(Day of prep notes:)

2024 Details for Registered Runners:

The run is “sold out”. Thank you for registering. I am incredibly grateful for your commitment, curiosity, and risk tolerance.

We are excited for our the sixth annual, TarDevil 30 Mile Bushwhack, a non-event, officially a “training run,” this year running from UNC to Duke. This is not an event.  To repeat, it is a training run.  There are no prizes. No timing. No bibs. No medals. No route. And we run as a group, together.  As described on the website, there are many (many!) risks, including drowning, permanent injury and/or death. (No one has died yet). You are running at your own risk and are responsible for your own nutrition, hydration, transportation, constipation, perspiration and, if needed, evacuation.  Please be prepared for a rough, long, wet, and possibly warm day, Saturday.

If you are the least bit concerned, now is the time to reply to this email and let me know if you want to drop out or drop down to a 5, 10 or 15 mile option (you get zero schwag for those distances). I have a very, very, very long wait-list of many, many, many runners (three as of today) who would love to take your spot if you are concerned about your ability to navigate river crossings, culverts, off-trail meanderings, rock scampers, forest floors, and/or more.

But if you are still reading and still game, you are in for what should be an epic day of movement, exploration, and accomplishment.

A few reminders and updates:

• Parking:  Ideal option is to have someone drop you off at the Start (and pick you up at the finish). UNC has a home game at 4:00 pm ET so parking, normally recommended in the Rosemary garage, may be pricier. 

• Start: The start is at the Old Well on the grounds of UNC Chapel Hill at 7:00 am, Saturday, Mar 2, 2024

• Weather: Rain, rain and more rain forecasted for Wed, Thu, Fri.  Likely will continue to Sat.  Please lube up and prepare for the worst wetness imaginable. I use Glide and Trail Toes but there are many options. 

• Course: Since there is no event, there is no course. That said, we will meander from 2 miles of pavement at the start, to many miles of single-track, technical trails, some off-trail (a few miles), some fire road (a few miles), and then a mix of easement and pavement at the end (1 mile).

• Fuel: All registered runners must carry hydration. You will not be allowed to start the run w/o some form of a hydration container, preferably a bottle or vest with at least 500 ml. I also strongly recommend carrying some calories, either liquid or solid form. (I use Tailwind). Some Aid Station Supplies may (or may not) include:

  • Water 2 Large Coolers

  • Tailwind 3 Large Bags

  • NuuN electrolyte tablets

  • Some kind of S-cap

  • GUs 20 (Salted Carmel and Lemon Lime)

  • Potatoes with salt 2 Large Containers

  • Date bites 20 or so (50 cal each)

  • Stroop Waffle Cookies (10) - S'mores

  • Sliced Oranges 3 dozen

  • Scrapple (just kidding...but don't knock it 'til you tried it)

  • Coca Cola 2 Two-Liter Bottles

  • Lays Chips A big bag

  • Hummus, Olives on Tortillas 15-20 portions (wraps cut in half)

  • French Toast Casserole enough for everyone to try

• Drop Bags: Given how many people we have, please limit your drop bag to a backpack size or smaller. 

• Aid Stations: There is really only one aid station. Fortunately, that aid station is mobile and will meet us every five miles with plenty of water (and maybe salted potatoes).  You are welcome to bring some food for yourself and/or to share. Mrs Skrapple, (driving my Silver Volvo XC90) will bring it along to each stop. Also, you are welcome to have your crew meet us at the aid stations spots. See the website for locations.

• Culverts: There are three culverts that we pass through and all have solid floors and high clearnances. You do not have to crawl. But you will get wet. The water is run-off, not waste water. There should be no snakes this time of year and I would be shocked to see one in the culvert but that is not a promise. There are so many of us, we will likely scare all critters away. Again, I've never seen a snake in the culvert.

• Creek: They call it New Hope Creek but it will run as a River and could be fast and dangerous. We will use precaution and not put anyone at undue risk but be prepared that you will need to hold hands potentially if the creek is running fast when we cross it, which we will.

• S*&t Happens Part 1:  If you need to go, we have a few places where you can access port-a-johns.  One at Aid Station 2, Eubanks Park & Ride. One at Aid Station 3, Movie Makers.  If it hits you elsewhere, please dig a hole and bury it deep. 

• S*&t Happens Part 2:  If you need to bail between aid stations for an emergency, we will get you to a road where you can call for help. If you have a major injury, we will call 911, stop the run and I will ask for a few runners to help you out, likely to exit to a road. Mrs. Skrapple will drive to our exit point and wait with you in a vehicle for 911 to come. We may or may not continue the run if there is a major injury. (We have not had one in six years but there is always a chance).

• Finish Part 1: Duke also has a home game starting at 6:00 pm. The plan right now is to have you finish the run at Duke Chapel and be picked up there (as we have done previous years). Security has informed me previously (during 6:00 pm starts) that Duke Chapel is accessible. 

• Finish Part 2: (VERY IMPORTANT) - You are responsible for your own transportation back to the start. Ideally, you have the same person who dropped you off in the morning pick you up at the finish in the afternoon. That said, please let me know if you have no other option and I will do my best to find you a ride. There are 14 Trailheads (our local running group) running and they know the drill so there could be extra car-pooling available, but no promises.  Please help coordinate and try to carpool. That would be ideal.

• Post-finish meal: We plan to eat at New Hope Market . I have called Dave and he is aware 20-30 of us will be coming. They have everything from burgers to veggie to vegan to booze to Kombucha to desserts to crafts and much more. Lovely local spot. Bring your driver and buy her/him lunch.

• Finishers: If you finish, you earn a shirt. These are Brooks Technical Short Sleeve in Uni and Women’s cuts. I failed to ask for your shirt size at registration (or if I did, I can’t find it on ultra signup) so I guessed and ordered 30 this year. I hope I have your size. And I really hope you finish so you can earn your shirt (whether it fits or not)

• Five-time Finishers: We have one runner attempting his fifth finish to join a few of us who have earned our Five Timer Finisher’s jackets. These are Patagonia Houdinis and I’ll likely be wearing mine during the run.

• Special Circumstances:  In the unlikely event that the run needs to be stopped due to severe weather (lightning storm, flooding, etc) or some other logistical shutdown (traffic accidents, road closure, etc), I may choose to stop the run permanently. Though highly unlikely to occur, this rule is put in place for the safety of runners, volunteers, and staff (ie, Mrs. Skrapple)

What else?  While this is a serious run, if we prepare we can have a blast. Some of the forests we will see are incredible. And we are fortunate to have access to these lands, which I am so excited to enjoy on a run with all of you.

Please reach out with any questions.  And please spend some time on the website reading about the gear, the details and, especially, bushwhacking 101.

Kind regards,

Skrapple

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