Ultra Adventures

3rd Annaul Garden Mountain FA

Nick Whited is again directing the Garden Mountain FA. This year will be the third running of this great event. My son Sam and I were able to participate in the first version of this camping trip and mountain 50k two years ago, and had a great time. Last year I missed it due to injury. The run is being held a month earlier than previously and has a new and improved course. I can't wait!

Burkes Garden and Garden Mountain offer some of the most scenic mountain and valley terrain in Virginia. The weekend starts with camping Friday night near Tazewell, VA. Nick has changed the course to be a point-to-point ending at the Dairy Queen near the intersection of I-77 and the Appalachian Trail. The course has more flat and runnable sections than before, which means you will enjoy a mix of country and dirt roads and AT mountain single track.

Friday night camping is at Cavitts Creek Park. Two years ago we had the campground to ourselves and enjoyed nice campsights and easy sleeping.

Ending at the Dairy queen will be much better than the finish of first version of the run (photo), right on the trail, with no water and only some diet pepsi. Now we can have ice cream at the finish. The Iron Mountain Trail Runner's blog has more information about this run. It's on my calendar again this year and will be every year I can make it.

Photos from the first Garden Mountain FA

A Running Party for Everyone

photo: Relay and Solo runners line up to start

Just like last year, the 2008 Blue Planet 24 was one big running-camping party with something for everyone. Runners were able to choose among a 5 mile race; 6, 12, and 24-hour relay races, plus 12 and 24 -hour solo races. Any and every type of runner was welcomed and from the looks of things all had a great time.

We arrived at camp Rockmont (just above Black Mountain, NC) around 7:30 pm on Friday. With me was my wife Melinda, and three of our sons: Sam (16), Thomas (11), and Kevin (8). Sam, Melinda, and I to run, Thomas and Kevin to enjoy the camping and fun. This year we were able to drive our vehicles onto the camping area and unload, which made setting up and breaking camp easier. The campground is right on the 5-mile course adjacent to the start/finish and the runners village. This is nice but also means that at 2am you run right by your tent and sleeping bag when you finish a loop.

Soon the field was full of tents, camp kitchens, and runner's aid stations. Next to the camp ground was a series of gazebos, tables and chairs, a media tent, and field kitchens set up by a couple of local resturaunts (one vegetarian and one with meat). The final 300 yards of each five-mile lap circled the entire complex. Facilities available to runners include nice hot showers, and entry fees include meal tickets for exchange at the food tents.

The course itself is a five mile loop with many turns and twists. The first mile has 600 feet of climbing. The next two miles are slightly downhill on dirt and gravel roads. The final two miles are mostly flat with 100 feet of climbing mixed in. The loop runs short, more like 4.75 miles, because the last quarter mile or so is around the camp and the runners village. The course is very scenic with mountain views on all sections. The middle of the course runs around some ponds and in between the buildings of Camp Rockmont (an upscale summer camp for Boys).

While Melinda, Sam, and I were running Kevin and Thomas had fun riding a bike we brought with us, playing catch in the infield, eating, watching videos in the media tent, playing video games, and crewing for those of us running. Melinda's goal for the 12 hour event was 30 miles, which she suceeded in obtaining (her previous longest distance was the marathon). Now she is looking at going farther at Hinson Lake in September. Sam's goal was also 30 miles but he logged 50 miles in a little over 11 hours. I didn't have a goal, which is largely why I stopped at 65 miles at 2am with eight hours remaining in my event. Nevertheless I view it has a good training run and a necessary step to getting back into 100 mile condition. More importantly, I was thrilled to see Melinda and Sam set new personal records.

This year two athletes completed 100 miles in the 24-hour event: Gerald Buckner and Denise Davis. Complete results are here.

I would like to see more ultrarunners come out and run with us next year. The combination of organization and venue make this as good as any event I have participated in. The change in organization from last year's Run for Africa (led by Will Harlan) to this years Blue Planet Foundation brought more tents to the runners village but most importantly did not suffer when compared to last year's outstanding event.

Heat and Hydration

With temperatures in the 80's yesterday at the Promise Land 50k, now is a good time to discuss hydration and electrolyte replacement while running ultramarathons. A lot has changed in the past few years and some of the advice we are being offered is now different from in the past. Some of the new science has been done in response to deaths due to over-hydration in marathons.

We have been told that to wait until we were thirsty to drink is too late, rather we should drink according to a set schedule. Another thing we have been told is to consume a lot of sodium in the form of salt tablets on a regular basis, also according to a set schedule. Not every source has been repeating this advice, fortunately.

There are several links below that anyone considering an ultra in the summer should read. Some of the material is provocative, challenging the validity of research sponsored by Gatorade. (It turns out that much of the research on hydration for athletes has been funded by Gatorade.) To sum up the new research in one sentence is: trust your body and drink to thirst; also salt to taste. Read on...
The best place to start is The Science of Sport, which has published five posts on exercise and dehydration. The main points I take away from these posts is that over-hydration is a real problem, and that your body does a much better job of regulating the sodium concentration of your bloodstream than anyone suspected before recent research.

The next place to look is the Overhydration Website, which covers one topic: Hyponatremia. This website has a concensus statement of advice on hydration and salt replacement.

I ran ultras for three years drinking too much water and ingesting too much salt. It was common for me to gain weight during an ultra, which was completely due to excess salt ingestion. My hands would swell, I had to remove my wedding ring before each race. Even today I still read race reports where so-and-so took an S! cap every hour. Yesterday at Promise Land I was out on the course for more than an hour longer than I had hoped (due to another problem I won't go into here), but I didn't take any S! caps and I only carried one water bottle. I followed the post-hyponatremia advice and drank to thirst. I ate salty foods at the aid stations, and used two Nuun tablets. I had no swelling at all (wore my ring during the race and it was loose all day), and I ended the race down three pounds, which is what you would expect from 50k++ and 7000 feet of climbing. (Weight loss is due to the depletion of energy stores in the muscles). The consensus statement says that no one should finish an endurance event weighing more than when he or she started.

Follow your own advice and learn the needs of your own body, but make sure you are aware of the need for drinking the right amount of fluids and ingesting the right amount of sodium. For any race, the best tool to determine if you are over or under-hydrated during a race is a scale. Unfortunately a scale is not always practical. Try any change in your hydration or sodium regimen in training before changing your race procedures.

Lundblads are unbeatable in 2008

photo: Virginia Happy Trails Running Club

Mark and Anne Lundblad are both running better than ever so far this year. Anne has victories at the Frosty 50, Mt. Mitchell Challenge, Bel Monte 50k, and won with a course record at last weekend's Bull Run Run. Mark won the Bel Monte 50k with a course record, and also won last weekend's Bull Run Run. Mark is consistently winning races this year where in years past he had near misses. At Bel Monte Mark won by half an hour. Unbelievably Mark also won by half an hour at Bull Run Run, a very competitive race. It's not even summer yet!

Roclite 295, the Ideal Endurance Shoe

I've been running for two weeks in the new Inov-8 Roclite 295. These shoes are excellent for longer races because of their roomy fit and light weight. Like all Inov-8 shoes, the 295's have minimal cushioning. The design of most Inov-8 shoes allows you to feel the trail with your feet, providing instant feedback on each landing. For myself and many other runners, minimal shoes encourage the most comfortable running form.

Selecting the right Inov-8 shoe can seem complicated because of the largenumber of models and the specificity of each model. Each model isdesigned for a type of running (fell, mountain, orienteering, trail,mixed road and trail, etc.) and for a Terrain (loose rock, dry grass,mud, dry rock, etc.)

I believe the three most important factors for selecting an Inov-8 shoe are: last, activity, and cushioning.

Performance and Endurance Lasts

The 295 is bulit on the Endurance last. All Inov-8 shoes are based upon one of two lasts: Endurance and Performance. The Performance last is narrow and molded to wrap around your foot and to cup your heel, holding it firmly in place. Models built on the Performance last are excellent for rocky, steep, and gnarly trails. Performance models are also very light and recommended for racing.

The Endurance last is wider, roomier, and less form-fitting. Endurance models are lightweight and minimal just as Performance models are, but they have more room in the fore foot and toe box. The generous fit of the Roclite 295 is the reason I love this shoe for Ultra-distance runs.

Cushioning

Inov-8 shoes range from no cushioning to minimal cushioning. You can determine a model's cushioning by counting the arrows on the web page for that model. For example the 295 (above) has three arrows (located on the left side of the page). Arrows range from one to four, so three arrows indicates a shoe with a little more cushioning than some of the other models. The primary difference between a "two arrow" and a "three arrow" model is the shoe's insole. The photo below shows the two different insoles that Inov-8 uses. The insole on the left is very thin with no frills, and you should expect to use this insole with "two arrow" models . The insole on the right has cushioning at the heel and fore foot. As far as I can tell, the difference between two or three arrows comes down to which insole is in the shoe. You can also run in these shoes with no insole at all.

Back to the Roclite 295: This is an excellent shoe for ultrarunning. The roomy fit remains comfortable for hours. (The longest run I've had in these shoes thus far is a little over 5 hours.) The 295 is very breathable and also drains water quickly. Like all Inov-8 models, the 295 puts you in touch with the trail and does not do anything to alter your form (no motion or pronation control). The sole of the 295 is grippy (though not made with the "sticky rubber" of the 285) and your foot placement will be reliable; the shoe will hold fast as you push off. As you can see from the photos of the shoe, the 295 offers some protection against rocks around the toe box. I found the 295's to be a little "larger" in actual size versus manufacturer's official shoe size.

These shoes work great for the single track at Umstead, which is rocky and rooty. If I were running some rock garden on the AT I would probably wear the Roclite 285's which are built on the Performance last. But I'm planning on wearing these 295's in August at Cascade Crest, where I expect the shoes will be just about perfect.

Umstead 100 Thoughts/Report

By Mark Long

October, 1994, I�m in Arkansas participating in theArkansas Traveler 100-Mile Trail Run. I�m now at the 50-mile point of the race standing in a very large military type tent trying to get warm. All I can think of is a plate of hot food followed by a warm bed andhours of sleep. I have just dropped frommy first attempt at covering 100 miles on foot.

Fast forward 14 years. It�s April 2008. I�m in Raleigh,NC participating in the Umstead 100-Mile Trail run for the 5th time. I�m standing at the starting line withover 200 other ultra runners with hopes of finishing my first 100 milerun. I�ve been in this place some manytimes; it no longer makes me nervous to be here. I have put in less mileage, less thought andless concern than in previous years. Iwanted to be as relaxed as I possibly could be for the challenge.

Theweather gurus were predicting major thunder storms for brief periods during theevent followed by rain, wind and the likes. Well, as far as the weather goes, it was really an awesome day. I always function better in cool, damp andcloudy weather. With many greetings tomany fellow MTC members I head to the starting line for the command tostart. There appears to be no hope ofsunshine today, at least not in the natural sense.

My planwas to run where I could and walk the hills. My demons in the past have been foot problems or doing battle with thesleep monster; the latter of the two being the worst. I did not worry about stomach issues becauseI�ve learned over the years to eat only salty foods, take in mostly water anddo both often. I may have consumed atotal of 12 oz of Pepsi and about 20 oz of Gatorade. I would start to feel hunger pains about 1 to1 � miles from each aid station. Once Iate again everything was ok in that department.

Myfirst 12.5 miles went by in 2 hours 38 minutes. That included walking the hills. I felt good in the early going. The second and third loops were around the same time, maybe a fewminutes slower. I still felt great. The presence of friends and MTC members surlymade the first half of the event, transpire very quickly. I spent a great portion of the event runningwith Cameron Kelly (Jose), Corey Eminger and many others. The wonderful conversations and people arewhat made the entire event special.

Witheach passing loop, I was getting slower and walking more. However, it was also part of the plan. Nothing was going to discourage me fromforward movement this year. I quote 82year old game show host Bob Barker after someone asked him about hislongevity. He said,� Keep moving, keepmoving, and keep moving�. So I keptmoving.

Severalfriends had asked if I would like to have pacers. I invited them all but in my mind if they didnot make it, I would be prepared to go on my own. I had no idea just how invaluable they�represence would be. Completing the last 2and 3 loops with me were Pam Carpenter, David Solomon and Tom Gabell. Sarah Jane Harmon would also join us for thelast loop. I will never be able to repaythese friends for their time and efforts. They each gave up a portion of their family time, their weekend time andonly just to help me finish my first 100-mile run. I know now that I could have not made withoutyou all. I deeply appreciate yourfriendships and your support more than you know.

I haveto thank Mike Day for his informative website www.ncultra.orgfor teaching me that less is better. Iused lighter road shoes throughout the event and yes, I still had blisters butthe shoes made it more manageable.

Icannot say enough about the aid stations and the staff overseen by BlakeNorwood. Each person was always helpfuland caring during each passing. Theytruly are second to none.

Afterso many attempts, one might think, why bother. It�s easy to get discouraged and just give up trying. But I knew if I kept trying eventually Iwould learn to finish that distance. Ihad to keep trying. My personality justwould not let it rest. As my good friendDavid Solomon said, the monkey on my back turned into King Kong. Well, no more monkey and no more King Kong.

Fortunately,I was able to take Monday and Tuesday off from work in order to rest andrecover. I will tell you this; on MondayI could not get my regular work shoes on my feet because of the swelling. I slept a lot of hours on Monday. Obviously, it was needed.

I havealready been asked will I run it again next year. I have also been encouraged to try and break24 hours next year. All I will say isthis. We are not guaranteed, �nextyear�.

Once again, I cannot thank the many friends and MTC membersthat helped me complete my goal of finishing a 100-mile run, the many peoplethat encouraged me throughout the years. Every single one of you was important to me and played a huge role in mysuccess.

Thank you!

It�sabout 10:38 a.m., April 6, 2008. I amwalking up the final hill in the Umstead 100-mile trail run towards the finishline and the timing tent. I no longerhave the strength to run, nor the desire. As I approach the timing tent, Joe Lugiano greets me with a handshakeand congratulations.

In hisother hand he presents me the beautiful brass finisher�s buckle. I finally get to see that ray of sunshine;it�s glistening on that shiny buckle. And on that buckle I see my reflection. It�s then that I realize, it�s the tears in my eyes that have createdthe ray of sunshine.

Umstead 100 Finishers

Look at all of these NC 100-mile finishers from last weekend's Umstead 100:

4 19:18:37 Burns, William F 38 NC M
6 19:36:58 Hayward, R Scott 44 NC M
22 22:34:25 Hankins, Kean 42 NC M
26 22:55:24 Dummar, Fred 39 NC M
29 23:08:36 Serpa, Evan 26 NC M
30 23:09:17 Hunter, Dorothy 34 NC F
31 23:16:25 Savage, Jonathan 41 NC M
33 23:22:56 Maguire, Frank 61 NC M
34 23:24:47 Patch, Tom 48 NC M
36 23:30:00 Ennis, Jennifer 38 NC F
40 23:56:57 Mitchell, Rob 43 NC M
45 25:08:08 Murray, Donnie 46 NC M
46 25:40:31 Frahm, Jennifer 28 NC F
47 25:44:58 McNeill, Michael 36 NC M
48 25:59:25 Dillon, Ben 58 NC M
49 26:01:58 Chilcott, Charles 35 NC M
52 26:15:21 Herbst, Tom 45 NC M
55 26:19:44 Calabria, Robert D 67 NC M
56 26:19:46 Lewis, Marie 44 NC F
68 27:37:55 Kelly, Cameron 29 NC M
72 27:49:18 Maguire, Donna 56 NC F
81 28:26:43 Rizk, Sam 67 NC M
84 28:37:10 Long, Mark 49 NC M
94 29:06:51 Thompson, Douglas 40 NC M

I know for certain that Dorothy Hunter, Ben Dillon, and Mark Long just completed the century for the first time! I'm almost certain that Doug Thompson, and Cam Kelly finished their first century. I suspect several others also finished their first 100 miler. (Please comment if you see first-time 100 finishers in this list!) Ben Dillon has been volunteering at Umstead for many years and now he is a finisher. Dorothy Hunter has been at Umstead every Saturday for months preparing. And Mark Long, who has run scores of 50 mile races and perhaps more than 100 marathons, now has his Umstead buckle!

North-to-South Cross-Country Run to Raise Funds for Child Victims of Cancer

Denise Davis sent me a note about Norfolk, VA resident Tommy Neeson, who this fall will run across the USA from North to South along the East coast, including North Carolina. Neeson is raising funds for Ronald McDonald House Charities. Neeson's two-year-old daughter Randi died of brain cancer in 1998. Neeson will be in North Carolina for the entire month of September. The Four Million Steps web site provides opportunities to house Neeson, contribute funds, and to help in other ways.

Hill Training Opportunity

Thanks to Doug Blackford for sharing a new race in Western NC, the Valle Crucis 25k. The course is "one of the most scenic in NC" and the profile includes plenty of climb and descent. (Hill training should include both up and down -hill running.) The date is Saturday, May 3rd. The 25k distance is a little more than a half marathon, and makes for a great training run.

Double Laurel Valley

By Jeff McGonnell

I�ve been toying with the idea ofrunning the Laurel Valley course that we race every August as an outand back �fun run� for several years now � I�ve run the race 10 times,hiked it once and run the course as a training run with friends moretimes than I can remember. Over the years I�ve discussed "The DoubleLV" and advantages of what time of year, when to start, if we wouldneeded aid, etc.. The biggest thing I was lacking was picking a date� so finally we carved March 29-30 in stone. I had several potentialrunners agreeing to join me � but in the end it was just myself and DanPieroni who were able to make the time work out.

Dan and I started early on Saturday fromthe Whitewater Falls side of the course (the logic was it was better torun the direction I new best at night when the potential of getting offcourse was higher). The trail was in decent shape and we were makingpretty good time. After several miles we took the short spur trail tosee Hilliard Falls and the wind began to pickup, lightning started toflash nearby and we got pelted with a cold mix of rain and hail forabout 30 minutes. After the rain and hail subsided � we were wet butstill making good progress. We made it healthy and happy to the RockyBottom parking lot in 10 hrs flat.

We had intended to have a 15 min stop atRocky Bottom to pick-up food, warmer clothes and headlamps for thenight � but instead we were surprised by John Teague waiting for us inthe parking lot with food � real food � we only had cold sandwicheswaiting � John brought hot fried chicken, potatoes and rolls � weskipped the sandwiches and ate at the Teague buffet like ravenousdogs.

Fueled up and happy we ended our 50 minstop and headed back up the trail with John joining us to keep us awakeduring the night. We ran hard trying to get in as much distance aspossible while it was still light � as it grew darker fog and a lightmist set in and stayed with us the rest of the night. Dan regaled uswith stories of big bears, big fish and high seas of wild Alaska wherehe spends his summers as we trudged up the many, many ups and downs onour way back toward Whitewater Falls. Visibility was limited � no moonor stars � but finding the white blazes at night was much easier thanwe expected � we never got off course.

We made the trip back to Whitewater in13 hrs � slowed by me � I twisted my knee about 10 miles from thefinish making the downhill sections very slow.

I don�t know the actual distance of theLaurel Valley course � 35, 36, 38 take your pick � making our effortanywhere between 70 to 80 miles with possibly 19,000 + feet of climb �a good honest day�s work. Thank you Claude for finding such atremendous course!!

A big breakfast at a local buffet a short nap and a long ride home made for an excellent weekend..