The Rabid Raccoon 25K is a new race that is part of the Rock/Creek Trail Series. It takes place on Raccoon Mountain, and with such a cool name, how could I not run it? The race is also one week before Quest for the Crest 50K, so I thought it would be a good tune up and last hard effort. One thing that really attracted me to Rabid Raccoon was that it utilizes the new trail sections on Raccoon Mountain called Livewire and High Voltage which descend and ascend all the way down and back up the mountain. This makes for one tough race, especially since the big climb comes at the end. I was excited to test myself and see what I could do in a shorter but difficult race.
Unfortunately, my week leading up to the race was not the most restful in terms of work and getting plenty of sleep, but I did my best to keep a positive attitude going into the race. Plus, an 8:30a.m. start time meant that I wouldn't have to get up too early on Saturday. I got to the start at Laurel Point a few minutes before 8a.m. to get my bib and warm up a bit. Since this was a hometown race for me, I got to see a bunch of friends who were running, volunteering, or both. It's always fun to catch up with folks who I don't get to see much except at races. After checking in, I jogged around for a few minutes and then headed to the start line. Although it was cool early in the morning, temperatures were going to be in the 80s, so I knew I would warm up quick. I decided to ditch my arm warmers at the last minute because I figured I would end up wishing I hadn't worn them about a mile in. Thankfully, Dreama was right there to take them from me. Race directors Brian Costilow and Chris Luberecki said a few things about the course, and then it was GO time.
I positioned myself just behind the front line of "way out of my league fast" guys at the start line and waited for the word "Go." We started out running across a field before doing a short road section to the trailhead. The grassy field reminded me of my old cross-country days, especially since the pace was pretty hot early on. I was thankful for the mile or so of time to spread out before hitting singletrack. The first few miles of any race are always the most tense for me because it feels like everyone is bunched up together and running on adrenaline. I definitely went out pretty hard and was running right on the line between comfortable/uncomfortable, but that was my plan because this was a relatively short distance race. From the start at Laurel Point, the course rolled along with no major climbs for 3-4 miles before ascending up to the visitor center. Although this climb is not that long, there are some steep sections, and it continues to go up for another 3/4 mile after reaching the visitor center. I settled in to a decent pace and finally relaxed a bit from the more anxious early miles. One good thing about doing a hometown race is that I was familiar with the course, having run it several times in training. As seems to always be the case in races, I found myself running alone in no man's land, just behind the lead group but in front of the second pack.
A rocky section of trail along the dam just before climbing up to the visitor center
Photo Credit: Jobie Williams
After cresting the top of the climb, there was an aid station with a bunch of volunteers cheering everyone as they came through. I remember seeing Robin and Michael here, but I didn't need anything at that point, so I kept running. I feel bad about not being able to stop and thank all those who sacrifice their time to volunteer, but in shorter races, I get so focused on running that I can't even remember who I saw at various points along the course. The next 2ish miles were mostly downhill to the switchyard and then on a segment of trail that I didn't know existed at Raccoon Mountain. I laughed at myself about how I have run out there a ton of time but never discovered this part. It definitely added to the difficulty of the race though because it went down below the switchyard before climbing back up to a gravel road just before the big descent. We ran about 200 meters on the road and made a left turn onto the Livewire Trail which winds all the way down the mountain to the Tennessee River. The descent is about 5 miles long with the first 2 being very fast and the last 3 much more technical. My goal here was to make up as much ground as I could and basically bomb down the first part. It was also nice to have a chance to recover a little since going downhill doesn't require as much effort. On the second section of Livewire, it is still a net downhill, but there are more flat sections, and the trail is quite rocky which limits your ability to run fast. This isn't my favorite part of the course, but I tried to just focus on getting through it to the bottom of the mountain and an aid station. Temperatures were pretty warm by now, and I had drained my handheld, so I needed to fill up before starting the climb back up. I was also feeling a little bonky and hoped to find a gel at the aid station. Thankfully, when I reached the end of the descent, the awesome volunteers were quick to refill my bottle, and I found a GU at the aid station table. Now all I had to do was make it up the 4ish mile climb to the top and another 2 or so miles to the finish.
Climbing up High Voltage
Photo Credit: Jobie Williams
Near the top of the High Voltage climb
Photo Credit: Jobie Williams
Although a 4 mile uphill sounds daunting, this section really isn't all that bad. The first mile or so is a very runnable grade with several flat spots that give you a break. Then the trail rolls along, alternating between some short, steep sections and more gradual climbing. It isn't until the last mile or so that you truly get down to business. This segment has multiple switchbacks and some really steep parts with little to no breaks in the climbing. I was glad that I have the opportunity to run these trails any time I want because I at least knew what to expect. Near the top, I saw Jobie taking pictures of runners. It's always nice to see him at races, and Jobie takes some of the best running photographs I have ever seen. He said it was maybe a mile to the road which gave me some motivation to push a bit harder to the finish. Once at the top, the trail is gently rolling with only a few minor hills before popping out at the road we ran on at the start of the race. Seeing the pavement was a welcome sight for sure because I knew that meant less than a mile to the finish. I made the left turn on the road and tried to stretch out my stride. With maybe 1/2 mile to go, I saw Nathan, Keith, and John, the top 3 guys running down the road to cheer runners as they came in. This display of sportsmanship and class is something that makes trailrunning such a cool sport. I reached the field that we ran across at the start and crossed it for the last time to the finish line. I chatted with Dreama, Brian, and some other folks for a few minutes and cheered on runners as they continued to come in to the finish. Brian got the top 3 ladies together for a picture with our awesome raccoon skull awards. This is definitely one of the most unique awards I've ever gotten at a race, and the trucker hat you got for running was also really cool. Thanks to all of the volunteers and Rock/Creek crew for putting on a top notch event. Most of all, thanks to God for giving all us runners the opportunity to go out there and see His beautiful creation while running.
At the finish with our raccoon skulls
Photo Credit: Brian Costilow
