I’ve been running in the Dirty Spokes Productions trail races for the past two years and they are some of the best trail races I have ever run.  They always offer distances that any type of runner can participate in, have a competitive field of avid trail runners, and are well run trail running races.  The Georgia State Championship Trail Running Race is coming soon so start training.

From the Race Director Tim:

Coming soon is the Georgia State 8.5 Mile Championship Trail Running Race, Tribble Mill Park, Gwinnett Co., October 23rd, 2010! That´s right the official state championship trail running race brought to you by Dirty Spokes Productions!  Here´s your opportunity to find out who´s the best trail runner in the state of Georgia!  We will crown the overall male and female winners on October 23, 2010 – CASH PAYOUT!  We will be giving away $300 1st Place Male, $200 2nd Place Male, $100 3rd Place Male / $300 1st Place Female, $200 2nd Place Female, $100 3rd Place Female that is the top 3 overall finishers (as well as hand out medals to the top 3 finishers in each age category)! We will also be giving away Sweet Custom Embroidered Running           Jackets (Georgia State Champions – Custom Embroidered) to our Overall top 3 male ⁄ 3 female finishers.  Each runner who finishes out top 3 in their category will receive a “free entry” to the XTERRA Georgia Victoria Bryant 10K Trail Running Race, December 4th, 2010 (you must mail these in and we must receive these by November 15th, 2010 to take advantage of the free entry).

What are the qualifications to enter the Georgia State Championship Trail Running Race? None. You don´t have to have run any previous races or have to enter any times to us from any previous races to qualify (you don’t have to be a member of any club or group either). Do you need to be from the state of Georgia to qualify? No, if you live in another state but think you can hold the title in Georgia, not a problem. If you want to compete – come on out!

Each participant will receive a “Dri-Fit” shirt as well as our custom “Georgia State Championship Trail Race Socks” $35.00 value – race registration $40.00 (no guarantee of a dri-fit shirt or custom socks with late or race day registration)!

We will also have FREE PIZZA after the race for all participants from Cooleys Pizza!

Directions To The Park:
Tribble Mill Park
2125 Tribble Mill Pkwy
Lawrenceville – GA, 30045

ENTRY FEES (We will be taking race day registrations):
* Again, NO GUARANTEE of a Green Layer Dri Fit Shirt or Custom Socks with late or race day registration (we will not mail shirts or medals, you must pick them up).

TIMING:
We will be doing chip timing RFID Timing System (each participant will receive their own timing chip at the registration table 10/23/10 – your timing chip will correspond to your name and bib number.  At the end of the race we will collect your timing chip back (after you cross the finish line).  If for some reason you are unable to finish the event we will still need to collect your timing chip (you will be billed $35.00 for any chip lost or not returned).  Once you have started the race you may not change categories (distances).

PACKET PICKUP:
Packet pickup will be the morning of the race starting at 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. Race starts at 8:30 a.m SHARP!

Race Course:
This 8.5 mile race course has a little bit of everything! This is one of the toughest trail running courses we have put together!  The race will start in an open field and quickly narrow down to a double track trail… the first .9 of a mile is back and forth uphill (double track) once you get to the top of the hill you will cross a gravel road and quickly start back down (still double track).  Then you start to hit the single track sections and once you get there you will find this course / terrain is made up of a little bit of everything!  The terrain is rolling hills, steep hills, single track, double track, granite rock outcroppings along with technical sections (tight and twisty along with rocks and roots) along with two shallow creek crossings.  We are calling it the Georgia State Championship Trail Running Race for a reason (bring your “A Game”)!  We will have the GPS Data listed on our site as soon as it is finalized…

So check it out, maybe win some money and run with the elite trail runners of Georgia!

Note:  Pictures above are not from this particular trail race but another Dirty Spokes Productions trail race.

How are you going to celebrate National Trail Running Day this Saturday, August 21st?  One way could be to run an ultra.  What, you haven’t trained?  Well, if you don’t want to run an ultra then maybe you should try being a spectator at one.

A good ultramarathon is the Where’s Waldo 100k which is set to have a loaded field this weekend.  The men’s lineup includes Colorado’s Scott Jaime and 2009 Montrail Ultra Cup winner Victor Ballesteros; women’s race features Big Horn 100 winner Ashley Nordell and 2010 Montrail Ultra Cup Champion Meghan Arbogast, both of Oregon.

Some of the nation’s fastest ultrarunners are headed to Willamette Pass Ski Area on Saturday, Aug. 21, 2010, for Where’s Waldo 100k, a challenging 62-mile race that takes place mostly on single-track trails southeast of Eugene, Ore. The event kicks off the 2010-2011 Montrail Ultra Cup race series, and the top two male and female finishers will earn automatic entry spots into the 2011 Western States 100.

“We have a great field of runners, hailing from the Northwest and beyond,” said co-founder and co-race director Craig Thornley, “The race continues to draw both competitive athletes and recreational ultrarunners, not to mention a dedicated army of 150 volunteers who help make the event a reality.”

Now in its ninth year, Where’s Waldo is a fundraiser for the Willamette Pass Ski Patrol and is named after nearby Waldo Lake and the ski run that shares its name. The race is funded in part with room tax funds from the city of Oakridge, Oakridge/Westfir Area Chamber of Commerce and Lane County. Race sponsor Sunsweet Growers is providing 100 percent of the prize money, which is awarded to first and second place finishers in the open and masters categories. The first place male and female finishers will each earn $500.

All told, 125 runners will toe the line starting at 5 a.m. (3 a.m. for early starters) at Willamette Pass. Their journey will take them over three major climbs of more than 2,000 feet each for a total of 11,000 feet of elevation gain and an equal amount of loss.

This year’s men’s field features Scott Jaime, 40, winner of this year’s Zane Grey 50 mile race and Pocatello 50 mile race; Victor Ballesteros, 40, winner of the 2009 Montrail Ultra Cup; Aaron Heidt, 34, 2009 Chuckanut 50k champion; Mark Lantz, 45, 2009 Where’s Waldo masters winner; and Dan Olmstead, 38, winner of the 2008 MacDonald Forest 50k. John Robertson, 36, a 13-time Ironman finisher, will also be taking on the challenge.

The women’s race includes Ashley Nordell, 30, winner of this year’s Big Horn 100; Meghan Arbogast, 2010 Montrail Ultra Cup champion and recent White River 50 winner; Jenny Capel, 2009 Montrail Ultra Cup winner; and Amy Sproston, 2010 S.O.B. 50k winner.

The Where’s Waldo 100K Ultramarathon is a challenging 100K loop-type course starting at Willamette Pass Ski Area (70 miles east of Eugene, Oregon) at elevation 5,120 feet, climbing up several mountains including Fuji, The Twins, and Maiden Peak before returning to the ski area. The route is 97% single-track trails with some fairly remote sections and has many incredible views of pristine Waldo Lake.

Check it out and watch some serious trail running on National Trail Running Day!  What a great way to celebrate!

This is the last installment from Hawaiian Shirt Ray on SeriousRunning.com.  If you like what you read, check out his blog, Hawaiian Shirt Ray – Ordinary People Doing Extraordinary Things:

Leadville Trail 100 Training Camp Day 3 “The Night Run”

"The Night Run" climbing out of Twin Lakes

Leadville Trail 100 Training camp Day 3 is “The Night Run.”  Camp participants have the entire day to explore all the outdoor activities that Leadville has to offer.  For me, I spent the day fly fishing and it was a good day for the fish.  The first time I attended the Leadville Trail 100 Training Camp I did not participate in the night run because I thought I knew all of the trails.  I regretted my choice the night of the race because I felt lost at night, did not know what was ahead, or how far it was to the next aid station.  For me it was mentally tough running from Twin Lakes to Treeline.  Then for last year’s Leadville Trail 100 race the course was changed and it was difficult running the new section for the same reasons.

Twin Lakes to Tree Line

The sun setting the evening of "The Night Run"

The camp participants meet late in the evening at the Leadville Trail 100 Headquarters and were bused to Twin Lakes.  By the time we started the sun was down and it was dark enough that we needed our headlamps.  Runners left Twin Lakes and climbed uphill for about an hour of hiking before the trail is even worth putting the effort into running.  The runners ran on the Colorado Trail and then turn off into Boxcar Gulch.  Technically this section is not tough, but it is nice to be able to familiarize yourself with how the trail feels running it during the night.  Runners were having a lot fun during this section and I could hear all sorts of “interesting” sounds from one group (I’ll call them the “fun Group”).  They were making me laugh with their monkey, pig, and other strange sounds they were making.  The Tree Line aid station was stocked with burritos, hot cocoa, and beer.  I can still hear the pig noises of the “fun group” coming into the aid station.  Bottom line is that the night run is just plain fun!

Next:  The Leadville Trail 100

After camp I feel that I am ready to achieve my goal of running a sub 25 hour Leadville Trail 100 race.  I also know that even if my game plan goes bad, I know that I will still cross the finish line in under 30 hours.  For me, this is what the Leadville Trail 100 Camp is all about; re-familiarize myself with the course and to mentally prepare myself to know that I will finish the race no matter what challenges lay ahead.

Photos by:  Francisco Moreno

Hawaiian Shirt Ray continues on Day 2 of the Leadville Trail 100 training camp:

Winfield to Twin Lakes (Inbound)

Leaving Winfield during the race is a great feeling knowing that distance-wise (not time-wise) you are halfway done and now returning to Leadville.  It feels like progress is being made.  For the most part, this section is downhill to the base of the Hope Pass Trailhead.  Now the real fun starts because the climb inbound over Hope Pass is a grind all the way up to the tree line.  During training camp there are a few “runable” sections, but during the actual race I have never been able to “run” them.  So, during training camp I tried my best to simulate my race day pace and I walked the entire section of the inbound climb to the top of Hope Pass.

Once cresting over the top and running past where the Hopeless Aid Station will be, runners should be cautious through this section because it always seems to be wet and sloppy all year long.  I suggest that runners take their time through this short section before running down Hope Pass.  After that section it is runable all the way down to the bottom.  However, during training camp the runners do not run all the way to the bottom, rather they return on the trail groing back to the Parry Peak Campground.  Again, the point at where the actual race course continues down is at the rusty sign.  I say this again to let the runners at the training camp know that during race day it will be different and they will need to realize that they must keep running downhill and not turn as they did in training camp.

Talking with Fellow Ledville Training Camp Runners

I spoke with many fist time ultra 100 runners and veterans of other 100 mile ultra trail runs and the general consensus of the Double Crossing was “that was a lot harder than I imagined it was going to be.”  The training camp is a great opportunity to test where you are at in your training and what you areas that you will need to work on.  One runner I spoke to is putting in about 90 miles per week and realized that she needs to change his training to include power hiking.  Another runner mentioned that she realized that she needed to incorporate a lot more downhill running into her training program otherwise her quads will be “blown-out” early into the race.  Although I will not be running this weekend I will be taking Simon (my pup) into the high country around Leadville and climbing some 14,000 foot peaks (aka 14ers) just to get my power hiking muscles in shape and to get used to the altitude of Leadville.

Dinner and the Q&A with the Panel of Experts

For me the Q&A session during my first Leadville Trail 100 Trianing Camp theree years ago was the most important part.  Although getting familiar with the course was very important, I left the the Q&A session with the feeling that “I CAN DO THIS!”  It lifted the veil to so many unknowns on what to expect on race day.

Founder and President Ken Chlouber and Race Director Merilee Mauqin

One of the best parts for me was when the panel discussed how to get from aid staiton to aid station outbound and inbound.  They shared their experiences of their highs and lows, and what to expect during each section.  They also mentally prepare you to dig deep.  They give you the encouragement that when you are physically spent and mentally finished that you should go to the well one more time to see if there is anything left.  Beacuse, if you look deep inside yourself you will find that there is still something there.  Do NOT QUIT!  As Ken Chlouber says, “You are better than you think you are, and can do more than you think you can.”

Hawaiin Shirt Ray tells us what to expect from Day 2 of the Leadville Trail 100 Training Camp:

Leadville Trail Training Camp Day 2, the “Double Crossing”

Leadville Trail 100 Training Camp Day 2 is the “Double Crossing!”  The Double Crossing consists of running from Twin Lakes (the lowest point in the Leadville Trail 100), down the backside, then 3 miles on a dirt road to the town site of Winfield (the 50 mile turn-around point).  Then runners turn around and run back to Twin Lakes.  The total distance is only about 20 miles, but it can take 7 hours at a conservative pace to run this section of the Leadville Trail 100.  Last year during the race I was having a very hard time and it took me over 8.5 hours to complete the Double Crossing!  Be prepared to push yourself farther than you may have ever done before in your life.

Again, the runners meet for breakfast at 6:30 and receive a briefing about the days run ahead of them.  Then the runners are bused to the Twin Lakes area.  The runners have a few options for running the Double Crossing:   1) run to the top of Hope Pass and return to Twin Lakes, 2) run up to the top of Hope Pass and descend to the bottom of the back side, then run back up and over the Twin Lakes, or 3) run all the way to the town site of Winfield and return to Twin Lakes.  During the training camp there were runners that chose one of each of the three choices.  Ken Chlouber, founder of the Leadville Trail 100, made it very clear that if you are going to run over the top of Hope Pass you must be prepared to get yourself back up and over Hope Pass.

Later that evening there is a pasta dinner for all the runners followed by a Q & A presentation with the panel of experts.  This gives the runners an opportunity to get all their questions answered about how to finish the Leadville Trail 100 in less than 30 hours.  Some of the topics discussed were:  what it takes mentally, course strategy, nutrition, hydration, crews, pacers, gear, and weather conditions.

Twin Lakes to Winfield (Outbound)

The way the Leadville Trail 100 course is described is “Outbound” and “Inbound.”  When the term “outbound” is used it refers to running from the Start to Winfield.  When the term “inbound” is used it refers to running from Winfield to the Finish.

During the actual running of the Leadville Trail 100, the runners leave Twin Lakes Aid Station at mile 40, cross over highway 2, through the river and meadow to the Hope Pass Trail.  However, during training camp the runoff in the river is too fast and dangerous for the runners to cross safely so the runners are bused up the highway to Parry Peak Campground.  This actually adds a bit more distance to the actual race course, but it is the only safe alternative for getting the runners across the creek.

Dangerous Water Conditions on the River

From Parry Peak Campground the runners follow a trail that is perpendicular to the actual trail for the Leadville Trail 100 race.  The runners come to a rusty sign that says something to the effect of “no motorized vehicles past this point.”  They make a sharp right to start the climb up to the top of Hope Pass.  Now the runners are actually experiencing the true course.  The “outbound” climb is longer than the “inbound” climb, but is not as steep.  While climbing this section the runners break through tree line and get their first glimpse of Hope Pass.  One nice thing about seeing Hope Pass is that there are no false summits.  After that, the only other nice thing about running Hope Pass is being done with it.

During the actual running of the Leadville Trail 100 race there is an aid station on Hope Pass called the Hopeless Aid Station, where all the aid station supplies are brought up on llamas.  However, during the Leadville Training Camp there is no aid station on the mountain so the runners must have everything they need to cross Hope Pass.  This includes all the food, water, and clothing for any type of weather conditions.  When I cross Hope Pass in training camp it was actually snowing very lightly.

Hawaiian "Pants" Ray at the top of Hope Pass

For those runners who decided to continue down the backside of Hope Pass, there is an aid station set up at the bottom close to the road leading to Winfield.  It is important to note that this aid station is not there during the actual running of the Leadville Trail 100.  Again, for those runners who decided to continue to the town site of Winfield, they turned right after the aid station and ran three miles uphill on a dirt road to the 50 mile turn-around point.  During the race, Winfield is a full aid station with a medical check, at training camp it is only a minimal aid station.  My advice for first time runners of the Leadville Trail 100 is to run this section during training camp.  I heard a few people say, “I have run enough jeep roads that I don’t need to run 6 more miles (out and back).”  However, this section can be mentally tough if you are not familiar with it.  And the point of training camp is to familiarize runners with the course, not just to be running to put in the miles.  During the race this section can seem like an eternity to get to the Winfield Aid Station.  Those camp participants that did not run this section will have it very tough on race day.  Another thing is that runners need to know about running the section on the road during race day is that the dust is awful.  There is a lot of traffic going both directions during race day.  It is advisable to have a bandanna or dust mask to cover your nose.

More advice tomorrow as Day Two continues…tomorrow.

Hawaiian Shirt Ray brings it to us again.  Day One at Leadville Trail 100 Training camp continues…

Tree Line

From the Fish Hatchery there is a long stretch of pavement until the runners come to “Tree line.”  For many runners this is a mentally tough section.  It is slightly downhill from the Fish Hatchery until the runners turn onto Halfmoon Road.  I suggest that runners take advantage of not having to think about running and foot placement and run as much of the pavement as possible, depending on race conditions.  If there is a strong headwind then runners discretion should be used since the headwind equates to running up hill.  Again, during camp there is an aid station setup here, but on race day there is no aid station.  However, the runners are allowed to have crew access at Tree Line.  For crews there is plenty of space to park and it is very easy to see their runner coming in.

Box Car (aka Halfmoon II)

Last year the Leadville Trail 100 course changed slightly and no longer runs up Halfmoon Road through the camp ground.  The new course has the runners turn left at Tree Line and run into Box Car Gulch.  One of the benefits of the new course is that runners no longer have to deal with all the traffic and dust on Halfmoon Road.  The new section is the same distance and actually has more climbing than the old section.  Although there is more overall climbing, the runners do not have to run the punishing climb out of Halfmoon camp ground that the old course dished out.  The Box Car aid station is at mile 30 outbound and mile 70 inbound.  During camp there is an aid station setup here for the participants, but during the race runners cannot have crew assess at this aid station.

Twin Lakes

From Box Car runners return to the previous Leadville Trail 100 course which connects onto the Colorado Trail.  This is one of my favorite sections of the course; running through the pine trees and aspen.  During camp this year I was reminded just how much climbing there is through this section.  For me, I use the first time I can see Twin Lakes as a gauge that I have about 25 minutes to go and most of that is downhill.  There are sections on this stretch of downhill that are on very, very narrow singletrack with some substantial drop-offs.  The singletrack drops runners off onto a very step and rocky dirt road leading into Twin Lakes.

Once the runners are at Twin Lakes they are done for the day and treated to BBQ and beverages.  And since Coors Brewery is a sponsor of the Leadville Trail 100, there is no shortage of free beer.  Runners are invited to hang out and relax until the last shuttle bus heads back to town.  At camp they run shuttles back to town often in case runners are ready to call it a day.

Leadville 100 Training Camp Takeaways from Day 1

Day 1 of the Leadville Trail 100 Training Camp gives the participants a firsthand experience of the 26 miles of the course.  Many of the camp participants that I spoke with came away with “that was a lot harder than I thought it was going to be,” but not an intimidated or defeated attitude.  Rather, they received the experience that the Leadville Training Camp is all about; it let the runners realize how they are going to need to train and how they will need to strategize on race day.  There are a few runners at camp that ran the Leadville Trail 100 last year and did not finish.  They are at camp this year with the regret of not having participated in the training camp prior to their first attempt at running the Leadville Trail 100.  In other words, for those of you who want to run the Leadville Trail 100 for the first time I highly recommend coming to training camp to give you the tools you need to finish in less than 30 hours.

Get ready for Day Two!

Hawaiian Shirt Ray’s adventures at the Leadville Trail 100 training camp continued.  Check out Hawaiian Shirt Ray’s blog.

On day one all the runners meet at the Mining Museum in downtown Leadville for breakfast at 6:30.  This is the first opportunity for the runners to all meet and start to make new friends.  After breakfast Ken and Marilee introduce themselves as the Leadville Training Camp directors.  Ken discusses the purpose of the Leadville Training Camp as a means to become familiar with the Leadville Trail 100 course.  It is not a race and I would advise first time runners not to run it as a race.  Ken also introduces the panel of experts that will be helping during camp.  This year he also asked all previous Leadville Trail 100 finishers to stand up whereby he directed all the new runners to tap us as a resource on how to finish the Leadville Trail 100 in less than 30 hours.

May Queen

After the introductions, the runners are bused to the May Queen camp site where the runners will start the first days run to Twin Lakes.  During the race this will be the May Queen aid station, the first aid station at mile 13; while the Twin Lakes aid station will be at mile 40 during the actual race.

May Queen Campground - the start of the first training run

One of the strategies to having a good experience at camp is to try to run each day’s run as though it is race day.  This is very hard to do since all the runners have fresh legs.  For example this run starting at May Queen, the runners will have already had 13 miles in their legs on race day and at camp they are fresh.  Right out of the May Queen aid station there is a small incline that most runners at camp run.  Trust me, on race day they runner will be walking up this hill.  I use this hill as a great spot to refuel before running the next section.

From May Queen the runner run up to Hagerman Road which is a dirt road with a gradual incline; first time Leadville Trail 100 runners are recommended to walk this section.  Again, for a 30 hour finish there is no reason to run this section.  During camp there is a small aid station on the very first hairpin turn.  Runners should be aware that this aid station will not be there during the actual race.

Turquoise Lake from Hagerman Road

Hagerman Road leads up to the top of Sugarloaf Pass and descends the “power lines.”  This is the first long downhill stretch and it can take about 45 minutes to run down.  (Hint, so coming back at mile 80-ish, guess how long it is going to take to get back up).  Once the runners are down the power lines they come to a paved road and head to the Fish Hatchery aid station.

Fish Hatchery

During the Leadville Trail 100 this is the second aid station for the runners.  during camp the aid station set-up right off the road, but during the race the runners will have to take a right-hand turn and run up to the Fish Hatchery.  It is maybe about .2 miles up the road, but during the race if you are not expecting to have to run up to the Fish Hatchery it can seem like a very long distance.

Stay tuned for the rest of Day 1 of the Leadville Trail 100 Training Camp!

Descending Sugarloaf Pass - aka "The Powerlines"

This is a guest post by Hawwaiian Shirt Ray who has a great blog where he shares his experiences to inspire others to do extraordinary things.  His mantra is, “You Gotta Keep Moving.”

Leadville Training Camp is three days of trail running on the course for the Leadville Trail 100 Ultra Trail Race.  The camp is designed to give runners all the tools they will need to start and finish the Leadville Trail 100 in less than 30 hours.  The camp directors truly do not want to see any runner fail in their attempt to finish the Leadville Trail 100; that is why they have the training camp.  There is a panel of experts that volunteer their time to help answer all of your questions.  The panel is made up of runners that have done the Leadville Trail 100 multiple times; most of them have ten or more finishes under their belts.  That is over 1,000 miles of running the Leadville Trail 100 race, so they really know what it takes to get to the finish in less than 30 hours.  The panels of runners are out on the trail with the camp participants running and are interspersed in the front, middle, and back of the pack.  They are there to answer the runners questions about the course or any other question that they might have on how to finish the Leadville Trail 100.

Who should attend the Leadville Trail 1oo Camp?

The camp is designed to give first time Leadville Trail 100 runners the tools to finish the race in less than 30 hours, and for veterans of the course, it reinforces the strategies to complete the race.  This is my third time at training camp and I have returned yet again to gauge how my training is coming along, and also to remind myself of the course.  The first time I came to the Leadville Trail 100 Training Camp I didn’t know what to expect during my first attempt at running a 100 mile ultra trail race, let alone running the Leadville Trail 100.  During my three days at camp I learned what it was going to take to cross the finish line in under 30 hours and I also left with the feeling that “I can do it!”

Camaraderie and New Friends

Another thing that I really like about camp is the camaraderie of all the attendants.  There are a wide range of runners some that have completed the race before, runners that never have run a 100 mile ultra trail run, and runners that have never even run a 50 mile ultra trail run.  My experience has been that all of the runners want to help each other finish the race.  It is a great way to make new friends, learn their stories, and then see them at the race.

The first two days of camp everyone meets for breakfast at 6:30 am and this is the first opportunity to start meeting the runners that you will be running with during camp.  Each year I have made new friends and it is fun to see them at other ultra trail races and to see them on race day at the Leadville Trail 100.  Then at the end of each days’ run it is fun to hangout and share each other’s stores from the trail.

Three Days of Running on the Leadville Trail 100 Course

The three days of trail running consists of two daytime trail runs and one nighttime trail run.  The goal of those runs is to familiarize the runners with the course.  Day 1 run consists of the “Double Crossing.”  The runners start at Twin Lakes, run over Hope Pass at 12,600 feet to Winfield and return to Twin Lakes; about 20 miles.  The evening of Day 2 there is a dinner and Q&A session with the panel of experts after the dinner.  This is a great opportunity for the runners to get all of their questions answered about the race how to finish the race in less than 30 hours.  Day 3 is the night run which starts at Twin Lakes and goes to Tree Line.  The first year I attended the camp I did not go on the night run because I thought I knew all the trails so well that it would not be of any help.  Wow, was I wrong.  During the race I had no idea what was ahead, where I was, and how much longer I had until the next aid station.  I highly recommend any runner attending the Leadville Trail Training Camp to participate in the night run.

For the next three days I will discuss each day of training camp in detail.

Legend has it that people who complete Dances with Dirt gain superpowers.  I’m still trying to figure out exactly what my super power is, but I’ve narrowed it down to the following possibilities:

1.  Able to scale sequoia sized tree trunks in a single bound

2.  Able to slide straight down a hill (while trying to run up it) without losing all my fingernails

3.  Able to smile at the end of a 4-mile leg that turned into a 6-mile leg when my actual legs felt like they weighed about 20 pounds  apiece

This is a mere sampling of the challenges I experienced while running a Dances with Dirt trail race.  Dances with Dirt (DWD) is many things to many runners.  It is a 50 mile trail relay event (5 runners), a 50K or 50 mile ultra event (for the truly masochistic runner), and a half-marathon and full marathon event (though not at all a typical race at these distances).

I was asked to be the fifth runner on an all-female team planning to dress for the occasion in a Princess Barbie theme.  Yep, there is a team theme and costume contest thrown into the relay, which should be your first clue that this is no ordinary event.  The winners of the “Creative Team and Vehicle Award” earn a free entry into the next year’s event.

I’m not a “girlie” girl by any means, nor were any of the women I was racing with, so it was an interesting choice, but I rolled with it and happily ran in my sparkly tiara and pink Barbie sunglasses while carrying a blonde “runner” Barbie (our team baton) over the challenging race course.

The inaugural DWD, in 1997, hosted 22 teams in Hell, Michigan.  Each year for the past five years, 400 teams have hit the trails.  The event sells out within minutes, which is one of the reasons DWD expanded into venues including Indiana, Wisconsin, and Florida over the past couple of years.  Another reason is that event organizer and promoter Randy Step believes that the race calendar can use a few more relay events and he has so much fun creating the DWD course that he’s more than happy to take his show on the road.  The next event is at Devil’s Lake in Bambaroo, Wisconsin on July 10th.  Hurry and register now before prices go up in 6 days!  Devil’s Head Resort will again play host to the Devil’s Lake trail race.  This is going to be another epic Dances with Dirt trail race for sure!  Check out the race course if you dare.  Click on the link on that page for a full description of each of the legs on the relay.

Although every distance is equally challenging and fun, the relay aspect of the race is truly a blast.  Once runners begin the race, the rest of the teams take their maps and pile into their official DWD vehicle (1 per team please) to head for the first transition point.  Each team transitions at the same spot, but obviously at different times, so each transition area is kind of like a floating tailgate party with people constantly coming and going.  Some folks are very serious about running DWD (why shouldn’t they be, this is SeriousRunning.com) and take off at high speed in hopes of competing for first place overall or a top place in their category.  Others pack coolers of beer and treat it like an afternoon jogging in the woods with friends.  The rest of us are somewhere in between those extremes, hoping to run a decent time overall, but interested in having fun along the way.

I recommend packing two extra pairs of shoes, a change of clothes and a cooler full of food and drink to last about 8 hours.  Experienced teams scout the course beforehand and figure out which legs of the race are best suited for each team member.  Legs average 4.5 miles and each runner is required to run 3.

DWD was definitely one of the most memorable running experiences I’ve ever had.  The organizers clearly love what they do, the participants love to do it, the course is out of the world beautiful, sometimes ridiculously hard, but always lots of fun.  All of this makes for a great combination of competition, community, craziness, and classic moments.  As a result, my DWD “Survivor” medal will remain a tremendous source of pride for years to come.

Weak, wimpy, treadmill running pansies who don’t want mud on their shorts can stop reading now.  Trail Running lovers who enjoy being scratched, muddied, and bruised, stay here because we have the Trail Race for you, Dances with Dirt Gnaw Bone Trail Race on May 15th!  Expect to get to the edge where life is in full color.  Expect a day that makes you realize you are fully alive, awake and crackin’ on all cylinders.  Expect insanity, stupidity, and nirvana (or those things at higher than your normal levels)! 

Dances with Dirt is a series of four ultra/marathons/relay trail running events that will test your mettle no matter what age or fitness level you are.

The second race of the Dances with Dirt series, Gnaw Bone takes place in Nashville, Indiana on May 15th.  No matter what distance pushes you to the limit, they have it for you with a 50 mile, 50K, marathon, half-marathon, and 50 mile relay.  You can start the 50 mile ultra at 5:30 AM but you better bring a headlamp because you will be running in the dark.  Is there a better sunrise than one you see at mile 4 of a 50 mile run?  If you don’t own a headlamp there will be another start at 6:15 AM for the 50 mile race.  The 50K and marathon start at 7:00 AM with the half-marathon bringing up the rear starting at 9:00 AM.

From comments and suggestions, Dances with Dirt races have polished this gem of a race course to make it more exciting, fun, and challenging.  The race surface consists of mud, rocks, and river crossings.  The trail is not maintained in certain areas but is well marked with signs that say “Wrong Way Moron.”  Is it the right way if you are not a moron?  I don’t know, but I wouldn’t recommend trying it.  You won’t get swept down any river rapids.  There are some hills but supplemental oxygen isn’t needed.  Overall it is a great run in a beautiful environment…with some stupid spots.  Perfect for runners of all abilities looking for a fun challenge!  Check out the course map if you don’t value the element of surprise.  After the race, celebrate your accomplishment and stick around to pig out with your fellow extreme runners eating a couple of roasted pigs, pizza, and beer (cash bar)!

You don’t have to take my word for it though.  See what the Head Goat Randy Step has to say about this spectacularly good time event.  Yes, he knows he looks like Maury Povich.