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Colorado > 4th of July Half Marathon & 5K
Gateway, CO
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Date
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Event
Details
Runners get a chance to trek through the hilly and gorgeously scenic
Dolores River Valley in westernmost Colorado at the annual Fourth of
July Half Marathon & 5K, which unfolds along a course bordered
by the towering red rock canyon walls of Colorado's Uncompahgre Plateau
and the
La Sal Mountains off in the distance. Challenging and run on dirt roads
for most of the race's 13.1 miles, this unique half marathon run also
features a river crossing -- it's usually knee- to waist-deep at the
time of the race -- at the half-way point in the course.
From the starting line at the Gateway Canyons resort, which lies at the
confluence of the Dolores River and West Creek just a few miles from
the border with Utah, runners follow an out-and-back loop route up
through the canyons along the river, through Lumsden Canyon and in the
shadow of the nearby peak known as The Palisade. The course skirts
along the edges of the canyon along the river all the way to the
half-way point, where runners cross the Dolores River and head to the
southern side of the riverbanks for the return course back to the
resort.
A rope will be present at the river crossing to guide runners across
the flowing water, and participants may elect to have dry clothes and
running shoes dropped off at this point so they can change out of their
now-wet garments. (Race organizers note that if the water is too high,
runners will not be required to cross the river -- which happened at
the race's 2008 running.) Once across the river, runners head back
along the
opposite side of the canyon back to the resort, and the last half-mile
of the race is run on a paved surface into the finish line at the
resort.
While in the Gateway area, runners and visitors will no doubt want to
take advantage of the resort's scenic attractions, which include the
"Grand Loop," a 387-mile-long mountain biking trail that features the
famed Kokopelli’s Trail and the remote Paradox Trail. For
those
who want a less strenuous way to enjoy the canyons, there's the
Unaweep-Tabeguache Scenic and Historic Byway, which features views of
the area's spectacular mesas and the sandstone cliffs of the Dolores
River Valley, along with drives along the San Juan Skyway and the Grand
Mesa Byways.
Race
Weather & Climate
Located among the plateaus, mesas and mountains along the western edge
of
Colorado, about two hours by car from Grand Junction, the resort area
known as Gateway experiences very cold winters and summer seasons that
can get quite hot, and relatively low precipitation throughout the
year. In July, average monthly temperatures range between 92°F
and 62°F, while rainfall amounts average just over an inch for
the month.
Fees
$25 if registered by June 21, 2009
$30 after June 21
Registration
To reserve your spot in the summer 2009 running of Gateway Canyon's 4th
of July Half Marathon & 5K, register online at Active.com.
Website
www.gatewaycanyons.com
Course Map
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Your Race Story
Ever run in Gateway's annual Fourth of July Half Marathon or 5K?
Share
your impressions and read fellow runners' stories
and tips for the event.
Discuss it in the HalfMarathons.Net
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