Thursday, November 10, 2011

Grand Canyon Rim To Rim to Rim Run Report

I've never really been one of those "been there, done that, got the t-shirt" kind of guys. I don't tend to come home with a shot glass saying remember the Alamo. And I don't need to go to the touristy spots to say I saw the worlds oldest slurpee machine.

I'd heard about people running "Rim to Rim to Rim" at the Grand Canyon, but it wasn't until my first visit to the Canyon in April that I knew I had to give it a go.

Delane and I had taken a short trip to Arizona in April. During the trip, we spent 2 ice cold and rainy/snowy days staring at what was mostly cloud cover blocking the views. I had promised myself this was time with my wonderful wife and I wasn't going to make this a running vacation. But I took a bit of time during a particularly nasty storm, bundled up, and ran a couple miles down the Bright Angel Trail. After a mile, I dropped below the cloud cover and got an unbelievable view. That place is truly a wonder of the world.
All along the touristy areas, there are signs advising people to watch out for the dangers of the Canyon. There were warning signs about not attempting to go from the rim to the river and back in one day had me hooked. I wanted to do well over twice that.
.
When I caught wind of a few of my GUTS running friends planning a November trip, I knew it was time for me to go.

I've been jazzed about this experience for a long time. Ever since I booked the flight, I've been excited and nervous about R2R2R.

Things have been busy at work, so this trip couldn't have come at a better time. Except for the weather. Apparently, the heat is usually the challenge. It can get amazingly hot down in the Canyon. But the weather forecasts 10 days out called for a much different story. Each day, the predictions got worse. The day before we left, the forecast for the South Rim was 18, a high of 57 at Phantom Ranch, and 15 on the North Rim.
Was I nervous about the distance; not a bit. About the time on my feet; a little. About the cold; much more so.


We were planning a pretty typical route. We planned to leave before sunrise from the South Rim and take the South Kaibab trial 7 miles down to the Canyon floor. We'd take the the North Kaibab Trail from Phantom Ranch, past Cottonwood, and up to the distant North Rim. The return trip would bring us back N. Kaibab to the mighty Colorado but we'd head out the longer but more forgiving Bright Angel Trail.

The weather forecast had the group reconsidering the start time. We ended up starting around 6:45 as the sun was coming up.



John and I took off for the fairly quick trip down South Kaibab. It's a 7 mile trail that drops extremely quickly. We took our time heading down, stopping to take some photos and to enjoy the beautiful sunrise hitting the canyon walls. The first view of the Colorado river was exciting and beautiful.


We arrived at Phantom Ranch after about 1:20 and started removing some clothes. It warms up a bunch in the bottom of the canyon and the cold temps up top had given way to some really nice 40's down at the bottom. Top off my handheld (I had 2 liters in my hydration pack, but had started the run with an empty handheld).

John was only planning to go to Cottonwood and then head back, so I met up with a few other guys that were going all the way to the North Rim and John and I decided I'd run with them. I was excited to have company up but quickly realized these three guys were on a much different pace than me and I left them behind after a mile or so.

The 7 mile stretch between Phantom Ranch and Cottonwood was my favorite stretch of the run. It goes up slowly through the Box Canyon and is the one place where you can really find a nice stride.


I made fairly quick work of this stretch given all the stops for photos and arrive at Cotonwood right at the three hour mark. I hadn't yet consumed any of my hydration pack water, so I topped off my handheld and got mentally ready for the 7 mile push to the North Rim. I knew there was no water waiting on me until I returned to the campground (14 miles later). They cut off water sources as the weather gets cold, so make sure to check in advance with the rangers office so you know where water will be available. I had my first bite to eat here.......a slice of cheddar cheese......and moved on.

Sally had warned me that there are some narrow stretches here where the drop-off will ruin your day. While they were wide enough for me, some of this stretch will leave those squeamish of heights a bit dizzy. With about 4 miles to go, I passed a couple of guys that had started super early. They said there was some good snow on the rim and that it got super cold after the Supai tunnel (2 very difficult miles from the top). Sure enough, as soon as I got to the tunnel, the temps began to drop quickly. This stretch is steep and slow and it took me around 35 minutes for the last two miles.


I spent 15 minutes looking around the N Rim and getting some calories in me (a Balance Bar). And I had to snap the required picture to prove I'd made it to the top.

I started the steep and snowy trip back down. While it was downhill, I had to take it a bit easy as the snow and terrain doesn't make for a rapid decent. About 2 miles down, I passed Sally. Was super surprised and excited to see her, as I thought she was turning at Cottonwood. She never stops amazing me about how darn tough she is. After a quick exchange about whether I should wait for her at the bottom, we were both off.

I got back to Roaring Springs and shortly after realized that the Rangers House had water. While I wasn't out, my bottle was dry and I'd used a decent bit of my hydration pack. Topped off my handheld and was off for the short stretch to Cottonwood. I spent a fair bit of time here, as some  issues needed addressing and I wanted to make sure I was ready for the last 16 mile push.

At this point, I knew I was super low on calories and needed to get refueled. Phantom Ranch has a canteen (warning, it closed at 4) and I knew I could take a break and refuel there. Back through the box canyon (and mostly downhill this time!) and I was back to Phantom Ranch. Took a few more breaks here including eating a Gel.

I popped in the canteen and ordered up two postcards and a king-sized double snickers. There where 6 or 8 people in there and I enjoyed chatting with other hikers about their experiences. Definitely take a few dollars for a postcard. They have a special stamp on them that says they were transported by mule. A nice touch. After writing my postcards and devouring the snickers, I topped off my bottles and got mentally prepped for the 9 mile trek out.

After a half mile you reach the Colorado again on a bridge just downstream from the one you crossed off S. Kaibab. A super nice site to see and it meant only 8.5 or so miles to go!


The first couple of miles of Bright Angel were a bit disappointing. The trail is sandy and follows the Colorado downstream for a good part of that. The main issue was that I wasn't yet gaining much elevation and it meant the last few miles would be much steeper.

Once I started climbing, it was no joke. I ran a decent bit of the next couple miles to Indian Gardens but there were certainly more walk breaks getting thrown in. I arrived at India Gardens campground at about 4:10 in the afternoon and was completely tapped. My legs were screaming and I had almost no energy left. I ate a gel and a piece of cheddar cheese, drank a ton of water, and started the long last 4.5 miles to the top. This was the last water I'd have available, as the 1.5 and 3 mile aid house water faucets were closed. I will estimate that I ran maybe 30% of this last stretch, the rest being hunched-over power hiking. I was ready to get out before the sun dropped and the temps plunged. I knew I had about 2 hours of light left.

I will not say the last stretch was pretty, but it was 5:30 when I rounded the last turn and popped out less than 50 feet from my room. I'm certain that the tourists I stopped to take my photo at the top of the trail had little idea of the challenges and personal growth I'd experienced during the day.

Total Food Consumed: 3 slices cheddar cheese, 1 king sized Snicker bar, 2 gels, 1 PureProtein bar, one mini LaraBar (probably not enough). Just learn to fuel a bit better.

Total Water Consumed: 4x20oz handheld + 50ox from my hydration pack = 130oz (probably not enough)

We should take a little something away from everything we do. What did I learn?

I have the most amazingly supportive wife. She didn't even blink when I told her I wanted to go. And even though I'm sure she was worried, she still knows more about what is good for me than I ever will.
I've got some amazing friends. Both those encouraging me and especially Sally, Janice, John, Reece, and Trevor who were will for me to tag along and flooded me with details on the trails.

The Canyon is a rare piece of beauty and can also be an extremely unpredictable environment that needs to be respected. But what a blast!

More Photos

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Mystery Mountain Marathon

I've had this race on my calendar the moment the 2010 race ended.........it's a beautiful course, extremely challenging, and extremely well run by GUTS. It also delivered a beating unlike many other races. No way I was gonna miss it. I wanted revenge on that course.

I packed the bags early Saturday morning. I went down to Oakland Cemetery early in the morning for a photography class field trip then hit the road at noon for the couple hour drive to Chatworth GA and then on to Fort Mountain State Park.

The GUTS crew was busy prepping the course and I had fun marking the "Tower" loop with a few other friends. We made it back in time for the Pasta dinner and social time. Met some nice people coming to pick up their numbers including a couple who came up from Charleston for their FIRST marathon. In the back of my mind, I thought "this ain't a good first marathon" but I gave them some course tips and wished them luck. More on that later...........

I was lucky to get an offer from John to crash at his place 20 minutes away so Kate, Aaron, Anna, John, and I headed back around 8. Was able to get some decent sleep after my Auburn Tigers were getting pounded and I didn't feel the need to stay up for the last bit of the game for the beating.

We were up bright and early so Kate could get to the start to prep for her volunteer duties. Fine by me, as I got to grab an excellent cup of joe courtesy of Drew and get the blood flowing a bit. Race Director extraordinaire Kim Pike asked if I'd lead the race out for the first 1/4 mile as it's kinda tough to mark the road where we start. Great, pressure already! :)

It was a flawless day for a race. I felt just a touch chilled in a singlet and knew it was my ideal temps. It would get hotter later, but I knew I'd be done before the heat hit too bad. And we are off..........

First mile is flat around the lake and I was a bit shocked to see a mid-6 ring up on the GPS after the first mile. It didn't take long for the course to show it's true colors. I had an awesome time running most of the first 7-8 miles with Drew. He and I battled it out last year and I suspected it might be the same again this year. He was running very strong. Around mile 9, he fell back a bit and I was on my own until the aid station at 11 before we split with the 12 milers and started up the dreaded Power Line hill. I started up the huge hill and a guy blew past me with relative ease. It was Jason Hanlin who I'd met at Sweetwater H20 50K earlier in the year. I had a blast running with him from 11 till about 18. I saw his easy stride and knew he'd have to blow up badly for me to hang. It was all I could do to stay with him and finally I had to let him go at 18.....the huge climb was coming up and I needed to bank a little or it was gonna be a tough last 8 miles.

The mile 19 and 20 climb is hard to describe other than to say it is never-ending, steep, and takes all the will you have to keep moving at more than a snails pace. I ran/speed-walked but knew I was loosing plenty of time to Jason. I felt good but was ready to be done. Even after the massive uphill, the course is still very challenging until you get to 25.5 and get to barrel DOWN the power line. I arrived at the 25 mile aid station and yell at Sarah Tynes "how much farther"? She confirmed 1 mile to go. A quick glance at my watch said I had 5:30 to make it under 4 hours and I knew it was a bust. I had no goal for this race other than to run strong, but I could almost taste a sub-4 and I blew through the last mile with everything I had. Came across 4:01:05, 2nd place, and 3 minutes faster than last year. Very pleased with a solid effort.

Oh yeah, back to the first time marathoners: I heard later than Jason Rogers was driving back towards Chatworth about 8 hours after the race started and saw a couple people with race numbers walking down the road. Apparently my Charleston friends missed a turn and ended up on a paved road somewhere way out. He gave them a ride back to the park. Feel bad for them.

Great GUTS event and a ton of fun with friends!

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Hot to Trot - An 8 Hour beatdown!



I don't know what has me coming back to this event. It's an 8 hour run, in Atlanta, in the heat running a 1.18 mile loop as many time as you can until the clock hits 8 hours. Actually, I do know what keeps bringing me back........

1. A very well organized event - Sarah Tynes and all the volunteers do an incredible job
2. It's an extreme challenge (love that)
3. Lots of great local runners...a great social time even while you are suffering

Last year, I took off like a crazy man on the first 10 laps.....like under 7 minute miles. While it is only a minimally technical trail, it's still a trail. I promised myself to not repeat that this year. 8 hours is a long time. Pace yourself, Jim.

I had been on vacation on the Island of Bonaire and had just arrived home at 9:00 pm the night before the race. I was well rested and well fueled from a week away from the normal hectic days. But I was also under hydrated from a long day of air travel and flight delays. Not a good start.......

The day started out with some light drizzle......I had high hopes that the promised rain would keep the temps and therefore the body temps down. The gun goes off and BAM....crazy Sean takes off like a bear was chasing him! I did not get suckered in and kept it sane for me.

What do you say about an 8 hour 1.18 mile looped course in the heat? Lap 1 was.....lap 2 was....

After about 3 hours, I ran through the aid station and someone asked if I got stung by bees. Being HIGHLY allergic to stings, I was immediately on edge. But I have to admit, I had a quick thought of "gee, if I get stung I can drop out of this heat!". I got back around to the hill and there was a strong smell of wasp spray and a couple people unloading a can of the stuff on a nest on the ground. I can only guess that was my fastest stretch of the course for a few loops! Multiple people got stung 3 and 4 times each. Glad it wasn't me!

All and all, it was a decent race. I had Joe Fejes running hard and I thought he'd come around and catch me as I started to fade. While my pools certainly dropped off, I held on pretty well. Walking certainly became a more frequent occurrance as the day progressed, but mostly just for short stretches. Ended up with the OA win and a bit over 50 miles for the day. Less miles than last year, but I was pleased to have held up reasonably well.

Great day to run with friends and very nice to have my lovely wife come support me in the second half of the run.

Friday, July 22, 2011

Landsford Canal 50K - A Fresh Start


My reasons for picking the Landsford Canal 50K run:

1. It was my “comeback” run. I’d been laid up injured for most on May and some of June and I needed to get back at it. Nothing like a long race to help with that!

2. It was near my hometown……my wonderfully supportive Mom and younger sis’ would get to come hang out.

3. I’ve always wanted to meet the RD-legendary Claude Sinclair

4. There were a ton of GUTS runners already signed up. A long run with friends!

My plan was to head North to Spartanburg SC Friday afternoon to hang out with Mom and then get up extra early Saturday am for the 70 mile drive to the race. Things were shaping up nicely as Mom and I had a picnic out by the pool Friday night and I almost needed a sweater….it was down right cool! A nice break in the brutal temps promised a cooler race.

The drive over Saturday morning was uneventful and boringly entertaining. For a guy living in Atlanta, I rarely get to drive 30 miles at a stretch with barely a stop light. Mom and I started to play the game of “guess how many stop lights or stop signs there will be in the next town”! Places like Chester, Landcaster, and several other dots on the map. I love the backwoods!

This is a small but well run race…..after getting there and introducing myself to Claude, I got to work helping unload some gear and helping organize the aid station before the pre-race routine started. I was well fueled, well rested, and feeling good but severely undertrain after so much time off. No expectations, I just wanted to run the best I could and enjoy the day.

BAM! I knew it was coming and I still wasn’t prepared. Claude starts this race in the beautiful Landsford Canal State Park with a musket shot out of a rifle that must be 4 feet long. That gunshot had my ears ringing for at least the first 1.25 mile out and back. I got a good peak at the hill I’d have to run up 8 times during the day. 1.25 miles up and back down a pretty long hill, followed by 7 4.25 mile loops. The course breaks down link this:

1. First mile: Very long and reasonably steep jaunt up the entrance road of the state park. There were a few breaks, but after a time or two up I wondered if I’d be dreading that hill after a few more times

2. Second mile: Long straight flat and fast improved road. You could see for almost the entire mile. It was fast and fast an awesome transition from the hill. You can fly here

3. Third mile: Finish up the long straight road and take a hard left and start to a big downhill then a hard left onto the trail.

4. Fourth mile: A long and winding fairly flat and perfectly beautiful run along the Landsford Canal. Perfect and other than the turns could be run pretty hard.

I started out pretty hard and planned to run as long as I could at a reasonably stout pace and then hang on towards the end. Joe Fejes had discussed running a 7:15 pace together for the first 26 then all bets off. But anyone that knows me knows I like to run like I feel. Usually fast at the start and then hang on for dear life at the end. Probably a good choice that before the race it was decided we wouldn’t try to run together. I felt good out the gate and trying to stay consistent at 7:15 would have been tough for me.

The loops came and went. I was basically hitting a bit under 30 minutes a loop. Little slower up the hill, flat out on the flats and downhill, somewhere in between on the trail. Never got really tired and even after loop 6 I still felt like I could drop a pretty good time on loop 7. Finished up in 3:36 and 1st OA. I didn’t really expect to run that fast, but I think a couple months of little running had me fresh and hungry.



Great hanging out with Andy Bruner, Jason Sullivan, Schick, Aaron D, Joel T, Beth, Greg, Candy, and a bunch of new friends from the upstate. Fun race. Somewhere between a fast trail race and a road ultra.





Saturday, July 9, 2011

Back to the future

I've had 4 stress fractures (or possible stress fractures) from running. What have I learned?
-I typically come back stronger
-I miss running when I can't
-It teaches me a balance........for a while anyhow
-I can stay fit even without running. Biking, walking, and spinning are good substitutes

It's been 4 weeks since I've been back running. The first two were not great and I considered having to take another extended break. But a quick trip to the doc reassured me that I was getting there and just needed to be a bit more patient.

The last couple weeks I've felt 99%. Some really solid workouts and I'm back to my somewhat normal running level.

Next up..........I am dying to get back on the trails, so I signed up for Landsford Canal 50K on July 16th! Here is to coming back to the race circuit!



Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Enjoying time on the DL

I had huge plans for the first quarter of the year.
I ran huge miles.....training hard and racing
I broke

The Georgia Marathon was the last straw. I was sore for a week after running my first road marathon in 2 years. In racing flat. Bad choice? Probably.

My lower left leg hurt even after the soreness faded. But I somewhat ignored it as "normal" pain. But it wasn't normal. It got to the point that it hurt every step. I decided I couldn't miss the SweetH20 race, so I hit the trails for a tough 50K. The softer surface made it somewhat less painful, but I knew I had an issue that wasn't just going to magically disappear.

So I quit running. I quit for a week, tried again, and learned that a week wasn't going to heal me. I've had 3 previous stress fractures and I am confident I had another. It's been over 4 weeks since SH20. I'm giving it another week or so. I'll be healed, healthy, and hungry.

I'm usually so bummed when I can't run. But I took a different approach this time. Embrace the down time as an opportunity to try new things. So, I've been riding and spinning and the elliptical. And weights. And I feel great. I'm stronger. I bet I've lost only a touch of fitness but hopefully will be healed of all those little things that tend to bother me.

Happy to not be able to run? Nope. Excited about learning and coming back stronger? You bet.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Georgia Marathon - The beat down

It never stops amazing me how much I still have to learn about running and racing. It seems so simple: Lace up your shoes, place one foot in front of the other, and go! Oh but how much more there is........

I signed up for the Georgia Marathon almost a year before the race. Right after the 2010 race, they lost their sponsor (ING) and offered some incredible deals to go ahead and sign up for the 2011 event. I think I paid 25 bucks.........too good to pass up.

Fast forward 11 months. Gee, I guess I gotta run this thing! You see, I haven't been running many road races. Actually, it'd been like 18 months since I had run a road marathon. A few shorter distance races and lots of longer trail runs, but road marathons had kinda fell outta favor with me.

The great thing about the location is that I can park at work and just walk 1/4 mile to the start. A perfect day to run.....mild temps and slightly overcast skys promised a fun day. I was equally excited to hear that Delane was going to come down and join me at the finish.

Back to the learning thing; What was I thinking choosing racing flats for a 26.2 mile road marathon? I hadn't been training in them. I hadn't even been doing that much road running. I am used to running 4-5 hour races and feeling good enough to go for a recovery run the next day. I couldn't barely walk for 4 days after this thing! Those flats really put a hurtin' on me.

As for the race; Excellent day for me. I really like this course! It isn't easy, but I like the changes in terrain (down, up flat) and the trip through the scenic areas of Atlanta are amazing.

Very pleased with my time, however. 2:55:59, 10th OA, 2nd Masters. Even won some prize money.....a nice surprise!

Sunday, March 6, 2011

A not-quite a Race Report - Georgia Reactor Run 100M (or less)

Certainly the next day questioning has begun......
  1. Could I have kept going?
  2. What did I do so wrong to have things go so bad?
  3. Do I ever even imagine I could attempt another 100 mile race?
I can say with complete honesty......I was as mentally ready for this race as any other ever. I knew what the course was going to be like (muddy even without rain). And I knew for a week that the forecast called for some pretty strong rain and cool temps. Scared? Nope. Physically, I was pretty healthy of late. I've put in, for me, insane mileage this year....700+ in the first 8 weeks of the year. I'd missed a couple key 20+ mile runs that I'd planned, but I was not at all concerned.
I'd lined up a A-Team of support. My wife was going to rough it out for the entire time. Nils Pedersen volunteered to pace me from 60-80. Matt Grund accepted my invite to take the late miles 80-100. Even my good friend Ron Steiger decided to come up and put in 40-53 with me. I've got some good friends and have to admit I'm a little bummed.......feel like I let them down.

.....I dropped out at the 42.5 mile aid station. At the time, I had ZERO doubt it was the right choice. I was barely able to run 20 yards on flat terrain without stopping. Now I've run longer than that distance plenty of times. So for me, the mystery is; Why did my body (and with it my mind) shut down so dramatically?

I am a reasonable fast runner and a pretty skinny guy. Why does this matter? Well, it starts to lead me to one theory on my demise. It was raining and high 40's at the start. My outfit of choice? A thin long sleeve, shorts, and my thinner mitts. No hat. No jacket. No thicker gloves.

My strategy going into this run was to avoid my frequent tactic of going out really hard and hanging on for dear live. For me, it works in marathons and 50ks, but was gonna be a smart move for the hundo. So at gun-time, I went out easy.....for me. I ran in in first/second with Eric Gilbertson (the eventual 50M winner) from Auburn for the first 20 miles. It felt easy. I wasn't working hard. But the hint of trouble to come might have been that I was feeling cold. I came through the start/finish at 13 miles and told Nils I was cold and to get me some hand warmers ready after I returned from the 7 mile loop. He asked me if I wanted to stop and change clothes. I mean, I had a huge inventory of high-end running gear in my drop bag. I declined the offer.......no since in stopping for an extended stay this early. The next 7 miles the rain lightened up and the temps warmed a bit. I blew threw the start/finish again declining the offer of clothes and only grabbing the hand warmers.

The next 13 miles were the beginning of my demise. I got really really cold. I was wet. It was 50 degrees. I was running through rivers of water and mud on the trails. I was chilled to the bone. I stumbled into the aid station after 33 miles in a pretty bad way. I'm used to running hard and generating body heat. Delane and Nils took one look at me and knew I needed some serious attention. A whole slew of the awesome GUTS people helped get me dry clothes, some warm soup, and about 25 minutes in front of the heater. Doc Shick came over and took my temperature......94 degrees. He said I wasn't going anywhere till it got up to 98.

By the time I warmed up, my mind said time to get back on the course, but my body was pretty much done. I took off for the 7 mile loop. My mind said let's roll but my body was toast. Ruined.

I made it back to 40 and Ron was ready to roll with me. I really hoped I'd rally and I didn't want to let him down. In the course of the next 2.5 miles to aid station 1, I spent more time walking than running. The mind followed the body. About half way to the aid station I told Ron I was dropping. Was it hard to say? Nope. I was 100% confident there was no possible way I was going to make it another 60 miles much less 100.

I made the declaration that I was dropping to the volunteers. It was surreal. I was not tired. I just couldn't move forward. I spent 15 minutes fueling, laughing, and declining offers of rides with the great AS1 volunteers. Then I told Ron it was time to head the short way back to the finish. We had some great conversation and laughed a bit while we mostly walked the 2.5 miles back to the finish.

I wish I knew what happened. I was ready, mentally and physically. Was it getting so cold so early? Maybe. Was it something else? I wish I knew. Will I attempt another 100? Honestly, I don't know. I have, for a long time, had reasonable success in almost any distance. I might have found my weakness. But I've run much longer and never felt like this. So, there is a sparkle of hope. It was the cold, or a bad day, or the weather.....maybe. I feel great today. Legs are fine, mind is in a happy place. I'm really hoping the story of my first hundo is "to be continued.....".

A huge thanks to the entire GUTS crew, my wife, friends, and a slew of other volunteers. It was an absolute horrid day out and the race was still chock full of people to help. The course was a mess. I mean really really bad. The weather made a tough course almost impossible. But it wasn't impossible. There were some really hardy runners that braved the conditions for 30 hours and got their buckles. I wasn't stong enough yesterday, but I have no doubt I am that strong.

Now that is some mud!

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Mountain Mist 50K

A bucket full of rookie mistake..........that probably sums up my first Mountain Mist 50K. Let's see what I didn't do:

1) Didn't research the course (or ask any of my many friends for details)
2) Went out with some guys WAY out of my league
3) Was too cold to drink, so I didn't
4) Actually TRAIN with a focus on a 50K

....kinda figured I knew this distance, but this is a big league race with some seriously strong runners and some seriously difficult terrain.

I really wanted to go up and get settled the night before, so Joel Tapley and I rode up Friday afternoon and reported to the Lodge in Monte Sano State Park for packet pickup. The GPS gave us a few bad turns, but right when we thought it we were there, there are barracades across the road.......with 2 miles to go. We both knew the alternate route would be a long drive around the mountain, so after sitting there dead-stopped in the middle of the road for like 2 minutes, Joel throws it in drive and we weave around the blockade. It didn't take long to figure out why it was there.......they had gotten some snow and ice the night before and the back entrance was totally iced over! It was an interesting 2 miles, but we made it up.......

Was pretty happy to see the logistics......the Lodge was a beautiful place and I could tell it'd be nice to hang out there nice and warm before the race started

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Finally made the plunge......Georgia Reactor Run 100M Race

Pretty excited to have finally committed to my first 100M race........now to get to that training thing........

Race Info:
http://www.getguts.com/e-grr.shtml