+ Clothing for the Homeless

+ Thursday night run: Green Mtn., Rooney Road lot (T=3, P=2-4; N=3)**

+ 2^nd annual New Year's day run and pancake breakfast. RSVP!

+ Tue morning runs: South Table Mtn (T=3, P=2, N=4)**

+ Saturday Evergreen Runners Circle run: next run Jan 8.

+ Rocky Mountain Road Runners

+ Incline Club carpool

+ Races, clinics and other upcoming events

 

 

Clear out your closets of those extra race t-shirts, running shoes, and any other clothing in clean and usable conditions. Bring them to the run this Thursday, or to the NY Day run and pancake breakfast. I will combine it with clothing collected from the Rocky Mountain Road Runners, and then deliver it to the Denver Rescue Mission.

 

Put your old clothing to a good use.

 

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This Thursday evening's run is at Green Mtn., Rooney Road lot (T=3, P=2-4; N=3)**. The main group will start at 6:15pm. The early group usually starts around 5:30pm; look for Scott, Ray, Connie or Kim.

 

Directions: From Denver, take 6^th ave to the end of the freeway. Turn onto Colfax or US 40. Go about 1 mile, just under the C-470 extension, then turn left at the light, Rooney Road. The lot is about 1.5 miles ahead, on the left.

 

From the south, take C-470 to Morrison Rd. Go west, then take the first right onto Rooney Road, before you enter Morrison, by the Conoco station. Rooney road goes by Bandimere Speedway, under C-470, then ends about 2.5 miles up at Alameda. Go left, cross over C-470, then take the next right onto Rooney Road again. The lot is about 1/2 mile up on the right.

 

Route (see attached): There are several options. Please choose the appropriate route for your speed to finish in about 1:00-1:10.

 

Start by taking the pedestrian bridge over C-470. Take the far right dirt trail. Follow the trail around the south side of the mountain, past the first few trail junctions. There's a junction in ~0.75mi (GM1). Go right (left takes you back to the start; straight climbs up steeply) and continue around the south side of the mountain. The trail takes you near the road, next to a small lot, at ~2.0mi; continue straight. At ~2.5mi, there a set of jeep tracks heading up to the left (GM2). You'll see (in the daylight) a fence on the left, up the hill. Do not turn here. Continue to the next junction, the Utah trail, 3.1mi (UTAH). This is the first option.

 

Option 1A: Intermediate runners should go left here, or see 1C below. Go up for ½mi then go left at the trail junction (GM5). Go up the trail another 1mi to the service road (GM6). Go left for 0.7mi to option 5.

 

1B: Faster runners should continue straight and continue around to the Florida lot (FLA), 3.4mi.

 

1C: Slow runners, and anyone wanting to avoid any big climbs, should continue to the Florida lot, or until you've been out 30-35 min, then return the same way.

 

Option 2: At the large, dirt, Florida lot (FLA), go left onto the single track at the north end of the lot. About ½mi up, take a 90° left turn, and continue up the next rise to option 3.

 

Option 3A: Go left on the single track. After ¼mi, go right at the junction onto the Utah trail (GM5). Continue another 1mi up to the service road. Go left, then continue to option 5.

 

3B: Continue climbing up the ridge to the towers. Take a left on the service road and continue ~1¼mi to option 5. This is a few minutes shorter than 3A.

 

Option 4: Skip it this time.

 

Option 5A: (GM7) The service road takes a sharp, left turn and heads down steeply. Stay on the road. It's about another mile to the finish.

 

5B: Stay straight onto a single track. After ¼mi, Go left onto a single track (GM8). This rocky trail winds its way down the side of the mountain. After ~1mi, go left at the saddle down a steep trail. This goes over a couple of rises, then merges back with the service road. Go right and continue another 0.4mi to the finish. 5B is ~.8mi longer than 5A.

 

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The 2^nd Annual New Years Run and Pancake Breakfast will take place on Jan 1, 10am, at Derek and Jessica Griffiths' house, at Ken Caryl. This is a low key gathering is intended to be fun and enjoyable. It consists of a 5-mile or 8 mile trail run, followed by a pancake breakfast. The run is optional. Derek & Jessica will be providing the grub.

 

Please RSVP to Derek at derek@... to help them get the right amount of food.

 

Directions: Take C-470 to the Ken Caryl exit and head west. Stay right at the "Y," at the light, and head up the hill past the horse barns, towards the Manor House. Stay to the left at the next fork in the road. Continue through the stop sign. Bradford Intermediate School should be on your right. Park here and then walk across the main road (Valley Parkway) to Dawn Heath Dr. Derek and Jessica's house is on the corner of Dawn Heath and Tecoma Circle at 28 Tecoma Circle.

 

For more information and detailed driving and running maps, go to:

http://www.coloradorunnermag.com/other/PancakeRunInfo.html

 

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Leigh Singleton is leading runs every Tue morning at South Table Mtn (T=3, P=2, N=4). The runs will start at 5:15am, and run into the sunrise. Leigh, and now Ray, are looking for some additional company. Look for Leigh in a yellow Nissan XTerra, often with a standard poodle. These runs will continue every week as long as people show up. Please contact Leigh for more info: inclinerunner@.... It's also helpful if you let her know if you plan to show up, It's not a prerequisite. It's OK to just show up.

 

Directions: Meet at the NREL visitors' lot. Take I-70 to Denver West Blvd. Go north to the first street. Turn left. Go 2 blocks to the NREL lot. From 6th ave, exit at Indiana. Go north to Colfax. Turn right and continue past the shopping center on the left. Turn left at Denver West Marriott Blvd. Go over I-70 and follow the directions above. There are no bathrooms or changing facilities at this site.

 

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There is no Evergreen Runners Circle (ERC) run on 1/1. The next ERC run is scheduled for 1/8.

 

The ERC runs are usually 60-90 minutes long. Occasionally, some people will start early, or run longer, to get in more mileage. They usually go out for coffee/breakfast afterwards. Several of us do the ERC runs, but I don't organize them. Please forward your questions to Dave via the ERC link below. For more info about the ERC schedules, go to:

http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Lodge/7018/index.html

 

Schedule:

1/8 - Upper Bear Creek Rd

 

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Many of you know that I am actively involved in the Rocky Mountain Road Runners (RMRR).

 

RMRR is Colorado's oldest (45 years) and largest (600+) running group. The membership ranges from kids, to those in their 70s. The bulk of the membership is middle of the packers, but there are those with mid-30s 10k speed, to those running 60+ minutes. There is also a contingent of race-walkers.

 

The Trophy Series (TS) is one of the key features of the club. The TS races use a handicap start and scoring system. Racers are assigned start times based on their previous performances with the slowest runners and walkers start first. The winner is the first person to cross the finish line. This way, everyone has an equal chance of winning. You accumulate points, throughout the year, based on your finishing position. The TS races are held once a month, Jan-Dec, from 2 to 10 miles, from Waterton Canyon to Westminster. The TS races are free for members.

 

Other member benefits include discounts to area running stores, discounts for other club races, weekly track workouts during the warmer months, and other weekly group runs.

 

With the start of the new year, now is the time to consider joining RMRR. The first TS race of the year is Sunday, Jan 9. For more information, go to www.rmrr.org, or call 303-871-8366

 

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The Incline Club (IC) runs on trails around Manitou Springs, every Sunday, from Thanksgiving until the Pikes Peak race. They stay on lower trails over the winter, then start going higher on the Pikes trails as the snow fades away. The group is organized by Matt Carpenter. There is a large number, often 100 or more, and a wide range of runners at these runs. The group is free. For more info go to http://www.inclineclub.com/

 

Contact me if you are interested in carpooling with others these runs.

 

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12/31; Bravo's Snowshoe Resolution Run; 5k; Vail; 970-581-5254; http://www.altituderacing.com/

 

1/8 - Turquoise Lake 20-mile snowshoe race; Leadville; www.racingunderground.com/snowindex.html

 

1/8 - Governor's Cup; 5k/10k snowshoe and ski races; Frisco Nordic Center; www.emgcolorado.com, 970-668-0866

 

1/9; Beaver Creek Snowshoe Series #2; www.bcsnowshoe.com; 970-476-6797 x107

 

1/15 - Swift Skedaddle snowshoe race; 3k/10k; Silverthorne; 970-389-4838; www.racingunderground.com/snowindex.html

 

1/19, 5:30pm; Nighthawks Nordic Series, ski & snowshoe races; Eldora Mtn, Nederland; 303-440-8700 x267

 

1/21-23; Grand Lake Snowshoe Festival; guided tours/hikes, 10k race (1/22), other events; 970-627-1881; http://www.grandlakesnowshoefestival.com/

 

1/22; Pazzo's Colorado State Championships at Meadow Mtn.; 9mi snowshoe; Minturn; 970-845-0931

 

1/26, 5:30pm; Nighthawks Nordic Series, ski & snowshoe races; Eldora Mtn, Nederland; 303-440-8700 x267

 

1/29; Cordillera Snowshoe Adventure; 5K/10K; Edwards; 970-581-5254

 

1/29; Winter Park Snowshoe Race; 5km (officially, but more like 4mi); 800-903-7275; http://winterpark-info.com/events/index.html?event=1455

 

1/30; Snowshoe cross-training for runners, cyclists and triathletes; Nederland; www.racingunderground.com/snowindex.html; 303-642-7917

 

2/5; Snowshoe (and ski) Orienteering; Frisco Nordic Center; www.rmoc.org

 

2/19; FREE snowshoe race; Salida area; details here later; tsobal@..., 719-539-4112

 

2/27; FREE snowshoe race; Echo Lake or Berthoud Pass; details here later; http://www.runuphillracing.com, info@...; 303-870-0487

 

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** Trail Rating - 1-5 scale, 1 being the easiest.

T = technical difficulty (rocks, narrow, curves, etc.)

P = physical difficulty (length, steepness and number of climbs)

N = navigational difficulty (ease of following the routes)