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Colorado > Blue Sky Marathon & Half Marathon
Fort
Collins,
CO
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Date
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Event
Details
A trail race that's small in numbers but takes runners through some of
the biggest, most wide open areas anywhere in the country, the
appropriately named Big Sky Marathon & Half Marathon is a trail
running event that welcomed just over 100 participants for its
inaugural fall
2008 running, which took place under clear, blue October skies along
Colorado's scenic Front Range Mountains. The centerpiece attraction for
the race is northern Colorado's Blue Sky Trail, a 15-mile natural
surface trail that crosses through 4,000 acres of protected areas in
the foothills just west of Fort Collins.
Like the full, 26.2-mile marathon, the 13.1-mile half marathon follows
an out-and-back course that starts and finishes at the Soderburg Trail
Head just off the Horsetooth Reservoir's Inlet Bay. From there, the
course takes runners southward along the Blue Sky Trail as its winds
through areas within Horsetooth Mountain Park like Spring Canyon, Twin
Springs, Graveyard Gulch and Rattlesnake
Gulch, on the way toward a loop at the half-way point, which runners
follow all the way around and then head back along the same trail
toward the finish
line.
Along the way, runners will experience the sights and sounds of a truly
high-elevation trail race, with a narrow natural trail -- it's just a
few feet across through many stretches -- and scenery in the distance
like Colorado's Easter Plains, Horsetooth Rock and the Devil's
Backbone, an open space stretch of the trail. The terrain is often
challenging for both the full and the half marathon, as the trail is
made of dirt and often strewn with rocks, and runners also often
encounter stretches where the trail slopes to the side, as well as a
number of challenging uphills and downhills -- the biggest hills occur
at the half-way point in the race, and runners also face big hills
between mile markers 2 and 3, and between mile markers 9 and 10.
As in 2008, the 2009 running of the race will be limited to 120
runners, so prospective entrants are encouraged to sign up early for
the race. The full marathon starts at 7:00 AM, followed by the half
marathon at 9:00 AM, and all participants are limited to seven hours on
the course.
Race
Weather & Climate
Located in the north central part of the state, about an hour's drive
north from Denver, the city of Fort Collins tends to see cool to cold
weather conditions in the early fall season, with mostly dry
conditions. In October, average monthly temperatures range between
64°F and 35°F, while precipitation amounts average just
under one inch for the month.
Fees
$45 for the half-marathon, if registered by September 4, 2009
$55 after Sept. 4
Registration
To reserve your spot in the fall 2009 running of
Colorado's Blue Sky Marathon & Half Marathon, register online at Active.com.
Website
www.blueskymarathon.com
Course Map
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Larger Map
Share
Your Race Story
Ever run in Fort Collins' annual Blue Sky Marathon or Half Marathon?
Share
your impressions and read fellow runners' stories
and tips for the event.
Post your comments in Runner Reviews for the Blue Sky Marathon & Half Marathon
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