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Running away with a new world record 👟

Reid Woolsey shatters world record in monthlong ‘max vert’ competition
Reid Woolsey ultra runner Asheville NC
Reid Woolsey, now 32, started trail running in 2018. | Photo provided
Local ultra runner Reid Woolsey has broken the world record for the most elevation accrued in the span of a month.

On Monday, Oct. 31, the Burnsville resident concluded his “Max Vert Challenge” attempt — in which he ran an average of 30 miles per day — for a total of 500,635 ft of elevation and 933 miles. This feat, certified by Strava and the Cirque Series, breaks Colorado resident Chris Fisher’s 2021 world record by over 100,000 ft.

“It’s so mind boggling, even for a seasoned ultra runner, to comprehend the output he’s doing. It’s truly superhuman,” said race director Julian Carr. “The ultra running community has their jaw on the ground over what he’s accomplished.”

Notably, Woolsey is the only North Carolina resident to place in the top 100 — as well as the only east coaster. The reason for this, Carr explains, is due to the sheer amount of elevation that’s more readily available in places like Alaska, Colorado, and Montana.

Reid Woolsey ultra runner

Reid Woolsey in his natural habitat.

Photo provided

To compensate for WNC’s comparative lack of elevation, Woolsey identified two of the steepest trails in the region (Woody Ridge and Staire Creek) and ran them over and over again. Typically, Woolsey told us, this meant starting at 5:30 a.m. and running until about 9 p.m., stopping mainly to eat and soak his weary muscles in a cold trailside creek. On a typical day, he would run the same trail between 16-30 times and then get about four hours of sleep a night.

“It was a wild time,” shared Woolsey. “I was in my head a lot... dealing with boredom and the pain of minor muscle injuries. And there were times I went days without seeing another person, so the loneliness was a challenge too.”
HOW HE GOT THROUGH

Have you ever tried trail running?

A. Yes, I love it!
B. Yeah, I go sometimes
C. No, but now I’m inspired to try
D. No, it’s not for me
WE SHOE ARE CURIOUS
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Wednesday, Nov. 2
Thursday, Nov. 3
  • Ambrozia, “The Bear” and Materra Wines | Thursday, Nov. 3 | 4-6 p.m. | Metro Wines, 169 Charlotte St., Asheville | $50 | Chef Sam Etheridge will prepare dishes inspired from the Hulu hit show “The Bear,” with special pairings from Materra Wines.
  • November Business After Hours | Thursday, Nov. 3 | 5:30 p.m. | Melting Pot Social, 74 Patton Ave., Asheville | Free | Spend an evening networking + sampling menu items from the Melting Pot Social.
  • Key School Open House for parents | Thursday, Nov. 3 | 8:15-9:45 a.m. | Carolina Day School, 1345 Hendersonville Rd. , Asheville | Free | Meet the teachers who make up Carolina Day School’s nationally-recognized Key school — a department dedicated to helping students with dyslexia reach their full potential.*
Friday, Nov. 4
  • The 3rd Annual Asheville Tattoo Arts Festival | Friday, Nov. 4-Sunday, Nov. 6 | 2-11 p.m. | Harrah’s Cherokee Center Asheville, 87 Haywood St., Asheville | $22-$45 | See the latest and greatest tattoo artists at this three-day exhibition.
  • Quarteto Nuevo | Friday, Nov. 4 | 8 p.m. | Diana Wortham Theatre, 18 Biltmore Ave., Asheville, NC | $38 | This quartet incorporates multitudes of musical styles — from western classical and eastern European folk to Latin and jazz.
Saturday, Nov. 5
  • Beth Stelling: The Petty Betty Tour | Saturday, Nov. 5 | 8 p.m. | The Orange Peel, 101 Biltmore Ave., Asheville, NC | $29.50-$32 | This comic is best known for her HBOMax stand-up special “Girl Daddy” and appearance on the Netflix comedy series “The Standups.”
  • CoThinkk’s 2022 Annual Event | Saturday, Nov. 5 | 7-11 p.m. | Hi-Wire Brewing Biltmore, 2A Huntsman Pl., Asheville| Free | Celebrate community leaders, grantees, and the work of change makers in WNC.
  • Film Screening and Talk: Where the Butterflies Go | Saturday, Nov. 5 | 10:30-11:45 a.m. | Buncombe County Special Collections at Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St., Asheville| Free | Filmmaker Fraser Jones will screen his film “Where the Butterflies Go” and will follow the screening with a Q+A and a milkweed seed giveaway.
  • PAGEANT: The Drag Show | Saturday, Nov. 5 | 7:30-9:30 p.m. | 12 Bones South, 2350 Hendersonville Rd., Arden | $0-$60 | Enjoy loads of laughs at this pageant parody + fundraiser for The WNC AIDS Projects’ “Merry and Bright” program.
Monday, Nov. 7
  • Frost Moon Fundraiser Gala | Monday, Nov. 7 | 5-10 p.m. | Asheville Masonic Temple, 80 Broadway St., Asheville | $50-$250 | Don an icy ensemble at this fundraiser gala for Firefly Gathering, which features an evening of music, art and dance.
We have a monthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.
100+ MORE EVENTS
The Biltmore

Weather
  • 67º | Scattered showers | 30% chance of rain
Opening
  • Crafted Edge, a new high-end knife shop in downtown Asheville, will have its ribbon cutting and grand opening on Tuesday, Nov. 15 at 10 a.m. The shop is located at 6 Eagle St. and also offers a slew of other kitchen essentials, plus live demos of knife-making. 🔪
Eat
  • The 13th annual Knuckle-Deep BBQ Fest will return to Asheville this weekend. The two-day festival — which pits local chefs in competition for the best chicken, ribs, pork butt, brisket, and “freestyle” creations — will invite the public to sample food + vote on Saturday, Nov. 5, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. 🍖
Development
  • ICYMI, Asheville City Council recently updated the city’s mobile home ordinance to allow for the replacement of manufactured homes in certain locations. The city hopes this relatively simple change will increase the availability of affordable housing. (Mountain Xpress)
Traffic
  • Travelers, beware. Sections of Interstate 40, especially near the Tennessee-North Carolina border, will be under construction and partially closed throughout the winter. Check out specific closures and alternate routes. (Asheville Citizen-Times)
Health
  • Pardee UNC Health Care is offering free prostate cancer screenings on Wednesday, Nov. 9 at the Pardee Cancer Center (805 6th Ave. W., Hendersonville). Men must meet certain eligibility requirements. Call 828-698-7317 to schedule an appointment — walk-ins will not be accepted. (Mountain Xpress)
Regional
  • If you notice smoke stacks in the skyline during early November, don’t panic. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is planning a controlled burn of ~1,200 acres in Cades Cove over the next few days. Expect closures at Sparks Lane and other nearby access roads. 🔥 (WLOS)
DYK
  • Did you know you can share your Black Friday deals with our AVLtoday readers? Promote your business with us by submitting a deal to be included in our Friday, Nov. 25 newsletter. Pricing varies by market + must be submitted by Wednesday, Nov. 16.
Shop
  • The holiday season is just around the corner and we have the perfect wine chiller to keep your bottle of sparkly cool when hosting guests. Not only is it stainless steel and vacuum insulated, but its three different styles — teakwood, black marble, and calacatta gold — are sure to pop against your holiday decor. 🍾*
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6AM City In-house

Hey, writers: it’s officially NaNoWriMo 🖋

NaNoWriMo has begun — here are 10+ local events to keep you writing
black-mountain-public-library-100-years-avltoday
The Black Mountain Library will be one of the venues hosting NaNoWriMo events this month. | Photo via Melisa Pressley
If you’re an aspiring or published author, you might already know that November is NaNoWriMo (that’s National Novel Writing Month). Over the course of 30 days, writers are challenged to pen 50,000 words — the length of a short novel.

Interested but need motivation? The Buncombe County Public Library is hosting events all month, including author events, write-ins, and special workshops.
  • Denise Kiernan Author Event | Thursday., Nov. 10 | 7 p.m. | The Wedge, 5 Foundy St. | Free | Join New York Times bestselling author Denise Kiernan and her husband Joe D’Agnese for a special NaNoWriMo event.
  • Read Local, Write Local Author’s Fair | Saturday, Nov. 19 | 1-4 p.m. | Black Mountain Library, 105 N. Dougherty St.| Free | Join local authors and illustrators as they talk about their books and writing — copies of their work will also be for sale.
  • Write-Ins will take place Nov. 5, Nov. 12, Nov. 16, Nov. 17, Nov. 18, and Nov. 21 at various times and locations.
MORE WRITING SUPPORT THIS WAY
6AM City In-house
THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Laura.

Editor’s pick: I’m looking forward to seeing how much writing I can knock out throughout November. I’m starting the month with 6,708 words — and I’ll report back at the end of the month to share my progress. Honestly, if I wrote just 10,000 more words, I would be proud.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Explore the most handy and unusual items available at the Asheville Tool Library, here.
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Editorial: Laura Hackett, Brook Bolen, Sarah Leonhardt, Erin McPherson, Ashlea Hearn, Emily Shea | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

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