Mt. Washington Road Race jitters

[Dan Szczesny]

Hey all,
We just registered for the Mt. Washington Road Race: Just One Hill
The lottery isn't until March 16, but I was just wondering if anyone else has registered or has run the race in the past? While you answer, I'm going to go and run up stairs for the next two months!
Dan

[Bill O]

Yep, ran it last year....it was really hard.

Let me know if you have any questions.

I didn't do any hill specific training but I had just run a marathon at the end of May.

[billysinc]

I ran it back in '97. I don't think the course has changed much. lol

[wbwoodley]

I have run it four times now. If you have the chance, I highly recommend a few practice "runs" up the road itself because nothing else compares to it. This made a huge difference for me- knowing how and where I should pace myself. Try training on Hurricane Mountain Road too if possible, this will give you a good sense for comparable steepness and road surface.

There are other mountain races in New England to help gauge your conditioning before MWRR. Check out the other mountain races here- http://www.usatfne.org/trail/

No matter your conditioning it will suck the wind out of you fast. Due to the steep grade, your jogging stride becomes much shorter than your walking stride. I found myself walking faster than others who kept trying to keep jogging. Try to "run" on the straights and walk on the curves (the curves are the steepest part of the road).

Check out Kevin Tilton's course description here-
http://www.whitemountainmilers.com/m...se-description

[Dan Szczesny]

Thanks everyone! We'll see if I get picked
And WB, thanks for the link to Kevin's site, that's pretty cool. I've hiked up and down the road before so I have a familiarity with it. but running it never crossed my mind! Have any of you signed up for this year?
Dan

[Kimball]

Hi Dan,

I ran the race in 1999, at age 36. I had been running for fitness 2-3 times a week, 3-5 miles per run, but had never run a race till that point. I noticed how much runners hate hills. I love hills! I hike big hills (NH 4000) every weekend. Sounded like a good fit for me.

I started training in January, running the Mt Uncanoonuc summit road once a week (something like 1.1 mile, 9-13% grade). Going to the gym or out running every day. In March or April I got a training plan from a friend of a friend (top 10% finisher?) and started training even harder. Doing lots of hill running as well as building up the distance. Some trail running where the grade was less than 12%. By May doing 18 mile runs on Saturdays. Sometimes doing Mt Unc summit road ~6 times a day.

I loved the race, but not all of the training. It's boring out there on your own. Should have had a training buddy. I'm happy with my finish time of 1:38, top 33% I think. I register in 2009 to see how I would do 10 years later, but didn't get in.

I'd put my name in this year too, but I'm still recovering from ACL surgery. Maybe next year. Good luck Dan, I hope you get in.

-Kimball