Tag Archives: quad rock 50

Quad Rock Training Preview 4/15

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The Quad Rock training preview is coming up this Sunday, April 15th.

We will meet at the official race start at the Soldier Canyon Trailhead in Lory State Park to run the first 25 mile loop.

Group start time is at 8am. Pete will be available at the start at 7:30am if anyone new to the area has questions or needs any additional information.

This is not a guided group run so every runner is free to run at their own pace and modify the route to run whatever distance they want. Our goal is to simply coordinate a common start time to give runners an opportunity to meet and run together. We usually get a very good turn out from the local trail running group on weekend runs so there is a good chance that any runner from out of the area will have a chance to buddy up with locals who know the trail systems. If you end up starting earlier or later or run at your own pace by yourself, there will be plenty of other trail runners out in the park to cross paths with throughout the day.

There is a $7 Day use fee to access Lory State Park. Feel free to join and post to the Fort Collins Trail Runners list if you want to try to coordinate a carpool.

Water will be available at the pump at the entrance to Lory State Park at the visitor center and at the Horsetooth Trailhead. Be prepared to carry water to cover the 10.5 miles from the start to Horsetooth and the 14.5 miles back to the finish.

The course will not be marked so please make sure that you have a map and review our course description for directions.

On race day, we will have aid station junctions staffed with volunteers and all turns will be well flagged. Without course markings there are a few tricky turns to make note of:

  • At the top of the Horsetooth Rock trail, you will need to make a right to follow the Wathan sign post and then keep to your left to continue straight through to the Westridge trail that takes you back to Towers.
  • Halfway down the descent on Mill Creek, there is a sharp left hand turn to continue on course down Mill Creek. If you’re moving fast, the right turn onto Loggers looks like the obvious route and will add significant bonus miles to your training run.
  • After entering Lory State park at the end of Mill Creek, take the right turn to follow the Mill Creek link to the Arthur’s Trailhead. When you exit the Trailhead, start up the Arthur’s Rock trail and take a sharp left turn about half a mile up the trail in the meadow to connect to Howard.

For longer or shorter options, here are a couple suggestions:

19.8 Miles: Start out and follow the 25 mile route through to the Arthur’s Rock Trailhead (Mile 17.6). Skip the last climb around Arthur’s Rock and return to the finish on the 2.2 miles up the East Valley Trail.

34.6 Miles: Run the full 25 mile loop. Turn around and run the next section of the second loop back to the Arthur’s Rock Trailhead (mile 32.4). Return to the finish on the 2.2 miles up the East Valley Trail.

If anyone has questions, feel free to email me at pete@gnarrunners.com.

Pete

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14 Hour Quad Rock Pacing Plan

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In the past few weeks, we’ve heard from several runners worrying over the 14 hour course cut-off for the full 50 mile race. To make sure that the cut-off times are fair and accurate for a 14-hour finish, I (Pete) went out and ran the full 50 miles myself last month. As a result, we’ve decided to extend the mid-race cut-offs at Arthur’s Rock (Mile 32.4) to 1:40pm and Horsetooth (Mile 39.6) to 4:10pm.

I ran the course in the middle of a very high volume block of training on very, very tired legs so my pace for the day was much slower than my normal training pace and significantly slower than what I would have run fully tapered and rested for a race. I also didn’t have the extra benefit of aid stations with more frequent water refills and volunteer help. I jogged the easy sections and downhills and hiked every steep uphill on the course and finished the full course in 12 hours and 24 minutes. For runners who normally finish toward the back of races and close to course cut-offs, the 14 hour race cut-off for the 50 mile event will be tight but not an unreasonable goal.

Based on my 50 mile pace, I’ve estimated the following splits for a 14 hour finish time:

Aid Station Mile
Leg
Distance
Aid
Station
Time
Leg
Time
Leg
Pace
Total
Time
Arthur’s
2.2
2.2
None
0:27
12:16
0:27
Towers
7.2
5.0
3:00
1:20
16:00
1:50
Horsetooth
10.4
3.2
5:00
0:40
12:30
2:35
Towers
14.2
3.8
3:00
1:00
15:47
3:38
Arthur’s
17.6
3.4
5:00
0:43
12:39
4:26
Soldier
25
7.4
10:00
1:55
15:32
6:31
Arthur’s
32.4
7.4
5:00
1:55
15:32
8:31
Towers
35.8
3.4
3:00
1:15
22:04
9:49
Horsetooth
39.6
3.8
10:00
1:05
17:06
11:04
Towers
42.8
3.2
4:00
1:10
21:53
12:18
Arthur’s
47.8
5.0
2:00
1:10
14:00
13:30
Finish
50
2.2
0:27
12:16
13:57
Total
50:00
13:07
15:44
13:57

The pacing splits for each section should be fairly accurate based on my own actual running time on the course. This pacing plan includes a very generous amount of aid station time which I think most experienced runners can significantly reduce. While 3-5 minutes at an aid stop doesn’t sound like much, if you know what you need ahead of time you can be moving through aid stations in under 2 minutes with the help of volunteers to fill your bottles or pack/grab whatever snacks you need from the table.

I’ve included very generous 10 minute stops at the 25 mile turn around and the last stop at the Horsetooth aid station. At this point in the race, you may need to pick up extra backup fuel from your drop bags and/or change clothing layers depending on the weather. I highly suggest minimizing your time at the mile 25 stop and mentally preparing yourself to get in and out and on the trail for the climb back up to Arthur’s Rock. The section from mile 25 to the Towers aid station at mile 35.8 is the toughest of the course both mentally and physically. But trust me, if you stick it out and get yourself past the Mill Creek climb and into the home stretch, you’ll be rewarded with a very enjoyable and satisfying cruise to the finish.

Aside from minimizing aid station time, you just need to keep moving efficiently. As long as you’re hiking the uphills, you’re making progress. Make sure that you maintain focus and run every downhill and flat section. The course doesn’t have many flat miles but there are a lot of long switchbacks and traverses that are easily runnable if you stay focused and take advantage of them.

If anyone has any questions about the course or pacing strategy, feel free to email me directly at pete@gnarrunners.com. This is a tough course and not everyone will be able to finish the full 50 miles, but we want to make sure that we give everyone the support and information they need to have the best chance at success.

Pete

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First Endurance EFS Liquid Shot: Official Fueling Partner

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First Endurance will be the official fueling partner of the Quad Rock 50.

As part of our mission to offer a quality racing experience with as minimal an impact on the resources hosting us as possible, we are working to partner with companies that can help reduce packaging, waste and littering.

Not only is EFS Liquid Shot a fueling product that co-race director Nick Clark uses, believes in and endorses, but the handheld flask that it comes in helps reduce packaging waste, encourages recycling and reuse, and eliminates on-course gel pack littering.

Each runner will receive a 5oz flask containing 400 calories of supercharged EFS endurance formula to begin the race. Refills from larger 30-ounce jugs will be available at each aid station along the course, ensuring that runners are properly fueled for the duration of their race.

More on EFS Liquid Shot:

It’s called a liquid shot because it doesn’t contain gelling agents that can slow down absorption and digestion. Features include First Endurance’s proprietary 400-calorie endurance formula that boasts over 1500mg electrolytes, 1000mg amino acids and 100 grams of simple & complex carbohydrates, all in clinically effective doses. Plus, it’s packaged in an easy-to-use, resealable, refillable, and fully recyclable container.

We encourage entrants to try and train with EFS Liquid Shot before race day. First Endurance is offering an exclusive discount to Quad Rock runners.

Click here and use Coupon Code RUN100 to get 20% off your order from First Endurance.

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Colorado Physical Therapy Specialists

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We are excited to announce that Colorado Physical Therapy Specialists have stepped up as the first official supporter of the Quad Rock 50.

Owner Terry Gebhardt, an avid trailrunner himself, will be speeding post-race recoveries by providing massage and physical therapy for finishers at the post-race event.

Colorado Physical Therapy Specialists is a locally owned and operated business with two clinics located in Fort Collins offering a wide range of treatments including those related to running injuries and ailments.

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Permits Approved

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We got the verbal nod on our permit application from Larimer County yesterday, which means the Fort Collins Quad Rock 50 is officially on. We were earlier approved by Lory State Park, which will be hosting the start/finish festivities, so it seems that all our permitting ducks are now in a row.

I’m kind of throwing this post out into the abyss as the website hasn’t been officially launched yet, but as this is a major milestone in the development of Fort Collins’ first ever 50 mile endurance run, I figured I would document it as the first item of Gnar Gnews.

Pete and I couldn’t be more excited to have this ball officially rolling, and we really look forward to the opportunity of showcasing the amazing trails up here on the Fort Collins skyline.

See you in May!

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