By Joey Anderson

When they said the race would start at 8am sharp, they weren't kidding. We stood quietly, scattered around the gravel driveway of the Ruritan Center while the National Anthem was played from a CD player. The sun was trying to break through the early morning clouds directly over the flagpole, when just as the music stopped I heard someone say "go". I hadn't even seen the starting line yet but slowly started off following the flow of runners. I'm sure it was this slow start that kept me from getting a course PR. Well, maybe there were a few other factors involved.

Dennis Hamrick, the RD for the Rattlesnake Trail 50k sent me the following email last week:

"Just a reminder to all the fine folks in North Carolina and surrounding states: The Rattlesnake Trail 50k will be held on July 7, 2007. Unlike all the other races that are selling out quickly, our race has 10 entries as of May 1, 2007. I am not sure what the secret is to selling out the races. We offfer 10 climbs, 9 aid stations, dinner the night before and lunch after the race. Hammer gel at the aid stations. Individual finisher awards, t-shirts and probably the best selection of bugs, snakes and stinging plants in the east. What more could you ask for? "

I'll add to this that the West Virginia Mountain Trailrunners are a great group.

I've heard a lot of good things about this tough summertime race and I intend to run it this year.

ultrarunning ultra+marathon rattlesnake trail+running mason-dixon west+virginia

Endurance is more than a virtue, it is a weapon. Harvard Anthropology professor Daniel Lieberman says our ancestors used their ability to run for hours in hot weather to subdue large animals and eat them. He describes our ability to run for hours as a weapon used to trigger hyperthermia in our prey.

Modern humans and their immediate ancestors such as Homo erectus sport several adaptations that make humans, instead of some ferocious, furry, or fleet creature, the animal world’s best distance runners.

Lieberman describes several adaptations, including hairless skin and the ability to breathe through our mouths, that allow us to run for hours and hours while disapating huge amounts of heat through sweat and respiration. Ultrarunning, given Lieberman's theories, is the purest sport there is.

Read the full article.

Participating in Ultra running often requires sacrifices on the part of our family and friends. I'm always on the lookout for ways to give back to those who support me so unselfishly. I've found something that may help. Gas Eaters are underpants that have an airtight fabric with a hole and filter in the rear end. For air (or gas) to escape it must pass through the carbon filter. The filter removes foul odor!!!. With all the problems preparing for a race, carbo-loading induced flatulence can place that much more strain on relationships.

Gas Eaters may be for more than just carbo-loading. I know that Mark Long and Rich Sexton both remarked that I was fouling the air way too much on Mark and Rich's recent 60-mile training run. However, I don't know if these shorts would be feasible to run in.

Under-Tec also has a line of underwear with replaceable filters. It's very informative to read the many testimonials. We've got Under-Armour, now may be the time to try Under-Tec!

I've had a pair of five fingers for a little over a week, and I've run in them three times so far. These slippers provide just enough protection to your feet to run "barefoot" without worrying about pieces of glass and rusty nails. (If something tears through five fingers chances are it will tear through many running shoes.) I'm still working up to regular "barefoot" training. The farthest I've gone in these slippers as of today is three miles. I think running barefoot will turn out as a good training tool for me. Although I wear shoes with minimal padding running barefoot manages to really stretch and strengthen my calves. It has eliminated even the thought of heel striking and provides my feet with a good workout. If any of you are going to try barefoot or five fingers running my recommendation is to start out slowly in order to determine which muscles will be strained, and move then move up in distance and frequency as your muscles will tolerate.

While reading the vhtrc mailing list I came across an interesting article that focuses on ultrarunners and immune system dysfunction. The article discusses how Dr. Norm Klein, former Race Director of Western States (and husband of Helen Klein), noticed an unusual cluster of cancer among multiple finishers of Western States. Klein started an investigation along with Dr. Robert Lind who at the time was the Western States Medical Director.

Although the investigation has not shown a cause and effect relationship among the cancer cluster and ultrarunning, there is some compelling research that shows a causual relationship with high milage training and immune system dysfunction. This makes a lot of sense to me after suffering a series of illnesses over a six month period from Sept. through February. Soon after finishing my 3rd 100 mile race of the year I started catching every type of virus or bug that I was exposed to. I exacerbated my immune problems by continuing to train and attempt 100 milers. I foolishly ran while sick at the Traveller, dropping after 58 miles, but more significantly that day seemed to destroy my immune system because I became very ill afterward and didn't get better for a couple of months. To recover I followed most of the suggestions outlined in this article. I stopped all running for three weeks, got as much sleep as possible, and tried to avoid stress.

Today I'm still not 100% but I'm training again and confident enough to run some ultras. While my story is a good anectdote to the research, I know of many ultrarunners, including high-milage runners, who rarely get sick. In fact, the anecdotal evidence from my point of view seems to show that ultrarunnners have excellent immune systems. I made some very specific mistakes last year including training and racing while sick. The probability that overtraining and racing too frequently causes immune dysfunction should be seriously considered.

During the months before I received cortisone shots for morton's neuroma, I ran with the insoles removed from my shoes. On the road I run in the Asics Gel Speedstar, and on the trail I run in the Asics Trail Attack. Both of these shoes are minimal - no or little cushioning, a low profile, no buildup at the heel. With the insoles removed there was little between my feet and the ground. I ran the entire Cascade Crest 100 with the insoles removed from my Trail Attacks, and trained on the road for several months with no insoles in my lightweight trainers. It felt great, and It forced my to improve my running form.

I stopped running in cushioned shoes years ago because my knees were always hurting. Cushioned shoes turn me into a heel striker, which actually causes more pounding. Switching to shoes with no cushioning reduced the impact on my knees. There is some evidence that many of today's running shoes do more harm than good. Joseph Froncioni, a MD who runs, advocates minimal shoes and barefoot running. In his article Athletic Footwear and Running Injuries he discusses the mechanics of running and why motion control, cushioning, and stability technology can cause running injuries. Froncioni cites research that backs him up.

Running shoes are important and also personal, and I'm sure many of you disagree with the assertions made in the article. For me, however, it rings true.

By Joey Anderson

Every Ultra I enter has a purpose. Sometimes as a training run, others more for the social aspects or the scenery or a unique challenge. And then sometimes I just want to run fast. Rocky Raccoon has a reputation of being an easy 100 miler and a course for a fast time so I went down to Texas for the express purpose of putting out a strong effort and hope for a PR. However, there is really no such thing as an easy 100 miler, especially if you are racing and not just trying to finish.

Photo: Joey Anderson

Meet a bunch of down-to-earth friends at 7:15 AM at a rural North Carolina crossroads. Run through the countryside for fifteen miles or so, catching up on news, friendships, and talking about common interests. Part of the run traces the course of the Boogie races, a favorite ultramarathon. After the run eat hot pizza (at 11am in the morning!), cake, and cookies. First-timers get special T-shirts. Sound like fun? It is. So much fun it's worth waking at 4am Saturday morning and driving with my 14-year old boy and marathon veteran Sam down to the countryside near Rockingham, NC for my 4th Shirt run.

The shirt run is the membership initiation ritual of the Mangum Track Club. Joey Anderson was also there. John Hutchinson and I were among the early finishers and I tried to take photos of everyone who finished after I retrieved my camera, starting with Fred Dummars.

Nick Whited is organizing a training run in the mountains of Southwest Virginia, to be held this Saturday January 27.

"I’m organizing another group run this weekend – this time in Damascus, VA starting at SunDog’s. The route will travel on the Iron Mountain, Appalachian, and VA Creeper Trail. The distance is 25 miles and is very doable for everyone. The last 9 miles are downhill on the Creeper Trail. The time to begin would be 10:30am. Everyone should be finished by 3:00pm easily. If I can get a group together I will set out fluid/food at BearTree Lake. Good prep for Holiday Lake and Uwharrie."

Nick needs to know who will be running, so please RSVP to Nick.