...sort of. It was billed as a "10K more or less" and measured out to 6.38 miles. It was run on the grounds of and to benefit the Lehigh Gap Nature Preserve, across the river from Palmerton, PA. They rated it as a "challenging and technical" course. That translated to "steep and rocky" I think. (If anyones's read bill Bryson's book A Walk In The Woods, this race was run on the very hillside he looked at and described as on of the saddest, deadest places in the country, having been destroyed by pollution from a zinc processing plant just across the river.)
I ran it in my VFF Bikilas and think that they were entirely appropriate for the terrain. I still ended up with a bruise the size of a plum on my left instep. I don't know how people handled the rocks in conventional shoes with all that added elevation.
Here's a link to a Garmin record of the course, with full graphics:
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/119677634
I particularly enjoyed the 490 feet of ascent from the start on the river. The views were spectacular and worth my life, or ankles, at least, to glance up to see. I had to watch like a hawk to make sure my feet landed safely on every step. Rocks from breadbox size down to softballs were what about 50% of the path was made of. It's much more fun to think about in retrospect. For the running, I was very happy. The first 2.5 miles or so were flat gravel trail, and I ran easy and only accelerated slowly. The climbs were tough, and I was not ashmed to walk the steepest parts. The best part was that almost everybody who ran past me after the 2 mile point, and especially the hotshots who raced up the hills, fell to my spinning relaxed legs on the long downhills. It felt wonderful!
My finishing time of 59:20, while not awesome fast, was good for 3rd place in the 50-59 AG.
I ran it in my VFF Bikilas and think that they were entirely appropriate for the terrain. I still ended up with a bruise the size of a plum on my left instep. I don't know how people handled the rocks in conventional shoes with all that added elevation.
Here's a link to a Garmin record of the course, with full graphics:
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/119677634
I particularly enjoyed the 490 feet of ascent from the start on the river. The views were spectacular and worth my life, or ankles, at least, to glance up to see. I had to watch like a hawk to make sure my feet landed safely on every step. Rocks from breadbox size down to softballs were what about 50% of the path was made of. It's much more fun to think about in retrospect. For the running, I was very happy. The first 2.5 miles or so were flat gravel trail, and I ran easy and only accelerated slowly. The climbs were tough, and I was not ashmed to walk the steepest parts. The best part was that almost everybody who ran past me after the 2 mile point, and especially the hotshots who raced up the hills, fell to my spinning relaxed legs on the long downhills. It felt wonderful!
My finishing time of 59:20, while not awesome fast, was good for 3rd place in the 50-59 AG.
