Registration is open for G.U.S. Grinder 3/6/12 hour race, to be held at the Armfield Civic Center on March 6.
Primary organizers of the day are Mike Lawson of Claudville, Virginia, and Jeff Nixon of Pilot Mountain. The Armfield Civic Center will serve as hosts for the day with the run to take place in the center’s Nelson Acres. After expenses, all proceeds for the day will be donated to the Armfield Center’s General Fund.
“The Armfield Center is excited to be the location for this event,” Armfield Center Director Leah Tunstall said. “We are grateful for the proceeds from the G.U.S. Grinder event that will allow us to continue to provide services to the community.”
Runners will have the option of signing up for a 3-, 6- or 12-hour run. More information and a link to sign up may be found at the event Facebook page.
Early registration fees are $40 for the 3-hour run, $60 for the 6-hour run or $85 12-hour run. Four-person relay teams are invited to sign up for the 6-hour run with a team fee of $120.
Early registration will continue through Jan. 31, with all early registrants to receive a unisex race shirt.
Beginning Feb. 1, registration for each run will be $45, $65 and $90 respectively, with registration for four-person relay teams at $140.
The longer run will be populated by highly conditioned “ultra runners,” with several hailing from local communities and others expected from throughout the region. According to Lawson, 10 runners have already signed up for the 12-hour race and more are expected.
“But we’d like to see runners of all abilities taking part in the shorter run,” he added. “This is for runners of all abilities to enjoy, no matter if you want to run, walk or hike. It’s for those who are seasoned trail runners and for those who are interested in trying trails.”
Awards will be presented to the top three male and female finishers based upon the number of laps completed during the 3-, 6- and 12-hour individual runs. The top relay team (by number of laps) taking part in the 6-hour run will be recognized. All finishers in each run will receive a medal.
COVID-19 precautions will be taken and all participants are asked to, when not running, wear a mask and try to social distance. Masks should be worn at the aid station at all times.
Lawson is part of a local group of long distance runners who call themselves “Run GCA.” Group members will be providing volunteer support in preparing for the day.”
The event’s name, the G.U.S. Grinder, comes from a light-hearted rallying cry that the local runners use to spur each other on during the challenging hours of a long run. During a run early last year, Lawson explained, one runner had suddenly gotten the attention of the group by yelling, “Get U Some – All U Want.” The yell came to mind as organizers were searching for an event name and was incorporated as a way of inviting participants to Get U Some…All U Want, whether it be a 3-, 6- or 12-hour run.
Lawson described the course as a 3-mile loop with a 400-feet elevation gain or “just enough to make it fun.”
“I really like the Nelson Acres course,” Lawson said. “It’s a mix of gravel, grass, fields and single track. It’s a challenging trail and probably as good as any I’ve been on. We have a good trail and there’s a good running community here. But we hope this helps more people find out that there’s a really good trail right here in Pilot Mountain.”
Organizers hope to have at least one food truck on site for the day.
With a couple of major sponsors already lined up, Lawson is hopeful that more local business will be willing to come on board with sponsorships in the coming weeks. Donations will also be accepted throughout registration and on race day.
“We’re hoping we can really help the Armfield Center out with this,” Lawson said. “The center will be getting everything above expenses and we want this to do good for them.”
Source: https://www.mtairynews.com