[RunningForT3]

Just found out about this:<br><a href="http://www.thenorthface.com/endurancechallenge/" target="_blank">http://www.thenorthface.com/endurancechallenge/</a><br><br>
Very challenging trail races, from 10K to 50miles.<br>
I'm thinking about doing the HM at the NY location.

 

[Thor]

I've had my eye on the Endurance 50 for a while. I actually tried to register last year for the CT version, but by the time I got around to it, it was sold out, which was fine by me because by then I had learned that I qualified for the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Clearwater, FL. So I have no problem letting the 50K go because, well, super long distance running and speedy fast Half Iron's don't exactly go hand in hand. The running really beats you up. But I'll have my eye on it again this year even though it'll be in different areas.<br><br>
If you care to find out how the races are run, pop over into the Ultra forum and ask there. Some of those guys and gals had done some of these Endurance 50 races last year. Seems there were some first-time-run problems but otherwise okay. Many people hate Dean, so you'll have to filter out that bullshit to see through to the real details.

 

[RunningForT3]

Thor, I'm only planning to do the HM distance.<br>
The only Endurance50 I knew so far was the run I had with Dean Karnazes when he was doing his 50 marathons streak.<br><br>
Regarding your post... "find out how the races are run"... they're run differently??<br>
Who's Dean?

 

[merigayle]

I did the 50M in DC last year and it was a clusterf*** of errors. The course was mismarked, over half the runners dropped out due to heat exhaustion and not enough water, and i am convinced i ran close to 60 miles, lol. I did finish though. I got 1st AG and 4th female cause it was survival of the fittest. There is a thread in the Extreme Running forum about the NY race with discussion of the course. Overall, i would go back, hoping that they fixed the problems. Check out the details on the packet pickup, which is the day before in Manhattan.

 

[RunningForT3]

Merigayle, was it that bad? Any other critiques?<br>
And what about the packet, I think it said on the site that I can get it at the start, half an hour before.

 

[RunningForT3]

Wrote to them, got a very quick answer that they'll ship packets on request, so I don't have to go to Manhattan on Friday. So I'm still in. Just for the HM distance.

 

[merigayle]

yes, i had heard you can get the packet shipped to you. For a fee, of course <img alt="wink.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/wink.gif"><br><br>
There was A LOT wrong with the race, which i hope they will correct this year. They seemed very open to our feedback.<br><br>
The course was mismarked/poorly marked and the volunteers did not know which way to tell us to go. I got lost as did many runners. Dean Karnases finished the race, in third place, took of his shoes and got in an ice bucket, only to be told by the race officials that they forgot to tell him to run the last leg. The volunteer sent him in the wrong direction. he had to get his shoes back on and go back out, ugh.<br><br>
it was 100+F and very humid and the aid stations were farther apart than we were told they were going to be. Over half the field DNFed, a couple got very sick, one runner ended up in the ICU for a week. I had a camleback luckily.<br><br>
There should have been water drops along the course in those conditions.<br><br>
Overall, the race had potential and last year was the series' inaugural season. You will not have the heat we dealt with, so that takes out a lot of the issues. I hope that they better mark the courses this year and brief the volunteers better.