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Big Elk Marathon
Starting from the fairgrounds, the course will travel north on road for approximately ¾ mile before turning right onto the Orange trail. The orange trail consists of mostly double-track with some single track sections and enough rock gardens to make you thankful you chose to wear your trail specific racing shoes. This segment will feature some light rolling hills for about 1.5 miles before turning onto some unnamed single track. After a quick downhill and easy stream crossing, the course will zigzag up and down a series of hairpin turns before letting out on a short, steep rocky downhill that will serve as a great separation point for the mountain goats from the trail sprouts. At the bottom of this trail, runners will follow some grassy double-track along the Big Elk Creek before crossing over on a bridge and reaching the first aid station (~mile 3.5). From the first aid station, runners will proceed briefly on some double-track/service road before jumping on uphill single track bringing you to the Route 273 crossing. After going over the bridge, you will have a brief flat gravel road to stretch your legs out before turning right on some more single track. This single track is mostly non-technical but will bring you through a series of sharp turns before letting you out back onto the gravel road surrounding the creek. Water and aid will be waiting for you at the end of this trail (~mile 5). After another brief (.25 mile) on gravel road along the water, you will again cross the Big Elk creek onto the Yellow trail. You will follow this single-track rolling trail on the west side of the creek for slightly over a mile before crossing over the gravel road (possible self serve water-refill spot) and through a field to get to the 7 Bridges trail. This single-track section will feature some significantly technical sections from roots, with a few steep changes in grade as you wind through the woods in this area of the park. This trail will let you back out onto the gravel road which you will follow up to Gallaher Rd, and crossing into the parking lot for the red trail where full aid will be waiting (~mile 8.5). The race will then travel through the inner red-loop featuring some rooted sections and small stream crossings for 1.5 miles, before traveling uphill towards Big Elk Chapel Road. Water will be waiting at the road crossing (~mile 10.5). You will then continue through a field before entering trails surrounding the training grounds. This trail will wind around and gently roll, as well as featuring some small stream crossings. The course will then continue along the edge of the field travelling east with a quick aid station available (~mile 11.5). In the final segment of the course you will travel briefly uphill on some moderately rooted single-track trail, continue across a training field before joining the last 1.5 mile segment of rooted single track bringing you back to the fairgrounds. Overall, the course features rolling hills with no significant “climbs”. Depending on the rainfall leading up to race day, keeping your feet dry may be an option, although it may require a bit of extra effort! The course has some technical elements with rocks along the first several miles of the course, leaving way for significant roots waiting to trip you up over the last half of each loop.
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 XTERRA Atlantic Series heading toward stretch run
May 30, 2013 – What started out as training runs turned into race victories for Preston Campbell and Jackie Palmer at the XTERRA Lums Pond Trail Run. Campbell was the overall winner of the 10-kilometer trail race at Lums Pond State Park in Bear, Delaware. Palmer placed ninth overall and was the top female. Campbell, a Navy helicopter pilot from Annapolis, Maryland, completed the course in 38 minutes, 18 seconds. It was his second consecutive overall victory in the XTERRA Atlantic Trail Run Series (he also won the previous race at Seneca Creek, Maryland, last month). “The race was really fantastic,” he said. “I race Columbia Tri the weekend before, so the flat course at Lums Pond felt amazing and the conditions could not have been better.” Campbell’s main sport is triathlons, so he has been entering the XTERRA Atlantic Trail Run Series as a form of training. He said he took the lead two miles into the course, and then gradually increased his lead the rest of the way. “I ran my race and enjoyed the trail,” he said. Juan Pablo Prada from Newark, Delaware, placed second in 39:17, and Doug Bishop, also from Newark, was third in 39:58. Palmer likes to enter ultra marathon races, so the Lums Pond 10K was a warm-up of sorts for her (she did a longer race the very next day). “I have been to Lums Pond before, but not for trail running so was not familiar with the trail itself, but knew it was flat,” said Palmer, who is also from Newark. “The trails I usually train on are a little more hilly, so I think this helped my strength, even though there were not actually hills in the race.” Palmer finished with a time of 46:26, which was 21 seconds ahead of Leonie Campbell – who is Preston Campbell’s wife. It was Palmer’s second victory in the 2013 Atlantic Series. “I expected the beginning of the course to bottle neck at the trail head and I went out a little faster to try and avoid it so I think I was in the lead for the females from the start,” Palmer said. “There was at least one other woman following close behind me for the first half of the race, but she eventually dropped off. Then I was just racing with some boys to the finish.” CLICK HERE TO VIEW COMPLETE RESULTS The XTERRA Lums Pond Trail Run was the third of four races in the 2013 XTERRA Atlantic Trail Run Series. The series finale will be the XTERRA Big Elk Trail Run at the Elkton, Maryland, on June 22. To register for a race in the series or to learn more about it, please visitwww.adventuregeekproductions.com.  By Ellen Fishel, The Baltimore Sun3:03 p.m. EDT, March 30, 2013
Steven Leibowitz is trying to run as fast as he can, but the trail is muddy and tree roots are hiding under the soil, slowing him down. Now there's a stream blocking his path, with no way to cross, save a few widely spaced rocks. But Leibowitz can't give up. He has to keep running. It might sound like a scene from "The Hunger Games" or "The Blair Witch Project." But for a runner in the XTERRA Trail Run Series, it's just the path to the finish line. XTERRA, a national multisport company, puts on races that are much more than your average 5K on the street. Its Trail Run Series, in which participants run grueling cross country-style courses in parks and trails ranging anywhere from five kilometers to a full marathon, is making its Maryland debut this year on April 6 at Seneca Creek State Park in Gaithersburg. The 10K race is the second of four in the inaugural Atlantic Series, one of 17 regional series that feed into the national race in September. Series director Kristen Thomas said the abundance of great trails and parks in the region made adding this series a logical choice. Read more: http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/outdoors/bs-sp-outdoors-xterra-trail-race-0331-20130330,0,6217653.story#ixzz2QkmakIZf  Daigeaun and Palmer win inaugural race at Brandywine Creek March 13, 2013 – As the saying goes, you never forget your first, and the XTERRA Brandywine Creek Trail Run was indeed memorable for Michael Daigeaun and Jackie Palmer. The Brandywine Creek Trail Run was the very first event for the new XTERRA Atlantic Trail Run Series, and Daigeaun and Palmer were the overall winners. More than 120 runners from seven different states participated in the inaugural race at Brandywine Creek State Park in Wilmington, Delaware. It was the first of four races in the 2013 XTERRA Atlantic Trail Run Series. Daigeaun came over from Philadelphia to participate in the race, and he ran away from the competition. He completed the 12-kilometer course in 48 minutes, 32 seconds, which was more than two minutes faster than the other top runners. “For the most part, I got out front pretty early in the race,” he said. “Once we hit some flat double-track after the downhill at the start, I moved to the front and slowly pulled away.” Daigeaun, who is an experienced road racer, described the course as “a nice mix of varied terrain.” “You had nice run-able single-track with enough technical sections and hills to keep you on your toes,” he added. “When you got to the last two-and-a-half miles, you were on rolling wide open fields. If you had speed and gas left in the tank, this is where you could really open it up.”  Mike Monagle from Wilmington placed second in 50:44, and Derek Schultz from Birdsboro, Pennsylvania, was third in 51:14.
Daigeaun and Schultz were two of the more than 50 runners who came over from Pennyslvania to participate in the race. They were both runners in the former XTERRA Philly Trail Run Series, which went on hiatus in 2011. “I was surprised to see so many fast guys and returning XTERRA runners, as I only heard about this race two days prior from Don Morrison (former director of the XTERRA Philly Series),” Schultz said. “Seeing other Philly runners like Dan Dix there made it feel more like the family reunions they used to be.” Schultz said he enjoyed this race so much that he plans to enter the remaining three races in the 2013 XTERRA Atlantic Series. “Hopefully pull together some more of the old crew and car pool,” he said. “I do like that these races are a tad longer than the previous series. I now primarily focus on ultra distances, so the longer the better.” Palmer was the top female, finishing with a time of 1:01:12. She also dominated the field, finishing nearly four minutes ahead of the other top women. “This course was could definitely play to a lot of strengths,” said Palmer, who is from Newark, Delaware. “There were some steep hills where good climbers could really excel, as well as a couple miles of flat section along the creek where strong road runners could pick up speed. I really like hybrid courses like this. The trail conditions were dry but there was a lot of wind that you could really feel when you hit the open field sections. The last mile and a half was especially tough just getting blasted by head wind on the way to the finish!” Palmer said she entered the race as part of her training for upcoming ultra marathons, and did not realize how big of a gap she had on the other women. “Most of the women seemed to take the rocky downhill pretty conservatively, while I barreled down, so I think this is where I started my gap,” she explained. “Downhill trail running is my favorite! I didn’t really know how far ahead I was; I was just running my race.” CLICK HERE TO VIEW COMPLETE RESULTS The next race in the Atlantic Trail Run Series will be the XTERRA Seneca Creek Trail Run on April 6 at Gaithersburg, Maryland. All races in the series are open to runners of all ages and skill levels. For more information, please visit www.adventuregeekproductions.com. About the XTERRA Atlantic Trail Run Series The XTERRA Atlantic Trail Run Series is open to runners of all ages and skill levels. In the 2012-13 season, there will be seven races available for runners, with the courses ranging in length from 5 kilometers to 42 kilometers. The top runners in every age group will receive points after each race that will count toward the overall series standings. At the conclusion of the series, each age-group champion will receive a free entry to represent the Atlantic at the 2013 XTERRA Trail Run National Championship. Atlantic is one of 17 regions hosting an XTERRA Trail Run Series. The others are Alabama, Arizona, Southern California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Oregon, Pocono, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Washington. To learn more about the Atlantic Series, please visit www.adventuregeekproductions.com.  Inaugural race set for March 9, with three others to follow in 2013
March 4, 2013 – The XTERRA Trail Run Series has hit the trails near the Pacific Ocean for several years. Now it will also make its way to the Atlantic. The XTERRA Atlantic Trail Run Series will make its debut next weekend, and the 2013 schedule will bring races to the states of Delaware and Maryland. The new Atlantic Series will feature four races (two in each state) – March 9 at Wilmington, Delaware; April 6 at Gaithersburg, Maryland; May 25 at Bear, Delaware; June 22 at Elkton, Maryland. Each race in the Atlantic Series is open to runners of all ages and skill levels, from any state. Online registration is available for all four races: ATLANTIC SERIES REGISTRATION. “Delaware has a strong trail system, ranging from rocky and rooted hilly trails to smooth dirt that is frequented by both runners and mountain bikers,” Atlantic Series director Kristen Thomas said. “Maryland parks are in no shortage, either, as they are all over the place and are all frequently used and raced on. There is a very wide range with the Eastern states presenting some smoother, rolling terrain, and the terrain getting more mountainous as you reach the Appalachian Trail.” Runners are excited to participate in the Atlantic Series, as it will take them on some of the most scenic – and challenging – trails in the area. “These races are going to be a great time, that’s for certain,” said Steven Leibowitz, who plans to enter all four events. “Each race promises its own adventure and there are distance options for everyone.” Each event in the series will offer two course options – one long and one short – to accommodate the various levels of runners. The short course distances will be 5 kilometers; the long course distances will range from 10 kilometers to 42 kilometers. The top age-group finishers on the long course of each event will be awarded points toward the Atlantic Series, and standings will be updated after each race. At the end of the season, each age-group champion will be awarded a free entry to the 2013 XTERRA Trail Run National Championship at Ogden, Utah, in September. Leibowitz said he has experience on the Seneca Creek Trail in Gaithersburg, Maryland. “The trail undulates across roots and dirt,” he said. “Not far from the urban sounds of our nation’s capital, this place offers a calm respite to the outside world, and will certainly play host to a challenging and rewarding race experience.” Leibowitz said he is unfamiliar with the other three courses in the Atlantic Series, but is looking forward to the challenge of a new adventure. “Not having been to the other three trails makes me both nervous and excited,” he said. “For the locations that will be new to me, there will be plenty of map studying beforehand if I am not able to make it out in advance. The races are likely to be competitive, grueling, and dirty. Sounds like fun to me!” The Atlantic Series is one of 16 regions across the United States that hosting XTERRA Trail Run events in 2013. The others are Alabama, Arizona, Southern California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Oregon, Pocono, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Utah. To enter a race in the Atlantic Series or to learn more about it, please visit www.adventuregeekproductions.com or www.xterratrailrun.com. 2013 XTERRA Atlantic Trail Run Series 3/9/13 –XTERRA Brandywine Creek Trail Run – Wilmington, DE – 12km/5km – Atlantic Series #1 2013 4/6/13 – XTERRA Seneca Creek Trail Run – Gaithersburg, MD - 10km/5km – Atlantic Series #2 2013 5/25/13 –XTERRA Lums Pond Trail Run – Bear, DE – 10km/5km – Atlantic Series #3 2013 6/22/13 – XTERRA Big Elk Trail Run – Elkton, MD - 42km/21km – Atlantic Series #4 2013
The Adventure Geek DIY wind chime has been on our side project list for a while now and it seemed fitting to crank it out on fathers day. The first step in this project was finding a suitable top or base or whatever it's called where all the other danglies hang from. We have a lot of bamboo lying around the garage that would have been perfect to create a base out of, but then I remembered the busted Epic kayak paddle I picked up off the road after leaving the last Santee Adventure Tri. I've been saving little piece of hardware for a project just as this.  After we sawed up the kayak paddle, we eyeballed were we wanted to hang the medals then got to drillen.
When I finished drilling the holes, Kristen jumped in to measure out ribbon lengths and then tied them through the paddle.
It took the two of us to figure out how to affix the middle clangy cog piece, and then we drilled a few more holes for the hanging wire.
Six races to earn six medals = $330.00 One Epic Kayaks Hybrid Touring Paddle = $279.00 Basic set of Ryobi power tools = $150 Making an Awesome Adventure Geek Wind Chime = Priceless!
The turnout for the first DC PayDay5k race may have been small, but the group certainly didn’t lack character or gumption! The weather was perfect as we pulled up to Yards Park: 78 degrees and sunny with a cool breeze. With the Anacostia River and Nationals Park as the backdrop, we couldn’t have asked for a better evening. We probably could have avoided parking right next to the port-a-potties, but that’s beside the point. As Jefferson marked the course Kristen checked in the small band of runners. The atmosphere was relaxed and laid back as everyone chatted, got to know each other, and shared words of encouragement and luck. It wasn’t long before Brandon, Brian, Dylan, Chad, and Jamie meandered to the starting line, ready to race. Jefferson then led the gang through the race course that made a whirlwind tour of South East DC: past the Nationals Stadium, over the river, along the Anacostia riverwalk trail, back across the river, alongside the Navy Yard, and back into Yards Park. Chad Stockham was first across the line in a stellar time of 18:54, even though this was his first 5k in a long time. Second across the line was Miss Jamie Lewin in a time of 23:02. This was Jamie’s first 5k as she jumped down from her usual marathons. We have it on good authority that Jamie finished second overall after stopping to talk to a local cyclist. Next across was Brian Cotter, followed by Brandon Miller, then Dylan Waite. In true Adventure Geek fashion, each runner gathered at the finish line to help cheer on the other runners as they finished the race. After the finish we held an awards ceremony and handed out pint glasses all around. With their new earnings burning holes in their pockets, everyone gathered at The Ugly Mug for Happy Hour festivities. Everyone raised their glasses to the DC PayDay5k Founders Group and discussed plans to participate in the rest of the series. We would have to say that the first race was a success, and the small band of these five founders will always hold a special place in Adventure Geek hearts. We are excited to grow from here and hope you all join us! -Kristen 
The DC PayDay5k Founders Group!
The race series had been in the conception and planning phase for a while. When it was time to move forward with executing this amazing concept, we ran a Facebook fan page competition to pick a name for the series. After being officially dubbed “the PayDay5k race series,” we (Kristen and I) had very little time to promote it at all before the first race. I'm thankful Kristen is a great cook and coffee maker because I never left my work desk as we built the race website and opened registration all during the last weekend of May. Our online presence was up on May 28th, and, after getting the events added to every online race calendar we could think of, website traffic has been doubling every day since its launch! The playbook is simple and brilliant, and it's going to be cool to see this series spread like wildfire! With the cash prizes to fuel competition for the fast runners and the post-race happy hour for us casual weekend warriors, these races are as serious or as chillaxed as you want them to be. See you at the starting line! RD- Jefferson  Wanted posters that we covered DC with! |
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