TRAINING RUNS/ RACE INFO
RACE DAY...
Each loop is the same in the race...bring your water belts and trail shoes. You will run by your car on each loop so bring any supplies that you need. You may also drop off any aid station stuff that you want to have waiting for you at the half way loop aid station if you want to. You will Experience the Wild Flower Season in Early June so you may want to bring your camera...this is a special treat for all nature lovers. Fans who come to watch the race can even bring their fishing poles to give a try in the river...one things for sure is that if the fish arn't biting the mosquitos will be!
This is true Ultra Trail Race Course and comes with hazards...like a shallow water crossings and rolling trails...
COME PREPARED: ...the best advice for Ultra Runners is this..."don't let the last things on your mind become the first things on your mind during your race!" cover all the little details...bring extra shoes, socks, flash light, gel packs, extra clothes, food, etc. if you don't have a crew coming with you to crew your race then let the race directors know so that they can keep an extra eye on you.
Water aid stations will be limited to half way and the start/finish loop so bring your water belts... team and individual support crews can go to four different support stops along the course to give aid to runners.
This is a great race for teams and individuals looking for a fun challenge...but you must pre-register.
The course is a single loop course that you run 4 times for the 100k distance. Each loop has 11 different "areas" of Western Flare Points of Interest. Runners will begin in the open Grassy Plain area of the Fallasburg Park...run through the park over grass, into some breif woods, over a foot bridge that traverses the river then out the park and the Journey begins...
The first segment is called the Plains: open trail through tall grass... nothing hard, just easy running on flat terrain
The second segment is called Indian Territory: this could be the roughest trail section of the course, wooded trails, one steep down hill, one shallow creek crossing (that should be dry by summer time), nice wooded trail sections followed by a desert sand crossing and out to the next segment.
Segment Three: the Lonesome Valley: go one mile of gravel road to the "Boot Hill" Marble Cemetery, turn right and its a straight shot to the Last Chance Watering Hole.
LAST CHANCE WATERING HOLE: TIME TO FILL UP FOR THE LONG JOURNEY AHEAD...we will provide water, gatoraid and snacks.
Segment Four: leave the rest area past Praire Ant Town...nice trails to Wagon's West segment five
Segment Five: Wagon trail for one mile follow an old two track that's well rutted out.
Segment Six: Cactus Country...better stay on the middle of the path for this segment...we don't have any Teddy Bear Cacti or Sauguro's but the Briar Patches still can take a bite out of you...
Segment Seven: Donner's Pass: we don't call this Donner's Pass for nothing...remember what happened to the Donner Party...time to keep focused, buckle down and get over the "Hump"! Here is where you find out that all those mountains that you've been climbing earlier were just little grains of sand...
Segment Eight: Death Valley: rolling desert and rough woods...Yee Haa...REMEMBER that Ultras are not measured in miles and feet...they are measured in increments of FEAR!
Segment Nine: Big Pine Country: a picture is worth a 1000 words...you will like this stretch of great trail running!
Segment Ten: Yee Haa: down hill, wind at your back...a short gravel section before the home stretch...
Segment Eleven: Marshall's Last Stand: the last trail section to the end of the loop and all the gratification, accolades and congratalatories that come with a great accomplishment...get through this trail portion, cross over the "Rio Grande" River Crossing (knee high) and the Finish Line is All Yours!!!
LOOP BREAKDOWN: each loop contains less that 100 yards of cement if you run on the shoulder of the Lonesome Valley...there is a cement foot bridge crossing at the start of each loop(this way you get to keep your shoes dry until the end of each loop)...there is about two to three miles of gravel roads and the rest is all trail and off road running.
