It wasn’t the footbaths and free massages that set the GORE-TEX TransRockies Run apart from other endurance events. It wasn’t the complimentary Timex watches handed out at the finish or even the semi trailer full of hot showers at the end of the five days of competition. But it was the hot chocolate and marshmallows served around a roaring campfire, to the accompaniment of an acoustic guitar.

Photos by Dan Hudson, Courtesy TransRockies
 

Those Kumbaya moments served up by the TransRockies Run represent the newest and most plush version of a growing international sensation in the running world: the multi-day stage event. The Marathon des Sable – a 150-mile race in Morocco that began in 1986 – is generally credited with initiating the trend, which has continued to grow with events like the Coastal Challenge in Costa Rica and the Gobi March in China.

Want to run through the Swiss Alps? Check out the TransAlp Run. Or you can grind through the Atacama Desert, courtesy of event promoter Racing the Planet. Prior to last year’s TransRockies Run, you needed a passport to pound out dozens of miles of world-class scenery in a multi-day stage run. It took the combined expertise and planning of the folks who put together the TransAlp Run (and the granddaddy of all multi-day off-road races, the TransAlp Mountain Bike Race) – plus a bunch of Canadians who created the TransRockies Challenge mountain bike race – to bring runners a domestic opportunity.

Like the TransRockies Challenge, the TransRockies Run is a two-person event, meaning that you get to suffer alongside your friend, training partner, or your fiancé: like 2008 entrants Ryan Flock and Amy Baker, who plan to get married at the finish line, presuming they’re still together.
Last year’s inaugural TransRockies Run wound across the Rockies for five days, from Beaver Creek to Aspen, with stops at Basalt and Leadville along the way. The 2008 iteration, which starts August 25, adds another day and several degrees of difficulty.

Starting in the town of Buena Vista, the first day “eases” the runners into the swing of things with an 18-mile leg that climbs a paltry 2,700 feet to Clear Creek. Day two brings a steep 16 miles and 4,500 feet of climbing from Clear Creek to Twin Lakes outside of Leadville. Day three departs from the ultra-mad town of Leadville and stretches 25 miles – and 3,300 feet of elevation – to the decommissioned Army base of Camp Hale, where the legendary 10th Mountain Division did its training in World War II. Day four is the shortest of the test, rolling 14 miles from Camp Hale to Red Cliff, but that mild day is designed to prepare the contestants for day five, a massive 24 miles with 5,000 feet of climbing, followed by 5,500 feet of descent from Red Cliff to Vail. The final day presents one more stiff challenge: climbing and descending 5,000 feet and two major passes, from Vail to Beaver Creek.

In all, the runners will cover roughly 110 miles and grind out nearly 24,000 feet of elevation gain. To make matters worse, 97 percent of the contest will take place at elevations above 8,000 feet, with over a third of the course at altitudes above 10,000 feet.

The difficulty of the event is eased somewhat by the unique culture fostered by its veteran organizers. “We try to provide a real community feeling to the race, and lots of little perks to not only make it manageable, but also ensure a lasting and warm memory for the runners. It’s not just a race, it is a vacation for many of our runners,” says race director Aaron McConnell. The effort paid off last year, as runners accustomed to bare-bones aid stations were delighted by an array of lavish touches that transcend most events.

Barb Dutrow, who competed with her regular adventure-racing teammate Carl Gable last year, says, “The organization was awesome. The attention to detail was like nothing I’ve ever seen, because they provide weird little perks. Like, one morning as we were getting ready to run, they ran around handing us mugs of hot chocolate with marshmallows, because it was cold. Who does that?”

The competitor tent village is at the core of the appeal of the TransRockies Run, and most ultra-runners are new to this community feel. Every night resembles summer camp for adults, with a huge catered dinner, roaring campfires and a nightly slideshow and video recap, complete with three-deep awards for every division.

The dedicated effort at creating a community pays off on the trail. Laura Thomas, of the Canmore-based Team Peerless Energy, says it was the other racers who made the event special. “The race was way better than I imagined it would be. The other teams were amazing; we all cheered each other and even helped each other out during the stages. We shared water and encouragement the entire way.”

The amity among racers did not, however, diminish the competition at the front of the pack. Brothers Kyle and Erik Skaggs, two 20-something ultra phenoms, demolished the field to win the overall title in an astonishing total time of 14 hours, 24 minutes. And in the master’s men category, Team Runs With GORE-TEX, with nearly 100 miles on their legs already, roared over and overcame a nine-minute deficit on the final day to win their division.

As you would expect for an event popularized overseas, the first TransRockies Run had an international feel: competitors and media came from 10 countries, including France, England, South Africa, Argentina, Brazil, Czech Republic, Sweden, Canada and Germany. The 2008 event promises to be more of the same, and regardless of where they come from, it is likely they’ll experience the same sort of warm, fuzzy environment found by 2007 competitor Ross Moody.
 

“I’ve run in over 25 marathons, three Ironman competitions and numerous smaller-distance races,” says Moody, “But I’ve never seen the level of support that was provided during the TransRockies. Not only was the race well supported, but the support staff and volunteers were wonderful. All in all, the race was spectacular. The food was wonderful and stuff like the massages and foot baths all added up to a great event and a great vacation.”