I was reading through my September Runner's World magazine and came across an article called Late Entry. Bascially how to jump into a race you hadn't been preparing for. It caught my eye because although I hadn't been specifically training for a 1/2 this year, I really want to do one.
According to the article I have been logging enough miles to put a 1/2 on my calendar in the next 4 weeks. Well my interest was piqued so I looked around for a 1/2 in January. And I found one. What is it about runners that the harder the race sounds, the more we want to do it?
Here are some highlights in the race description:
"with continuous ups and downs throughout most of the route the elevation difference seems greater"
"There are several steep inclines along the race course, with at least three gaining over 100 feet in elevation"
And this is how the race description ends:
"If the course is not daunting enough, the conditions the day of the race may be. The unpredictability of Kansas’s weather is a certainty, even during the middle of winter. With the course traversing mainly north to south and with a predominately north or northwesterly wind, there is usually a tail or side wind. That normally means colder temperatures. Race day has featured temperatures as low as the single digits and readings well below zero with the wind chill factored in. Conversely, there has been occasion when the sky has been clear and under bright sunshine mid-day temperatures reached into the 50s or 60s and shorts and singlets were the apparel norm. Snow, sleet, or even rain before or during the event is also a possibility and that means more often than not there will be some footing issues to consider. Paved roads are generally manageable, but the country roads can often become a sloppy mess or may be mostly ice covered."
So let's see, possible sub-freezing temps not to mention ice and/or mud, hills, good 'ol Kansas winds. What's not to love?
