Serious Running Blog

What is the toughest organized running event in the United States? We found three events that are among the toughest in the US (and perhaps the world) for your consideration:

Somewhere on the way to the summit of Pikes Peak near Colorado Springs, CO

1. The Pikes Peak Marathon: Sure the Pikes Peak Marathon is only 26.2 miles like any other marathon but the elevation change is the real killer on this course. Starting at just over 6,000 feet above sea level in Manitou Springs, CO the course follows the Barr Trail to the top of Pikes Peak at 14,115 feet. At the top runners get to turn around and run the course back down – but contrary to popular belief this can be the hardest part of the race. Tired muscles and worn knees can have disastrous consequences on steep descents as many Pikes Peak Marathon finishers can attest. Watch for late afternoon thunderstorms as well! The race is generally run in mid-August.

2.  Hardrock Hundred Endurance Event: The name pretty much says it all – hundred and endurance (oh yeah, and also hard). The Hardrock is another Colorado race and this one starts and ends in Silverton, CO toward the southwest corner of the state. Once again mileage plus elevation combines to produce a killer running event that takes place at an average elevation of more than 11,000 feet above sea level where most normal folks start to breathe hard after simply standing up from a sitting position. All told racers will climb more than 33,000 feet over the course and most runners will need almost 2 days (44 hours) to complete the race. The record for the Hardrock Hundred stands at just under 27 hours and the race is generally run in mid-July each year.

3.  Badwater Ultramarathon: The Badwater Ultramarathon boasts a respectable 13,000 feet of climbing over the course of the race but two other factors really make this race stand out: length and temperature. See, the Badwater Ultramarathon traverses Death Valley, CA – one of the hottest and driest places on the planet and stretches 135 miles from start to finish. The start of the race takes place at the lowest point in the western hemisphere (280 feet BELOW sea level) and finishes halfway up Mt. Whitney, the highest mountain in the contiguous United States. This year Jorge Pacheco finished the race in 23 hours, 20 minutes and some change; the next finisher came in nearly 30 minutes later. The next finisher was more than 3 hours behind these two – sick. You would think this race would be held in the winter months to minimize the heat but nope: the race is generally held in mid-July!

There you go – 3 extreme running events to aspire to in 2009. How far will you go?

The Chicago marathon will be held this Sunday, October 12, 2008.  Anxiety and inspiration is in the air. This year extra safety measures will be taken to prevent a repeat of last year’s events.  In 2007 the 90-degree heat and water shortages forced race cancellation; many people suffered from heat illness and one runner with a heart condition died.

On Sunday Chicago temperatures are expected to be in the mid to upper 70s.  There will be 20 total aid stations plus a new Event Alert System intended to warn people of course conditions.  The color-coded communication system displays green (good conditions), yellow (moderate), red (potentially dangerous), or black (extremely dangerous).  Because of the warm temperatures forecasted, currently a yellow/moderate status is in effect indicating less than ideal running conditions.  The Chicago marathon website offers plenty of tips for running in these conditions.

Chicago has always been known to be a fast marathon course, with four world records being set there since the start of the race in 1977.  In 1999, the men’s marathon world record time of 2:05:42 was set by Khalid Khannouchi of Morrocco and in 2002, UK’s Paula Radcliffe set a women’s record time of 2:17:18.  In the wake of Ethiopia’s Haile Gebrselassie new world record marathon time of 2:03:59 set only two weeks ago in Berlin, marathoners are sure to be inspired this weekend in Chicago.

Good luck to all the Chicago marathoners this weekend.  Have a safe run and come back to tell us about it!

Here’s a workout combination you don’t see every day, trail running and rock climbing.  The Tour de Hyalite, held in Bozeman, Montana, combines both events for a one-of-a-kind race.  The Bozeman Daily Chronicle describes the event “is like a duathlon”:

…consisting of trail running – a trip to Hyalite Peak (10,299 feet) and back – and rock climbing. Each climb is worth a number of points. The harder the climb, the more points earned. Competitors count points from their top five climbs, then subtract that number of minutes from their run time to get their final result. People can compete individually, participating in both sections of the race, or as a team of two.

Though the Tour de Hyalite is hardly a serious competition one has to wonder how to train for such an event.  On one hand you have a 14-mile trail run which is obviously aerobic and fast-paced.  And in the other, rock climbing is generally anaerobic and depending on the rock, can require more focused and deliberately slower movements.  Like a winter biathlon combining cross-country skiing with rifle shooting, the Tour de Hyalite is surely a test of fitness and accuracy.

You might even think you would be fresh for both sporting events since running primarily uses your legs and climbing is done with your arms.  On the contrary, using only your upper body for rock climbing can make you tired quickly.  Hats off to the competitors of the Tour de Hyalite who conquered two very different disciplines of running and rock climbing.