Macon County - Moonlight Moonshine 10k - July 7, 2018

OK, so given the problems with mis-locating a race a few years ago, I had to make a return trip to Macon County, and the Moonlight Moonshine 10k in Franklin, North Carolina sounded like an awesome opportunity to do so.  Dave Linn from Bringing it to Life! Productions is usually connected to great races in western North Carolina, and this one was no different, with lots of Dave's personality coming through, like in his use of old-timey photos on the website, very creative awards, and RC Colas and Moon Pies for the runners.  I've done a couple of Dave's races in the countdown, so I was glad to see he was involved again.

The race itself is a 10k double out-and-back on a mostly-paved greenway along the Little Tennessee River, starting and finishing at the Tassee Shelter Greenway Park.  In addition to the 10k event, there was a 1-mile fun run called the "Half-Pint Race" which Kathy completed with the boy in the str
oller.  The park's main shelter was the headquarters of the race, with signup, checkin, packet pickup, food and drink, and post-race awards all taking place there.  Great volunteers met us at the road with parking instructions, and it was no problem getting checked in and collecting our event t-shirts with the great Moonlight Moonshine logo, which was also on the age-group awards, which were laser-etched slices of wood, and the overall winner trophies, which were beautiful glass flasks (love how Dave sticks to a theme).

After the half-pint run was complete (about 8 young-uns took park), the 10k runners were ushered onto the greenway, and then we were off!  The greenway had lots of curves as it followed the river, which made it hard to see what was going on ahead or behind you, but there were a few straightaways where you had a bit of a view.  In addition, the greenway changed periodically from pavement to gravel and back, so you had to watch the traction a little bit and not get tripped up in the changes.  But the route was very picturesque and included some nice views of the river and some brief elevation changes as we went up and down and across some covered or truss bridges across the water.  Part of the course was along a municipal disc golf course, so we had some vantage points of where disc golfers were playing along the river as well.

About two miles in, we made the first turnaround at a very sudden hill where we climbed to the top, went down the left side, circled a clearing, climbed back up the right side, and then returned the way we came.  It was a serious hill and certainly focused us as we ascended and descended a couple of times.  The return trip to race headquarters was a nice break from the hills.  After passing the shelter about four miles in, where the assembled crowd cheered for us, we were off on the second out-and-back, along a waterlogged path and another bridge that crossed over to part of the greenway that went along the back of several businesses and shops, including the back of a lumber mill that must have been one of the biggest employers back in its day.


After the second turnaround in a park alongside the greenway, we were headed for home and could see anyone else behind us on the route.  The last few turns and splashes through the puddles went very quickly, and soon I made the turn for home back to the shelter, where the finish line had been set up.  I sprinted across the line and was very relieved to get some water and my prized RC Cola and Moon Pie for finishing.  Dave had some great music playing to entertain the runners, and before long he was ready with the awards.  I was very delighted to have run better than expected, and wound up taking home 2nd place in my age group!  It was a nice surprise and I'm happy to have that etched wood back home on my trophy shelf.

The Moonlight Moonshine 10k was a great event, and I really hope we get to come back and take part in it again.  It's a very nice, scenic course along the river with just the right amount of challenge and some great awards, directed by a race director who is determined to make sure every runner has a great time!  It was a wonderful visit back to Macon County, and hopefully we'll run this way again soon!

Ashe County - Ashe Dash 5k - May 5, 2018

Chad beat me to Ashe County back in 2011 when he ran the New River Half-Marathon, but with that race now moved to Watauga County, my best shot for checking off Ashe County was the Ashe Dash 5k, which had been held in the fall a few times but had been moved to spring.

Ashe County is the most northwestern of North Carolina's counties, tucked way up in the corner where Tennessee and Virginia come together.  As you might imagine, the mountains are everywhere and it's hard to find a level route, even for a 5k, so we went in knowing there were going to be some hills.  But the Ashe County Middle School Top Dog Clinic (a school-based health center for kids, not a veterinarian clinic) set up a very scenic route, with plenty of views of the mountains and hopefully not too many to run up.  Packet pickup on race morning was at the Ashe County Health Department in Jefferson, which offered great views of the surrounding hills and plenty of room for parking and organizations, and they had plenty of pre-race water and fruit to get the runners set to run.  However, with the start/finish being at the top of a hill, we knew we were going to have to finish uphill one direction or another.
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The race organizers gave a great introduction and invocation, lined us up, and we were off charging down the first hill.  (Kathy gave me permission to run on my own to test my pacing while she followed with the boy in the stroller.)  Unfortunately, at the very first turn a course volunteer directed us the wrong way, with the result that we continued straight and eventually were going to be on a short course.  From my vantage point safe near the back of the pack, you could see the runners following each other like bees -- do we turn?  do we not turn? -- but eventually someone knew the course and got us back where we were supposed to be, albeit a little short.


Other than those issues, though, the course was very pretty and the spring morning in the mountains made for excellent running conditions.  We saw lots of houses with gardens blooming, and then we turned onto Main Street, where the majority of the race was run, except that we missed two other turns that would have diverted us through some other parts of the Jefferson downtown area.  Eventually, we reached a little park between Main Street and Highway 221, where we followed (not kidding) Naked Creek and did a little turnaround before heading back the way we came.  I got to see Kathy with the stroller, and the boy had a wide grin across his face as he enjoyed the motion and hollering to the other runners.  The return trip had some hills of its own, but running through a different part of Jefferson downtown, plus the folks out in the early morning to see the runners, made it a very enjoyable route, even when we made the last turn and had to run back up the hill to the Health Department.  Fortunately, we were rewarded with a great vista of the mountains upon crossing the finish line, and the provided food made for a great post-run breakfast while we cheered for Kathy and the other runners coming up the hill.

Even with the missed turns, everyone had run the same route, so the 5k was official at a distance of only 2.84 miles by my Garmin.  The organizers went ahead with the awards, and the competition was very keen between the 70 recorded finishers.  (Kathy and I each finished sixth in our age groups.)  We enjoyed the trip up to the mountains and our beautiful tour around Jefferson.  With a few more course volunteers and maybe some turn markings on the road, the return of the Ashe Dash 5k has a chance to be a spring highlight of the mountains, and hopefully we'll make it up there to run it again another spring. 

Cleveland County - Gateway Trail 10-Miler - March 10, 2018

Cleveland County, North Carolina, just west of Charlotte, must have a good running community, because it supports a good number of races over the course of the year.  It also helps that they have a great greenway and trail system, including the Gateway Trail, which is planned as an eventual access trail from Kings Mountain, North Carolina to Kings Mountain National Battlefield, Kings Mountain State Park, and Crowders Mountain State Park.  This morning, though, the existing five miles of trail was being used as the home of the 9^th annual Gateway Trail 10-Miler (and also a 5k race). 

The Gateway Trail 10-Miler is an out-and-back race from the main trailhead parking lot just off highway 216 to the opposite trailhead at Foote Drive and back.  The race organizers had done a great job setting up for the race on a very cool morning:  there were a couple of different fire pits blazing away to keep the runners warm, a nice pre-race spread of fruit and bread and drinks were ready, and checking and packet pickup were in full swing inside the trail headquarters building.  The organizers had procured some beautiful handmade awards, pottery and metalwork like leaves that were going to go home with the best runners of the day.  All the organizers and volunteers were in a good mood and excited to have a bigger turnout than previous years for both the 10-miler and the associated 5k, which Kathy ended up walking with our boy in the stroller.  (46 runners finished the 10-miler, and 122 runners finished the 5k.)

After welcomes from the town mayor and the race director, the pledge of allegiance, and an invocation, the 10-milers were escorted down adjacent Quarry Road to the starting line, where the timers lined us up and gave us some last-minute instructions.  Meanwhile, the other organizers moved the 5k runners to the side of the main parking lot to give us room to move through (the 5k started a few minutes after the 10-mile runners passed through the headquarters area).  It was great to have the cheers of the 5k runners to spur us on at the start, and then we were off onto the trail, with only the plodding of our feet to encourage us through the race.

The “mountain” in the name of the city should have clued me in that this race was going to have some significant hills to it, but for some reason that possibility didn’t hit me until I was well into the up-up-up first mile.  In fact, we were about 2.5 miles into the race before we got an extended stretch of level or downhill ground.  The paved path at the start changed quickly into a crushed gravel path, and there were still some larger pieces of rock that you had to keep an eye on for fear of rolling an ankle.  The first 10-miler water stop also served as the turnaround point for the 5k, so those of us running safely in the back of the pack got to see the faster 5k runners twice.  There was a lot of up and down in the middle miles of the race, with very few flat places to catch your breath.  We did a very interesting hilly stretch alongside I-85, followed by a nice boardwalk section and then a pedestrian/bike bridge over the interstate where the second water stop was positioned.  After all the ups and downs of the first 3.5 miles, the 1.5 on the opposite side of the interstate was mostly flat with finer crushed gravel – although the last bit before Foote Drive had been replenished with fresh gravel and was like running in sand.  It truly was a relief to hit the turnaround and know I was on the way home.

The return trip including commiserating with the rest of the slower runners as well as thanking the water stop volunteers who had waited so long for the last of us to come through.  Given the difficulty of the race, it was a blessing to have had nice, cool weather so at least we weren’t suffering too much.  With the uphills at the start of the race, I kept reminding myself they would be downhills on the return trip, but even that wasn’t enough to spur me on to a faster pace.  It was a slow, plodding return trip, but I did enjoy the scenery as we circled lakes, crested hills, and enjoyed a big view of the quarry.  Finally I was back on the paved part of the greenway path, and after only a few more turns I could see the parking lot and the finish line, where it was a relief to be done.  I enjoyed a good rest near one of the fire pits with some wonderful fruit and a cold bottle of water.  The race organizers, who hope to add a half-marathon to the event for next year’s 10^th running, acknowledged it was a difficult race, which they took some pride in.  It’s one of those races I’ll say I survived rather than finished.  

They do have a great trail system in Kings Mountain / Cleveland County, and I can see why the runners are proud of it.  But be aware these are the foothills of the Smokies and you’ll see some serious ups and downs on the course.  But the great organizers, wonderful volunteers on the course, and the beauty of the early spring scenery made this a great stop.  Consider including the Gateway Trail 10-Miler on your race schedule!

Mecklenburg County - Winter Classic 8k - January 28, 2018

Yes, it's hard to believe, but even after a decade of collecting North Carolina counties, I had not made it to Mecklenburg County, the home of Charlotte, the state's biggest city, and plenty of great races, including several marathons and half-marathons.  However, I had heard good things about the Charlotte Running Club and their Winter Classic 8k (and 4k) race, so it was time to get another winter race into the countdown -- although this was another example of a North Carolina winter where we had nice temps in the high 50s and low 60s in the end of January.

The drive down to Charlotte was nice and easy the morning of the race, and I had my support crew of wife and child (and one of my wife's friends) along for the event.  The race itself was at McAlpine Creek Park, a local park where some high-school (and college?) cross-country events are held and which has several connections to the local greenway system.  The park also has some softball fields and a dog park, so there was all kinds of room for parking and setup, and the CRC had plenty of signs and volunteers to make sure you could find what you needed.


The pre- and post-race festivities were set up in the main field around the existing cross-country course start, but we used a separate starting line to allow for the crowds.  The 4k was the preliminary event (you could sign up and run both races if you wanted), which was effectively one lap of the course, followed by the 8k which was made up of two laps of the course.  Plenty of 8k runners took place (262 finishers were listed in the results) with teams and clubs competing from all over the state.  It was no problem picking up my packet -- the long-sleeved t-shirts with hoods were a nice feature -- and getting something to drink before headed en masse over to the starting line.

The first half-mile or so was a straight run down the boundary of the park and you could just see the leaders starting to separate in the distance ahead.  From my vantage point safe in the back of the pack, I could pick out a few familiar runners when they made a turn ahead and headed for a switchback along the base of a hill.  (Fortunately, we only skimmed the bottom of the hill and didn't have to do too much climbing along the part of the trail that ascends it.)  The switchbacks led back to the main field and then we passed close by the starting line and the spectators before making a turn to the right and circling a lake.  I held out pretty well for a while, but it was around the lake where the leaders lapped me, already finishing up their second lap while I was still struggling through the first one.

Although I didn't get to take the turn to the finish line yet, I could see some of the top finishers crossing the line as I headed out for my second lap.  The runners in my pack were much more strung along the distance, but a few of us ran in a small group and there was a little bit of passing here and there.  Now that we knew what the loop was like, it was easy to anticipate where the small rises were and where the switchbacks would allow us to see if anyone was gaining on us.  Once again we passed by the spectators and circled the lake, and the second time I knew I would get to take the finish-line turn.  I was happy to cross the line and see my cheering support group, get some water, and walk out a bit to stretch my legs.  For a very flat race, my legs were tired from the pacing, but overall it was a very enjoyable race and there were a lot of festivities going on to keep the runners entertained until awards time.

Lots of awards in this race:  in addition to the usual overall and age group awards, there were team awards, USATF awards, and Road Runners Club of America awards to give out (multiple groups had sanctioned the race as the North Carolina 8k or cross-country championship).  One of the park shelters made for an excellent awards stand.  In addition, funds had been raised for the "Bring It for Braylon" charity benefiting support for families dealing with pediatric cancer.  Even though I didn't bring home any awards, it was great to finally visit Mecklenburg County to run and experience this great 8k race!  The Winter Classic was a great event, and I hope that it won't take me this long to return and compete on the cross-country trail again!

2017 Year in Review

Well, once again we had to submit to family obligations and the running calendar when making attempts to get new counties, and we did pretty good, considering all the family needs to work around.  We also unfortunately discovered a navigation error a few years back that required us to remove Macon County from our "done" list and return it to the "to be done" list.  However, new counties were added to the countdown, and the finish line is in sight!

Brad's new counties in 2017 (4):  Moore, Yancey, Catawba, Henderson
Chad's total counties: 42
Brad's total counties: 95 (Macon, Greene, Mecklenburg, Cleveland, Ashe remaining)
Combined total counties: 98 (Macon, Cleveland remaining)

Believe it or not, the countdown could finally come to a close in 2018!  The calendar looks to be breaking our way, the family is supporting and excited, and we might finally visit those last few counties to get a run in and be able to say we counted down all 100 counties in the Old North State!  Stay tuned to see what happens!