2008 Titus Van Rijn Invitational One-Hour Distance Classic

In lieu of, or in addition to, Thursday's speedwork at the middle school track, there will be a special, slightly organized running of the Titus Van Rijn Invitational One-hour Distance Classic. See "rules" below, but basically it is a relaxed, but still serious, one-hour effort on the track: See how far you can run in one hour and then report your results to the national organizer of the event (contacts below). A select amount of black cherry soda will be on hand.

Postscript: (6-7-08) Click here to view race report.

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Titus Van Rijn Invitational One-Hour Distance Classic

What: A one-hour distance running event

Who: All comers welcome - slow or fast; injured or healthy

Where: Wood River Middle School track

When: June 5 @5:30pm

Rules

* Your performance must take place on a standard 400 meter/440 yard track. Include partial laps in your final total; estimate distances as accurately as possible within reason.

* Send results to <andyleeroth@gmail.com> by midnight, 30 June 2008. In your results, please note name, total distance completed (in meters or yards), age, date, and location. We encourage you to include a brief report of your experience for the official race report.

* You may run the event more than once if desired, but only submit your best mark.

* You are encouraged to invite others to participate in the event. In many cases, our address list of past participants is incomplete, so we especially appreciate your forwarding this invitation to past runners not included in the original mailing.

* Complete results and race report will be sent to all participants.

* 'And you can dance…for inspiration' -- http://youtube.com/watch?v=e5fgejdS4gQ

Tradition

World champions in football and baseball celebrate with champagne; the victor at the Indy 500 gets a bottle of milk. At Titus Van Rijn, the celebratory beverage of choice for all participants is black cherry soda. We encourage you to maintain the tradition.

One-hour track records

World, women: 18,340 meters (~11.4 miles)

Tegla Loroupe (Ken), Borgholshausen, Ger 8/7/98

World, men: 21,285m (~13.2 miles)

Haile Gebrselassie (Eth), Ostrava, Czech Republic 6/27/07

U.S., women: 17,273m (~10.7 miles)

Nancy Conz, Amherst, MA 6/25/81

U.S., men: 20,547m (~12.8 miles)

Bill Rodgers (GBTC), Boston, MA 8/9/77

TVR, women: 12,800m (~7.96 miles)

Kate Jennings (WA), Winthrop, WA 6/2/2007

TVR, men: 18,115 (~11.25 miles)

Greg Crowther (WA), Seattle, WA 5/27/2006

Additional Questions?

Please contact Andy Roth (andyleeroth@gmail.com) or Mike Persick (mpersick@comcast.net), TVR Race Directors.

What Trails are Giving You Spring Fever?

Trails are finally opening up fast and furious throughout the Wood River Valley. SVBR runners report that a lot of trails out Croy are great and Adams Gulch is running well. Corral creek has been fully open for a while. Now that Carbonate's not the only option for some good vertical, what trails have been haunting your thoughts when you should be doing other things?

Tales from the Track -- May 22

Another good turnout for speedwork this week, with Hank, AJW, Mike and Brad hitting the middle school oval for multiple laps. 6 x 1200 was the order of the day, and with AJW hitting full stride in his Western States build-up, speed was up and rest was down. Even Brad was caught in the zeitgeist, jogging some slow laps on the down-low in anticipation of his full return to post-injury training.

The more the merrier. Hope to see folks next week.

Triple Vorberg and a Wondergirl Confession

First off, I have to confess that I didn't do the Wondergirl 5k. I was probably one of the few SVBR runners not to toe the line on Saturday in support of this great community event, but the interest from the troops at home (our 2 boys) was near nil, and I envisioned having to carry our 50 pound six year old on my shoulders for most of the race after he decided he just couldn't go on. Soooo.....I headed out selfishly on my own for three laps of the Carbonate-Vorberg loop. And despite wilting heavily on the third lap and having to dodge the same mean dog on my first and second climbs ("he doesn't like men running at him" What!?), it was a great morning of running and marks the end of my first phase of build-up to what I hope is my first ultra - the White River 50 toward the end of July.

Just a reminder, Brad's return to the trails post-injury is early June. I'm sure he'll be turning the screws on us all soon after that. Hope everyone's been training.

Any other run reports from the weekend?

--Hank

Vorberg Gulch Clear of Snow and Mud...and It's Top Notch

This afternoon I took my first full lap this season on the Carbonate-Vorberg Gulch loop, and it certainly didn't disappoint. Despite heavy legs and waning good cheer, the climb up Carbonate was good, the run over the ridge refreshing, and the single track descent into the Vorberg gully clear of snow and downright transcendent. As many folks know who have done it, it's hard to believe you're minutes from Hailey when you're in such an isolated area jamming down some pretty technical, serpentine trails. It's waiting for visitors. Cheers. --Hank

Last Chance Registration Discount for SV Half Marathon

You may have missed the bigger discount earlier on, but directors of next weekend's Sun Valley Half Marathon are offering $5.00 off registration for a little while longer. Use the code LASTCHANCE. Now's the time (reg site).

Thursday Workout

Thanks to Hank for joining me at the track on Thursday evening. I was there for my walking speed workout and to give some shouts of encouragement to anyone else that happened to show up. Hank was kind enough to join me. We walked laps and chatted while two new faces to the group, Kitty and Angenie, decided to show up and throw down some speed work. It was great to have them there. Hopefully, once summer gets into swing, they will join the group for some of our spectaculer backcountry runs. With their combined years of experience we could all gain some valuable knowledge from them.

Now get out and enjoy!

Running of the Blogs

Nice posts recently on the blogs of some of our local backcountry runners.

• AJW recounts, and riffs on, his mileage-packed training weekend on parts of the Western States 100 course (AJW's Blog post)
• Brad updates us on the travails of an ultra runner side-lined for 6 weeks due to injury, and the wife who has to live with him (Addicted 2 Running post).
• Hank's Run Junkie blog favorably reviews the new Asics Gel-Trail Attack 4 (Run Junkie post)

Any other posts you like from local runners? Let us know: Send an email or leave a comment.

Wondergirl 5K

That's right. I'm a man and I'm running in the Wondergirl 5K. I will be wearing my schwag Wondergirl t-shirt with pride around town because this event benefits the local chapter of Girls on the Run. Not only is this non-profit a great program, but my lovely wife is the program director!

Saturday, May 17th at 9:30am our community is invited to Heagle Park for the 4th Annual 5K fun run. This is a great opportunity for those of us with families to encourage the whole clan to show up and either run, walk or bike this great event.

I'll be there as 'volunteer at large' doing what my wife tells me to do. I encourage you all to get out and have fun at the race! See you then.

Toe of the Hill Trail

I have been in contact with the Becki Keefer of the Hailey Parks and Lands Board. Becki has informed me that the Toe of the Hill Trail will have an extension added to the south end. This addition will travel south from the Woodside Elementary trailhead to the southern City limits in the vicinity of the Woodside water treatment plant.This is great news for the trail users and hopefully a step forward to linking the trail with Bellevue to the south and Quigley Canyon to the north.

Also worth noting, I have been walking this trail as part of my rehab and can report the trail in good condition. A little dusty in areas but I find that nice to see after this slow start to spring.

$10 Discount on Sun Valley Half Marathon Registration

Directors of the Sun Valley Half Marathon (race site) are offering $10.00 off registration until May 9. Use the code ILOVESV. If you're planning on running but haven't signed up yet, now's the time (reg site)

This Week in Running

This week in running was marked by training and, unfortunately, injury.

Brad, just back from a blazing Boston Marathon and PR of 2:40:11, suffered an unfortunate, character-building injury this weekend. We'll let him tell the story in his own words via his blog (addicted2running post), but it looks like he's going to be out for a number of weeks. Staying positive, he's looking to come off the forced rest and hit the fall ultra season with fresh, hungry legs, which means his competitors should be wary.

Mike and Hank scuttled Sunday's triple Carbo plan and instead climbed to the summit and ran the hard-crust snow on the ridge to the single track on the far side of Vorberg, which they ran pretty much down to the muddy gully, then climbed back up and down to the Carbo trailhead. The run highlight was Mike sharing the story of his spelunking dog, who had recently fallen through the snow covering the mine shaft at the summit, and had to spend a cold and lonely overnight but was rescued safe and sound the next morning.

Thursday's speedwork was a solitary but successful affair. Working against himself, Hank actually completed the planned 6 x 1200.

AJW's off on a hairshirt training weekend on the Western States course, beginning his big build-up to the Big Dance on June 28.

Key Upcoming Races
May 24 - Sun Valley Half Marathon; Sun Valley, ID (site)
June 7 - Shafer Butte Endurance Run 52m; Boise, ID (site)
June 20 - Big Horn 50m ; Seridan, WY(site)
June 28 - Western States 100m; Squaw Valley, CA (site)

Anything to include in this or upcoming editions of This Week in Running? Send your reports or thoughts to hank@backcountryrunners.com. We can also send well-wishes on to Brad for those who don't have his email address.