?Three strikes, you’re out,? so the saying goes. While I don’t live by this adage, I really couldn’t handle three, consecutive DNFs at this tough but beautiful run. Walker, my husband, also wanted to finish; as he had also DNF’d the first two years.

But my focus being on Vermont, I didn’t train specifically for, or developed a plan for this race. I relied on my overall conditioning, and my successful finishes at other races this year to carry me through the finish line.

I don’t know why this race is so tough for me. I’ve done other tough 40-mile events without sweating the cutoffs. Perhaps it’s because I still consider myself a late-fall and winter runner, and this event is held close to the warm, summer months. Uwharrie and Mt. Mitchell (both 40-mile events) are in February, when I’m in my top form. Perhaps it’s due to a mix of rocks, mud, ascends, sharp descends, and straight as an arrow road across the sky that makes this event so challenging.

The conditions couldn’t be any better with cool temperatures and overcast skies that kept the sun from beating down on us during that long, 7-mile road section. The entire course was also much drier than the first two years. We could actually see the rocks that peppered the course!

I went into this run with a minor pain on my right knee, lateral thigh, and hip that resulted from a bike spill three days before. And when I fell the first time, of course it had to be my right knee that made contact with a large, flat rock! Walker gave me some meds, and I carried on. Rob Apple passed us saying something funny and encouraging. Two or three other runners passed us, their hands making contact with my shoulders.

I never thought that we would be so close to the cutoff times. We reached aid six one minute before the cutoff! If Walker had not pushed me as we neared aid six, I am certain that we would have timed out there again this year. I’ve never been more appreciative of my husband’s presence during a race than at Highland Sky 2005.

The folks at Aid six were just wonderful. There, I saw Sharon Lapkoff’s husband, fellow runner Alex Morton from South Carolina, and few other familiar faces. It was so very good to hear their hearty congratulations, and encouraging words. At aid seven, we ate warm, chicken noodle soup given to us by Dan’s son. At this point, we were fairly sure that we would make it, although it would be close to the final cutoff for an official finish.

On the final stretch, within two miles from the finish, we saw Rob Apple again. He is finished, and driving back home already. He shouted, ?You guys did it, this year!? I refuse to look at my watch, so I’m hoping he’s right. I was thinking that if we didn’t make the cutoff, at least we’ll have covered the entire course this year. That, in my book, is not a DNF. That’s a finish, albeit an unofficial one. I looked at my watch just as we were heading into the final trail section. We had eight minutes! I was encouraged, so I picked up the pace. Then I heard David Snipes yelling something like, you run until you reach me, right here! I’m running towards him. He then warns me about the sharp descend going down to the finish.

I’m thinking, he’s nuts! There were much sharper descends on the course than this little, short downhill.

Two years ago, my birth-mother, who was visiting me from South Korea, helped the runners at aid four. At age 87, she wanted to learn some English. She asked me what she should say to the runners. I told her, ?Good job!? A couple of runners told me after the event that she was an inspiration. Last year, other volunteers asked me if she was with me, as they appreciated her help and enjoyed her company. My son was at aid four last year, in lieu of
mother. This year, it was just my husband and myself. And my birth-mother and son were both glad to hear that we finally came across the finish line. She boldly said the words, ?Good job!?

Dan, Lehmann family, the volunteers, and runners who encouraged me, thank you all so very much. To all the aid station folks, thanks for waiting for us, and encouraging us. To all the runners who recognize me from previous events, it is always so good to see you all again.

And until we meet again, HAPPY TRAILS!

Author: Caroline E. Williams.

Dan Lehmann, RD
June 22,2005

How about some important race statistics;

• 40.7 miles, 5739′ ascent, 5121′ descent
• A 5 mile climb ascending 2200′ from mile 2 to mile 7
• 125 starters, 116 official finishers and 2 just over the 12 hrs…..a 94% finishing rate
• 23 first time ultrarunners of which 19 finished…. an 83% finishing rate
• 8 runners have a streak going completing 2003, 2004 and 2005 races

That doesn’t tell the story of the 2005 Highlands Sky at all. The Friday pre-race camaraderie, the anticipation on the pre-dawn ride to Laneville, the excitement of the start, the conversations along the trail, the freedom of the hills, the company of old and new found friends, the smiles and grimaces of joy as runners cross the finish line…. these are what this 40 miler and ultra running is all about.

A cool, 47 degree Saturday morning and a preceding week of dry weather made for superb running conditions this year. Someone remarked how the lesser amount of water and mud on the trail made it easier to negotiate the rock-strewn sections…. well, a little bit anyway. A new section eliminating the “big muddy” and taking the high meadows and boulders meant less sloshing through the bogs. Everyone enjoyed this new section and the magnificent views along Raven Ridge Trail.

But there was a race going on too. Front runners Ian Schouten, Bill Young and Mark Lundblad all pulled in to AS #2 mile 10.1 at 1:45 followed in minutes by Luke Fleischman, Todd Eaby, Chris Frazer and Justin Thaine. By AS #4 mile 19.3 Schouten had a 3 minute lead on Lundblad and 7 minute on Young. The men kept this order through the reminder of the race with Ian Schouten of Lititz, PA winning in 6:12:04

The women likewise were close at AS #2 with Amy Bath and Justine Morrison arriving at mile 10.1 at 2:05 followed by Wendy Zamzow-Master at 2:07. Last years winner Sophie Speidel was back several minutes at 2:34. By AS #4 mile 19.3 Morrison had pulled ahead with 3:52, Bath second at 4:03 with Zamzow a minute behind at 4:04. At AS #6 at the end of the 7.3 road section Morrison was solid at 4:59, Bath 5:15, Zamzow 5:21 and Speidel close at 5:29. Across the new, tough 5.8 mile section to AS #7 it was still Morrison leading, Bath, and now Speidel at 6:46:30 and Zamzow at 6:46:50. The race was on for 2nd and 3rd place. At the last AS#8 things had changed with Speidel moving up to 2nd, Zamzow 3rd and Bath 4th. Justine Morrison of Washington, DC won with a time of 7:53:26, with Sophie Speidel 2nd and Wendy Zamzow-Masters 3rd.

It was a great third running of the Highlands Sky. Many thanks to our sponsors; Montrail, Patagonia, Fuelbelt, Hammergel, Timberline, Tygart Valley Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, and Canaan Valley Resort. Thanks to the Monogahela National Forest for their cooperation and to all the fine race day volunteers.

The West Virginia Mountain Trail Runners is pleased to host this event and we hope to see you in 2006.

Oh, and next year I’ll remember the weed wacker for that last tall grass section!

Be well,
Dan

West Virginia and the Highland Sky 40 was also pretty wet, wild and wrocky. Dawgs, Hunt and Phil Nissen traveled to the picturesque Canaan Valley State resort area to run the second year of this challenging trail run/ climb in the Dolly Sods National Park and Canaan National Wildlife area.

The run starts in a high mountain valley of about 2500 ft and climbs to 4500, in some of the nicest, prettiest and unique areas i have ever been to on the East Coast. There were about 150 starters in the run coming from at least 20 different states and Canada. The first 8 miles are climbing to a ridge which is at over 4000 ft and is actually the Eastern Divide. The trails were primitive wet and boggy, but with 8 super aid stations, spectacular vistas, nice people, great awards, meals and prizes, this will be on my to do runs for the future, for sure. Typically, i started a bit fast, but slowed down soon enough,( about mile 10 ) to not have too dramatic a slow down in second half and finished reasonable 10+ hour time. Phil, apparently had an even better second half than first and finished in 11 hour segment.

Buzzard/TrailDawg Diana Stump, who was joined by 5 other Lancaster Buzzard folks had another great top place run. Diana finished as 4th woman overall with an 8:54 and although no official age group would have been 2nd in her group. Buzzard Marsha Peters placed first in womens masters with a time of just over 9 hours. Other Buzzards, joining Marcia and Diana for the caravan/trek getting there were David Halblieb, Jeanine Standish, Megan Clark and Kathi Franco. Below is a link for more picts and brief write-up and attached are some pictures of dawgs and buzzards on the run.

Author Hunt Bartine

Who knew? Who knew how fun it could be to run 40 miles of “Wild, Wet and Wrocky West Virginia?” One-hundred and twenty runners from across the Mid-Atlantic and East Coast states came to Canaan Valley Resort near Davis, West Virginia to find out. Many runners found themselves driving through stormy weather that put 3 and 3/4 inches of rain on the trails of Dolly Sods. Dan Lehmann, the race director found himself on the Timberline Slopes bushwhacking a fresh trail through pine trees, ferns and mud to reroute the course around another event taking place the same day. No sense in dodging ATV’s and dirt bikes after running 36 miles.

While runners registered and enjoyed a great pasta meal we were treated to a slideshow of last years course photos. The pictures prompted some wonderful memories of the inaugural race. During the race briefing about 14 runners stated that this was their first ultra. Wow!

After a short drive to the start at the Laneville cabin in Dolly Sods the runners milled around nervously. The weather was discussed. Hydration strategies were evaluated. Drop bag contents were compared. Now it was time to run. Highlands Sky has three unique sections. The first section includes a tough rocky climb through a hardwood forest and when you get to the top you are treated to grassy bald that is covered with boulders and wind swept pines. As we ran through the fog on the summit we missed the expansive views to the east and west, but it was for the best since it forced you to kept your eyes focus on the technical trail. A maze made of mountain laurel guided us around rocks, across streams and through the mud to the second aid station. The course continues through the forest and will cross the Red Creek four times over its entire length. At the 18 mile mark the course changes dramatically.

A right turn onto Forest Road 19/75 forces us to plod along for the next 7 miles. This road has been called many things. Most of which can’t be repeated. It provides the biggest mental challenge of the course, especially since you have three opportunities to drop and watch other runner suffer for the rest of the day. The final leg of the run is truly special and those who make this far are rewarded, albeit with more water and rocks.

Each meadow is prettier than the next. The Red Creek tinted by tannic acid flows below and now is a friend that will cool you off as you wade through it for the last time. Ferns brush your legs as you enjoy the views. Less rocks for a few minutes. As you crest the Timberline Slopes you come to a pile of rocks that a glacier left thousands of years ago. “Almost done,” you think as you approach the aid station with the toughest of volunteers. These guys get wind blown and rained on no matter how nice the weather. One more hill, but wait.

The course is now unknown to the veteran runners. The bushwhacked trail beckons. Runners barrel across large rocks and trample lush ferns. Then all of sudden it gets slick. Those who have not fallen yet are about to kiss the ground. Here come “but slide hill!’ There is no avoiding it, no embracing it. Just a controlled fall for the next hundred feet. Aid station workers state that not one person had finished the last section without comment. On to the finish!

The next three miles are uneventful. Whitetail deer look up from the road as to say “Excuse me…I am eating here.” After a couple miles on or near the road we head back into the woods for a brief moment to suddenly pop out at the finish line to cheer of encouragement. The best part of it all was just walking 100 yards to your hotel room for a warm shower and a BBQ chicken dinner. The evening was capped with several servings in the Laurel Lounge. What a great father’s day weekend! I’ll be back next year. Who knew?

I guess we were just lucky last year for the inaugural running of the Highlands Sky; the event went off without a hitch. So I suppose it is fair to expect that this year something had to go wrong. While flagging the course two days before the start, I came across some new markings utilizing part of our course. The owner of the tract told me months earlier that another event, a motorcycle motocross, was going to be using some of the property on the same day as our race. We had adjusted our course accordingly to be away from the mountainside the motorcycles were using. I thought we had everything decided. Well things changed and they had moved into our area and were not going to budge. Only 6 hours before runners were due to arrive on Friday, in the middle of a 3-inch downpour, 1.5 miles of course had to be cut through steep, dense woods, over boulders and down mudslides. With that fiasco behind everything was looking up.

Runners arrived Friday evening at the Canaan Valley Resort to enjoy the amenities offered by the venue. Steve Bowles commented, “Geez, the race is at a resort. The trails are probably all walking paths. How tough could it be?” But the comforts of the facility lie in stark contrast to the challenging 40 mile Highlands Sky course across Dolly Sods.

In the men’s race Bill Young took an early lead over Derrick Carr and pulled in to AS #2 with a three minute lead. Young extended his lead to 6 minutes at the half, but Carr pulled up toward the end to finish only 2:35 behind the leader. This was Bill’s first ultra win with a 7:08:00. He remarked how stressful it was being in front.

In the women’s race Katherine Franco, Sarah Almodovar, and Sophie Speidel took the lead. At half way point AS #4 Almodovar led Speidel by two minutes going into the road section. By the end of the 7.3 mile “road across the sky” Speidel had pulled ahead by three minutes. Sophie Speidel maintained the lead to take home her first ultra win with a time of 8:06:51.

After all the planning and preparation for the Highlands, the sharing in the excitement and joy of the runners, there is a little bit of an empty spot when it’s all over….till the next time we get together to hit the trail.

Congratulations to all the runners. After what seemed like a bad start, the weekend turned out to be a winner. Thank you to all you volunteers who did such a fine job. And many thanks to all our fine sponsors; Montrail, Canaan Valley Resort, Tygart Valley Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, Hammergel, Patagonia, Fuelbelt, Timberline 4 Seasons Resort, Tucker County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Alldredge Academy, and the US Forest Service Monongahela National Forest.

See you next year.

I wasn’t sure I was going to run Highland Sky this year until three weeks before the race. I had just run the Promise Land and Capon Valley 50Ks and didn’t think it was a good idea to press my luck (and my body) to try an ultra that was rumored to be incredibly challenging and hard. I also needed to make sure I wasn’t asking too much of my family to allow me yet another 24 hours away from home…but the stars lined up just right when Rachel Toor, my new ultra friend whom I had met last year at Masochist, invited me to stay with her, and Quatro Hubbard, my training buddy from Richmond, agreed to give me a ride. My kids were happily hanging out with their dad, who had been away on business all month, so I felt I could go guilt-free. (When you are a mom trying to do these crazy races, it’s hard not to feel guilty). My kids practically begged me to leave (“Dad is more fun than you, Mom”), so the weekend was on.

We arrived at Canaan Valley Resort just in time for dinner and I immediately saw Rachel, who was taking notes for an upcoming article she is writing for Running Times, where she is a senior writer. Dan and Jody gave us a warm welcome, and it was great to eat some good pasta and catch up with some of my Virginia Happy Trails friends, the most excellent and fun-loving group of trail runners on the planet (the WVMTR crowd is a close second). Dan gave us the briefing (“It’s wet. It rained a ton today.You will get wet.”), and after waiting for Rachel to get a play-by-play virtual tour of the course map by Bill Young, it was time to get some sleep.

The next morning, we boarded the bus at 5:00 am for the 30-minute ride to the start. I liked the idea of a point-to-point run, since it would mean we were actually going somewhere. The weather was cool and cloudy…perfect. I was a little nervous about my hip flexor, which had given me problems at Masochist last fall, and this would be my longest race since then. Gary Richwine, a VHTRC friend, offered me some Advil, which I took without hesitation. I was carrying 2 hand-held bottles, one of water and the other of half Gatorade and half water, and I carried a third bottle of water just in case. I have learned that I really need to hydrate well and not wait for an aid station, or else I bonk, big time. I also took 2 “S” caps right before the start and planned to take one every half hour. I did this at Promise Land and Capon Valley, and it worked well, so I was sticking to that game plan.

Rachel and I started together on the 2-mile road section. We went really slow and easy, catching up with one another and generally having a relaxed run together. She had told me she was not going to push herself too hard, since she would be pacing a guy at Western States the following week (Rachel is in big demand as a WS pacer, having done so once before and having written the best ultra article I’ve ever read on the WS pacing experience…and no, she is not paying me to write this race report!). As we began the first climb, Rachel went on ahead as I took a few photos with my disposable camera. I did this at Promise Land and really had fun with it since it helped me relax and keep my pace slow. The first climb got muddier and more slippery as we approached the summit, and I was grateful for the first rocky section at the top, since it gave us a break from the muck…or so I thought.

I passed a large group at the top, including Rachel and a few other women. I really enjoyed the Flat Rock trail section…it was rocky and wet but slightly downhill, so it was fun to let go a little. I came into aid station 2 (mile 10) at exactly 8:00 am, and was told that I was the first woman. With that suprising news, I pigged out on the fig newtons and PB &J’s, re-filled my bottles (both hand-helds were now empty), and started down the trail. I ran for a good bit with Rod Sparks from Cincinnati, who was training for his first Ironman in Wisconsin, so we talked about triathlon for a long time. On a steep technical section I passed another woman, so I figured I was NOW the first woman. This was a new experience for me, as I had never led an ultra…the closest I had ever come was second. But it didn’t really matter…I just wanted to run strong and finish strong, and let the chips fall where they may…

Coming into aid station 4 (mile 19), I was still with Rod and Chris from NC, and was looking forward to changing into dry socks. I was happy to see Dave Stuckey, another VHTRCer, since we always finish races together and seeing him here meant I was pacing myself well. Dave introduced me to the true first woman, Sarah Almodovar, with whom he had been running. (Note to self: take the aid station folks’ statistics with a grain of salt…they are awesome at helping re-fill bottles, but they may not always be accurate with runner placings!). Clean dry socks and some potatoes with salt did the trick and we (Sarah, Dave, and I) were off down the 7-mile “road across the sky”, which Dan had explained was the Eastern Continental Divide. It was a welcome change from all the standing water and rocks from the trail, and I really enjoyed hammering the downhills and running the flats, and power-walking the ups. And the ups we could see for miles. I was able to get into a goo! d groove and pull away from Sarah and Dave with this combo of running and walking.

Before I knew it, it was mile 26, and it was time to enter the famed Dolly Sods (a.k.a. “Dolly Bogs”) Wilderness. I knew that Sarah was still close, and I was trying to enjoy myself, but now the added stress of keeping a lead was beginning to wear thin. The Dolly Sods were beautiful, so I snapped a few more photos and plunged into the muck. No use trying to go around the muck…it was just best to plow through and enjoy the cool mud and water. A climb out of there a few miles later brought me to mile 32, but not before I saw a sign where Dan had written “You ARE An Ultrarunner!!! Aid Station Just Ahead.” I laughed out loud at that wonderful sentiment. I emerged from a rock bed to find the aid station overlooking the gorgeous valley, and saw the nicest young man (Dan’s son, I later learned) who yelled “You are the first girl!!!!” Wow, did I love that! The first 41-year-old girl! It made my day.

As I cruised down the ski slope I thought I heard the whirr of a waterfall…alas, it was not to be. Instead, it was the roar of the ATV race, which Dan had warned us about. The quiet of the forest was replaced by mud-slinging, toxic-fume emitting, noise-polluting motorized vehicles…on top of that, Sarah was making her move about 200 yards behind me. I had a serious discussion with myself. I considered my options: I could: a). continue at this comfortable pace and let her pass me ( “maybe we could cruise in together?” I thought), or b). I could put the hammer down and see what I was made of. I also heard, in the back of my mind, the stern voice of a certain training partner asking me, “Are you going to win this race, or what?!” That was it. I chose option “B.”

Enter the Lehmann Butt Slide. Having never run The Barkley (and never planning to), I have only read about Leonard’s Butt Slide. This Highland Sky version was a real treat: Dan had basically re-routed the original course (because of the ATV race) into the woods and it was a steep, twisty, butt-sliding ritual of trying to catch a glimpse of the next ribbon before you hit the next tree limb with your head, or go off course all together. One nice volunteer told me “be aware of the motorcycles!” just as one plowed into mud yards away from me. Needless to say, it was a test of patience to get through that section with all the noise, mud, and the non-trail that one had to run. Thankfully, I saw the aid station at the bottom, yelled out my number, and kept going. It was great to see a dirt road, which led to a real road, and I was beginning to sense that I was almost home. But not before more wet marshy trail to run…

Entering the Canaan Valley Resort, with 2 miles to go, I started to reflect on the day. I had accomplished my goal of running strong and finishing strong (OK, I ended up walk/running the last 2 miles since my knee was sore). It was exciting to think I would finally finish first in an ultra, and I was so grateful to have had the awesome opportunity to push my body and spirit beyond their comfort levels, and to have a family that supports me as I pursue this wacky dream. It was a beautiful course and I was having the time of my life! But strangely, I also felt that something was missing… and I realized, as I was running those last few yards in the rain, that what I truly love about ultras are the people, pure and simple. I love the challenge and the adventure that I am faced with every time I start a race, but I also love to run with my friends, to make new friends while on the course, and to share the experience with someone! I didn’t know before the start. For the last 4 hours of this race, I was by myself, and it was hard to concentrate, to remain focused, and to keep a positive attitude. As I ran down the hill to the finish and hugged Dan, Jody and Rachel (who had dropped to save herself for WS), my thoughts were of my friends still out on the course, and I couldn’t wait to see them finish. One by one they returned, covered head-to-toe in mud. Some (Dave Stuckey, David Snipes, Jim Cavanaugh, Frank Probst) sprinted in. Dru Sexton and Graham Zollman jogged in and happily yelled “we LOVE this course!!” Quatro came in with a huge smile declaring “keep the Lehmann Butt Slide!” All had accomplished an incredible feat under very tough conditions…and I was happy to be among them once again, where I belong.