[at-l] Fw: Smokey Mountain Adventure Run 3

[runhorton@juno.com (runhorton@juno.com)]

Another great Adventure
david

--------- Forwarded message ----------
From: <runhorton@juno.com>
To: trittipoe@ibm.net,dhorton@liberty.edu
Cc: at-l@backcountry.net
Date: Mon, 5 Mar 2001 03:46:25 -0500
Subject: Smokey Mountain Adventure Run 3
Message-ID: <20010305.034638.-99967.19.runhorton@juno.com>

Smokey Mountain Adventure Run 3 (SMAR3)
March 2-4, 2001
by David Horton

Why do we do what we do?  Because it sounds like a good idea?  Exciting? 
Good training?  An adventure?  The Smokey Mountain Adventure Run 3
(SMAR3) was that and more!

For the past two years, I had used the SMAR as a good training run for
the Barkley.  We would start at Fontana Dam (southern end of the Smokies)
and run/hike on the Appalachian Trail (AT) north to Davenport Gap
(northern end of Smokies); a distance of 712 rugged miles.  The Smokies
has only one road crossing at Newfound Gap (39.9 miles) into the run.

Each of these years, we had finished just under 24 hours.  In both of
those years, the weather had been real bad a lot of snow during the run
and a foot or more on the ground in certain sections.  This year I had
heard that there was no snow on the ground.

I talked (conned) five other runners to run the SMAR3 with me.  I told
them it would be a good training run for their future events.  Dr. Mike
Sandlin (a colleague of mine at Liberty University) is going to run/hike
the AT this summer with his wife Judy as his crew.  Andrew Thompson is in
training for the Barkley and an attempt at the speed record on the AT
this summer.  Sue Johnston (VT) is training for Barkley and Hardrock this
year.  Deb Reno and Steve Pero (MA) are in training for the Massanutten
and Hardrock 100's.  Everyone seemed to think the SMAR3 sounded like a
good idea!!!  I have always thought I would make a good salesman!

We rented a van a drove from Lynchburg on Friday afternoon (3/2) to
Fontana Dam via Knoxville and the southern end of the Smokies.  The drive
from Knoxville to Fontana Dam has to be one of the curviest roads in the
world!?!?!?

In good spirits, we started our trek at 1800 feet on the dam, towards the
Smokie Mountains.  There was light rain and snow off and on for the
entire trip.  The first climb goes up what seems like forever.  For two
hours, we could see the lights of the dam below.

For 3-4 hours we all stayed together.  After this time, Deb and Steve
dropped back as the pace seemed a little fast for them.  Deb had just had
X-ray to check for a stress fracture but the tests came back negative. 
Next week she has a bone scan scheduled. So, why not run 71 miles?

The southern section of the AT in the Smokies is much tougher than the
northern half.  The climbs are steeper, more of them, and the footing is
washed out very badly in places.  The AT straddles the TN/NC border
through much of the park.

About sunrise we reached the highest point in the park and the whole AT,
Clingman's Dome (6643').  Actually it is a space ship looking dome and is
about 100 yards off the AT.  The views, as we approached Clingman's Dome,
were spectacular. The valley's looked like an ocean of clouds with
mountain tops piercing through them.  We finally made it to Newfound Gap
(5048') and the one and only road crossing, where Judy Sandlin met us
with all sorts of goodies, including HOT beef stew.  We got there at
9:28am (total time 13 hours and 25 minutes for 39.9 miles) and left at
9:48am.

Our spirits were revived and we made good progress, until we skipped one
water source and went about 4 hours without fluid.

We maintained a good pace the rest of the run and finished as the rain
began to increase in intensity at 6:55pm (22 hours and 52minutes).  We
were very pleased with our performance.  Our altimeters indicated the
first half of the course had 11,680 feet of elevation gain and the second
half 5,650 of gain for a total of 17,380 feet of elevation gain:
comparable to the Western States 100.

We thought that Deb and Steve would finish between 4-5 hours after us,
putting them coming in between 11:00 and midnight.  We went to a truck
stop, showered, ate, and drove back to the finish and all of us laid down
in the van and went to sleep around 9:00pm.

Later on, I woke and asked Sandlin what time it was. He said it was 1:17
A.M.!!!!!!!!  Steve and Deb had not made it back yet!  What do we do? 
After much discussion, we decided all we could do at that time was wait. 
A few minutes later we saw some lights on the trail.  Steve and Deb
reached the finish at 1:54am (29 hours and 51 minutes).  Deb's shin, the
one she was concerned about, had not bothered her at all.  But she had
turned her ankle badly and heard something pop and feared a fracture. 
Steve had also quit eating for a period of time and got nauseous.  The
rain that hit us at the end had been fierce with heavy winds.  They had
to hold up at the Tri-Corner Shelter for 30 minutes and wait out the
brunt of the storm.

Everyone was safe and successful.  Was it fun?  Yes, in a perverted way. 
Was it good training?  Definitely!  Was it exciting?  Yes.  Was it an
adventure?  A statement that I have made to a few people answers this
last question... "Adventure seems to follow me!"

Will I do it again?  Will these other runners do it again.  Every true
ultra-runner knows the answer to that question!



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