The first bell tinkled at 7 a.m. Saturday, sending 30 chilly nutbags off on the first 4.167-mile loop in the Devil’s Race Track Backyard Ultra at Wade Mountain Nature Preserve.
Overnight rain played with the preserve’s winding, rock-strewn trails. Some areas were wonderfully runnable. Others included splashy mudholes that got worse with short-lived mid-morning showers. Rocks were slick, especially so on Shovelton Trail. It, along with Devil’s Race Track and Rock Wall, are technical enough as is, without adding rain. But, so be it.
In the end, a little before midnight, after 12 hours on the same trails before switching to a safer road loop by the preserve, Michael Wall of Huntsville crossed the line for the last time. Wall completed 17 yards, amassing 70.83 miles. Amazingly, his final yard time of 46:52 was his best of the event.
(Photo by Melissa Fritz/Fringe Events)
Seconds matter in these backyard ultra events. Lollygag on the trail and it can catch up with you. Consistency is key. The format is clear: everyone toes the line in the starting block and the bell rings on the hour. Runners must complete the 4.1-mile lap and cross the line, and be in the starting block when the bell rings for the next lap. If you’re late, you’re out. If you’re not in the starting block when the bell rings, you’re out. Doesn’t matter if it’s 1 second, 10 seconds or 10 minutes. Everyone knows the layout.
Wall was consistent throughout, with loop times ranging from his final 46:52 quickie to a high of 50:47. Finish a yard early enough and you have time. Eat, hydrate, roll out sore muscles, change shoes or socks, hit the loo, whatever. As long as you’re in the starting block when the bell rings for the next lap, you’re good. Or, you can tap out if you’re done. Either way, finish the yard with time and you’re golden until the next one begins.
Kyle Wagner, also of Huntsville, was next with 16 yards (66.7 miles). Elliott Beach of Oxford, Miss., was third with 15 yards (62.5), and Rico Moore of Huntsville was fourth with 15 (58.3).
Thirty runners hailed from Alabama (23), Tennessee (2) and Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky and Mississippi. Someone from California registered but was a no-show. The event was moved to April after high heat did a number on the competitors last year. Hayden Maples won the inaugural Devil’s Race Track Backyard Ultra, and finished with 10 yards this year.
See all the results here.
The event was put on by Fringe Events, and sponsored by the Land Trust of North Alabama, Fleet Feet, Yellowhammer Brewing and Huntsville Track Club.
MAIN PHOTO — Michael Wall leads a group of runners along the Devil’s Race Track trail at the start of the fourth yard Saturday morning. The event was held at Wade Mountain Preserve in north Huntsville. (Photo: Alan Clemons/TVO)
