Massanutten Pics

Cam Baker

Dave Peterman

Rich Vrboncic and Jim Harris at the Finish Line

Brian Musick on the way to Veach Gap

 

Kimba on the Rocks

Jim Harris

Bob Combs

Cam Baker

Jim Harris

 

Brandon Russell

Paul Lefelhocz

Bill Losey

Paul Lefelhocz

 

Rich Vrboncic

 

Roy Heger

 
The Massanutten Buckle

Hills and more Hills

This Saturday over at Pine Hollow on the appropriately named Sound of Music Hills is the No Frills, Just Hills FA run.

2 mile loop for 6 hours.

Here is the historical Compiled Data.

--------Total # of Loops--2008--2009--2010
Kim Boner------------28------0-----13-----15
Terri Lemke----------28-------0----13-----15
Brian Musick---------28-----10----11------7
Suzanne Pokorny---23----12-----11
Jim Harris-------------20----12------4------4
Jeff Musick-----------19-----10------6-----3
Bob Pokorny----------17-----0-------0----17
Mark Anson-----------17-----0-------5----12
Jim Christ-------------17-----0-------9-----8
Tom Patton------------16----0-------7-----9
Mark Elderbrock------15----15
Jim Chaney------------15-----0-----15
Frank Dwyer-----------14----14
Matt Kee----------------14----14
Laurie Colon-----------14------0------0----14
Michael Palton---------13------0----13
Micah Scott------------13-------0----13
Beth Trecasa----------12-------0-----0-----12
Joe Salwan-------------12-------0-----0-----12
Brian Perusek----------11-------0-----0-----11
Lloyd Thomas----------10-----10
Jamie Musick-----------10-----10
Jay Layshock-----------10------0-----10
Chris Lassen------------10------0------0-----10
Dan DeRosa-------------10-------0-----0-----10
Howie Felterup----------10-------0-----0-----10
Julie Miller---------------10-------0-----0-----10
Courtney Baker----------9--------0-----9
Paul Lefelhocz-----------9--------0-----9
Bruce McMurray--------9--------0-----0------9
Cyrus Taylor-------------9--------0-----0------9
Sam Kragalott-----------8--------0-----8
Kim Love-Ottobre-------8--------0-----8
Kevin Martin-------------8--------0-----8
Mark Humprey-----------8--------0-----0------8
Tom Morgan-------------7--------0-----7
Rich Wisneski-----------7---------0-----7
Kevin Martin-------------7---------0-----7
Tim Knapp---------------7---------0-----7
Pete Cahoun------------6----------0----6
John Jenkins-------------6----------0----0-----6
Tami Musick-------------5---------5
Tanya Cady--------------5----------0-----5
David Peterman---------5----------0-----5
Barefoot Johnny O-----5----------0------0-----5
Kirstie Ratzer------------5---------0------0-----5
Kevin Farley------------5----------0------0-----5
Teresa Sroka-----------5----------0------0-----5
Bob Combs--------------4---------0-------4
Angela Watkins---------4--------0---------0----4
Roy Heger---------------3--------3
Kyrsti Sowers-----------3--------0--------0------3
Cathy Sloan-------------2--------0--------0-------2
Jordan Christ(dog)-----1---------0-------1
Shames Combs--------1---------0-------0--------1

Laurel Ultra

Laurel is one of the premier east coast trail races.
Take a look here at the elevation profile.
Except for the detour, this is all single track except for 1 mile of gravel road.
This may be the last year to get the finishers award with the "77" on it, as the bridge over the turnpike is scheduled to be replaced next year.
Chatter here on the forum page.

There is so much to brag about with this trail, the ferns, the first 8 miles, Beam Rocks, the wooden bridges.
Ask any vetern about this event, and you will always get a great story.

Price increase is tomorrow, get your app printed and postmarked now.

MMT

Massanutten Mountain Trails 100 Mile Run

Here is the list of MMT finishers from NEOTC.

Roy Heger 12 finishes - 31:28
Bob Combs 9 finishes - 29:26
David Peterman 5 finishes - 28:46
Bill Losey 5 finishes - 34:19
Jim Harris 4 finishes - 25:11
Rich Vrboncic 2 finishes - 35:28
Cam Baker 1 finish - 25:11
Paul Lefelhocz 1 finish - 32:51
Brandon Russell 1 finish - 34:48
Kimba Love 1 finish - 31:50*

* First Ohio Woman to finish MMT

Here is a different perspective of the individuals with multiple finishes, time on course.
Heger - 16 days, 7 hours, 44 minutes, 56 seconds
Combs - 11 days, 21 hours, 24 minutes, 24 seconds
Losey - 7 days, 3 hours, 11 minutes, 20 seconds
Peterman - 6 days, 2 hours, 33 minutes, 42 seconds
Harris - 4 days, 13 hours, 37 minutes, 25 seconds
Vrboncic - 2 days, 22 hours, 25 minutes, 44 seconds

Deutsch Wins 50 for Yo Momma Race

Eric Deutsch wins the inaugural 50K event at the "50s for Yo Mama Trail Races". This event was held at Hargus Lake State Park, outside of Circleville, Ohio. Eric's time was 5.12.20.

Congratulations Eric!

Weekend Racers

NEO TC members were out racing events of various lengths this past weekend.

 

 

 

Two NEO TC members ran the April RAINN race, staged out of the Ledges Shelter in Peninsula, Ohio.  A portion of the proceeds benefit the Rape Abuse Incest National Network. Gail Connor and Heidi Finniff ran the 4.5 mile trail race.

Mike Keller raced another weekend and completed a 10K at The Wilds.  The Wilds, outside of Cumberland, Ohio, is a private, non-profit conservation center located on nearly 10,000 acres of reclaimed mine land in rural southeastern Ohio.  Mike ran his 10K in 57.01.

Upping the mileage a bit, Rich Vrboncic travelled a bit south to participate in the Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati, Ohio. Rich ran The Pig in 4.20:53.

A bit farther away, Don Baun clicked off another state in his 50 States quest by running the Colorado Marathon in 4:26:28.

Congratulations to all racers and everyone who got outside and ran this weekend!

Weekend Racing

Gale Connor is becoming a racing machine. Fresh off her 25K at "Forget the PR" race last weekend, Gale completed the Hermes Cleveland 10 Mile race in 1.49.21.


Julie Bowen-Miller travelled a little further to participate in the Tie Dye 50K on Saturday, finishing in 8.16.48.

Nic job ladies!

Forget the PR Race Report

by Gail Connor:



Forget the PR 25K and 50K in Loudonville, OH at Mohican State Park was quite an adventure! I've now been running trails for a year (after running roads for eight), so I wasn't really expecting what I got. First off, the 25K was actually 17.4 miles, long by almost two miles. But, hey, I'm an ultra marathoner now so what's a couple extra miles? Second, I did the eleven mile Xterra race down there, last year. I surely knew what to expect. I've conquered "Big Ass Hill", after all!

A few of the Grunt Girls and Guys rented a cabin that wound up being right around the corner from the start and finish line. How cool is that? Some of them got down there on Friday night and some came Saturday. Heidi (who I was carpooling with) had to work Friday night so we came down Saturday. It was pouring rain when we got there. It seemed ominous to me. Last year, when I was on "Big Ass Hill" with a few other people, I said "I can't imagine going up this thing in the rain when it would be slick". I was hoping these words were not going to come back to haunt me. We wanted to go hike some of the course, but the rain was relentless. Five of us went into Wooster (the next large town) and did some grocery shopping, waiting for the rain to stop. When we got back, it was drizzling so we went out. We hiked to "Big Ass Hill". It was exactly as I had remembered it, except it was wet! Oh boy!

At 5:30AM I heard Lee starting the coffee and I knew it was time to get up. We all went about our routines and soon it was time for the 50K to start (8:00AM). Lee and Gabe were the only ones doing the 50K. Me, Stacy, Andrea, Heidi, Kim, Tonya, and Will were doing the 25K, which started at 8:30AM. It was Will's first race, ever! He's a "derby guy" so I figured he was already "badass". I saw Tom Jennings (my favorite RD) at the start of the 50K as well and gave him a hug for good luck.

After Rob Powell (RD) gave the final instructions, we were off. The temps were mild and it was overcast but not raining, and they weren't calling for any. I knew the course would be muddy, though. As usual, I started falling further and further behind even though we were running on flat asphalt. There weren't too many people behind me by the time we hit the trail. As I made my way more people passed me. Soon, I was convinced that there was only one walker behind me.

As I got to a somewhat confusing intersection, there were three people that weren't sure which way to go. Well, thanks to our hike I knew which way we needed to turn as "Big Ass Hill" was less than a mile away. I may be slow, but I saved the day for them. When we got there, it was wet and a bit slick, but not nearly as bad as I had feared. As I ascended, I tried a new strategy. I started counting my steps. It kept my mind active on something other than the hard climb and it served me well a number of times throughout the day.

By the time I hit the Covered Bridge Aid Station, I was almost half done. I saw the river that they were expecting me to cross the next time I came through the station. I informed them that I was NOT going to be doing it! They sent me off to do a four mile spur. I had no idea how hard this little four mile section was going to wind up being. For the first mile or so, I was passing people that were coming back and I saw people that I knew. It was so nice and a real pick-me-up, as I was running alone. Soon I got to a real rough section. I was running in a creek bed, navigating over boulders and downed trees. I kept stopping to see if I could see the little yellow flags as this section didn't even look like a trail. I remember thinking "I bet kids would LOVE playing down here". Suddenly I was coming out of the riverbed and hit a bunch of tangled roots. Now I was at the infamous "Root Climb". Heidi had seen me on section where I was passing people and had told me it wasn't that bad and that our friend, Glenn was volunteering at the top. I started my ascent up the roots. She was right, it wasn't that bad and as I got almost to the top I heard Glenn yell "GALE"!!. When I got to the top, there was a steep drop-off and I couldn't figure out how to get off the roots. A woman told me how to navigate around this tree and I was finally on solid ground. Glenn started snapping pictures and talking (Glenn's a real talker). He wound up running/walking with me up to the Covered Bridge Aid Station.

As I cruised into the aid station I yell, "Oh my God, that was CRAZY". The volunteers all laughed. Then I look to my left and say "I'm NOT going in that water". The volunteer says "You HAVE to". I said, "I'm a 52 year old woman, I don't HAVE do that". I'm thinking "All I HAVE to do is die and pay taxes". Then, God must have been looking out for me because Gabe comes cruising into the station doing his second loop (damn he was FAST). I say "Gabe, can you get me across that river"? Without a second thought, he says "Yes", and off we go. He held my hand and dragged me across. As I got to the bank, a volunteer grabbed my hand and helped me up. I had tears in my eyes and gratefully hugged my "knight in shining armour"then sent him on his way to his first 50K finish.

I only have about six miles left and I just cruised it in. I'm walking a lot at this point and my injured butt is bothering me but I know I've "got it" now. I hit the North Rim Trail and I know there are a few more hills. I struggle with the last few and by this time the wind is really strong. I could hear it blow through the trees before it hit me on the ground. It sounded like a freight train and seemed quite ominous. A few times I heard tree limbs groan and I prayed that none would come crashing down on me. I finally saw the hill that we started on and I knew that all I had was a little pavement and I would be done. When I came across the finish line in a sprint, with tears in my eyes, I had an asthma attack. With a time of 5:46, I was pleased as it was 17 miles and a tough course. I walked around the corner to our cabin, threw open the door, and screamed "I AM A BADASS"!!

Lee was in the icebath and Gabe was waiting his turn for his first one ever. It was comical to watch. I think I'll try it next time and I think I will do the 50K next year, after all, I AM a badass!!

More Race Results!

There were more NEO TC members completing races last weekend.

John Onder travelled south to complete the Blue Ridge Marathon in 5.21.30.


Todd Hanks ran the "Run for Home" 1/2 marathon in New Philadelphia in a fast 1.30.15.


Congratulations guys!

Boston Marathon

 

Lloyd and his lovely wife, Andrea-both running Boston!!!!

The race weekend did not end until Monday this week. This was the Boston Marathon.

"LT" Lloyd Thomas ran another sub-three hour race- 2.56.38 on the Boston Course simply awesome!!!

Race Results Forget the PR 50K Race

The 3rd racing of the "Forget the PR" 50K was held Sunday, April 17, in the Mohican State Park, Loudonville Ohio. Runners had cool temperatures and a new course to contend with.

There were many NEO TC club members in attendance for this run. Finishers were:

50K Distance

Ron Ross 5.52
Brandon Russell 6.30
Mark Anson 6.53
Courtney Russell 7.16
Mike Keller 7.18
Tara Schweitzer 7.27.46
Bill Wagner 7.27.53
Brian Musick 8.12
Bruce McMurray 8.48

25 Finishers:


Heidi Finniff 4:00
Gale Connoer 5:46

On the other side of the table were race volunteers. Don Baun, Allison Holko, Kim Love-Ottobre worked Saturday, setting up registration and then trail marking (in the cold rain). Sunday morning, Don was working registration and Kim and Allison were out at the very windy Fire Tower Aid Station. Tanya Cady also worked the Fire Tower Aid Station and it was good to hear her voice bellowing out to runners again at Mohican! Julie Bowen-Miller was also working Aid Station # 3 at the Start/Finish Line.

It was a good day for a great race!

Forget the PR 50K this Sunday

Another sold out 50K in Ohio.
More info here.

Weekend Racing

The running season is upon us and several NEO TC members were out and about getting some racing miles in.

Did you think the McNaughton Park Trail Ultras were over? Not so much. This was the second year the Skocaj (skitch-eye) Family continues the tradition of the race formerly known as The McNaughton Park Trail Runs. It has been renamed the Potawatomi Trail Runs. Roy Heger, although he has Massanutten just four weeks away, decided to go run 100 miles and finish 6th, in 27:56:09. Shannon Fisher completed her debut 50 mile at Potawatomi in 13:44:05.

The inaugural Glacier Trail Ultras in Moraine State Park, Pennsylvania was also on Saturday April 10. The weather was nice and cool and the trails were muddy. The mud did not bother Eric Deutsch as he finished the 50 Mile Race in 9:52:30.  Kim Love-Ottobre and Mike Halkovich participated in the 50K event, and finished in 8:06:34 and 8:57:50.

The Race Director's Race was held at Mohican State Park, Ohio on Sunday, April 11.  This is Rob Powell's event for the volunteers for the "Forget the Pr" 50K to run the race course a week prior to the race.  Kim Love-Ottobre, Bob Combs, Jim Harris, Paul Lefelhocz, and Don Baun were NEO TC members who participated, although only Don Baun and Paul Lefelhocz actually completed the 50K distance.

Congratulations to all who raced this weekend!

King of the Miles Update

March numbers are up and it is exciting to see what everybody is doing.
If you want to see who has been where, look here.

Glacier Ridge Trail Ultra

This Saturday is the inaugural Glacier Ridge Trail Ultra over at Moraine State Park in PA.
More info on the event here.

Good Luck to all running in this event.

Umstead Race Report

Mike Keller's Umstead Race Report is here. Congratulations Mike!

New NEOTC Logo

NEOTC is proud to present the new Club Logo.
Thanks to Allison Holko for her efforts to produce this design.

Umstead

Congrats to Mike Keller who buckled at Umstead in 27:53.

Nice Work Mikey.

Fool's Weekend

Good Luck to all who are running in Tennessee.

Fools Trail Run

Many NEOTC members ran in the Cuyahoga Valley today.
Great day for running, with frozen trails early and then some nice mud later in the day.
Nothing but Sun and Blue Skies all day.
Report here from LT.
50K results here.
25 Results here.
Pics and other random info here.

Laurel Highlands March 25-26

Spring is coming slowly in the Laurel Highlands. NEO TC members were out training on the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail, encountering snow once they climbed to mile marker seven on the trail. Temperatures hovered in the high thirties to the low forties, but it was two days without much wind at the elevation.

Training runs are posted on the NEO TC Forum, under the "Group Runs" Tab.

Covered Bridge FA

  

Good times were had by all who traveled to Linn Run State Park this past weekend for the Covered Bridge FA.  Click Here to view more photos.

Oil Creek Trail Runs

Registration opens today for Oil Creek.
The 50K is sold out already, with the 100K not far behind.
Race info here.
Link to register here.

Covered Bridge Trail Runs

The NEO Trail Covered Bridge Cabin Weekend has arrived.
More info here.
Discussion here.

Hope to see all of you out on the trail.

Land Between the Lakes 50 Miler

Congrats to NEO Trail member Gary Sexton, who completed the Land Between the Lakes 50 Miler this past weekend in a time of 7:58:39 (5th place overall).  Click here for complete results.  Click here to view photos from the event.

Mill Creek Park Distance Classic

These runners completed the tough Half Marathon at MCP on March 6th.

Dan Dunlap in 1:27:36
Gavin White in 1:30:37
Todd Hanks in 1:30:43
Bruce McIntosh in 2:20:36.20

Weekend Racing-Green Jewel 50K

Runners had a wet morning for the Green Jewel 50k held March 5, 2011. The Green Jewel 50K Fun Run is a running event that showcases the Cleveland Metroparks. The run starts from the Scenic Park (near the Marina) in Rocky River to the Oak Grove Picnic Area in Brecksville.A fast run ( the surface is all purpose asphalt trail and road), Shaun Pope set a new course record in 3.32.
NEO TC members who ran the event were:

Brandon Russell 5.08.27
Mark Anson 5.43.14
Paul Lefelhocz 6.00.35
Desiree Cowie 6.11.59
Julie Bowen-Miller 6.20.47

Congratulations, runners!

Summer BT50K

Act quickly to register.

The Reverse Ring

The Reverse Ring is a roughly 71-mile counter-clockwise circuit of the Massanutten Trail, and it was held this year on February 26-27.
NEO Trail Club members continue their high percentage finish rate of the Reverse Ring. 4 club members started, all finished.

Cam Baker set a new NEO Trail Club Record for the Reverse Ring, with a finish of 18 hours 26 minutes.

Jim Harris continued his pre-race taper strategy by running 20 miles the day before the Reverse Ring. Jim stayed on Orange the entire route and finished in 19 hours, 50 minutes.

Bob Combs decided he couldn't stop at Camp Roo if everyone else was going on, with a 24 hour 45 minute finish.

Kim Love-Ottobre attained "Master of the Ring" status and wrote a very long blog post about it. Her finishing time was 26 hours 12 minutes.

It was the worst weather conditions ever. A mild day, with outbreaks of sunshine every now and then, some breezes on the eastern ridge, made it a great day (and night) for running.

Many thanks to Race Directors Mike Bur and Quatro Hubbard and the Virginia Happy Trails Running Club for hosting such a fine event!

Weekend Racing-Last Chance for Boston

Mike Keller saw an opportunity to get a supported long run in for his training for the Umstead 100 Mile Endurance Run by running the local "Last Chance For Boston" Marathon.

Mike not only got a solid long run banked, he also PR'd his marathon time by 28 minutes 54 seconds! Mike finished in 27 place, in a PR best time of 3.33.53.

Nice work Mike!

NEOTC Logo Contest

The NEOTC quest for a logo will end on March 10th.
Please have all submissions to NEO Trail President (for life, or until he gets it right) Bob Combs by COB on the 10th.

Runnin outta our Mine 5K Race Report

Race Recap by Heidi Finiff

February 19, 2011

A few months ago I got a Facebook event invite to a 5K. This wasn’t your run of the mill road 5K. It was going to be underground in a mine. I knew immediately that this was a race I just had to do. I don’t really run many 5Ks anymore. I’m barely warmed up when the race is over. And my super speedy days are long behind me. But come on when have you ever seen a 5K in a mine? I had to do it. I sent in my registration right away.
The race is held in Wampum, PA. It is in a limestone mine that is now being used as a underground storage facility. The company that owns the mine is The Gateway Commerce Center. It was an easy drive from Cleveland. The race also has a late start time of 11:00am. I got there for packet pick up pretty early. Like most 5Ks the race shirt was your standard cotton t-shirt. I had friends, Sandi Wethington and Tim Vincent, coming in from Cincinnati to join me. We met up at the entrance of the mine where they had registration.
Before the race everyone warmed up inside the mine. The entrance and first ½ mile or so into the mine looks pretty clean. They paved the ground and painted the walls. And it’s very bright. Lots of lights. There are offices up front too. It was a perfect place for pre and post race activities. Warming up for the race I saw several familiar NEO running friends including Jim Christ and Jim Chaney. As race time approached they ushered us down a tunnel toward the starting line. This race sold out with 500 runners lining up at the start.
At the start of the race it was paved for about ¼ of a mile. Then surprisingly the pavement, painted walls, and bright lights ended! The ground was now gravel, walls were dark rock, and lights were much dimmer. Now it was a TRAIL RACE!!!!! I was loving it. I’m not sure if all the road runners felt the same way. The course had a lot of left and right hand turns. It was a lot of fun seeing the runners who were ahead of you pass by after a turn. And then you would see runners behind you as they come into the turn you just went through. One of the amazing things about this mine is what they store down there. There were huge RVs, boats, trailers, trucks, cars. The temperature is always between 50 and 55 degrees down there. I even saw an ice cream truck. So between the turns and checking out the vehicles and the runners the race went by really fast. And for there being 500 people in the race it didn’t feel very crowded. The tunnels through the mine were really wide. And when you looked around the mine looked like a huge honeycomb. It had the huge pillars of rock which hold up the ceiling. But between the pillars you can either see through to the next lane. Or it was a closed space like a cell stuffed with a RV or camper. Before I knew it we met back up with the pavement and the finish line was approaching. They have you finish just outside the mine at the entrance.
The race was extremely well organized. It was chipped timed. And following the race they had pizza, fruit, and Eat N’ Park Smiley Face Cookies. The awards were very nice. They were wooden plaques with a Limestone rock attached. Sandi Wethington placed 2nd in the 40-44 age group. And Jim Chaney placed 21st Overall for 3rd in the age group 45-49. I would definitely say this was one worth checking out. How often can you say you get the opportunity to run a race underground?

Runnin outta our Mine 5K Results

A unique race was held over the weekend in Pennysylvania. "Runnin' Outta Our Mine" 5K was staged...in a mine. This race will be held entirely in an underground mine located in Wampum, Pennsylvania. The average temperature will be near 55°F, except for the finish line
located outside the mine entrance.

Heidi Finniff and Bruce McIntosh were two NEO Trail Members that went over for this run. We hope to have a race report on this unique event soon.


Heidi Finniff 28:05.50
Bruce McIntosh 31:13.40

Dirty Dog 10K

The Dirty Dog 10K took place on February 5th, with the warmest weather ever for the history of the event. The warmer weather did not mean the best conditions though, as this year we had the slowest winning time ever for the race.

Pat Dillon took the overall win in 49:43, followed by Eric Harris 33 seconds back, with Coach Todd Hanks in 3rd 30 seconds behind Harris.
On the women's side, Jocelyn Rood took the win in 1:01:13, with a daughter/mother combo taking 2nd and 3rd. Kelsey Dickey was 2nd 4:27 back of Jocelyn, and then Cindy Dickey 5 more seconds back of Kelsey.

Results are available here.

Ohio Office of Trails

Did you know the State of Ohio has an Office of Trails? It's true. Created in 2008,

The short term goals of the Office of Trails over the next year include the following:
* Completing the revision of the Statewide Trail Plan
* Administering the next round of grants, which includes the Clean Ohio Trails Fund
* Development of a web based trail map that would be available on our web page, the Ohio Division of Travel and Tourism’s web page, as well as others.

It appears the web site is due for some work, as some items have not been updated.

There is a handy table of trails within the Ohio State Parks, marked with number of trails, mileage, and difficulty. If you are looking for some new dirt to pound, check it out!

NEO Trail Member Spotlight: Bill Losey

Bill Losey is one of the founding members and Vice President of NEO Trail Club. Bill took a break from snowboarding to answer the NEO Trail questions:



Why do you run trails? The sights, the sounds, the one with nature. They are softer and hurt less than roads. I love the mountains, mountain life and mountain people. They are real, all things mountains don't lie. .

How did you first hear/get involved with NEO Trail? I've been NEO Trail since the beginning. Sometimes trail talk turns into reality. I think YUTC was and is the driving force behind our club.

Do you have a trail name? Can you share it with us and tell us where it came from? Shubi is my trail name. It comes from Gombu during a snowy trek to one of our many ultras in VA

What do you do to pay for the trail shoes? I steal them, it sucks because most of the time I only get right foots or lefts but eventually they all fit. I work in restaurant management. I work to live, not the other way around.


What's your favorite trail to run? Mill Creek Park (so many miles training and always enjoy the company when I make it home): MMT (so many man up memories), Laurel highlands, Colorado trail before twin lakes, Kentucky Arches course, Any trail in Frozen Head, Angeles Crest, Mt. baden-powell; San Diego 100 seeing the rattlesnake, Catawba near the finish when Bob did the HTE. (haha hilarious); Three sisters in Evergreen CO, The Grand Canyon because of the change in colors. The Reverse Ring the snow year, making freshies for miles, The Ring coming down Signal Knob with DeWalt and Combs; Stone Steps 50k course.

What is your most memorable race? disclaimer( very rarely do I race, I do like to run though)
1. Kissing the Hardrock
1a. Laurel Highlands 70 miler with a swollen ankle from the night before. Damn you english Saab.
1aa. First MMT finish, I cried three times and wanted to DNF 4 or five.
1aaa. The Bear 100, Airlines lost my luggage and I had to buy everything brand new the day before the run/very stressful.
1aaaa. Last years MMT, slept a few hours after throwing up numerous times and was 5 minutes to cut off and still finishing.
1 aaaaa. Late night on the Wasatch course with Bob.
1 aaaaaa And pacing Bob at Hardrock the year Peter did his rockhard/hardock.

What are your goal races for the 2011 season? Run happy, run often and enjoy the moment. 1. MMT(#5) 2. Barkley fun run 3. Hardrock 4 Cascade crest 100. See new trails, meet new people
What is your dream race? now, Ultra Trail du Monte-Blanc has been on the radar for the last year, so my guess, I will probably run that in 2012, all the people is gonna suck but France, not so much. Dreams: Barkley 100 finisher.

Any advice you could give someone just starting out to the dirt side of running? Have fun, get dirty, don't get caught up in time. It is all relative. Push your limits, push yourself, then you will be a better person. Talk to the vets at the runs, they are open/honest and true people who have tons of wisdom, I have learned so much from listening to Johnny DeWalt that it makes my runs more enjoyable. The vets have a passion for this and that is the common ground. Trail running is a laid back sport with great people. Pick a run, enjoy the training and enjoy the ride.

Hardrock Hundred Lottery

Congratulations to NEO Trail Members John DeWalt and Mike Dobies for being selected in the 2011 Hardrock Lottery.

Bob Combs and Roy Heger are high on the wait list, # 16 and # 22 respectively. Jim Harris is not far behind at # 32.

The eighteenth running of the Hardrock Hundred Mile Endurance Run is scheduled to start at 6:00 am, Friday July 8, 2011, in Silverton, Colorado. In 2011, the course will be run in the counter-clockwise direction - a big loop through the San Juan Mountains of beautiful southwest Colorado: 100-miles plus 33,992 feet of climb and 33,992 feet of descent for a total elevation change of 67,984 feet with an average elevation of 11,186 feet - low point 7,680 feet (Ouray) and high point 14,048 feet (Handies Peak)

Wasatch Lottery Results

Congratulations to NEO Trail Member Desiree Cowie, for getting selected in the 2011 Wasatch lottery.

The Wasatch Front 100 Mile Endurance Run is held in Utah the first Friday and Saturday after Labor Day each year. The run stretches from Layton, Utah to The Homestead in Midway, Utah and covers some of the most beautiful scenery the Wasatch Mountains have to offer. There is a cumulative elevation gain of approximately 26,882 feet, as well as a cumulative loss of approximately 26,131 feet throughout the course. This is a premier run that will test the endurance of any runner.

The Hardrock Lottery Results will be available later this Sunday.

NEO Trail Club Logo Contest

Attention - NEO Trail Club is in search of a Logo.

The NEO Trail Club Bored is looking for a logo to represent the Club.
We are looking for something that will be easily reproduced on gear such as shirts and hats, and also used on the webpage.
If you have something in mind, please submit your idea to the NEO Trail Club President, Bob Combs at bobcombs100@gmail.com.
The final design winner will receive a small gift package in recognition of their creativity and support of the Club.

Winter Buckeye Trail FA

Trail Girlfriend - 31 Miles
Old Man Heger - 31 Miles
Slim - 29 1/2 Miles
Gombobu - 29 Miles
Coach Hank - 19 Miles
The Admiral - 10 Miles
Cousin Tim - 10 Miles

Weymouth Woods 100K Race

NEO Trail Member Kim Love-Ottobre tried to go somewhere warm and race over the weekend. She found a race but the temperatures stayed pretty cold in North Carolina. Kim finished the Weymouth Woods 100K Race in 16 hours 44 minutes. Her longer blog post can be found here or over to the sidebar on the right.

Run For Regis 2011

Photo by Nick Billock

Congratulations to all the runners who came out on a very snowy, cold day to play on the trails of the Cuyahoga National Valley Park.
NEO Trail had good representation at the event.

36 Mile Finisher: Laurie Colon

50K Finishers:

Ron Ross
Roy Heger
TJ Hawk
Brandon Russell
Courtney Russell
Mike Halkovich
Douglass Bell
Paul Lefelhocz
Mark Anson

18 Miles

Bruce McMurray

1/2 Marathon

Kurt Osadchuk
Laura Bell
Desire Cowie
Glen Cowie
Nick Billock
Cyrus Taylor
Julie Bowen-Miller

6.5 Miles

Gale Conner

NEO Trail Member Tanya Cady is the Race Director of this Event. The proceeds of this race goes to the Fisher House in Cincinnati, Ohio. A Fisher House™ is "a home away from home" for families of patients receiving medical care at major military and VA medical centers. The homes are normally located within walking distance of the treatment facility or have transportation available. The Fisher House in Cincinnati gave Diana Shivers a place to stay while Regis Shivers Sr was having treatments and care at the VA Center.

NEO Trail Members Dan Bellinger, Lloyd Thomas, Eric Deutsch, Dave Peterman, Carole Krus were among the brave volunteers who stood out in the cold weather to help. Roy Heger also helped mark the course the day before running. Bill Wagner helped Tanya sweep the course afterwards.

NEO Trail King of the Miles Contest

Hey people, results are starting to trickle in for the contest.
Don't hesitate to join in the fun.

Fools 50K

Apps will be up tomorrow on Jan 5th.

Happy New Year

Hope that everyone has a great 20 thousand 11.

NEO Trail Member Spotlight: Nick Billock

We are reviving a feature from the early days of the NEO Trail Web Site, short interviews with members of the NEO Trail. We are still waiting on The Professor to fill out his homework, so we are starting with Nick Billock.

Nick is pretty well known in the running community for being the man with the camera. Nick had an impressive 2009 ultra season, with finishing 3 100 miles in the year. Nick is responsible for the famous Waterfall runs (this was the 4th year) in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

Please check out Nick's two blogs:

Running the Race Set Before Me

Nick Billock Photography

Why do you run trails? Trails, unlike the open road, allow me to fully immerse myself in nature and everything great about it. No cars, no interruptions (except for the occasional running deer), and no beating on my body are just a few of the benefits of being on the trails. In a society that is moving extremely fast with very little down-time, simply stepping foot on the trails strips it all away and the only thing left is you, the dirt, the roots, the stream-crossings, the sky-reaching trees, and scurrying wildlife all around you. Mentally, it's the best way to relax (and burn some calories) that I know of.

How did you first hear/get involved with NEO Trail? The 2008 YUT-C 50K was my introduction to NEO Trail. I had grown up rolling down the grassy hill at the Fellows Riverside Gardens up above the starting line but never knew of trails within Mill Creek Park. After that race and how it was put on, I was sold on NEO Trail and what they were doing in the community.

Do you have a trail name? Can you share it with us and tell us where it came from? The crew from NEO Trail refer to me as "Admiral." I think it's simply a name fitting for someone who is currently serving in the Navy. While the rank of "Admiral" is the highest rank and an extremely far cry from my current rank, I really do love the nickname and appreciate the crew bestowing it on me. Pretty cool to connect the trails with another very significant part of my life.

What do you do to pay for the trail shoes? My full time job is as a Social Insurance Specialist with the Social Security Administration. I take disability claims from the public and also care for those already on disability out of the Canton, OH field office. My other job which is involved a little bit every day is that of a Navy Supply Corps Officer. After serving on active duty from 1991-2001, I returned in 2007 but this time as a Reservist. It's much more than a "weekend warrior" time commitment but I love it more than any other "job" that I do.

What's your favorite trail to run? Tough question. I think I'll give you a few. Mill Creek Park is easily in my top 3 trails. Mill Creek offers everything: waterside running, rocks, roots, sky-high evergreens, lots of waterfalls, and of course, the Monkey Hills and the Love Log. I also love the trails of West Branch State Park, located in southern Portage County. While only 12min from my house in Rootstown, it is a highly ignored park from the bulk of the local trail running community. The mountain bike trails contain more rocky running than any other trail system in northeast Ohio, hands down. Also, most trails are near West Branch Reservoir which never disappoints with the views year-round. Lastly, I know the trails of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park like the back of my hand. Anyone could easily spends hours upon hours out there and never cross the same piece of trail twice. Fantastic resource right on our doorstep that many non-runners don't even realize is here. We should be very thankful for our very many trail systems in Ohio!

What is your most memorable race? That's an easy one...but I'll have to answer it in two parts. The first one is my first 100-mile finish at the 2009 Kettle Moraine 100 Miler in Wisconsin. I traveled solo to the race with no friends, family or crew and seeing that red finish line banner in 25hrs, 39min is an image and memory that will never fade. The other one was my 3rd 100-mile finish 18 weeks later at the Inaugural Oil Creek 100-Mile Trail Run in Titusville, PA. Around mile 20, I ran into some serious issues physically and for the final 80 miles, I ate ibuprofen like candy and only my mental fortitude got me to the finish line. The icing on the cake was my wife surprising me at mile 92 and me crumbling emotionally like a baby. 30hrs, 49min after the start on Saturday, I got my 3rd 100-mile finish and the "mack-daddy" of 100-mile buckles.

What are your goal races for the 2011 season? In 2011, I have no goal races due to a lot of time to be spent with the Navy. The bulk of my time with them happens right in the heart of trail racing season, including all of my favorite races. I hope to return in time for NEO Trail's URINEO in December.

What is your dream race? I am a big believer in running local races that I can wake up in my own bed and drive to. We have a countless supply of them in NE Ohio, many of which didn't exist 5 years ago. However, I'd say that a few races do stand out as must-do's some day: Bear 100, Wasatch 100, and the Leadville Trail 100 are all on my to-do list...lifetime to-do list. I really don't have any big "dream" races and focus more on the very short term and just getting out on the trails.
Any advice you could give someone just starting out to the dirt side of running? Take it slow and let the trail come to you. It's a completely different kind of running and in time, it'll get easier and more enjoyable to you. Forget about the pace and what your Garmin is telling you and just have fun out there. When you run, lift up your feet over the roots and rocks and when walking those steep hills, walk with a purpose!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all.

2011 Local 50Ks

Most of these will sell out.
Make your plans early.

3/5 Green Jewel 50K

3/19 Lt. J C Stone 50K - Pittsburgh Area

3/27 Fools 50K and 25K - Apps available on Jan 5th.
(discount available for NEO Trail members)

4/17 Forget the PR 50k and 25K - Already sold out.

7/16 Buckeyetrail 50K

9/17 YUTC 50K and 25K

URINEO

If you missed URINEO, better get it on your calendar for next year.

Bartram 100 Mile Race

Congratulations to Dan Kuzma-winner of the Bartram 100 Mile Race, in 19 hours, 40 minutes!

Congratulations also to Gary Sexton, who took 2nd place in the 100K in 11 hours, 18 minutes!

The Bartram 100 Mile and 100K Race was held in Bartram State Forest, outside of Milledgeville, Georgia.

Glacier Ridge Ultras

As happens to a lot of Ultras lately, Glacial Ridge Ultras are filling up.

The 30K appears to be full already.

Limited spots left in the 50 miler.
If this is on your list for 2011 events, act soon.

Hellgate

Picture of David Horton.

Congrats to David Peterman who ran Hellgate Friday night and into the day on Saturday.
Dave finished in 15:33:58.
126 runners started and 111 finished the race, which began at 12:01 am on Saturday.
Results

Dave also competed in the BEAST series.

MMT 100 Lottery Results

Yesterday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed UP at 11,372.48. Since the last 3 numbers of the closing DOW are used as a starting point, the starting number was 248. Then, 205 entrants are selected by counting up. Therefore, if your random lottery number was between 248 through 751 then you will be eligible to enter the 2011 Massanutten Mountain Trails 100 Miler on Friday. For a more detailed description of this process, click here.

The following NEO Trail members are now eligible to enter the 2011 MMT 100:

Cam Baker
Kim Boner
Bob Combs
Kim Love-Ottobre
Brian Musick
Joe Novicky
David Peterman
Brandon Russell
Gary Sexton

The following NEO Trail members are currently on the waitlist in the following order (waitlist # in parenthesis):

Roy Heger (3)
Paul Lefelhocz (30)
Bill Losey (34)
Jim Harris (38)
Rich Vrboncic (71)
Desiree Cowie (198)

Bigfoot 50K Race

NEO Trail represented quite well at the inaugural Bigfoot 50K Race held Sunday, December 5, at Salt Fork State Park, Ohio.

Big congratulations to Jim Harris, for finishing 1st Masters and 6th Overall Finisher. Jim's finish was eclipsed by the 5th overall finisher, his son Eric Harris, in a smoking 4:55:59, his ultra running debut!





Mike Keller, with Jim Harris yelling at him, managed to get under the wire for a sub-six hour ultra finish, at 5:59:08!!



NEO Trail Member Results:

Eric Harris 4:55:59
Jim Harris 4:58:54
Michael Keller 5:59:08
Julie Bowen-Miller 7:43:23

Congratulations to all finishers. Thanks to Ron Ross for volunteering while his daughter completed the 50K. Congratulations even to NEO Trail Member Don Baun who ran one lap and then decided a hot shower sounded better than 2 more loops!

MMT Lottery Selection – This Wednesday

Good luck to the following NEO Trail members who are entered into this year’s Massanutten Mountain Trails 100 Mile lottery that will take place this Wednesday:

Bill Losey - #013
Roy Heger - #103
Paul Lefelhocz - #222
Brian Musick - #273
David Peterman - #289
Gary Sexton - #398
Brandon Russell - #405
Kim Love-Ottobre - #435
Joe Novicky - #465
Bob Combs - #476
Cam Baker - #590
Kim Boner - #684
Jim Harris - #886
Richard Vrboncic - #919
Desiree Cowie - #952

Cilck here for a detailed explanation of the MMT 100 lottery procedure.