In
my early years in Knoxville, I intended to continue running marathons and
ultras. I started out successfully with a 50 miler at Mountain Masochist (MM50) in 1993 and the Smoky
Mountains Marathon (KTC) in
1995. But I lapsed the next couple years as work and my home life kept me busy.
But eventually I could devote more time to running, and Jean was supportive of
the time I’d need to get in shape to run ultras again.
In
1998 I ran my first 50K at Holiday Lake (Holiday). Next I looked for a
mountain course where I might be able to compete. Black Mountain, just east of
Asheville, NC was a new race then and looked to fit the bill. The race started
in 1998 with just a marathon, according to the results listed on Ultrasignup. For
1999, the full 40 miler climbed Mount Mitchell, the highest point in the
eastern US. I would not be ready for that event, but targeted the companion
marathon, which was an out and back course from the town of Black Mountain up
to the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Most
of my training was in the Smokies. Jean and I were hiking big miles to finish
our 900 miles, sometimes hiking up to 20 miles a day. My mid distance runs were
around 10 miles at Knoxville’s Lakeshore Greenway. My longer runs were around
the Townsend Y, capping off with two 19 milers around the West Prong-Lead Cove
loop in just over 4 hours. There was some backpacking and off trail hiking in
the mix also, but probably not as much trail running as I needed.
On
Friday before the race, Jean met me after work at the mine in Jefferson City,
and we drove 110 miles to Black Mountain. We had a room at the Super 8, which
was very nice back then. We ate dinner at the Olympic Flame. Then we went to
race check-in where we were told that snow line was about 4,000’ on Mt Mitchell,
and the snow depth was about 20” max.
The
start was at 6:30 AM and we were able to walk over from the hotel. I wore
tights, wind pants, short and long sleeved poly pro shirts, wind shell, ball
cap, and heavy mitts. I changed out of my wind clothes and switched the mitts
for glove liners in the town of Montreat and ran rest of the way like that.
This being the pre-digital era I did not take any pictures or a GPS track. 
1999 Black Mountain Marathon Map.
The
race started at Lake Tomahawk in Black Mountain. The first stretch to Montreat at
3.2 miles took 27 minutes. I knew already that I was way ahead of my target
time which was to finish under 6 hours. We went through the beautiful, tidy
campus of Montreat College. At the end of campus, the course climbed a super
steep paved road, which we left at a water tower. Then we climbed more steep
switchback trails to reach the Old Toll Road at Sourwood Gap. From Sourwood Gap
we would follow the divide up to the Blue Ridge Parkway. I hiked hard on these
steep sections and was passing runners after being only 6-8 places from the
back of the pack going into Montreat.
Low
on the divide there was snow in the shaded areas. The Old Toll Road was not too
steep, not too rocky, and was 100% runnable. We passed several cabins past the
aid station at Bills Knob at 8.0 miles. I remember being told that the property
there was owned by a hunting club that allowed access for the race. 
1999 Aid Station List.
I
enjoyed the Toll Road, and the views from its open and rocky top. It was about
another hour to Aid 3 at Pinnacle Knob on the Parkway at 12.2 miles. I was
still ahead of schedule, but wanted to keep running strong as long as I could.
The Marathon turnaround was just past Pinnacle. We could see the tower on Mt
Mitchell, probably looking a long way off for the 40 mile runners. I could also
see the cluster of summits around Clingmans Peak, where I had hiked to complete
my South Beyond 6,000 (900).
The
runners had been bunched up climbing to Pinnacle, but on the descent things
stretched out. I was by myself, and ran the next section back to Bills Knob
without getting passed, and catching 5 others on the way. I slipped a bit on
the packed snow that had probably started at ~6” deep. I took one bad fall on
the descent, but had no pain from it the next day.
I
was looking for excuses to hike to rest my legs, but the course was
relentlessly gradual downhill. I kept running, knowing that my knees would
eventually protest. Most of the snow was gone below Bills Knob and I was able
to continue to hold my place in the pack. Below Bills Knob both IT bands began
to flare up. But on the gentler terrain I could shorten my stride and run pain
free. My nutrition was good. I’d eaten six of Jean’s Anzac cookies, some of her
Leadbread, and drank a ton of Gatorade.
I
still felt good coming into Montreat. At one point a police escort followed me
and another runner ahead of me through town. By that point I wanted to walk but
was too embarrassed to do that in front of our escort.
By
now I expected to be about an hour early. The course had been far more runnable
than I had thought, and we’d had much less trouble with the snowpack. The end
of the course looped through town, where we were cheered on by the crowd. The
final leg was a lap around the lake. I surprised Jean who was walking around
the lake, and finished in 4:42, which would stand as the best result of my
eventual three Black Mountain Marathons.
The
40 mile challenge runners started arriving about an hour later. Jean and I left
the finish area soon after, and I slept most of the afternoon. We had tried to
drive home from VA on race day last year at Holiday Lake, and soon found out
that I was useless as a driver on race day.
The
evening awards ceremony was a step up from any other race I’d attended. The
catered dinner was fantastic and there were great prizes for the winners. I was
already thinking about trying the 40 miler, but would apply too late to get
into either race in 2000.
The
logistics went well. The Super 8 was within walking distance of downtown so
Jean could browse the shops during the race. We were only 9 miles from the BRP
exit for the Folk Art Center in Asheville. Jean and I did a little hiking at
the Montreat Conference Center the next morning before returning home. The race
was cancelled in 2025 due to storm damage from hurricane Helene.
From the race website in 2025: On September 27th, Hurricane Helene swept through Western North Carolina, leaving the Black Mountain & Swannanoa Valley as ground zero for some of the most devastating damage in the region. We have had numerous discussions and questions regarding the races, held the last weekend in February for 26 years. Unfortunately, there is extensive damage throughout the trails that will greatly limit, if not outright prevent, volunteers from getting to any support stations. At this time, there is no plan in place to remediate the damage before March. In addition to the trail damage, the State Park itself is closed until March. Meaning there will be no summit possibility and no support staff from the State Park. All permits for the Blue Ridge Parkway in this area, have been put on hold as well. Combining this, with the recovery that Black Mountain, Montreat and the entire Swannanoa Valley are still actively engaged in, simply make the races untenable for 2025.
2-23-02,
Black Mountain Marathon, 4:44:26, 51/94
After
running Black Mountain in 1999, I got lazy and did not sign up early enough to
avoid the wait list in 2000. Instead, I ended up running my second 50K at Oak
Mountain (Oak Mtn 2000) in Alabama. In 2001 I
was able to complete the Mount Mitchell Challenge, but the next year I hadn’t
done enough long runs to be ready for the Challenge. I had built up by running
at Lakeshore and the Townsend “Y.” Two
20 milers in the Smokies were my longest outings. My running had declined due
to all the hiking that I’d been doing for my latest book “50 Hikes in
Kentucky.” (KY50). But I got lucky, and
was selected off the wait list for the marathon. 
2002 Black Mountain Marathon map.
But
though my running wasn’t strong, I still was in decent shape for the Marathon
and was lucky to catch a good weather day. Temperatures were forecast for 50F
with an overnight low of 25F on Friday night. I ran in tights, a T-shirt, two
long sleeved wickers, and thin gloves. I would strip off the two wickers and
gloves along the way. The 2002 course was essentially the same as in 1999,
basically through Montreat College and then up the Toll Road to the Blue Ridge
Parkway and back. Once again I took no pictures or GPS track.
My
race strategy was basic. I knew that I risked IT band issues with the long
steep return leg and my minimal training, so I decided to push the climbing on
the first half more than I would normally. I might as well run while I could!
Things started well, as I felt strong on the Montreat College trails and on the
lower part of the Toll Road. I even forced a short walk just to break the
running up a bit.
But
about two miles from the turnaround the IT band in my left knee acted up, and I
had to do a lot of short run/walk. I was afraid that I would need to limp all
the back to the start. But after I got through the worst of the rocky section on
the descent my knees felt better, and I could run easily. Over the next three
aid stations I even gained a few places. I was even able to run a little bit of
the steep road coming down into Montreat. I passed two guys on the last hill
before Lake Tomahawk, when they started walking and I kept running.
My
goal had been to run about what I had in 1999 (4:42), and have a mid-pack
finish (I was 51 of 94 finishers). At 4:49 I was just short of those goals, but
with the left knee trouble I’d had that was still a good result.
Steven
entered the Challenge and finished in 9:01. He looked like he’d had a rough
race and had fallen three times.
Jean
and I stayed in Black Mountain on Saturday night and went to the post race
banquet. We ended up sitting at the same table with overall winner Will Harlan,
and got to hear David Horton stop by to entice Harlan to enter one of his
races. I tell the story with Horton kneeling next to Jean and begging for a
race entry.
2003
would find me in the 40 mile Challenge again, and I would run the marathon one
more time in 2006 still finishing mid-pack, but this time in just over 5 hours.
(2006 Black Mountain)
