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the outside,” and, sure enough, the brick-maker cleaned up the dish, with the rest that he won first prize, doing 542 miles, a grand performance, and, what is more, his appetite and thirst were in no way impaired.

Four years after setting the world’s record, “Blower” Brown was dead at the age of forty-one. The cause of his death was not reported.

TABLE 5 HENRY “BLOWER” BROWN Agricultural Hall, London February 16-21, 1880

Six Day Pedestrian Contest

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Distance 125 Miles, Covered 170 Yards 100M 90M 90M 76M 72M Time on Track 20:02:42 18:39:26 18:07:23 18:05:20 17:21:43 14:57:09 Time Resting 2:57:18 5:20:34 poeta 5:54:40 6:38:17 6:22:51 Number of Rests 13 1 ag 8 9 Average Pace (mins/mile) O37 11:12 12:05 12:04 13:43 12:28 Average Speed MPH 6.24 5.36 4.97 4.98 4.38 4.82

Total Time on Track = 4 days 11 hours 13 minutes 43 seconds. Total Time Resting = 1 day 9 hours 6 minutes 17 seconds.

TABLE 6 HENRY “BLOWER” BROWN Agricultural Hall, London February 16-21, 1880 Six Day Pedestrian Contest Miles Run Each Hour oo

Hour Monday Tuesday Wednesday — Thursday Friday Saturday 1 8.34 0 0 0 0 0 2 FO¢ 0.3 0 222 0 Sh) 3 6.38 5.47 3.78 45 3.03 6 4 6.5 5.72 4.56 4.44 4.41 5.97 5 6.16 45 4.78 4.59 1.56 5.41 6 7.34 4.59 4.72 5.47 1.44 84 7 6.5 5.09 4.16 5.56 4.81 4.13 8 4.69 5.97 4.78 5.63 5.13 4.28

Tom Osler

THE ART OF THE ULTRAMARATHONER @

TABLE 6 HENRY “BLOWER” BROWN (CONTINUED) ee a Za ~

CHAPTER 10 RACE ORGANIZATION

Ultramarathon races are not easy to organize and direct. Officials spend long hours counting laps, recording times, giving directions, passing out drinks and monitoring traffic. A fifty mile race usually lasts at least eight hours, and a hundred miler spans twenty hours. The officials can become as exhausted as the contestants, but they get no glory. It’s understandable that so few ultramarathons are scheduled.

In most cases, ultramarathoners themselves are aware of the great sacrifice that is made by directors of these races, and have been very appreciative of their efforts. In short races, it is common to see athletes badgering the race director with trite complaints. By contrast, ultramarathoners have endured numerous kinds of mismanagement of their races with stoicism. Having directed four such races in the past three years myself and having made many errors, I saw that in most cases the runners never complained, but were quick to thank me for at least trying.

Ultramarathoning has been the stepchild of track and road racing. Sponsors have been reluctant to support such races because so few runners have been willing to enter. Now it appears that this situation may change. Races that a few years ago drew ten runners are now run by more than one hundred. In this chapter I will outline my recommendations for successful organization of these events based on my own experience in both racing and directing them.

First I will review guidelines for organization that apply to both road and track races. I will then consider the particular needs of each type of ultramarathon.

General Considerations

A primary requirement for a successful ultramarathon is the availability of competent volunteers to assist in timing, handling and numerous other details. A low-key race can be run with two or three expert officials when the field is small, but a more formal race calls for considerable help.

Once the race director has made arrangements for the necessary assistance he must decide upon the following:

Road or Track?

Track races allow the director to have effective control over the event. Problems of traffic safety, handling stations, toilet facilities and course direction are all trivial on a track. However, on the track the number of runners must be small. There will be so much lapping that the front runners will be seriously hindered if more than thirty contestants are allowed to enter.

On the other hand, road courses allow for very large fields of runners. Lap counting problems are minimal, but traffic is a major concern. Are safe roads available? Can frequent aid stations be manned? Can you obtain official AAU certification that the distance run is accurate?

As acompromise, a road course run over a small loop of two to five miles is often best, because it combines the advantages of both road and track.

Length

Tf the race is to be run on the road, one of the standard distances—fifty miles, one hundred miles, or one hundred kilometers is best. The shorter the race, the larger the number of entrants will be.

In track races, it is best to organize the race by time rather than distance. Races lasting twelve or twenty-four hours are most common. Why time as opposed to distance? So that all the runners will finish simultaneously.

This allows every contestant to enjoy the approval of the spectators. It allows the spectators to know exactly when the race will end and to arrange their affairs so they can witness the finish. Also, an awards ceremony can be made immediately at the conclusion of the race, and all finishers will be there to enjoy it.

Physical Facilities

Are suitable dressing and showering facilities available? Adequate toilet facilities are a must in ultramarathons at the start and at frequent locations along the course.

Time Limit

Inevery race a time limit, after which all runners on the course are disqualified, should be set. This enables both runners and officials to know when the race will end, and should be clearly advertised on the entry form with the statement that it will be strictly enforced. A time limit permits the would-be entrant to consider his or her ability to meet your standard before entering.

Age Limitations

Ultramarathoning is a very demanding sport appropriate only for mature, experienced athletes. It is not for children. The young need the protection of those with experience. For this reason I strongly recommend that a minimum age be required for entry. Eighteen probably is a reasonable age, although it could be argued that this is still too young and that twenty-one is better. In any case, the sight of children running in these events harms not only the youngsters but the whole sport as well. In many instances their participation is anything but voluntary, and is due to pressure from an adult. Race directors who permit the entry of children are indirectly participating in child abuse.

Other Qualifications

Frequently race directors require that entrants in ultramarathons provide proof of their fitness to undertake the trial. For entry in a fifty-miler, completion of the marathon in 3:30 is sometimes required. For entry in a 100-miler, completion of a fifty-miler is often required.

Starting Time

Because of their great duration, ultramarathons frequently begin early in the morning. Many fifty-mile races start between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. The avoidance of extremely warm weather should be a primary consideration in scheduling ultramarathons.

The starting time should also be arranged so that spectators can easily witness the finish. One twelve hour track race in which I competed started at midnight and terminated at noon. A large group of rooters was on hand to enjoy the finish and encourage the runners.

Late Starters

It is very crucial that every effort be made to start the race at exactly the advertised time. Many runners have elaborate pre-race preparations that are easily upset by a delayed start. The race director who starts his event promptly always earns the approval of the entrants.

At times, a runner or two will arrive late through no fault of his or her own. In this case the race director can either forbid them to start, or allow them to start late, with their time recorded as though they started when everyone else left the line. Thus a runner who starts one hour late and actually runs a fifty mile race in 6:10 will have it officially recorded as 7:10, for that is what the watch reads when the runner crosses the finish line. No special mention should be made of this self-imposed handicap. Likewise, his finishing position should not be moved up in any way to compensate for a late start. In addition, to be fair to all contestants, the race director should let all runners know that this particular entrant started late. In head-to-head competition, the runners in front have the right to know who is or is not catching them from the rear.

Timing

Digital watches are now inexpensive and usually more accurate than mechanical ones. At least three such watches should be available with fresh batteries that will last the entire race. In the longest races, I like to synchronize the watches used to time the race with official standard time. The exact time of day can be determined by a simple phone call. For example, the timer might phone one-half hour before the race starts and set his watch accordingly. In this way if the time pieces fail during the race, the exact time can be obtained again by making a simple phone call.

Aid Stations

The race director should make arrangements for numerous aid stations to provide both refreshment and the opportunity to quit and obtain a car ride to the finish. Runners prefer water, fruit juices, soda, and tea with sugar. In hot weather these stations should ideally be one-half mile apart, but certainly no further than two miles apart. In cold weather, they can be three miles apart.

Handlers

All contestants should be encouraged to provide their own handlers. Before the event starts, the race director should speak to the handlers and inform them of their limitations. In particular, they must not hinder traffic by driving alongside their runner continuously. Rather, handlers should drive ahead and park off the road to wait until their runner arrives.

Disqualifying Runners in Distress

On the entry form, and also before the race starts, runners should be told that they will be required to leave the course if they appear to be in severe distress. Runners who ignore an official’s instructions in such cases are automatically

disqualified. At times, such runners are semiconscious and must be carried from the road for their own good.

Also, race entrants should be told unmistakably that they are a detriment to the sport if they do not at least appear to be moving well. A runner who begins to stagger down the road is not “heroic,” but is occupying the attention of officials who are concerned for his or her health.

Entry Forms

Entry forms should contain all the important items mentioned above such as time limit, age limit, qualifying requirements, as well as the date, starting time and place, distance and course description, and entry fee if any.

Entry Fee

It is best to obtain a sponsor who can provide all necessary funds for the conduct of the race. Often, such a sponsor is not available and part or all of the director’s expenses must be paid through entry fees.

Pre-Race Information Sheet

The director should send each official entrant detailed instructions to enable runners to provide for personal care. Maps of the course, guidelines for the conduct of handlers, and other relevant details should be explained. In short, all that the runner can expect from the race officials and all that is expected of the runner should be clarified.

Finish Line

As soon after crossing the finish line as possible, each runner should be informed of his position and time. If he has earned a prize, it is best to award it at that time also.

Mailing Race Results

Besides sending the complete results of the race to newspapers and the running press, this information should be sent as soon as possible to each contestant. For most runners this prompt service is valued far more than trophies and medals.

Special Concerns of Road Races

There are several types of road race courses which the race director can consider:

Point-to-Point

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public. The prospect of runners covering on foot a distance that requires hours to travel by car can spark enthusiasm among both contestants and spectators. Unfortunately, these races are the most difficult to direct. Each aid station is used only once by the runners, whereas ona course consisting of ten loops each would be used ten times. Many support vehicles are required to monitor the point-to-point race, and accurate course measurement is very time consuming. In brief, it can be very difficult to find fifty miles of road sufficiently safe for racing.

The two most famous point-to-point ultramarathons are the London to Brighton race and the Comrades Marathon in South Africa. No race director should undertake to organize such a race unless he or she has sufficient manpower and funds to do the job properly.

One Large Loop

A course run over one large loop has all the disadvantages of a point-to-point race except one. Since the start and finish are identical, the dressing facility can be used both before and after the race. However, races run over a large circle do not enjoy one big advantage of point-to-point races, for the general public does not find the idea as captivating.

Out-and-Back Course

Here the runners go straight out for half the distance, make a U-turn, and return over the same route. The out-and-back course is easier to monitor than the single large loop; each aid station is used twice. The course can also be measured with half the effort required for a point-to-point run or a run over one loop.

Repeated Loops

Courses that consist of one small loop that is repeated many times are the easiest to direct and therefore the most commonly used. I prefer running in such a race, for I know that I will not need to rely on others to help me if I get in difficulty. Loops measuring two to five miles are very common. These allow each aid station to be used numerous times. If a runner must retire, he has little difficulty returning to the dressing room. With courses this small, very pleasant parks which permit the runner to compete in a traffic-free environment are frequently used. When timing a race of this type, the officials should take care to record every lap time for every runner. In this way, disputes concerning how many laps a runner actually has completed can usually be resolved easily.

For most races the director should select a course of the small loop type to insure that difficulties are kept to a minimum.

Road Safety

Perhaps the director’s greatest concern is the safety of the competitors. Any race which takes place on the open road has the potential for a tragic automobile accident. Every effort should be made to select a course on which there is no vehicular traffic. For example, Central Park in New York City is closed to vehicular traffic on the week-ends and racing becomes very appropriate there. If traffic cannot be eliminated entirely, a director can ask to have the police block an entire lane of traffic so that runners will have a clear path to themselves. If the authorities will not allow blocking a lane, then the course should be abandoned unless there is very little traffic expected. Many country roads are largely traffic-free and are suitable.

Intersections and railroad crossings are important; dangerous intersections should have authorized traffic directors to allow runners the right of way. No course should cross a railroad track before the director has checked the train schedule.

Road Surface

If the runner must share the road with traffic, then a wide shoulder with a suitable surface for racing should be available. If the road’s shoulder is poor, competitors will be jumping back and forth off the main road onto the shoulder as cars approach. The director should ride over the course being considered with an experienced runner to ascertain how suitable the surface is for racing. The crown of the road should also be checked. Runners do not enjoy traveling fifty or more miles with one foot landing slightly higher than the other. If the road surface is not free of a severe crown, then another route should be selected.

Run Facing Traffic

When the runner must share the road with motor vehicles, he must always face oncoming traffic. In this way he will be able to “jump for his life” should it be necessary.

Course Length Certification

The National AAU and RRCA jointly sponsor a Committee on Course Certification. This committee publishes methods of accurately measuring courses and provides assistance (through the mail) to race directors who cooperate in following these methods. The calibrated bicycle technique is probably the easiest and most accurate way to map out a course, but the calibrated surveyor’s wheel is also recommended. Once the race director has measured his course twice, he files a detailed report of his technique with the Chairman of the AAURRCA Committee on Standards. This committee carefully reviews the measuring technique and awards certification to those courses which meet its standards of accuracy. The director can then include on his entry form the statement “AAU Certified Course.” The Standards Committee is very careful in awarding certification. If they have any doubts concerning the accuracy of the measuring technique, the director will be required to remeasure the course. In this way runners have learned to have confidence in courses designated as certified.

No runner wants to complete fifty miles only to wonder whether it was in fact forty-eight or fifty-one. Every effort to obtain AAU Certification of the course length should be made by the director.

Course Directions

All too frequently, courses are complicated and a runner will unknowingly go off the required route. The race director should provide the competitors with maps and the opportunity to see the course before it is run. The route should be clearly marked with arrows painted on the road surface and monitors at each turn to show the runners the proper path.

Special Concerns of Track Races

Another major function of the track race director is the task of counting laps. We will discuss this matter in detail shortly.

Lap Counting for Records

In serious track races in which athletes are attempting to establish records, every effort must be made to insure that lap counting is performed accurately. A track record will not be accepted as “certified” unless each lap time is recorded. This is a very tedious task, but it is the only way to insure that the correct distance was run. If a counter neglects to record a particular lap time, then the runner must lose that lap from his total count. In addition, those who record laps cannot be affiliated in any special way with the runner, in order to avoid any possible suspicion of conspiracy to miscount the laps. When the counters are assigned to individual runners, the assignments should be made at random.

Perhaps electronic lap counting devices will be available soon that will not only detect that a runner has crossed the finish line, but will record that runner’s name and time. Until that time, teams of human volunteers will be necessary.

Note that at least two men should be working in shifts counting laps for a particular runner. When one counter is recording, the other can be resting. When they are fatigued, counters like runners, become more error-prone.

Lap Counting in Low Key Races

While it will not always be possible to secure volunteers to record the times of every lap, this should not discourage promoters from arranging “low key” track races in which a less formal method of lap counting is employed. In this way runners will gain valuable experience in running such races. When no assistance is available for lap counting, runners could count their own laps by carrying a small hand-held counter. They simply click the counter at the conclusion of each lap. At the end of each half-hour period the runners can inform the director of their lap count, and he can record this information. Each runner’s total distance covered can then be posted on a large bulletin board or blackboard for the spectators.

While lap counting by this method remains unsuitable for certified records, the accuracy of the distance covered should be reasonably correct and the performance listed as “uncertified.”

In such cases, a respected AAU or RRCA official should be present to oversee the contest and attest that every effort was made to insure that the counting was accurate under the severe limitations in manpower.

Reversing Direction

When running a very long distance over a track, the fact that the runner is always turning in the same direction can place strain on the ankle and other areas of the runner’s legs. It is simple enough to avoid this difficulty by requiring the runners to reverse direction simultaneously at the end of each half-hour interval. The following procedure can be used to avoid difficulties:

At the conclusion of each half-hour period the race director signals the contestants by blowing a whistle or similar alarm. The runners then proceed to the starting line and reverse the direction in which they had been circling the track. To avoid running into each other, the runner who has not yet reversed assumes the “right of way” and remains on the inside lane. Runners who have just reversed run a bit “wide” until all contestants have reversed.

In the great pedestrian races of the past century, reversing was assumed to be natural, and was always allowed. We have largely forgotten this important technique today, and its use should be encouraged. Reversing is probably not necessary in track races of fifty miles or less; in races of twelve hours or longer reversing is recommended.

Passing Runners

In general, runners should be required to stay on the inside lane whether walking or running; the runner who wishes to pass must move to the outside. In short track races, runners who are being lapped are usually asked to allow

the faster athletes overtaking them to pass on the inside. There is so much lapping in ultramarathon races that this courtesy becomes entirely unreasonable. The runners should simply stay on the inside.

When two runners are moving at the same speed and conversing, they habitually run side by side. This practice should be discouraged in track races for it makes the job of overtaking them even more difficult for faster runners. The director should instruct the contestants to run “single file.”

Editor’s note: This concludes the five-part serialization of Tom Osler’s half of the 1979 book Ultra-Marathoning: The Next Challenge. Tom’s contribution, titled “The Art of the Ultramarathoner,” is a practical approach to taking up and practicing ultrarunning. It complements the other half of the book, Ed Dodd’s “The Great Six-Day Races,” a history of the 19th-century six-day-long “go as you please” races, primarily staged in England and the United Sstates. Ed Dodd’s book was serialized in the first 10 issues of Marathon & Beyond.

In our next issue, we will begin the serialization of Just Call Me Jock by Boston Marathon legend Jock Semple, written with John J. Kelley and Tom Murphy. It was originally published in 1981.

POU Aare MARATHON

June 8, 2002

This scenic, challenging marathon uses over 10 miles of trails as it loops around Park City, Utah. Run among the Wasatch Mountains in the splendor of spring time, past rushing streams and snow-capped peaks. Come run in the town that hosted nearly half of the 2002 Winter Olympic events.

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God’s Country Marathon

A Doe, a Deer, a 26-Miler.

DREW BENYO

cae 2 God’s Country Marathon a turday, – te Iss

gune2nd GTART / FIN: a

T HE NORTHEAST Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike runs from the Plymouth Meeting Mall just north of Philadelphia to Clarks Summit, in the very heart of the Pocono Mountains. Traveling north on any given weekend in early December, you can keep a running tally of Christmas trees versus deer strapped to the roofs of southbound SUVs. Average score is trees 37, deceased deer 2.

Travel two hours west and one hour north to north-central Pennsylvania, specifically Tioga and Potter Counties, and the count is exactly the opposite. Christmas trees are literally in the backyard for the cutting, and deer are frequently hiding behind the trees, likely dreading big-game season. In Potter County, the homes, where you can find them, are situated on anything from quarter-acre lots up to 20,000 acres if you’re fortunate enough to have your property line butt up against state game lands or state forests. The entire county is only 1,081 square miles, more than a third of which is owned by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Potter County has a population of 18,080 fine folks. During the 2000 hunting season, 4,941 antlered bucktype male deer were harvested. An additional 4,750 doe-a-deer-a-female-deer (aka, antlerless four-legged white-tailed critter) were served up for the dinner table. In northern Pennsylvania, these figures are significant. Consider venison steaks, roasts, and burgers for a family of five, paid for with a hollow-point .270 or .30-06 bullet, and deer become a major part of the Potter County economic outlook. Deer 37, Christmas trees 2.

Those 1,081 square miles that make up Potter County contain two “major” towns: Galeton, formerly Pike Mills, and Coudersport, the county seat. Other communities in the county include Shinglehouse, Oswayo, and Ulysses to the north and Austin to the south.

Austin is notable for its “Dam big disaster.” A 350-foot-wide and 50foot-high concrete dam was built on Freeman Run to supply water to the pulp and paper company mill. It held back 250 million gallons of water— until the morning of September 30, 1911, when the dam let loose and all but destroyed the towns of Austin and Costello. Eighty-nine citizens lost their lives. The remains of the concrete structure can be seen from Route

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872, just north of Austin. The dam was added to the National Register of Historical Places in 1989.

SCENIC—AND LONG— ROUTE 6

Galeton and Coudersport are located on scenic Route 6 exactly 22 miles apart. Route 6 runs from the tip of Cape Cod all the way to California. The 3,600-mile highway was originally built through northern Pennsy!- vania to make a connect-the-dots from one county seat to the next.

On or very near Route 6 is the home of Zane Grey on the Delaware River at Lackawaxen, which is spanned by the oldest wire suspension bridge in the Western Hemisphere—it inspired the Brooklyn Bridge. There is also a tour of the Lackawanna Coal Mine, some 300 feet underground.

Coudersport was first surveyed by the Ceres Land Company in 1807. The courthouse was built in 1835, and the borough was incorporated in 1848. The town jumped to more than 3,000 people after the construction of the Coudersport and Port Allegany Railroad in 1882. One of the claims to fame of Coudersport is the fact that the Underground Railroad passed through it during the Civil War. Fugitive slaves passed through the local

GOD’S COUNTRY MARATHON = 153

God’s Country Marathon

Coudersport, PA 16915

PHONE: 814/435-2290

FAX: 814/435-8230

E-MAIL: potter@penn.com

WEB SITE: pavisnet.com/marathon RACE DIRECTOR: C/o Potter County Visitors Association YEAR RACE ESTABLISHED: 1974 CERTIFIED: USATF #PA98010WB

TYPE OF COURSE: Point to point START TIME: 8:00 a.m.

COURSE RECORDS: Open men: Terri Stanley, Eldred, PA, 1981, 2:25:12 Open women: Jacquie Merritt, West Chester, PA, 2001, 2:50:12 Team: Human Energy Club, Johnstown, PA, 2:38:16 average

(total of 7:54:49): Eldred Himworth (2:35:15), Steve

Molnar (2:38:14) and George Murphy (2:41:20) PRIZE MONEY: __ Grand total: $3,500

1st male and female: $1,000 each

2nd male and female: $500 each

3rd male and female: $250 each

TIE-IN EVENTS; team race (total of 3 marathoners)

NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS: 80+

MARATHON FINISHERS IN 2001: 126

MALE/FEMALE FINISHERS: 79 percent male; 21 percent female COURSE MARKINGS: every mile

WATER STATIONS: roughly every other mile marker

FUTURE RACE DATE: O1JUNO2

ENTRY COST FOR 2001: $25

AWARDS: Men: 3 awards in 13-19, 3 awards in 20-29, 4 awards

in 30-39, 6 awards in 40-49, 4 awards in 50-59, 3 awards in 60 and beyond Women: 3 awards in 13-19, 3 awards in 20-29, 3 awards in 30-39, 3 awards in 40 and beyond

AREA HOTELS:

Your best bet for reserving lodging is to log on to

pottercountypa.org and then choose the accommodations link.

GETTING THERE:

Potter County is 3 hours north of Harrisburg, 4 hours

from Philadelphia, 6 hours from New York City and Washington, D.C., 9 hours from Boston, and 10 hours from Chicago. The roads are two-lane country roads that make for great fun in a sports car but great frustration if you’re looking to make great time. Be ready to take your time and enjoy the mountains and hairpin turns. Watch out for deer, an occasional bear, and every once in a while a wayward cow.

“stations”: the store of John S. Mann, the farm of Nelson Clark, and the homes of Sala Stevens, Rodney Nichols, and John King. The fugitive slaves were assisted from there across the border into Canada. Galeton—on the eastern side of Potter, on the Tioga County line— was renamed for William Gale and his son Loring, industrialists who owned the tannery. The population jumped from 281 to 5,000 within 30 years of the opening of the tannery, the railroad, and the local sawmills. Current history is more vague. It’s difficult to pinpoint just who decided 27 years ago that the 22-mile stretch of scenic Route 6 from Galeton to Coudersport would make a fine marathon course. The point-to-point course has very few twists and turns. There are a few minor ones at the start and a few at the finish and a 2.6mile dogleg in the first third of the course, but the rest is Route 6 rightof-way. From a profile standpoint, the course is 17.5 miles of climb, followed by a 2-mile drop, then flat to the finish. This difficult course offers

March/April 2002

over 1,100 feet of climb—starting at 1,300 feet and reaching 2,424 feet at its highest point.

Race registration for the Saturday morning race (including shirt and number pickup) is in the Galeton High School gym. At 6:35 a.M., the parking lot was completely empty and gym doors were locked. There was a jackhammer operator breaking up part of the parking lot between the junior and senior high school buildings. A fog-shrouded drive west along Route 6 disclosed two volunteers ina large dump truck setting the threemile marker alongside the road, as well as dropping off cups, tables, and 2-1/2 gallon jugs of water.

Another five miles along the beautiful green mountains, whose peaks and valleys were only partially visible through the low-hanging clouds, two bright yellow school buses full of runners appeared. The buses leave the CARP (Coudersport Area Recreation Park) at 6:20 a.m. fora 7:00 A.M. arrival at the Galeton High School. The cost for transportation from the finish to the start is four dollars. By

Must See/Must Avoid

OTTER COUNTY in north-central Pennsylvania, on the New York State

border, is most famous as a deer-hunting mecca in the early part of winter rather than as a traditional tourist attraction. Don’t let that claim to fame fool you. The county is full of beautiful attractions and the people, although unique in their adaptation to the rugged and remote territory, are open and friendly.

GO SEE IT

Pine Creek Gorge (aka, Pennsylvania’s Grand Canyon). Though not offering quite the splendor of the real Grand Canyon, this site is well worth the short trip from downtown Wellsboro. Leonard Harrison State Park is on the east rim, and Colton Point State Park is on the west rim. Both are easy drives from scenic Route 6. The maximum depth of the canyon is 1,450 feet on the southern end. The depth at the state parks is 800 feet, and it is more than 4,000 feet across. Drive slowly, as deer cross at will along the roads. You might even round a turn and find a loose bovine stalled in the middle of the two-lane country roads. We did.

Black Forest Trading Post and Deer Park. Some 8.4 miles from the start of the God’s Country Marathon, this unique gift, toy, and souvenir shop has something for everyone. Collectibles include Byers Choice, Michael Garman, Daniel Monford, Mill Creek Sculptures, Fenton Art Glass, Bradford Baskets, Case Knives, Boyds Bears, and Minnetonka deer skin moccasins. Kids love feeding the fallow deer, and even adults enjoy searching the sluice box for quartz, ruby, topaz, crystal points, sapphire, moonstone, amazonite, blue calcite, pyrite, and even garnet. This interesting shop is located on the corner of Routes 6 and 499 in Ulysses, Pennsylvania. The phone number is 814/4356754. +

Sports Car Club of America Pro Car Rally. Just like you see ‘em on Speedvision: Saabs, Mitsubishis, Fords—all like you’ve never seen them before, up close and dirty. Old logging roads are used for this famous display of horsepower. The official name of the race is the Susquehannock Trail Pro Rally, and it’s run the first weekend in June, the same weekend as the God’s

Country Marathon. The race begins on Main Street in Wellsboro at 10:00 A.m., and the timed and measured event | in stages for three days.

Route 6. More than a journey, it’s a destination. “Glide through hetonel Forests, climb Endless Mountain, follow the gentle bends of an impatient river, and retrace the historic trails traveled by pioneers.” National Geographic. calls Pennsylvania Route 6 “one of America’s most scenic drives.” Look for countryi inns, bed and breakfasts, hotels, stores, restaurants, scenic views, and a charming early 1900s downtown.

AVOID —

Nothing. This is imply a beautiful Lo. part e America.

the time we made the return trip to the school, two hardy volunteers were setting up a water table at the dogleg section of the course across the road from the Black Forest Trading Post.

ACTIVITIES AT THE GYM

By 7:20 a.o. the high school gym was buzzing with activity. The usual prerace hubbub predominated: trying on the colorful T-shirts, attaching bib numbers, frequent trips to the rest rooms, applying Vaseline to sensitive areas of the body. Family members exchange hugs and kisses, photos are taken of runners as they stand under the start/finish banner, Power-Aid is consumed toward ultra-hydration, and two young children play on the large bell near the entrance to the school.

Some 153 runners had registered for the 27th edition of the God’s Country Marathon; 136 actually showed up, and 126 finished. This is a slight increase over the past few years but

March/April 2002

well off the 350 starters who toed the line back in the early 1980s for the climb over Denton Hill Summit. Terri Dennison, the very accommodating and pleasant race director, assembled the field in the shadows of the school building as skies gradually began to brighten. The gun went off at exactly 8:00 a.m. and so did the runners. The Galeton police car leads the field off the school grounds, which involves instantly making a 45-degree turn. Then there is a left across the bridge over Pine Creek, followed by a right turn to bring the runners parallel to the creek. There is another right, past the local State Store (wine and liquor) and the Exxon station, before a hard left onto Route 6, where the field encounters the one-mile marker. And then the climb begins. Just before the 2-mile point is the site of the Friday evening “all you can eat spaghetti dinner,” the Ox Yoke restaurant. Actually, that’s the shorthand name—the full name is the Ox Yoke Cocktail Lounge, Inn, Family

Restaurant, Motel, Cabins, and Campground. Their sign proudly promises color TV.

The mountains are still fogshrouded, and the road continues to climb as runners pass the SMC Powder Metallurgy plant on the left at 4.6 miles. The next landmark is a few hundred feet before mile 5 and is worth noticing. Itis a Korean War era Jeep—the sort Radar O’Reilly shipped back home in boxes to Ottumwa, Iowa. This rusty, baby blue jeep has been sold but still has a for sale sign painted in its window. The sight of it breaks the drudgery of the endless climb ona long straightaway.

Just beyond the 8-mile point, a sign with an arrow instructs runners to cross the highway. This portion of the course is a 1-1/2-mile straight, but there are no crossing guards. The right turn at 8.4 miles has a water stop set up, an emergency station manned by friends and family members of the runners, and a reporter. The race volunteers didn’t bother to show up. Perhaps the heavy overnight rains made

them think the race would be cancelled. Or maybe they overslept.

The turn puts the runners onto Route 449, 8 miles from Gold and 16 miles from Genesee in Ulysses township. This is the dogleg, and the 1.3mile downhill is the first descent of the race. One runner was heard to exclaim: “Wow! What the hell is this? I forgot how to run down hills.” Just a bit more than a mile later, runners quickly forget about running with gravity and are once again working against it.

AN INCREASE IN ANGLE

Coming out of the dogleg, runners are once again on their own as far as crossing Route 6 near the 11-mile mark. The course continues uphill, and the road is very, very straight. Then, to throw in more of a challenge, just before mile 14 the grade increases. There are no signs to indicate the change, but the angle increases from roughly 4 to 5 degrees to at least 10 to 12, and the runners

Course Map

_ FINISH ° Sweden

| Mac

OOlmsted

Coudersport O

Galeton

March/April 2002