Balsam Cap Transcend Ten (10 Hour Fun Run!) Dec. 14, 2014.

The race name may seem a tad unwieldy, but the trails and short road segments are well-marked and provide an enjoyable and runnable mix of terrain. This fixed-time pre-holiday run has a long history and has featured Olympians, well-known authors, Grammy-award-winning musicians, and plenty of regular mid and back-of-pack runners seeking a nice long run at year’s end. Run starts and finishes in the high, rolling desert east of Vado, NM.

The format = everyone does some longer loops (8 miles or so each) for the first 22+ miles, then has a choice of continuing on longer segments or moving to shorter 2 mile route where each 1/4 mile is clearly signed. Run starts 7:15 a.m. M.S.T. and you may do as much or as little as you like. The marathon and 50Km points are clearly signed. Aid (water, sports drink, soda, crackers, gels) every 2.5 miles with major resupply point in parking area passed at 3 miles, 10 miles, 17 miles, etc.

T-shirts and door/ raffle prizes to everyone who comes out and makes an effort.

For more info. please contact us at: markgd55@gmail.com OR (915)581-9541 (H).

and we invite all runners to a post-run meal 2 miles down the road at a good Mexican diner. Hope to see you in scenic southern New Mexico!

Roundtop R.O.X. 2014 Ultra Race Results:

Roundtop R.O.X. Ultra Race Results 2014
Sun. Nov. 2. Vado, New Mexico.
Narrow single-track trails and old jeep roads at 4,200>4,420′.
—————

33.4 Mile (53.8Km)

1. Peter Livingstone, 50, Las Cruces, NM 6:11:41 C.R.
2. Silas Peterson, 38, Santa Fe, NM 7:19:09
3. Kathy Kirsling, 65, Tijeras, NM 7:50:47 (C.R., 1W)
4. Dr. Kelly Perky Garcia, 48, Albuquerque 8:54:35 (2W)

(6 starters)

27.1 Mile (44Km)

1. Catherine Pinkston, 30, Illinois 5:49:14 (1W)
2. Eduardo Huereca, 39, Ciudad Juarez, CHIH 6:04:11
3. Ulises Ricoy, 38, Espanola, NM 7:00:53

(4 starters)

The day and event was a success: nobody took a wrong turn/ got lost, nobody got hurt, nobody got overly dehydrated, the sleepy rattlesnake in the trail did not bother anyone, the many HUGE horned toads/ frogs did not get stepped on by anyone, and the runners and support crews all had good things to say about the course and races.

The particular 6.35 mile out-back section of the Sierra Vista Trail (a 35 mile long trail connecting El Paso, TX with Las Cruces, NM) we used featured a little bit of everything: deep, wooded arroyos, high flat grasslands with plenty of grazing cows, serpentine, narrow single-track trail through brushy high desert, and a well-stocked turnaround aid station on the slopes of Bishop Cap/ Balsam Cap Ridge which allowed 50 mile views of mountains in three states and two countries (as well as a clear view of the cars and start/ finish area 3 miles away!).

Thank you to all the ultra runners as well as the competitors in the companion shorter races who came out on a day that started out hot and sunny and ended up with continuous passing thunder/ lightning storms.

We hope all these great runners will come back Jan. 31st for the 5th annual Sugarloaves’ Ultra Vista (S.U.V.) that starts and finishes in the same spot, but which features trails going in several different directions as well as fancier aid and prizes.

Best wishes to all runners around the globe,

Mark and Helen and Family

R.O.X. Results and Lightning!

Below are the results from the two “shorter” Roundtop “R.O.X.” trail races held Sunday Nov. 2 in the rolling high desert east of Vado, New Mexico. A series of LIGHTNING storms came at us from various directions of the compass all afternoon; this made for some excitement and dramatic photos. Speaking of photos, to see the professional shots taken by Kelly Perky Garcia DURING her steady 33 mile race, try this link: https://plus.google.com/u/O/photos/115252780925398588939/albums/607747552941248449

Further results and analysis/ color commentary ASAP. ALSO– our annual end-of-year Fun Run, the “Balsam Cap Transcend Ten” (10 hour, with marked 50Km and 40 mile points, or you can go for the full ten hours) is planned for Sunday December 14. The big SUGARLOAVES’ ULTRA VISTA (S.U.V.) is set for Saturday Jan. 31, 2015 and like last year will include the amazingly popular 25Km (15.6 mile) as well as several other distances including the traditional 60Km (37.5 miles).

Roundtop R.O.X. 6 Mile Results:

1. David Jakcson, 50, Santa Teresa, NM 54:54
2. Dustin Cotta, 30, El Paso, TX 1:04:30
3. George Rivera, 50, Anthony, N.M. 1:07:10
4. Leigh Ann Sunger, 24, El Paso 1:09:00 (1W)
5. Victor Garcia, 33, El Paso 1:12:24
6. Sabrina Cotta, 31, El Paso 1:13:18 (2W)
7. Kathy Patterson, 46, El Paso 1:26:48 (3W)
8. Connie Hayes, 40, El Paso 1:28:14 (4W)
9. Quinn Patterson, 21, El Paso 1:30:01
(11 Starters)

13 Mile Results:

1. Bobby Dominguez, 53, El Paso 1:56:04
2. James Butler, 42, El Paso 1:59:59
3. Amanda Raulerson, 27, El Paso 2:04:40 (1W)
4. Jose Valdez, 27, El Paso 2:17:11
5. Jamila Williams, 35, Las Cruces 2:41:40 (2W)
(6 starters)

(again– other results and reports pending)

Everyone who came out and charged up and down the steep-sided arroyos and foothills of the Vado wilds deserves a big round of applause!