Mt. Lemmon Marathon

[imike]

For those looking to experience Mt. Lemmon along with a few thousand others, 2010 will hold the inaugural Marathon run up the paved road... but more likely this is just to give notice of what to avoid that weekend in October... they are allowing cutoff times that would make it fairly easy to finish their event at a brisk walking pace, and unlike some of the other more difficult marathons, there is no qualifying. It would be sort of fun to see some fit hikers scoot up to the top ahead of the "normal" marathon runners!

http://www.mountlemmonmarathon.com

October 17, 2010.. avoid that area!

[Jeffshadows]

We should organize a summit event and smoke all of 'em to the top up the trails!!

[rushthezeppelin]

Finally all that summit training with weights pays off ehh imike

[imike]

Alas, that was all last year! Shoulder injury eliminated that this year, and in fact I'm converted over to biking as a primary training focus now. If they had just begun that event one year earlier! It would be fun to see what the hikers could do against the average marathon runners with that 6,000' of elevation thrown in.. I know that over ten years ago they held an event down in Tubac with 8,000' of climbing over 50 miles. The week before that event there was a 10K run in Oracle and all the marathon runners at the 10K were looking forward to the Tubac event the following week, but when it came down to it, the first of the three big climbs on the Tubac course took them all out... they all ran too fast and wore out going up the hill. My turtle pace got me to the top of the first climb in first place, which I managed to hold on to for the rest of the 50 miles.

That will not be the case on Mt. Lemmon... it is just 6,000' and the UltraRunners will show up... but, those average marathon runners... they will hurt.

[dadgad1]

Fortunately for those runners like myself who live in Tucson, we can train by running up Catalina Highway in part or in full many times before the the Oct. 17th marathon. When I did the 2004 and 2005 Whiskey Row Marathon in Prescott I envied the locals who, on any weekend, could run the course. They certainly had an advantage. By the way, their field of runners for the full marathon is no more than 200 runners. The field for the Old Pueblo 50 Mile Endurance Run held this year on March 6th is limited to 150 runners. More would sign up if there wasn't a cap and OP 50 usually fills up on the first day of registration. However I feel that Mount Lemmon Marathon's aspirations of 2500 runners is quite optimistic on their part! I could be wrong but I think the market for the full Mount Lemmon Marathon will be somewhere around 400 runners. We will see.

I commend the organizers of this event! Great vision and daring to attempt it.

I agree with imike that the average marathon runner that attempts the Mount Lemmon Marathon without training specific to the climb involved might be in for an educational experience.

Chuck
Tucson, Az

[imike]

It is interesting to think about... at first, it would seem hard to find those 2500... but, 1250 are really reserved for the 1/2 marathon distance (starting up at Windy Point)... and then there is the Pike's Peak Marathon and Ascent run... a much more challenging event, and running over 2600 entrants... all having to be prequalified, and many folks not allowed to enter. This event is open to all... and is easier. and, has really "soft" cut off times. It will be interesting to see. It is nice that Tucson would now have both a downhill Marathon and an uphill Marathon... makes for an interesting set...

[Nan]

I just got my note saying the "In-training" T-shirt is in the mail. Signed up for the 1/2...

[big_load]

Signed up for the 1/2...

The half was my favorite race; I wish I could do another one. Good luck!