MMT 75.9

“Why do you keep punishing yourself by trying to run 100 miles?”

Over the past year I have had the question lobbed at me from family and friends of all circles. I even ask myself that question usually around mile 30 during a run. Why am I doing this to myself? So many runners I meet on the trial, at races, or on longer hikes are just ordinary people with an extraordinary drive, passion, and commitment. Very few runners are actually trying to win a race, or break a record, but rather they are seeking the incredible personal accomplishment of finishing. I have yet to finish a 100 miles.

The formal definition of an ultramarathon is any race on an open course that exceeds 26 miles, 385 yards, the official distance of a marathon. Most ultras fall in the range of 31 to 100 miles, but some are considerably longer than that.

Massanutten is known to be one of the toughest on the east coast. The total gain is more than 19,500 feet (I only climbed 16,700). To put that into prospective for my sedentary friends, that’s like climbing Aconcagua (the highest peak in the Western hemisphere) in one day. It takes anywhere from 17-22 days to climb Aconcagua as a fit mountaineer. If anyone is interested in that, let me know, as I plan on climbing it one day!

The run started at 5:00am on Saturday in the dark. 5 or so miles into the run the sun came up while on top of Buzzard Rock. Fast forward another 50 miles I was on my way back from Bird Knob (aid station #9 - 53.1) and the sun was coming down. With a headlamp illuminating the trail, I began running downhill. At this point my body is fatigued and tired, but my confidence and motivation was high. After reaching the hwy 211 aid station the second time for the day (aid station #10 - mile 58.2) I decided to change my running shoes. I took 2 Advil, ate 3 turkey sandwiches, 2 handfuls of cheddar cheese potato chips (they were so good!) and some boiled potatoes with salt. I put on a new pair of socks, re-tapped areas of concern on my feet, and I was out of the aid station within 11 min. I was on my way to Gap Creek (aid station #11 - mile 64.9) for the next 6.8 miles.

Alone in the dark with a headlamp ascending, I found it impossible to avoid the muddy sections of the trail. My fresh pair of shoes were soaked in mud and my feet were wet again. I made it to Gap Creek at 11:56pm. I ate some more food, took 2 Advil, and refilled my water. It was 2.8 mile to Moreland Gap (aid station #12 - mile 67.7). This is one of the shorter sections, but still very muddy. I remember stomping in mud half way up my shins above my gaiters. This is where I had hot chicken quesadillas! The next section was a long 8.2 miles to Edinburg Gap.

This is the infamous Short Mountain that everyone had talked about. It is a very rocky tail, and some sections with no trail but large boulders to skip on. This would normally be something I would enjoy doing, but it was 1:40am when I left Moreland Gap. I was tired, had just run 67.7 miles, very sleepy, and alone in the dark, cold, windy Short Mountain. It rained on and off. My eyes would shut for a few seconds as I briskly walked on the trail. I began to see weird objects that I knew could not be real, like a basket of fruit on a boulder in the distance. As I got closer I could see that it was just another boulder. This is about the time my left foot twisted between two rocks. It wasn’t a slight roll of the ankle, but a nasty twist that I knew would ultimately results in some serious pain soon to come. I knew that if I kept moving I could keep the ankle from swelling immediately and possibly finish the race. My pace had slowed considerably. Soon I was passed by 4 runners, then a group of 2. I realized that having someone with me in the middle of the night would have been a good idea, and possibly prevented the sloppy form of running which eventually caused the injury. I kept shuffling where I could and walking some sections. Finally I started descending; I thought I was close to the next aid station. A half a mile of downhill lead to some more climbing. Was my mind playing tricks on my again? I was very sleepy, so I decided to lay down and take a fast nap. 10 min later headlamps flashed into my face and I got up again and kept moving. I did this another two times, took two quick naps, then got back up and kept moving. The sun began to come up and day light broke at around 5:20am. This did give me some energy, but not enough to overcome the pain of a throbbing ankle. I took another nap. Finally, I hobbled over to the Edinburg Gap aid station (#13 - mile 75.9) and decided to drop out of the race. I reached Edinburg Gap at 6:06am, and I had been running for the past 25:06. The cutoff time to complete the total run is 36 hours. According to my heart rate monitor, I burned 16,678 calories.

There will be many more races to come, and I am already planning my next 100 mile run. I am very pleased with 75.9 miles, and will have my day with a 100. I have never seen a course that is so well marked. I managed to stay on the trail while sleep walking. The aid stations were well stocked with food, and pain killers. I want to thank DC a friend that was my support crew, whom without would have made this run much harder. I also want to thank all the volunteers for supporting this run and making it a great event.

Photo by: Anstr Davidson

Massanutten Mountain Trails 100 Mile Run

I will be running the MMT100 starting Saturday May 19th at 5:00am EST. You can get live updates by visiting the mainpage: http://www.vhtrc.org/mmt/update.htm

The MMT is a challenging 100 mile trail ultra over a demanding, rocky course in the Massanutten Mountains of Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. The course includes short but rugged mountain climbs that total over 19,500 feet. While the May date usually avoids Virginia's brutal summer weather, we have had rain and violent storms in prior years. The event is noted for its well-stocked, friendly aid stations and good course marking. The starting field is limited to 150 runners.

Course Summary: The MMT 100 starts just below the Massanutten Mountain's northeastern ridge, which overlooks the south fork of the Shenandoah River. After running the eastern Massanutten Trail and connecting trails, the MMT 100 crosses the Crisman Hollow Road and ascends the Jawbone Gap Trail to the Massanutten Trail on Kerns Mountain. The course then crosses the Crisman Hollow Road again, going down Waterfall Mountain to the Massanutten Mountain Connector Trail to Route 211. At that point there is an out and back on the Massanutten South trail that goes near Bird Knob. Upon returning to US 211, runners then take the Massanutten Connector Trail to Gap Creek, up Jawbone Gap again, and eventually up the western Massanutten Trail before returning to the Skyline Ranch Resort.

32 Miles on Art Leob - 71 Mike Bike Ride

The weekend started with a 4am alarm clock buzzer. The night before I packed all my gear, and prepared myself for a 32 mile trail run, and a 70 mile bike ride the next day. I met up with Tito and Jim at 5am, and racked up the bikes on the car and took off. We were on the trail by 8am. We started the run at the Big East Fork trailhead which has a 4,000 climb in 4 miles. Then we hung a left on the Art Leob and took it all the way to the Davidson River Campgrounds. I finished in 8 ½ hours. My strategy was to conserve some energy for the next days bike ride, and this was not just any old ride.

That night we camped out in the Davidson River Campgrounds. We had a small campfire going, and the night became cold. A bit tired from the run, I decided to sleep early.

The next morning we had breakfast in Brevard at Julies. These calories would be very much needed for the next hours to come. I met with eight other cyclists that all were experienced. I just bought me bike last month, and have ridden around the neighborhood a few time, nothing more. I knew that this ride would be difficult for me, but I never expected what was about to come.

Within the first 20 minutes, I was riding in the back of the pack. We were heading north on 276 from the campgrounds. It was uphill for the next 14 miles, and the grade was fairly steep. Just before reaching the parkway I felt like my legs were about to explode. I kept pumping. The group was waiting for me at the intersection of 276 and parkway, they knew this was my first ride and cheered me on.

I downed a gel, slammed some water, and got right back on the bike. This next section was all downhill. What a reward, after climbing like an animal I was rewarded with a fast downhill. I reached speeds exceeding 40 miles per hour, which might not seem to be a lot, but it was fast. We then hung a left on 215 which was another big climb, just as big as the first one. I just focused on pumping my legs, and thinking about the downhill getting ready to come. Every corner I turned I thought for sure the parkway would be there and I would find a bunch of riders waiting for me. For five miles I kept thinking I’m right there, I was going crazy. My muscles in my legs were trashed from the run the previous day, and all the climbing thus far. The thought of turning around started to surface. If I turned around now, I would have to climb more than if I just kept going. Finally, after 19 miles on 215 I reached the parkway. What a relief. I knew that the parkway would be rolling hills. When I got onto the parkway, I had a small climb, which followed an awesome downhill. This is were I started coasting at around 45 miles per hour. I found myself in the middle of a Harley Davidson crew of motorcyclist as I matched their pace going downhill. One of the riders leaned over and said your going 34 miles per hour and was amazed at how someone on a road bike was going as fast as he was. I was amazed. The parkway was up and down, and then finally 276 appeared again, and I took that down all the way to the campgrounds. Elevation gain was 6,000 feet, and exact mileage was 71.45 Miles.

This bike ride was a challenge.

Crowders 50k

Crowders 50k
Gastonia, NC
April 21, 2007

The morning was cool and a little windy, and the forecast was predicting the weather to be clear and warming up to 76 degrees. I was preparing myself to run the crowders 50k, which is roughly 31 miles. 26 runners walked up to the start, a line drawn in the gravel trail by race director Ray Krolowitz. The race started at 8:41am and we began running uphill on the gravel road, or the tower trail, up to the summit of crowders mountain. After reaching the summit, approximately a mile and half of pure uphill running/speed hiking, you start to descend a set of never ending wood block stairs, over 300 of them. The backside trail made out of gravel becomes very steep here and you find yourself running very fast downhill. After a quarter mile or so you hang a sharp left onto the crowders trail. We had an aid station here equipped with grapes, bananas, water, ice, and gu. The crowders trail is fairly rocky and technical and stretched all the way to a road which you cross and continue until you get to the main ranger station parking lot. This is the turn around point for each loop, and thus far about 5 miles of trail. We reached the summit of Crowders Mountain 6 times during this race, which is approx 6,000 feet of evlevation gain.

After my first loop I realized that the day was already getting hot for me as my shirt and shorts were already drenched in sweat. I decided to considerably slow my second loop so that I would be able to finish my third loop just as fast as the second. Pacing yourself on these longer runs is crucial, and I still struggle implementing this concept into my running.

I finished this run in 15th place which was 6:50:56. 4 runners DNF, and 2 DNS. That’s 37 min faster than the Mt. Mitchell Challenge which is 40 miles up the highest peak on the east coast. I believe with the heat the crowders 50k is more difficult than the Mt. Mitchell Challenge. The thermometer in my car read 82 degrees.

I saw some familiar faces on the trail and met some new ultra runners. The race was very well set up and the volunteers did a great job with helping out the runners, many thanks to all of them!

Mt. Mitchell Ascent

Today we hiked up Mt. Mitchell despite iffy weather reports. We ascended via the Black Mountain Camp Grounds, 12 miles round trip, 3,700 feet of gain. This is my 13th Black Mountain summit. I know the trail very well, but every time it looks different when I’m there.

We started the hike with warmer than expected temperatures. After the first 2 miles freezing rain the size of tic-tacs began to fall, and I heard a few cracks of thunder (video below). The ice was pelting my head and my body. We kept hiking on.

Photos and Video

More rain fell and more wind began to blow. Up commissary ridge I stopped avoiding the large puddles of slush (slurpy like liquid mixed with small round ice pellets, just like the ones you can get at the gas station).

At the summit the temperature was right at freezing, and the wind chill was closer to 25 degrees. This photo was taken at the summit. The photo from left to right, Mohammed, David, Jim, and Mike. The view was minimal as the clouds had consumed the sky.

We ran the whole way down the mountain. Snow began to fall heavier than at the top as a weather system was moving in. As usual, I took a swim in the freezing waters of the South Toe river at the end of the hike.

Racefest Half Marathon

I decided to run the Charlotte Racefest half marathon 3 days ago. Why? a friend was running it, and the weather was forecasted to be cool and a little windy. I’m warm natured, and my body heats up fast. Having cooler weather makes a big difference for me in my running.

I started the half marathon in the middle of the pack. I clocked a 7:12 first mile. I passed tons of people. I thought to myself that I was going out too fast. But I had not tested my legs at this speed since I have been running longer distances with the 40-50 mile runs. Plus, I had run 75 miles at the Umstead Ultra marathon only two weeks ago. Would my lungs, heart and legs be able to support a 7:12 pace for 13.1 miles?

I ran my first half marathon ever on 3.11.06 in 1:59:29. Prior to that I had run a few 5k’s for fun, but never considered myself a runner. That was a year ago. My experience as a runner is short, but I have learned a lot in the past year. Running has also changed me as an individual.

By mile 2 I approached my friend Greg (middle in photo), who has run several races with me in the past year. It is people like him that inspire me to run faster, harder, and longer.

At mile 6, I remember looking at my watch and seeing my time as 43:30 exactly. That is a 7:15 pace. I managed to keep my pace for the first 6 miles. I still felt solid, and knew that I would be running my PR today.

I was passing people consistently up until mile 11, which is when I noticed two people creeping up on me. As mile 12 came into sight, I kicked it up a notch, and finished with a full sprint.

I set a PR and finished in 1:36:20. A few minutes after finishing, and after a few glasses of water I felt strong and knew I could keep running for another 13.1 if I had to.

The run was set up well, and the volunteers did a great job!

After the run we grabbed a bit to eat at Bob Philson’s Deli “Roast Beef & Rye.” A nice turkey and roast beef sandwich hit the spot.

Barak Obama

Barak Obama visited Charlotte, NC for the first time Friday April 13. I had the honor to meet the Senator of Illinois and presidential candidate for 2008.

Barak is just as dynamic in person as he is on television!

He even looks like an ultra runner!

Linville Gorge

Linville Gorge is a beautiful part of the mountains in North Carolina. Today we hiked down into the gorge, and up to Table Rock via the Conley Cove Trail. Snow was a special treat in April. The temperature was 19 degrees at 10am in the parking lot. This was the first time I really moved my legs after Umstead.

The gorge can be a tricky place to hike. You hike down and then back up. It reminds me of the Grand Canyon (on a smaller scale). Many people hike down and don’t realize how difficult it is to hike back up.
Some photos of today’s hike can be found at: http://picasaweb.google.com/midlibi/4707LinvileGorge

75 miles only

The time was 5:55am. I was decked out in my running cloths at the start line. Friends and families of runners were huddled in and giving their last words of encouragements as all the runners began to line up. It was pitch black dark, and the temperature was in the mid 50's. The high for the day was expected to be 75 degrees and I was on my way to starting my first 100 mile run.

It was at this time I began to reminisce about my journey to this point. Last year, in mid March I promised myself I would run my first half marathon. I ran it in 1:59:29, beating my 2 hour goal by seconds. I wasn't a runner and I ran 13.1 miles, I was ecstatic. Never in my wildest imagination would have I thought I would be attempting a 100 mile run a year later.

Between last March and the Umstead I ran several half marathons, 8 marathons, two 40 mile runs, climbed Mt. Baker, Mt. Rainier, and Mt. Kilimanjaro. That's a lot. In the months prior to Umstead I ran an average of 192 miles a month. I put some serious training into this run. I wanted to finish, and I wanted it bad.

The race director shot the gun indicating the start and all the runners took off. Running long distance requires a strategy, you can’t go all out. This is difficult to do as I later learned in the run.

I'm a competitive guy, and sometimes that comes back to bite you. I wanted to finish in 24 hours. After all, this was considered to be one of the easier ultra marathons around, right? 8 loops, 12.5 miles each loop, and about 8,000 feet of elevation gain over the entire course. The park trails were mostly finely crushed gravel and not very technical at all (not rooty, rocky, leafy, etc).

I finished the first lap in 2:07, and I knew I had gone out too fast. I needed to adjust my pace. After finishing lap 4 (50 miles) I was 9:30 hours into the race. A little early for my 10 hour goal. I felt good a this point, and remember being excited that I had passed the 50 mile portion of the run. Many runners chose to stop running at mile 50. Umstead gives you the option of just running 50 if your not feeling up to it. I decided to keep pressing on.

Around the middle of my 5th loop is when I started to really feel nausea. I was taking electrolyte supplements every hour, and guzzling bottle of water at every water stop, 4 bottle per loop. This was not enough however to my body from dehydrating. I finished my fifth loop, and knew that I was not in the best of health at this point. I told myself that I only had 3 loops to go. I could literally walk this race and finish within the 30 hour cutoff time. Nausea had kicked in really bad at the start of the 6th loop. I want able to get water back into my system. I started walking a lot at this point. I could feel my muscles cramping really bad.

I walked into the finish of the 6th loop, 75 miles and decided that today wasn’t my day. I will be back for another 100 soon however. It took me 17 hours to finish 75 miles.

100 Mile Dedication

On February 9th, 2007 a friend past away tragically in a sudden accident, his name was Muhanad Jondy. He is survived by his wife and 4 children. People die every day, but when it is someone you know it can be shocking. I can only imagine the pain the Jondy family is dealing with.
This Saturday I will be running for Muhanad and for the Jondy family. It will be my first attempt to run 100 miles in one day.

100 Miles Approaching

UMSTEAD 100 MILE ENDURANCE RUN

In less than two weeks time I plan on running a distance I never imagined, 100 miles. My attempt will be to tackle this run in less than 24 hours.

The 5,577-acre Umstead State Park, the venue for this race, is located within an area known as the Research Triangle of North Carolina. The area gets its name from the triangle formed by the area's three major research universities: the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, Duke University in Durham, and North Carolina State University in Raleigh. The state park is a pleasant southern pine forest oasis in this rapidly growing region.

The website for the race has this to say: "The Umstead 100 Mile Endurance Run is designed with several basic concepts in mind. It will help new ultra runners to bridge the quantum leap from 50 mile runs to the mountainous and more rigorous demands of most 100 mile endurance runs. It will allow those who have difficulty finishing 100 miles in 24 hours or just finishing 100 miles the opportunity to do so when severe topography, heat, and getting lost are removed as major obstacles. The seasoned runner will find this to be an excellent training run for the Massanutten 100, Leadville 100, Mohican 100, Watsatch 100, Western States 100, Vermont 100 and other 100-mile mountain runs. The Umstead 100 can serve many purposes, depending on your level of development and personal goals."

I have read several race reports on the Umstead, and I have set a strategy for the successful completion of a sub 24 hour completion time. The course layout for Umstead is a 12.5-mile circuit shaped like a balloon on a string with a spur out and back off the string. The surface is primarily fine packed powder white granite screenings wide enough to accommodate vehicle traffic. There is not a flat stretch on the entire loop. It has a total of 8,000 feet of climb over the 100 miles, 8 circuits.

My game plan is to run the first 50 miles in 10 hours, and the last 50 miles in 14 hours or less. I will also monitor my calorie, and salt intake. Hydrating and keeping a balanced level of electrolytes will be essential for me on such a distance.

50 Mile Weekend

This past weekend was full of running. As recommended by an ultra marathoner friend, "try to run a marathon on a Saturday, then run the same distance the following Sunday." The Umstead marathon provided me with that opportunity!

I ran Umstead at a slower pace than normal in anticipation of the next days run. I didn't think however it would take 4:36:48. I felt strong enough to run/hike the next day for 24 miles at South Mountains State Park, giving me a weekend total of 50 miles. This was a good exercise that helps my body build a better lactate threshold. Im going to need it for the 100 miler coming up at the end of this month.

Taking a dip in the cold waters at South Mountain was a great way to end the day!

Dupont Midnight Marathon - Gorges State Forest Hike

On a full moon we set off to run a midnight marathon in Dupont. We start running at 12:01am, and run for 26 miles in one of NC most beautiful state parks. This training run helps with running at night with low visibility, and sleep deprivation. My left ankle was bothering me a little on this run so I decided to not run the last 4 miles, ran only 22.

After the run we at at Julies in Brevard, NC. I had an omelet, an egg and cheese sandwich on a toasted bagel, plus some of Mt. T's left over pancakes! This was enough fuel to keep me going on the Gorges State Park hike that would start at 10:30am. We still had a 45 min drive to get to the park.

Rainbow falls is a stunning waterfall. I have hiked many North Carolina trails, and I have yet to see a waterfall as stunning as Rainbow. It looks like a waterfall you would see in the Pacific Northwest, or something out of Alaska!

After the hike we enjoyed a meal at Hannah's Flanagan in Hendersonville, NC.

Mt. Mitchell Challenge - 40 Miles

“The Mount Mitchell Challenge is a 40 mile Ultramarathon run in February of each year from the town of Black Mountain, NC to the top of Mt Mitchell, the highest point in the Eastern US, and back down again. This race, intentionally run in Winter to ensure harsh conditions, is regarded as one of the most difficult trail-running races in North America.” (Wikipedia)

Results for the Mt. Mitchell Challenge.

The Mt. Mitchell Challenge took place on Cherry Street in Black Mountain, NC on 2/24/07. My finish time was 7:27:28 - 47th place out of 130 finishers.

Mt. Mitchell In The Snow

Hiking up Mt. Mitchell is exciting every time I hike it. The weather is always unpredictable. You should always check the weather before attempting a summit hike by foot (see link below).

Current weather conditions on Mt. Mitchell. http://ils.unc.edu/parkproject/webcam/weather.html

Today we had freezing temperatures. It was 24 degrees at the parking lot of the Black Mountain Camp Grounds. At the summit, the temperature was 8 degrees fahrenheit, which is cold. The wind made it feel like it was below 0 degrees however. Mt. Mitchell is exciting in the snow. The purpose of this hike was to see the conditions of Mt. Mitchell first hand for next weeks Mt. Mitchell Challenge – 40 miles.

We ascended and descended the mountain in 3:55.

http://picasaweb.google.com/midlibi/21807MtMitchell/photo?authkey=jdbBAFICLXU#5033083956182190946

Description of the hike up Mt. Mitchell via the Black Mountain Campgrounds.

Mount Mitchell is the highest peak east of the Mississippi river at6,684'. Part of the appeal of this hike is "summiting" this superior peak. We will be ascending over 3,600' from the Black Mountain Campground to Mount Mitchell's summit, so it is not an easy hike.

Begin the hike by crossing the bridge leading into the campground.Bear left at the first intersection; from here you will follow the signs for the Mount Mitchell trail all the way to the top. Follow the gravel road toward the group camp, then turn right when the trail exits the gravel road. The climbing begins immediately. At this elevation, the forest is mostly cove hardwoods with a few hemlocks thrown in for good measure. You are ascending through a small cove which eats into Long Arm Ridge. Toward the back of the cove you'll bear right through the first of many switchbacks encountered along the way. The trail in this area heads generally north, though at any given moment it my be facing any of the cardinal directions due to the way it switches back upon itself.

Some very large trees grow in the forest here, and as you gain on the ridgeline you enter a mixed oak hardwood forest. A few small Red Spruce trees grow here, although they're out-of-place at this elevation and will likely be shaded out before reaching maturity. The footing on this section is mostly good, with a few rocky or rooty sections. After achieving the top of Long Arm Ridge, the trail follows the ridgeline, swinging back and forth across it as you ascend. You'll break the 4000' mark on this section of trail and begin heading in a westerly direction. The trees along the ridgeline - predominantly oaks and maples - are shorter, stunted by the wind, shallow, rocky soil and lack of water.

Before long the ridge will turn into a high, steep slope of "Little Mountain", which you'll traverse. The mountain won't seem very little at this point, however. You'll reach a trail junction shortly and you can take either fork. The trails come back together soon; taking the left fork extends the hike by about 1/4 mile but takes you across Higgins Bald. At Higgins Bald, which is roughly halfway to the top,you can look down and see how far up you've come - and look up to see how far you have left to go! So it's recommended to take one fork on the way up and one on the way down; it doesn't matter in what order. The ridge looms above this field, which you'll soon begin to climb. There are many switchbacks in this area with some spectacular views back down.

The trail here passes into the northern hardwood zone, and then into the spruce-fir zone. Climbing rapidly, you'll walk through a spectacular virgin forest of tall, straight Red spruce. Seeing them growing here gives you a glimpse of what this forest used to look like, and a glimpse at why the forest was so valuable to loggers. The spruce wood was extremely resilient and sought after, so these trees were prize timber. As you continue to climb, you'll pop out on the old railroad grade that encircles much of Mount Mitchell and provided away for the loggers to get the fruits of their labor off the mountain. Turn left at this intersection. The path for the next few yards is shared with the Buncombe Horse Range Trail and follows the railroad grade.

As you round Commissary Ridge and reach a great campsite, you'll need to turn right to begin the final 1000' climb to the top of Mt.Mitchell. The trail is well-signed. The forest now is mostly composed of imported Norway spruces but native Red Spruce and Fraser Fir soon take over. The ridge is pretty rugged, and you'll pass one nice, deep fracture cave on the way up. Open glades with spruces all around give the area an alpine-like feel. You'll eventually gain the crest of the ridge, and here the forest becomes almost purely Fraser Fir. The trees shorten near the top, attesting to their young age due to the Balsam Wooly Adelgid having taken out most of the tall, mature Firs year sago. Even-aged stands of Fir are quickly growing to replace their fallen ancestors.Once you reach a flatter section of trail with puncheon laid across to keep your feet out of the mud, you know you're getting close to the summit! You have broken the 6000' mark and are on State property having been on the National forest most of the route. You'll reach the intersection with the Balsam nature trail, which leaves to the right. Continue straight ahead; from here the trail sees a good bit more use. You'll pass an enormous,free-standing boulder on your right and a neat cave on the left. You never really get a view of the peak until you're right below it; at this point you're nearly done. Turn left at the old museum building and your there! Enjoy the view, grab something to eat and get ready -because you're half way!

It is important to note that there used to be an observatory tower that was torn down in 2006. This is unfortunate because the tower was over 100 years old, and I consider it part of North Carolina history. The new tower will be wider, and handicap accessible. You can reach the summit by driving a car to the top.

Summit Kilimanjaro 19,340 feet

Kilimanjaro is one of the seven summits of the world, the highest mountain in Africa. I began the climb on the Machame route on the western side of this massive mountain. The journey will take 7 days round trip, to the summit at 19,340 and back down to Moshi, Tanzania. One of the awesome aspects of this climb is going thru all the climactic zones, from the tropics to the arctic.


I was part of a gr0up of 11 climbers from Charlotte, NC. Below are some photos of the climb.


Day 1. Machame Camp 10,000 feet
Day 2. Baranco Wall 12,500 feet (via Lava Tower 15,000 feet)
Day 3. Baranco Wall 12,500 feet.
Day 4. Karanga Hut 13,100 feet.
Day 5. Barafu Camp 14,500 feet.
Day 6. Summit 19,630 feet and back to Millennium Camp 12,200 feet.
Day 7. Meweka Gate 5,900 feet.

Day 1. Machame Camp 10,000 feet.

Day 2. Baranco Wall 12,500 feet (via Lava Tower 15,000 feet)

Day 3. Baranco Wall 12,500 feet.
Day 4. Karanga Hut 13,100 feet.

Day 5. Barafu Camp 14,500 feet.









Day 6. Summit 19,630 feet and back to Millenim Camp 12,200 feet.






Day 7. Meweka Gate 5,900 feet.

Both the safari and the climb were booked with Zara Tanzanian Travel which I highly recomend. They did a wonderful job!

Zanzibar Island

While traveling to Tanzania for a safari/Kilimanjaro I decided to visit the island of Zanzibar. This island has rich Arabic and Islamic culture. Much of the Swahili language is Arabic based. I found that by adding the letter "i" to many Arabic words you get Swahili words. Safari for example is the Swahili word for travel. Safar is the Arabic equivalent. Other words Sabooni (soap), Samaki (fish), Haraki (lets go, or move), and names as well Mohammedi, and Abdullahi were some I learned. So I added the letter "i" to many Arabic words I knew and was able to communicate very well with locals.

We flew in on a 10 seater commuter plan that was very wibbly wobbley. It was movie like view up in the plane. We hovered at 1500 feet, flew in and out of the clouds, and could see the entire island as we approached. The visible green lush was evident and the slanted beach palm trees still are vivid in my mind. January is summer time in Tanzania, and hence it was warm with temperatures reaching 100 degrees fahrenheit.

The airport was tiny, as expected. I took a cab from the airport to Stonetown and stayed in the Karibu Inn. The is an inexpensive way to lodge, but a great way to experience Zanzibar. When visiting in January definitely pay the extra fee for an air conditioned room.I visited the local markets, and tried octopus for the first time. It tasted like rubbery lobster, but surprisingly tasted better than I thought. The spices used in the grilling of octopus is key. Zanzibar is known for its spices. Taking a spice tour is a must while your on the island.

This is a fruit off a tree that produces the spice of nutmeg (brown seed) and mace (red around brown seed).

I also visited the north western beach's of the island and visited the old slave chambers where slaves were bought and sold.

My visit to Zanzibar was short, and I will definitely return.

Jabal Al-Shams - Sultanate of Oman

I rented a Honda Civic in Dubai and decided to make the 450 kilometer drive south to Jebal Al-Shams. Jabal Al-Shams is the highest point in the Arabian peninsula that stands 3,000 meters high, just under 10,000 feet. To my surprise, this mountain has canyons as deep as the Grand Canyon in Arizona!

In the states you wouldn't find it odd to see a dog in the back of a pick up truck. In Oman, its not odd to see a camel in the back of a pick up truck.

I made it to the base of the mountain a few hours before the sun was setting. This gave me enough time to scope out the area before making my summit attempt the following morning. I knew I would need to maximize all the daylight available to accomplish this.

I drove farther south to the town of Nizwah where I stayed in the Nizwah Hotel for 19 Riyals ($50). I made it to the shops of Nizwah that evening and got a feel for the town. The next morning I awoke at 5am for the start of my climb.

I made it to the trail head just as the sun was coming up. I knew that is started the hike in the heat of the sun at the lower elevation it would get really hot.

The trail was well marked at the start. The elevation there according to my altimeter was 2,800 feet. You can actually drive to the elevation of 6,000 feet if you have an SUV. The Honda Civic didn't cut it. I also still needed it to drive back to Dubai, and didn't want to risk it.

The start of the hike goes thru one of two ruins you see on the trail. After approximately one mile the trail takes a sharp right turn into a valley, and this is where I got lost. After noticing that the blaze was missing, I quickly retraced my steps and found the trail. This is where the climbing starts. There are few trees and the blaze is painted onto rocks. The conditions were very dry, dusty, and rocky. A mountain goat appeared and followed it up until I entered a small village at 6,000 feet. I met Abu Hamad, a bedouin who had 13 children that were amazed I hiked up from the base. They all had SUV's and wondered why anyone would hike up by foot. The father asked Hamad to show me the trail. Although his Arabic was a strong Oman bedouin accent, I understood him. I told Hamad that I would be returning the same way and that I would be out of water. He promised to have water waiting for me on my return.

The trail conditions were very good, and well maintained. I kept hiking. At this point the trail descends approximately 1,300 feet. I didn't realize I would descend this much, this was unchartered territory for me, and I was going off of a simple map I purchased in a book store.

At this point the view of the canyon is amazing. It is vast!

I entered the village of Alsab where the second ruins are found. The old structures are built out of stone and mud.

As I hiked further towards the summit I realized that I was falling behind schedule with my 1pm turn around. I made the decision to turn around as I knew if I kept going I would be hiking down in the dark, and then attempting to drive back to Dubai in the middle of the night which is an adventure in itself! Camels on unlit roads are deathtraps.

I began to retrace my steps back towards Hamads home. His father and brothers greeted me with cold water and fresh Omani dates. What a treat. They were prepared to cook me a meal, but I let them know that time was on our side. I began hiking down back to the car and made it down the mountain 30 min before the sun set.

I later found out that the Oman government has a military base at the summit of Al-Shams and would not give access to the true summit.

This was an amazing place that few know exists. I will be back.

Dubai - U.A.E.

After traveling for over 22 hours, I landed in Dubai. It was 1:30am and I didnt get much rest on the plane. I had to make a choice, and make it fast. Go to sleep now, get a few hours of rest before I run my marathon in 5 1/2 hours, or check out the town. We went out!

I grabbed some shawarma, and checked out what Dubai had to offer. At 6am a friend droped me off infront of the Dubai Trade Center where the marathon begain. It was a cool morning which excited me. I knew however that they day would quickly warm up to 80 degrees farinhit. At the start I looked around. Virtually no Arabs running. This was dissapointing. They were all expatriot workers from Britan, Germany, or Australia that I noticed. This was a great training run, and excellent training for sleep deprivation! I also saw the entire city as we ran to the Burj Al-Arab on Jumaria Street and back.

5 days prior I ran the Disney marathon in Orlando.

Disney Marathon

Disney was very hot. Temps went close to 90 degrees. I was hoping for cooler weather.