Friday, May 07, 1999
Five races every runner should experience
From streaking past nudes in San Francisco, to sneaking past bears in Alaska
BY JOHN WISE
Enquirer contributor
Here are five national races that have to be considered among the top running events in the world, and a destination for anyone who loves to run in great races:
1. BOSTON MARATHON
City: Boston
Length: 26.2 miles
When: April
Why is it unique? The oldest race in the country is the only marathon for which runners need to qualify. Also, the name is probably the most recognized of all races.
Runners often participate in flat-course marathons in other American cities in order to finish in 3 hours and 10 minutes, the qualifying time for the Boston Marathon.
Run on Patriots' Day, a state holiday in Massachusetts, the race ends downtown at Copley Plaza, where fans who have witnessed the Red Sox' annual 11 a.m. game traditionally gather at the finish line.
Heartbreak Hill is the notorious incline that punishes runners at the 17th mile.
2. BAY TO BREAKERS
City: San Francisco
Length: 12K (7.46 miles)
When: May
Why is it unique? Many runners wear costumes — or nothing at all — in this race that begins at San Francisco Bay and ends at the Great Highway, just in front of the Pacific Ocean.
The largest and one of the oldest footraces in the world, the Bay to Breakers brings in every class of runner or walker from all over the world.
When the race ends, the fun is just beginning. A post-race concert is one of several attractions at Footstock.
Thirteen-person centipede teams, tethered together, will compete against each other. The Bay to Breakers has been the official site of the World Centipede Running Championships for 20 years.
3. DIPSEA
City: Mill Valley, Calif.
Length: 7.2 miles
When: June
Why is it unique? This is the second oldest race in the country and is quite grueling.
Runners begin by climbing up 676 steps before they encounter a small mountain. Those who survive this test are then rewarded with a downhill run that ends at the Pacific Ocean.
Another unique feature is this race gives participants a head-start based on age and gender. The youngest winner was a 9-year-old girl and the oldest was a 70-year-old man. The field is limited to 1,500 to limit damage to the state park, and it is very difficult to get into.
Jack Kirk, now at age 91, won the event in 1967 and still participates every June. Nowadays, though, he is escorted by a bodyguard and wears a sign on his back that reads, “Don't touch me!” to fend off runners who hope to give him an encouraging pat on the back.
4. PIKE'S PEAK MARATHON
City: Manitou Springs, Colo.
Length: 26.3 miles
When: August
Why is it unique? This is one of the most demanding marathons in the country. Runners often compare it to an Ultra Race.
Despite its spectacular setting of the Barr Trail on the east side of the mountain, this course is downright nasty. Starting in picturesque Manitou Springs, the trail gains 7,815 feet in elevation over the 13-plus miles to the summit at 14,110 feet.
Runners lucky enough to survive that test then turn back around and finish the race entirely downhill.
This race is limited to the first 800 registrants, and is usually filled by May.
5. CROW PASS CROSSING
City: Anchorage, Alaska
Length: 26.2 miles
When: July
Why is it unique? Start with the setting. The race is run entirely in the Alaska bush country, away from all civilization. There are no aid stations along the course. Entry rules are strict, and the field is limited to 135 people.
The first part of the course includes climbing a mountain, where the winter's snow may, or may not, have melted. At about the halfway point, you have to cross a glacier-fed river. Oh, and there's no bridge.
The second-part of the course is run through bear territory. Don't worry, the bears usually try and avoid so many people running though their land. The bees, however, are a problem. Since there are no roads any where near the trail, some runners who had a bad reaction to a bee sting were picked up by helicopter and taken to a hospital.
Flying Pig Marathon Guide
