Iron Mountain Trail Run - The Perfect Ultra?

Is there such a thing as “the perfect ultra”? I got to thinking about this during the Iron Mountain Trail Run (IMTR), and I thought I would combine my race report with an attempt to answer that question.

Background

It’s all because of my middle school teacher; she started it all. When I was young, innocent and impressionable, she read “The Hobbit” to my class. That book had a profound impact on me, giving me wanderlust and a desire for the outdoors. It also planted the idea in me that adventure is not always comfortable. Setting out on a hike or an ultra reminds me of Bilbo leaving Bywater in the rain and arriving at camp, wet, tired and hungry.

Toughness

We run ultras “…not because they are easy, but because they are hard.” Just how tough is very personal, but for me, IMTR was pleasantly tough. The whole course was runnable, and there were no artificial logistical problems to overcome. There was plenty of technical single track, which I love, but there was also some fire road/biking path. The single track is fun, but can be wearing. It is also hard to look around and enjoy where you are on single track, as you have to focus on the next few feet pretty intently. There were some steep sections, both up and down, but nothing that could not be run (if you are fit enough). There were no stream crossings where you would have to get your feet wet, which I hate. Actually, I love the stream crossings, but I hate the increased chance of blisters from wet feet.

The Distance

I like 50 miles; it’s far enough to know you’ve run a race, but not so far finishing rates are low. IMTR is a little over 50 miles, but that’s all to the good. In a strange way, the 50 reminds me of the ˝ marathon; a sweet spot in the scale of distances. The 100 on the other hand, is a lot like the marathon – a particularly tough distance. The 50 is not easier than the marathon, but it is nicer.

Scenery

The Mount Rogers area is a lovely part of the Application Mountains. Being in Applications, there are few views, as you run in dense tree cover most of the time. I would prefer the open mountains of the Rockies, but living in the east makes those races impractical for me. Running along the ridge of Iron Mountain gives a nice sense of height

Solitude

The race is small enough that you can run on your own, though it is such a good race I suspect it will grow rapidly.

Navigation

I hate getting lost. I also hate feeling like I might be lost. Generally ultras are not orienteering races, where navigation is intended to be difficult, so good course marking is important. There were some issues in the days before the race with the markers being removed, but Eric and his helpers did a sterling job and the course intersections were always clearly marked. As an aside, the use of Montrail flags to mark the course is a great bit of subliminal advertising. Each time I saw a Montrail flag, I knew I was going the right way; I now associate the Montrail name and logo with that warm, secure feeling.

Time of year & Weather

The weather was 41f at the start, which was nice, and warmed up to the upper 70s in the course of the day. It was clear and sunny, which made it ideal for the support crews, but all little warm for the runners. A little later in the year would give cooler conditions and maybe some nice leaf color, but would also make for more unpredictable weather and leaf covered rocks.

Aid stations

In my experience, ultras always have good aid stations; they are well stocked and always have pleasant, wonderful staff. (Shakespeare on working an aid station: “be he ne're so vile, this day shall gentle his Condition”). The IMTR is the first time that I have had an ultra specific drink provided and ultra specific electrolytes. Most ultras provide Gatorade and salt for the potatoes (yum!), but IMTR provided the Succeed “Ultra” drink and the “S!” electrolyte capsules. Both worked well, but I was particularly grateful for the better drink. (Note to sports drinks manufacturers: I can’t carry enough drink for an ultra, so I have to drink what is provided. I also like to train with what I use on a race; therefore providing a drink to a race will allow me to use the product in training.)

I really liked having a drop bag at the 15(ish) and 37(ish) mile marker. Because this was the same aid station that you hit twice, I could put all my goodies in one bag and access it twice; very nice.

Location

Damascus, Virginia is a nice town. It has good access, but is small and friendly. It also has some activities for other family members while you are there, such as biking the Virginia Creeper.

Tee Shirts

Like most runners, I have a lot of race tee-shirts, so it takes a lot for me to mention the tee shirt in a review. However, the design on the IMTR tee shirt is good enough to wear for the waterfall design, even if it were not a race shirt. There is also a nice technical finishers’ shirt.

Registration, Logistics, Organization, etc.

Registration was very easy, and, because the race is new, it did not fill up. I suspect that will change rapidly. The overall race logistics and organization were very good. The best complement is that you never notice them; things just happen, like drop bags being in place.

Conclusion

Is it possible to have a perfect ultra? The very nature of the sport means that a satisfying race is often a little too tough for comfort. Also, one runner’s perfection is another’s hell. I would hate to do a 24 hour ultra on a track, whereas some obviously enjoy it.

For me, with my Hobbit background and a love of lonely places, this was at the very least, a near perfect race. The only things I would change are the things I did wrong rather than anything to do with the race itself. Jolly good fun, as they say in Blighty ;}

The Big Question

So what does everyone else look for in an ultra? What would you change about your favorite race?