The Country Mile 48 Hour - Run/Walk

The Beechwood Family Farm has invited us to host one of the biggest Ultra Running Festivals in the state of South Carolina. We are proud to bring all of our favorite runners to this little farm in the Upstate of South Carolina.  And you have 48 hours of fun filled frolicking with friends! I grew up in the cornfields of Indiana and Ohio so 90% of my running was on dirt roads in the middle of nowhere. I hope you all have the same feeling next weekend that I had when I was a kid. This event is hosting 300 runners trying to tackle goal distances from 50k all the way to 150 miles. 

 

History of the Farm

Eva "Elizabeth" Guest and Billy Ledford graduated from Slater-Marietta High School in the spring of 1961.  They married shortly thereafter on November 21, 1961.  They both got jobs (Billy at Slater Mill and Elizabeth at Stone Manufacturing Plant) in order to support themselves.  Elizabeth decided to pursue nursing, so she attended classes at the Greenville School of Nursing. About that time, Billy decided that sleeping was not all that productive.  So, he worked the third shift at JP Stevens' Slater Plant in Marietta and started farming in the daytime.  That was the spring of 1963.  Elizabeth graduated as a Licensed Practical Nurse in December of 1963.  She began working as a nurse as well as helping with the farming ventures.  They began growing 50 acres of field corn on rented land near the North Saluda River.  

 

Today, Beechwood Farms is known for fresh, quality produce that includes (but is not limited to) strawberries, pole beans, sweet corn, tomatoes, squash, bell peppers, and eggplant.  Locally-grown, high-quality vegetables can be purchased at Beechwood's Certified Roadside Market from May through the end of October.  Beechwood produce can also be found at local restaurants, farmer's markets, and large-scale grocery chains such as Ingle's Supermarkets.

 

Event Details

• What: The Country Mile 48 Hour

  • Buckles for 100 Mile Finishers

• Where: Beechwood Farms - 204 Bates Bridge Rd, Marietta, SC 29661
  

• Address: 204 Bates Bridge Rd, Marietta, SC 29661

• When: All Races Start at Noon Friday and end at Noon on Sunday. You are welcome to start or finish anytime between that time frame

• Packet Pickup: Will be between 10am 11:45am

• Food: Meal tickets can be purchased during registration for designated meal times during the weekend as well as on site (cash/card/venmo accepted)

• Silva Coffee will be offering complimentary coffee

• Travelers Rest HS Cheerleading Squad will be serving meals as a team fundraiser

• Haulin Hops will be on site throughout the event serving some tasty cool beers!

• Car/RV Setup Times: ALL CAR & RV CAMPING MUST BE SET UP BETWEEN 7:30am to 11am FRIDAY. Race Starts at 12pm. All late arrivals will be permitted to use the day use parking field

 

The Country Mile 48 Hour

• Complete as many full 4.167 Mile laps in 48 hours

• Belt Buckles for 100 Mile Finishers 

 

Run Any Distance You Want at Any Time You Want

• • 6 Laps - 25 Miles

  • 12 Laps - 50 Miles

  • 18 Laps - 75 Miles

  • 24 Laps - 100 Miles

  • 30 Laps - 125 Miles

*Note to 48 Hour Participants: limited support between 10pm and 6am as our volunteers and staff will be catching up on some sleep. Our timing system will be operating collecting laps from all of our runners. In the event of a medical emergency please contact 911 directly. In the event you are finished and do not wish to continue through the night please leave your timing chip at the timing table and please grab your finisher medal that will be available at the finish line. You do not need to report in if you plan on take some rest between laps even if that nap turns into a 6 hour coma! It happens to the best of us!

 

Camping:

All runners are permitted to camp out during the race weekend. If you are looking to bring an RV you will be asked to pay a $50 reservation fee. These funds go directly to the farm. All regular tent campers will be able to set up a 15 x 15 space to use for the duration of the event from 7:30am Friday to 7pm on Sunday included in their registration price. Note the central Tent City will NOT allow cars. You will be able to drive through the area and drop of your gear before parking your car across the street in the day use parking lot. Day Use Parking Lot will be located adjacent to the Beechwood Park Entrance (not located on the course so if you are running a longer distance it is advised to set up a camping area or rent and RV space)

• Car Camping: If you are using your car to camp you can park along the course on the main path along with the RVs. There is no extra charge for this. We will place two portable toilets further out on the course this year to accommodate more car campers and the extended 4.1 mile loop. 

• Tent Camping Lot will be located right on the course and you will have room for one a 15 x 15 canopy spot. Tent camping will primarily be located in the grass field at the entrance of the farm adjacent to the U-Pick Stand. Once this lot is full, participants will be permitted to follow the RV/car camping lot to the back of the farm (directions below). The grass field will have a marked off area where our course will run through so all participants will be right on course. 

• RV Camping Lot will be located right at the entrance of Beechwood Farm and the course will begin and finish its loop right at your location. There are only 40 RV spots available. Trailer/RV camping will be along the course. PLEASE follow our parking attendants and RV/Trailer parking signs that will take you literally, "A Country Mile" to the back of the farm where you will be able to loop around and have your camper facing the exit. Please do not make any tight turnarounds in the first few rows as there are very soft shoulders and you will get stuck.  Please do not "reserve" spots for others coming in. If you want to be parked next to another participant please make plans to arrive on site at the same time. 

  • Portable Fire Pits are acceptable (Gas & Wood)

  • Generators are acceptable during daylight hours

 

Chip Timing Protocol

When you arrive for packet pickup you will be given a bib and a timing chip that corresponds with your bib number. The timing chip with a neoprene strap will be placed on one of your ankles (depending on the finish line antennas you will have to place the timing chip/strap on a specific ankle). During the event, each time you cross the finish line your chip will be read by one of our antennas and recorded by our reader and timing software. Your name will then appear on our timing clock and TV indicating that you have completed a lap. Our timing software will also indicate how many laps (if it is a multiple lap race) you have completed. In the event that someone is not near the timing table and you do not see your name on the list of runners who have recently crossed the finish line please inform one of our staff members. At the conclusion of the event or when you are done running during the timed event please return the timing chip and strap back to the packet pickup area where you found it. 

 

Click for Strava Course Map - HERE - Elevation Gain Per 4.167 Loop - 75 Feet

The Country Mile Course is a 4.167 Mile loop with 75 feet of gain per loop on 95% packed clean and WIDE dirt paths that runners will be able to select a camping spot right on the course. There is a small section of grass and larger gravel. The course will have a series of directional arrows that will be placed  at various intersections. Please follow all directional arrows to stay on course. In the event that you make a wrong turn please backtrack to your original spot of confusion. 

 

Meal Option

Upstate Race Series will be offering a meal option for runners looking to grab some grub post run! We will not be selling meal tickets on race day due to pre-ordering enough supplies for our event staff, volunteers, and the runners who pre-ordered a meal. You can always come back to the "Meal Ticket" tab on the race website and purchase a meal ticket up to race day. If you would like to purchase multiple meals for yourself, your crew, or spectators please indicate the number in the quantity box. At packet pickup you will receive a meal ticket to be given to our volunteer cook during the designated serving timeframe.

• Friday Night Dinner (4pm to 7pm)
  

• Saturday Breakfast  (9am to 11am)
  

• Saturday Dinner (5 to 7pm)
  

• Sunday Breakfast (9 to 11am)

 

Aid Stations

There will be one aid station at the start/finish of the 4.167mile loop for this race format. Items may include: pickles, cookies, chips, assorted candy, fig newtons, & pretzels. Hydration will include water, coke, and ginger ale. If you would like to donate an aid station supply of something that we do not offer or that is homemade feel free! Cup-less Event: Please provide your own hydration vessel for use at our aid stations  We gladly accept aid station donations of food items that you like to see at races.