Black Mountain's Past
HOW ONE OF AMERICA’S ‘MOST UNIQUE RUNNING EVENTS’ FOUND A HOME IN THE SWANNANOA VALLEY
Wendell Begley
Guest contributors
The Valley Echo
February 22, 2024
As final preparations are underway for this Saturday’s Running of the 27th Annual Mount Mitchell Challenge and Black Mountain Marathon, I thought readers might enjoy the story behind what has become one of America’s most unique running events, featuring some of the country’s most talented ultra-runners, and the faces of local folks that donate their time to make this race come to life.
Our Town’s Race, Reconnecting a Century Old Heritage
The Event, as one might expect, is cast against a “look back” to a century ago when downtown Black Mountain and Mount Mitchell were closely aligned both in history and national notoriety. Time was once framed against this same backdrop in 1916, when Black Mountain was recognized in State and National Publications of the day as the “Gateway” (Mount Mitchell Railroad) to one of the “Top Ten Tourist Destinations” in America (Mount Mitchell). Our annual race’s sunrise start will begin at the south end of Cherry Street. The rocky and often treacherous race course is spread out over much of that same century-old Mount Mitchell railroad rail bed that once connected Black Mountain to Eastern America’s loftiest peak.
One of America’s “Top Ten” Toughest Runs (Backpacker Magazine)
This year’s race is the only running event in the East that places runners on a course that winds upwards over 4,324 feet through Eastern America’s “distinct three climatic zones. Runner’s travel through the deep forest of Montreat's southern hardwoods to the alpine Frasier Fir landscape of Mount Mitchell on the Black Mountain Range. The mini environments in between are similar to traveling from our Town to the shores of Ontario’s Lake Superior. In February of 2005, David Howard, Senior Editor for Backpacker Magazine, came to Black Mountain to cover our race and wrote an article featured on the front page of the Sports Section, Sunday edition of The New York Times. Among the many superlatives, he stated the following: “Only eight years old, the Race has already generated the sort of lore one might expect from, say, Admiral Robert Peary’s polar expeditions…” David’s reporting of Our Town’s Race characterized the adventure as “Sky Running the Rooftop of Eastern America.”
The Ultimate Footrace Becomes Reality
In prior February issues of Black Mountain’s Past, I have documented the brief history as to how the idea of an event to connect Black Mountain to Mount Mitchell was formulated (Summer of 1982 Black Mountain-Mount Mitchell Ski Challenge). However, I have never reported on how today’s 27-year-old running event came into being.
To answer that question, one must go back to the summer of 1997. It was a warm Sunday afternoon in late August when I left my little log cabin (elevation, 6,500 feet) along the crest of the Black Mountain Range to take some photographs near Mount Mitchell’s summit (6,684 feet). Upon arriving at the parking lot below the peak, I was met by my good friend and Mount Mitchell's newest Park Superintendent (1997-2011), Jack “Rusty” Bradley, Jr. (pictured above). Prior to his newest title, he had worked as a Ranger at Mount Mitchell dating back to 1982 when I had collaborated with him and then superintendent, Lew Ledford, on the original "Ski Challenge". Eager to produce a new outdoor event to highlight Mount Mitchell State Park, Rusty engaged me in a conversation which started out: “Remember the Black Mountain-Mount Mitchell Ski Challenge Race that you folks (board members of the Black Mountain-Swannanoa Chamber of Commerce) originated up here in February 1983… Well, could your people in Black Mountain brainstorm another big event that would feature Mount Mitchell State Park?”
Hastily and engulfed with enthusiasm and excitement, I told Rusty to give me a few days and I would be back in touch.
Really excited that the South’s first state park superintendent wanted us to create an event rather than vice-versa, the first thing that came to mind was a “running experience” connecting Black Mountain and Mount Mitchell along the old historic Mount Mitchell Railroad corridor. Again, like in the summer of 1982, the logistics of birthing such a running event were overwhelming. So, I contacted my ol’ buddy, Trent Thomas (pictured above), owner of Black Dome Mountain Sports in Asheville. Well, to tie this all together, Trent and I met, both believing we had an incredible opportunity to create an ultra endurance adventure race nobody could duplicate, especially with the backing of Mount Mitchell’s State Park Superintendent.
Trent knew "just the duo" to put legs under our race—a father and son team right here in Asheville. Of course, that turned out to be Jim Curwen, our first Race Director, (photo below) and his son, Jay.
Jim’ Curwen's organizational skills and patience for detail never went without notice. I am sure if Jim had not been there in the beginning giving us experienced guidance, balanced enthusiasm and most of all, practical “old school” judgement, we wouldn’t be celebrating today’s 27th Running. Each year we worked with Jim, we witnessed his greatest supporter and mentor. Of course that was his wife, Binky. Every step of the way, Binky was there beside Jim. And if there was a misstep, which I rarely witnessed, she was there to make it right. One of Jim’s proudest moments was his running of the Boston Marathon at age 46 and later passing the race directorship to his son, Jay. Our Friend Jim passed away on October 7, 2016, at age 73. And yes, when Jim’s obituary appeared in the Asheville Citizen-Times, there he was wearing his blue Black Mountain Marathon-Mount Mitchell Challenge T-Shirt.
Jay Curwen … One of the Country’s Famous Adventure Racers… We cannot overlook recognizing our outstanding Race Director Jay Curwen (pictured above). Jay, along with his wife, Monica, and family have been devoted to the Marathon Challenge dating back to the initial planning stages in the late summer of 1997. Jay is one of the most talented “ultra-athletes” I have known. He is a National Champion Adventure Racer, winning over 125 races around the world. Jim, Jay’s dad always reminded me where Jay received those “good genes.”
Jay's wife, Monica, is shown above (far right) with part of her "ever-faithful Aid Station crew" at Toe River Gap in 2014, supplying drinks, hot soup, fruit and chips to support the runners.
Lastly …Without the support of the Town’s Fire and Police Departments, volunteers from the Chamber of Commerce and Swannanoa Valley Museum, employees at Mount Mitchell State Park and all the scores of dedicated folks that line the mountainsides with Jay’s “Runner’s Aid Stations” year after year, this historical and one-of-a-kind foot race would not be possible.
A 2018 “Planning Session” with Race Director Jay Curwen, Mount Mitchell State Park Superintendent Robert “Rob” McGraw and Black Mountain’s own Bob Watts (pictured above, from left to right). Rob’s enthusiasm for Our Race has cemented our desire to pass on a “legacy event” to Black Mountain’s next generation.
Bob Watts and members of our own Black Mountain Fire Department “Medical Extraction Team” at Pinnacle Springs (pictured above), camping out the night before the 2003 race. Bob, a long-time friend, has helped with the Race logistics since the very beginning, dating back to the 1983 Ski Challenge.
Voila ... Our 27th Annual Race! And a stronger desire than ever from all of us to showcase Our Swannanoa Valley situated at the foot of Eastern North America’s Tallest Mountain Range!” Cheers … M. Wendell Begley, President & CEO, Black Mountain Savings Bank …Copyright: M. Wendell Begley, BMPS 879, VE8, Friday, February 23, 2024
Black Mountain Savings Bank
P.O. Box 729 • 200 East State Street • Black Mountain, NC 28711 • 1.828.669.7991
“We are One of America's Oldest FDIC Insured Banks, Specializing in Home Loans and Savings Deposits in the Valley for Over 100 Years."
Copyright: M. Wendell Begley, series 860, VE7, February 23, 2024
