Ran up G & T for the 36th time yesterday. Sweet spring conditions up high finally. The freeze thaw cycle has begun, so it was not necessary to use snowshoes for most of the route. Up high, around 13,500 I put them on since I didn't have any other gear with me to help navigate the 2,000' slide zone you have to cross coming back from Torrey's. The Atlas Run snowshoes are fairly light, so I didn't really notice carrying them in my hands the rest of the time. Might be the last time I will use them this season unless it dumps again. Also, my times are starting to drop again as I can move faster over the consolidated snow, as opposed to this winter. Still not nearly as fast as summer, but 4:17 for the RT will work.
UROC released the maps of their 2014 100K course. I can't tell if there is 11,000' of climbing per loop, for those the entire 100K course. Seems like this new version diverts from the original idea of having a course that does not favor one type of runner. I wonder how well it will go over.
Running legend and inspiration Browning Ross was born today (in 1924). He helped found the Road Runners Club of America. He also started one of the first running magazines, the Long Distance Log, which you can download and read here. From the first issue:
"Emil [Zatopek], tell us something about your style?" "How often have I been reproved for not having a beautiful style. My answer has always been that I shall learn to have a better style once they start judging races according to their beauty. So long as it's a question of speed then my attention will be directed to seeing how fast I can cover the ground."
Still so true today.
The UROC course doesn't look all that inspiring. On that other hand, looks like it has got a bit of everything...pavement, runs through housing developments/golf courses, dirt roads, trails, ski runs and so on. I was hoping the course would include more backcountry. There's so much there above Copper.
ReplyDeleteI agree Jim, there is some really cool backcountry up above and west of Copper. I guess it comes down to the FS permit (which UROC still does not have) - seems easier for RDs to get a permit if a race is within one FS district and is on already established and widely used trails. I've been on the hunt for cool races, but I can't find many with courses that are inspiring (I listed a few here).
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