The SM100 is the 7th stop of 8 in the NUE Series
It is also part of the WVMBA Endurance Series for 2008

 

Thank you for registering for the 10th Annual Shenandoah Mountain 100 - Aug 31st, 2008

WOW!!! its been 10 years of the Shenandoah Mountain 100 and we are set to have 4 people inducted into the Shenandaoh Mountain 1000 mile club. Congrats to Barry Quigley, Larry Camp, Pat (Swamper) Riggin, and Mike Buchness for making it to the start all those years. To reminisce a bit... we have had some really exciting events. It all started with the great washout. Jamie Keehner, Mike Carpenter and I watched it rain and rain with 100 of our good buddies the night before the first scheduled event. Hurricane Dennis I believe it was. Anyway. I had this adventure race mentality at the time that the race must go on. Carpenter pushed me aside, stood up on a table, and said "the race will be postponed until Oct. 1st" to a crowd of shivering cold and scared lycra wearing riders. There was an immediate outburst of cheers. And we were off to a good start.

Here we are 10 years later, and each year has been memorable. Some people build their year of fitness around it. It broadens many peoples horizons at to what they can get their body to do when they set their mind to it. The event has been a cornerstone of some careers. Paul Buschi has been one of my favorite racers in the event. He destroyed Bishop in the inaugural event only to pointed off course by our course marshal 7 miles before the finish. Chris Eatough mastered the course beating Bishop with 1 flat and a broken chain one year while competing in and winning a 4 day stage race 2 hrs away in Richmond. It was truly amazing watching Chris get other riders excited, using their energy to assist him while he bridged back up to Bishop who had a several minute gap each time. Bishop, the man himself, danced on the pedals like nobody has in the 100 and owns more victories then anyone. JB has even beat me around the course on the motorcycle as shown in the 2003 Jason Berry SM100 video. Tim Richardson blew peoples minds with his first fixy ride, then Joel Maynard did it fixy on a total hoopty. Skip Brown and Tiffany Mann were the first singlespeeder to land top 5 overall's. The event was the cornerstone for the National Ultra Endurance Series. And it took us 10 years to get Gunnar Shogren to give it a ride.

And now here we are with 500 people racing. Yes, I am super worried about the event keeping that same fun feel that everyone enjoys so much. The same good vibe that and all my friends and family work so hard to help continue behind the scenes. Keeping the event on the good side of the United States Forest Service and the owners of the Stokesville Campground and the local community. This is the reason I have to send out those negative pushy emails full of mini threats about.... don't bring extra people.... don't be a primadonna and have your special person think they can drive around the course to cheer you on. There is not enough room on the forest roads for this to happen. Managing the campground food and beer situation has always worked somehow. It can't continue if you bring unannounced people. We don't have the room. They can come to Harrisonburg to ride any other time of the year.

This year looks exciting. Tim Dougherty is gonna slap some gears on his bike and see what happens. Eatough won't have Harlan Price to ride with like he did at the Wilderness, will that help or hurt his chances against Schalk. Or will Chris Beck fill that void. Is Jeff Schalk gonna take it easy and save his energy for the big money next weekend at theTahoe Sierra 100? Did Sam Korber sit out the Fools Gold because he knew that would be the way to store up some super human energy? He has proven to ride amazinly well on these trails taking the victory in this years tour de Burg. Is Buschi gonna represent for that other stage race from the land of FooF, or will he have to rely on Andy Kinley, Bob Anderson or Christian Quinn to carry the torch? Can Garth take Charlie Storm one more time?? Is this Fawley dude gonna pull off the upset??or is he just riding suppor t for the 2008 grand tour star Dirty D Prillamen? Does Cheryl Sornson have this 100 mile thing figured out? Or will Besty Shogren and Trish Stevenson be the ones to challenge Sue Haywoods record. Or is there someone coming out of the shadows like Tanya Nestvogel. The roadies could make a day of it with Andrea Dvorak, Ryan McKinney, and old timer Andy Rhodes back on the throttle. How will Matthew Bailey hold up in his first 100? What will heppen with the old men of the sea, will Scott Root and Greg Turners blow the course up or will Chris Wurster and John Majors represent. The one geared West Virginia throwdown.... can anyone wrestle with Benji, Gunnar and McGill?? Or is Topher, Sanidas, Ramponi or McMillar gonna sneak in on a podium step? Is Gwadz really a clydesdale??? or has his blog taken him too far from the dinner table?

Ok, to the rules and back onto the good stuff in a minute. Racers - you are given 2 drop bags with your registration packet. Those bags have to be closed and sealed for us to take them to an aid station. We will not transport camelbak systems. You can take an extra 30 seconds to fill up the one you are already wearing. Jeff Schalk will not get this special treatment, neither will you. Your pals at the aid station can not bring things out there for you period. Anything they bring will be open for everyone to use - ie neutral support. If we see this happening the Dead Run Devils, who are running security for the event, will quietly pack you into their vehicle and take you away. This will apply to anyone with a vehicle following them around from aid station to aid station - YOU WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE COURSE!

The Law of Support - Race Rule #1- For 2008, as in past years, we do not allow outside support on the course (except from other registered racers) or at aid stations (except from volunteers). This decision was made in an attempt to extend the life of the event. We cannot have spectators or support crews traveling around excessively on the National Forest roads during the event or we will not have our permit renewed with the National Forest. We have been told this again this year. The Forest is for many different users and we don't want to ruin anyone's experience by overusing an area. So we are asking for your friends and family to volunteer at an aid station or pick one to hang out at and not try and follow the race. Those of us that want this event to continue thank you tremendously for not traveling on the course to follow your special person. Open up your heart to everyone at one of the aid stations and make friends!!!

Slippery Fingers – Race Rule #2 - We are going to tighten up in regards to trash on the course after last year’s 100 was such a mess. NO gel packets on the course!!!- use the flasks given to you at registration!! You can take an empty flask if you don’t like Hammer Gel and you can put your favorite blend it in – just NO packets in your pockets for your slippery fingers to drop. Tuck your energy bar wrappers under the elastic on the leg of your shorts, don't just reach behind for your pocket and assume it made it in there!!!

Stokesville Campground - as most of you have experienced the Stokesville Campground is a wonderful place to host the event. Camping is first come first served. There are flush toilets, sinks and lots of porta johns. The home made shower is a bit lacking. You can swim in the river under the Stokesville bridge. And you can take a warm shower at the Todd Lake or Natural Chimney Camprounds nearby. There are not any RV hook-ups. Leave your RV at home please. Please do not use the trash can vaults that are in the ground near your campsite. Take it home with you. There is enough room for every racer to camp. Please assist us with our effort to limit waste this year by bringing your favorite camp plate and mug that can reuse the entire weekend. Take your trash out with you, we can handle the trash from the food we provide.
Stokesville Observatory – it will be open for your pleasure on Saturday night. If you are camping near the Observatory please keep your bright white lights OUT so those interested in viewing the planets can have a higher quality look.

Packet Pick-up- Saturday 4:05ish -10 pm
Sunday race starts 6:30 am

Aid Stations
#1 - 10 miles in- is just a quick water fill up with a water bottle exchange system
#2 - 31 miles in- is full on food, water, HEED and other sports drinks
#3 - 45 miles in- is Hammer Gel and full on food, water, HEED and other sports drinks
#4 - 57 miles in- full on food, water, HEED, other sports drinks – some carbonated soda
#5 - 75 miles in- is Hammer Gel and full on food, water, HEED and other sports drinks (light drop station).
#6 - 88 miles in- is full on food, water and HEED (possibly left over hammer gel)

Full on food is – PB&J sandwiches, Figs, Cookies, Granola Bars, Trail Mix, Pringles, Twizlers, Gummy Bears and a mix of Apples and Bananas.

Check the website for the weekend schedule (campground schedule)

If you have to leave a drop bag behind at the race, fill out a priority mail label at the finish line table and give us a $5 check for postage ($10 if it is a lighting system or something large and heavy). – Otherwise we appreciate your donation of gear to the cause.

Here is a new MAP of the course. The Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Coalition and the SMT staff has done some great work on the trails in the last few weeks making them ride much better then they have all summer.

I hope to join everyone on the course this year. Multi time master winner Marshall Hammond is event day director, Anne Bleim -Zuk is director of the kitchen, Cathy DeSanto is aid station director, Jim Malta is our technical director. Please thank them for all the hard work they put into the event. Yes, we will all miss the irreplacable Scott Scudamore. But we will have his fries!!!! - sounds like a fair trade!

Emergency Protocol -- If you have any allergies or require any medications please grab a sharpie from the registration table and describe your condition or list your needs on the back of your number plate. This is the first place that will be checked if someone is found unconscious. There is a good chance we could have a nasty case of Yellow Jackets (Bee's) on the course this year. You must be prepared with the medication that you would need to survive multiple stings.

We will announce our aid stations cut off scheudle at the racers meeting and again at the start line. It is subject to change at any time.

A HUGE thanks to all of the sponsors for 2008
Old Dominion Brewing Co.
United States Forest Service
Hammer Nutrition with Hammer Gel and HEED
Shenandoah Mountain Touring
Trek Bicycles
Gary Fisher Bicycles
Conte's bikes in Arlington
Independent Fabrication
Kenda USA
Thomson Seat Posts and Stems
Massanutten Resort
Shenandoah Bicycle Co.
Mid Atlantic off Road Enthusiasts (MORE)
The Sole Source in Harrisonburg

See ya soon,

Chris and the Shenandoah Mountain 100 Crew