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Copper Mountain Half Marathon (Read 52 times)

RunSaintRun


    Yeah, I signed up for it. Well actually my girlfriend did for me. It was described as rolling hills on their website.  After I was signed up I checked out the course profile. Umm those rolling hills are at elevation and go up and down the sides of mountains, actually ski slopes I think. Now I've skied out east and our ski slopes are steep. I would think the ones in Colorado are just as steep, and at a much higher elevation.

     

    How much will this 1/2 hurt....  especially considering travelling from the east coast (not quite sea level but may as well be) to Copper Mountain about 3 days before the race???

     

     

    Thanks

    ymmv


      Have you skied there, or anywhere like Summit County where the base elevation is over 9000 feet?

      For me, the first few days are not much fun when I arrive from sea level., and I don't mean the skiing part, just being there is uncomfortable. Sleeping will be difficult. You may experience impressive headaches.

      Don't have a beer the first day. Trust me on that.


      Mmmmm...beer

        I lived in Denver for a while and we used to go four wheeling up in the mountains a lot, that kind of elevation will definitely affect you.  I wasn't a runner back then, but I used to get a lil light headed just walking around on some of the peaks.

        -Dave

        My running blog

        Goals | sub-18 5k | sub-3 marathon 2:56:46!!

          I ran an alpine half marathon in the Swiss alps, and I live/train in a flat place at sea level. Not gonna sugar coat it: that half marathon really, really hurt. Like a lot. I ran the whole thing and did not power hike any of it;  think hiking the more brutal hills would have probably made the whole thing less painful without much impact on my finish time. The downhills were actually more painful than the uphills. I wasn't wearing trail shoes and by km 17 the bottoms of my feet were killing me from all the little stones. i literally cried at the finish line from pain and exhaustion.

           

          Would i do it again? Absolutely Big grin

           

          Just take it really easy, hike if you have to, enjoy the scenery and plan for a week of recovery afterwards. Viel Spaß!

           

          Yeah, I signed up for it. Well actually my girlfriend did for me. It was described as rolling hills on their website.  After I was signed up I checked out the course profile. Umm those rolling hills are at elevation and go up and down the sides of mountains, actually ski slopes I think. Now I've skied out east and our ski slopes are steep. I would think the ones in Colorado are just as steep, and at a much higher elevation.

           

          How much will this 1/2 hurt....  especially considering travelling from the east coast (not quite sea level but may as well be) to Copper Mountain about 3 days before the race???

           

           

          Thanks

          RunSaintRun


            Thanks for the replies..... kinda what I was expecting. The change in altitude has me worried, the 'rolling hills' less so at the moment. Mostly because I am not at the bottom of them looking up Smile.

             

            On a positive not the views should be awesome!!!

            GinnyinPA


              It's a pretty area away from the resort.  I've hiked there.  I know there are paved bike paths near Copper Mountain as well - is part of the race on the bike paths?  Any chance you can get there a week or so early to acclimate?

                Thanks for the replies..... kinda what I was expecting. The change in altitude has me worried, the 'rolling hills' less so at the moment. Mostly because I am not at the bottom of them looking up Smile.

                 

                On a positive not the views should be awesome!!!

                 

                Our family has visited Colorado for a week each of the last two summers. Definitely agree on the discomfort, headache possibilities, etc @ 9000+. My advice is to stay plenty hydrated and plan to run 1 to 2 minutes/mile slower. Just go for a walk and/or a short run in the first day or two and you will get a feel for things. By day 3 or 4, I usually start to feel quite a bit better, but my speed (not that I have much) doesn't come back until I get home to lower elevations. If I was there longer than a week, maybe things would be different.

                When it’s all said and done, will you have said more than you’ve done?

                RunSaintRun


                  It's a pretty area away from the resort.  I've hiked there.  I know there are paved bike paths near Copper Mountain as well - is part of the race on the bike paths?  Any chance you can get there a week or so early to acclimate?

                  We're all booked up, daughter's bringing a friend and they are just getting. out of school for the year here in NH. In hindsight arriving a week earlier for the race would have been the intelligent choice.  Part of the course is on the Vail bike path which looks like it runs parallel to one of the interstate highways. The rest of the course runs through the ski area and village