Just read on their web site that they are expecting to sell out as of tomorrow, Feb 1, 2009
Best get in now…you snooze you loose!
Of any one that has done this race before. The first run is supposed to be 3.5 miles, yet the times in the past, results are extremely fast. 80% of the 50-54 age group runs 3 1/2 miles in sub 25? Either this race is very competitive, I’m slow as a dog, or the course is a tad short?
I’m hoping my 40 some runs of the 100/100 will pay off with an easy first run and fast bike! Who knows about the second run, we’ll wait and see what happens.
My first race is coming up next Saturday. Sedona 5K. A 100 ft of elevation change will not come close to my normal 300 in 1.5 miles. I’m using the race as a test of my running from the 100/100. At 4500ft I’m not expecting a pr on a hilly course.
well 25 minutes for 3.5 miles is just over 7 minute per mile pace. Even though the first run is mostly on trails, it is fast but the reality is that since the runs are relatively short, you need to be pretty much racing all out on the first run. Hold back too much and you are just going backwards in the crowd. A good general rule of thumb is that your pace on the first run should be the pace that you would run in a road race of the combined distances. So for Desert Classic, the total combined run is a 10km so you should at least be running your all out 10km pace for that 3.5 mile split. See you there.
The first run IS pretty fast–flat and non-technical. Last year was my first time there, and I was surprised by how fast everyone went out. The trails are narrow! You really need to pick places to pass and go for it when you get a window. Also, if you have someone breathing down your neck, be courteous and step to the side for a half-second, you know?! The best place to try to get out in front on the first run is right at the beginning when you’re on the road. Of course everyone is thinking the same thing… On the second run, there is much more area to pass when you’re on the paved or dirt roads, plus the field will have spread out a lot by then. The second run is NOT as fast, with a couple short, steep hills, and then a gradual climb back to the finish.
Last year, the collegiate athletes started in a separate wave (before age groupers), but I’m not sure of the age groupers had waves or not. We (collegiates) will be stepping out of the way for the fast age groupers. Just give a shout if you want to get by.
The start is by AGs typically 10yr AG ie M30-39. The run rolls downhill to a left turn then rolls uphill to just beyond halfway mark if I remember then rolls downhill back into transition. Most people go out like a mofo but it’s about a 4 min run to the trail. Most of those same people can’t hold that suicidal pace after 3min. I think I was in 15-17th place in my wave at the 3min mark, 9th entering the trail and 3-5th into transition.
Brian has it right on the waves, at least in the past they ahve gone with 10 year age group waves.
One thing that always struck me about this race is the fact that it is very narrow on the trails, but everyone is very courteous about letting faster runners pass when they come up from behind. I know last year I was injured and couldn’t run on the uneven trails so was getting passed a bunch and the last thing I wanted to do was inpede someone elses progress so I was trying to constantly be aware of faster runners coming up from behind so I could be sure to give them room to go by. This year will hopefully be a different story.
How rough is the trail? In other words, would you wear your Zoot racers or your more substantial trainer? First time I have done this race. Also, in the past how has the wind been out there on the bike? I was planning to go with a disk cover in the back and a Hed 3 in the front.
I’ll wear flats, it’s fairly good footing. second run has some deep sand spots but all in all no need for trail shoes. Can be windy on the bike, but i’d run the fastest wheels I own. I can’t imagine why anyone would run anything but a disc on that course.
fwiw I’ve run a disc and h3 every race for the last 3 years, including one with 20-30mph gusting wind.
I will see you all there. Trying to beat my time from 2006 despite most of past 2 yrs off with broken leg and recovery. I will be the slow guy in the 55 + age group… have fun running your 7 minute miles.
Last year was blowing like crazy the day before the race, but race day was beautiful. I would bring the race wheels and racing flats. I wish I could be there. My achilles won’t let me:(
I’m in the 50-54. I did a 40 miler today on the new bike. My last 2 rides in the last 2 days were with “kids” 20-25 years younger then me and made me kill myself. Hopefully I won’t be too sore to run.
Watch for me…596 in white. Wouldn’t be racing the Zipp anymore. Well, maybe sometimes : )
Unfortunately for me, I had to pull the plug on the race. All this past week, my wife and I were on an annual backcountry ski trip in the 10th Mountain Hut system, in Colorado, that my father-in-law organizes. We skied out yesterday. While the snow at our hut (Ben Eiseman) was fantastic, a combination of high altitude multihour days (my first day and biggest was 10 miles, 4000 ft and 6 hours, most of it with a heavy pack) and a nasty stomach bug that raced through our group and bit into me on our way home with a fever and mild gut discomfort lead me to choose wisdom and rest over valor, and to forgo the race. In hindsight it was a little ambitious to plan the race on the heels of this ski trip, live and learn. On the plus side I was missing my two girls terribly, so it is nice to have the weekend with them, rather than rushing right out the door to something else.
I have always wanted to do this race, but am never in shape enough this early to think I could serve it justice. This year I thought I was fit enough to do the event with a little style. The World Du’s were my backup plan to Kona. I’ll have to see if I can make one of the other two qualifiers, or come up with another plan “b”.
I wish all the other ST’ers racing good luck and good times.
For those who like to earn their turns I highly recommend the 10th Mountain Huts, a group of 18 or so hut situated between Leadville, Aspen and Vail. You can go hut-to-hut or just stay at one and day ski, both types of trips are loads of fun.
A pro that is 27 and he was number 9 won, didn’t catch his name. Jozsef Major came in second, I don’t know how Tim Deboom or Amanda Lavato did. When i was on the bike, number 9 was well ahead of Major and the third place pro so I figured he was going to win since he had a comfortable lead. As for us regular folk, I did alright, went out a little too hard on the first run, did better than i expected on a very hilly bike course, and the second run was fine until the hill with all the loose gravel you have to run up (or walk up in the case of the pack of runners i was with) All in all a good first duathlon for me but since results aren’t posted, and they weren’t really being updated often at the race I don’t know exactly how I did.
Chris Foster (Forster?). He’s an former Div 1 runner. VERY good runner. I missed his name in the field, otherwise he would have been the obvious choice. Fairly good cyclist. Not much of a swimmer (I think he swam like 25+ in Dallas last year). Nice guy. I spoke to him in Dallas after the race. I think he’d like to do ITU and non-drafting Olympic, but he’s got a very serious uphill climb ahead of him in the swim at 27 years of age. Who knows how the cards will play out. Wish him the best of luck. Too bad Duathlon is sort of a dead sport, as I think that’d be his best bet. He ought to move to Belgium…