Rock/Creek Chronicle

Make the Rock/Creek StumpJump your first 50k

2012-05-23T16:41:03Z

The article below was written by Matt Sims of the Rock/Creek Race Team. Registration for the 2012 Rock/Creek StumpJump 50k is now open; the race takes place on Saturday, October 6.

Sign up for the race at http://www.rockcreek.com/stumpjump.rco.

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UPDATE, May 23 2012: We’ve put together a new video with Matt Sims to supplement this article! Watch the video here:

Training for a 50k takes time and devotion to the sport of running. It is a landmark in many people’s running careers, and merely a stepping stone for others. People ask me all the time whether or not the Rock/Creek StumpJump 50k race is a good first 50k. My response is that any 50k is a good first-time 50k. There are obviously some 50k races that have easier terrain or fewer hills, but doing the 50k is not the hard part; training for the 50k is the hard part.

If you are reading this, you have some interest in breaking into the next level. Many of you are thinking to yourselves, “Why am I considering a 50k when I haven’t even run my first marathon?” The marathon has such a stigma attached to it, that in many ways I consider training for a 50k much easier. A 50k trail run is merely a long day in the woods. When one approaches the 50k with that attitude, the distance is made simple and more fun.

Base Mileage: If you are considering the 50k distance, you should first have a runner’s base. If you can answer yes to the 3 questions below you can complete your first 50k.

1. Do you run 3-4 days a week?
2. Have you been running consistently for 2 years or more?
3. Can you run 10 miles non-stop?

Training: I feel like training for a 50k properly takes 3 months. The schedule below should provide a guideline of training for the Rock/Creek StumpJump in October. Our training begins July 1st.

JULY

Week 1 will be our model for training and recovery.

Monday – Rest
Tuesday – 1 hour run
Wednesday – 1 hour run
Thursday – Rest
Friday – 1 hour run
Saturday – 1½ hour run
Sunday – Rest

Notice that I am allowing 2 rest days after my Saturday long run.
Notice that I have factored at least 2 rest days in each week.

Week 2
Maintain 3 days of 1 hour runs, add 10 minutes to the Saturday long run.

Week 3
Monday – 1 hour run
Tuesday – 1 hour run
Wednesday – 1 hour run
Thursday – Rest
Friday – 1 hour run
Saturday – 1 hour 50 minutes
Sunday – Rest

Week 4
Monday – Rest
Tuesday – 30 minute run
Wednesday – 45 minute run
Thursday – 30 minute run
Friday – Rest
Saturday – 1 hour 15 minutes
Sunday – Rest

AUGUST

Week 1
Same as Week 1 of July

Week 2
Monday – 1 hour run
Tuesday – 1 hour run
Wednesday – Rest
Thursday – 1 hour run
Friday – 30 minute run
Saturday – 2 hour run
Sunday – Rest

Week 3
Monday – 1 hour run
Tuesday – 1 hour run
Wednesday – Rest
Thursday – 1 hour run
Friday – 1 hour run
Saturday – 2 hour run
Sunday – Rest

Week 4
Monday – 1 hour run
Tuesday – 1 hour run
Wednesday – Rest
Thursday – 1 hour 30 minute run
Friday – 35 minute run
Saturday – 2 hour run
Sunday – Rest

SEPTEMBER

Week 1
Same as Week 2 of July

Week 2
Monday – 1 hour run
Tuesday – 1 hour run
Wednesday – Rest
Thursday – 1 hour run in the morning, 1 hour run in the evening
Friday – Rest
Saturday – 3 hour 30 minute run
Sunday – Rest

Week 3
Monday – Rest
Tuesday – 1 hour 30 minutes
Wednesday – 1 hour 30 minutes
Thursday – 1 hour 30 minutes
Friday – Rest
Saturday – 3 hour 30 minute run
Sunday – Rest

Week 4

Monday – Rest
Tuesday – 1 hour in morning, 1 hour in the evening
Wednesday – 1 hour in the morning, 1 hour in the evening
Thursday – 1 hour in the morning, 1 hour in the evening
Friday – Rest
Saturday – 3 hour 30 minute run
Sunday – Rest

OCTOBER TAPER

The 8-9 days before the race should consist of no more than 3 days running with no more than 30 minutes each run.

NUTRITION

Nutrition is as important as the training, often overlooked and underestimated.

1. Take in 16 ounces of fluid for every hour of running.

2. For every run that lasts longer than 90 minutes, replace electrolytes with a sports drink such as Hammer Nutrition’s HEED. Be sure to avoid drinks with high fructose corn syrup and other simple sugars. Hammer’s Endurolyte Electrolyte Replacement Capsules are also a quick way to replace electrolytes on your runs.

Remember that fluid replacement is not necessary to complete the training run, however it aids in recovery so that your body is able to run again the next day.

While on long training runs, I like to take in solid foods. Some of my favorites are PROBAR, Balance Bars, bananas or pretzels. These are also good to eat during training because most 50k runs offer these types of foods at aid stations during the race.

TRAIL or ROAD

With all the training you will do, it is realistic to expect 80% of all runs to be done on the road. Try to do runs over 3 hours on the trail. Your familiarity with trail footing and undulating terrain will give you the confidence you need for race day. For these 3 training months, play close attention to your body. Buy new running shoes, back off the distances if you feel an injury coming on, and feel free to modify the schedule to suit your needs.

If you can stay on course for these 3 months, you will cross the finish line of the Rock/Creek StumpJump 50k trail race, and what a great first 50k experience you will have had!

~Matt Sims,
Rock/Creek Race Team

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Relevant Links:

Sign up for the Rock/Creek StumpJump 50k or any of the races in the Rock/Creek Trail Series
Check out our selection of trail running gear and trail running shoes
Read trail race reports from other members of the Rock/Creek Race Team
See more Rock/Creek trail running videos
Connect with the Rock/Creek community on Facebook or Twitter.

Here are the race videos from the 2011 Rock/Creek StumpJump 50k and the 2010 Rock/Creek StumpJump 50k:

R/C Race Team member Owen Bradley’s report from Miwok 100k trail race

2012-05-22T18:51:01Z

Owen Bradley sends this trip report our way after running this 100k in California.
Photos used are copyright Glenn Tachiyama, Brett Rivers and John Medinger.

Miwok 100k — Marin Headlands, Stinson Beach, CA — 5/5/2012

According to the race veterans, the Miwok 100k course was significantly harder this year. In addition to the new start/finish location at Stinson Beach, the course route was different and included approximately 3,000 more feet of climbing. Combine this hilly course change with an unusually warm day and the result was slower times for everyone.

I take some comfort in the fact that Dave Mackey, who has won Miwok 3 of the last 5 years, ran a 9:14… which was over an hour and ten minutes slower than he ran the previous year. My original goal of running under ten hours was not achieved, since I ran 10:39, but I was only four minutes slower than my only other 100k race in Bandera, Texas on an easier course. Now, for the important stuff that occurred before I sprinted down the last 400 yards of pavement into the finish at Stinson Beach trying to catch Topher Gaylord:

Based on a friend’s recommendation, I wisely stayed in Stinson Beach for the weekend, only three blocks from the starting line. By doing this I was able to avoid the curvy Highway 1 on race morning in the dark for a 5am start. I walked down to the start and checked in around 4:30am then returned to my rental house to ready the Gu, the hand-held water bottles and a headlamp. While standing in the crowd of runners, I gave some sunscreen to a stranger, David Brown, from Texas before the race started.

The race began with an awkward loop around the beach parking lot then we climbed up Belvedere Avenue to start the wide trail up to Bolinas Ridge. The single track started after a hard left turn, which I instructed the lead pack towards.

The climb was slow with walking breaks for everyone. On the ridge we were greeted with a very narrow trail covered by knee-high grass and mole holes. This was not what I wanted to be running in the semi-darkness with my bum ankle. I took it easy and got passed by several groups of runners.

I got into more of a groove upon entering the wooded areas. After several miles and a long descent, I reached the Randall Trail station (12.6 miles). I was surprised to learn I was in 5th place. I would later find out that several of the guys in front of me, including David, got temporarily lost. David and I ran together for a while after he gave me a Roll Tide salutation. A little southern hospitality always goes a long way. We then retraced the path back to the dreaded grass path which lasted until we started the descent to the Stinson Beach fire department aid station. This was mile 26.2; I was slightly under four hours (3:57).

The rest of the race was on trails I was more familiar with, having run the Headlands 100 in August of 2010. Muir Beach was our next aid station. En route, I started running with Topher and a few other guys. We picked up the pace on a small road section on Hwy 1 after the long descent down Deer Park fire road. I climbed out of Muir Beach (mile 33.5) with Topher and we began the next 17 mile journey as a pair. Since Topher is a local, he offered insight into the race and how it was much harder than the previous year.

At the Tennessee Valley aid station (mile 38.1) I used my first ice water sponge of the day on my head. I never imagined it would be this hot at Miwok. The before and after race pictures tell a good story of the sun and heat.

Who knew that Sharpie markers could act as great sunscreen? Rock Creek was in white letters on my chest due to being sunburned everywhere else.

Topher and I pushed on to Rodeo Valley, and then Rodeo Beach with hardly any contact with other racers. It was awesome to have someone to share in the suffering. I was extremely happy to get back to Tennessee Valley (mile 50.5) where my buddy from Alabama, Marko Matic, who is temporarily living in San Francisco, was waiting to pace me in for the last 12+ miles. At this point, I got passed by Tina Lewis who ended up as the first female finisher. With a fresh bottle of water and a Nuun tablet and ice cubes down my shorts, Marko and I slowly jogged from the Tennessee Valley aid station toward Muir Beach.

We kept Tina and her pacer in sight. We were all walking the hills and jogging the rest of the time. The Coastal Fire road was littered with bikers and people out for a nice Saturday afternoon stroll. They made for a nice distraction. Marko got to experience the beauty of running in the Golden Gate National Recreation area, with some great vistas including Pirates Cove. I felt a renewed sense of energy, and flew along the long downhill to Muir Beach for the second time leaving Marko in my dust. The end was almost in sight (54.6 miles completed).

Marko and I refilled our water bottles with water and as much ice as possible. This last 7.6 mile stretch back to the finish at Stinson was going to be a challenge. It was about 2.5 miles until we hit the Deer Park fire road which was a grueling long climb (I would guess 2 miles), so we ran steady until we reached the monstrous hill. We walked it with sporadic jogging. Tina and I passed each other a few times. At this point my dream of running under ten hours was gone. I really wanted to beat my only other 100k time of 10:35 at Bandera.

We pushed on, hoping there were only a few miles left once we crested the hill. That did not seem to be the case… more trails before the final downhill. The descent down stairs made of cross ties was never-ending and took a toll on my quads. I seemed to be moving at a snail’s pace; Marko had fallen slightly behind me. He had no idea what type of terrain he had agreed to run in order to pace me. Topher caught back up to me as we neared the bottom of the decent. I could not stay with him on these tricky stairs.

I was so excited when I exited from the woods onto the pavement; I started sprinting to the finish, looking to catch Topher.

Unsuccessful, I ended up 14th overall, in a time of 10:39:19. Not bad for a difficult course. Dave Mackey won easily, as expected, but in a time of 9:14. This truly illustrates the difficulty of the course. Dave won Bandera 100k in January 2011 in a time of 8:16 so at least I am closing the gap. Poison oak is a force to be reckoned with on these trails. I am still suffering from it on my legs as I write this report ten days after the race.

Check out our annual Memorial Day paddling sale, at the Ocoee River Rock/Creek

2012-05-22T21:04:29Z

It’s that time again! This Memorial Day weekend, Rock/Creek will feature a huge sale on brands like Dagger Kayaks, Wavesport, Perception, Wilderness Systems, Bomber Gear, Naish International, Bic Sport and Boardworks at our Ocoee store. We’ll have 10% off all boats, 10% off all Stand-up Paddleboards (SUP) and 20% off all boating gear.

All Rock/Creek locations will be open Memorial Day Weekend, but only Rock/Creek Ocoee will be open on Memorial Day itself (Monday, May 28) with hours from 10am-6pm. Click here for directions to Rock/Creek’s Ocoee River store, or call 423-338-1075.

Official results + photos from the 2012 Rock/Creek Scenic City Trail Marathon

2012-05-22T13:25:02Z

This weekend, of course, was the 2012 Scenic City Trail Marathon! Of approximately 600 runners that toed the line on Saturday, an even 500 ultimately finished their respective races.

Johnny Clemons took home the overall win in impressive fashion, and his time of ~~3:43:27~~ 2:43:27 missed out on besting Dane Mitchell’s course record by a mere five seconds. He’s on an incredible tear right now — winning the 2011 Upchuck 50k, 2011 Lookout Mountain 50-miler, 2012 Mt Cheaha 50k and 2012 Georgia Jewel 50k — and, at this point, has to be the favorite for every trail race that he enters.

Female winner Meghan Lederer, meanwhile, turned in the second-fastest women’s time in race history, and we look forward to seeing her again next month when she competes in our 3-day Chattanooga Mountains Stage Race.

Perhaps overlooked in Johnny’s hunt for the course record is how well-contested the women’s marathon was this year; in all, 9 female runners finished in under 4 hours, five more than last year. Meghan’s win came against fierce competition like top women’s StumpJump 50k finisher Lindsay Beckner and podium regular Natalie Sims.

In the half marathon, Daniel Mueller returned and claimed his second consecutive win, despite running a few minutes slower than his 2011 pace. Meanwhile, female winner Annie Kelly, from Alpharatta, GA — all of 17 years old — bested her mother, Sue Kelly (who took top Master’s Female). Did we mention that Sue was the top women’s finisher in 2011? They must grow ‘em fast in Alpharetta.

Congratulations to all race finishers. We had runners from 21 states on hand, and one from Germany, many of whom were running in Tennessee for the first time.

Alright, we know most of you are here to view results and check out the race photos, and of course we’re happy to oblige.

Visit these links for final race results (we’re presenting these in both “overall” and “age group” formats):

    2012 Scenic City Trail Marathon results (26.2)
    or, view Trail Marathon results by age group
    2012 Scenic City Half Marathon results (13.1)
    or, view Half Marathon results by age group

Photos from the race are now available here:

    Photos by Rock/Creek’s Mark McKnight
    New: Photos by Jaimie Davis
    Photos by Rock/Creek’s Jeff Bartlett

The story everyone is asking about, of course, is that of the runner who collapsed on the half marathon course and required evacuation to a waiting ambulance. While we’d prefer not to list her name here, we’ve heard that she is feeling much better after a night in the hospital.

Special thanks, though, are due to the runners who stayed with her, called 911, offered assistance and went for help! Aline Bernard, the physician who was second female in the marathon at the time, forfeited her likely podium finish in case her CPR training was needed. Carrie Couch Lasseter, who happened to have her cellphone, called 911. Michelle Gardner and Chuck Smith also waited with her while our medical team and paramedics were en route.

The response of other runners in this event, we think, speaks volumes about the trail running community here in the southeast.

Rock/Creek racers put in a strong performance, punctuated by the 1-2 finish for Clemons and Daniel Hamilton in the trail marathon. R/C team members in the marathon also included Lance Steele (11th), John Wiygul (13th), Brian Costilow (14th), Chad Wamack (17th), Kevin Boucher (28th), Natalie Sims (3rd F), and Dreama Campbell (8th F); racers Tom Sell (9th, 2nd Master’s) and Elizabeth Callaway (4th F) competed in the half marathon.

Chattanooga local & fan favorite Sergio Bianchini, who is 71 years old, finished the 1/2 marathon in 1:55:26, good for 61st overall.

Please support our race sponsors:Rock/Creek, Salomon, Capital Toyota & Toyota of Cleveland, Collier Construction, The North Face, Get Out Chattanooga, SmartWool, Patagonia, Hammer Nutrition, Greenlife Grocery, Suunto, Outdoor Research, Chattanooga YMCA, Blue Smoke Coffee, John O’Brien and, of course, Wild Trails make this race what it is. Thanks are also due to TVA and SORBA-Chattanooga for letting us use this excellent trail system.

Hooked? Follow this link to view the Salomon Rock/Creek Trail Series race calendar and sign up for the remaining 2012 events.

Photos from a “First Sunday” R/C flatwater paddling trip

2012-05-15T19:29:38Z

Article by Samantha Christen

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Instructions for entering the 2012 5.10 Days of May (UPDATED DAILY)

2012-05-11T19:47:02Z

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

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

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

Rock/Creek racer Owen Bradley tests out some duck tape at the Ouachita 50k

2012-04-27T21:40:13Z

Here is Owen Bradley’s take on the Ouachita 50k in Arkansas. Hope the ankle heals up fast, O!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rock/Creek Race Team member Nick Lewis sets new CR for Ouachita 50-mile trail race

2012-04-25T14:42:08Z

Nick Lewis, one of our newest team members, crushes 50-milers. Here’s the latest piece of evidence, as told by Nick! Photo provided courtesy of arkansasoutside.com.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rock/Creek and Wild Trails take steps to combat climber impact at Stone Fort (LRC)

2012-04-20T19:08:10Z

Saturday, March 17: Stone Fort trail day

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

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

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

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

View the complete study here.

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

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

Anyway, on to the Trail Day:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

One more take on the GA Jewel (the 100k this time), from R/C racer Brian Costilow

2012-04-18T18:42:08Z

This is Brian Costilow’s first race report for Rock/Creek… and it’s hilarious! Well worth the read.

–
Georgia Jewel 100k

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Also of note:

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

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

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

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

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

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