2007 Klondike Road Relay (Read 662 times)

Last year I ran this race and I wrote up a tiny little race report and JK pretty much said that was a lame race report because he had all of these questions that I had to answer later so I'm gonna try to give you more detail. This is a GREAT relay race that starts in Skagway, Alaska and ends in Whitehorse, Yukon. The road to Whitehorse goes through some of the most beautiful landscape I have ever seen and you're talking to someone who lives in AK where so many views are spectacular. Here is a link to the roadrace which has the course descriptions in the race information...I cannot get the darn profile link to work! http://www.sportyukon.com/klondikeRoadRelay/default.php The race starts anywhere from 7:00 pm to midnight dependent upon the speed of your team. Only 2 teams started at midnight ("Smokin' Ol' Geezers...Men's master's runners) and "Take no Prisoners" ...open men's team) Our all women team started at 7:30. Our team has been around 20 years but this was the first year I was on it. I have run this race 6 years in a row, though with other teams. So we have 2 cars (The night van and the day car) and when the 1st runner takes off at 7:30, we both supported her the 8.8 miles to the next station. After the #2 runner leaves, the number 1,7,8,9, and 10 runners drive to Spirit Lake and catch some sleep in a rustic cabin. The #3,4,5, and 6 runners stay in the night van and "sleep" as well as support the runners and look out for bears. I was the #6 runner and my leg was 16 miles with steady hills for the first 13 miles and a nice downhill for the last 3 miles ending in the town of Carcross. I started running at about 3:15 am and finished in 2:45:00 (10 minute miles). I can't say I slept as it is kind of a hoot to support these awesome runner girls through their efforts. Lots of laughing that's for sure (Did I mention we are not elite runners??) I was wearing a headlamp and had some tunes playing which I don't normally have but I thought it might help me focus since I was sort of tired. I felt pretty good for most of the race and passed a couple of folks (not many) and got passed by the wave of speedy elites somewhere near the end. There were Northern lights and a sliver of a moon with beautiful clear skies. I ran in just a jog bra and capris running pants with reflective tape all over my butt. We made all girls running night legs have reflective butts which helps keep a lot of drivers on other teams awake. Oh did I mention people dress up and are goofy during this relay. Support cars are decorated with Xmas lights. At around mile 13 I felt my brain becoming a bit delusional and I kept hoping I could make it to the support van. It was dark most of the way and my headlamp just kept the white line viable and that was my focus. Feet and white line for 16 miles. At mile 14 I could feel the down hill and I just cruised into Carcross for the exchange with Leg 7 runner. Dang was I glad to see her! The night van runners went to Spirit Lake and slept what we could until 9:30 am. My GI system was a bit explosive so it was awhile before I got some sleep. After 10 am we drove out to support the last runner across the finish line. Yahoo another year and this race kind of marks the end of summer for us Northern runners. Our average time for all 10 runners was 9:32 and we finished in just over 17 hours. We came in 10th out of 19 open women's runners. Overall there were over 1300 runners. 2 teams of 2 runners ran this as an ultramarathon with each runner running 4 leg. There were some amazingly fast times! Oh and there were 2 bears that were fairly interested in the runners. In the paper this morning, I read that a brown bear was actually running alongside 2 runners near the pass and that there was a bear along the road at a stretch of highway that I ran through. Ignorance sometimes is bliss. Saturday evening there is always a dance (the 11th leg) which is just a ton of fun. Lots of rock and roll and sweaty runners. If you can get some runners together, it really is a great race! http://www.sportyukon.com/klondikeRoadRelay/default.php

Great report (pity JK isn't here to appreciate it though!). That does sound like a lot of fun. Who got the job of taping the women's butts? Claire xxx

That sounds so cool! The running in the dark would terrify me, but it still sounds cool! And your team did awesome with an average of 9:32 min. miles. And I agree, ignorance is bliss in regard to the bears!! I can't imagine trying to sleep knowing your leg was up next. Or running in the middle of the night! That must have confused your body.

What a blast that must have been! And beautiful too! Not to mention a logistical challenge with the timing of the vans and the various legs. Well done! Thanks for the report!

No need for a pace bunny when you have a pace bear. Feets don't fail me now.........

Cheryl: I volunteered to do leg 6 because it was long (16 miles) and I am training for a marathon this year so it made sense. Sometimes the moon is bigger and you can see more but its kind of like where you live if you were to run from Anchorage to Seward at night. Beautiful! Sandi....one more really long run and then we are as ready as we are gonna be for this marathon. I know I should have had 2 twenties but oh well. I am looking forward to the Klondike already! RA: you should get an RA team and come to Alaska!