I can't help but say the name of this race with a mountain scroungy voice "The Beeaaarrrr!"
A bit over a year ago, Chris and I were joking on a run as I was telling him about some of the crazy races I heard about growing up in Boone including this "ridiculous race up to the very top of Grandfather Mountain. I mean, it's like straight up, ha! Those people are crazy." His reply - "what about 2010? If we were able to even finish it..." and a dream began. Now, we know we will not only be able to finish (and not get picked up by the sag wagon) but also finish strong. Times are not so important to us here - more of a race against one's self, although Chris wants to place top 10% of males and I'd be happy with top 25% of females and a time somewhere in the 55-60 min range.
The blog's been quiet this last month as intense training picked up after the Biltmore 15k. Each week typically went like this: Sunday = rest, Monday = track workout (8-10x 400s), Tuesday = 3-5 miles, Wednesday = hill workout, Thursday = rest or 3 easy, Friday = 3-5 miles, Saturday = Long run of 6-10 miles of hilly of a route as possible.
The hill workouts were a blast (well, somedays) so long as the heat wasn't too terrible. After a 1.25 mile jog through the neighborhood to the park where the track is, there is a big ole hill with streets 1/4 mile long that go straight up it. "Hanes Hill," as I've dubbed it, ranges from 8-20% grade with the last 150 ft leveling out which helps in the "up and over" a hill mentality and recovery training. The first week I started with 3 laps of Hanes Hill before a recovery jog back home. Each week thereafter, I added 1-2 laps and tried to notch my lap time down.
The real test came a week and a half ago - Pilot Mountain. Our plan was to make it out there a few times, but schedules have been busy so we only had one chance at this. The road from the ranger station to the top parking lot is 2.0 miles with an elevation gain of 974 feet. The grade starts at 7% and steadily increases to 12% at the top of the mountain with many switchbacks. It's a great analog to The Bear, being a bit steeper than the last 2 miles of that race. The hope is that the long hilly runs in addition to track and hill workouts will give me the stamina and endurance needed to make it to the top of Grandfather. I usually feel more confident if I can practice the course ahead of time, but this is not a public course for people to run. I've visited Grandfather several times in the past though and am quite familiar with the famous switchbacks on the climb to the top.
My reward for a hard earned finishers medal - a weekend in paradise! The hubby and I will be pampered Friday morning with massages (and a birthday pedicure for me) before heading out to Valle Crucis to stay at a bed & breakfast for the rest of the weekend. I'm quite excited about the vacation and can't wait to sneak a run or two in on the side of the Watauga River. I used to spend summers at Camp Broadstone on the river and have many fond memories of capture the flag and catching lightening bugs. Did I mention that I can't wait!?!?! :D
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