Trail Runners

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Bartram State Forest Trails (Read 309 times)

    Is anyone familiar with the trails at Bartram State Forest in Georgia?  I found a race there in December that I'm thinking about.   

    Tasty Pie


      Not yet.  I'll be running the 50k there this month though.  I've read several race reports for that race online:

       

      "Elevation wise, I would equate Bartram Forest to a very hilly road marathon, meaning it's a very flat trail race, 2 shorter steeper hills per loop and 2 longer more gradual hills per loop. The course was a 5.25 mile figure 8 repeated 6 times. The terrain is a mixture of grass, sand, dirt and a little bit of large gravel. Definitely a PR course."

      http://joshdontherun.blogspot.com/2007/11/bartram-forest-50k.html

       

       

      "The course was a mixtures of single track, grassy meadows, forested logging roads, and wide hiking paths. Very runnable in most places. It was a lot of ups and downs but nothing punishing. There was one long hill but a very gradual grade and then one shorter hill with a steeper grade."

      http://libraryladyrunsthesouth.blogspot.com/2009/11/bartram-forest-50k.html#comments

      Tasty Pie


        Sorry, meant to come back and reply to this earlier.

         

        The 50k course was a 5.25 mile loop that was somewhat varied in terrain, enough not to be too boring but nothing really technical to worry about.  There was quite a lot of running on large chunks of gravel but after reccying the first loop it was possible to steer a fairly unconvoluted path through that by sticking to the edge and running on the grass bordering it.  Though of course that could hide other obstacles.  (I was glad I chose to wear proper shoes and not my VFFs for this one because of that.)

         

        The first maybe half mile was on single track but once through that it was wide paths through the planted trees. 

         

        There was a lot of running on grassy track which really made me feel like I was running through silt and I'm recalling various sandy patches along the route too.  

         

        Drainage seemed to be really good at the site.  The day before the 50k it poured with rain but the trails were still in great nick and no puddles to slosh through come race day.

         

        One longish hill that was a bit of a chore, but not too terrible and I think I actually ran it faster each time I saw it just to get past it quicker.

         

        I was running along one row of planted trees and feeling really sad as each front tree had a plaque with a name and some dates on it.  The dates were only a few years apart and I was thinking they must be commemorating some infant deaths, and morosely thinking about such young lives lost.  Then I realised that I was running through Governor's Grove and actually the dates were terms of office!  Phew! 

         

        Oh one nice thing about the five mile loop is that the toilet block was open and right at the aid station.  Not so important for all those hardy folks who I saw leaping back onto the trail from behind trees, but very useful for this modest lass. Big grin

          Thank you and congrats on your 2nd place finish!

           

          The race I was thinking about is tomorrow and it is probably on the exact same loop, but for 100k.  I ended up finding a local 100k in January that I'm doing instead.

           


          under a rock

            Hi ya, Tasty Pie!Big grin How did I not notice you hanging around this place?

            Tasty Pie


              Thanks Steve.  Sorry, another tardy reply but I figured I'd just pimp my race report if you're interested:

               

              blog.kaypow.com/2010/12/bartram-forest-50k/

               

              Wink

               

              Best of fun with that 100k if it hasn't already happened!  There's a link somewhere in my recap to a Bartram 100 miler race report written by Ashley Walsh's pacer.  She was the lady who won the 50k.  I know you weren't going to be doing that full distance but it's an interesting read.   All that mileage on the Bartram loop course is brutal!  While I'd like to do a longer race one day I can't imagine dealing with doing any more laps of that course without going nuts! 

               

              @Fraggle:  Rats! Spotted!  I changed my username. Wink