Of the various good-natured debates that permeate the game of path working and ultrarunning, few are as vigorous and as different because the dialogue over which path — clockwise or counterclockwise — is tougher on the Hardrock 100.
After all, the easy reply is that they’re each exhausting. And that’s fairly true. However, for these of us who’ve run the race in each instructions, and I’m lucky to depend myself as a kind of, all of us have our opinions.
The Hardrock 100 course showcases 4 historic mountain cities of the San Juans — Silverton, Lake Metropolis, Ouray, and Telluride — and permits the hardest ultrarunners on the planet to check themselves in these majestic mountains. Over practically 30 years of the long-lasting race, the course has remained nearly unchanged, save for a couple of small re-routes right here and there. Because of this, it gives nice fodder for the talk: which path is tougher? What follows is my opinion on that query.
Claire Bannwarth (left) and Annie Hughes share early miles within the 2023 Hardrock 100 mountaineering up the “ramp” exterior of Maggie Gulch. Picture: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi
Most everybody is aware of that the Hardrock course, over its 100 miles, packs about 33,200 ft of climbing over 9 main climbs, the best one topping out at 14,058 ft. All of these climbs are steep, soul-sucking efforts in each instructions that can take a look at even essentially the most seasoned ultrarunner. However, upon nearer inspection, it turns into clear that one path — the clockwise path that runners are traversing this 12 months — is extra forgiving and, subsequently, extra prone to yield quick occasions. As my good good friend Roch Horton, 10-time Hardrock finisher, usually says, “Going clockwise you run up the ‘partitions’ and down the ‘ramps.’”
Within the clockwise path, the climbs, or the partitions, are invariably steeper, extra technical, and shorter. The descents, or the ramps, are longer, gentler, and extra prone to permit runners to open issues up a bit and make up time working down the extra gradual grades. There are 4 key locations the place this level is illuminated:
- The descent off of Oscars Cross into Telluride
- The lengthy descent down Camp Hen Street into Ouray
- The sweeping street descent from Engineer Cross to Grouse Gulch
- The sleek street from Burrows Park to Sherman
These 4 sections, totaling over 22 miles in combination — totally on jeep roads and double-track monitor — symbolize sections the place runners can actually run. They’re fantastically forgiving. I keep in mind first changing into conscious of this in 2008 when Kyle Skaggs grew to become the primary individual ever to run Hardock in below 24 hours. That 12 months, he informed me he ran the seven-mile Camp Hen part from Governor Basin to Ouray in 48 minutes in the course of the race.
This concept was bolstered in 2012 when, in line with winner Hal Koerner, he ran down all 4 of the “ramps” at a sub-7:30-minute-per-mile tempo and distanced all of his opponents within the course of.
Kilian Jornet main François D’Haene and Dakota Jones early within the 2022 Hardrock 100, a clockwise 12 months, earlier than occurring to set a course file. Picture: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
In a protracted mountain race of 100 miles, a number of variables are at all times at play, and the brutal reality is that Hardock is troublesome in both path. However for the good and savvy runner who does their homework and analyzes the course, it’s clear that clockwise is the quicker path. It will likely be enjoyable to see the way it all performs out this 12 months.
Bottoms up!
AJW’s Beer of the Week
This week’s Beer of the Week comes from Telluride Brewing Firm in Telluride, Colorado. Suero is a crisp pilsner brewed with recent lime juice and a pinch of salt to supply a style of Mexico in a excessive mountain city. Suero is, in some ways, a basic German-style pilsner. However in different methods, it’s a kind of beers that retains you coming again for extra.
Name for Feedback
- When you’ve run Hardrock in each instructions earlier than, which do you assume is tougher?
- Given the choice, which path would you select to go?
