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National championship comes to Peachtree City

On Nov. 14, Peachtree City’s Darkside Running Club will host the USA Track and Field National Championships for the 50-kilometer road race. It is estimated that up to 100 people, some from all over the country, will participate in this 31-mile foot race.

Darkside Running Club President, Scott Ludwig is no stranger to ultramarathons, which is defined as any race longer than the 26.2 mile distance. Scott has completed over 100 marathons and almost 20 ultras in a running career that has included a running streak of daily runs for over 25 years, a 6th place finish in the 135 mile race through Death Valley called Badwater, and building the Peachtree City 50K into a national championship in just three years.

The Peachtree City 50K is a great race for first time ultramarathoners and also for more competitive runners hoping to run a personal best time at this distance. The course is a 5.18-mile, mostly flat and shaded loop along the cart paths of Peachtree City. Participants will run the loop six times and will be provided with two aid stations along the route. Scott says it is very likely that a world record could be set here in November.

The Yamaha Golf Cart plant in Newnan has volunteered to loan the race a golf cart ambulance unit to be used for medical assistance during the race. Scott noted that he is very appreciative of the sponsors for all of their support and is excited about having the use of Yamaha’s ambulance unit. “Yamaha’s ambulance unit will effectively give us a mobile aid station, which is very unique for an ultramarathon. We hope that the worst medical emergency for the unit will be to pick up a runner who decides to drop out before finishing.”

There will be ‘guided tours’ of the course on Saturday, Nov. 13 at 7 a.m. and 3 p.m.Ê Members of the Darkside Running Club will host these runs from Huddleston Elementary School (in front of the gym) for a quick tour of the 5.18-mile loop.

Because of the loop route, two sets of aid stations allow a minimum number of volunteers to assist all runners with food, drinks and medical assistance. Many runners will bring their own bags of gear and leave them at the start/finish area, where they will pass by six times during the race. The short loop also makes it easy for Yamaha’s ambulance unit to “rescue” runners who end up dropping out anywhere along the course.

All entrants will meet inside the Huddleston Elementary School gym at 6:50 a.m. on race morning to receive final pre-race instructions. A post-race pizza party will be held in the gym for all participants.

Awards will be presented race day at approximately 12:15 p.m. Prize money will be awarded to the top five male and female finishers. Overall and masters winners (male and female) will be national champions at the 50K distance. Prize money and USATF medals will be awarded to the top five male and female finishers. A $3,000 purse will be distributed as follows: $500 for 1st, $400 for 2nd, $300 for 3rd, $200 for 4th, and $100 for 5th. Runners will receive USATF medals (first-third) in five year age groups. Results will appear in Ultrarunning magazine. All entrants will receive a race t-shirt and a commemorative issue of Absolutely True Tales from the Darkside, an irreverent publication that explores the lighter (and darker) side of long distance running.

The entry fee for the race is $45. Race applications can be found on the club’s website at www.eteamz.com/darksiderunningclub/ or may be picked up at any one of the race’s sponsors: Yamaha in Newnan, Resurgens Orthopaedics next to the Fayette Hospital, Hampton Inn in Peachtree City or Mello Mushroom in Peachtree City.