Occoneechee Mountain Challenge 2023…
2023-01-29 at 8:00am
9.48 miles (08:44/mile)
Hillsborough, North Carolina
Third year running the OMC, and like the past two events, great course, support, and course markings. Food after was still excellent…overall, it remains one of my favorite races!
An interesting race in Hillsborough that starts on the Occoneechee Speedway, transits to the local River Walk trail, then goes around Occoneechee Mountain leading to a path straight up to the top…it provides flat, rolling, and hill climbing in relatively equal measure.
Trail conditions were good, with several very small patches of mud across. Nothing impeding a serious runner from completing the course. Temperature was so much better than last year...only 33°F...warming to 40°F by the end. Good for running while remaining cool enough. That is not to say that the gas heaters provided by one of the volunteers were not appreciated - thank you!
Several folks new to the course asked ahead of time whether the run would be a challenge...and I replied, yes - definitely...but also thoroughly runnable.
Unlike prior years, took several tumbles...it is was trail race, after all. Bit of trail love on one arm and a knee, but otherwise, nothing worthy of comment. The first was made near the beginning, when allowing another runner to go by...(really need to learn to let the upcoming runner find their way around. Almost every one of my tumbles taken results from paying more attention to another runner than foot placement). The second was fortunately (?) made just before the turn to the finish...where only one runner was able to see...was still able to pick the body up and race to the end...
Like last year, there were a number of runners known to me. Congratulations to Brendan Murray at 01:07:52 and Sam Guo at 01:13:26...amazing as always!
Interestingly, had a muscular issue comparable to last year...so ran a very measured pace. Even so, finished four and a half minutes faster...
Watch only measured 9.48 miles, despite the course being measured to 10 miles. After looking at the Strava map, appears to be a GPS fail.
Official time: 01:25:15
Office pace: 8:32/mile
9.48 miles (08:44/mile)
Hillsborough, North Carolina
Third year running the OMC, and like the past two events, great course, support, and course markings. Food after was still excellent…overall, it remains one of my favorite races!
An interesting race in Hillsborough that starts on the Occoneechee Speedway, transits to the local River Walk trail, then goes around Occoneechee Mountain leading to a path straight up to the top…it provides flat, rolling, and hill climbing in relatively equal measure.
Trail conditions were good, with several very small patches of mud across. Nothing impeding a serious runner from completing the course. Temperature was so much better than last year...only 33°F...warming to 40°F by the end. Good for running while remaining cool enough. That is not to say that the gas heaters provided by one of the volunteers were not appreciated - thank you!
Several folks new to the course asked ahead of time whether the run would be a challenge...and I replied, yes - definitely...but also thoroughly runnable.
Unlike prior years, took several tumbles...it is was trail race, after all. Bit of trail love on one arm and a knee, but otherwise, nothing worthy of comment. The first was made near the beginning, when allowing another runner to go by...(really need to learn to let the upcoming runner find their way around. Almost every one of my tumbles taken results from paying more attention to another runner than foot placement). The second was fortunately (?) made just before the turn to the finish...where only one runner was able to see...was still able to pick the body up and race to the end...
Like last year, there were a number of runners known to me. Congratulations to Brendan Murray at 01:07:52 and Sam Guo at 01:13:26...amazing as always!
Interestingly, had a muscular issue comparable to last year...so ran a very measured pace. Even so, finished four and a half minutes faster...
Watch only measured 9.48 miles, despite the course being measured to 10 miles. After looking at the Strava map, appears to be a GPS fail.
Official time: 01:25:15
Office pace: 8:32/mile
Daily: 9.48 miles, Monthly: 273.88 miles, Yearly: 1462.34 miles