Offroad Info

RESULTS for 2008

Note: Awards will NOT be mailed out. We had the awards ceremony at the event. The medals are available at Charlotte Running Company for two weeks (1412-G East Blvd., Charlotte, NC)

The half marathon gets started on a beautiful morning while the 8k runners prepare for their start. (photo: Alba Barton)

Other comments on the 2008 Ramble:

A friend of mine and I the ramble this Saturday and had a blast. The trail was fun, the crowd was psyched, the hills and technical areas in the woods were enough to challenge but not overwhelm, the racers that I passed (and that passed me) were all considerate. I'm not sure why someone who ran the trail twice with a camel-pack would be that surprised that there wasn't water immediately available for her to refill the pack at the end, but you get some at every race I think. We need more races just like this in the area, I know there are a few and I hope there will be more soon and I will do what I can to promote. Thanks again and see you next year,

Ken

Hey guys!

This was my first Ramble, and you provided the best race experience I've ever had. The variety of trails on the course kept the race very dynamic; I had to constantly change strategy, something I enjoyed immensely. Also, I think the loop format of the course was a benefit to the spectators, who got to cheer us on three times during the race! The other racers were kind and friendly at all times, and I had just as much fun conversing with them as I did racing. There aren't too many trail half-marathons in NC, and this was a rare gem; thanks a lot, and see you next year!

-- Rob

Tim,

Thanks for putting on a great race on a beautiful course. My only regret was I was cramping during the race, I should have listened to you and carried a water bottle.

Regarding the complaints of Ms Bea Kendall, I know it's tough to find volunteers for a race so far out of the way and this race probably had many more participants than you anticipated. Rather than thank the wonderful folks who help us all out by volunteering to stand for hours manning the aid stations, she is complaining about a few missed cups and GU packets on the course.

Regarding the other question whether this race contributes to a charity, maybe she'd be happy to pay 50-70 dollars as other races charge and then you can donate 5 dollars of that to a charity and she gets to feel good about herself, not me. I believe if we really want to donate to a charity, then write a check directly to them.

Shashi

I had a wonderful time at the Ramble Trail 1/2 Marathon and 8K. This was my second trail race but I consider it my first real trail race and I am hooked. I love the idea of off-road races because I am tired of some races where you come close to getting run over by a car or smelling the car's exhaust while racing. The only thing I heard while running were people's encouragements and tons of birds. Yes, the people I met during the race were so friendly and motivating. That is a trade mark of all runners I have met during a race.

About the course, the trail was clean of human debris, a few streams that were exciting to jump over, challenging hills with roots and rocks like it was described on the website, and that's what I was looking for. The mud would have been okay as well. I came prepared. The best part was the hike to the start. That is unique! It builds up the excitement.

Thank you for putting this race. I know how hard it is to organize a race and for the price, it was a bargain - water stations, food, T-Shirts, DJ, parking, timing chip and Port-o-potty's WOW! I wasn't expecting that much but thanks.

Thanks to all the volunteers. I love my medal and can't wait to run next year.

-Alin Lloyd

Tim,

This was my first time participating in the Ramble half-marathon, but I can guarantee that it will not be my last. I enjoyed every moment of the entire experience. The course was challenging, the race participants were friendly and the music was great. Thanks so much to you, all of the volunteers and DJ Kenny. It is obvious that you all worked very hard to coordinate this event and ensure that it ran as smoothly as it did.

Michelle

This was my first and last time doing the Ramble Half
Marathon, haha it was more like 12 miles. I can't
believe the lack of money spent to set up the race.
There was NO gaterade at the finish. Some banannas
and some processed cookies was about the only thing
at the finish. Now I see the difference a poor race
director makes in a race. Tim needs to talk to Bill
Scott on how to setup a race. Someone is pocketing
alot of money.

Josh Rosa

**Response** Thanks for taking the time to comment. I appreciate it. With no sponsors, I really don't make that much money after paying for insurance, use of the uwharrie forest, shirts, 400 medals, porta-jons, food, staff, chip timing, DJ, trophy series fee, vehicle rentals, web hosting, and my time. I apologize you had such a bad time.
Tim

Tim,
Great job to you and the team this past weekend.
I haven't had that much fun at a race in a long time.
Coming off almost a year of being injured, I needed this to get the motivation back.
Hope to see you down in Mangum on the 21st of June.

PS
I'll bite my tongue and stay professional over comments from another post.
I guess you can't please them all.

Sam Fernandez

Tim,

This was my second running of the Ramble Trail Half and I enjoyed it more than the first. It’s a great race and course and I agree that the layout does afford the spectators more opportunity to view and cheer-on the participants. The events are unique because of some extras you certainly don’t see at other “in the woods races” such as the chip timing.

I am a bit perturbed at the two negative posts though. In response to Ms. Kendall: I have never heard so much complaining over a race. Seems like the race just wasn’t for her. The trails were a mixture of challenge and ease which make for a great trail run. If you want them to be tougher just pick up your pace by 30 seconds. I carpooled with three others by choice, not because I was told to by a race director. I like getting a shirt and medal and I’m willing to pay a little more to get them. I love to wear the shirts and the medal is a memory that lasts much longer than more food on the table. When I want to help charities I send a check or I give to my church. When I want to run a race and get awards I send my check to a race director. And please don’t ever hand me a hankie with a logo. I don’t use them.

In response to Mr. Rosa: I have paid twice as much and got half as much in more prestigious runs. I paid $65.00 to register for my third Grandfather Mountain Marathon and unless it has changed, I will get to eat maybe a banana half ,oatmeal cake and get to make my own peanut butter and jelly sandwich with dirty hands.

With all that said let me say that I think you did a great job, put on a great race, and I plan to be back next year. It was fun.

PS: I share with you in your pet peeve of peoples parking habits.

Darrell Elliott - Bib 75

Had a great time at the Ramble!

Bo Jordan

Hey Folks.

Great course, perfect weather, and friendly folks. Not a bad way to blow a Saturday morning. This was our first time to stumble through the Ramble, and we're planning to return next year.

Just a couple of suggestions: First, it would be superfantastic if there was a strong suggestion on the "info" section to carry water/sports drink on the course (I now know that logistically it's impossible to get more stations on the trail, but on race day I thought there would be more available--it made for a thirsty run). Also, advice on the walk in/out and a suggestion to pack in what runners want/need so they don't have to do back and forth before the run (I saw on the site that you're altering the parking next year, so this may not matter at all).

That's it. Thanks for all the work that went into the event--we had a great time.

~Meg & Todd Hoke

Tim,

I would just like to thank you for putting on such a great event. Because of a soccer injury a few months ago, I was able to train just enough to enter the 8k. I really enjoyed the course. This isn't my first trail race either, I've run a few others you have put on and they have all been good. But this one was great. I'm not sure why people complain about what kinds of food or drink they receive after a race. If that's all people want why don't they go run on the street with the thousands like them. I know I have know idea how much time and money is spent on creating, hosting, and overseeing an event; but I am sure it is more than I would like to spend. So I thank you and everything you have done to make this race, and others, what it is. I wish I could have stayed for the awards ceremony, but we had to get back to the campground to break down our campsite. Thanks again!

Jonathan Clayton

Tim, Thanks for a great race. I was impressed by the setup, especially considering this event is setup in the middle of nowhere. My husband and I drove 3 hours from western NC and it was worth it. I have run big city marathons and if you want all that, they are out there. This is a trail run in the woods. It's not Chicago. I wouldn't go out on a trail run without my own food and water any other time-just because it is a race, I planned no differently. Everyone was cheerful and excited-the walk in was a good warm up AND cool down. We will be back next year to do the half!

Polly

Tim,

Just wanted to say thanks for putting out such a fun race report - I'm in Iraq right now (just over half-way through a 15 month tour) and reading your emails reminds me of all the good times I have ahead when I get back to NC. I did my first Ramble last year and absolutely loved it - look forward to running with everyone when I get back!

Take care,
Christina

You mean to tell me that you didnt even use the tough rec trails after
all the "fear and tough trail" talk?
Come on Tim....what kind of race director are you? Hopefully it was at
least a little tougher than our Thursday runs....cause we all know how
easy that course is!

Also, in the picture below with the sideshot of the bloody runner...is
that a sucker stick poking out of his mouth, or just the background
light shining through the trees?
I was trying to figure out which person is dumber than a bag of
hammers....a sucker-sucking trail runner, or someone who types up emails
complaining about events while obviously suffering from a lack of oxygen
to the brain?

Please make sure to add a "No Sniveling" clause to all future runs!
Granted, it is humorous reading their rants....I just hope I never have
them aim their rants towards me...I would tell them where to stick their
hankies!

Brian

Wow! Some people are just so miserable, aren't they? I also did the 1/2 marathon course twice and passed author of that nasty e-mail and her friend along my way. I smiled and made a comment about the fact that someone else was also doing the course twice. It was a beautiful day and it was just great to be out there. I had absolutely no problem picking up a few GU packets along the way and "hauling" them out. The fact that there were GU packets along the trail is due to runners dropping them (on purpose or accidentally), not the race director. Incidently I also "hauled out" Pepsi cans that I found along the way, which, I am pretty sure weren't from any of the racers.

As far as complaining about the course being described as tough, that is a relative term and will be different for everyone. For some, the distance is tough, for other flat landers the hills may seem huge and evidently for her it was not difficult, so one would think that she would be pleasantly surprised and have a great time!

I will say that I arrived at the finish thirsty and was disappointed to find no water, but there was ice and within a short time there was more water. So, problem fixed!

It seems that Miss Bea Kendall has quite a bit of extra time on her hands. I think that it would be great if she planned and executed a trail race! She's so full of ideas of how it should be run, why not do it? Other than the hankies, it might be a great event!

Thanks for your time and dedication to the sport of running!
Betsy Bush

I ran the race last year and had a great time, and was looking forward to this year’s Ramble. I was definitely not disappointed. It was (for the most part) a group of fun, friendly people, and a (for most) challenging run through beautiful trails. Props to the race director!

Shenna Kevorkian

[Shenna is 2007's champion, and has a knack for sarcasm]

Tim,

Thanks for a great event!! I did appreciate the walk in and out; though I agree it would have been nice to know in advance, most runners are early people anyway, it was a good chance to walk off the run afterwards, and it was nice having the other faster people cheer us on as we ran that last little bit to the finish. The trails were great, the people awesome, and the food and drink better than I expected of a trail race. The Tshirt is my new favorite, I'm glad you don't have it covered with sponsors, if that means that we get less free stuff than a road race that's fine with me....I say leave the corporations out of it anyway. The medals were pretty neat as well, better than the one I got at the Greensboro Marathon a week earlier by far.

To the naysayers, take your poor grammar and horrible sentence structure that has me scratching my head and find something more productive to do with your time. I've never seen so many people that actually did try to get their cups and gel trash into the designated collection location. I bet the ranger, who I'm sure came through at the end of the race anyway (otherwise he wouldn't be doing his job...I'm guessing Tim probably had to get his blessing before he could even leave) so call him all you want. Like the others, I'll give when and to whom I choose, $35 two days before the race was a surprisingly low amount to pay to me, especially with what was available to us, and I'm thinking Tim ate more of the cost than most directors would care to do.

To turquoise shorts girl, bloody ear guy, the gentlman in plum my buddy and I were playing tag with, long legged dude, the tired woman running with me at the end, and so many other fantastic people that motivated me along the way and made this run so very enjoyable, thank you too!! We truly have the best community out there!

Jesse Card, the guy in the white nike shirt sporting salomon xt-wings

P.S. This guy is also not sure what he would do with a hankie, snot rockets work just fine so long as you check your back-blast area for other runners....

Thanks to our sponsors:

COMMENTS

We would love your comments. Please email us at dirty @ trailevents.com

Thanks for participating and making this the best Ramble yet!

________________________

I always love a good threat to start my Monday morning. This participant apparently didn't enjoy herself (I wonder whether she's ever enjoyed anything). No wonder the trails were so clean when I went out to do my sweep of them yesterday! The quote is exactly how it was sent to me.

"I did the Ramble, twice. Also, I ran miles on the rec trail prior to the 1/2. You spoke to me tell me that "this is a race" when I refilled my pack at the camp? 4 mile aid station which confused me; I had to fill my pack on a warm day with so many runners. You did run out of water at the end. On my second of the 13 I found many cups missed by volunteers.

I was wearing a pack, and never used a cup. My run partner and I picked up the cups we found at dismantled aid staions after the event on our second loop, also numerous goo foils, and hauled them back.

I suggest you give me a response. I know the Ranger and I am not happy about the impact of this event. Your event should evolve.

On the upside, so many folks car pooled and your event has potential. Carpooling was price of gas I think as I did not see your car pool request in your email. You mentioned stuff about fear and tough trail. Tough trail is the Rec trail, not the ones you used.

You can find out more about low impact events if you read NC ultra runner.com

I do not need a medal or a shirt. Montgomery county is impoverished. Many runners would foregoe a medal and a shirt and prefer a cause. Do you have a give back cause?

Tip: Cool Max Hankies with a small logo are cheap, and needed.

I attended your event, because I was curious. Let me hear from you all. You overlook me, and I speak with the Ranger sooner than later. Bea Kendall, Master Runner 121"