The IMAZ website details a slight course change for the run. Nothing really different, a longer out and back at the beginning and only one trip (per loop) down the Lopiano trail heading back into Tempe. I have heard that we can expect a bike course change shortly. Basically, no more Fountain Hills. Countinue up the Beeline past Shea and turn around (still two loops). This cuts out all of the dips and dangerous corners in FH and makes the course much faster if this is how they change it.
Oh Man! I don’t know if I like that… Are you pretty sure about the bike course? I’ll go look at the website, I am riding/running the course this week-end
The run is published, the bike changes are just rumored but getting stronger as I hear it from more people that “know” someone on the “inside”.
I wouldn’t say “hillier” compared to what was planned. I would say more of a slow grind as you continue up the Beeline. Coming back is absolutely lightspeed. Again though, just rumors now.
Hillier, with no steep downhill would be ideal for me:-) i’ll get crushed on a flat course
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The run course change is a good idea, I was wondering how they were gonig to light the trail for the late finishers…it would be pretty bad to try and run on it in the dark. Also part of the north bank of Town Lake is now closed to runners.
If the bike course does change as described, you will basically continue down the hill past Shea, and then you get a long 8 mile uphill, similar but perhaps slightly steeper than the first part of the beeline, a bit less exposed to the wind I think. This is where you would come out if you did the Saquaro Lake ride I described in another thread. I imagine you will continue on a little bit past that point, but it will be relatively flat. This will make the course faster in my opinion, since the surface is much better than FH and McDowell areas. This will also tend to make the out/back balance even more upset. I do NOT recommend you try and ride the out section past FH…there is no shoulder on the east side (out side) of the road, but the shoulder on the west is good. The change will be a disappointment to me…the loop through FH was probably a more interesting/scenic way to go, and there will now be no good way to pre-ride the entire course.
The way I read it, the trail is still run but only on the return trip toward Tempe. I never considered the lighting issue but I think it will still be a factor. Maybe the description is wrong?
Less opportunity for people to have delusions of lying down and drinking out of the stream next to the trail. Like my friend did in the Crown King Scramble 50k last year.
Is the section of road between McDowell casino and the Bush HW that does not have a shoulder have 2 lanes? I have driven this road many times but I cant remember if it is 1 or 2 lanes. We are planning to ride from Shea/Bee to Rye and return on Sunday (early).
Thanks,
Derek
i saw that too… that the trail was still there… where did they cut somes miles with them adding 1.1 miles on rio salado? if we don’t take the trail out, we STILL get to marigold… also do you guys know where in the world the pumping station is? Is it past priest? or before?
Yes, it does have two lanes. It’s possible to have some close calls if the traffic in the right lane can’t get over to the left lane to get around you.
definitely won’t make it hillier. it was fairly rolling through fountain hills, but only one spot that i’d call a climb/hill and that was short. as dapper dan said, it’s more of a gradual uphill with the occasional “steeper” hiccups if the course continues north east like is being rumored.
it will probably be less scenic, although if you want to make you entry fee back, you can stop for some blackjack at the fort mcdowell casino. the other negative aspect is that with the fountain hills section removed, the course doesn’t break up quite as well strategically. before it was basically 8ish miles to the beeline, 11-12 up the beeline, then roughly 8 around fountain hills. 3 nice, manageable sections per loop. if they made the change, it’d be out to the beeline then a bit of a grind for 20 or so miles.
the course will be faster though. just on the return portion of the course i did on sunday, i picked up over .5 mph on my average speed with a bit of a headwind coming back into tempe…tailor made for negative splitting…
I don’t think they cut much out at all. Every time I ran the course as originally noted it was short. Even shorter after the construction popped up. Instead of running the trail out (on the N side of the 202) you run on the bike path (s side of 202) parallel to the Lopiano trail. It really relieves the cogestion of 2 running directions of the trail. There still is a lighting issue so I wouldn’t be surprised if the trail gets cut out completely and the description wasn’t changed accurately. The pumping station is really the west dam (way before Priest) and the builiding across from the dam on the other side of the path. The building has some benches near it and a small cement path leading to/from it. Just turn around at the dam.
The pumping station, I assume, is the building between the railroad bridge and the dam. Only, you can’t run that far down the trail now, it is closed until July 3rd. The map is drawn as if the lake goes past Priest, but it really stops about 1/3 of the way between Mill and Priest.
I’m not really thrilled with this run course. It is broken up into a bunch of different dog-legs and turns. Worst, some of it is unnecessary…for example, the two dog legs on the north side of the lake could easily be combined into one. Curry road would be better than Lopiano trail, especially after sundown. There is a very sharp turn getting off the Rural bridge. I much prefer a long straight course.
I agree about the suboptimal run course conditions. At least the “pumping station” is nowhere near Papago park…if you know what I mean.
Oh that explains it! I did a full loop, even went as far as priest in like 1:40… which would be a PR for me on a half marathon… I was thinking “man” I am cooking! But now that you say that, it makes a whole lot of sense…
Now I was wondering… if it’s closed until july 3rd and the race is on april 9th, hmmmmmmm…doesn’t make sense.
I’ll ride with you the next weekend (2/12-13)…whatever day works for you. I’m sure desertdude will be up for the ride as well.
And me 
.
Excellent!!
If I can do a shift trade, I will be out there that weekend.