Wow, what a start to the series. The Prologue is typically a punch in the gut to kick things off – and while Drahner and Markwood left no shortage of daunting climbs for the segment, participant numbers were up 60% compared to last year with 94 guys and gals throwing down a time. The duration of the week was primarily sub-freezing temps, with Saturday morning’s sun and warmer temps ending up as the prime time to put a run in.
The quality of guys and gals competing so far should not be understated. Looking at the top of the Men’s Open class, it’s a deep list of well-established and flat-out fast names. Meanwhile, the Men’s Sport class has 60 guys competing which should be great to watch as they battle back and forth each week. And most impressively, the Women’s Open class has grown immensely, with 26 in class and times looking extremely fast and competitive out of the gate.
For Segment 2, we move away from the gravel roads of The Prologue and into a big block of single track at Bloomer Park. For those not familiar with the trails, a few notes:
- Pay close attention to the segment. It’s not a bad idea to do a warm-up lap and get the route correct before putting in a run.
- Watch for walkers/runners and keep an eye out for dogs, both on and off leashes.
- See the Strava Segment
- Download GPX file
Thanks to all who participated this week. Updated points can be found on the standings page.
Cheers.
