New Beginnings

"With every new beginning comes new opportunities" - unknown

Since the Oak Mountain 50k I have done very little running. It has been tough for me to find any motivation to get out and run because my wife and I have decided to move from Nashville, Tennessee to Charleston, South Carolina.  As excited as we are about the move, I cannot help to think about my running goals I had set for myself this year and how I will not be able to complete some of them.  The biggest goal I had set for myself was to run the entire 444 miles of the Natchez Trace Parkway in one week and unfortunately I will not have the opportunity to do this.

At first I was unsure what the ultra running scene was like in Charleston but a friend (thanks Holland!) told me about a race series called LowCountry Ultras.  LowCountry Ultras puts on some pretty unique and tough races that vary in distance from 50K to 50 Miles and even a 24 hour event.  The first opportunity I have to race once we move in May is in a race called the Cremator 50 Mile.  After reading about the race I know why they call it the Cremator.  The race is on July 20th in the scorching South Carolina heat where the heat index reaches 115+ degrees and the asphalt temperatures can reach 138 degrees.  This quote on their race description says it all,  "The course was chosen based on the limited amount of shade that can be found along the course."  In other words they chose the course to be as hot as possible. Another unique race is called the Homestead 10 X 5K.  In this race you run a 5K every hour for 10 hours.  The person with the fastest cumulative time wins. I also plan to sign up for the Long Cane Ultra weekend.  This looks like a fun, low key event in which a 50K takes place on Saturday followed by a 55 miler on Sunday. I have not participated in races like the Homestead 10 X 5K and Long Cane Ultra before, and I'm excited to see what I can do.

The mountains of northern Georgia are only a couple of hours away so when I want to add some elevation change to my running, my wife and I can take a weekend trip and be there in no time. I have not researched too many races in this area, but I will be doing that soon to help round out the rest of my running for this year.

I am looking forward to my move in a couple of weeks and getting settled in to our new home. Once we get settled, I will begin to train and adjust to the heat so that I can be prepared for these races. I know the heat will bring a new challenge for me, but it's something I welcome. I am always in search of new adventures, so please feel free to let me know of any "can't miss" races you are aware of!

See you in Charleston!