ae72.jpgSome of the most difficult adventure races in the world call the greater Buena Vista area their home. The question is, how well is the Buena Vista home team represented at these events?
The Chaffee County Running Club gets the spring off on the right foot with their 3rd annual ‘Run Through Time’ - a full and half marathon that takes runners from Salida back in time through the streets of ghost town Turret, Colorado and back again.

Next, it’s time to head up valley for the infamous (and grueling) Leadville 100. Plan to bring food, water, three pairs of shoes and a dozen friends because you are going to need them. Mixing single track, steep hill climbs, knee deep stream crossings, and 12,000+ feet of elevation, the leadville 100 is the gold standard for endurance runs in the US. Fortunately, the organizers understand that you will need some time to prep for this event and have thoughtfully scheduled a series of races and training events throughout the summer to help you prepare starting in late June. Visit http://www.leadvilletrail100.com for more information.

For hometown hardcore, it’s time to be training for the TransRockies race. The five stage, five day course has yet to be unveiled by the organizers other than to say that it begins in Buena Vista and follows single-track trails up and over several mountain passes to finish in Beaver Creek, Colorado. My back-of-the-envelope calculations put the mileage at an even 75 miles with 8-10,000+ feet of vertical gain! Don’t forget to train with a partner - teams of two or more are required for this event. Visit www.transrockies.com for more race details.

Have you taken the challenge on one of these events? Tell us about your experiences in the comments below. (Extra points for the hairiest story!)

UPDATE: Keith Baker @ The Trailhead writes in to remind me to include 2 more BV-Based events:

Hi Alex - don’t forget the the Collegiate Peaks Trail Run (collegiatepeakstrailrun.org) and the Adventure Xstream Adventure Race (gravityplay.com/adventureracing).

Did I miss anything else for this area? Feel free to add them to the comments below. Thanks Keith!

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