for roads. So, in the beginning of the year I got a pair of f-lite 305’s (US size 13, I wear a 12.5 in most other running shoes). I have now put over 400 road/park miles on these shoes and I have found them to be snug, durable, and warm.
Right out of the box I found them to be very comfortable. The shoe hugs my foot nicely with standard lacing and my foot does not creep forward into the toe box on descents. The upper is a little stiff and took some getting used to. But, it ends up being a net gain for me because the shoe has an added layer of support due to the Gortex liner. A more supportive shoe is something that has proven to be necessary for me when running roads.
I was under the impression that cold and wet feet were just part of the deal when running in the winter. Until I met the 305’s, which do an awesome job at keeping my feet toasty and dry. We started getting hammered with lots of snow in the beginning of February. So, my running routes ran the gamut of wet pavement, slush, ice, and deep snow. I have worn the Merino wool Debrisoc 40 (size Large) along with the 305’s on several runs. This soc/gaiter combo works very efficiently at keeping all of the snow from getting in through the top of the shoe. And overall my feet have stayed warm and dry. And, once the debrisoc is on and I am running, it feels like a regular sock – nothing uncomfortable or awkward about it.
The f-lite 305 and the debrisoc 40 are durable. 400 plus miles later shoe looks just like I took it out of the box. The feel is basically the same except for the slight “break-in” of the upper, which gives it a bit, more of a flexible feel than when it was new. The Merino wool on the debrisoc is holding up well and amazingly the rubber fastening loops that wrap below the sole of the shoe to keep the gaiter down have not shredded.
In summary, if you are looking to try a shoe that is great for winter road running, I would recommend the f-lite 305’s. The 305’s have proven themselves to me for runs consisting of terrain covering concrete/blacktop to crushed gravel/dirt paths ranging in distances from 5 miles up to 20+ mile runs. I found the 305 and debrisoc combination to be a perfect solution for winter training on roads.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
This Weekend's Starting Line
Lainie Callahan will be racing at one of the most popular 50k's in the country this Saturday, The Way to Cool 50k in Cool, CA. New team member Alex Nichols will doing something very interesting. He will be running the Freemotion Everest Challenge in San Diego this Friday. It is an uphill treadmill race with a team of 5 alternating runners attempting to reach a vertical gain of 29,035 the fastest. The minimum grade required during the race is 18%. Alex has a pretty strong team with notables Erik Skaggs and Anton Krupicka joining him. Dewey Peacock will be racing the Pub 317 10k in Bozeman, MT on Saturday. Eric Charette will be at the Delano Park Ultra this weekend, a 1 mile certified gravel loop in Decatur, Alabama (distance choice TBD).
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Ben Nephew's USATF 50k Championship Race Report
USATF 50k Championship 2010
Caumsett Park, NY
My main reason for doing the USATF 50k this year was frustration at having run so poorly in my two previous attempts. The first time I ran, I suffered through a 3:26, and last year I only ran a 3:21. Considering that my first 50k was a 3:14 on a rolling course, and that was followed by a 3:11 PR the next year, I wasn’t too happy with my times at Caumsett. The weather is never that great at Caumsett, but others were still running solid times while I couldn’t manage a decent race. There are various potential explanations for my poor runs, such as less time for training, or my growing aversion to any road running, but I still think I should be able to put together a reasonably fast 50k.
I usually am on snowshoes all winter prior to this race. This year, I managed to force myself to do 2 fast long runs on the roads in my racing flats. Low 6 minute pace felt pretty comfortable, and I was thinking I might be able to hang on for a time in the mid-teens on a good day. Since it was my wife’s birthday the day before the race, I decided to drive down from Mansfield on race day, or almost race day. We went out to dinner with friends Saturday night, and after everyone went to bed, I packed up and hit the road at 11pm. I was at Caumsett Park at 2:20, threw a sleeping bag over me, and got about 3.5 hours of sleep. I ate breakfast, had some coffee, and hung out in my car until 7am.
As I picked up my race packet, I saw Scott Dunlap, who was shooting for a sub 3:30. I told him that Dan Verrington would probably be running somewhere in the 3:20’s, and they might be able to run together. I was planning on starting at low 6’s and seeing how things went. I then ran into Dan, who informed that he was running 6 flat pace for as long as he could. I didn’t think Dan was in that kind of pace, but I’ve known him long enough to not doubt him. At that point, we realized we might all be running together, and headed over to the start after our warm-ups.
I almost forgot to mention meeting my newest CMS teammate, Jesse Regnier. I asked Jesse what he planned to run, and he said 5:37’s. There are only 2 people in the country that have run that fast recently, so I was a bit surprised to say the least. I wished him luck and welcomed him to the team. Mike Wardian was back again, so there was probably going to be at least one guy under 3 hours, and Mark Godale also made the trip to NY for the race. Mark very nearly ran me down for 3rd place last year, so I was a little nervous about going out too hard. The field also included top master runner Scott Jaime, as well as Malcolm Campbell, who led the North Face 50 miler in DC for much of the first half last year. It looked to like it was going to be an interesting run.
The gun went off, and a whole bunch of people took off. Mike and Jesse were chased by Malcolm, who gave that up by about a mile. Scott was running solo, and then there was our 4 man group of Dan, Scott Dunlap, Mark, and myself. Mark didn’t seem comfortable with the pace, and dropped back after a couple of miles. My legs felt a bit tight, and I tried to convince Dan to ease back on the pace a bit. He seemed good with 6 minute pace, so he ended up doing all the work for our 3 man pack. I felt bad about not leading, but I could barely stay close enough to draft. It was a great day for running, but it was windy on a few parts of the course, so I was hoping to have some other runners to work with. Dan really dropped us at the start of the 4th lap as he lowered his pace down to 6 flat. Scott took a picture of me with his camera as he seemed to be going after Dan, but he backed off the pace after a mile or so.
I knew that I couldn’t maintain our pace of 19 minute 5k’s, and I wanted to do some damage control before it got too late. Right when I was going to suggest to Scott that the two of us should work together and share the lead at regular intervals, he made a pit stop at the start of the 5th 5k loop. If he had stopped by the side of the road, I probably would have slowed, but I thought he would be a while when he hopped in the toilet. He made an incredibly short stop, and I probably would have run faster in the end if I had waited to run the next 2-3 laps with him. I couldn’t believe how upbeat he was late into the race as we passed on the out and back sections. My legs were pretty much done with the pavement by halfway, and I wasn’t excited about the suffering to come.
Earlier in the race, Jesse apparently had annoyed Mike enough to induce a 5:12 4th mile, which left Mike alone to chase his course record of 2:55. Dan’s mid-race surge brought him past Scott Jaime and into the lead for the master’s title, but Scott was hanging with him. I thought Scott Dunlap might run me down for another photo opportunity, but everyone was slowing down at this point. I knew that I was not going to run a 3:10 after coming through the 25k at 1:35, but I thought I could manage 20 minute 5k’s for a 3:15. That worked for 8 laps, but my legs were done at that point. Everything was getting tight, and I had a few minor cramps in my hamstrings and calves. My lack of road running was catching up with me. I’m guessing that the 5:12 mile came back to haunt Mike, as he was struggling as he passed me during my 8th lap, and didn’t run that much faster. Malcolm ended up averaging under 6 minute pace for his solo run. Scott Jaime passed Dan late in the race on his way to a solid 3:13. Despite struggling through a 23 minute last 5k, Dan still ran a 3:15 to set a new 45-49 50k record. Not bad for a grandfather.
I thought I was done getting beat my Dan, but I could only manage 21:30 5k’s for the last two loops, and ended up with a 3:18. I guess I have 13 years or so of better ultrarunning ahead of me! It’s possible that I might have run faster towards the end if I slowed the first few laps by 10 seconds a mile, but it could also be that my legs weren’t ready to run on pavement for that long. Scott Dunlap almost skipped the 3:20’s altogether by taking his PR from 3:37 to 3:21. Mark closed on Scott in the second half to run a 3:23, and Jesse hung in there after his 16:45 opening 5k to finish 8th in 3:28. That makes me hurt just thinking about it! Dan and I didn’t help things by telling him he needed to finish so CMS could get a team score, but hopefully there was no permanent damage! Jesse was the youngest guy in the top 10 by 12 years, so he’s got a couple decades of racing left if he can stay healthy.
The race directors did a great job, and the new, longer 5k loop was appreciated. I’m still not sure why I do road races, but I think I almost had a good time this year. I guess that means I might have to give it another try in 2011….
Monday, March 8, 2010
Ben Nephew and Scott Dunlap at the Caumsett 50k USATF National Championships
Ben Nephew took 5th OA in 3:18, while Scott Dunlap followed in 6th OA/3rd Master in 3:21.
Weekend Results
Anne Lundblad won the inaugural Umstead Trail Marathon 7 years ago and came back to take the title once again this Saturday, this time on a tougher course. She ran a speedy 3:13 finishing 1st female and 4th OA. Amy Lane won a marathon as well but she did it on snow shoes at the Pittsfield Peak Snowshoe Marathon in 5:18 and was 1st female / 3rd OA. Riding the high of that win Amy went back out on Sunday and won the Hawley Kiln SS Race (4.6 mile) finishing 11th overall, 1st female on very tired legs.
Peter Maksimow after taking a 4 year hiatus from snowshoe racing finished 7th OA in 57 minutes at the Jeremy Wright Snowshoe Race. Ben Nephew grabbed 5th OA in 3:18 and Scott Dunlap also ran a very fast time of 3:21, finishing 6th OA at the Caumsett Park 50k, also serving as the USATF National 50k Road Championships, so the competition was strong.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
2010 Mount Cheaha 50km Race Report
Anniston, AL
February 27, 2010
The Race
Saturday was the 5th running of the Mount Cheaha 50km. Slated as the 'Race to the Top of Alabama', this point to point course through the Talladega National Forest is one of the toughest ultra distance races in the region. This year the race was part of the Montrail Ultra Cup which seem to help draw a few more competitive athletes to compliment the already fast regional ultra runners.
The Course
This race starts along the edge of Highway 77 at just over 1000' and finishes at the summit of Cheaha Mountain with an elevation of 2,407' which is the highest point in Alabama. Along the way there are numerous creek crossings, scenic overlooks, technical footing, trails with extreme candor and the toughest final climb in ultra running up 'Blue Hell'. The course is mostly single track trails but also has some gravel and paved road running that can by equally trying. The entire course is very humbling for even the best ultramarathoners. Looking at the elevation profile, it is clear to see that there is not a flat section along the entire course.
The Elevation Profile
The Experience
To get the true race experience, you really need to stay at the Cheaha Mountain Lodge. Todd Henderson, the race director, rents out the entire lodge and offers rooms for ver affordable rates. The prerace meal, packet pickup and busing to the start are all at the Lodge. There is something priceless about the camaraderie of sleeping in bunk beds with your closest ultra running buddies, watching TV in the great room with new friends the night before the race, and having a hot personal shower just a few feet from the finish are great facets of the race.
The Bus Ride
Riding the bus from the Lodge is very 'Boston-Marathon-esque' although not quite as long of a trip. For nearly 45 minutes we rode down the back side of the mountain in a Clay County Sheriffs bus retrofitted to transfer prisoners. With a front cage, shotgun at the helm next to the driver and metal on the outside of the windows, I felt like Richard Kimble (Harrison Ford) in The Fugitive. All kidding aside, it is part of the experience, but as we barrel down a winding road with our knees up under our chins, I began to feel slightly ill. Fellow ultra runner Eric Fritz was seated net to me and he was looking fairly green in color. Small prerace chatter surrounded us, talking about the course, the favorites, and what not. With only two buses transporting 150 runners, some people were standing in the aisle. Luckily we got on early and snagged a seat. Either way, by the time we made it to the start, all those sitting and standing were all ready to get out.
The Equipment
For clothing I was wearing my favorite Nike Race Day 3" split shorts. These shorts have a rear zip pocket water resistant pocket large enough to hold two gels and the split does not hind my leg lift on climbs. I was wearing my new 2XU brand inov-8 team singlet that arrived in the mail this week. My socks were brand new Smart Wool PhD Trail Running and shoes were inov-8 roclite 305. I chose the 305 for this race as I knew the footing was going to be a challenge and the 305 has great side to side support to prevent rolling over your ankle. Plus I had run quite a few ultras in the 305 lately and was very comfortable wearing this shoe right out of the box. I had Zensah calf sleeves on to help prevent calf cramping and shin splints on the downhill sections. Since Dizzy 50's in November I had also been experimenting with KT Tape on my knees; I did not have any knee pain but the tape provides great support and keeps the knee from getting sloppy.
The Start
While some ultras have a road section at the start to allow the crowd to thin out before moving onto the single track, that is not the case here. The start is at a trail head which really is just a turn off on the highway. The runners are backed up to the edge of the road and packed in to the starting line, which is just 50 yards from the woods. This results in a mad rush to the trail head for the front runners and slow going for the mid and back-of-the-pack runners for the first few miles. Todd had considered an out-and-back on Highway 77 this year, adding a half mile to the race to help alleviate the problem but he was quickly dissuaded otherwise by Dink Taylor and DeWayne Satterfield.
The Start to Chandler Springs
From the start we were running tightly together in a small chase pack trailing two people who went out hard into the lead. Running together were 5 runners, including DeWayne, Tim Vinson, Dane Mitchell and me. The trail had very soft footing and despite a gradual climb, it was very easy going. I didn't let this give me a false sense of security as I knew that the footing and course could change at any time. The first 2-1/2 miles climbed from 900' up to about 1400' before dropping back off toward the first aid station at Chandler Springs. Tim, DeWayne and I mostly stayed together as Dane had picked up the pace and was off to chase the leaders. The weather was perfect with temperatures in the upper 30's with just a light breeze.
Chandler Springs to Clairmont Gap
Running through the aid station still carrying a nearly full bottle, we ran along the gravel road leading back into the forest. From the first aid station for the next mile and a half was another steady climb on single track. The pace remained fairly steady between the high 7's and the low 8's and it seemed comfortable. I wasn't laboring at all and was actually enjoying the race. Starting off slowly in the first few miles and not going out hard from the start was the smart move. I had taken the lead of our chase pack but DeWayne and Tim stayed close. We quickly caught and passed one of the front runners who went out too hard.
Mile 5 was single track and started the third significant climb of the race and finally ended with a hard right back onto Skyline (gravel road). I had no intentions of pushing the pace this early so I just stayed with an even effort on the 5% grade incline. DeWayne and Tim fell back slightly and as the wind changed, I could periodically hear them chatting behind me. Not knowing much about the course, I didn't realize that we spent so much time of this gravel road but as we crested out on top it had been a full mile which I split at 8:15. As we rounded a bend, the road began to drop quickly and I increased my turnover, picking up the pace. The road was a little washed out so there was not a clear line of good footing so I weaved slightly on the way down which must have been strange to watch from behind. It was almost a mile and a half of drop at which I held 6:30 pace. Non technical down hills play into my strengths as I can not stay with the better runners if the terrain is difficult, so for once I actually gained some time on this drop. I finally came across an aid station worker who had jogged up the hill and said that the aid station was just ahead. I used that notification to take some fuel in the form of PowerBar Gel Blasts. My bottle was still half full and based on the distance to the next aid station, I would decide to fill it or run through.
Clairmont Gap to Adams Gap
I approached the aid station and saw Todd standing there. I asked him how far to the aid station and he said that it was another 6 miles. I had enough fluids and knowing that I was running in 3rd place, I decided not to stop. The climb coming out of the aid station was brutal; switch backs on narrow trail that was covered with slippery leaves that made it difficult to run at all. I walked for just a few seconds several times to avoid redlining on this climb as I didn't really think that I would gain much with a running motion. This was the smart decision as I was able to maintain a low 9 minute pace to the top and did not have a long recovery time before I could pick up the effort again.
We ran along the top of this bluff, crossing the Talladega Scenic Highway (gravel road) twice more at just before 11 miles and again at 11.5. I was still not looking at my watch other than for total time and elevation. I was trying not to think about the distance covered. As we went back into the woods again, I could hear foot steps behind me. After a few minutes I realized that it was DeWayne and he was running strong. He mentioned that Tim had backed off on the last climb but was probably just preserving energy for later in the race. I stepped aside on the trail and let him run through. I mentioned that the candor of the trail was difficult. The trail was carved onto the western/northern side of the ridge line and therefore was not flat but actually slopped right to left. I had gone through physical therapy since Rocket City Marathon, but the candor was really bothering my hips, especially the left as my left foot was going farther to strike the ground than the right. DeWayne said that this was going to continue for several more miles. As he ran by I took an Aleve to take the edge off of the pain.
Along with the trail candor, the technical degree had increased with more and more rocks and the frequent blow-down. Together these slowed down my overall pace and it did not take long for Tim to close the gap. We ran together for awhile, which helped Tim as I stopped him from making a wrong turn at one jeep road crossing. As we ran into and out of the many coves, we were caught by another runner who came out of no where. It was Eric Gilbertson, who finished just behind me at Mountain Mist 50km last month. The three of us approached the out and back section to the third aid station at mile 15.
Adams Gap to Hubbard Creek
I filled my bottle at the aid station and was back out quickly down the trail. On the way out, I saw another runner behind our small group. Allowing for some time at the aid station, I was guessing that he was less than 2 minutes back. My overall split at the half way mark was 2:10 and change. On one hand this was a great split and on an out-and-back, two-loop or a course where the second half was equal in difficulty to the first half this would have lead to a great time. Given this course and the continued uphill climbs to the Top of Alabama, my glass was now half empty as I realized that I may have trouble finishing under 5 hours. Only a handful of runners had broken the 5-hour mark in the previous four runnings and represented the mark of a good ultra runner on the course.
By mile 16 Tim and Eric had passed me as I started to slow down and had several splits in the low 10's. The footing was still technical but it was not impossible. I was going through a low point in the mind games of an ultra marathon. Having slipped from 3rd to 6th and then David Howe passing by like I was standing still had me doubting my ability. This usually means that I am low on fuel and my brain is diverting energy to more essential processes and if I don't do something quickly, the bonk is soon to ensue. I took some more Gel Blasts and continued plodding along toward the next aid station, now trying to break the race down into smaller, more manageable sections in my mind.
Hubbard Creek to Lake Chinnabee
Of all of the sections of the race, this is the one that I remember the least. Usually I am trying to take in as much of the scenery as I can and constantly thinking about my surroundings in hope that it will to unlock my memory later when I want to write about the race. I was mostly doing the math in my head for where I was on the course and what my projected time at the finish would be. The only significant part I recall was crossing the stream just before the Lake Chinnabee aid station. I think that this was where the rope had been in the past when the water level was high. We had a wet winter in Alabama but recently it had been mostly dry so the water was only up to the mid-shin level. I dragged my feet across the stream hoping that the chilly waters would reduce some of the swelling in my feet. Coming out of the stream was the second out-and-back section down to the aid station. I looked at my watch so that I could see how much time was between me and the next runner, should I see one on the return trip.
Coming into the aid station I was slightly disappointed that none of the numerous volunteers was eager to help out. Maybe I surprised them when I got there, but I went right over to the table and filled my own bottle. I am guessing this was just a minor aberration as otherwise the volunteers were very helpful. I asked the distance to the next aid station and thanked them as I left.
Running back up the dry creek bed and back onto the course, I had clocked about 3 minutes and did not see anyone behind me. This was slightly reassuring, though my pessimistic mindset at this point in the race had me thinking how much I could slow down, in combination with how much the next runner would have to speed up in order to catch me. I really need to work on being more headstrong in the later stages of races like this.
Lake Chinnabee to Lake Cheaha
The next section had the most footing variety of the entire race. We started out by running along a technical section adjacent to the creek. This would be a great section for day-hiking and picture-taking as there were quite a few small waterfalls and other sites to see. There were also plenty of people either camping out hiking over the next mile which was a nice change from the solitude of the earlier miles. Eventually we made a hard left onto another gravel road. I remembered hearing people talk about this section while on the bus ride down to the start but somehow it was surprising when I got there. For a mile and half I ran straight ahead, able to see the entire section in each direction. I caught a few glimpses of David in the distance but I had severe doubts that I would be able to catch him in the miles remaining. I was running a pace in the high 8's but it was strenuous at best.
The gravel road eventually intersected Cheaha Road which was a paved surface. This may have been the most painful part of the entire course as the temperature had increased and switching from trail to blacktop is always tough, especially this late in the race. I struggled through the paved mile to the entrance for Lake Cheaha park. I saw Todd's son, (can't remember his name) whom I had met at Stump Jump 50k in Chattanooga last fall. I am not sure if he remembered me or not, but he shouted 'Run Forrest Run' as I passed, referring to my shaggy beard I can only assume.
Lake Cheaha to Bald Rock Lodge
At the aid station, I filled my bottle and grabbed four chocolate chip cookies. The final section of the course is the most difficult as it includes 'Blue Hell' which starts almost immediately after the aid station. I had planned on having the next mile take 20 minutes and it took every second of that. While I never stopped to catch my breathe, I was also walking every step. The climb is comprised of large rocks marked with obsessive blue paint that guides the weary runner toward the top. About a third of the way up, I saw David again. He was cramping and had stopped all-together. I offered him a cookie as I was all out of S! Caps. He declined the offer and stayed there while I continued upward. This was minor deja vu as I had passed David along the Waterline climb of Mountain Mist last month where he was low on energy and eventually dropped out.
At the top there were people rock climbing up one of the outward faces. I pardoned my way around them and then made a questionable decision by filing my water bottle out of the stream. Eating the cookies made me thirsty and my bottle was almost empty. I thought that there was another 2 miles to the finish so I dipped it into the rocky stream. In my defense, it was flowing water at top of the highest point in the state, so how polluted could it really be? I never did make me sick.
At the top, the course turned back onto a paved road. I was completely turned around as the paved loop was not as long as I thought I had left. After crossing passed the sign for the highest point in the state, the course weaved through the woods again before turning out at the entrance to the lodge. My GPS had tracked true through mile 22 but must have lost signal since then as I was reading 29.5 and the finish line was just around the corner. Feeling rejuvenated, I picked up the pace toward the end. There was a guy using a PA system that called my name as I made the final turn toward the finish where I could see Todd. As I crossed the line, I stopped my watch at 4:54:07 for a 6th place overall finish.
Team inov-8 Finishers
Results
Official Results
The Numbers
My 4-hour and 54-minute finish was just the 18th time under 5 hours ever on this course. Including the 2010 results there have been 561 finishers of this race, so the sub 5 hour finishers represent just 3.2% of all runners. The average finishing time for runners across all five years is 7 hours and 19 seconds. With an 8-hour cutoff, that means that half of the finishers are above 7 hours and half are below.
Fastest Course Times (5 hours and under)
01 - 4:00:25 Dane Mitchell, 2010
02 - 4:32:23 Jamie Dial, 2008
03 - 4:36:00 DeWayne Satterfield, 2010
04 - 4:39:22 Alex Darth, 2010
05 - 4:40:31 Tim Vinson, 2010
06 - 4:42:52 DeWayne Satterfield, 2008
07 - 4:44:24 Eric Gilbertson, 2010
08 - 4:50:25 Robert Pritchett, 2006
09 - 4:51:17 Dink Taylor, 2007
10 - 4:53:10 Mike Consentino, 2007
11 - 4:54:07 Eric Charette, 2010
12 - 4:55:17 Robert Youngren, 2007
13 - 4:55:55 Dink Taylor, 2008
14 - 4:56:29 Thomas Boyd, 2008
15 - 4:57:47 Matt Sims, 2008
16 - 4:58:18 Dink Taylor, 2009
17 - 4:58:46 David Howe, 2010
18 - 4:58:47 Dink Taylor, 2006
Friday, March 5, 2010
GearJunkie/YogaSlackers takes 4th in Patagonia Expedition Race
Finally back stateside, the members of team GearJunkie.com/YogaSlackers are happy to have finished what is arguably the hardest and most remote Adventure Race in the world. The team raced super strong, ending in 4th place, in a race that over 50% of the teams did not make it past checkpoint 12 (out of 18). The team was only about 2 hours out of 2nd place, pretty close for a 10 day race.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
This Weekend's Starting Line
Scott Dunlap will be racing at the US 50k Road National Championships (Caumsett Park 50k) at Caumsett Park, NY this Saturday. Jim Johnson and Kevin Tilton will be heading over to Syracuse, NY for the US Snowshoe Championships also on Saturday. A tough 10k course with lots of climbing. Speaking of tough races, Amy Lane will racing at the Pittsfield Peak Snowshoe Marathon which has 7200' of elevation change over four 6.55 mile loops. Anne Lundblad will be racing Saturday in Raleigh, NC at the Umstead Trail Marathon. A stout and hilly course in the William B. Umstead State Park.
Dewey Peacock will be racing the Rendezvous 25K Skate Ski Race in West Yellowstone National Park. Todd Braje will be prepping for the Mad City 100k at the Old Pueblo 50 mile this weekend in the Santa Rita Mountains, AZ. Peter Maksimow gets into the snowshoe racing action this Sunday at the Jeremy Wright North American Snowshoe Championships at McCoy Park in Beaver Creek Resort, CO.
