well yeah, that is why they have surveys!!!! didnt find it offensive at all.

I filled out the survey and was pretty harsh about the course, the markings, everyone getting lost, the sewage smell (when they asked about how scenic the course was), the lack of water on such a crazy hot day, THEN i wrote, "But i would run the race again, cause i am a crazy ultra runner who likes to punish myself"

I did also add that my camelback saved my hide and my friends with single handhelds did NOT fare well with the conditions and they should have had water drops on the trail.

quote:<HR>Originally posted by Sherpa John:
Wait a minute here...

I'm REALLY not trying to stir trouble here Merigayle.. but did you not make similar complaints about the Vermont 50 and swear to never run it again? What makes this race so different? At least you didn't get lost in Vermont.<HR>

The North Face race was held in 100F with almost 100% humidity. The aid stations were mismarked and i was told at one point it was a 15 mile out and back, it was closer to 25 miles. Most runners ran out of food and water in between the aid stations. Even their "host" Dean Karnases got lost and posted that on his blog that after he finished the race and took off his shoes and put his feet in an ice bucket, he was told he made a wrong turn and needed to go back out on the course to make up his missed mileage. Durt and I ran together and ran an entire section backwards because of an error in the directions given to us.

HOWEVER, I would totally go back to the North Face. I was lucky not to have fallen ill and end up in the hospital or ICU like other runners that day. It was a very dangerous situation they had there. Luckily i did not have those issues as i had a camelback and Durt had two handhelds.

The complaints i made about Vermont were very different. If you would like to follow me around and watch my every word, that is your perogative. You should really just drop it and move on like a mature adult.

The people in charge at the North Face event were very receptive to the feedback we gave after the race and i do think that if they hold the event again next year they will take the proper steps to ensure that more than half the field finishes next year. I do not think they expected what occurred on race day to occur and were very upset about how messed up the race was from top to bottom. And i would put money that i ran closer to 60 miles that day. I sure got my money;s worth!!!

I think the problems with the course markings for this race were pretty thoroughly discussed by several runners, not just merigayle. Including the ribbons that were being "collected" by a little kid at the park at one point, if I recall correctly?

I was at the start with my friend who was running the 50K. While the race director was giving the pre-race briefing, we saw a few of the 50-miler frontrunners (who had an earlier start) head down a wrong trail and have to be called back by the volunteers.




http://This message has been edited by llgallagher (edited Oct-30-2007).

I thought the last two questions were a bit selfserving, but they are trying to get their product name out, so they probably need responses for market research and to weight the good of putting out the money for these types of races.

AS for the course at TNF in NOVA, I ran the 50K and at the turn around point stopped to report a runner down on the trail. I was out of water myself and figured my best bet would be to report him at an aid station. Since I had run out of water for the 2nd time between aid stations and wasn't feeling like rolling the dice on getting myself heat sick on the last little bit I dropped from the race. I then offered my first responder skills for the downed runner, and proceeded to go on a 90 minute hunt through the golf courses of the Sterling area looking for the downed guy. We never found him, but heard that they medevaced a guy at one of the aid stations. I am just hoping whoever the downed guy I passed by got the needed help and is okay.
I felt like I was prepared for the heat and the distance of the race, but I never accounted for running out of water. In hindsight there are some things I would have done differently, but I also think there are things that TNF could improve.

Runkg- thanks for the link to the update. I must have missed that last week.

i do own a pair of North Face shoes. But they are bum around shoes, not for running, for me at least. The North Face products are way out of my price range. Otherwise i think they are very nice.

quote:<HR>Originally posted by Sherpa John:
Opps.. Sorry... let me get back on topic...

No.. the questions on the survey do not disappointment. TNF had these races in order to generate some revenue for their company and its good marketting. They are really trying to spread themselves out more in the running world.. so.. I think the last 2 questions are relevant to their goals and are questions they have a right to ask since they are the primary sponsor of the event.<HR>

Oh, SherpaJohn, did you run at TNF in DC? Sorry if I missed meeting you there. I know they cancelled the New England event. . .