Marathon and Beyond Article 201509

Harpeth Hills Flying
Monkey Marathon
© Elly Foster
Do you believe in monkeys?
D
o you believe in flying monkeys? Do you run for camaraderie, for a
good, tough time, and for bragging rights? Do you want something a
little different? There is a beautiful part of Nashville, Tennessee, called
Harpeth Hills where you may find all of these. The Harpeth Hills area houses
two joined parks, Edwin Warner and Percy Warner, making up one of the largest municipal-park systems in the country. It boasts rolling hills, dense forests,
and lots of grassland. Every November, Percy Warner Park erupts into craziness
with loco runners, flying monkeys (human and otherwise), too much food, and
a lot of fun. Every year since its inception, the race has filled up. In the last few
years, a lottery has been instituted, thanks to the demand for spaces. Where’s the
magic? For one thing, there is an air of fantasy about the whole thing—there are
160 l MARATHON & BEYOND l September/October 2015
The Basics
NAME: Harpeth Hills Flying Monkey Marathon
ADDRESS: 155 Carnavon Pkwy, Nashville, TN 37205
PHONE: 615-356-7277
WEBSITE: http://www.harpethhillsmarathon.com
E-MAIL: [email protected]
RACE DIRECTOR: Trent Rosenbloom
YEAR ESTABLISHED: 2006
COURSE CERTIFIED: Proudly not certified
COURSE TYPE: Road course, two loops, wooded surroundings
FUTURE RACE DATE: November 22, 2015; November 20, 2016; November
19, 2017
TYPICAL WEATHER: Can be anything—from warm and sunny to cold and
rainy, and some years there is snow and ice.
COURSE ELEVATION: 3,600 feet gain and loss over the course; 7,200 feet
of overall elevation change. The lowest elevation is 600 feet above sea level,
reached at mile 7.25 and 18.25. The highest point is 970 feet above sea level,
reached at mile 5.5 and 20.25.
START TIME: 8:00 A.M.
COURSE RECORDS: Set in 2012. Ben Schneider 2:34:17; Leah Thovilson
2:59:36
ASSOCIATED EVENTS: None, although the RD jokingly states that runners
can do a half-marathon if they run 13.1 miles along the racecourse first to get
to the half-marathon’s starting line.
PRIZE MONEY: There is no prize money.
MARATHON AWARDS: There are overall awards to the first male and female
and first masters male and female. These are hand-knit flying monkey dolls.
ENTRY FEE: For 2015: $90.
COURSE MARKINGS: Wooden signs every mile—funny signs such as “This
is not a hill.”
MARATHON FINISHERS IN 2014: 298
MALE/FEMALE RATIO OF FINISHERS: 64 percent male, 36 percent female
September/October 2015 l HARPETH HILLS FLYING MONKEY MARATHON l 161
NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS: 100
AID STATIONS: Nine aid stations; runners pass aid stations a total of 20 times.
MEDICAL AID: Medical aid at the start and finish; cyclists radio in need.
ON-COURSE ENTERTAINMENT: Approximately 10 areas that may have
music. You might see a flying monkey or two.
EXPO: There is a packet pickup, but no official expo.
PASTA DINNER: No official pasta dinner, but plenty of local restaurants nearby.
POSTRACE PARTY: The postrace party starts at the finish line with a full
potluck provided by volunteers and runners and ends when the last person
decides to leave.
LODGING AND TOURIST INFO: The lodging link on the race website (www.
harpethhillsmarathon.com) lists three hotels close to the race start/finish, and
links to other hotels in nearby communities.
GETTING THERE: Harpeth Hills is a suburb of Nashville, and Nashville’s
airport would be by far the most convenient for runners.
flying monkeys on the course, though some of them are human, and some are . . .
magical. There is a potluck of food at the end and a raffle. And there are no age
group awards, just enjoyment.
History of the parks
Almost hidden on the west side of Nashville but only about nine miles from the
downtown area is a vast stretch of land, nearly 2,700 acres, that comprises Percy
and Edwin Warner Parks. Before the larger Nashville area was settled, this area
was part of a 440-mile path called the Natchez Trace Trail, which extended from
Natchez, Mississippi, to Nashville, linking the Cumberland, Tennessee, and Mississippi Rivers. The trail was created by American Indians and was then used by
early explorers in the area. The end of the Natchez Trace (now the location of
the Warner Park Nature Center and the Cane Connector Trail) is in the Warner
Parks. Many early settlers lived in this area, and fish and game were plentiful.
Cemeteries begun by early settlers exist within the parks.
The Works Progress Administration provided much of the construction that
created the park. A steeplechase, the only racetrack ever built by the federal
government, opened in 1941. During the years of World War II, the parks were
the sites of victory gardens. The Friends of Warner Parks says this area contains
162 l MARATHON & BEYOND l September/October 2015
some of the “oldest forests in middle Tennessee and is a haven for many rare and
endangered species of birds, plants, and wildlife” (http://warnerparks.org/aboutus/history/). Consider this history when you’re running through the Percy Warner
Park roads. The sole charity for the Harpeth Hills Flying Monkeys Marathon is
the Friends of Warner Parks, and when you buy posters, Silipints (reuseable,
outdoor-friendly silicone pint cups), or extra shirts at the packet pickup, a donation goes to the Friends of Warner Parks.
Do you believe in monkeys?
This race comes with its own legend. As you search for information about this
race, you continually receive warnings about the flying monkeys in the park. You
may remember the flying monkeys from The Wizard of Oz—large, mischievous
winged creatures that were slaves to the owner of a certain golden cap. According to the race website: “Nashville’s Percy Warner Park is home to a legendary
breed of flying monkeys, named the Harpeth Hills Flying Monkeys after the
geologic region where they reside.” These flying monkeys are dying out but are
to be feared and avoided like the plague. They may be seen anywhere along the
marathon course. The website says that a fortunate few may see the few remaining monkeys take flight! You can also hope for the sightings of various wildlife,
friendly or otherwise.
History of the race
The marathon started as a dare, according to race director Trent Rosenbloom and
volunteer coordinator Diana Bibeau. The Nashville Striders’ website had a comment from an anonymous contributor who said that a marathon put on in Percy
Warner Park, which was known for a difficult 11.2-mile loop, would have to be
one of the hardest in the country. Trent proposed just such an event to the Nashville
Striders. Diana had already been volunteer coordinator for the Striders and agreed
to be volunteer coordinator for the race. Diana says that three Nashville running
groups continue to cover six water stops every year, and four area running stores
(National Running Company, Team Nashville, Fleet Feet, and Athlete’s House)
continue to sponsor water stops.
The first year had 96 finishers and many of the same volunteers, including
volunteer coordinator Diana and race director Trent. Another continuing thread
is that there are no financial sponsors, although several groups provide volunteer
support or swag. According to Trent, “We charge a fair registration fee that covers
the cost of the race plus a small additional amount which covers a donation to
the Friends of Warner Parks. People do use the charity option when signing up,
to avoid the lottery, and sometimes people make a straight-up donation.”
164 l MARATHON & BEYOND l September/October 2015
must see/must avoid
MUST SEE
Lower Broadway honky-tonks. Already it sounds interesting, right? If you
are headed down Lower Broadway toward the Cumberland River, you will
come to a series of honky-tonks, with great food and country and blues music.
The Parthenon. Located at 2600 West End Avenue, Nashville, the Parthenon is
in Centennial Park and is a full-scale representation of the Athenian Parthenon.
(http://www.nashville.gov/Parks-and-Recreation/Parthenon.aspx) Built for
the 1897 Centennial Exhibition and includes a 45-foot-tall statue of Athena.
The Country Music Hall of Fame, 222 Fifth Avenue South, Nashville. (http://
countrymusichalloffame.org/) Prepare to travel through several decades of
country-music history, including video clips, recorded music, photographs,
and educational programs. If you are lucky enough to be there at the right
time, you may be able to catch live performances.
The Hatch Show Print Museum, 224 Fifth Avenue South, Nashville. (http://
hatchshowprint.com/) This museum started at this location in 1875 when the
Hatch family moved its print shop to Nashville. There is a gallery with historical posters, an active print shop where visitors can view production, and of
course a store where posters and memorabilia can be purchased.
Bolton’s Spicy Chicken & Fish, 624 Main Street, Nashville, is described as
Southern soul food and specializes in spicy-hot chicken. Your race director,
Trent, recommended this one. The prices are pretty good and some reviewers
who describe themselves as experts were impressed at how hot the chicken
wings were. Taste for yourself.
Hermitage Museum, 4580 Rachel’s Lane, Nashville. This former home of
President Andrew Jackson is 20 minutes away from downtown Nashville and
well worth your time. Tours are available.
Yazoo Brewing. 910 Division Street, Nashville. One of Nashville’s premiere
craft breweries, with a number of classic local beers, an ever-changing series
of hopped-up ales, and an innovative line of sour and funky beers. Yazoo
has supported the race since its very beginning.
MUST AVOID
Opryland Hotel area. Why? It is described as “big, sprawling, expensive,
locked in, and gaudy.” You take your chances.
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When asked about the race, Trent answers, “What do I want people to take
away? Bruises, suffering, and an appreciation for the natural beauty in middle
Tennessee. Also a healthy fear of flying monkeys. The Flying Monkey is unique,
first because it has the feel, ethos, scenery, and hills usual for trail races but is
not a trail race; it has the convenience and accessibility of a road race. Second,
we have a rich community of runners, fully embracing the opportunity to run and
celebrate together. I let them know they have the opportunity to get hurt—I put it
in the e-mails—and though they won’t admit it, they love that! Third, the metro
park where we hold the race is one of the largest in the country, and it shows the
natural beauty that middle Tennessee has to offer. ”
Trent had asthma as a child and was never active until he started running
while in medical school, confining himself to a three-mile loop on the Vanderbilt
University campus. Fifteen or so years ago, he started running more and trained
for the Country Music Marathon; that day it was 90 degrees, and he hadn’t
trained enough. Consequently, he stopped running for three years until he found
out he was going to be in Duluth, Minnesota, the following summer. “I put on
my shoes for the first time, ran three miles, ate a gluttonous dinner, and signed
up for Grandma’s. That was December. I ran it in June and was hooked. I ran a
total of five marathons that year and next year I created the Monkey. I also joined
Marathon Maniacs. Every other year, I have run the Flying Monkey.”
Diana could be described as a supervolunteer coordinator. She manages the
entire volunteer coordination for the race, including food, course, and setup. She
handles course logistics, and her husband helps her get the equipment out. We
asked her if she had any good stories. “One year was ‘the year it rained.’” (Trent
describes the year it rained: “From about 15 minutes into the race until nearly five
hours later, the Monkey received a constant, chilling, soaking rainfall that added
to the challenges of running Monkey. Ultimately, the rain dumped several inches
and turned the entire finishers’ area and parking lot into a mud pit. Runners who
participated that year look back on it with bravado and with well-earned bragging
rights, and all received a special commemorative T-shirt the following year stating, ‘I ran Monkey the year it rained.’”) Diana adds, “I told my husband to take
the service road to deliver stuff to the stops. Driving along the road, he didn’t
realize there was a stone wall, and the Murano ended up on top of it: $2,000 and
a lot of volunteers later, the car was fixed. I’m told I said things to him that only
a wife would say.”
Diana started running when she was 31 and has been active all of her life,
meeting her husband at a marathon in 1999. When they moved to Nashville in
2001, the first people they met became lifelong friends, all very capable runners.
She was on the board of directors of the Nashville Striders for 10 years. She was
asked to be volunteer coordinator. She considers many things about the Monkey
to be distinctive and says that the race has developed a cult following. The after-
166 l MARATHON & BEYOND l September/October 2015
© Elly Foster
race meal is a potluck provided by runners and volunteers. Each runner is asked
to bring a food donation for the meal, and any possible leftovers are donated to
food banks in the area. Mike Brooks, from Maine, a megamarathoner and ultrarunner who has run the Monkey race more than once, enthuses about the amount
of food and the kegs of beer at the finish.
Race director Trent shared this race story: “Every year after the race, we do
door prizes. I call names at random. In 2013, it was very cold out, humid, windy,
a 20-degree day. In November, when the first cold hits, it’s really cold! The race
was done, the door prizes were finished, and everyone left as quickly as they
could. As we were leaving, someone drove up with a cardboard box containing a
litter of tiny feral kittens. Had he shown up 10 minutes earlier, they would have
been door prizes. My wife came to me in a panic and told me to do something,
the kids want a kitten! My wife was relieved and horrified when I told them they
could keep a cat. They all picked the same cat and the same name—we now have
a cat named Monkey!”
The Monkey is addictive. Josh Hite, from Cookville, Tennessee, is a frequent
flyer, having run the second year and every year since. He often runs up to 20
marathons a year, but the Monkey is always included. “I see it as a preliminary
to the holiday season: the Monkey, Thanksgiving, my birthday, Christmas, my
wife’s birthday—the Monkey starts the holiday season. I put on a marathon of my
own, The Blister in the Sun, in August. But Trent has something really special.
It’s a postmodern race for runners, not for racers. My kids, who are 6 and 10, look
September/October 2015 l HARPETH HILLS FLYING MONKEY MARATHON l 167
forward to coming every year. They go to the middle of the field (start/finish area),
pitch a tent, and go out to yell, ‘Monkey, monkey!’ for runners. Have you heard
about the food afterward? And the beer tent? Some people sandbag, go slower,
so they can finish after noon and get beer (Tennessee does not allow alcohol to
be served before noon on Sunday). And everyone comes away with a door prize.”
The volunteers and runners are memorable. Angela Ivory, a Nashville native,
50 States Marathon Club member, and genuine “sweetest person” was mentioned
a number of times. Josh begged her to run the last quarter mile of the Monkey
with him. Mike Brooks remembers Angela coming out to volunteer as a highlight. Angela passed away from cancer in 2012 after a long battle. She was a
fixture. Her passing occasioned a moment of quiet reflection in her memory at
the race in 2013.
Ben Schneider, a five-time winner of the race, has additional reasons to
remember the Monkey fondly. He met his wife there in 2008 and then the next
year, in the parking lot at the race, they became engaged. Ben waited until after
the race to propose, and describes that race year as nerve-wracking.
Dave Bell, a 50 States Marathon Club member (club vice-president) and
Marathon Maniac from Colorado, has “three monkey kills—those who have
run it will understand.” He keeps coming back because “I like being abused by
Trent (he refers to his runners as idiots—it fits). The danger is that you never
know when a monkey will attack! There is awesome camaraderie and you get a
lot for your buck.”
The course
On the west side of Nashville, Edwin Warner and Percy Warner parks encompass
nearly 3,000 acres of wooded hills and dark hollows. The largest of those parks
is Percy Warner—full of beautiful forested areas and lots of long hills. Within
those hills, there is a fairly difficult 11.2-mile paved loop that is known to hill
junkies all around the region.
There is an extremely detailed, mile-by-mile course description on the race
website (http://www.harpethhillsmarathon.com/coursedetail.html). Here is a more
general description from Trent Rosenbloom, the race director.
The marathon course essentially covers two laps around the park along a 12.7mile figure-eight-shaped route, once going forward and once going backward.
That route includes a 1.5-mile zigzagging hill and an 11.2-mile serpentine loop
called the Main Drive. The looping, winding marathon course is specifically
designed to allow runners to go both up and down each hill and to become a bit
disoriented as they wind through the park. Runners start and finish in an open,
grassy field that appears downright benign and friendly. However, it does not
take long for the course to show its teeth. Immediately after coming off the field,
168 l MARATHON & BEYOND l September/October 2015
shvi
lle
Course Map
18
7
100
Mile
T E1 N N
E marker
SSEE
17
d.
y1
wa
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ig
9
10
rive
in D
a
M
6
20
16
START/FINISH
PARKING
19
8
Luke
Lea
Heights
00
Pag
eR
Start/Finish
H
Percy
Warner Golf
Course
to N
a
Race course,
first portion
Race course,
middle portion
Race course,
last portion
4 22
15
5
21
13
24
23
Chic
2
12 25
g Rd
.
Shell
Hill
Percy
Warner Park
kerin
14
1
Drive
grassy
path
Main
26 11
3
Harpeth Hills
Golf Course
feet
Course Elevation
1000
900
800
700
600
500
0
5
10
miles
15
20
25
September/October 2015 l HARPETH HILLS FLYING MONKEY MARATHON l 169
runners jump onto the zigzag and
find themselves climbing more
than 300 feet into the dense woods
before coming out onto the Main
Drive, two miles into the race.
HIGHS
Runners encounter hills of all sizes
and rolling terrain, with notable
A road run in the middle of a beautiful
breathless moments at miles five,
forested park, with your imagination
seven, 10, and 12 before coming
conjuring flying monkeys at every turn!
to the end of the first lap around
Enthusiastic volunteers who urge you to
the Main Drive. Back through the
have an adventure.
zigzag and past the halfway mark,
An unbelievable postrace smorgasbord/
runners drop down a long hill
potluck.
before taking on the Main Drive
in the reverse direction, this time
LOWS
climbing hills at miles 15, 18, 20,
If you are looking for crowds, this is
and 23. Notable among these is the
not your race.
lollipop Luke Lea Overlook loop
on the course, added to the second
If you debate with yourself too long, the
lap atop one of the longest climbs
race will be filled. And there is a lottery!
in the race at mile 18. This climb is
Register your interest early in the year,
so steep and long that it gives the
and be ready to jump on it when the
phrase “hitting the Wall” a whole
lottery is announced August 1.
new meaning. Luke Lea offers
On a diet? Don’t stick around at the end
runners a view of much of Nashof the race! Trent’s homemade pumpkin
ville in the distance but requires
pie is a must-try.
them also to endure several short
No age-group awards. If this is why you
and steep ascents. After winding
attend races, you will be disappointed.
their way along hills, hollows,
woods, open fields, steep bluffs,
and breathless overlooks, runners
find themselves back where they started, coming out into the gentle grassy field
where they run the last one-third mile in full view of the finishers and volunteers.
Finish line activities take place at one end of the Vaughn’s Creek area.
The inaugural race in 2006 had 96 finishers, but interest has mushroomed
since then. Part of the reason for the glut is that many runners repeat this race
over and over. The course limit is set at 300 runners, and a lottery system has
been instituted, since according to Trent, “More runners would strain the system,
and there is swag customization (the medals are handmade flying monkeys); we
also rely on volunteers. We want people to be able to stick around after the race
and enjoy food, drink, and camaraderie.”
runner’s highs/
runner’s lows
170 l MARATHON & BEYOND l September/October 2015
September/October 2015 l HARPETH HILLS FLYING MONKEY MARATHON l 171
© Trent Rosenbloom
The lottery typically opens on August 1, and names are drawn a week later.
Only 350 runners are admitted, with expectations that about 300 will arrive and
run. As some other races do, this one allows a charity option where runners can
pay more and register without going through the lottery process.
There have not been a great many changes over the years. The 2014 course
was the same as 2006. In that first year, there was a pasta dinner at Maggiano’s,
a wonderful classic Italian restaurant (chain) in the area. At the end of the race
(it was a very cold day and not conducive to wet runner gatherings), a couple
of station wagons at the course finish opened their backs to reveal almost every
sugary homemade goody you could imagine, including your author’s favorite,
gourmet Mexican popsicles. In 2010, a major flood destroyed part of the course and
it was rerouted to include more hills. In 2011, the course reverted to the original
plan. In 2014, there was no official pasta dinner, but there are a number of easily
accessible restaurants in all price ranges near Harpeth Hills. The race director, to
prove he can take it, runs the marathon almost every year.
If you are fast, do not come expecting a cash award. The race has awarded
flying monkey dolls (hand-knit by volunteers) to the overall male and female winners and to the masters male and female winners. Finishers receive a handcrafted
medal with, what else, a flying monkey. There is also a raffle at the end of the
race. If your luck holds, you may win
a raffle prize.
Each race year has a theme that
Trent sets, which is a deep, dark
secret, though hints are revealed
through e-mails and on the website.
Examples include “may the hills be
ever in your favor” for 2015, and
a Superman theme in 2013, where
every runner received a satin superhero cape emblazoned with a flying
monkey. If you are registered, you
will receive a series of taunting,
threatening (in a nice way) e-mails
that should heighten your sense of
mystery.
The expo is held the day before
the race at the Gordon Jewish Community Center, located at 801 Percy
Warner Boulevard, a few miles from
the start/finish. It has packet pickup
and swag on sale to support the park.
In conclusion
This race is simply a joy and a pleasure, considering of course that runners
sometimes get hurt and like to brag about it. It is not an easy race, but it is well
worth your time if you would like to try something a little different. Prepare to
receive insults from your race director as his version of encouragement. It is
telling that runners overwhelm the lottery every year and that since year one
there has been a waiting list. Come for the run, not for the race; come for the
beer and to meet old and new friends and for the possibility of being destroyed
by flying monkeys. There is a sense of friendship, which does not speak much
about competition, except within the individual. Trent says, “I think it’s very
important in putting on the race to provide something for the runners that makes
them feel both proud of what they’ve done and happy to have participated, even
if they hurt. Proud: a really challenging course, where you run hard; happy: a
well-supported, well-marked, pretty course with adequate runner stuff. People
want to come, not to tick off a state or qualify for Boston. They come for the
sake of running the race.”
Mark your calendars for the lottery date, August 1, get tough, and come join
the flying monkeys. Refresh yourself with a rerun of The Wizard of Oz first.
the bottom line
We have weighed various aspects of a marathon within a 1,000-point scoring grid. Besides the author of the article, a dozen runners at the race were
randomly chosen to score the race for us (FMM = Harpeth Hills Flying
Monkey Marathon). The results follow:
1. HISTORY/TRADITION
Evaluate the race’s sense of history and tradition.
(Possible points: 30 FMM score: 25)
2. ENTRY FORM
Is the race entry form clear, concise, attractive, complete, and easy to fill out?
(Possible points: 20 FMM score: 15)
3. ENTRY COST
For most races, the entry fee covers between 30 and 50 percent of the cost
of putting on the event. Rate the value of your dollar relative to this race.
(Possible points: 30 FMM score: 20)
172 l MARATHON & BEYOND l September/October 2015
4. LOCALE/SCENICS
Is the race held in an area that is easy to get to and scenic, offers adequate
food and housing services, and offers nonrace activities for family and friends?
(Possible points: 50 FMM score: 45)
5. REGISTRATION
Is registration well organized and efficient? Does it bog down unnecessarily?
(Possible points: 20 FMM score: 15)
6. PRERACE ACTIVITIES
Evaluate activities such as pasta feeds, parties, and so on during the days
before the race.
(Possible points: 50 FMM score: 30)
7. EXPO
Does the expo offer a fair number and variety of booths relative to the race’s
size? Are there quality exhibitors and good guest speaker(s)?
(Possible points: 50 FMM score: 25)
8. COURSE
Take into consideration the following: degree of difficulty, certified, sanctioned,
quality of road or trail surface, adequate mileage and directional markers,
aid stations, medical coverage, race communications, accessibility to course
for friends and family, typical weather, and so on.
(Possible points: 400 FMM score: 350)
9. RACE AMENITIES
This category includes race T-shirt, finisher’s medal, finisher’s certificate,
adequate and efficient finish area, ease of sweatbag retrieval, showers,
postrace refreshments, awards ceremony, raffles, results postcard, results
book, and so on.
(Possible points: 250 FMM score: 200)
10. VOLUNTEERS
Are the volunteers experienced and adequate in number?
(Possible points: 100 FMM score: 100)
TOTAL SCORE FOR HARPETH HILLS FLYING MONKEY
MARATHON 825 points
September/October 2015 l HARPETH HILLS FLYING MONKEY MARATHON l 173