DuPont State Forest 50K: Course Preview

The DuPont State Forest 50K Trail Run takes place Sunday, October 7, 2012 at 7:30 am.  You still have time to sign up for this fun event.  If you don't feel up to running the full distance, you can hook up with a friend and run the two-person relay!  Still not sure if you want to do it?  Check out our course pictures from one of our training runs to see if you want to give it a try...
Several weeks ago we started doing our training runs on the DuPont 50K course to get our legs and minds ready for this challenging adventure.  To date our long run is up to 24 miles.  We'll probably peak at about 30 miles in the next two weeks.  We ran this last year and Lydia Odell, race director, did an awesome job putting it all together. She came up with a 15+ mile loop course that includes pretty much everything DuPont has to offer (no waterfalls though).  The course is very challenging and consists of single and double track, fire roads, rocky dirt roads, and 5 creek crossings.  This is not a PR course as most runners will find themselves needing to hike at times! Part of the course is pretty remote, so you won't see too many folks out there.   There are plenty of aid stations that will provide water, Hammer Gel, Hammer Nutrition Heed, and some salty and sugary munchies.  The race is limited to 250 runners and all race proceeds go directly to DegreeMap, a non profit organization that serves students in Western North Carolina and beyond who seek support and assistance applying to college and securing scholarship opportunities.  For details check out www.degreemap.org

For more race information check out http://race.degreemap.org/

Okay, now on to pictures and some course information!

The start of the 50K is on Buck Forest Road, a nice wide forest service road.

Typical creek crossing

New section of Grassy Creek Trail.  This takes a wide sweeping bend around a very rocky portion of the old trail.  It seems like it adds to the overall distance of the course, but not sure by how much.

Now you are back on to the original last portion of Grassy Creek Trail.  

You will turn onto Joanna Road, which is an out and back section that includes a loop on Grassy Meadow Trail

This is the Grassy Meadow Trail loop.  You will go out on the left and return on the right side.

This is the Grassy Meadow on the Grassy Meadow Trail.  

Another creek crossing

Single track on Briery Fork Trail

Joanna Road ...which goes on forever...

Coming up to the quarry on Joanna Road

After the quarry, Joanna Road turns into a coarse gravel road

This is Conservation Road

Where Bart is, you'll make a right turn onto Buck Forest Road leading up to Isaac Heath Trail

This is the start of our favorite section of trails.  Isaac Heath, Jim Branch and Ridgeline Trails are very well maintained trails used heavily by mountain bikers.  Isaac Heath and Jim Branch are fun trails with a lot of down hill running on Jim Branch, but don't let yourself get in over your head because then you will start some serious climbing at Ridgeline

section of Jim Branch Trail  ...nice and smooth

But at the end of Jim Branch you have these rocky crazy stairs to maneuver 

Lake Imaging!

Now you start the climb up Ridgeline Trail which is mentally challenging because of all the down hill running you just had fun with.  This is the longest continuous climb on the course

...then comes the steepest climb of the entire course.  It's about .3 miles to the summit from the base.  Welcome to Hickory Mountain Loop! 

Hickory Mountain Loop

At the top of Hickory Mountain Loop!

Now you start heading down...  This is where it began to rain on us during our run!

Hickory Mountain Loop ...It's raining cats and dogs on us now!

End of Hickory Mountain Loop where our trail has turned into a small river.  Hope it doesn't rain on race day

Once you pass the pavilion on Hickory Mountain Road, you are about 3/4 of a mile from Buck Forest Road and completing the loop. 

To make a second loop, you  will make a right turn where Bart is standing.   Also, there will be an aid station where you can place your drop bag.    If you have completed the second loop, you will make a left to the finish line!