Danger! Zombies! Run! 5K

On Oct 28, 2012 Bad to The Bone Endurance Sports hosted the "Danger! Zombies Run 5K", a race that started and ended in Charlottesville's historic downtown mall and wound through a few of the older neighborhoods in the city. The event was named after a philosophical zombie comedy that was produced by Amoeba Films and the Film Makers Republik. 

(Here is the teaser blurb that I found about this film:)

Zombies attack a crew filming a zombie movie. While the zombie actors chew the scenery, real zombies chew the actors. But what’s really gnawing at them can’t be outrun. Better tie your shoelaces. DANGER. ZOMBIES. RUN. asks why we run from zombies, and why they chase us. No, you can't always run away from your problems. Eventually, they will catch up with you. Written by the ensemble cast, and featuring the music of Corsair, Astronomers, Thrum and Christian Breeden of American Dumpster, DANGER. ZOMBIES. RUN. was conceived and directed by the creator of the the cultish Buddhist horror MANTRA and EAT ME: A ZOMBIE MUSICAL.

This particular 5K gave me another chance to serve as a volunteer within the running community, not to mention draft 6 of my colleagues.  We helped keep runners on course while encouraging them along the way.  I hope that they realize how important that they were to the event.

The 5K was used as a fund raiser for the Film Makers Republik.

What made this (fun run) particularly interesting was the fact that it wasn't really centered around being a race.  In fact it was more of a costume party/game of tag.  Here's a description of the race:

How does it work? Escape the undead as a human, or chase humans as a zombie and turn them into zombies by taking their life! As a human, have a 90 seconds head start, and you attempt not to be killed by any zombie. Your life will hang as a ribbon on your back. If you are killed, volunteers along the course will stand by with buckets of fake blood ready to zombiefy you. As a zombie, you'll attempt to chase and kill as many humans as possible by stealing the ribbon (life) on their backs. The zombie with the most kills will win.

Like any truly family friendly zombie event there were multiple ways to win.  Awards were given to the

fastest human male, fastest human female, zombie with most kills male, zombie with most kills female, best zombie costume male, best zombie costume female, best zombie costume youth boy, and best costume youth girl.

Now that you have a good grasp of what it was all about, I will tell you briefly about my experience at the Danger! Zombies! Run! 5K.  I met with the six colleagues of mine curious enough about the spectacle of masses fleeing from a horde of zombies that they were willing to show up at the early and chilly hour of 7am.  Once everyone had a grip on what there role in the event would be, we headed to a local coffee house and shared a social hour as we waited for the moments before the start.

I was located at the entrance to river view park, directing people to bypass the park as they entered into the second half of the run.  I saw momma zombies, papa zombies, little kid zombies, stroller bound baby zombies, coed zombies, and of course some normal looking humans fleeing the horde.  I was lucky enough to have a cowbell to ring emphatically as I encouraged the runners or even shouted warnings prior to a zombie ripping their life (ribbon) from them.  Once the last zombie crossed, I anxiously returned to the start/finishline to take pictures of and with some of the more impressive undead.

Bad to the Bone Endurance Sports hit a home run with this one.  My crew of volunteers and I had a great time.  I would imagine that anyone that participated in this event will have fond memories of a oddly clean and wholesome day filled with zombies and people running for their lives.

I would like to thank my colleagues for coming out; they were real contributers to this event, more than they could know.

I would also like to thank and give serious props to Bad to The Bone Endurance Sports for throwing an amazingly unique family oriented event that included ZOMBIES!!!!!

Fall Classic

On October 21, 2012, Bad to the Bone Endurance Sports (BTTB) hosted the Fall Classic Half Marathon and 10K in Charlottesville, Virginia.  This race toured some of the most scenic areas of  the city while the fall color change was at its most dramatic. The scenic road course began on the historic downtown mall, traveled through many of the older neighborhoods, featured a beautiful 2 mile stretch of the Rivanna river, and winded back to the finish line at the downtown mall.

Finisher's medal

I waited to the last minute to register for the race, but I'd known for a long time that I wanted to participate.  I have had great experiences racing at BTTB events; I knew that this one would be no different.

My good friend Mac and his wife, Dena, accompanied me.  Mac ran the 10K and Dena cheered enthusiastically for the two of us.  They're awesome company.

Mac's race, the 10K, started 30 minutes after mine.  So, he and Dena came to the starting line to take pictures and cheer for me.  It was nice to have the company of my friends leading up to the time I needed to be at the starting line.

At the starting line, I had a few minutes to size up the competition through friendly conversation and get a good feel for whom I needed to roll with when the gun sounded.  When at last the race began, the first and second runners started very quickly.  I pursued hard in hopes of solidifying a top position.  For about the first 4 miles I maintained a solid third.  However, I began to slide back in position before mile 6.  I remember thinking that I should not allow anyone to push me beyond my ideal pace, but I also knew that I had a solid foothold in the race and felt a desire to fight for position.  This mentality would likely have been the key to my downfall in a marathon, but I knew that my conditioning was good for 26.2 so I convinced myself that I could handle the faster pace for 13.1.

I pressed to a pace that was just above my comfort level and opted to run past the aid stations. My position was solidified.  As I entered into the final stretch, I saw Mac coming out to meet me. We were roughly 200 meters from the finish.  He told me that if I wanted a PR it was all mine, but I had to go right then. So I dug deep and opened my final kick a bit sooner than what I might have otherwise.  When I rounded the corner, I saw the clock and pushed across the line.

The results revealed that I had completed the 13.1 mile course in 1 hour 34 min and 49 seconds, a PR (personal record). It was good enough to land me a tenth place overall and a 1st place finish in my age bracket. 

Mac finished the 10K course in 59 min and 30 seconds. His goal was sub 1 hour; mission accomplished.  This time was good enough for a 3rd place finish in the age bracket.  He was surprised, but I know that he has put in the miles and had earned it.  

We celebrated with some silly pictures, biting our medals as if we were Olympians.  This race event was a great way to spend the morning.

The route itself was very hilly and had minimal straightaway, just how I like it.  Unfortunately, concentrated racing prevented me from soaking up all that the scenery had to offer.  It is a trade off :-)

I would like to thank Bad to the Bone Endurance Sports for putting on this exceptional event.

Buck Mountain Half Marathon

On October 13, 2012 I ran a local half marathon in the small town of Free Union, Virginia.  Though the course was challenging, it was not much more challenging then any other stretch of roadway in central Va.  That is, it was hilly as any half marathon that you will come across, however it was not as menacing as its title might imply (The Buck Mountain Half Marathon).  This race was named for its panoramic views of the beautiful Buck Mountain sitting off in the distance, as opposed to a 13.1 mile race that climbs said mountain :-).

 This race intrigued me a bit with a certain level of mystery.  I learned about it only 6 days prior while at a rainy pre-sunrise Sunday run.  It was brought up in casual conversation.  I learned the needed details (place and time) at a bit of a runner's social breakfast.  The curious thing is that when I searched for more details online, I found nothing indicating the race would even happen in 2012.  However I did learn that it was a race that had been going on for nearly a decade and that the race course had been fairly competitive with more than respectable times. It amped me up.  It was as if I had stumbled upon a secret by-invitation-only race that has featured some pretty fast runners.  Adding to the mystique was no entry fee, no t-shirt, and no medals.  This race was just about the race, no frills.  Just a pure old-fashioned foot race.

I showed up at 5:30 am for a 6:30am race.  The rural town of Free Union and its surrounding area was unlit.  The parking lot was a farmers field, roughly a half mile from the starting line.  People in the know showed up with head lamps, so I made nice with a few of them as they progressed to the starting area.

Once we arrived at the starting area the down-and-dirty no frills sense of the race was reinforced.  The starting line was a single line of white chalk spanning the width of the road.  There were no bibs and no timing mechanisms.  They announced that the course was measured accurately, and that we would be responsible for keeping our own times.  No results would be recorded.  The organizer likened it to a training run on steroids.  Though there was no bag check.  I had a bag and some warming gear to strip out of (due to a 34 degree start temp), so I asked the organizer about options for leaving it.  He offered to ferry it to the finish line.  Then, he called us to the starting area, wished us all a good run, and said good bye.

One person and I shot off into the darkness and ran parallel for roughly half a mile before I spoke to him, asking a simple question.  What are you gunning for today?   He replied, "1 hour 22 minutes."  I knew that he was my only competition and that if he was serious about that time then he was above my caliber.  It would be foolish for me to press the issue of a race.  So rather than pressing beyond my sustainable pace, I let him drift away and expected that I would manage a second place finish at best.

The sun was peeking over the horizon and began to reveal a silhouette of the mountains sitting in the distance. The view across the mist covered fields of this horse farming community was intense, almost enough to completely distract from the difficulty of the rolling hills running throughout this course.

In mile three I began to hear footsteps.  They trailed me for quite sometime, but without a doubt they were gaining on me. By mile four I had a new companion to run parallel with.  I learned that he had grown up in Africa.  We traded a bit of background and made idle chat about the enjoyable course that we were sharing.  He noted that I was not wearing my watch and offered to call out my time for me if he was at the finish prior to me.  He was a strong runner, a cut above me enough that he stopped at the self service water stops as I breezed on.  He did this three times catching me each time.  Around mile seven he began attacking the hills very aggressively.  It was clear that he was ready to create some separation.  I have not raced such a short race in a while and I am accustomed to preserving my energy and waiting for a later moment to truly exert myself.  I did not choose this moment to pursue.

Once again the race was just me and the scenery.  Colorful foliage, the occasional horse, distant mountains, rolling terrain, and fencing that went on for miles.  I pressed forward, passing mile nine with a sense of urgency.  I felt my pace was solid and it was time to become a bit more aggressive to try to beat my PR of 1 hour 35 and change.

I felt no pain and realized that I had too much left in the tank. I had waited too long; I would not meet my potential, but I still felt I could manage a PR.  I pressed solidly through the last miles of the race and heard my buddy from mid-race call my time: 1 hour 36 minutes 49 seconds (not a PR).  I was the third person across the line :-) and had run a respectable time.  

Like the rest of the race the finish was a non-event, just a chalk line that indicted the finish and a handfull of runners milling about and supporting the other runners as they finished their runs.

This race was a truly beautiful course, it had a good level of difficulty and felt like a race that was put on for the sake of giving runners a chance to race. I would do this one again, and I would pay for the privilege to ensure its future existence.

 I would like to thank The Charlottesville Track Club for hosting this exceptionally low key, yet awesome, event.

I would also like to thank the good folks from Ragged Mountain Running Shop for their tireless efforts in support of this event and the runners of the community.

The Buck Mountain Half marathon was a good race for me and it has upped my confidence at this distance. I now feel comfortable with taking a more aggressive approach in my next 13.1 mile outing.

Columbus Day Exploration

This year, Columbus Day fell on 08 Oct 2012.  If you are a federal employee you know this as a non-work day.  I am certain that I am not the only one unable to think of any tradition or ceremonial way to celebrate this holiday held in honor of Christopher Columbus's discovery of the "New World".

This year I could not let it pass by uncelebrated.  As a runner I have become familiar with heading out on expeditions.  Okay, okay... mine are not necessarily uncharted lands.  And, I must admit that I or someone with me usually knows the route.  However, I find adventure and discovery every time I set out on a new trail.  With this in mind, I knew how to celebrate the day of discovery this year.  It was time to take a voyage, something that would take me somewhere that I have never been before.

I enlisted the company of my friend Mac who takes pride in finding trails and routes to explore and make his own.  He had his eyes on a particular trail and had been wanting to try it for quite a while. So off I went to pick him up while he reviewed the trail map.

Our destination was the Stone Mountain Winery.  It included an awesome gravelly mountain drive called Wyatt Mountain Road. As we drove up, I knew the mountain vistas and colorful display of leaves would be our reward for the pending changes in elevation.

When we parked we could see for miles from the vantage point of the winery, our starting point for our mountainous trek (approximately 1,700 ft above sea level).  With a bit of rain and a steep grade we were off to a slow start for the first two miles.  I began to suspect that we might get caught in a torrential downpour but I wasn't gonna be the one to mention it. Soon enough the rain receded and the mountain's grade relented. Having reached the highpoint of the trail, we soon found ourselves making quick work of  a rolling descent that fed into a fire road and an exceptionally colorful non-technical stretch of the Shenandoah trail, connecting us to the Blue Ridge Parkway.  Once on the Parkway, we saw ridge lines from miles away and peeked down on valleys below, like the view from a low flying plane.  The long straightaways in the roadway made it runner friendly, with low speed limits and unobstructed views.  We were only on the Parkway for a couple of miles before we came to one of the labeled overlooks that drivers stop at in order to appreciate the view.

The overlook seemed to be a good place to turn back.  As expected the return trip was full of awesome views and well worth the difficulty of the grade of the trail. This sociable nine mile out and back is now on my fall season must do list.

Of course a trip that begins at a winery had to end with a tasting and purchase of some excellent wine.  I hope that others make this trek, even if they don't experience it the way that I did.  The drive to the winery, the wine, and the overlook from the winery itself are experiences truly worth doing.

Like I said previously, I am not certain of how one is expected to celebrate the discovery of the New World.  But I think I found a pretty good way to not waste this federal holiday.

I would like to say thanks to Mac for researching the route and sharing it with me.
Also thank you Christopher Columbus for discovering the New World  :-)
Oh, and thank you Federal Government for declaring a holiday and giving me a day to play!!!

The Ultra Race of Champions

I have read many blogs from competitors of the Ultra Race of Champions.  They are absolutely amazing reads. I would recommend to anyone that is interested in this event to look into these writings.  My entry will reflect on this world class event through my eyes as a volunteer.

The Ultra Race of Champions (UROC) defined:  The race that brings the world's most elite ultra distance runners together on a 100K (62 mile) mountainous terrain based trail race that is intense enough to test them properly.  This creates a world championship event.  As if that wasn't enough, they then opened it to the public and let ultra run enthusiasts join in the fun by starting an open division that would begin 15 minutes after the elites left the starting gate.

As one would expect, the race drew from runners around the globe.  The elite were aggressive and confident on the course and all had ambitions of winning their share of a $20,000 purse and the right to be recognized as the best of the best in the world of ultra running.  The open division runners ranged from ambitious runners that were trying to make a mark, get a PR, or just trying survive their first attempt at this distance.

My role in this event was not as a competitor but rather as a volunteer, a race perspective that I have never had before.  My assigned location was in the mountains at elevation 2,800 ft called Slacks overlook starting at 8:30 am. I helped runners find their way into the correct trail head and ensured that they were physically okay to continue.  I was not an aid station and was not well equipped, but I made the best of it.  By opening the hatch on my van and playing music that could be heard from a fair distance away, I hoped runners might gain some sort of boost as they came past. When the elites came across they were looking insanely strong for having just traversed 22 miles of rocky mountain trails.

Though the elites were impressive it was also awesome to see the resilient spirits of the more mortal on the field.  I did my best to run out to each of the runners, check on them, and offer assistance.  I jogged them by my station with as many positive/energetic vibes as I could offer.  At this point in the race, most did not seem to need it, but were appreciative to have such an enthusiastic volunteer.  I think :-)

By mid afternoon the elites had already progressed back through my location which was now the 51 mile mark.  They still looked just as strong as they did at mile mile 22. (Simply amazing.)  I directed them into the final trail head -- a four mile stretch to an aid station that would direct them into the final 8 mile stretch that would be a tough stretch of asphalt that featured some pretty tough changes of altitude. 
Though the elites are insanely impressive, one must also have enormous respect for the open division.  The heart and unstoppable spirit of these skilled individuals, there to conquer the mountain without regard to recognition or monetary reward, is simply awesome.

The same as before, I found myself running out to meet the runners.  However, I ran much further than before as I navigated the same mile or so of trail over and over, running the participants in one runner at a time.  I fed them information, checked their condition/ability to continue, encouraged them to look strong for the camera, and offered them water.

Around 10:30 pm, the last group passed through my section at Slacks overlook with a sweeper following close behind.  This was my cue to break down the equipment in my section and take it to the finish line where the equipment trucks were prepared to be loaded.

On my drive, I noticed several runners on the final stretch.  They were all far removed from one another. This was something that I noted as they emerged at the 51 mile mark as well.  They experienced a long hard, lonely day of running, that was a personal journey more than it was a race.  What really punctuated this was when I witnessed the runners cross the finish line.  They were welcomed only by a photographer, a race director, and maybe a family member or friend if they were lucky.  Very unceremonious, but perhaps the happiest or most relieved they'll ever be to reach a finish line.

The first elite male (Max King) representing "Montrail"  finished  in 7 hrs 57 min 14 sec.
The first elite female (Ellie Greenwood) representing "Montrail" finished  in 9 hrs 04 min 19 sec.

I am uncertain of how the open division turned out, but I salute each and every person that completed this course.

I am impressed and amazed by the elites and their super-human execution of this course in unbelievable times.

In a separate way, I am equally inspired by the run enthusiasts that trained hard and survived the mountain and overcame the despair that it presents.  The time cap on this run was 19 hours.  This type of race is only accomplished by a very small percentage of the population, people with the mental fortitude, strength, and resolve to never stop progressing until they find the finish line.  These people put the word endurance into the sport.  Though they are not top competitors, and were not contenders for the championship, I would say that they are seriously elite compared to the millions of people that have ever taken up running during the course of their life time.

Thank you Bad to The Bone Endurance Sports (BTTB) for giving me a unique glimpse into this amazing sport.  I have truly never witnessed anything as awesome as the Ultra Race of Champions.