Hopefully I’ll keep myself together better than the old Hardrock, which broke to pieces and had to be replaced with this one for 2012.
Hardrock’s here, and I couldn’t be more excited.
This is my 5th time running the course, but only my 2nd time around in the clockwise direction around the loop. Just as a reminder, because I doubt anyone is really keeping track, the last time I ran the course this way was in 2010, and I finished in my fastest time yet, 30:21.
The course layout in this direction suits me well, with shorter, more direct uphills, and longer, mellower descents. Add to that the experience I’ve accumulated here through the years and the added miles I’ve logged this summer thanks to our dry spring, and I feel that if things go well, I could have a pretty fast time.
As is always the case, anything can happen out there so I’m just going to see how the day unfolds and try to put together my usual come-from-behind back half. Unfortunately, the Tom Chapman vs. Telluride (read here) land dispute that resulted in a re-route last year is still unresolved, so the course to Telluride is, once again, a couple miles longer. That doesn’t bode well for PR’s necessarily, but I’m still going to try.
Christy will be on the scene as crew boss, and veteran Neal Beidleman is pacing the 27 or so miles from Ouray to Sherman, including the stretch over Handies Peak. Chris Davenport will get his first glimpse at the event, when he joins me from the middle of the night through the next day for the 28 miles from Sherman to the finish in Silverton.
You can follow along through the Hardrock Live site, here- http://hardrock100.com/
The chart, just to give a visual as to how punishing this whole thing is-
This kind of sums it up, except that it’s a bit longer than 100.4. What’s two more miles?
Good luck, Ted! Run, Forest, run!
Wow, Ted! Good luck man. You’re an animal…I can’t imagine much tougher than this.
great attitude, strong training under your belt, inspiring crew for the course and lots of friends cheering for you back home – go ted!
It’s going to be a long day. I can’t wait!
Run safe Ted!
Dennis, you’ll get the rundown at lunch Monday.
Just checked the results, awesome job!!!!! Heading off to my first half ironman tomorrow morning. You are definitely an inspiration.
Ted, congratulation, great run!
Awesome race Ted – we were watching results all weekend for a few folks we knew who were racing! It was great to “watch” how patiently you let the race come to you. Congratulations on the new PR!!
Thanks everyone, it was a good day.
Honza, wow, good to hear from you. How’s everything?
After your history at Hardrock I’ve always sort of wondered if you were going to show up one day to give it another go. You still have some of the faster times the course has seen. You were definitely ahead of your time there.
Still in Ridgway at all?