I think I'll be there for the 50M although I've had some health issues and I'm out of shape. Anyone else?
Refurbished Hip
Ran it in 2011 and 2012. Volunteered last year. This year I'm coming to spectate.
Running is dumb.
Are we there, yet?
The 50K will be my first trail ultra.
Hi Mandy!
Any long range weather forecasts yet or trail conditions?
2024 Races:
03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles
05/11 - D3 50K 05/25 - What the Duck 12-Hour
06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.
Hi George! It's been raining here all last week, but this upcoming week looks okay. The trail will dry out without any issues before next Saturday. At worst it might be a little tacky, but I predict it'll be fine. Thankfully that trail doesn't hold water and never gets really muddy.
Kalsarikännit
Max King just broke the 26 year old Ice Age CR with a time of 5:41:07.
I want to do it because I want to do it. -Amelia Earhart
He went by me (twice due to the two out-and-back sections) absolutely flying. It was beautiful to behold that someone could run so fast and look so smooth. Never seen anything like it.
I was pulling for Joe Uhan to earn a WS entry, but he dropped at 13. Normally he's top 10 at WS, so automatic, but he dropped last year in the heat. I saw him come through Michigan Bluff looking toasted -- shortly later he was back, and out.
Guess I won't be seeing him there this year. Or are there any Montrail Cup races left?
Ice Age is the last one.
And watching Max King smash the record was pretty damn cool. It should be noted the second place guy (still can't remember his name) beat the old record as well.
By 12 minutes!
Women's CR went down too, to newcomer ("pixie ninja") Kaci Lickteig. Pam has some competition at WS.
Ice Age is the last one. And watching Max King smash the record was pretty damn cool. It should be noted the second place guy (still can't remember his name) beat the old record as well.
Matt Flaherty was the second place guy. Those were smoking.
GreyBeard
By 12 minutes! Women's CR went down too, to newcomer ("pixie ninja") Kaci Lickteig. Pam has some competition at WS.
Kaci and Emily Harrison. One of these two will win.
2020
So I hear. But surely Pam still has to be the odds-on favorite. Harrison was 7th place last year, two hours behind Pam. Is there some reason to think she's massively improved this year? Granted Pam was more highly motivated last year, coming off a disastrous 2012 performance. But my money's still on her.
I think what Pam did last year is what Tim did in the mens race two years ago. Opened up peoples minds that the course record could be taken down by a big margin. Same as what Max King did at Ice Age. Just like in marathons elites are pushing the pace to the breaking point. So yeah, I think Pam will have some stiff competition and I would put my money on Kaci. If she can execute the race, her raw speed gives her a hell of an advantage.
I think what Pam did last year is what Tim did in the mens race two years ago. Opened up peoples minds that the course record could be taken down by a big margin. ... and I would put my money on Kaci. If she can execute the race, her raw speed gives her a hell of an advantage.
Maybe so. I hear she ran a 2:50 marathon a week before Ice Ace. Pam has never run that fast. OTOH she has done several other amazing things since WS last year, and has a big course-knowledge advantage.
BTW Pam didn't take down the course record. Ellie Greenwood took down Ann Trason's "unbeatable" CR in 2012. I don't know whether Pam is potentially in that league, but 2013 was not the year for records to fall.
I ran most of the Ice Age course last weekend training for a 100 on almost the same course. I tried to imagine running 6:50 pace even on some of the steep downhills (not to mention the uphills) but I just couldn't fathom it. 6:50 pace is marathon pace for me on flats, so you would think downhill would be faster. Not so. Either Max ran sub 6 on a big chunk of the course or went kamikaze on the downhills, I'm not sure but Ice Age has few stretches where you can go straight and fast., maybe 30% of the course.
I consider myself pretty agile on the trails but after Max's performance it seems to me like hill training, weekly long runs on trails and speedwork are not enough to get your max performance on trails like Ice Age. You have to do speed work and sprints on technical trail to increase your agility and take every advantage you can. The bar continues to raise...