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 Friday, July 03 2009 @ 02:14 PDT

Will Harlan Speeds Smokies Traverse to Focus Attention on Mountain Conservation

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Miles for Mountains

End-to-End…to End Mountaintop Removal

By Will Harlan

Friday I completed a 72-mile, end-to-end run across Great Smoky Mountains National Park in just under 17 hours, a speed record. However, the real goal was to help bring an end to the devastating and deadly effects of mountaintop removal mining in Appalachia.

I followed the Appalachian Trail (A.T.) for the entire run. The Smokies section of the A.T. is one of the toughest trails in the country: the steep, boulder-strewn footpath climbs sharply up 6,000-foot summits, including an ascent of Clingmans Dome, the highest mountain on the A.T.

But the trail’s difficulty is surpassed by its beauty: it abounds with lush old-growth forests, dramatic vistas, and an unsurpassed array of wildlife—especially bears. An estimated 1,500 black bears reside in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

I had attempted a Smokies end-to-end run six years ago and barely survived. A pollution-induced asthma attack during the run stranded me on the trail. Ironically, my run was intended to promote clean air, but the orange-alert ozone day in the Smokies that summer day had constricted my chest and airways, leaving me wheezing and unable to walk 10 feet without stopping to catch my breath. By nightfall, I had stumbled across an open bald before nearly colliding with a bear in the moonless, dark night. Without a headlamp, I used the glow light of my watch to read a trail sign pointing the way to Spence Field shelter, where I was able to get water and rest. By morning, pollution levels in the park had fallen and my breathing had recovered, and I was able to finish the run.

 
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Epic shut in needs sponsors

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General News
The epic shut in trail ridge run is coming up again in Asheville in November but it needs sponsors now.

After 30 something years this race still fills everytime, but costs are mounting so sponsors are so important for events like this one.

Because of the economy and too many people offering events in Asheville, participation is dropping and the good races are souring.

Help us keep the shut in race going to the top of Mt. Pisgah at the same blistering stride this year by spreading the word.

As you know this race brings people from all over and has appeal for national and local sponsors.

Contact us at staff@gatherlogic.com to help or visit www.gatherlogic.com
 
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Copper Canyon ultra

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RacesHello all,

Although I mainly promote races in Western NC, we have just set up an international event channel...interesting submission today:

March 7, 2010
Copper Canyons, Mexico
www.caballoblanco.com

I posted the race info. on my blog at www.gatherlogic.com or you can check it out at their website, but for a non-commerical event it seems to be the thing out in those parts.

Jonathan Poston
 
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Jonathan's Massanutten Mountain Trails 100 Report

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The MMT100 is generally considered the toughest 100 mile race east of the Rockies, and one of the toughest in the US. Some of that toughness comes from the elevation change, which is about 20,000 feet of ascent and the same descent. However, the real challenge is the rough trails. Some of the trails are good running, and some of the trail is rocky and you have to work on where to put your feet. However, a significant portion of the course is so rocky there is nowhere flat to put your feet. For many runners, a good chunk of MMT is not runnable; in fact, it is tough walking, let alone running.

Highlights

  • Buzzard Rock. The first part of the race starts easy, a road section, a nice trail, then a solid climb up to Buzzard Rock. It is on Buzzard Rock that I get some of the best views, and also my first taste of what the course was really like - rocky! The narrow ridge immediately starts to tear at my feet, which are not impressed.

  • Habron Gap. This is the aid station at 24.5 miles, and time for me to check out the feet. Sadly the news is not good; I have blisters that require bursting. To have problems after less than 25 miles is grim news and I have to make some hard choices. There is no way I can continue running at a reasonable pace without my feet being completely destroyed before the end. The wise course of action is to drop at this point, but I decide that by taking it easy, I can finish. (I'm still not sure if I made the right choice or not - I'll have to wait and see how badly my feet scar from the blisters.) At Habron I leave my water bottle and put on my hydration pack. Up to this point the temperatures have only been warm and the aid stations reasonably close together. From here on, you need to carry a lot more fluid. I also pick up my first iPod and I really appreciate the tunes!

  • To camp Roosevelt. The next stage is a hard climb with a lot of sun and temperatures rising sharply. I pass a runner I know who is having a problem with the heat - heart rate elevated, flushed, dizzy and generally unhappy. I am worried about him, but he is resting and he seems coherent. At this point, heat stroke is a real possibility, but I feel well equipped (legionnaires hat, white under armor heat gear top, full hydration pack). I've done a little heat adaptation training the previous weeks, and so I progress well. But I find myself out of fluid two miles before the Camp Roosevelt aid station, and I am grateful for the TLC I receive there. I'm not dehydrated too much, but I realize I need to conserve fluids even with a 72oz hydration pack.
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    Chasing Adventure on the Appalachain Trail

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    When I heard that Adam Hill was planning to run 24 hours on the Appalachian Trail the first weekend of May I knew that I wanted to be part of that adventure. Springtime in the Southern Appalachians is especially pleasant, and Adam's run was on a section of the AT that was new to me. I arranged for my professional crew (Melinda and the Boys) to help out, booked a vacation day at work, and started to get excited.

    We left Cary on Friday morning, drove to Asheville and met Adam at his home, then off to the Nantahalla Outdoor Center for last minute supplies, and finally to the Wesser Bald Tower, where we started our run at 6 PM.

    The Nantahala section of the Appalachian Trail heads south from Nantahala Gorge and takes a winding path toward Georgia. Looking South-east from Wesser Bald you can see a chain of 5000-foot mountain ridges and peaks that seems to go on forever. Knowing that these peaks were the same ground that we would be running on made the view all the more impressive.

     
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    I've Got A Hankerin' for some Double Mint Gum

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    By Adam Hill

    The weekend of May 2nd I had the pleasure of spending two (really three) days on the trail in what turned out to be some stellar running! I have done the "double" workout before, but this brought it to a whole new level for me. On May 1st, my good running friend, Mike Day, and I jumped in a car with his wife and three of his kids, and took off for the mountains! Our plan...to run for 24 hours on the AT starting at Wayah Bald heading south. Our goal...have fun and see just how far our legs and the trail would allow us to go!?!

    We had planned on starting at 6 pm on Friday from Wayah Bald, then run until 6 pm Saturday. We arrived at the summit parking lot at 5:30 and after a few minutes of tossing the football around with Mike's son's (Thomas, Kevin, and Sam) I started getting my things together. My crew person was to be another running friend coming in from Knoxville, Andrew Moore. Andrew was to meet Mike's wife, Melinda, at Winding Stair Gap 10 miles in, so that he could gather my things together as he was about to follow me through the night on my journey into Georgia. Sure enough, we cranked up our running at 6 pm on a cloudy evening and began our descent off of this beautiful bald. The wildflowers were everywhere, and even though there were still no leaves on the trees, the forest floor was quite lush. I was pumped to see the large flowered trillium in bloom, along with Mayapples, crested dwarf irises, and countless others that I didn't know the names of.

    I felt great and was cruising along at a good pace running almost every hill as I approached the side of Siler's Bald. I came around the corner and was somewhat startled to see Andrew sitting at the corner of the field! He had come up the trail to run with me into the first aid stop! We had a great time running, and the weather was perfect, even though some storms were looming overhead.

     
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    Run in the Sierra Nevada

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    37 miles run in this fantastic place : the Sierra Nevada, from the Sequoia National Park.
    A wonderful track, the High Sierra Trail, run from sequoia grove to the high sierra scenery. The goal was to reach the Kaweah Pass at 10000ft and come back, in a 37 miles run.
    But it was early in spring, and snow complicated the advance. I had to turn back 1 mile before my goal because of a slippery snow patch making the crossing over too dangerous.
    I ran all the day, with many stops to take pictures and enjoy the extraordinary views.
    Wildlife is luxurious : I saw coyotes, deers, marmots. But the intense moment was the bear encounter : face to face with a huge beast. I was suddenly scared, but not as him : he flied with an incredible speed !
    Other difficulty was the rivers crossing : the meltdown made the stream very strong and tumultuous, very cold and dangerous.
    Scenery was absolutely amazing. No word can describe the incredible views, even pictures cannot catch the immensity of this place. A part of me probably stayed there...

    My pictures are on my site : www.runtheplanet.fr

    (expeditions tab, then choose your album...)
     
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    Annette Bednosky to Compete in World 24-hour Championship

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    This Saturday and Sunday, Annette Bednosky will be competing in the World 24-hour championship in Bergamo, Italy. Annette earned a spot on the USA National team with her 122-mile performance at the Freedom Park Ultra.

    The run starts 4am EDT Saturday, May 2nd. Check here for live updates. Annette mentions in her blog that the Female entrants have qualified with runs of 99-149 miles. Visit Annette's blog and leave a comment of support!

     
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    Denise Davis gets SCAR'ed

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    photo: Denise Davis

    On March 21-22nd, Denise Davis completed the Smokies Challenge Adventure Run, also known as SCAR (see also here, here, and here), joining a small but growing group of adventurers who have met this formidable trail challenge.

    Make certain to read Denise's report of the adventure, it's one of the best accounts I've read of this challenge. As an enticement, here are some highlights:

    SCAR is the acronym for the unofficial Smokies Challenge Adventure Run, a one-day unsupported 72 mile run on the Appalachian Trail across the crest of the Smoky Mountains National Park. It gains over 18,000 feet in elevation and you only have one opportunity for aid or to quit. What first got me interested in this run was an article a friend had sent me years ago, about a woman who had run across the Smokies in two days, stopping at Newfound Gap and then coming back the next day to finish it. This was before I started trail running and I knew most hikers took five days or more to cross the Smokies. I was impressed and that article stuck with me.

    I decided this year that I would try SCAR as a training run for the Massanutten. After I finished it yesterday, in retrospect I realized that I should have done the Massanutten as a training run for SCAR.

    There is some interest in organizing another attempt at SCAR the first week of May. Please let me know if any of you are interested. Also see the SCAR entry at WNC Trailrunner.

     
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    Ridgeline 60k this Weekend

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    The Crowder's Mountain 50k is a historic North Carolina ultramarathon with a great course and a hard-core group of repeat finishers. This year the run is different in a couple of key aspects. First, it is now a 30k one-way course with the option of running the whole course twice for a 60k ultramarathon. The course covers new ground including portions of Kings Mountain, which is the site of a famous battle from the Revolutionary War.

    This year, the run is being held on the same date as the Umstead 100. The date conflict is intentional. Co-RD Ray Krolewicz correctly pointed out that since Umstead sold out in an hour or so, many area utrarunners will not be participating in the 100 mile run this year, so an alternative on the same weekend makes a lot of sense.

    Another benefit is that the race location spans both North and South Carolina. Races that cover two states are cool. Also, if you wanted to purchase some fireworks for the 4th of July, South Carolina has more liberal laws regarding what you can buy!

    If all these benefits are not enough, think about pairing the Ridgeline 60k with Mohammed Idlibi's Roan Mountain adventure run. Both Ridgeline and Roan Mountain connect to the Overmountain Victory trail. Roan Mountain is near the Western terminus of the overmountain trail, while King's Mountain is the Eastern Terminus. I'm planning on being there Saturday! Hopefully I'll see you too.

    Ridgeline Entry Form.

     
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