Bear Blaster 50K+

Okay, we are a go for the second (I guess it's annual now!???!!!?) Bear Blaster 50K!

The run will take place on the New Bartram Trail System located along the shores of Clarks Hill Lake, just outside of Augusta, GA. Keep reading for all pertinent details:

FIRST THINGS FIRST

The run will begin at 7:30 AM on Saturday, March 30th, 2013. We're going to set a cut off time of 12 hours, because nobody really wants to still be out there after dark. Entry fee will be set at $30 and will increase to $40 two weeks before the race. The race will be capped at 60 runners. We're getting this posted a little late, so we'll see if there's enough of you to hit that mark. We certainly hope so. We may be willing to fudge the cap up a little bit. But you'll probably need to bribe us with baked goods. Or crack rocks. But not really the crack. We don't condone drug usage. Unless it's to help ease that sweet burn of ultrarunning. But I digress.....

Entry fees will go toward aid station supplies, administrative fees (running sure gets expensive, considering all you need to do it is a pair of legs, right?), and some fancy (I'm using the term loosely) prizes for all of our finishers (that should be all of you right!?). This entry fee is unfortunately non-refundable, since most of our costs come up front, but if you do register and can't make it for some reason, get in touch with me, and as long as we hold the race again next year (two years in a row makes it a tradition, can't stop now!), we can probably work out a waiver of your entry fee next time around (We're not jerks...I swear! Well, maybe we are...). And now that I just said that we won't do refunds, if we do happen to have a few dollars left over once everything is said and done, we intend to donate the rest to the local SORBA chapter, whose members do a significant amount of trail work throughout the year to help out the Army Corps of Engineers in the maintenance of the trail system and surrounding area.

COURSE

The course (fair warning: I just typed curse instead of course...) is an out and back that will begin at the Deer Run area of the Lake Springs Recreation area. It is almost exclusively run on trail, except for a short (1/4 mile-ish) segment at the beginning (and end) on black top. This section will give the runners a chance to settle into position before hitting the single track trail. Expect a grand total of about 2500 feet worth of climbing over the course, brought to you mostly in short climbs. No significant climbs, but there a couple of moderate ones. Unless you're winning and/or used to the mountains. In that case, you're used to much worse: enjoy the extremely flat course! For the rest of you, enjoy the rolling course!

After you get off of the short black top section and onto single track you will run for a little over a mile on the Lake Springs Loop. This trail is blazed white. Then you'll make a right hand turn onto the yellow-blazed Bartram Trail. You will run on this scenic trail for about 15-16 miles before you hit the turnaround point and head back in to the start finish area. Along with the blazes, the trails are marked every half-mile with a mileage post, so you'll have a rough idea of your progress as you go. We'll mark the trail at any important junctions too, just to make sure you know where you're going.

We did a very low key, test run, fat-ass version of this last year and it seemed to go pretty smoothly. We learned a lot and have modified a few things based on feedback we received from our guinea pigs (I mean awesomely incredible inaugural runners!!!) and also some other considerations. I don't have exact measurements off the top of my head, but aid stations will be located roughly around miles 5, 10, 16, 22, and 27 (5 and 27 will be the same aid station, as will 10 and 22). We'll also probably leave a small water drop right around 30-- shouldn't be an issue for most of you, but running out of water at mile 30 sucks.

If you're relatively local and have someone who wants to come see you on a section of the course, there are a couple of spots where it is possible. We can't have a bunch of vehicles at these points, we could handle a few. Ask us about it on race morning.

DIRECTIONS:

From I-20 in either direction, get off at exit 183 and turn north.
Drive 3.6 miles into Appling.
Turn right on Scotts Ferry Rd (US221/GA47) just past the court house.
Drive about 9-10 miles to the sign for Lake Springs. Turn Left. (If you go over the dam, you went too far.)
You'll actually pass the Bartram Trail and continue into the recreation area. Stay on the main road. Don't go into any of the marina areas. Once in the recreation area, follow signs for Deer Run and look for anything resembling the start/finish area of a race.

STAYING OVERNIGHT?

There are plenty of hotels in the greater Augusta area. I haven't been paid by any of them, so I won't endorse any of them, but there are plenty. Also, if you prefer camping and being fairly close to the race area, there is camping available at the Petersburg Campground, which is also run by the Army Corps of Engineers. The turn off for the Petersburg Campground is the left turn immediately before the Lake Springs Recreation Area off of Clarks Hill Road. I've been informed that the weekend of the race coincides with the first weekend that campers start arriving for Masters week, so the campground may be busy, and it may be in your best interest to reserve a camping spot earlier rather than later if you intend to go that route.

REGISTRATION:

Click here for registration on UltraSignup.com. Registration opens January 14th.

QUESTIONS

E-MAIL: bearblaster50K@gmail.com

We'll send out final information to any participants the week before the run, but we'll also do our best to put any updates on our social media things (that's the new-fangled term for that Twitter n' Facebook stuff, right?)