By Bruce Adib-Yazdi

We had a short break in the rainy weather for the Second Annual Dogwood Canyon 25K/50K Trail Run, in Lampe, Missouri. Part of the Bass Pro Shops Outdoor Fitness Festival, the race featured gorgeous fall foliage, although enough leaves had dropped off the trees so that runners could see deeper into the dense hardwoods of Dogwood Canyon Park's 2000-plus acres.

Race day brought some cloud cover and a little rain, just enough to make the trails a little muddy (yeah!) and to soak some of the aid-station food. The race started promptly at 8 a.m. with 161 25K runners and 39 50K runners. In the ranks was top racer Brandy Ehrholdt of Bailey, Colorado (who ended up taking top honors for the women in the 25K). For many of the runners, this was their first ultra. And despite the race's difficult terrain, at 5:42 p.m., the last runner crossed the finish line, making for no DNFs.

The 25K course included a dozen creek crossings (double that for the 50K), and the 50K was a partial out-and-back on the 25K course plus an extra loop. With 13,800 feet of ascent, the 50K featured lots of short, steep hills, many of them between 20- and 30-percent grade. Add in the mud and rocks, and the footing was very unstable. However there was a respite along Dogwood Canyon Road, where the runners enjoyed a beautiful backdrop of waterfalls and clear-running, spring-fed streams stocked with trophy trout. Despite all the obstacles, the winning time for the 25K was 1:42:02, posted by Jonathan Rono, and the 50K was completed in 4:17:51 by Tom Brennan. The last runner on the course, Dean Black of Colorado was working to complete an ultra in every state.

The second running of this race was a great success, due in part to the great attitudes of the 200 runners, fantastic volunteers and the hospitality and food served by Dogwood Canyon staff, as well as Bass Pro Shop, which organized this event as part of its Outdoor Fitness Festival. And contestants will treasure their The North Face finisher fleeces in the coming year.