Cory and I are trying to finalize our plans for this Saturday’s Half Marathon. We will be running the Run Through Time trail half marathon in Salida, Colorado. In my great planning for this race I didn’t realize it was 150 miles away from Denver, whoops! Looks like we will be taking off on Friday and staying the night in Salida. I am excited though because I have never been there before and it sounds like it’s beautiful.
I am a bit nervous about how difficult the course will be, it’s mostly technical trail, very hilly and sometimes covered in snow. This is my first official trail race as well, I am trying to get used to racing on trails so that I can complete a ultra later this year, but I am just SO SLOW on trails that I am not sure I will make the time cut offs. I am hoping this race will teach me a lot and hopefully build some confidence.
2 mile course is 100% dry. The half marathon course was 95% dry as of 3/4 a.m. There are some hard packed snowy spots on an uphill in the half marathon from mile 8-8.5. This may be muddy race day. The marathon is ~80% dry as of 3/3. Marathoners will very likely encounter sections of mud and a little hard packed snow and some ice between miles 5-7. Miles 13.5-19 are 60% snow, with some ice spots in the marathon. This snow was ~2” deep untracked on packed tire tracks on 3/3. Marathoners follow the half marathon route to the finish for the last 6.3 miles, so marathoners will encounter a snowy uphill with mud at mile 21-21.5.
Have you ever done a long distance trail race? Any advice for a beginner?
My longest trail race is “only” 25k. I say First…have fun. Second…the muddier the better (which goes back to haev fun!) Finally there is no shame in walking up the hills. I’ve had many ultra runners say that its a competition of who can walk up hill fastest.
Have a great time! Salida is a quaint little town.