Running Around

Yeah, I missed another month.  (I will not even talk about computer woes.)

I’ll try to keep it under a week from now on. I also missed a month of any long runs, except of course Big Butt. I ran (jogged) it then got busy with life.

However, during the month I have been Chicago (where I ran every day) for the birth of my first grandson (to go with my three adorable grandaughters). I spent lots of time with his sister and took long walks (with some speedwork) with the wagon, and my first runs with a jog stroller (with the sister, not the new grandson).  The jog stroller was good practice in case I ever do a self supported journey run. (More on that later.)

I also did a Seat-Time with son Jon, where I ran neither day, although I was on my feet 13 hours each day which is training of another sort altogether. Training perhaps for Hinson Lake, which I have written about before, and will again. Training for the National Championship 24 Hour in Texas, which I have written about before, and hopefully will again if transportation details can be worked out since it once again begins (1000 miles away) the day after a Seat-Time event.

Oh yeah, I also decided in the last month to give the Across The Years 72 Hour event another try. I imagine I’ll write about that as well. Now, though, I have to go run.

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I have been working to get ready to run the Big Butt 50 kilometer on July 19th. The race is being held for the 14th year. I’ve run maybe 5-6 of them, frequently having other races to run and places to be.

Claude Sinclair, who has been race directing in the Lancaster area for about 30 years (I believe he hosted the first ever women’s only race in SC) still puts on several ultras each year. The Crowders Mountain race in NC I co-direct was started by Claude. Big Butt and other endeavors by Claude can be found at http://www.claudesinclair.com/ 

All of this brings me to the fact that Claude is worried about the future of the Big Butt. Only 13 runners have signed up for the race, a week before it is to be held. I had not even looked at the entry form, which had an early cut off of July 4th, until today (but I am a slacker). He shared recently: 

“This year only 13 runners are registered and that will spell the doom of this race.  Sure gas is high and that may be a reason for the low registration but I doubt it.  What surprises me is that many of the SC ultra runners will seek out the larger events while neglecting the local events.  The Big Butt has everything that the larger events have with the exception of a very high entry and the larger numbers.  What is surprising is that most of the registrations are far beyond 150 miles.  Anyway, this will be the last Big Butt 50 K ultra in SC.” 

I plan on running. I hope others show up as well.

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Results are up. 63 runners actually ran the entire 32 ish miles in the heat. I heard a couple were in such a hurry they did not stop for a swim. Their loss.

http://ultrasontrails.com/ChattoogaResults2008.html

Hmmm… Wonder where we can run this weekend?

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My but it has been a long time since I’ve put fingers to keyboard to post anything here. So much running so little time. I could do a catch up, but won’t.  I will tell of a race run on Sunday 6/8/08 that was an enjoyable experience. Terri Hayes continues her one woman (with the help of many wonderful volunteers) crusade to bring ultra running to South Carolina.

On Sunday she hosted the third of a four race series. http://ultrasontrails.com/index.html I think 100 or more runners may have signed up. A number in the seventies showed up, in spite of warnings of expected heat in the 90s.

Most of the runners finished. Many of us took a swim (or two) in the river. A few of the runners took scenic detours (we seldom use the words “got lost”) I know that the off course excursion my group took, right after a swim) we were not lost; we were merely on the wrong trail. A short deviation from where we were headed to where we were supposed to be quickly (1/2 hour lost time) put us back aimed at the finish line. 

I’ll have results and the like later, but just wanted everyone to know we are still out there.

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After not writing about several races I have run, it is time to write about one I co-directed along with Sam Baucom of Charlotte. 

Crowders Mountain 50 Kilometer proved as exciting in 2008 as the 2007 version had been.  While we did not have a female as the overall winner we did have great races, at least for a while for both the men and women.  At the end of the first loop only 3:18 separated the top two men while the first two women were within 4:53.  Tim Long pulled out to an 8:06 lead by the end of the second loop, then thinking the course record was possible put the hammer down in the heat to win in 4:22:30 over  Trey Barnes second place 4:52:28.  As fast as that Long he missed the record of 4:21:04  by 1:26, but beat the previous second best time of  4:22:55 by 25 seconds.The women separated a bit more on the second loop where Lisa Arnold, feeling the effects of the heat called it a day. This left Denise Davis the woman’s winner in 6:54:04.Twenty-two runners signed up for the event, 19 started, and sixteen finished.Of note was Long’s slowdown of 5:51, and 5:42, which was pretty good in the heat. He was outdone, however, by third place Richard Lilly who slowed by only 2:09 and 2:25 in recording his 4:57:28 finish. Also notable were Leon Harmon, and Tom Gabell who each ran a lap faster than their previous onbe during the competition. 

Name                      Loop 1     Loop 2     (split)      FINISH   (split) 

1.  Tim Long          1:21:42     2:49:15  (1:27:33)    4:22:30    (1:33:15) 

2.  Trey Barnes       1:25:00    2:57:21   (1:32:21)    4:52:28    (1:55:07) 

3.  Richard Lilly      1:36:55   3:15:59   (1:39:04)    4:57:28    (1:41:29) 

4.  Scot Hayward     1:38:16   3:27:06   (1:48:50)    5:34:34    (2:07:28) 

5.  Bill Jordan          1:38:15   3:30:35    (1:52:20)   5:45:21    (2:14:46) 

6.  Tyler Peek          1:52:25   3:54:14    (2:01:49)   6:13:47    (2:19:33) 

7.  Jonathan Savage 1:47:57   4:00:37    (2:12:20)   6:16:06    (2:15:29) 

8.  Denise Davis       1:52:39   4:14:48    (2:22:09)   6:54:04    (2:39:16) 

9. Gordon Roznik    2:04:36   4:19:25    (2:14:49)   7:07:00   (2:47:35) 

10. Tom Gabell         2:13:58   4:18:48    (2:04:50)#  7:12:26   (2:53:38) 

11. Susan Dumar       2:18:36   4:48:19    (2:29:43)    7:33:13   (2:44:54) 

12. Fred Dummar       2:18:36   4:48:08    (2:29:32)   7:33:14   (2:45:06) 

13. Nathan Steadman 2:00:16   4:41:13    (2:40:57)   7:47:56   (3:06:43) 

14.  Leon Harmon      1:55:03   4:24:04    (2:29:01)   7:49:27    (3:25:23)

15. Keith Wood          2:18:51   4:53:13    (2:34:22)   7:53:35   (3:00:22) 

16. Don Jans               2:49:46   6:06:41    (3:16:55)   9:53:11   (3:46:30) 

*    Chris Cowart        1:38:21   3:47:14     ( 2:08:53)  Stopped at 2 loops 

**  Lisa Arnold           1:57:32   4:57:00    ( 2:59:28)  Stopped at 2 loops 

*** Doug Dawkins      2:27:26   5:29:58    ( 3:02:32)  Stopped at 2 loops 

# Ran the lap faster than the previous one.

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Over 50 runners will run 50 kilometers in Harbinson Forest on Sunday March 13th.  This would be a great opportunity for people to come out and enjoy the forest while watching parts of one of the few ultramarathons in South Carolina.

The runners come from all over the southeast.

http://www.ultrasontrails.com/HarbisonList.html

Go out to the park and cheer them on.

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There are going to be new ultramarathons in South Carolina.  For several years after the demise of races hosted by Alex Morton in the Charleston area the only South Carolina ultra was the long standing Big Butt 50K hosted by Claude Sinclair in Lancaster each year. Last year that changed.

Terri Hayes moved to the Aiken area, and hosted a 50 kilometer run on the horsetrails there. The following year, however, the caretakers of the trails decided they did not want runners where horses tred, or something like that, so Ms. Hayes was left without a venue.  Not one to give up easilly she found 4 sites, and the SC Ultra trail series is being born.

http://my.att.net/p/s/community.dll?ep=16&groupid=369318&ck=

The first run in this series is at Harbison Forest on April 13th.  

http://my.att.net/p/s/community.dll?ep=87&subpageid=308058&ck=

That is close enough for many of the readers of the State, and this blog to come out and watch. Since the run is two loops of a 15.8 mile loop the best way to watch is to walk a loop, or portion of a loop in a reverse direction from the runners. That way the whole field can be observed, many of them twice.

Yeah, SC with its own ultra series. What will they think of next.

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What did you guys do with February?

I know February is a short month (at least the days got longer-the daylight portion that is) but I looked up and it was gone.  It even had an extra day, and I still missed it.

I did run lots of miles in February, watched a race in Lexington, and left for an ultra in New York. I believe that was what I did with the extra day.  By the time I got to run the race it was already March 2.

There are some races on the calendar though. Yep, spring has sprung with a wide assortment of road races, local, statewide, and afar.  5K races, 10K races, an assortment of marathons and ultras, more than enough running to go around.

That is the task now, to find a race or few and go run. Otherwise all of that training in February will have been wasted.

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I’ve been training lately, yeah it’s a tough job but somebody has to do it.  Mileage is up, weight is down, and I’ve done two speedwork sessions in the past week.  I even ran a 50 kilometer “race” a week and a half ago as a “training run”. 

I’m looking for a long run this weekend, and debating a drive to Tybee Island Georgia for the marathon there. I have always heard it is a good event, but have not run it, so perhaps this weekend.

There is also a ten mile event in Columbia on Sunday afternoon at 2:30, long enough before the Super Bowl to get the run in, and still see the game.

Those looking for a shorter run can try Rock Hill where there is a 5 kilometer Saturday morning.  Yeah, lots of opportunity to put training to use in the next weeks and months. I’m training for something specific myself, but I’ll tell you more about that later.

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Wow, it has been a month since I last posted to this blog. I guess the holidays are a busy time.  I have run two ultras in that time, trained a lot of (but not enough) miles, and lost a little (but not enough) weight. Where is Cindy with Shrinkdown Central when you need her? Last Saturday (the 12th) I watched a 10 kilometer race in Columbia. 

 The Red Nose Run was well organized and attended, 126 runners finished the event.  There was a companion 5 kilometer run that another 167 runners finished. Results are at:

 http://www.strictlyrunning.com/results/08RNR.txt

In addition to these runs there was a one mile children’s run. That means all together over 300 people participated in the event. The runs also served as a fundraiser for Ronald McDonald house. Ronald was there, as were several clowns from Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus. Joe Pinner even showed up to MC the awards ceremony.Yeah, people are still running in and around Columbia.

I guess I should pay more attention.

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