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2008 Heart Center of the Rockies Half Marathon
Pat wrote in a few comments about this Loveland race:
This one is a decent, small scale half marathon. Course is point to point, mostly flat, which is nice for speed. While it’s nice to have a course that doesn’t compete with the cars, racing on the bike path isn’t my firts choice. I personally prefer a dedicated half marathon without the 5K, 10K, Kids Run…. but I guess the race would be on the small side and I know the point is to profit. The race shirt was a white long sleeved tech shirt, with black ad logos which probably contributes to the $45 early bird entry fee. I thought there would be a little more happening at the finish line. The beach/park offer the potential for some post-race fun, but overall I can’t complain. A glass company had donated their service van to help runners get back to the starting line. Overall, no major snafu’s - I could do it again next year.
Denver Marathon is here! (plus a minor rant)
This weekend is the Denver Marathon. Good luck to all racers! Can you feel the Racing Colorado karma coming through? Those of you who are having flashbacks to miserable conditions of the past can relax. The weather should be beautiful!
I want to ask your indulgence in a little editorial/rant directed to those of you running the Half Marathon this weekend: It seems that every time I’m at a marathon/half marathon event, I meet people who are excited about the run, and then tell me sheepishly, “I’m just running the half”. JUST the half marathon? You’re no rabbit, and you’re not quitting halfway through the race. You’re competing in a full race! You’ve trained hard for this race of 13+ miles. Just because there happens to be a longer event at the same venue, don’t diminish your own efforts and accomplishments. You don’t hear sprinters talk about racing “just the 100 meters” or “just the 200″. You chose to train and contest the half marathon distance.
Admittedly, part of the problem is the name of the event itself. “Half” anything logically implies incompletion, and that there’s more. Like, “I ate half a doughnut” or “I’ll meet you half-way”. But you didn’t train with half-effort. You weren’t expected to pay half the entry fee. You don’t wear just one shoe, and you’re certainly not expected to run at half speed. The half marathon is not in the same category as the ever popular commercial phrase, “half the calories”. There’s nothing “half” about his race other than the name itself. Even if your goal is to finish, you’re running all the way to the finish line of a Full race that happens to carry the unfortunate word, “half” in the title.
Now say it proudly, and good luck in your race that’s 100% YOU!
Props to these Colorado half marathons that spotlight the distance and that are held independently from full marathons. I’m probably missing a couple good ones, but here’s a few to keep in mind:
Turquoise Lake
Heart Center of the Rockies
Horsetooth
Animas Valley
Slacker
Arby’s Rocky Mountain
Run the Rockies
Kendall Mountain Run
Teva Vail
Mountain Madness
Basalt
US Copper Mtn
Vasque Golden Leaf
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Blue Sky Marathon - New Colorado Race Gets Rave Reviews
Photo at Blue Sky Marathon site.
The reviews are starting up, and there’s lots of positive chatter on last weekend’s Blue Sky Marathon, a trail race in the hills between Loveland and Fort Collins.
The course is mostly single track and has a total elevation gain of just over 3,000 ft. With 46 marathon finishers and 64 half marathon finishers, the turnout was good for a first-year race. But with seemingly very competent organization, this one has potential for good growth in the future, although my understanding is that it was not a closed course (permitting can be a real chore for any race). Both the Fort Collins Trail Runners and Boulder Trail Runners groups have posted content from both participants and supporters. Here are some of the excerpts from first-hand participants:
- The course is a challenging combination of hills west of Horsetooth Reservoir, and a nice selection of fast, loops through the hogbacks in the Devil’s Backbone Open Space north of Loveland.
- … a beautiful course, enthusiastic and supportive aid statiions, and course marshalls to ensure that runners didn’t get lost.
- After the race there was a great assortment of refreshments
including delicious chili and chocolate soy milk (you don’t get that at every race!). The finishers ‘medals’ were really cool rock coasters, and the awards were rock monuments that had been quarried locally. I know many runners very much appreciated the free massages. - The race was everything you would hope for from a trail marathon.
- From a racers perspective, the race was an undisputed success. The vibe after the race was overwhelmingly positive, and I do believe a good time was had by all, despite the tougher-than-expected course.
- I’ve never encountered such enthusiastic and helpful aid stations!! And the finish area was great as well…
- The Smartwool hats were a great idea as well.
Although this one reads like a paid endorsement, the only disclaimer needed is that many of the comments came from Fort Collins Trail Runners members, which I believe is the club the organizers are affiliated with. Feel free to comment with any additional feedback about that race here.
