It's the night before the day before. Should be time to be sleeping but I'm wired. It's 12:04 am and in 33 hours, I'll be starting in Baxter Springs, Kansas and running on old Route 66 for 100.3 miles to Catoosa and finishing my race in the high school football field.Most of the way is on old concrete--so much so that asphalt will end up being my friend. We'll run through several small towns along the way. If this event takes a cue from the Mother Road Marathon I ran last month, we'll have a little fan support. Crew babe Dana will be in her element, running sag every 3-5 miles. Could not even think of trying something like this without her. I am blessed with friends--friends who like to run! I have Arena, Deborah, Amanda, Jessica, Bobby, and speedster Tom pacing me varying distances. They'll leave me no time to feel sorry for myself. Arena promises to catch me up on her engagement and give me the dirt on her fiancee. Jessica will catch me up on how her mission trip went last summer and how her last martial arts meet went. Amanda is supposed to sing, Deborah is the joke teller (ok, I'm drafting her to tell jokes), Bobby is wearing a tutu, and Tom will wear his Village People getup and frighten me to run hard to the finish line. Tom has the work horse section, running with me from mile 78 to the stadium and hopefully a plentiful supply of pancakes and bacon. At mile 78 there is an oasis in the night--the TATUR aid station in Foyil, OK. As always, it promises to be the best aid station on the planet.My friends Kathy, Roman, Ken aka K2, Caroline, Charlotte, Randy, Arnold, Stormy, and Steve will be out there. Randy no doubt has a 21 hour race in him--maybe faster. Kathy has to be thinking about her 2nd place finish in the last Mother Road, and another PR. Others are looking for their first finish. Me, I just want any kind of a finish. This race may decide for me whether or not I'll go 100 miles again. I'm happy, ready, and antsy. Wish me luck!

A New Favorite

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

A New Favorite: Pumpkin Holler

I have always been fascinated with maps. When I started running on trails a few years ago, that fascination was helpful in finding new places to run. A good map or state atlas that shows elevation lines and names certain mountains and hiking trails is a great read for me. While cruising through the pages of my Oklahoma atlas, I found an area along the Illinois River that had a rural road running alongside it. This series of red lines indicated a long winding loop through valleys and over mountains miles away from the buzz of the city.

East of Tahlequah and north on HW 10, Eagle Bluff Resort is at gravel road that has an old steel bridge that crosses the Illinois.It is the only bridge between HWs 51 and 412. From there, the next left turn begins the loop below. There are a few (but just a few) important turns to make to complete this loop. In the first mile, we were treated to a riverside drive.This road is a sweet runnable surface. Smooth as the chat on a running track. The county or state--whoever does the road maintenance does a superb job.There are a few ups and downs, but not excruciating climbs at all.The leaves are changing but are not as colorful as they might have been since the last two months have been so dry. This section was about a mile long, and was a slight downhill grade--perfect for a quicker tempo-ed run.Most of this loop is shaded, but there are a few more open areas.Even as dry as it has been, there were a few water crossings.There is a short three mile section of paved road on this loop. It's a county road, and is mostly downhill. The scenery does not drop off on this paved stretch.Then there is the steepest climb on the course. It's about a half mile long, and is still runnable.The payoff is an equally long downhill. The most colorful leaves were during this stretch at around mile 22.On the entire loop, and we drove it twice, we only saw 5 vehicles moving--it's not a highly traveled road. We did have an audience at one point though.Finally, our loop was done. This is shot is taken from the steel bridge we crossed to begin our adventure.
I'm calling this the "Pumpkin Hollow course". One of the county roads between mile 10 and 20 is called Pumpkin Hollow--love it! I plan to go back in a few weeks to give it another go--this time on foot. Anyone wanna go?

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This post below is a subsequent trip Brian, Stormy, and I made to measure the course and determine where the aid satations will be. This trip was made on April 9th, 2011.

After the race, Brian joined Stormy and I and we headed to Pumpkin Holler. The plan was to drive the course and carefully Garmin the distance and elevation.This map is posted at the Nickel Nature Preserve, and the red loop is almost exactly the Pumpkin Holler course. The red line is the road we use. The race starts at the Eagle Bluff campground, and we'll run the loop clockwise. At the top of the loop after veering away from the river, we'll take the left road at the Y and do a 1.7 mile out-and-back which makes the loop 31.1 miles. Two loops make a 100K. The 100 milers get their extra mileage out of the way at the start. From the start, they turn RIGHT instead of left when they reach the loop. Then they make a left on the red road that cuts right through the center of the loop. Their turn-around is near the Tulley Hollow intersection, about half way through the preserve. This route includes a pretty good climb--maybe the steepest on the whole course--but you get it out of the way early while every one's legs are still fresh. Again, only the 100 milers do this out-and-back. After that, they do three of the big loops and they're done. Easy, right?This old church is right at the beginning of the 50K loop.

This is around mile 5. At several places on the loop, you get to run right along the scenic Illinois River.A look back the other direction.

This is the intersection where the first aid station is. This is also where the 1.7 mile out-and-back is. You had best not miss this turn. We are thinking of having a timing mat at the turn-around.

Another aid station locale. Brian is busy with his super duper high powered camera. I would love to have one like it, but might get a hernia lifting it.

Stormy did all the driving, was right on top of the Garminning and note taking, and the next day gave us a spread sheet with every landmark imaginable on the course including every cattle guard, every water crossing, every hill summit, intersection, switchback and hair-pin turn.

The trees in the area are beginning to bud out. Come race day, the leaves should be turning. Hopefully, we'll have a technicolor show.

I liked this pic. It seems fitting that a TATUR window sticker should have some dirt to go with it.

Finish the Pumpkin Holler Hunnerd, and you can put this sticker on your bumper.

After driving the course, Stormy and I checked out some actual trails inside the nature preserve for a future

blew my taper!

Instead of tapering, I ran an easy seven miles at the river last night. Turns out, most of the TZ Pacing Team was there. My anchor Tom, his setup man Bobby, and Deborah showed up to run a few miles at 5:30. With the time change, it is almost dark by then. But it was a spectacular night for a run!

I got there a few minutes early, and noticed the Arkansas River was at a record low level.The low-water dam that makes Zink Lake had the gates open, and the lake was drained.I have always thought this part of the river was knee deep at best, but walking down into the river bed, it is apparent that it is 10-12 feet deep when the normal amount of water is flowing.I scraped my leg of something while walking down there. As nasty as this water is, I surely will have an incurable disease and will most likely lose a limb. :-(After a final snapshot, we ran a two mile out, and then back. I met Jason and Lisa, and ended up running another 2 miles with Jason, and somehow ended up with seven according to MapMyRun.com. NO MORE RUNNING TIL SATURDAY!!!!

Lake Bixhoma

It was another postcard perfect day in our area. I suppose we could use some rain, but I'm ok without it--for now. You just can't use the excuse of bad weather to not get out and run, bike, or whatever you do to get yourself going. We decided to take out labs out for a run today. I usually take them to Turkey Mountain, but I have been wanting to take Dana to Lake Bixhoma as "I" think it's an awesome place to run and take pictures!Rocky is excited to make a road trip. Both he and Jake were perhaps a little too excited--just like a couple of bratty kids. "Are we there yet?? Can I ride in the front seat with you?? Will you hold me?? Mom, I need a kiss!!!"This seemed like a good outing for the boys. They could swim at will, and a jaunt around the gravel and dirt roads circling the lake was about what their long run should be.

Like I said, perhaps they were a little too excited. I usually let Rocky off leash, but dana was a little nervous about doing that, so she had the added benefit of Rocky pulling her up the hills, and a little resistance training for her arms. Double Rainbow!
After swim number two, I gave Dana the camera so me and the boys could have a group picture.The roads do not completely circle the lake--I think that might be a good trail project someday--if the right people could get permission. From where we parked, we had a .6 mile out, and then back to our jeep, and then we headed back around to the other side of the lake.
Somewhere along here on a slight downhill, and with an overexcited and slightly misbehaving Jake in overdrive, I rolled my gimpy ankle. Not a bad thing, but enough to remind me to be careful. (I do have a race next weekend!)
The south side of the lake is a lot more secluded. There is an iron gate barracading the way, and the unused gravel road leads around to an old abandaned camp ground.
The leaves in the area were better than what we saw yesterday, but hey--it's been dry here.I love running here. Gravel is not my favorite surface, but it's not that bad. I just wish there was more mileage. I suppose I could do a few laps, or do like I did a couple of years ago--go bushwhacking!!
Dana and Rocky pick up the pace for a while.
I would like to take the T-Tots here on a field trip some weekend. Osage State Park would be another good road trip as well. This area, with picnic tables and the fact that it's only 30 minutes away, would be a great place to have a cookout after the run. Any takers??