Last Saturday night was the fifth running of the Barkley Book Fair. This race is fashioned after the Barkley Marathon, a race in Tennessee which is actually much more than a mere marathon--100 miles with over 52,000 feet of elevation change--6 miles of climbing?!?!? Well, my little event has some nice vertical sections, but probably has only 1,200 feet of elevation change at most.
12 runners toed the line for the day run. The early version of the BBF took off just after 7:00 pm. There were a quite a few first-timers in this event, including Arena, Kirk, Ben, Cory, and a couple of others whose names I will insert later when I find my book of entries that was misplaced when we were picking things up.
Five books were placed on the day course over the 4.5 miles. Some of the titles were Dead Mans' Walk, Journey to Forever, Dead I well May Be, Vertical Run. Four book titles you may ask?? Well, there were five books on the course but not one runner found all five. My first thought was that one of the books had been swiped, but at least one page was torn form all five of the books. So, there were no official finishers. Nikki, Cory, Ben, and runner 4028 came across the line first with pages from four of the five, so they were the unnofficial winners.
The night run has to start--well, at night. So, with the day runners finishing by 8:30, we had some time to kill between the races.
So, we hung out and caught up on all the running stuff.
Tom, RockStar, and Kate rehydrate after a sweatfest of a run.
Brian spends his time between the races deciding whether or not he is gonna do the night run. He decided he was under-hydrated and spent the next few hours addressing that problem.
Kirk took a spill and got his pretty new MM50 race shirt dirty. Kirk debated the to-run-or-not-to-run dilemma for the night run, and finally decided to go for it.
Who says trail running is not a spectator sport? We had more fans for the day race than we had runners.
Finally, the daylight began to wane, and I made the announcements, passed out maps and directions, and sang the Star Spangled Banner. (J/K about the singing, although next year.....) I did pass out spiderweb sticks for the fast runners and for those who thought they might get lost.
19 runners went out on the night run in search of 13 books. I would have liked to have ran with them, but felt the need to get to the bluffs to help with a dangerous ascent up the face. Last year, I heard that a particular runner felt the night run bad become too easy, since it was so well marked. This year, there were very few course markings, and I supplied maps and written course directions (in ridiculously small font.) This years course got ugly in a hurry, with 1 quarter mile of creek scrambling over slick boulders and briers to get to book one (Journey Into Danger.) Half a mile into the race, the runners had to use rope to climb up a steep bank into a weedy field and then into a jungle-like area to a newly barley cut trail to a tree that had been split by lightening where book two (Trail of Blood) was placed. Then, after a quarter mile of mosquito and tick infested thicket, the runners were treated to 150 yards of paved trail before heading up the steepest of the climbs for the night. From the lowest point on Turkey Mountain to the highest--a climb of 300+ feet in .15 of a mile. Along the way, book 3 was waiting (Dead Runner.)
Then, the whipped souls got a half mile of easy dirt trail straight north on the Ridge Trail. About half way down this well traveled trail, they took a right turn down a long bunch of switchbacks. Down down, to the very bottom, collecting book 4 (The Worst Way To Die) just before the steepest decline. I had asked before the race started if anyone had ever run track. There were a few hands raised. Good, I told them, because there was gonna be some track to run tonight--railroad track. They took the tracks, which ran right along the base of a long series of high bluffs, north about a half mile. There is a small cave along the way that if you know where to look, can be seen from the RR tracks. I had placed book 5 (Glimpse Into Terror) in the cave beside a Tiki candle. Then, the runners had to go back south about 1/4 mile, and enter a narrow inlet into a wall of vines which led right up to a series of caves. I was waiting for them here, along with a good friend Glen. In the first cave, book 6 (On the Edge) was placed, which involved scrambling up an incline and dealing with a lot of spider webs.
From there, they inched around some huge boulders to another small cave, and then climbed a series of makeshift ladders to a ledge where Glen and I were waiting to assist anyone who was nervous about the next climb.
Kathy was the first through this section. She was up the ladder and scaled the next ledge and was off like a shot.
Cory was not far behind her.
Chris gets ready to make the necessary jump to get his footing for the steep climb.
And Chris' buddy, also named Chris (I think) makes the ascent as well.
Glen and I waited for the next group of runners, and as we waited, I got a call that Kirk had sprained an ankle but was hobbling back in to the starting line. Barkley claimed it's first victim of the night. Turns out it was a minor thing, and after icing it and putting peppermint oil?? on it, he feels as good as new.
The Hauge family was the next group, and Bob decided to stay on the ledge with Glen and I to recollect his energy. There was only one more group--the OKC boys, and we waited a while for them and finally saw them pass below us on the way to the first cave. We decided that Bob and I would go on and he would finish the run, while Glen waited to help the OKC gang with the cliff scaling. So, Bob and I were off and up. We collected the next book (Cliffhanger) from the Time Portal cave above (where I got my hand caught last month) and then popped out onto the Yellow Trail (Ho-Chi) and headed north. We reached the Sitting Rock, and crossed over to the west side, and went down down down all the way to Mooser Creek where a book was placed in the sink hole. (Darker Than Night) Bob was at a major advantage from this point on, because I had placed the books--no danger of missing one, or getting lost. Looking back, I should have deliberately got lost. Then we climbed back out of Mooser Creek, and and picked up book 9 (In The Deep Woods) in another small cave that someone was camping in not too long ago. Then, we went back down Then it was over to Pepsi Pond, and then made a hairpin turn and crossed over Mooser Creek on the concrete bridge where I had 2 cooler stashed. I guess most of the runners did not make it to this cache, because very little of the drinks were gone. From there, we crossed another dry creek bed and climbed a steep bank and hill over to the bicycle graveyard, an area where years ago some of the BMX guys had built some ramps and bridges that looked like Dr Suess contraptions to ride over. Most of these wooded structures have rotted out and fallen, and you get the idea you might see some bones laying around. I had another short out-and-back to Mooser Creek to get book 10 (The Turnaround) appropriately placed.
Well, at this point, we were 2 solid miles away, and while the trails back are good trails, and most of them were ones that the runners seldom used, there were no killer climbs, no caves, bluffs, water crossings--it was just a put-your-head-down-and-run sort of trail--and dodge the spider webs.
Each year, I try to pull some sort of trick on the runners, and this year, I had bought 3 IDENTICAL books, and placed them along this trail, and called them all book 11. My thoughts were that it might make them think for a second they were going in circles. (I actually did make one group run incircles last year.) I think it caused a couple of them to briefly wonder if they were lost, but I think mostly they thought I was weird. Book 12 was (Blood Run) and book 13 was (Journey Into Darkness.)
Scott Herbst and everyone who stayed with him made it back and found all the books. Scott is a master of orienteering and adventure racing. He used the printed directions and found all the books fairly easily. A few of the next bunch made it back and missed only a book or two. The Hauge family got off course, and found only 10 or so of the books. The OKC boys overshot the first cave and reportedly looked into a guard shack somewhere and saw a guy that they thought was dead?!?!?
They got to the cliffs where Glen was waiting much much later, and eventually called me because they were lost and out of water (missed the water cache.) I ran out and met them and brought them water, and we all made it back. Bret, one of the OKC guys, did not want the directions, and actually scribbled through them. I think they enjoyed getting lost as much as they would have enjoyed finding all the books.
Curfew at Turkey Mountain is 11:00 PM, but we were still out there until 3:00 AM before we packed it up and headed home. Hanging around and visiting with running friends is one of the finer things in life.
Big-time thanks to Dana who single-handedly marked the day course (and also pulled the markings) and brought all of the water/Gatorade. Thanks to Brian who set up the Tatur tents and brought a lot of the food stuff. And also thanks to those who pitched in a few bucks to offset some of the cost. This race has no sponsors and no entry fee. Possibly in the coming years, there may be a fee to do it and maybe t-shirts or something. Next year, I am thinking something will be different for the BBF. I may move it to another location. I may let someone else take the reins and give it a go....any takers? It's a fun event, and I don't want to let it go, but there are not many more surprises on the mountain. Unless Eldridge comes up with something.
12 runners toed the line for the day run. The early version of the BBF took off just after 7:00 pm. There were a quite a few first-timers in this event, including Arena, Kirk, Ben, Cory, and a couple of others whose names I will insert later when I find my book of entries that was misplaced when we were picking things up.Five books were placed on the day course over the 4.5 miles. Some of the titles were Dead Mans' Walk, Journey to Forever, Dead I well May Be, Vertical Run. Four book titles you may ask?? Well, there were five books on the course but not one runner found all five. My first thought was that one of the books had been swiped, but at least one page was torn form all five of the books. So, there were no official finishers. Nikki, Cory, Ben, and runner 4028 came across the line first with pages from four of the five, so they were the unnofficial winners.
The night run has to start--well, at night. So, with the day runners finishing by 8:30, we had some time to kill between the races.
So, we hung out and caught up on all the running stuff.
Tom, RockStar, and Kate rehydrate after a sweatfest of a run.
Brian spends his time between the races deciding whether or not he is gonna do the night run. He decided he was under-hydrated and spent the next few hours addressing that problem.
Kirk took a spill and got his pretty new MM50 race shirt dirty. Kirk debated the to-run-or-not-to-run dilemma for the night run, and finally decided to go for it.
Who says trail running is not a spectator sport? We had more fans for the day race than we had runners.Finally, the daylight began to wane, and I made the announcements, passed out maps and directions, and sang the Star Spangled Banner. (J/K about the singing, although next year.....) I did pass out spiderweb sticks for the fast runners and for those who thought they might get lost.
19 runners went out on the night run in search of 13 books. I would have liked to have ran with them, but felt the need to get to the bluffs to help with a dangerous ascent up the face. Last year, I heard that a particular runner felt the night run bad become too easy, since it was so well marked. This year, there were very few course markings, and I supplied maps and written course directions (in ridiculously small font.) This years course got ugly in a hurry, with 1 quarter mile of creek scrambling over slick boulders and briers to get to book one (Journey Into Danger.) Half a mile into the race, the runners had to use rope to climb up a steep bank into a weedy field and then into a jungle-like area to a newly barley cut trail to a tree that had been split by lightening where book two (Trail of Blood) was placed. Then, after a quarter mile of mosquito and tick infested thicket, the runners were treated to 150 yards of paved trail before heading up the steepest of the climbs for the night. From the lowest point on Turkey Mountain to the highest--a climb of 300+ feet in .15 of a mile. Along the way, book 3 was waiting (Dead Runner.)Then, the whipped souls got a half mile of easy dirt trail straight north on the Ridge Trail. About half way down this well traveled trail, they took a right turn down a long bunch of switchbacks. Down down, to the very bottom, collecting book 4 (The Worst Way To Die) just before the steepest decline. I had asked before the race started if anyone had ever run track. There were a few hands raised. Good, I told them, because there was gonna be some track to run tonight--railroad track. They took the tracks, which ran right along the base of a long series of high bluffs, north about a half mile. There is a small cave along the way that if you know where to look, can be seen from the RR tracks. I had placed book 5 (Glimpse Into Terror) in the cave beside a Tiki candle. Then, the runners had to go back south about 1/4 mile, and enter a narrow inlet into a wall of vines which led right up to a series of caves. I was waiting for them here, along with a good friend Glen. In the first cave, book 6 (On the Edge) was placed, which involved scrambling up an incline and dealing with a lot of spider webs.
From there, they inched around some huge boulders to another small cave, and then climbed a series of makeshift ladders to a ledge where Glen and I were waiting to assist anyone who was nervous about the next climb.
Kathy was the first through this section. She was up the ladder and scaled the next ledge and was off like a shot.
Cory was not far behind her.
Chris gets ready to make the necessary jump to get his footing for the steep climb.
And Chris' buddy, also named Chris (I think) makes the ascent as well.Glen and I waited for the next group of runners, and as we waited, I got a call that Kirk had sprained an ankle but was hobbling back in to the starting line. Barkley claimed it's first victim of the night. Turns out it was a minor thing, and after icing it and putting peppermint oil?? on it, he feels as good as new.
The Hauge family was the next group, and Bob decided to stay on the ledge with Glen and I to recollect his energy. There was only one more group--the OKC boys, and we waited a while for them and finally saw them pass below us on the way to the first cave. We decided that Bob and I would go on and he would finish the run, while Glen waited to help the OKC gang with the cliff scaling. So, Bob and I were off and up. We collected the next book (Cliffhanger) from the Time Portal cave above (where I got my hand caught last month) and then popped out onto the Yellow Trail (Ho-Chi) and headed north. We reached the Sitting Rock, and crossed over to the west side, and went down down down all the way to Mooser Creek where a book was placed in the sink hole. (Darker Than Night) Bob was at a major advantage from this point on, because I had placed the books--no danger of missing one, or getting lost. Looking back, I should have deliberately got lost. Then we climbed back out of Mooser Creek, and and picked up book 9 (In The Deep Woods) in another small cave that someone was camping in not too long ago. Then, we went back down Then it was over to Pepsi Pond, and then made a hairpin turn and crossed over Mooser Creek on the concrete bridge where I had 2 cooler stashed. I guess most of the runners did not make it to this cache, because very little of the drinks were gone. From there, we crossed another dry creek bed and climbed a steep bank and hill over to the bicycle graveyard, an area where years ago some of the BMX guys had built some ramps and bridges that looked like Dr Suess contraptions to ride over. Most of these wooded structures have rotted out and fallen, and you get the idea you might see some bones laying around. I had another short out-and-back to Mooser Creek to get book 10 (The Turnaround) appropriately placed.
Well, at this point, we were 2 solid miles away, and while the trails back are good trails, and most of them were ones that the runners seldom used, there were no killer climbs, no caves, bluffs, water crossings--it was just a put-your-head-down-and-run sort of trail--and dodge the spider webs.
Each year, I try to pull some sort of trick on the runners, and this year, I had bought 3 IDENTICAL books, and placed them along this trail, and called them all book 11. My thoughts were that it might make them think for a second they were going in circles. (I actually did make one group run incircles last year.) I think it caused a couple of them to briefly wonder if they were lost, but I think mostly they thought I was weird. Book 12 was (Blood Run) and book 13 was (Journey Into Darkness.)Scott Herbst and everyone who stayed with him made it back and found all the books. Scott is a master of orienteering and adventure racing. He used the printed directions and found all the books fairly easily. A few of the next bunch made it back and missed only a book or two. The Hauge family got off course, and found only 10 or so of the books. The OKC boys overshot the first cave and reportedly looked into a guard shack somewhere and saw a guy that they thought was dead?!?!?
They got to the cliffs where Glen was waiting much much later, and eventually called me because they were lost and out of water (missed the water cache.) I ran out and met them and brought them water, and we all made it back. Bret, one of the OKC guys, did not want the directions, and actually scribbled through them. I think they enjoyed getting lost as much as they would have enjoyed finding all the books.Curfew at Turkey Mountain is 11:00 PM, but we were still out there until 3:00 AM before we packed it up and headed home. Hanging around and visiting with running friends is one of the finer things in life.
Big-time thanks to Dana who single-handedly marked the day course (and also pulled the markings) and brought all of the water/Gatorade. Thanks to Brian who set up the Tatur tents and brought a lot of the food stuff. And also thanks to those who pitched in a few bucks to offset some of the cost. This race has no sponsors and no entry fee. Possibly in the coming years, there may be a fee to do it and maybe t-shirts or something. Next year, I am thinking something will be different for the BBF. I may move it to another location. I may let someone else take the reins and give it a go....any takers? It's a fun event, and I don't want to let it go, but there are not many more surprises on the mountain. Unless Eldridge comes up with something.
