The Limberlost Challenge

The Limberlost Challenge or TLC for short, is a 14, 28, 42 & 56 km trail race in the Huntsville area. Beautiful area with some great trails that have a bit of everything. Hills, hills, switchbacks, a little mud, rock, and heat.

As long as you kept running the deer flys were not a problem, but you dare not stop to long at aid stations.

I think I speak for the group of us that went, it is a race worth doing, good course, well marked trails and friendly race directors and volunteers.

Creemore Vertical Challenge 2011

Photo's courtesy of Judy Wilson

The race you love to hate, Creemore Vertical Challenge.

After about 4 km of rolling roads and trails that has you sweating profusely, you come to a sign that says "Hill #1" Ha ha ha, very funny, until you notice that it is a two km gravel road that stops short of flight paths of airplanes.

As you trudge along cursing the race director, you come to other amusing signs,

"Hill #2, O2 hill"but should have said lack of oxygen hill.

The humidity started to kick in about this point so every breath seemed short of needed oxygen.

On the plus side, there was some beautiful homes and farms along the way that made you think that somebody out there has some money.

The views from the vistas, when you finally got to the top of the hills were spectacular, but soon reminded you that you will have to come down from these lofty places to only climb to another.

Temperatures were in the +30's with a humidex closer to +40, and it did take a toll on runners.

Smart ones pulled the pin and called it quites while others were whisked away for medical attention by ambulance.

By focusing on my heart rate monitor I managed to keep myself on a steady pace to ensure I would be able to sit in the Mad River at the finish line sipping my Creemore Pilsner as my finish line award.

Bill Wheeler pulled out a fantastic race winning age group and 4th overall. And I was not to far behind, if you use a calendar rather than a stop watch.

Next OUS race is Limberlost in Huntsville, will have to see if they have a beer sponsor before I sign up.

Last month mud, this month water

Can you spot the Fat Ass?

Week 5

Westminster Ponds trail run was a little muddy and wet.
Nancy is showing how the final leg of the trail allowed for some shoe cleaning.

Week 4

Mud, blood and sweat....all in a good day of trail running.

Week 3

This is a picture of Bill Wheeler and myself before the start of the Seaton Trail 29km Mud Puppy Race.


You will pleased to know that hardware was taken home and our trail group well represented. One of us finished in third place overall and one of us did not.


I did not have to wait to long after my long hot shower and change to dry clothes and I was thrilled to see Bill as he finished, because it truly was a tuff slug, running in ankle deep shoe sucking mud for the entire course. Bill was really bonked, unlike myself was well hydrated and had taken ample gummy bears at the water stations.


The day started bad, rain, high winds and temperatures that did not come above +3 all morning.


The out and back course just got deeper in mud as the morning progressed and water levels during the river crossing rose very quickly.


As in any race but even more so on a crappy day like this, you have to give credit to the volunteers who were water logged and cold but endured to make sure the runners in all three events (29k, 58k, 50m) were looked after.


So my recommendation to beating Bill to the finish line at a hideously difficult race, is to pull out around 20k and get a fast ride to the finish from some poor soul who lets a soaking wet runner covered in mud to sit in their car for a ride to the finish area.


Bill did a fantastic job of staying upright for a majority of the race and resembled a walking soil sample at the end. He said he may have damaged a tree that jumped out at him when he was sliding down one of the zillion hills.


Next OUS race is the Pick Your Poison Trail Races in Orillia on April 30th, one that has now moved down a notch of being a nasty & tuff race when it rains.