2024 Carter Caves Half Marathon
The Carter Caves Half Marathon is Kentucky’s prettiest half marathon. Prior to the pandemic, this race was put on by EJ Adventures and has since been resurrected after a couple years off by John’s Run/Walk Shop out of Lexington, Kentucky. The race tours some of the iconic natural bridges and arches and the forest here is truly beautiful.
2024 Sheltowee Trace Ultras - 50K Course
I signed up for the race with my buddy, Handsome Klatzke, to celebrate his 50th birthday with 50 miles. We both put in a good block of training, but it was an unknown - neither of us had ever run 50 miles before. As of this writing, ONE of us knows what it’s like to run 50 miles, and it ain’t me:-)
2023 Yamacraw 20K
The Yamacraw 20K course is arguably the most scenic ‘fun run’ in Kentucky with a net descent paired with beautiful forest scenes, passing by Princess Falls, and going through a pair of mountain laurel tunnels that just happen to be in bloom on race day each year. It’s a must-do event for trail runners in the region and sells out annually.
2022 Yamacraw 50K DNF
This year, I posted a DNF (Did Not Finish) and while a DNF hurts, this one is still hurting weeks later as I write this. Somewhere around mile 6(?), I planted my foot, the rock shifted, and I took a hard fall on my chest and face.
2022 Big Turtle 10-Miler
The Big Turtle Trail Races are an annual tradition for me to enjoy the northernmost sections of Sheltowee Trace. There are three distances - 50 miles, 50 kilometers, and 10 miles - and all deliver a great trail running experience with fast and fun downhills and the occasional uphill grind. The 10-Miler is pretty straightforward - a grueling opening climb followed by lots of short-ish ups and downs before finishing downhill back to campus.
2021 Yamacraw 50K
I wear a Road ID bracelet and on it is inscribed, “Last Place > DNF > DNS.” Translated, that’s, “Last place is better than did not finish is better than did not start.” Coming in undertrained and in conditions that I’d rather hike than run, I hiked. A lot. And got that last place finish with only seconds to spare:-)
2021 Carter Caves Half Marathon
Let me introduce you to Kentucky’s Prettiest Half Marathon. Seven natural bridges/arches, a number of wet weather waterfalls, a lakeside vista, a clifftop vista, a pair of footbridges, loads of wildflowers, and plenty of gorgeous hardwood forest in between. There was so much to see - and photograph - that my phone died!
2021 Big Turtle 10 Miler Race Recap
I look forward to this race every year - great race, great town, and great beer! The course is challenging, but very runnable, and the town of Morehead is on the come up. As trail towns go, this one checks all the boxes, and in terms of races, this is an ideal Spring tune-up with wildflowers, dogwoods, and redbuds setting the scene.