Jason Kelling's Staging Area

So this is a “new” race. It’s the middle race in a 3-race series. The old people pulled out of the old middle race. This is the same course and still the second race in that same 3-part series, so while it says “first year” I’m going to put repeat runner down for my review.

This race occurs in a 20/80 (felt like, at least) split between the roads on a business park and the asphalt paths (double wide) in the adjoining woods. Sometimes the race is 40/60. Sometimes it’s 50/50, but for the most part there’s very little major elevation change on this out and back followed by another out and back, then a return back to the start. There are a lot of mild rolling hills and one larger one that’s only really rough in winter when it’s iced over. In September that is less of a concern.

Somehow without fail I get injured before this race. Last year it was at Rugged Maniac (RIP) and this year it was at a gravel ruck march the day before. As such, I just went out there and putted around with all the gusto of someone grocery shopping for “just the right” box of sandwich bags. It’s a necessary race to complete the series, so I couldn’t skip it, but I was in too much pain to give it much, so I put up the worst 10k time I’ve had, well…ever. The shirt and medal fit the “WoodsStock” theme (play on words). I do think it was a pretty dry course though. I was wearing a camelbak so I may have missed a water station, (or they tore it down early because I was in the last 50 or so people and just never saw it), but I think the course could have used at least one more there. I believe there were only two, but it was a humid day already and back in the woods add another 5-10%. I met up with some people I used to race with and just stayed in the back with them for the whole race, so that’s why I’m rating my performance a 2, not because the course was hard.

I love this series (Heartland 30k), so I’ll be back doing it again next year as well. Maybe one of these years I can actually not be on the injured list when I show up.

This race is always a joy just to be at. The energy is palpable as we mark the unofficial first race of the Autumn season on a very flat single loop which at least twice gives views of the other side of the racecourse where you can see the slower/faster people undertaking their journey. The weather is not always dependable, but it was cool and relatively dry, especially next to the past week, so an already fast course became faster.

The shirts are a soft cotton, the medals are always very nicely done (really closer to half marathon quality), and several people that I talked to PR’ed, as can be expected on this course. Sadly, due to the mayor disallowing races to cross the streetcar tracks, this will be the last running of this iconic course, and hopefully the necessary adjustments for next year’s course will still manage to keep the character of this 14-year-old race

So aside from a small one rounding the block at the start, there are no main hills on this race. The out and back is along both sides of a divided road (2 lanes each direction) that is slightly elevated, so expect large sections of uphill and large sections of downhill. Very slight grade though, so it’s just a slog when it’s hot and something you barely notice when it isn’t.

The medal is always nice heavy and could pass for a 10k in quality easily. There’s coffee and snacks at the start and finish, with a local coffee supplier setting up shop to make lattes and whatnot on request. I just got a black sample of their coffee, not sure if the more complicated drinks you had to pay for or not. Pretty good cotton tshirt with a big race logo on the front to match the medal. I wouldn’t call this a PR course by any stretch, but I did end up finishing slightly faster than yesterday’s race.

This race gets hard when it’s hot and muggy, but this year was pretty nice and smooth. Big hill right at the start in the first 200 meters or so. After cresting there’s a dip and another incline, then it flattens out, save a little hill on the way back into town. Great little town (and town festival that afternoon) that’s worth hanging around for if you like small town charm. Very back of the pack friendly.

Only gripe (aside from arduous signup and results issues because they use someone other than the big names to register, is that the medal really is the lowest tier you can offer. It’s the generic premade medal that you can buy at the medal store for a buck and some change including the engraving on the way out the door. More appropriate to a grade school track meet or something. The shirt was a nice thick cotton T, but I have to deduct at least one point from “average” for the medal that can’t even generously be considered mid.

This course was mainly a loop with a little loop of about a mile attached to it. Nice and hilly with some real doozies in there, but gorgeous scenery and the overcast day made it more than tolerable. Enough interspersed trees that there would have been shade if it was nasty outside. The metal is nicely designed and the cotton t-shirt is comfortable. This race starts off a town festival that had tons of stands setting up along a couple of the streets downtown. I would have loved to stick around if I didn’t have other engagements. Will absolutely do this one again.