Memorable Run: Old Crow Assault on Pisgah

Some of the most memorable runs happen when you don't actually run.

The "Old Crow Assault on Mount Pisgah " was one of those runs for me. First discussed by Bart and our friend Paul a little less than a year ago after Paul had finished his Old Crow 50 mile run in celebration of his 50th birthday. Paul started organizing this fun run a couple of months ago. A tough 30+ mile run/hike with 7300 feet of climbing, starting at the Folk Art Center ending at Mount Pisgah. The sole purpose of this run was because "we can" and to celebrate Bart moving up into the 7th decade of his life.

While Bart was prepared for the distance, a nagging back ache turned into the back ache from hell requiring two weeks of muscle relaxants, pain medicine, steroids, and  physical therapy.

Up until last Wednesday, Bart felt that there was no way he could run. Thursday and Friday, he started to feel better, and by Saturday morning, with the excitement of having the group together, he wanted to give it a try for how ever long he could run.

Age is not measured by years....
Some people are born old and tired while others are going strong at seventy.
~Dorothy Thompson

Bart was able to hang in there for 7 miles before calling it quits. He felt he couldn't over come the amount of medicine he still had in his system. We had agreed ahead of time that we would be there for the long hall to help Paul's wife Annette provide rolling aide stations for the runners throughout the course of the day.

Runners crossing the bridge over 74A.  Mile 3

Some runners showed up to join the group to have company while getting in a shorter distance run. 

Mobile aid station

The best part for us was being there to help friends reach their goals, and provide any help they might need whether it was filling water bottles, getting shoes, opening a bag of chips, or just to provide encouraging words. There was much anticipation on how everyone was feeling and managing the difficult trail. We loved seeing each person emerge from the trail where we were waiting for them.

Front runners at Sleepy Gap (1/2 way for the total distance).
The girls were hanging on to get a 20 mile run in, and the guys 

were going the full distance.

Bart and I had fun predicting when we thought runners would make it to the aid station, and we were so impressed with their determination to continue despite the heat and humidity. Everyone is still smiling at this point :-)

Beaver Damn Gap mile 23 refueling and enjoying good conversation

The trail is the thing, not the end of the trail. 

Travel too fast and you miss all  you are traveling for

~Louis L'Amour

Drinking some moonshine for the last push up the hill

Impromptu aid station approx 2 miles from Mount Pisgah.  We wanted to be on the safe side and give runners extra hydration before heading up the final hill. It was time to bring out the secret drink.

Good old fashioned water that Paul placed out
the day before the run

There are clubs you can't belong to, neighborhoods you can't live in, schools 

you can't get into, but the roads (trails) are always open.

~Nike Corporation

Once we reached the top, there was nothing but clouds and a cool breeze. It was about 20 degrees cooler than at the French Broad River.  

The murder of crows that made it to Mount Pisgah

It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves.
~Edmund Hillary

Congratulations to everyone!