Post by LSDMike on Apr 23, 2008 16:02:29 GMT -5
Just wanted to let the GUTS family know how the first Torreya State Park Ultra did.
I saw the flyer go up on the forum and called right then to see if I could still register. I didn't know how long it had been open but the flash said it was limited to a small number of runners. I talked to Joe Edgecombe, the RD, and unfortunately it was already full. This being the first year he had to limit it to 40 total runners and it filled quickly when the Florida club got the notice. To bad for me but I figured what the hey, I had the day open so I asked if he needed help, of course he did, what RD would turn down an extra volunteer? Since Tallahassee isn't that far from Daphne, AL I figured I'd just drive over that morning. My wife, Monette, decided she would go for the ride, drop me off and head on to Tallahassee and shop the day away. We left at 3:30am and got to the park at 7:30. 3 hrs with the time change, a bit further then I thought but still one of the closer runs to me. As we got closer to the park the terrain started to change to a much hillier area. Now you would think that Florida would be flat but I could tell we were going to have some hills on this course! I got out of the car to put a couple of dollars in the park gate and huge mosquitoes swarmed me like I was the first blood of the year. It was still raining a bit and I realized right then that this was going to be a long day. No bug spray, no rain coat. I checked in with the RD and found that there were 15 running the 50K and 25 running the 25K. The 50K consisted of 4 loops and the 25K 2 loops. Joe gave the option to the 50K runners to drop to the 25K after the second loop since he felt the difficulty of this course might take a few runners by surprise. One 50K failed to show so Joe asked if I wanted to run but I didn't come prepared for a long run. I figured at some point I might get in a short run to see some of the course, and I did! After the start we went and checked on the aid stations and I went to a bridge with a lady named Marty to snap pictures of the runners. That's when I started to see some of the actual course. There is definitely some steep climbs and drops on this course. Not mountains, but sure enough heart pumpers! After a few of the leaders came by a couple of lady runners came from the opposite direction, somehow they had gotten turned around and were going exactly the opposite way! We explained that it was OK but all the arrows now for them, would be pointing the wrong way. Total confusion! So we decided that I would run back the way they came (the correct direction) and check to make sure no pranks had been pulled by hikers or kids. Sure enough as I was running 6 more runners came towards me going in the wrong direction! I explained to them to keep going, the distance would be the same, just to remember that now the arrows would be backwards. Six more confused runners! When I got back to the start and had checked all the arrows and found no mischief, we figured they somehow just missed a turn when they left out on the second loop. At that point we figured we better make sure they made the critical turns so I ran to the river turn and waited for them to get there and directed them up the correct trail. It all worked out fine. The weather cleared, I got in a few miles and met some new friends. Most of all I found a new race that I will run next year and I would highly recommend a few GUTS make a trip south and discover that there really are hills worth running in Florida! Next year The RD is going to petition the park dept to allow him to use another loop trail so it will then be a two loop 50K course and an even better challenge.
Hope to be in Atlanta soon, maybe catch a run at the Mtn.
I saw the flyer go up on the forum and called right then to see if I could still register. I didn't know how long it had been open but the flash said it was limited to a small number of runners. I talked to Joe Edgecombe, the RD, and unfortunately it was already full. This being the first year he had to limit it to 40 total runners and it filled quickly when the Florida club got the notice. To bad for me but I figured what the hey, I had the day open so I asked if he needed help, of course he did, what RD would turn down an extra volunteer? Since Tallahassee isn't that far from Daphne, AL I figured I'd just drive over that morning. My wife, Monette, decided she would go for the ride, drop me off and head on to Tallahassee and shop the day away. We left at 3:30am and got to the park at 7:30. 3 hrs with the time change, a bit further then I thought but still one of the closer runs to me. As we got closer to the park the terrain started to change to a much hillier area. Now you would think that Florida would be flat but I could tell we were going to have some hills on this course! I got out of the car to put a couple of dollars in the park gate and huge mosquitoes swarmed me like I was the first blood of the year. It was still raining a bit and I realized right then that this was going to be a long day. No bug spray, no rain coat. I checked in with the RD and found that there were 15 running the 50K and 25 running the 25K. The 50K consisted of 4 loops and the 25K 2 loops. Joe gave the option to the 50K runners to drop to the 25K after the second loop since he felt the difficulty of this course might take a few runners by surprise. One 50K failed to show so Joe asked if I wanted to run but I didn't come prepared for a long run. I figured at some point I might get in a short run to see some of the course, and I did! After the start we went and checked on the aid stations and I went to a bridge with a lady named Marty to snap pictures of the runners. That's when I started to see some of the actual course. There is definitely some steep climbs and drops on this course. Not mountains, but sure enough heart pumpers! After a few of the leaders came by a couple of lady runners came from the opposite direction, somehow they had gotten turned around and were going exactly the opposite way! We explained that it was OK but all the arrows now for them, would be pointing the wrong way. Total confusion! So we decided that I would run back the way they came (the correct direction) and check to make sure no pranks had been pulled by hikers or kids. Sure enough as I was running 6 more runners came towards me going in the wrong direction! I explained to them to keep going, the distance would be the same, just to remember that now the arrows would be backwards. Six more confused runners! When I got back to the start and had checked all the arrows and found no mischief, we figured they somehow just missed a turn when they left out on the second loop. At that point we figured we better make sure they made the critical turns so I ran to the river turn and waited for them to get there and directed them up the correct trail. It all worked out fine. The weather cleared, I got in a few miles and met some new friends. Most of all I found a new race that I will run next year and I would highly recommend a few GUTS make a trip south and discover that there really are hills worth running in Florida! Next year The RD is going to petition the park dept to allow him to use another loop trail so it will then be a two loop 50K course and an even better challenge.
Hope to be in Atlanta soon, maybe catch a run at the Mtn.