Georgia

Race: Popsicle 5k

Runner: Sandy Hernandez

Race Date: 08/19/2023

Location: Atlanta

Results: 26:54

3 Bests – What aspects of the race did you like the most?

The race takes place on the Atlanta Beltline. Mostly flat, which is nice compared to the usual Atlanta races.

Not so much – Aspects of the race that didn’t do it for you

The organizers ended up having some connectivity issues so the times weren’t available until much later in the day.

Highlights of your race – What did you do well and enjoy about your race in particular?

Completed this race mainly to compare progress based on last years results. In 2022, I ran it at 30:30. This year, I accomplished a HUGE PR with 26:54!!! I honestly was not expecting this.

Lessons for others – Share your pro-tips on the race to help the next runner

Ran this race without a watch. It was nice to strictly go by feel. This allowed me to see where I am at holistically with my fitness.

Lessons you learned that will help you next time around

Trust your training. Trust the steps you took. On the way back, I could feel my energy drop. Told myself to trust the steps I took to properly fuel and to push. So happy that I did end up trusting my abilities.

Aesthetics – Is it a pretty course?

It’s pretty decent. Love the art throughout this course.

Difficulty – Is it a tough course?

Not really. Some short hills after you hit the one mill. Would highly suggest hills training for any ATL race.

Organized and well run – Did it feel like a well-oiled machine or were they flying by the seat of their pants?

It was organized well just some technical issues towards the end.

Logistics – Does it require a special handshake, registration a year in advance, hotels all booked? Give us the low down on the nuts and bolts of making the race happen.

No, this is a very small race.

Aid Stations – Standard fare or anything special to know about the aid stations in terms of what’s available or when?

One aid station at the turnaround point.

How’s the Swag?

Simple swag. Worked for me!

The Overall Score – How many stars do you give this race and do you recommend that others run it?

I would give it a 3.75. Still plan to return, mainly to continue using this as a way to compare my progress.

Race: Georgia Sky to Summit 50k

Runner: Matt Anthony

Race Date: 11/13/2021

Location: Sky Valley, GA

Results: https://ultrasignup.com/results_event.aspx?did=80821#id1830663

Strava Activity Link: https://www.strava.com/activities/6253544510

3 Bests – What aspects of the race did you like the most?

1. Beautiful views of the Georgia and North Carolina mountains, including from the observation deck of Rabun Bald, the second highest peak in Georgia at 4,677 feet!
2. Great organization by RunBum Tours including outstanding aid station food like hot quesadillas, chocolate, pickles, avocado, etc.
3. Tons of vert (~7,000 up and ~7,000 down) from technical to gentle

Not so much – Aspects of the race that didn’t do it for you

Nothing

Weird factor – What’s the weirdest thing about this race?

You climb the second highest peak in Georgia. Twice.

Highlights of your race – What did you do well and enjoy about your race in particular?

Thanks to Coach Matt, my training was spot on and I was as prepared as I’ve ever been. This was my fourth 50k and it’s starting to come together so I was able to enjoy it in a way I have not before.

Lessons for others – Share your pro-tips on the race to help the next runner

1. Long races mean potentially lots of variety in weather – even though it started in freezing temps pre-dawn, the coldest was on the exposed peak in late morning.
2. I tend to carry all my calories but I probably could have relied more on aid station food.
3. The only way to train for trails and downhill is by doing them.

Lessons you learned that will help you next time around

You can push harder than you think.

Most important course specific knowledge to know about the race

Lots of uphills. Lots of downhills. Lots of roots and rocks. Your feet will get wet. Most importantly, the last mile and a half is basically a road downhill so you can flyyyyyy!

Aesthetics – Is it a pretty course?

Beautiful.

Difficulty – Is it a tough course?

Toughest of the 4 I’ve done. I think so.

Organized and well run – Did it feel like a well-oiled machine or were they flying by the seat of their pants?

Extremely well run.

Competition – Is there a strong field?

Ha! Not in the back where I was!

Logistics – Does it require a special handshake, registration a year in advance, hotels all booked? Give us the low down on the nuts and bolts of making the race happen.

Nope.

Aid Stations – Standard fare or anything special to know about the aid stations in terms of what’s available or when?

Hot, fresh quesadillas! And lots of other stuff – really good stuff.

Weather and typical race conditions

Near freezing. Rain threatened in the 10 day forecast but it was clear as a bell by race day. Course had some mud but nothing crazy. Cold creek crossings, knee deep.

Gear – Did you need anything special or is there anything you’d recommend for the next runner?

Headlamp required for start. You’re done with it in the first hour.

Spectators – Is this a friendly course for your friends?

Not really – you’re back in the woods and hard to reach.

How’s the Swag?

Trucker hat, beer glass, medal. Good quality.

The Overall Score – How many stars do you give this race and do you recommend that others run it?

5 out of 5, highly recommended.

Need a checklist for your next race? We’ve got you covered.

Race: Fort Yargo Thrill in the Hills 50k

Runner: Matt A

Race Date: 02/15/2020

Location: Winder, GA

Results: https://ultrasignup.com/results_event.aspx?did=65450#id1830663

Strava Activity Link: https://www.strava.com/activities/3102802307

3 Bests – What aspects of the race did you like the most?

1. Beautiful
2. Perfect weather
3. Fantastic organization and support

Not so much – Aspects of the race that didn’t do it for you

1. Mountain bike course so many, many tiny hills, never got in a groove

Weird factor – What’s the weirdest thing about this race?

The name?

Highlights of your race – What did you do well and enjoy about your race in particular?

1. My race prep was spot on – gear, fuel, clothing, timing.
2. I pushed hard from the outset, which I usually don’t do. Although it made the end hell, it was a good shove out of my comfort zone.
3. I won my age group for the first time ever!

Lessons for others – Share your pro-tips on the race to help the next runner

1. Those tiny mountain bike hills are killer – hard to get in a groove at all.

Lessons you learned that will help you next time around

1. I had a rough time – but that’s what my plan was designed to do. I was asking to hit the wall with my aggressive start and I did. In retrospect, it’s obvious. So now I’ve had a race were I went not quite hard enough and one were I went too hard. Good learning.
2. The next time I go out and run 30 miles, I’m not going to do something ridiculous like tell myself I’m doing a bad job of it!

Most important course specific knowledge to know about the race

The mountain bike terrain.

Aesthetics – Is it a pretty course?

Yes, beautiful!

Difficulty – Is it a tough course?

Yes, tougher than mileage and altitude indicate.

Organized and well run – Did it feel like a well-oiled machine or were they flying by the seat of their pants?

Outstanding!

Competition – Is there a strong field?

I got first in the 50-54’s but if I’d been in the 55-59’s I would have been 5th! And in the 60-64’s, third!

Logistics – Does it require a special handshake, registration a year in advance, hotels all booked? Give us the low down on the nuts and bolts of making the race happen.

Nope, signed up 3 weeks prior.

Aid Stations – Standard fare or anything special to know about the aid stations in terms of what’s available or when?

No.

Weather and typical race conditions

High 20’s to 40’s, clear.

Gear – Did you need anything special or is there anything you’d recommend for the next runner?

I carried too much water and sport drink – ended with almost a liter of water and 80% of my sport drink – wasted effort to carry all that.

Spectators – Is this a friendly course for your friends?

Yes.

How’s the Swag?

Sweet handmade mug.

The Overall Score – How many stars do you give this race and do you recommend that others run it?

3/5

Race: The Georgia Yeti Nightmare

Runner: Jeff N

Race Date: 3/02/2018

Location: Sweetwater Creek State Park – Atlanta GA

Results: 1:04:53, 6 mile race

Strava Activity Link: https://www.strava.com/activities/1433318273

3 Bests – What aspects of the race did you like the most?

It felt like more of a party than a race! It was at night. It was well-organized.

Not so much – Aspects of the race that didn’t do it for you

Overall the course was marked very well but there were a couple places where I had to stop running and hunt around a bit to pick the course back up.

Weird factor – What’s the weirdest thing about this race?

That it’s mostly a party. There was a DJ playing music while dressed as a yeti at the finish line and a Michael Jackson impersonator who performed a couple songs for each wave of runners to pump them up before the start of each race.

Highlights of your race – What did you do well and enjoy about your race in particular?

I was happy with my speed given my short time in running, and the fact that it was at night with a lot of tree roots and rocks. There were some awesome views of the full moon above the city skyline which you could see at one point in the race. The people were all really friendly.

Lessons for others – Share your pro-tips on the race to help the next runner

Make sure you have a bright headlamp and bring a friend to run with you for fun. Also bring a designated driver since the finish line party is so awesome.

Lessons you learned that will help you next time around

There was one long steep hill at about the one mile mark and I need to do more hill work. It gassed me and I wasn’t as fast on the rest of the course as I wanted to be after getting to the top of that hill.

Most important course specific knowledge to know about the race

It changes every year, and they have three different courses for three different races. Friday is a 6 mile race, and Saturday features a 5 mile and a 10 mile course.

Aesthetics – Is it a pretty course?

It is but of course, it is at night so you can’t see much. You are running along the side of a lake for the last mile or so and can see the brightly lit club-house where the finish line is across the lake which was cool to see.

Difficulty – Is it a tough course?

For me it was because I have not spent much time training on hills. I think total elevation gain was 811 feet. That’s laughable for ultra runners used to climbing 30k feet but for a new runner who doesn’t run a lot of hills, it’s a fair amount. I tripped a number of times on roots and rocks but never fell – plenty of people did fall though but no serious injuries.
Organized and well run – Did it feel like a well-oiled machine or were they flying by the seat of their pants?
It was very well-run and there were more volunteers there than positions to volunteer in!

Competition – Is there a strong field?

That was a great part of this race. There were some really fast runners there, and there were a lot of low-key runners who used this race as their first trail-running experience. In the 10-mile race, the fastest finisher finished in 1:13 and the slowest finished in a little over three hours. So you have a really good spread.

Logistics – Does it require a special handshake, registration a year in advance, hotels all booked? Give us the low down on the nuts and bolts of making the race happen.

Very convenient from Atlanta and the Atlanta Airport. No secret handshake but it sells out very quickly each year. I would advise taking a taxi, uber, or having a designated driver so you can partake in the party at the end.

Aid Stations

Only the 10-mile run had an aid station and it was around mile 6 or 7 I believe.

Weather and typical race conditions

March is very unpredictable in GA. In past years, it has snowed, rained, and been warm. This year, we were treated to 48 degrees and clear skies. Perfect weather for running.

Gear – Did you need anything special or is there anything you’d recommend for the next guy?

Trail running shoes of course! And a really bright, reliable head-lamp.

Spectators – Is this a friendly course for your friends?

Not on the course, but at the start/finish absolutely. Lots of friendly people, dogs, drinks and snacks.

How’s the Swag?

Nice t-shirt is provided with entry, and they usually have a small Yeti swag table too. Trophies looked awesome too.

The Overall Score – How many stars do you give this race and do you recommend that others run it?

5 stars and I’d recommend to anyone who loves a fun party-style trail run, and for people who also want an introduction intro trail running.