2007 GORE-TEX (TM) TransRockies Run
Stage 3
Pando, CO. to Leadville, CO.
24.5 miles/ 3000ft climbing

2007 TransRockies Stage 3 Results »

After two days of wild and, at times, violent Rocky Mountain weather, the remaining competitors in the 2007 GORE-TEX (TM) TransRockies Run were treated to clear skies around the campfire before bed on Monday night with the promise of blue skies for the next day. At 9,200 feet above sea level though, clear skies mean cold nights, and the entire race village was covered in a layer of frost when racers and staff began emerging from tents and RVs for the usual 6am breakfast call.

As soon as the sun crept over the ridgeline to the East of the start line in historic Camp Hale, the air began to warm quickly and racers moved toward the start line with the feeling that this might be the first day that GORE-TEX shoes and outerwear were not mandatory equipment. The 24.5 mile route would take the racers along the gorgeous singletrack of the Colorado Trail climbing up and over the Tennessee Pass to the base of Cooper Hill Ski area. From there, a rolling descent would take them into Leadville, Colorado which, at 10,152 feet, is the highest city in the USA.

Eric and Kyle Skaggs of Team Montrail won their third stage in a row in 3:27:29, though Erin Hutchinson and Dustin Phillips of Team GORE-TEX Vortex pushed them closer today finishing in 3:37:23. The race for third overall continues to be a see-saw affair as Gaffuri Martin and Glen Redpath (Wings of Glory) snatched the final podium spot back from Team-XC.com.

In the Open Mixed category, Team Running Times continued to dominate with their third straight stage win and now have a 46 minute lead in the overall. The closest racing is in the Masters 80+ category where the top two teams are separated by less than 15 minutes. The locals continue to lead the Open Women’s category as Team Beaver Creek came through the finish in 4:37:32 to pad their overall lead.  

With big miles and a net elevation gain, Stage 3 was a daunting test for the runners. Finish times were 30 per cent longer than day 2 and the wear and tear showed in the big line=ups for the massage tables and physiotherapists who were working hard to nurse tired legs back to life.

The campsite in Leadville was close to the main street and many runners took the opportunity to visit one of the local internet coffee shops to get in touch with home, or one of the local drinking establishments to enjoy the analgesic effects of their favourite brew. Too much coffee or too many beers are probably a bad idea with the longest stage of the race on the horizon, a 28.3 mile beast finishing at pristine Champman Campground.

Given that Leadville sits at the foot of the two highest mountains in Colorado, Mt. Massive at 14,421 ft and Mt. Elbert at 14,433 ft, there’s no easy way back out of town. The racers will reach the highest point of the 2007 race as they cross the Continental Divide at Hagerman pass which reaches 12,000 feet above sea level. From there, the racers can look forward to a final 18 miles which slopes gradually downhill losing nearly 4,000 feet in the process.
 
Stage 4 Preview
Leadville, CO to Champman Campground
28.3 miles/2994 ft climbing

The longest stage of 2007 features a rough climb from Leadville to the top of Hagerman Pass over the Continental Divide which is reached at mile 10. The views from the top of Pass into the Sawatch Mountains will be amazing with Mt. Elbert and Mt. Massive looming over the course. Once they leave the views behind, they’ll enjoy a gradual and steady 18-mile descent with the exception of a short rise just before the finish line.