You might be right. You might indeed like the 20 mile loop better than the “high” course. There is not much technical trail at all on the “high” course. But I’ve been on both, and I prefer the high course much more because it is more challenging, and obviously would be less repetitive. I’m really still hoping for the “high” course.

There are smooth spots, but really a lot of it is littered with a certain size of rocks that make you really have to pay attention to where you are placing your feet.

It’s also, to me, a more beautiful course to run than the 20 mile loop, and less repetetive since it’s not five loops.

That view from the top of Modjeska is very nice. And there are many nice views.

Either way, yes, it’s going to be great.

If you pretend this is HURT, that is a great perspective to take into it, and you will have no problem at all.

I have never seen the HURT course, but I have read accounts, and even though I would call this a very challenging course, it does not seem as challenging as the level of HURT. The weather we get may change that.

Here’s to hoping you do a nice write up with your balanced impressions after the race.

Doesn’t matter to me what it is. It’s all new for me. I’ll pretend that I”m at HURT if it’s the 20 mile looper.

Maybe not as nasty on this Saturday (and Sunday for most of the rest of us but maybe not you) as it would have been had we run the race yesterday, but nasty enough anyway.

My hunch is that the Forest Service may change this course to a 20 mile loop that we run five times, (at a lower elevation) because of any snow that the mountains there got above 4,000 feet.

But I truly hope not. It may be an impossible wish though, at this point, to have Forest Service approval to run the original course. I expect RD Harvey will send out another e-mail to us by Wednesday.

Do some more praying to the Forest Service Gods now, Karl. And again, best of luck in the race.

Great news! The RD has added going up and down Modjeska Peak, twice, for the 100 milers (and once for the folks running the 100K). The view from up there is even better than the view form Santiago Peak.

If runners take a short minute to enjoy it I think they are going to love it.

It is exactly 1 mile up and 1 mile down, so that adds 4 miles to the 100 mile course.

He is also tweaking the start in some ways so that it is truly 100 miles. It will truly be the Chimera 100.

Let’s all have a great race, and pray that everyone stays healthy and gets home safely.

See you there!

Geoff and I crash alot, it’s part of the deal.

Don’t worry about conditions, just have fun and deal with it.

Thanks for your response. Your attitude obviously illustrates why you are a champion.

(That is actually an accurate description of much of the Chimera course, although there are some smooth parts, the paved road sections, but few, thankfully.)

I will take your attitude into this race, so that I can perform to the best of my OWN abilities. For me, that would be a sub 24 on a personally very good day, far behind you, but I would still be elated.

Just being in the mountains, in any weather, enjoying the challenge, the peace, the enduring ultra spirit will be wonderful.

Can I just ask for one favor? If Geoff Roes enters the race (I know, unlikely with his NF50 just 6 days before), can both of you guys practice falling a few times?

Not enough to get hurt at all. No. Just enough to slow you guys down a bit.

That may be the only chance anyone else has of beating either of you.

I only ask this knowing, from a previous post on Geoff’s blog, that you both love falling!

Yes, here’s to sharp rocks, ice and nasty conditions, including howling winds, but can we have a little sunshine during the day, though?

If I see you at the start, I hope to have a chance to say hello and wish you a great race.

Take care,
Rob Blair

Sounds like a fun course. I eat rocks for breakfast! And if it snows, I like ice too. If it’s hot, I’ll eat a little more salt. Darknes, I have infrared eyes. Competition, bring it on!

Hilly? Remember this is the guy who thinks the “Speedgoat 50k” is runnable. Hills are not an issue, they are simply a place to slow down and rest a bit.

You are right though Robert. There are a few faster guys in the field. I’ll just keep the textbook in the back pocket as always and run my own race as usual.

Here’s to sharp rocks, ice and nasty conditions.

First and foremost, sincere best wishes to you in the Chimera 100.

Given the year that you ahve had, you’ve got to be the odd on favorite.

Although there are a couple of talented runners who, if they have a very good day (and night, for nightfall is only 11 hours into the race, at around 5PM), and you have an average day, or somehow take the course too lightly, might have a chance against you.

I have a feelin’, even if (after) you win the race, you might not be thinkin’ it’s a “fun” course, for a pretty snow dusted picture on the website might be deceiving.

I can see the WS100 as looking fun, and even the AC100 as looking fun, but I think most runners on 12/12/09 are going to discover that the Chimera “100″ course is a friggin’ scree filled, truck trailed nightmare.

I do think it’s short as well. There’s a section from Santiago Peak to Maple Springs that the 100 milers will run back and forth on twice.

In other words, four times on that stretch, total.

RD has the distance as 6 miles one way, but it’s really 4.5 miles. Thats a 4 x 1.5 mile = 6 mile discrepancy.

Unless there is some addition of more “fun”, scree filled, up and down, truck trail, at another point on the course, it’ll be more like the Chimera 94. Have measured that stretch six times. Always comes up 4.5 miles, not 6.

Of course, there probably won’t be the heat to deal with, and that’ll be nice, unless we get the opposite in bitter cold.

Thanks for signing up for the race. As an average runner, it’s inspirational to see runners with your talent in these races.

Sincerely,
Happy “Middle of the Packer”