The 3rd edition of the McDowell Mountain Frenzy comes to McDowell Mountain Regional Park this weekend, taking place mainly on the “competitive track” mountain bike courses first built in 1998. The competitive tracks feature rolling hills, narrow single track, banked turns, and several named “features” including “T-Bone Ridge” (the final climb in the 25 Km & 50 Km courses), “The Chunnel” (a horse tunnel/bridge featured in all races), “Double Dip” (two steep descents at the start of the race), and “Cactus Corner” (aid station on the far southwest corner of the 10 mile course). The 5 Km race is the shortest in the DRT series and follows the Sport Loop, featuring a single loop around …
2011 Pass Mountain Report
The 2nd edition of the Pass Mountain Trail Runs featured slightly modified courses of the 50 Km and 26 Km routes and the consolidation of last year’s 10 Mile and 9 Km into a single 11 Km race. With an overall entry limit of 200 runners, we knew we could only offer three race distances this year. During race week, the race sold out (the 2nd DRT Series race in a row to sell out) and we were primed to have 200 runners join us for a beautiful day out at Usery Mountain Regional Park. The changes to the two longer courses were slight: we moved runners from the sandy and convoluted Channel Trail up …
Koerner & Howard Crush The Javelina Jundred
It’s not every day you can simultaneously run a 100 mile race and watch as both the existing male and female course records vanish before your eyes. Participants in this year’s Javelina Jundred witnessed a rare event this November as both Hal Koerner and Evan Honeyfield went under the previous best time of 14:20 set by Dave James in 2009 and Liza Howard dismantled Jamie Donaldson’s best of 17:11 set in 2010. Javelina’s unique “washing-machine” style (reverse direction each lap) repeats the 15.4 mile Pemberton Trail, allowing not only for the elite runners to see where they stand against their competition, but also for the rest of the field to watch the race up front …
The Revival of the American Ultra-Distance Track Race
An introduction to the Desert Solstice 24 Hour. This article is featured on iRunFar.com
2011 Pass Mountain Preview
The second annual Pass Mountain Trail Runs will feature 50 Kilometer, 26 Kilometer and 11 Kilometer race distances on trails within Usery Mountain Regional Park and the Tonto National Forest. This is the only race in the DRT Series that ventures outside of the regional park system and onto Forest Service land. The views from atop the saddle on the Pass Mountain Trail are quite spectacular, with the Goldfield Mountains spreading out to the east towards the Superstitions, and views of the Salt River to the north. While the 11K features little elevation gain (with the exception of going over Cat Peaks), the 26K and 50K courses will conquer an 800 foot climb up …
2011 Cave Creek Thriller Report
As the subtle glow of dawn appeared off to the west, runners bustled about the ramadas of the group picnic area; some checking in, others placing their drop bags along side the trail, and some catching some warmth of the umbrella heaters while chatting with friends. The morning was cool, but not quite brisk, ensuring a warm day ahead. At 7am, 41 runners headed out on their first loop of the 50 kilometer course led by Ian Torrence, Jay Danek, Scott Bajer and Michael Carson. They would first head out on the newly added out and back section along the Slate and Flume trails before completing the main Go John and Overton loop used at …
2011 Cave Creek Thriller Preview
The 2nd annual Cave Creek Thriller will once again jump start the Desert Runner Trail Series. The race is nearly a sell out, with over 190 runners currently registered. Although the distances are the same as last year, the 30 Km and 50 Km courses have been changed up to include some of the other trails within the park. An out and back spur along the Jasper, Slate and Flume trails will take runners to the southern reaches of the park and reduce the total number of loops. There will also be a new remote aid station (Flume) at the turn-around on the out and back. The main 10 Km loop of the …
2011 Javelina 12 Hour Report
The 15.4 mile Pemberton Trail within picturesque McDowell Mountain Regional Park served as the setting for this weekend’s Javelina 12 Hour night run hosted by Aravaipa Running. This gathering of Arizona’s ultra and trail running community kicked off at 6pm, just as the sun set behind the McDowell Mountains to the west of the park. Runners ranging in age from 15 to 76 set out to tackle anywhere from 1 to 4 loops on the trail. One of the unique features of this trail run is special permission to access the park’s trail system at night (trails normally close at sunset). Although flashlights were needed for the first two hours, the almost full moon eventually …
2011 Javelina 12 Hour Preview
As high temperatures dip into the nineties here in the Phoenix area, we are gearing up for the first race in Aravaipa’s fall race season. Our first event this year takes place in the rolling, mellow valley of Sonoran desert in between the McDowell Mountains and the Verde River. This area was first inhabited by nomadic hunters and later thousands of Hohokam Indians who made their home near the confluence of the Verde and Salt Rivers. Presently, it is home to McDowell Mountain Regional Park and the over 50 miles of scenic trails that meander through hills and across numerous desert washes that drain the McDowell Mountains. The most well known trail in the park …