Mt Mitchell Challenge

So, imagine running to the top of the highest point east of the Mississippi...well, that's what I did this weekend.  We started in Black Mountain, ran through Montreat to the Blue Ridge Parkway, then up to the summit of Mt Mitchell.  My Suunto recorded 36.5 miles, with `4800 feet of climbing.  Most of that was done in the first 19 miles!

My biggest concern going into this was the first (and only) cutoff.  The Mt Mitchell Park Rangers control the cutoff for the first first ~14 miles (to reach the Blue Ridge Parkway).  Normally this is 3 hrs, but given the mild weather they extended it to 3:15.  That's still a pretty sporty cutoff going up hill most of the way.  I made the checkpoint at 2:45, so that was a relief.  Now it was just a hike in the park.

The run started in downtown Black Mountain after a short moment of silence for the Reverend Billy Graham who had passed away earlier in the week.

Nettie and I at the start:

We then took off and headed up to Montreat and the trails of that little town.  What a pretty area.  We would again come back through there on the way to the finish (see that steep downhill at the end of the profile...that was going in Montreat).  The first 3 miles were road then some nice single track.  That was followed by a crazy rocky forest road.  I was worried about falling on the way back down (and sure enough I did...)

There was a little rain on the way up and we stayed in the clouds quite a bit till the end of the race when the sun finally came out.

 As I mentioned, the first 14 miles were the most stressful.  However, they added a bit of crazy technical single track on the way up to the top.

And I made it to the top!

Unfortunately, Mark missed my finish, so until photo are posted, you will have to believe me.  I had figured 8 hours was going to be a good time.  I did much better than that, finishing in 7:17.  I did take a pretty nasty fall on the downhill rocks.  That got me a bit tentative as I continued down.   It looks like I finished 3rd Master's Female, 7th Female and 70th overall out of 158 finishers (~200 starts).  (Those that didn't make the cut-off were sent back to finish the marathon).

(Note to Corrine:  I did not take the poles, this was an assignment for my photog class and I thought the poles added to it)

While there was a bit more road and forest gravel road than I tend to like, it was a great early season race.  It was also nice to get a good downhill training run in preparation for States.

I would return to this.  Great volunteers and organization.  Although that first cut-off is stressful, once past that point, the pressure is off.

I ran in my Altra King Mts.  It was the first time I've been more than 17 miles in them. Not too bad.  I have a small blister on my small toe and at one point may ball felt like a blister was forming, but there nothing there.  The rocks were a bit rough on my feet, but I wonder if I could have put in a pair of rock plates to help with that.  Other than the bruises from the fall, I'm in pretty good shape.

Next up...Big Turtle 50 mile in April.