Lake Zwerner 5K Trail Run

Nice cool windy October day for a trail run around Lake Zwerner in Dahlonega Georgia to raise money for No One alone. The course was a trail run with the first part being on Highway 60.
The day turned out to be a nice day despite the wind.

First off, I under estimated the number of hills in the course.

Started off the race on the road from the park heading across the bridge over the lake before we ducked into the woods and the nice double track trail. The first mile clocked in at 8:28 minutes which was going to be a good pace. I was exited until 2.25 when the first major hill hit. From that point on I realized the course was not flat nor would I be keeping the 8:30 pace. There were two major hills that I had to speed hike up. The rest of the way was a good pace run around the winding trails.

The last quarter mile you popped out of the woods and started to make your way to the foot bridge over the damn to cross the finish line. Finished with a solid 30 minute run around the lake to capture a 3rd place in my age group.

Lesson for this race was never under estimate the course.

This event also had a kayak race as well. That was a lot of fun to watch. Maybe next year I will enter the run & paddle.

Run the Farm for FOCUS 5k

Run the Farm for FOCUS 5k in Newnan, GA in support of FOCUS had an excellent turn out to raise money for FOCUS.

The three events were sponsored by work. The other two events were a 10k trail run and a 1m family walk.

The 5K course was fast and flat for the first 1.5 miles. The trail ran along the banks of a creek which made it a pleasure to run and kept the trail cool. The conditions were a little wet from the rain however the course was in good condition. The middle mile had a few hills that were tackled however slowed the pace down. The trail finished with a short section of running on crush and run gravel to cross the finish line.

I was pleased with the results. 27:03 for a 5K trail race with netted an 8:43 average pace which resulted in a first place in age group and 8th place overall in the 5K.

The rest of the event was spent socializing with the FOCUS folks and cheering on the participants from work that were running in the 10K or doing the 1 mile walk.

In the end a nice corporate event and great time with friends from work.

Dawson Dash 5K

Dawson Dash 5k at Rock Creek Park in Dawsonville GA to support Young Life Dawson County was a nice change of pace from the trail. The course itself was pretty flat.

I used this as an opportunity to see how fast the legs could go and shoot for a 5K PR.

The course itself was pretty much three laps around the asphalt trail. There were several participates from work as well that made the event enjoyable. The race was short and sweet.

Crossed the line with a new 5K pr of 25:27 which scored me a 4th in age group and 38th overall. Good finish for the first time back on the road in a long time.

Sawnee Mountain 3.5m Trail Run

The final race of the season for the Dirty Spokes Trail Racing Series is located at Sawnee Mountain Preserve. The course is a 3.5m trail run starting on the Spot road entrance, running up the right side of Laurel Ridge trail with a transition to Indian Seats trail back to Laurel Ridge to finish at the Sport road park entrance.

The course is a tough 3.5 miles with the first 2.5 miles gradually making your way to the top of the mountain to then spend the next mile running downhill.

It was a bit of a cloudy/misty day which kept the July race cool.

As usual the start was 8:30. Battling the uphill and navigating the downhill I was determined not to take a spill as I did the year before. 35 minutes later crossed the finish line to finish the race and the series. It was a good race and a good series.

The last race of the series is also when the series awards are given out. Due to missing a race and not placing well in the new age group, I did not expect to place this year. To much of my surprise persistence pays off attending 6 of 7 races I had enough points to squeeze out a 3rd place in my age group overall.

So ended the series with a nice reminder why I do what I do. Hopefully I will do better and compete better in 2012. Until we meet again, see you on the trail.

Central Park 5m Trail Run

The sixth race of the Dirty Spokes Trail racing series falls under the category of a D.N.S. (Did not start.)

The course is not to far from the house however due to other family events I was not able to make this race. The course I have run before is a 2.5 mile course. The first 1 to 1.5 is a nice single track through the woods. The last mile or so is in open fields. This makes for a tough finish in June.

Hope all went well and I am sure the Dirty Spokes Crew put on an excellent event.

Ready for the Series finale at Sawnee Mountain Preserve.

Mt. Tabor 8m Trail Run

Fifth race in a seven race Dirty Spokes Trail Race Series.

The course is a 4 mile loop which is run twice to get you to the 8 mile mark. The first two miles or so is the best part of the trail. The last two twist and turn through some open grass/weed areas. For some reason this trail race is the least favorite. The last two miles is exposed to the elements so on a warm day it can get a bit hot.

This race was not my best by far, nor was I that prepared for it either. The time showed as I crossed the line several minutes slower than last year.

The DirtySpokes Crew does put on an excellent event though. The kids race was fun to watch. Thanks to the volunteers and DirtySpokes.

On to the next race...

Gainesville St. College 5.3m Trail Run

Fourth race of a seven race series Dirty Spokes Trail Race Series took place at Gainesville State College trail system in Oakwood GA.

This was a second new venue for the year. The course was a fairly flat fast 5.3 mile. The first 2 miles was shared with the 2.5 mile run. The weather was nice for April. A bit of a rain during the week has left the area a bit muddy which added to the fun. The wood bridge crossings were wet which would be a bit of a challenge for several of the racers.

I was glad to finish the 5.3m with a good time but most off all was able to see the awards ceremony for the 2.5 mile run which both boys participated.

This event was very special in that both of my boys ran the 2.5 mile race. Each of the placed in there age groups which was awesome.

Dirty Spokes had laid out easter eggs around the area for competitors to find to redeem for prizes. Scored another beer glass while the kiddos scored a shirt and a water bottle.

Another awesome venue. Thank you Dirty Spokes and volunteers for a great race.

Olde Rope Mill Park 6.5m Trail Run

Third race of a seven race series Dirty Spokes Trail Race Series took place on the mountain bike trails at the Olde Rope Mill Park, Woodstock, GA.

I was not sure I was going to make this race. The night before the water heater decided it did want to hold water so it was a long night cleaning up water in the basement.

This was a new venue for the series. There were two sections of the course which felt like a figure eight. The first half of the 6.5 mile course was a fairly easy run. I decided after the last race I would go out a little slower. After the first three miles I was wondering if I should have done that. The decision proved to be a wise one as the second half of the course was more difficult with several rolling hills to deal with along with a good stretch of fresh cut trail. I felt good through most of the race until the very last mile. I had not been training beyond 4 to 5 miles so I could feel the hills and new trails taking a toll. The last half mile I was running with Danielle as we approach the finish line we both made a mad sprint for the finish. I thank her for the extra encouragement to push me over the finish line.

As usual the Dirty Spokes crew have posted the results. Awesome venue. Thank you Dirty Spokes and volunteers for a great race.

Next up... 5.5 in Oakwood GA. Can't wait.

Running The Rocks 10K Trail Run

Second race of a seven race series Dirty Spokes Trail Race Series took place on the mountain bike trail at the Georgia International Horse Park, Conyers, GA. This same weekend there was also a mountain bike 12hr/6hr race that started after the trail race.

The location was the same as last years Runnin the Rocks however the course was changed a bit to keep it interesting. The weather could not have been better with a cool 56 degree start without a cloud in the sky. The race as usual started promptly at 8:30. The 10K races headed in one direction while the 5K races headed the opposite direction. The first mile of the race was on crush-n-run. I was feeling really good the first 1.5 miles despite spending very little time training. The first mile split same in under 8:15. The pace slowed down as I came up on the single track however was still feeling good. By mile 3 the reduced amount of training had caught up with me and my pace was way off. I switched from an all run to a fast hike up the hills with a run on the flats and down. This worked well to finish the course. The course was in great shape with great views of the creeks and the foliage showing the first signs of spring.

I was not too happy with the 1:04 finish however what can you expect when you do little training. Looking to build on the first couple mile splits as well as the sprint to the finish.

Once again thank you to the volunteers and the Dirty Spokes crew for putting on a great race!

Next up Olde Rope Mill for race 3 on April 2nd.

Heritage Park 8m Trail Run

First race of the 2011 Dirty Spokes Trail Running series started on a cold wet February day in Oconee County Georgia. There were 176 racers this weekend. Very good turn out despite the cold and rain.

The drizzle cleared before the 8:30 start of the 8 mile run. At the start the runners ran the crush n run around the park before heading off into the woods for some nice single track racing. The course was well marked with two creek crossing. Both crossing managed to soak at least one foot if not both of most runners. The course was was very scenic. The rain during the week and weekend had left the course very muddy.

The course had many challenges between the hills and rocks, muddy conditions, and the 8 miles. There was also on and off drizzle during the race which collected on the glasses which slowed navigating the single track trails.

Despite the slow down in training over the winter I had a very good time. It was nice to get back out on the trails.

Thank you to the volunteers and Dirty Spokes for a great race and an exciting new location.

Next up Race 2....