Blood, Sweat and Gears Sells Out

Story by Corinne Saunders

A total of 1,250 riders participated in this year’s Blood, Sweat and Gears. The 100-mile and 52-mile rides began and ended in Valle Crucis, traversing beautiful and challenging High Country terrain. Photo submitted

The 11th annual Blood, Sweat and Gears’ 100-mile full century and 52-mile half century rides held on Saturday, June 27, sold out.

“This is the first time we’ve sold out both [rides] in 11 years,” said organizer and local Red Cross Executive Director Sonny Sweet.

A total of 1,250 riders participated this year, with 750 in the 100-miler and 500 in the 52-miler, he said.

The 100-mile loop begins and ends in Valle Crucis and offers beautiful, albeit challenging, hilly terrain. The course runs to Blowing Rock, follows the Parkway to Ashe County, goes past Todd and includes the signature climb up Snake Mountain. It then goes to Tennessee and back to Watauga County to the finish line.

The 52-miler also begins and ends in Valle Crucis, but follows Highway 221 to Grandfather Mountain, then runs through Newland, Banner Elk and Matney.

Participants in both rides “all start together, [but] then go in separate directions,” Sweet said.

Mauricio Henao of Hollywood, Fla. won the century ride with a time of 4:49:17. Charlie Brown of Salisbury came in second with a time of 4:49:17, and John Durango of Tamarac, Fla. placed third with a time of 4:49:32.

Dean Lyons of Boone won the half century race with a time of 2:22:48. Mark Proffer of Windermere, Fla. placed second with a time of 2:23:13, and Mark Kolodzinski of West Bloomfield, Mich. placed third with a time of 2:23:38.

About 160 people volunteer to help with the event every year. “It’s a fun thing to do, otherwise they wouldn’t do it,” Sweet said.

Volunteers run the start/finish line, work in traffic control, run aid stations along the way and help with the post-ride meal. A massage class made up of about 10 students from Caldwell Community College gives massages to all the participants after the ride.

“If you’re a rider, it’s a pretty good deal,” Sweet said. “You get full support on the ride, a meal, a massage and a t-shirt.”

The money goes to the Red Cross for disaster relief funds for Avery and Watauga counties. Last year’s races brought in monies totaling in the mid-$40,000s, and Sweet anticipates that this year’s revenue will at least match that amount.

A full listing of results is available by clicking to www.rmssports.com, clicking “running/triathlons,” then clicking “results” and “June 27.”