Special to The Tribune/Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation • Jason Bryant (center) races to the summit during the frigid 34-mile Mount Mitchell Challenge on Saturday. Bryant won the race for the second time.
Special to The Tribune/Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation • Bryant nears the summit of Mount Mitchell, the highest peak in North Carolina.
Sports Editor
elusk@elkintribune.com
When Jason Bryant of Elkin won the Mount Mitchell Challenge two years ago, he finished the race with his shirt off because it was so warm.
That was certainly not the case this year.
Bryant, age 37, won the 13th annual Mount Mitchell Challenge on Saturday, overcoming brutal winter conditions, including temperatures in the single digits and howling winds at the summit.
The race course had to be shortened from the usual 40 miles to 34 because of heavy snow and ice in certain sections.
Bryant, who set the course record two years ago, finished this year’s Challenge in four hours, 31 minutes and 16 seconds.
The second place racer, Black Mountain’s Paul Scouten, crossed nearly 30 minutes later.
“The lower section of the course up to the Blue Ridge Parkway wasn’t too bad,” said Bryant, who didn’t finish last year’s race. “There was snow and ice, but the footing was OK and the temperature was good, mid-20s.
“Once on the Parkway and climbing to the summit of Mount Mitchell, the race changed to cold, bitter and windy.”
Bryant described the winds as “hurricane force” to the Asheville Citizen-Times newspaper.
“The wind just slammed you,” he said. “It only got colder climbing to the summit, with conditions there at 6 degrees and 30 mile-per-hour winds. I heard the chill was minus-20.”
One of the top female runners told the Citizen-Times that her water bottle froze at the top of the course. Mount Mitchell is the highest peak on the East Coast.
The Challenge race features more than 4,000 feet of climbing, then a return trip back to the start/finish line in Black Mountain.
“I feel blessed to have won the Challenge again,” Bryant said. “It’s nice to be out doing what God made me for, running up and down mountains, and running long distances. Even with the cold, there were several people out and it was cool to hear many people cheering for me by name.
“It’s a privilege to represent our area as I am often asked where I’m from.”
Bryant is sponsored by La Sportiva. His team’s Web site can be found at www.mountainrunning. com/team.php?id=47.
LINK TO ASHEVILLE CITIZEN-TIMES STORY: http://www.citizen-times.com/article/20100228/OUTDOORS/302280044
LINK TO CITIZEN-TIMES PHOTO GALLERIES: http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Avis=B0&Dato=20100227&Kategori=SPORTS&Lopenr=302270047&Ref=PH
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