Featured columnist Dave Klisz provided the following report from his adventure this past weekend, enjoy.

Bear Creek Race Report - December 2007
>
> First of all, I have to say my report may be different than other Bear Creek
> race participants. It's because I ran a different course than the others! I
> also just looked at the race results and am quite upset over placing last in
> my
> age group. I don't think that's ever happened to me. I also don't think I've
> ever gotten lost in the woods. I guess there's a first time for everything
> and
> I'm no different.
>
> A good summation of my experience at Bear Creek is to say that I ran 11.84
> miles for a 10 mile race. The race standings don't show this but I ran pretty
> strong for a 11.84 mile trail race (for those who want to know, I ran 10
> miles
> in 1:49 so I guess I was set to finish pretty decently, if I had only found
> the
> finish line, which i didn't).
>
> The first 5 miles were hard but fun. John King and I ran together for most of
> it. A few creeks here and there. Hidden roots everywhere. People falling
> down,
> twisting ankles. None of that happened to me during the first five miles (the
> last 6.84 miles is a different story). Part of the trip out was a dirt fire
> road that turned to gravel. This part of the course allowed me to really
> enjoy
> the serenity of the deep woods.
>
> Prior to that though, John and I saw a woman just standing in calf-deep water
> at the first large creek crossing. We weren't sure why she seemed to be
> hanging
> out in the water. Maybe she was stunned. We pushed on.
>
> John and I got separated at another creek or when we had to give up the trail
> to those faster runners on the return trip. The trail wasn't conducive to
> conversation.
>
> After turning around at the five mile mark, I was totally by myself at some
> points. No one behind me and no one in front of me. It was weird because I
> had
> no idea which way was north, south, etc. I kept following the white trail
> blazes. Note the word "white" because that's important.
>
> After getting to the dirt fire road again, I relaxed a bit. I was pretty
> tired
> but there were only a few miles left. About three I think.
>
> Then all of the sudden I was on the ground and rolling forward. I tripped on
> my
> own feet somehow. No roots, no holes, no nothing. That was the first time I
> went down. I started laughing because it was funny how fast and hard I hit
> the
> deck. I don't even know how it happened.
>
> After leaving the fire road and getting back onto the brutal trail, I went
> down
> again. This time I fell downward because I was going down a hill. Of course I
> started laughing again. I was having a hard time picking my feet up high
> enough
> to clear the roots. Still no [major] injuries but I knew I would be sore from
> just falling.
>
> After crossing another creek bed, I went to the right to follow the white
> trail
> blazes. Unbeknownst to me, everyone else went left! I thought I saw someone
> ahead of me so I went right. This obviously turned out to be a major mistake
> on
> my part. In hindsight, both ways were marked with white blazes but I crossed
> the creek more to the right and so I immediately picked up on the right hand
> side blazes. I found out later I wasn't alone.
>
> At the 7 mile mark (all distances via Garmin), I thought, "Finally, I can do
> three miles, no problem." At the 8 mile mark, "Two miles is easy! I'll be
> done
> in 20 minutes!" At the 9 mile mark, I felt like I was seeing the scenery for
> the first time but I still saw two people ahead of me and I decided to catch
> up
> to them. At 9.8 miles, I thought the trail still looked unfamiliar but I
> wasn't
> sure. Surely I was close to finishing. Or was I???? I didn't hear anything.
> No
> people, no cars, nothing. I still saw clear, white trail blazes that looked
> identical to the ones the race director showed us at the race briefing.
>
> At 10 miles, it was obvious what my situation was. At 10.3 miles I wondered
> if
> anyone would ever find me because I didn't see anyone anymore. I thought I
> heard traffic on a road so I kept running. Around 10.5 miles, I exited the
> woods on a state highway and saw Michael George. Michael George is a major
> player within RRRC and he was obviously as lost as I was. I asked him if we
> would be disqualified if we ran along the road back to the entrance of the
> park. He didn't really answer me. He seemed to be waiting on someone or
> pondering some other course of action.
>
> I already knew what I was going to do. I was done racing. Clearly, I was off
> the path. I had already run on the wrong part of the trail for over two
> miles.
> I wasn't going to backtrack. I couldn't do any more trail running without
> some
> fuel. I had no water or gu packets. I didn't care about my finishing time at
> that point because I wasn't even going to be running through the finish line
> from the proper direction!
>
> I ran the rest of the way to the race staging area along the road. I caught
> up
> to a few teenaged runners who were walking. They got lost too. When I got to
> the top of another hill, I looked back and saw Michael George and maybe 4
> additional runners.
>
> I finally made it to the staging area and ran to the finish line. When I got
> to
> there, I turned around and hit 'stop' on my Garmin. 11.84 miles. Several
> people
> came behind me and then there was much discussion about how so many people
> went
> the wrong way. I don't know how others got confused, but I think I remember I
> should have gone left at the last creek crossing instead of choosing right.
>
> I fell/tripped a few more times during my off-trail adventure. I also had
> some
> near falls and that's probably why I'm so sore (trying to catch myself
> instead
> of just going down on the ground).
>
> There is some good news: I beat three males who are half my age. I don't know
> if they got lost or not, but I beat them! And oh yeah, I got a cool shirt for
> showing up!

A small but enthusiastic group of about 25 adults & 25 kids gathered Thanksgiving morning for the 1st ever, Most Unofficial Ashland Turkey Trot. We had unusually warm weather for Thanksgiving morning. The 10K course was changed because of some construction on Maple Street, making the course closer to a 9K. Jeff Sears of Hanover Vegetable Farm won the 9K race & elected to have the race named after a boy from his church who drowned this Summer for next year (more details to follow). Mary Ellen Kinser and Bryan Cline came in close 2nd & 3rd to round out the top 3. Jenny Richie brought several members of her family from Ohio, so they took home the prize for out-of-town relatives. Several families tied for the most family members participating, so by the luck of the draw, the Spence's took home the prize in that category. Although there wasn't a prize, Corinne Luck was the best dressed, sporting antlers with her ATC t-shirt.

Morgan Hunter won the the kid's half mile race & Peyton Luck and Scott Redfern tied for the win in the kid's mile.

I think everyone enjoyed the event & hopefully it will be even bigger next year.

If you are thinking of starting to run, the Monument Ave 10K teams will starting soon. This is how I began my second running life about 4 or 5 years ago. Bryan Cline & I joined the training team together & have been running every since. As I look back over the years, I remember how hard even the short runs were at that time. Taking-up an exercise that is so physically demanding is a big step, but I promise you it does get easier. Now, I run about 6 days a week. The best advice I can give is:
1. Find a running group or at least one other person to run with. You are more likely to stick with it if you have a friend to help you on days when you're not feeling up to it.
2. Pick an event and develop a training schedule. You don't have to live & die by the schedule, but it'll provide with a guideline.

That's it for now.

Oh, one other thing, BIG CONGRATS to Dave Klisz for running in the Bear Creek Lake 10 miler this past weekend. The race is a gruling trail run, and as Dave found out, it's easy to get lost. So if you see Dave congratulate him on his 11.87 mile 10 miler ;>)

See ya on the Streets,
Tom