It's Almost YUTC Eve

It's the eve before YUTC eve.   My vehicle is packed. I have my spare popup canopy, my Aid Station supplies, my gym bag full of assorted clothes, from warm weather conditions to cool weather conditions; the Monkey Hill Mascots are in the front seat, waiting to be safely seat-belted in.

For this weekend, it's the YUTC!!  (Pronounced YUT-SEE)

This is the Youngstown Ultra Trail Classic, the 50K that my club NEO Trail,  runs every September.  This is the 8th running of the race.

I have missed two years of the event, the first year, and then in 2009, due to a work schedule conflict.
Last year and this year I have graduated to club management and Aid Station duties during the race.  No worries, I get to tour the park during our volunteer run. (And there is also URINEO in December!)

Our race is a pretty old school ultra.  It is in a great location, Mill Creek Park, right in Youngstown Ohio.  This is a gem of a park right in the middle of a city.

The course is a figure eight, so it makes it easy for aid and aid station.  Aid is available about every 4 miles, and there are only two Aid Stations, at the Log Cabin and the Covered Bridge.

Friday we will mark the course, meaning we'll run the trails,  hanging colored ribbons for the runners to follow.  We have a few people to mark trail this year, so this activity should be done fairly quickly.

Then a picnic lunch of sorts, and then on to buying the rest of the foodstuffs needed for the aid station, like the fresh fruit.  Evening to be spent drinking IPA and Knob and finishing up whatever last minute details that need to be done.

This year Gombu and Shubi will not be here. They have, like the Elves, moved into the West.  They will (and I am already) be missed at this  year's race. I love you guys!!