Story originally published in the Sylva Herald, publication from Feb. 25.
About 120 of the most in-shape athletes around will scramble up to Blackrock summit in the 11th Assault on Blackrock on Saturday, March 30. The seven-mile race starts in the parking lot of Sylva’s Pinnacle Park, up to the Blackrock summit and back, totaling 2,770 feet of elevation gain.
Though the race primarily consists of challenging, rocky single-track trails, it also offers beautiful views of Western North Carolina. The summit of Blackrock, with an elevation of 5,810 feet, hosts a large rock perched on the ridgetop that provides a 360-degree view of the mountains. But the reward is not without struggle as the last third of a mile before the summit, the halfway mark of the race, is a 650-foot steep single-track.
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, there will be a few changes to the race this year. Runners will have staggered starting times with one-minute intervals, and will receive an email in early March to pick their preferred start time between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. Unless arriving with family and friends, participants will be expected to begin their races alone, and are asked to wait in their cars until 15-20 minutes before their scheduled start time to avoid crowding in the parking lot.
Masks are not required during the run.
There will be two unmanned water stations along the course, with single-use water bottles provided. Runners can dispose of bottles at the stations, or carry them throughout their race. Public restrooms and hand sanitizer will also be available in the parking lot.
Awards will be given to the top three female and male finishers, as well as the top female and male “master” finishers, participants 50 years or older. Free belt buckles will be given to those who complete the BlackRock 101 Challenge and finish the race within 101 minutes, or one hour and 41 minutes. Awards are usually given at the conclusion of the race, but will be distributed by mail this year.
Registration closes March 19 at 11:59 p.m. Runners who register prior to March 1 will receive free T-shirts. As of Feb. 18, 95 participants have already registered from six different states. The pre-registration fee is $25, and $30 on race day.
All proceeds from this year’s race will go to Southwestern Community College’s Student Emergency Fund, to aid students in financial emergencies.
A printable registration form, course map and further information are available on the Assault on BlackRock Facebook page.
Online registration is available at www.Ultrasignup.com.
For more information, contact Brian Barwatt at 506-2802 or barwatt@hotmail.com.
