Jemez Mountain Trail Runs

La Sportiva "Going the Distance" Fundraiser

2012-02-15T21:45:00.004-07:00

As part of the Mountain Cup series, La Sportiva sponsors fund raiser called "Going the Distance". This year they will be selling 100 limited edition travel coffee mugs to raise money for a local organization. They will be selling these mugs at the La Sportiva booth during packet pickup and on race day for $15.

All the proceeds raised will be donated to the:
NMCF SANTA CLARA PUEBLO "WE WILL HEAL" TREE FUND
This fund supports the reforestation of over 17,000 acres of Santa Clara Pueblo that were scorched during the devastating 2011 Las Conchas wildfire, the largest in New Mexico’s history. Eighty percent of Santa Clara Pueblo’s tribal land has recently been impacted by wildfires and flooding. The “We Will Heal” Fund seeks to restore the beauty of the fertile Santa Clara Canyon for this and future generations of tribal members. For every $5 will enable the purchase and planting of one seedling.

Additional donations can be made to the fund here.

Update - January 24, 2012

2012-01-24T20:32:00.010-07:00

Planning for the race is going well. Registration is already open for the 50 km and 50 mile distance races and registration for the the half marathon will open on February 1st.

Course: Using the proposed course is looking good. In late December, the Santa Fe National Forest opened up a bunch of trails (thanks to the hard work of the SW Nordic Club) that the course will utilize. I believe that we should be able to gain access to cross the LANL property and access the Caldera in the locations that we want. The only section of course that I have concerns about is the section on upper Guaje Ridge. Even if we are not able to access this section, we do have a backup plan and should not stop the race from occurring. So in summary, I fully expect that the course will be very similar to what is described in the last post.

Registration: Currently the 50 mile is almost half full and the 50 km is about a third full.

Las Conchas Trail Recovery: During the registration process, the entrants have the option of donating money for trial recovery from the large wildfire that destroyed many trails in the area last summer. The support that has been shown so far has far exceeded my expectations. To date we have already raised $750. I would like to thank all of you who donated to this fund.

La Sportiva Mountain Cup: The Jemez Half Marathon will again be part of the Mountain Cup this year. We are excited to partner again with La Sportiva in this race series. This year La Sportiva will be selling limited edition Mountain Cup coffee mugs. All proceeds from the mugs will be donated to local organizations.

New Race Director for 2013: Tom Stockton will take over many of the RD duties starting for the 2013 race. Thanks Tom!

Volunteer Opportunities: There are still plenty of volunteer opportunities ranging from organization and planning to just helping for a few hours during race day. If you interested, please contact jemezruns@gmail.com

Update - November 15, 2011

2011-11-05T18:51:00.004-06:00

The JMTR will take place on May 19, 2012. The format and structure will be similar to previous years with some exceptions noted below.

Date: May 19, 2012

Registration: Registration opens for the 50 mile and 50 km races on December 1, 2011 and for the half marathon on February 1, 2012. Registration will be through Ultra Signup.

Entry Fee: Same fees as last year. $70 for 50 mile, $60 for 50 km, and $40 for half. We considered raising the entry fees by $10 this year to support the trail recovery effort resulting from the Las Conchas fire. We realize that entering races is a large financial obligation for some people, so have instead decided give you the option to voluntarily donate to the trail recovery effort. There will be an option when registering through Ultra Signup to donate to this fund.

Refund and waitlist policy: We have decided this year to allow for refunds and will maintain a waitlist. We will offer a 50% refund only before May 1, 2012 and only if your spot can be filled. After May 1, 2012 all entry fees are nonrefundable. No refunds if there is no one on the waitlist. No transfer of entry to another person and no transfer of entry to another year. We will maintain a separate waitlist for each race through the Ultra Signup site.

Course: The half marathon course will be the same as previous years. Both the 50 mile and 50 km course will be new. The Las Conchas Fire severely burnt Caballo Mountain, Guaje Canyon, and Cerro Grande. These areas will take several years to recover. The 50 km and 50 mile courses will use the same route with the 50 mile doing additional distance in the Caldera.

Proposed Course: Start at the Posse shack and run to the Mitchell Trail Head same as previous years. Instead of ascending the Mitchell Trail stay on the Perimeter Trail. Follow the Perimeter trail past Pipeline Road, above Quemazon community, and then take the connector trail to the Quemazon Trail. Go up the Quemazon Trail to the Nature Trail. Follow the Nature Trail down to access trail into Los Alamos Canyon and the Ice Rink. Ascend the trail behind the Ice Rink and take the right branch up to West Road. Cross West Road and follow old jeep roads along Los Alamos Canyon to Camp May Road. Run the Camp May Road Trail (the trail parallels Camp May Road on the road's south side) to the Pajarito Ski Area. Ascend and descend the ski area to the lodge. From the lodge proceed out to Pipleline Road as in previous years. The 50 km runners will proceed down Gauje Ridge to the finish on the same route as previous years. The 50 mile runners will drop into Caldera (same as previous years) and run ¾ around Cerro del Medio. They will then exit the Caldera by climbing to the Pajarito/Cerro Grande saddle and then up to the top of the Pajarito Ski Area. Descend back to the ski lodge and then return to the finish the same as the previous year’s 50 mile course--via Canada Bonita/Pipeline Road/Guaje Ridge.

Please note that this proposed course goes through several severe burn areas. We are working with the land managers and have gotten positive feedback that we will be able to use this route. But there is still the chance that we will need to do some reroutes if these areas are not safe for the race to use. We will most likely not have absolute certainty on the exact course until after the winter snow pack melts, sometime in late spring. We will do our best to keep you updated on this and hope that you understand the situation.

Aid Stations: Aid stations will stay the same for the Half Marathon but new aid station locations will be determined for the ultra-distance races. Locations of these aid stations have not yet been determined, but we intend to provide a similar level of aid station support as previous years.

We look forward to seeing you in Los Alamos next year. If you have any questions, you can contact us at JemezRuns@gmail.com

Below is the proposed course. The 50km distance will run the red route and the 50 mile distance will do the additional blue loop through caldera.

Below is the proposed loop through the Caldera. Only the 50 mile runners will do the blue loop.

Jemez 2012!!

2011-10-19T19:26:00.002-06:00

BIG changes coming for 2012. We will have new 50 mile and 50km courses compliments of the Las Conchas Fire. Also we are introducing a new partial refund policy if you register but can't make it on race day. Look for details on the JMTR website in the next few weeks. Registration opens on December 1st. Stay tuned..........

2012 Poster

2011-09-11T07:23:00.002-06:00

We are looking for original art work that can be used in the poster for next year. If you have a painting or photo that represents some aspect of the race, please let us know. We would like to receive the artwork before the end of the year so that we can print the posters early next year. For more information please contact us at JemezRuns@gmail.com

JMTR Update for 2012

2011-08-11T19:13:00.004-06:00

We have gotten many questions about the status of the race for next year. The Las Conchas Fire burned much of the race course. About 1 mile of the half marathon course was within the burn zone while around 21 miles of the 50km and 37 miles of the 50 mile course were within the burn zone. Some sections of the course have been severely burned with subsequent erosion and flash flooding. These areas will not be open to the public for many years to come. This makes running the race on the current 50km and 50 miles course impossible in the near future.

However, we have decided to move forward with the planning for the JMTR in 2012. The date has been set for May 19, 2012. As we've done every year, we'll have three race distances; a half marathon, 50km, and 50 mile. The 2012 JMTR is still contingent on successfully getting a permit through the Santa Fe National Forest Service and the forest service has been very supportive to us running the races next year. We are proposing to run the half marathon on the same course as in the past. The 50km and 50 mile course will require substantial course changes. For the 50km course, we are proposing to run from town to the top of the Pajarito Ski Hill. The 50 mile course will follow the 50km course with potentially a long section of the course running through the Valles Caldera National Preserve. The new courses will feature less elevation gain than the previous courses, but will likely be similarly challenging on account of more technical trails with less shade coverage.

Photos of fire damage on sections of the course can be seen:
Mitchell Trail
Lower Guaje Ridge
North Mitchell Trail
Ski Area to Pipeline to Guaje Canyon and Upper Guaje Ridge
Cerro Grande and the Caldera

We will be updating this blog periodically with updates on the status of the race. We hope to see you back next year to experience the “fire” course.

JMTR Team

Numbers

2011-05-23T19:33:00.003-06:00

Here are the registration, start, and finish numbers for the races.

Half
296 registered
236 starters
- 8 DNFs
228 finishers
94.2% Finish Rate

50K
184 registered
146 Starters
- 11 DNF
135 50K finishers who started as 50K runners
91.8% Finish Rate
+ 13 50 milers who switched to 50K mid-race
148 Total 50K finishers

50 Mile
209 registered
162 Starters
- 31 DNF
- 13 Switched to 50K mid race
118 50 mile finishers
72.8% Finish Rate

Early Race Packet Pickup Sessions

2011-05-17T07:51:00.003-06:00

The Jemez Mountain Trail Runs are only a few days away! We are offering two early race packet pickup sessions this year to try and reduce some of the congestion during the Friday night packet pickup and dinner. If you are able to, we encourage you to pickup your race packet at one of the early sessions on Wednesday or Thursday.

On Wednesday, 5/18/11, the packet pickup will be from 11:30am to 1:00pm at the Los Alamos National Bank in Los Alamos.

On Thursday, 5/19/11, the packet pickup will be from 4:30pm to 6:00pm at the Crossroads Bible Church (the same location as Friday's packet pickup and dinner.)

If you pickup your packet early you are, of course, still welcome to come to the pre-race dinner on Friday and you'll have more time to socialize with friends and not worry about standing in a line.

Need Volunteers

2011-05-08T17:40:00.002-06:00

We are still looking for volunteers to help with packet stuffing next Sunday afternoon (May 15) and packet pickup on Wednesday (noon), Thursday (evening), Friday (evening), and Saturday (morning) of race week. Also need help with traffic control on Saturday morning. If you or someone you know is interested in helping, please send me a note. billgeist@gmail.com Thanks!

La Sportiva and the “Going the Distance” tech tee

2011-05-08T08:43:00.005-06:00

La Sportiva will selling tech tees at the race this year. All proceeds will be donated to the local Los Alamos Volunteer Task Force. This organization is dedicated to maintaining and building trails throughout the town and surrounding forest area. Please consider purchasing one of these shirts to support this organization.

La Sportiva Press Release

Injury Prevetion Class

2011-05-04T20:00:00.001-06:00

Jessica at Aligned Play is offering a running injury prevention class in June. If you are interested check out the details on the web site. http://www.alignedplay.com/events/runningclass.shtml

2011 Packet Pickup and Race Day Parking Updates

2011-04-25T18:44:00.003-06:00

In 2011 we will have two additional packet-pickup dates, Wednesday, May 18th and Thursday, May 19th. The Wednesday date/time is still being worked out. The Thursday session will be from 4:30pm to 6:00pm at the Crossroads Bible Church. Additional packet pick-up will be at the pre-race pasta dinner on Friday, May 20th, from 4:30pm to 7:30pm at the Crossroads Bible Church in Los Alamos (PDF map). Dinner will be served around 5:00pm. Packets can also be picked up at least 15 minutes before the race at the Posse Shack. For additional details, see the JMTR Runner's Manual.

There are also some changes to race-day parking around the start/finish area (Posse Shack). Please see the updated 2011 maps document and/or the 2011 JMTR Runner's Manual for details.

2011 Runners Manual

2011-04-06T21:27:00.001-06:00

The 2011 runners manual is now posted on the web site. It has all the information that you need about the race this year. Also, if you are local and need new running shoes, check out the coupon from CB Fox in the runners manual.

Another chance to attend the video running clinic

2011-04-01T21:28:00.000-06:00

If you missed out on the first video running clinic offered by Aligned Play, fear not. Since the first one filled another one is being offered on April 13th: Check it out here

2011-03-10T07:38:00.000-07:00

Our sponsor Aligned Play is offer a video running clinic on March 21st. Check it out here:

http://www.alignedplay.com/events/videorunningclinic.shtml

Cupless Races (And JMTR's Decision to go Cupless)

2011-03-08T14:17:00.003-07:00

This great blog post by David Hanenburg of EnduranceBuzz.com discusses the decision for the JMTR races to be cupless this year (and beyond). Read it and let us know what you think...

2011 JMTR Races Have Filled

2011-03-02T07:29:00.002-07:00

In record time, all three JMTR races have reached capacity for 2011! We expect to have around 600 runners between all distances towing the start lines on May 21st and we're stoked to see so much interest in our races!

If you had hoped to run in one of the JMTR races this year but procrastinated just a little too long, we'd still love to have you as a volunteer. Please contact the race director to see how you can help out.

2011 50 Miler Almost Full

2011-02-22T07:25:00.001-07:00

Wow, we've had a big run on JMTR 50 mile registrations in the past 24 hours! The 50 miler has only handful of spots remaining so if you want to run the awesome 50 mile course this year, register right now!

New sponsor, Aligned Play

2011-02-17T19:05:00.002-07:00

Aligned Play is a new sponsor for JMTR this year. They are offering personalized event training plans for the JMTR: http://www.alignedplay.com/specials/eventtraining.shtml
Also check out the FREE teleclass on secrets to improving aerobic fitness:
http://www.alignedplay.com/events/trainingsecrets.shtml

2011 JMTR Poster by Deb Pero

2011-02-14T22:29:00.006-07:00

Check out the Deb Pero poster that all entrants will received in their registration packet. You can also purchase the poster in Los Alamos if you are not running (or simply want an extra poster) at the following businesses: Village Arts, CB Fox, and Otowi Station Bookstore .
All proceeds will go to local organizations. See a preview image of the poster at the awards page at the official JMTR site.

2011 Races Filling Up Quickly...

2011-02-14T22:28:00.002-07:00

I was just looking at the registration numbers and it looks like the half should fill within the next three weeks and the 50 mile shortly after that. If you want to run, sign up soon...

2011-02-02T19:00:00.003-07:00

For runners who ran in 2008, last chance to get prints made from James Rickman. He was out taking pictures on the course.

Here is the Email that I got from him:

Dear Bill,

Sorry to SPAM you. I wanted to let people know that this is the last chance for people to get prints made of photos I shot during the 2008 Jemez Mountain Trail Run. Originally after the race, the only products I offered were digital file downloads. I have a great print company I'm working with. Many people had expressed interest in having prints made way back when, but I had no capacity to make them. Now I do.

I have put a gallery with photos from the race up at:

http://jamesrickmanphotography.printroom.com/ViewGallery.asp?userid=jamesrickmanphotography&gallery_id=2463807

People may purchase many very popular sizes and items at very reasonable prices. Unfortunately, I will be archiving the photos on February 28. After that time, they won't be available again. I'm hoping you'll help spread the word about the availability of these photos for the next month.

Registration for the 2011 JMTR half marathon

2011-01-31T15:36:00.004-07:00

Registration for the 2011 JMTR half marathon opens tomorrow, Feb 1, 2011. Although we don't expect it to sell out immediately, we encourage you to register ASAP if you plan to run it. And if you are still unsure, keep an eye on the registration because once it fills we will not be opening any more spots. Last year it filled in less than 2 months but a lot of people missed the registration by procrastinating too long. Hope to see you in May!

JMTR Trail Work

2011-01-21T12:02:00.001-07:00

A runner from last year's JMTR 50k has organized a trail work day on the JMTR course for April 30th, 2011. This trail work session is coordinated with the USFS and will concentrate on the section of Guaje Ridge trail below the Mitchell trail intersection. The focus will be on erosion control such as creating roll dips and check dams.
Please contact the co-race director, Bill Geist, to get signed up for this trail work day. We need to know you plan to attend so we can get enough tools and equipment for everyone.

2011 JMTR Half Marathon is Again a Part of the La Sportiva Mountain Cup

2011-01-21T11:44:00.003-07:00

We are very proud the JMTR half marathon is again a part of the La Sportiva Mountain Cup for 2011.

This great video was filmed on location of the 2010 JMTR and features plenty of footage of the JMTR half marathon course.

Now that you're jazzed up about it, remember the JMTR half marathon registration opens on February 1st, 2011.

2011 JMTR Registration Details Posted

2010-11-01T16:59:00.002-06:00

Hey runners! As you head into the winter training schedule you may need some motivation to get outside to run on those nasty weather days. Well, we have good news! Details on registration for the 2011 JMTR races has been posted on the JMTR website's entry page. Check it out and mark your calendars!

2010-08-22T19:34:00.000-06:00

A student from the University of New Mexico is conducting a graduate thesis on recreation management of the Valles Caldera National Preserve. Since the caldera offers many potential running opportunities and the JMTR goes though it, please consider participating in the survey. It only takes 5-10 minutes maximum. http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/vallesrecreation3

2010-05-23T11:49:00.001-06:00

Results are now posted on the JMTR web page. I think that we got everyone's times correct but please let me know if you think there is an error or if you see any mistakes in your information.

Runners need ride from ABQ

2010-05-20T15:27:00.002-06:00

Help! Two runners need a ride from ABQ to the dinner on Friday. If you can help please contact: Josef Guenther at josefguenther@googlemail.com. Thanks!

2010-05-19T08:30:00.005-06:00

Hello Everyone,

Only a couple of days until the race! We are all excited to see you this weekend. A couple of last minute notes:

- You will not need to know your bib number for check in, we will be checking in by last name.
- We have added an award for the 1st place Los Alamos runner (male and female) in the half and 50km races.
- We will allow 50mi runners to drop to the 50km race at the Pipeline Aid station and be counted as an official 50km finisher. Anyone who does change races will not be eligible for the overall top awards.
- The weather forecast is calling for a sunny day with a high near 80 and possibly very windy conditions. The race will be hot, especially the last 10 miles to the finish for the 50mi and 50km runners. The Guaje Ridge Aid Station only has a fixed amount of water. If we are going though water at a fast rate there, we will ask that you stock up on extra water at the Pipeline Aid Station.
- Lots of work has been done on the course, but there are still some trees down. Also the section of trail from the Guaje Ridge Aid Station down into Guaje Canyon, has many steep and loose sections. Be careful on this section. Same with the drop into the Caldera from the Pipeline Aid Station.
- Almost all of the trails have been marked to date. We followed the same marking philosophy as last year. All intersections are marked with several flags. If you see more than one flag, be aware of an intersection or tricky trail section. Off trail sections are marked with many flags and flagging tape within sight of one another. Section of good trails are marked with flags at least every 1/2 mile. But if a flag gets knocked down, it could be as long as every mile.
- For the 50 mile runners, there is a new water retention pond for snow making on top of the ski hill. Please stay away from this pond. It has a very slippery liner and if you fall in, it will be very difficult to get out. We are planning to try and mark the descent off the ski hill through the woods this year as opposed to the descent straight down Aspen. More detail will be given at the pre race briefing.
- There is a wild fire about 8 miles North of Los Alamos. The fire is being called the Elk Fire and is now 90% contained and is holding at 350-acres. At this time we do not expect this fire to impact the race in any way but you may see some smoke in town from this fire. More details can be found here.

I look forward to see you all this weekend!
JMTR Team

2010-05-16T23:04:00.001-06:00

Bib numbers have been posted on the main JMTR web page. Please note your bib number for runner checkin and also make sure that your entrant data is correct. Check back here for any additional updates about the race.

2010-05-05T22:36:00.001-06:00

Runner looking for a ride to and from the airport. If you can give a ride to a runner who is arriving into Albuquerque on Friday at 10am and departing at noon on Sunday, please contact Tim at trailmarker@gmail.com Thanks!

2010-05-04T21:44:00.003-06:00

Los Alamos Runners: I am looking for some people who are willing to host some out of town runners. If you have some extra space in your house or some place where someone can set up a tent, please let me know. Thanks, Bill (billgeist@gmail.com)

Volunteer Trail Work Day, May 8, 2010

2010-05-03T22:28:00.001-06:00

Bill Geist and Jason Halladay are planning a trail work day for this Saturday, May 8th for anyone interested in fixing up some of the local trails. The plan is to meet at 8:00am at the Mitchell Trail trailhead. We'll head up Mitchell Trail to Guaje Ridge. From there, depending on group size and tools, we can split into a few groups to varying sections of trail. We'd like to focus on clearing the nasty locust bushes on Guaje Ridge (upper and lower), downed trees, and some more serious trailwork on the lower portion of "North Mitchell" down where it drops into Guaje Canyon.
Volunteers should bring good trail shoes or boots, gloves, water, food, sunscreen etc. and be self-sufficient.

If you have hand clippers or loppers for the locust bushes or a hand saw for the downed trees, please bring those. We do have a small tool cache with some tools.
Note this is a completely volunteer effort with no support from any organization. It's just something to do to help maintain our local trails which will also benefit the racers in the JMTR events. Please comment on this post if you have any questions or comments about this activity.

Norawas de Raramuri ~ Amigos de Tarahumara ~ Friends of the Running People

2010-04-26T22:44:00.001-06:00

We're proud to announce a talk and presentation by ultrarunner Micah True (a.k.a. Caballo Blanco) at the JMTR pre-race dinner on May 21st and a longer presentation on Sunday, May 23rd at the Unitarian Church in Los Alamos. Please see this short PDF for more details.

2010-04-14T20:36:00.000-06:00

Hi Everyone. Just want to let you know that we adjusted the entrant cap for the 50mi and 50k races to ensure that we do not go over the limit specified on our permit with the forest service. The 50mi cap has been increased to 205 and the 50k has been decreased to 165. I expect both races to fill up soon, so register now if you want to run. Cheers!

2010 JMTR Runner's Manual

2010-04-12T22:01:00.002-06:00

Hello runners! The 2010 JMTR Runner's Manual has been posted on the JMTR website. You've got questions, its got answers! (And if you have any questions that aren't answered in the manual, please comment here so we can address them.)

Outside magazine blog post about the La Sportiva Mountain Cup

2010-03-25T22:01:00.001-06:00

The Outside magazine blog recently posted an entry about the La Sportiva Mountain Cup series of which the JMTR half marathon is a part of this year. Take a peek...

2010 JMTR half marathon registration now closed

2010-03-10T17:09:00.005-07:00

The JMTR half marathon reached capacity today and is now closed for registration for the 2010 race. I'm impressed with the interest. This is awesome!
We're sorry if you missed out on the registration for the half marathon but there are still spots in the 50 kilometer and 50 mile races. See you in May.

JMTR half marathon is part of the 2010 La Sportiva Mountain Cup Race Series

2010-03-02T21:51:00.003-07:00

We are psyched to announce the JMTR half marathon has been included as part of the 2010 La Sportiva Mountain Cup race series.
The half marathon is filling up fast (only 70 spots remaining) and at the rate it is going, we expect it to fill in the next week or two. With the news that the JMTR half marathon is a part of the La Sportiva Mt. Cup series, it's likely to fill even faster.
So if you've been procrastinating, get on it fast! Register for the JMTR half marathon on UltraSignup.com.

Registration for the 2010 JMTR half marathon opens tomorrow

2010-01-31T08:38:00.001-07:00

Get your fingers loosened up and memorize your credit card number, registration for the 2010 JMTR half marathon opens tomorrow at 12:00am on ultrasignup.com.
Granted, signing up is the easy part but then you'll be especially motivated to get out running on those iffy weather days or during periods of low motivation.
See you on the trails!

Happy New Year

2009-12-30T22:59:00.001-07:00

Hi everyone. I want to wish you all a Happy New Year from the JMTR. Looks like our race is filling up a little faster than last year. We currently have 79 people signed up the 50 mile and 30 for the 50k.

JMTR 50mi and 50k registration opens tomorrow, 12/01/09

2009-11-30T20:51:00.001-07:00

Set your alarm clocks! Registration for the 2010 JMTR 50mi and 50k runs opens tomorrow, 12/1, at 12:01am. OK, so you probably don't have to set your alarm clocks...it won't fill up that quickly. But if you're like me, you'll sign up and get the race on your schedule now so you'll have that nagging feeling to help motivate you to get out and run all winter even on the crappy weather days.

New this year is registration through UltraSignup.com. A very nice, grass roots, ultrarunner-managed site. Here's the direct link to the JMTR registration on UltraSignup.com is . Choose your distance on that page and make it so. Of course, we still have our official websitefor the latest information.
Half marathoners need to wait until February 1, 2010 for registration...but still keep that base fitness up through the winter.

In the meantime, if you're looking for training run ideas or partners, the JMTR Facebook group should be a good way to connect with other JMTR runners. Once we get out on the trails in the spring to start clearing them for the race I'll coordinate trail work days through the Facebook group and this blog too.

See you all in May (or sooner on the local trails),
Jason Halladay for the JMTR races

Preparations for the 2010 JMTR are underway

2009-10-09T15:19:00.004-06:00

Hello JMTR blog followers! The 2010 JMTR preparations are starting to take place and I thought I'd fill everyone in on the recent haps:

* The races will be held on Saturday, May 22nd, 2010. This is a week later in May than in previous years. The good news is the hardcore folks can now run the Massanutten 100 and JMTR a week later. The bad news is it might be a bit warmer than previous years. Bring your electrolytes.

* Race entry fees are largely unchanged. The 50 mile will be $70, the 50k will be $60 and the half marathon will be $40.

* JMTR will be using the great UltraSignup.com site for registration. Registration for the 50 mile and 50k races opens on December 1, 2009. Registration for the half marathon opens on February 1, 2010. Check out the JMTR UltraSignup.com page (and create your account now for speedy registration on December 1st!)

* JMTR has a new Facebook group page. If you're a Facebook user, join the JMTR group.

That's it for now. It's still a bit early for hard JMTR training but keep up the base mileage through the winter. See you in May.

2009 post-race

2009-05-18T08:20:00.002-06:00

What great weather we had for the race ! The course is a tough one for sure but the amazing territory we pass through takes your mind off the pain. I must say thanks to all the volunteers that dedicated huge amounts of time to make this race possible. The aid station volunteers were fantastic and put in a huge day.
The results have been posted online (remember to completely refresh the page in your browser if you don't see the 2009 links.). If you post any photos or race reports that you'd like to share, send us the links using the "please let us know" link at the bottom of the "Photos" page.
I hope everyone had a great race and met their goals while enjoying a tough but nice day in the mountains.

Fire and Weather

2009-05-14T19:47:00.003-06:00

Race day is almost here and we are finishing up the last minute details. The weather forecast for race day is looking great. The forecast is for a high near 70 in town. It will be 10 to 15 degrees cooler up on the peaks. There is also a slight chance for a shower to two, so don't forget to put a rain jacket in your drop bag.

There is also a lot of smoke visible just north of town. The forested service is conducting a prescribed burn. This is scheduled to be competed tomorrow (Friday) and we do not expect this to have any impact on our race. Depending on the wind direction, you may smell some smoke but that should be about all.

Some more photos of trail work.

See you all tomorrow or Saturday morning for race check in.

Aid Stations - Final Update

2009-05-12T21:45:00.003-06:00

We hope to feed everyone well on-course this year! Listed below are some of the food and beverage items you can expect to find at the aid stations.

Water
HEED electrolyte drink, assorted flavors
Coke, Sprite, and ginger ale
Succeed S-Caps
Fresh fruit (oranges, bananas, watermelon)
Dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, apricots)
Boiled potatoes
Sandwiches (PB&J, turkey, ham, cheese)
Broth and soup
Sweet snacks (M&Ms, Snickers, Jolly Ranchers, choc. chip cookies, gingersnaps, Fig Newtons)
Salty snacks (peanuts, pretzels, potato chips, tortilla chips, cheez-its)
Hammer Gels (assorted flavors, limited quantities)

Quantities and availability of certain food/drink will vary around the course. You will have access to a wide variety of first aid supplies and friendly, helpful volunteers at every aid station.

Some stations will only offer limited food and drink aid. These stations are:
AS #1 Mitchell Trailhead
AS #2 Guaje-Mitchell
AS #3 Caballo Base
AS #4 Caballo Peak (*check-in location only; expect very little food/drink*)
The crews will work as hard as possible to get plenty of supplies to those locations, but quantities of certain items will be limited or entirely unavailable. Please plan accordingly.

The JMTR team does all that we can to accommodate a wide variety of food preferences and nutritional needs at our aid stations. If you have certain dietary restrictions or prefer specialty items not found on the list above, we strongly suggest you include such items in your drop bag(s).

All the volunteers look forward to seeing you at their stations on race day!

Trail Marking Update and Information

2009-05-10T21:30:00.003-06:00

Trail Marking is almost complete, only a few segments need to be completed. Check out some photos from marking on the ski hill. All photos can been seen here.

A couple of comments on the course marking:

1) On sections of the course that is run on well defined trails (which includes all of the half and 50k courses) we have marked with very few flags. In places there can be almost a mile without a flag. This means depending on how fast you run and if you are going up or down a hill, you may not see a flag for between 10 and 30+ minutes.
2) All trail junctions are marked with several flags. In general we have placed a flag at the junction and then several along the trail just past the junction. If you come to a junction, look for the flags and if you pass a junctions and do not immediately see any flags, you may have missed a turn.
3) For the trails along the edge of town (Bayo Canyon, Dot Grant, and Perimeter Trails) all the junctions will also be marked with flour. Once you are on trails away from town there is generally very few junctions.
4) For the 50 mile runners, the cross country sections are marked heavily with flags and orange flagging tape. You should be able to see the next marker from the location of the previous marker. The ski hill is also marked heavily with both flags and flagging becuase of the large number of trails.

We now have less than a week until the race and things are coming together nicely. The temperatures of lately have been warm in town and the forecast for next weekend is calling for the lower 80s, so it may be a hot run. I hope that your training went well and we look forward to seeing you all in Los Alamos next weekend. It is going to be a great race!

Getting psyched...race day is almost upon us!

2009-05-05T08:13:00.002-06:00

From Valles Caldera-Cerro Grande Trail Marking, 2009-05-03

Views like this are sure to take your mind off the pain in your quads during the race.

Race day is only 11 days away and I'm getting pretty excited about it! Things are coming together nicely and we've got a large portion of the course marked already. This past Sunday Tom, Mike and I had the tough obligation to mark the 50 mile course through the Valles Caldera over Cerro Grande and down Cañon de Valle. It was an awesome day to be out there with cool temps and beautiful views. This whole section is now marked very well and we hope the elk don't eat too many of the flags. The exception to the obvious marking is a very short section right over the summit of Cerro Grande. Because this land borders Bandelier National Monument, we kept the flagging to a minimum so as to not upset Bandelier management and visitors. I encourage you to look at the maps before the race to get familiar with the Cerro Grande summit area. It's very straight forward but just be on the safe side.
If you didn't run the 50 miler last year, I posted some photos from Sunday's outing online. I have a few more points that I feel are worth mentioning...

When you leave the Pipeline aid station for the first time and drop into the Valles Caldera, use caution. The descent into the caldera is along the pipeline "road" and is very steep and loose (affectionally known as "Nate's Nemesis"). I find staying to the right is the best line for this descent. If you're really worried about loose rock, head way to the right into the trees. The footing is better in there.

From Valles Caldera-Cerro Grande Trail Marking, 2009-05-03

Descending "Nate's Nemesis" down into the caldera.

Heading up out of the caldera towards Cerro Grande we cross a talus field. Some of the big blocks wobble a bit so use caution here so you don't twist an ankle or something.

From Valles Caldera-Cerro Grande Trail Marking, 2009-05-03

The talus field runners will cross heading up Cerro Grande.

While descending the awesome, very runnable trail in Cañon de Valle, we must step over a barbed wire fence. We built up some rocks to make this step over a bit easiet but again, use caution.

From Valles Caldera-Cerro Grande Trail Marking, 2009-05-03

Marking the barbed wire fence crossing in Cañon de Valle

See you all soon...it's going to be great!

Course Marking: SM-NM-GC-Caballo-GC-PL-GR

2009-05-02T16:42:00.000-06:00

David, Brian, Steve, and Tom slogged through extreme rain and wind conditions to marked the JMTR course from the Perimeter Trail/South Mitchell intersection - South Mitchell - North Mitchell - Guaje Canyon - Caballo - Guaje Canyon - Pipeline - Guaje Ridge.

The trails are pretty clear of snow (the little bit of snow should melt soon).
Caballo: has 2 trees down across the trail that will be a nuisance but we cleared a path through both.
Guaje Canyon-Pipeline: 4 trees down, one of them is big and blocks the trail.
Guaje Ridge: about 20 smaller trees , mostly small Aspens.
Pipeline Road has a number of down trees.

Here a few photos by Tom

Runners Manual updated for 2009

2009-04-28T20:48:00.001-06:00

The runners manual has been updated for 2009. For those of you who ran last year, the only major changes are that the half marathon starts at 8am and the Caballo summit aid station will not have any aid this year. Runners will be required to obtain supplies at the Caballo base aid station. Please let us know if there are any questions that you have that are not covered in the runners manual.

Course Volunteers Needed!

2009-04-27T20:53:00.002-06:00

Help make the JMTR another great success!
We still need enthusiastic volunteers to assist at the following locations on race day:

AS#1 Mitchell Trailhead

AS#5 Pipeline (note: requires a hike)

AS#8 Townsite

Finish Line AS

Post-race cleanup

Want to help? Want more information?
Please email Emily, the 2009 JMTR Aid Station Coordinator, and include the following:
(1) where you'd like to volunteer
(2) what time(s) of day you're available
(3) your contact information
(4) any certifications (CPR/First Aid, EMT, Wilderness First Responder, etc.)
(5) any questions you have

Trails Conditions Update

2009-04-22T07:13:00.005-06:00

I realize there have been a number of posts regarding the trails recently but it's been our main focus of late. Here's a summary of the trails conditions in so far as I know them as of today, 4/22/09 (all approx. distances listed are for 50 mile race):
Start to Guaje Ridge (miles 0 to 7): All clear
Guaje Ridge to Caballo Base (miles 7 to 10): All clear
Caballo Base to Caballo Summit and back (miles 10 to 14): Unknown. Still snowy
Caballo Base to Pipeline AS (miles 14 to 17): Unknown but likely OK
Pipeline AS to Valles Caldera AS (miles 17 to 21): Unknown but likely OK
Valles Caldera AS to Pajarito Canyon AS (miles 21 to 29): Unknown but likely OK. One tree reported down in lower Cañon de Valle.
Pajarito Canyon to Townsite Lift AS (miles 29 to 33): All clear but a couple of small trees down just below Townsite lift.
Townsite Lift to Ski Lodge (miles 33 to 36): Unknown. Still snowy
Ski Lodge to Pipeline AS (miles 36 to 39): Unknown but likely clear
Pipeline AS to Guaje Ridge AS (miles 39 to 43): Unknown. Still snowy
Guaje Ridge AS to Rendija Canyon AS (miles 43 to 48): All clear but watch out for nasty locust bushes
Rendija Canyon AS to Finish (miles 48 to 50): All clear

Trail Work a Success

2009-04-19T20:22:00.003-06:00

We had a very successful day working on the North Mitchell and Guaje Canyon Trails. We cleared many trees and locust bushes from the trails. The entire North Mitchell Trail and Guaje Canyon Trail up to the turn off to Caballo Mountain is clear. Thanks to those who helped!

Here are some pictures from Jason and Bill.

Trail Work Day, April 19th

2009-04-16T07:48:00.002-06:00

Hi all...I've heard from a number of people interested in helping out with some trail work in support of the JMTR. This awesome, thanks! A few of us plan to meet at the Mitchell trail trailhead around 8:00am on Sunday, April 19th to go up to work on "North Mitchell" trail and into Guaje Canyon. Most of the work will be centered around clearing downed trees and those nasty, thorny locust bushes.
This is an informal, no-frills, trail work session and if this appeals to you, come on up to help out. If we have a larger turn out, I'm hoping some folks will be interested in heading up Guaje Ridge from the Mitchell/Guaje Ridge intersection to cut locust bushes and clear trees up that way.
Because of the locust bushes, I suggest long pants, long sleeved shirts and leather work gloves. Water and food would also be good although you can filter/treat water from the stream in Guaje Canyon if desired. As far as tools are concerned, some pruning shears would be great to bring. There is a tool cache we have access to that has a saw or two along with a few other trail tools.
See you Sunday. Thanks!

Geist Gap Trail Section

2009-04-09T20:51:00.002-06:00

I got home from work after 6 today and wanted to get out with the dogs, so I grabbed some clippers and headed up the Geist Gap section of trail. For those of you not familiar with the course, this section is part of the 50 mile course only. It is used to connect the trail/jeep road coming out of Pajarito Canyon with the ski hill. This roughly 1.5 mile section was developed so that the race would not have to go up the ski hill road. The first half of the trail follows an old abandoned jeep road and the second half is cross country. Recently the old abandoned road is getting some traffic becuase people are using it to access fire wood.

Overall this section of trail is in really good shape. I was able to clear all of the thorn bushes off of the trail and there was only 5 fallen trees across the trail. This section is total passable and once the fallen trees are removed, this section will be totally clear.

I also took a couple of pictures if you want to see what this section looks like.

Los Alamos Lodging

2009-04-08T20:58:00.003-06:00

If you are looking to stay the night before and/or after the race, here is a link to accommodations in the area.

We have been told that you can get accommodations at the rate of $45 per night at the Ashley Hotel and Suites (505-662-7211) and the Los Alamos Lodge (505-662-3200). You must call and request the special JMTR rate. These two hotels are older hotels and I personally don't know the condition of the rooms. Please let us know if you have any problems booking this rate.

More Mitchell Trail/Guaje Ridge trail work

2009-04-06T08:06:00.002-06:00

Yesterday morning, 4/5/09, Bill, David and I went for a "run" up Mitchell trail and down Guaje Ridge trail. We took hand clippers with us for the nasty, thorny locust bushes. I was also anxious to see what last week's strong winds had done to the standing, dead trees. We came across 17 downed trees across Mitchell trail on our way up to Guaje Ridge. On lower Guaje Ridge we spent a good deal of time pruning loads of Locust bushes along the trail. It's looking a lot better now but there are still some bushes pretty close to the trail about halfway down lower Guaje that could use some more trimming. Run carefully and don't swing your arms into them.

I went back up Mitchell trail in the evening with my chainsaw and cut all 17 dead trees that had fallen across the trail. I then started up Guaje Ridge from the intersection with Mitchell and pruned a bunch more very stout locust bushes. I took a look down "North Mitchell" (the trail down into Guaje Canyon) and it'll take some serious locust bush pruning and likely some more chainsawing. I'm hoping to organize a trail work day on "North Mitchell" for Sunday, April 19th. I'll post something more official here soon with details on that if you're interested in helping out.

Updated Entrant List

2009-04-02T20:56:00.003-06:00

I updated the entrant list today and the half is getting close to filling. Here are some figures on the entrants so far:

Half Marathon has 192 runners signed up. People are coming from 13 states with New Mexico representing the majority of the runners. The cap for the half is 200 runners, so if you want to do it, sign up now!

The 50k has 89 runners currently signed up with people coming from 11 states. There are a lot of runners who reside in New Mexico, Texas, and Colorado.

The 50 mile race has 162 runners currently signed up. There are runners representing 20 states. Looks like we have a big crowd coming from Austin, TX who want to test their lung at high altitude.

Overall we have 443 runners currently signed up between the events. Remember that registration will close once we reach the 500 runner limit.

Current list of entrants

Painful obstacles...

2009-03-17T08:07:00.002-06:00

Over the weekend I got out to run Mitchell Trail (miles ~4.5 to 7 in the JMTR courses) and lower Guaje Ridge (miles ~43 to 46). The trails were a bit sloppy thanks to a late-season snow storm last week that dropped about three inches of snow up higher but overall, quite clear. A few downed logs which we should be able to take care of (and someone has apparently already been on lower Guaje Ridge with a chainsaw and cleaned up a few logs, thanks!). The biggest issue, though is the damn locust thorn bushes! I spent two hours on Saturday afternoon with some hand clippers pruning at least 100 bushes along Mitchell up to Guaje Ridge. Those little buggers have some serious thorns and make a mess out of my lower legs when I run through them. Lower Guaje Ridge has good bit of the locust bushes, especially up high, so I'll be out there pruning those as soon as I can.
It's a bad sign, though, because this likely means the North Mitchell trail down in Guaje Canyon will be infested with these bushes too. It's going to be some prickly work but it's worth it. So if you go up there soon, wear pants and maybe take some hand clippers and prune some thorny bushes!

Security warning with the JMTR homepage

2009-03-11T10:40:00.003-06:00

We've had some recent reports of Mac users experiencing security warnings from their Safari web browsers and Windows users with anti-virus software installed when accessing the homepage for the Jemez Mountain Trail Runs which is on the domain www.highaltitudeathletics.org (HAAC). I've found the offensive code in the index.html page and have removed it and we're now working with our hosting service to try to find out how this is happening.
If you have a cached version of the HAAC homepage, http://www.highaltitudeathletics.org/index.htm, you might still receive the security warning. A reload will load the cleaned-up version. I'll be monitoring the page but if you happen to receive the security message again after a reload of the page, please let us know at jmtrteam@gmail.com.
We apologize for this inconvenience and appreciate your patience. Based on the Google Safe Browsing report for the most recent malicious code on the JMTR page, the code is pretty benign but I certainly understand being prudent when browsing the web.

Entries update for March 8th, 2009

2009-03-10T08:26:00.003-06:00

It's looking like y'all are really starting to plan your races for the year and many runners have decided to include the Jemez Mountain Trail Runs event in their race schedules. The 50 miler is the most popular choice thus far as it should be--it's an amazing course! This is awesome. Check out the numbers as of March 8th, 2009:

Half Marathon
138 registered
12 states represented

50k
68 registered
6 states represented

50 mile
150 registered
19 States represented

Total
356 registered
25 states represented

Here is the full listing of all registered runners on the official JMTR webpage. It's going to be another great race this year!

Pajarito Canyon Trail

2009-03-09T06:29:00.004-06:00

David, Brian, and I ran up the Pajarito Trail on Thursday. The trail was clear enough of snow to make for some nice running. The lower section was clear of down trees but as we moved up the trail trees across the trail became more numerous. Just before the turn to climb out of the canyon there are several snags of large trees. In all I marked 13 trees as splits. The trees lower down probably don't matter but the snags in the upper section need some clearing.

A lot of time spent thinking on the trails results in this...

2009-03-02T22:42:00.001-07:00

Should I call this the official Jemez Mountain Trail Runs blog? I suppose so. While running last month I was thinking of race-related websites I've seen over the years and which ones seemed to interest me the most. I have discovered I like the sites with RSS feeds like the HURT 100 and blogs of Karl Meltzer and Scott Mason (Wasatch Speed Goat), for example. I find I quickly and easily keep up to date with those sites because of the RSS feed capability. With that in mind, I suggested the idea of a JMTR blog to a couple of regular running partners here in Los Alamos, Bill Geist and Tom Stockton , where we could post updates as a team of all things related to the JMTR race. Kris Kern, the co-RD, thought it would be a fine idea too so here we are...

In my mind, the biggest thing I expect to post are trail condition reports and weather reports that might interest those runners coming from out of town. In the next couple of months, I, along with many other local runners, will be getting out on the trails to get them cleaned up and marked for the big race day, May 16th. From those outings I hope to post photos and reports of how things are coming along which will hopefully help give the out-of-towners an idea of what to expect.

If you are reading this and care to comment, what kinds of things would also interest you on this blog?

And if you haven't signed up for a race in the Jemez Mountain Trail Runs, you better get on it! The trails are clearing up nicely and it's going to be another good one.
--
Jason Halladay