The Great Smoky Mountains

A few days ago I returned from a hiking trip to the Great Smoky Mountains (aka "GSM") in Tennessee.  Three friends (Tom, Jeff, and Gregg) and I decided to take a break from work and have an extended weekend where we'd get in some serious hikes.  We are all regular trail runners so a few days of hiking in the mountains sounded doable and would be a nice change of pace for us flatlanders from central Illinois.  I figured the elevation gains woulds help get me ready for the Canadian Death Race in late July.  Hard to find mountains in Illinois!  Our "home away from home" was a cabin in the woods just outside of Townsend, TN (picture at top left).  The cabin turned out to be very nice.  I slept in the loft which was open to the rest of the cabin, but still fairly private. Every morning around 4am, I'd make coffee and sit on the front porch waiting for my sleepy friends to awake.  After a quick breakfast, we'd head out to the trail head for the planned hike.

Our main hikes:

• Charlies Bunion
• Mount LeConte
• Rocky Top & Thunderhead Mountain
• Chestnut Top

Jeff vacations here on a fairly regular basis so he plotted out what he thought would be scenic and challenging hikes ranging from 8-21 miles each.  Well, he was certainly correct about the scenery--we had gorgeous views of trees and the surrounding countryside.  I'm not so sure about the "challenging" nature of the trails.  While officially tagged as moderate to difficult, that designation is obviously for the casual hiker.  We are tough trail runners and experienced ultra aficionados. A gain of 5,000 feet over 10 miles is not that difficult...especially when the trails are well-groomed and nicely marked.  I enjoyed every hike, but none were very hard.  I have now renamed the "Great Smoky Mountains" as "The Great Mole Hills."  I may be spoiled from the mountains of New Mexico and California...these Tennessee "titans" were rarely above 6,000 feet!   Is that all you got GSM?  Can't you do better than that?  I'm a Louisiana boy and these suckers were a breeze.  Beautiful, but fairly easy for hiking. In the photo above and right, you can see my comrades taking a rest break for water, snacks, and some pictures. Were they tired?  Maybe they were just looking for beer?

Enough complaining on my part...the trip was extremely fun and I did get in some excellent base aerobic work with a good dose of hill climbing.  While my compatriots were huffing & puffing during several extended climbs, I was enjoying the leisurely pace while eating Clif bars and taking pictures.  The whole experience gave me a renewed sense of confidence in my current training and conditioning.  I'm not quite the aerobic monster I want to be...but I am getting there!  A couple of months of higher base mileage with judicious additions of tempo runs and uphill treadmill running and I'll be ready for the Death Race.  The Gnaw Bone 50K on May 15 will be my first real test of my abilities.  It'll be here soon and I'm feeling good. 

My favorite aspect of the whole trip was seeing parts of the Appalachian Trail.  Two of our hikes brought us to sections of the famed trail.  To the left is Gregg running down a portion of the AT.  Since we were there in late April, we ran into many AT through hikers that had started at Springer Mountain in Georgia in early April and were headed to Mount Katahdin in Maine...a total trip distance of 2178 miles!  Those are some serious adventurers.  It was awesome to be able to stop and chat with 25-30 of these fine hikers who'll be on the trail for 5-6 months.  While the entire trail never gets that high (highest point of the AT is Clingmans Dome on the border of TN and NC at 6,643 feet), it goes up and down a LOT and ends up with a total elevation CHANGE of 475,000 feet.  That's impressive.  Plus, some sections of the AT are fairly technical and filled with rocks and roots.  I'd like to hike other sections of the AT.  I doubt I'll ever try for a full through hike...or even section hike the entire trail, but I'd certainly like to try a few other parts. I felt humbled and honored to be on the AT. 

I knew this trip would teach me a few things.  Here are a few lessons learned about myself and my running:

1. I need to practice running with my running backpack (GoLite Rush pack).  My shoulders would ache after a 20 mile hike with a full running pack--water, food, clothes, supplies--that load adds up quickly.  Unfortunately, I'll need that full pack at the Canadian Death Race.

2. When taking pictures, make sure the settings are correct.  I had too many photos with the focus on the foreground rather than the background mountains which were my main target.

3. Vegetarian food is less available the farther you get from civilization.  Small rural towns are not veggie-friendly.  How do you "run out of" veggie burgers if they are on your menu?

4. My friends are in good shape...I'm in better shape. I doubt a couch potato could do the hikes we did.  While I might make fun of the "mountains" we hiked, there was a significant amount of elevation change and climbing.  I'm proud of myself and my fellow hikers.  We did alright!

5. I'm a runner, not a hiker.  When David Horton ran the full Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), he didn't walk it with a huge backpack...he ran it with a small pack and crew to resupply him along the way.  He's a runner. That's why the DVD documenting his PCT adventure is called "The Runner."  Very cool DVD.  I respect hikers, but I'm a runner.

6. I learned to have patience and accept what the trail and friends allow.  If the trail is rocky and full of roots...slow down and enjoy it.  If my friends are going slowly, hang with them and enjoy their companionship. I often get frustrated with slower runners and trails that prevent real running (too muddy, rocky, rooty, steep, etc).  I'm getting better at "going with the flow." 

My summary of the trip: it was a wonderful few days spent with great friends in the very picturesque Smoky Mountains.  Still, is that all you got GSM?  Bring on CDR (Canadian Death Race)!  I plan on taking both digital pictures and video at CDR.

NOTE:  For those that are interested in seeing more pictures from this trip, click here for a link to my Picasa photo site.

Howl at The Moon 8-Hour Registration Open

For those that are interested in running one of the best and biggest timed events in the country, Howl at The Moon 8-Hour Run & Walk registration is open and already more than 25% full.  It's only been open since the weekend, so it may fill the 250 spots in record time!  Sign up now if you want to run or walk on August 14 in Danville, IL at Kennekuk Cove County Park.

Registration link and race information on the Kennekuk Road Runner web site. This is the 20th anniversary of the event.  It will be my 10th Howl at the Moon.  I love the Howl!

Here is my Howl at the Moon race report from 2009.

Sandy Memorial Run

This afternoon I head out with some friends to the Smoky Mountains.  We'll hike 20+ miles each day and return on Monday night.  It should be fun.  But I have "business" to finish before I leave this afternoon...today is the anniversary of my sister Sandy's death.  It's been 4 years.  I still miss her a lot.  Each Earth Day (that's today) I have committed to doing a memorial run in her honor.  Last year I ran 47 miles (she was 47 when she passed away)...this year I'm planning on 47 kilometers.  Sorry sis, I don't think I can get in a full 47 miles before I leave.  Hopefully 47 kilometers (29.2) miles will suffice.  But I'll be thinking of you as I hike down in Tennessee over the next few days.

Like last year, I'll also donate $47 to the local humane society in Sandy's name.  She loved the outdoors and animals.  Seems like running 47 km on local trails and donating to the nearby animal shelter is a good way to remember my sister.  Over the next few days I'll be getting in a bunch of great hiking in the Smoky Mountains...she would have liked that too.  After each long hike, I'll raise a few beers in her memory.  Hiking and drinking...I think Sandy would approve...as long as they were good beers and hikes through beautiful country.

You too should get out on this Earth Day and celebrate life.  Be thankful for your good health.  Enjoy a nice trail run.  Recycle, reuse, and reduce your impact on Mother Earth.  You know the drill.

I'll post a quick update on how the day went when I return.  I hope to have the 47K done before lunch. 

UPDATE:  I'm done. Ran 47K in 5:43.  Not too bad.  It was a wonderful morning on the trails. 

Devil's Training Plan

With the moon walk competition going on, I'm trying to increase my mileage and I need a little extra structure to ensure I accumulate steady miles every single day.  So, I have adopted a plan I have used in the past--it's called the "Devil's Training Plan."  I run 6 miles at 6am and 6pm.  That simplifies to 666 (6 miles, 6am, 6pm).  Get it...666, the number of the beast?  Anyway, it actually seems pretty doable.  Everyone can run an easy 6 miles, right?  Do that twice a day and the plan is in effect!  If I keep with this plan, I'll have 12 miles per day which translates into 84 miles of running per week.  That ain't bad!  The problem is committing to this every single day so I actually have that full weekly mileage.  I've tried this in the past and it didn't last long. 

The moon run rules count "miles run" at 1.5--which means my 84 miles per week will count as 126 miles.  Now we are accumulating serious miles!  Add in my "walking around work" pedometer steps (about 3-5 miles per day), and I have around 150 MILES PER WEEK for the moon walk event.  Sweet.  Of course, with any training plan, the devil is in the details.  I can run very slow every day, or mix in some tempo or interval sessions.  For the next two months, my ONLY concern is steady accumulation of miles.  With two runs per day, I plan on running 13 runs each week in my aerobic zone, with one tempo session for variety.  I'm already loading my iPod with plenty of devil music: AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Ozzy Osbourne, Judas Priest, Metallica, etc.  This could be fun.

What do you think?  Can the devil's training plan work for me?  Will I stick to this through June 11 (end of the moon walk)?  If this 666 "Devil's Plan" works, I may need to ramp it up a bit for the Canadian Death Race.  How about 766 (7 miles at 6am and 6pm)?  Doesn't have the same power of alliteration, eh? Although 14 miles per day would get me 98 for each week...that's close to one of my dreams...the 100 mile training week.  Hmmm....

Moon Walk 2010 Begins!

This Moon Walk event starts today.  It's coordinated by the University of Illinois Extension.  Last year I pledged to never do it again, but then the buffalo runners invited me to be on a team...and how can you tell a bunch of running friends "No"?  My pissed-off and depressed blog post after last year's event can be found here.  This year will be different.  This year I won't get beaten by cheaters.  This year I'll increase my running mileage, use a pedometer while at work, and really kick this tracking of miles thing into high gear!  I have several ultramarathons during the event time period (April 16-June 11), plus I have a hiking trip to the Smoky Mountains where we'll be hiking 20-30 miles each day on rough hilly terrain (those miles count double).  These several weeks of increased mileage should get me prepared for the Canadian Death Race.  Once the first miles are logged, you can continually check progress here.  We are Team Buffalo!  You'll find us at the top of the rankings...I hope.

And Then There Were 18

After two of the four Illinois Trail Ultra Grand Slam races, we only have 18 survivors!  I guess Clinton Lake and McNaughton Park two weeks apart really beat people up.  Good job to those 18 runners who stuck it out at McNaughton and finished either the 50 miler or 100 miler.  Check out the updated i-TUGS standings.  Let me know if I got something wrong.  The current female and male leaders are Ellen Erhardt and John Cash.  They each have a nice lead, but things can change quickly...maybe Ellen or John won't be at Rock Cut Hobo in September?  This may be the last year of the Slam, so I hope to have the best awards ever--both for the champions and the participants.  I hope to see all of you at Hobo (Sept 19) and Farmdale (Oct 9).

NOTE:  Those that DNFd the 100 miler at McNaughton, but still finished at least 50 miles, are NOT included in the MP race results and are thus not part of the i-TUGS.  Sorry. 

Old School Ultramarathoning

I had a great time this weekend volunteering at the Heaven's Gate aid station (coordinated by the Champaign, IL Buffalo runners)  at the McNaughton Park ultra.  I was out there from about 6am to 10pm on Saturday (race goes until Sunday afternoon).  When you are volunteering for 12+ hours, you really get a chance to see how the distance affects runners.  Those that looked great after 10 miles, start to look like zombies after 40 miles in the warm sun.  Yet those that looked a bit ragged after just 20 miles, get a new lease on life and finish strong.  Interesting characters too.  Heaven's Gate aid station is hit twice on each 10-mile loop at McNaughton Park.  You get to see the 50 milers 10 times...and the 100 mile finishers 20 times!  I loved watching runners come in, fill their water bottles, and peruse the "buffet" at the aid station.  Chips?  Pretzels?  Cookies?  M&Ms?  PB&J?  Soup?  Almost too many choices for the tired mind to process.  As the day progressed, more and more runners just stopped and starred at the food tables.  "What can I get you?"  "I don't know."  "How you feeling?"  "I'm  not sure."  "Looking good!"  "Yeah, right."  Persistence pays off--those runners that keep putting one foot in front of the other make slow and steady progress and eventually cross the finish line.  Those that succumb to the fatigue and let their minds wander and make excuses...they fail and end up with DNFs.  Pretty simple.

Results of the 50 and 100 mile races, including race splits, can be found at the McNaughton Park web site.  Soon, I'll update the IL Grand Slam standings.  McNaughton is the second of the four slam races.  If you finished Clinton Lake and McNaughton Park, you've knocked off the two hardest races in the slam.  Take it easy this summer and come back for the two fall races, Rock Cut Hobo and Farmdale. 

Anyway, this was my first time as an MP100 volunteer.  I usually run the event and volunteering gave me a renewed appreciation of the ultramarathon world.  Ultra runners are great people accomplishing epic tasks.  Rarely do you come across a runner that is disrespectful to others...and certainly not to the volunteers.  There are occasional exceptions, but overall, ultrarunners are humble and polite.  And a bit eccentric. Some claim to see snakes, unicorns, and trolls, while others request a new set of legs, ice cream sundaes, or a foot massage.  Good people.  Not sure what my plans will be in April 2011, but I sure expect them to include either running or volunteering at McNaughton Park.

For those that want to look back in time and experience old school ultrarunning, you should check out the archived first edition of Ultrarunning Magazine (May 1981).  If you don't subscribe to this fine magazine (recent cover photo at top left), you should!  Who doesn't run an ultra race and look forward to reading the race report and seeing your name in print as a finisher?  Where else can you start tracking your real (& imaginary) competitors?  That dude keeps showing up in results 2 spots ahead of me...not next time bro!

McNaughton Park Volunteering

Over the last several years, I have always been a runner at Pekin's McNaughton Park trail races--sometimes the 50K (remember when they had that distance?), sometimes the 30 miler...but most often the 100 miler.  This year I am a volunteer.  I plan on being at the race start to chat with runners and see them head down that first hill, then I'll hoof over to Heaven's Gate (using the backwards short-cut route) and volunteer at that aid station all day Saturday and most of Saturday night.  The weather is supposed to be great and I look forward to helping out at this race that has brought me so much pleasure...and tons of pain too!  Good luck to all the runners.  I almost wish I was running the 100 miler again...the course is in good shape and the weather will be wonderful---not too hot and not too cold with NO RAIN.  Can I sign up on race morning...NOT.  As a volunteer, it'll be fun to see all the runners...hopefully a few from Clinton Lake that are trying for the full Illinois Trail Ultra Grand Slam. After McNaughton Park, you get the summer off and then only need to run Rock Cut Hobo and Farmdale in the fall.

New Blog Name?

Now that I'm retired from race directing, I think this "Clinton Lake Ultra" blog needs a new name.  It'll keep the same URL and still focus around my thoughts and experiences regarding running. I'm tentatively going with "Chris' Ultra Blog"...for now.  If you have better ideas for a title, let me know.