What did you like least about the race: (161)

# of restrooms (locked at Soda Springs Park)

?????

7 a.m. start.

A better countdown to the start, minor but helpful.

A bit of clogging at the start — no problem though

A good place to regain yourself afterwards would be better. The ground is so hard and dry.

After a few minutes of thinking, I can’t really think of anything that I didn’t like. It was a really good race at a cheap price for a good cause!

Aid stations had ICE in the water. PLEASE make sure this does not happen again next year

Bathrooms — not enough

Can’t think of a thing.

Can’t think of anything

Can’t think of anything

Cramps in my leg :-) — actually, there is nothing that comes to mind

Crowded at first

Crowded conditions

Descent

Don’t like the “finisher’s t-shirt; shirt should be included with entry. Upgrade awards. Too many hikers (with dogs) on the trail during the race, but you can’t do much about that!

Downhill

Downhill!

Downhill.

Everything was great again this year

Everything was well run.

Falling. I did a great faceplant. But in terms of the race organization, I can’t think of a thing.

Finishing, I wish it could have been longer. With such great support, it was a sheer joy.... I was sad to see it end.

Getting hurt on the way down

Going down

GOING DOWNHILL

Going uphill.

Going up the mountain

Got another cotton T-shirt which is useless for exercise

Had a very nice time-no complaints at all!

Hamstring injury

Hard for the uphillers to stay out of the way of the downhillers

Having to wait such a long time for the awards, and having to limp back down to Soda Springs for them. Also, there needs to be a tent or something at the finish so people can get in the shade after they finish.

Hills

Hills

Hmm... Can I complain that I got blisters?

Hot temps

Hydro street (just kidding). Actually, a tent at the finish for more shade would have helped.

I can’t think of anything except that I wondered if there were many folks that didn’t make the cut off. Coming back down the trail I noticed there were a few very slow folks. I have to admire them for their determination and given how long they are out there on their feet and how far behind everyone else they got, I would hate to see some of them not get a shirt. It’s got to be mentally a killer to be so far behind. Maybe there could be an award for the last place person!

I didn’t like the fact that I had to run to Barr Camp and back. Couldn’t we just have a party in Soda Springs Park? Seriously — a few more tents for shade at the finish would have been great.

I didn’t win! ;) Seriously this is a minor suggestion but it seems like there needs to be an easier/clearer way for runners to get OUT of the finish line area once they have rested and refreshed (seemed like a lot of us were having to cross back through the finish line and were in the way of incoming runners.

I feel strongly that the race cut off time should be extended. I finished at 3:32 and it was a total disappointment for the effort!!!!!!! I did not even want to go to the awards ceremony, it was if I had not even run the race!!!! I checked to see if my splits were even posted on your website — nothing.

I have never liked the start up that little dirt road etc. before you get to Barr Trail, if always feels like such a grueling way to start.

I know there will always be hikers on the trail and almost without exception the hikers were aware of the race and very considerate of the runners. The one exception was a couple with a little poodle. The couple stepped to the side of the trail but the poodle was not on a leash. Apparently confused by a runner bearing down on it, the poodle ran zig zag down the trail for several seconds before darting off to the side. It could easily have led to a painful accident for itself, the runner, or both. Maybe there already were, but if not, maybe signs warning hikers at the Barr Trail head would help.

I somehow missed picking up a shirt at the finish but may have been my fault in being in a hurry to get a shower before check out time at the campground.

I was bumped and knocked down

I wasn’t as fast as I wanted to be

Ice in the water at first aid station.

I’m not in good shape right now and it hurt like hell. I didn’t win any prizes

It got hot on the mtn. An earlier start

It hurt. Actually, I was bummed because someone stole my shirt and car keys. A more organized sweat check would have been appreciated.

It was a bit warm, but, that’s my fault since I’m slower than the rate the sun rises to its apex.

It was hilly

Lack of shade at the finish, traffic was not restricted before the race started, several young people(I assume workers at the cog) were revving their engines trying to get thru the crowd right before the race, this was dangerous and distracting, maybe they could be asked to wait a few minutes until the race started

Late start time for the awards.

Liked it all.

Love the race

Matt needs REAL competition.

Mile 2-2.5 :)

My crappy effort...

My general lack of training and all the cramp I got

My sprained ankle

N/A

N/A

n/a

Need some fresh fruit at the finish (oranges, bananas)

No complaints

No complaints

No complaints.

No food or fruit at the finish or award ceremony.

No fruit at the finish.

No mile markers

NO NEGATIVE COMMENTS

Not being able to run it this year.

Not much shade or places to cool off at the finish line.

Not much variety from training on Barr Trail

Not used to such good competition and it woke me up but that is my problem. I think the entry fee is too LOW! Given what the race is doing I think no one would mind if the entry fee were doubled!

Not very many runners in my age group

Nothing

Nothing

Nothing

Nothing

Nothing

Nothing — it was great

Nothing off of the top of my head.

Nothing really.

Nothing.

Nothing.

Passing others on the trail on the way up — but that’s what I was there to learn about anyway.

Pavement

Poor time (but I doubt you can fix that). Could use a few shade tents in the finish area.

Race director

Realizing that the PowerSnot(TM) packet passed out at the aid stations were already open after I had stowed it in my pouch with my water bottle

Rolling my ankle twice, but that was my own fault

Short distance from beginning to trail kept us bunched up

Side stitch.

Since I ran the race last year I was aware of the surprise hill at the end, however, I would have to say that is my least favorite thing about this race.

Small amount of post run food. After having done a 120 mile bike ride Saturday and then this run Sunday, salty, fatty food would have been nice.

Starting in the large pack next to a guy who hadn’t washed his shirt in a while. Very odiferous and nowhere to go.

That I didn’t finish strong like I wanted to.

That I didn’t win a trophy — I mean, 29th out of 39 in my age group should be good for a medal (my daughter thinks so anyway)

That I had not been running almost any this season:(

That I have to wait 12 months for the next one.

That uphill finish... ;^)

The abominable shortage of toilets, no salty snacks at the finish, and the bottom of the descent.

The altitude.

The course showed me that distance work isn’t enough; that I need lots of hill work, both uphill and downhill.

The crowded start line, I think you need to keep the 350 limit.

The day after

The downhill

The downhill was hard.

The downhill... :)

The face plant I did at the top of the W’s on the way down. ;-)

The fact that I bonked, but that is my problem! Actually, is there anyway to control the non-racers? Or the people in cars who want to punch through the starting crowd 1 minute prior to race time? The non-racers are largely sympathetic, but you always get the outliers who diss the event while sharing the trail.

The fact that my training sucked.

The failure of the Cog Railway people to direct customer traffic prior to the race.

The finish area leaves a lot to be desired but I understand the limitations you have. The power station is just so unsightly and no shade or decent places to sit. How about the upper parking lot??

The finish up Hydro! (just kidding). The only thing I can think of is that the “turnaround” at Barr could stand to be more obvious in terms of directing people in a loop. It seemed several people asked “do we just turn around here?” Perhaps a cone with an arrow or directing people around a bunch of trees in a loop would keep traffic flowing a bit better.

The finish!

The finisher area needs more shade. The area isn’t ideal but I think you did the best you could

The food at the finish. Fruit and bagels would have been preferred over power bars! Although, it was certainly nice to have some different power bars to take home and try.

The heat

The hikers with dogs off-leash (especially midway on the course). There’s a race happening!

The hill at the finish line!

The hill before the finish line! Hahahaha...but I did run it, I did not walk.

The incline of hills — online it says an avg of 13 % incline, that was no 13% incline going up!

The last 100 meters!!

The last half mile up to Barr Camp and then about the last 2 maybe 3 miles on the way down. Really the walk back to the car after the race wasn’t my favorite thing.

The locked bathrooms before the race

The long drive from Telluride.

The long walk up the hill to the start and the long walk back

The love/hate relationship of running the trail

The Pain

The pain!

The parking

The shirt

The short section of very steep asphalt right before Hydro street. This seriously pounded my quads after so many miles on the soft trails. I understand there is absolutely nothing that can be done about that, but that’s the only complaint I can think of.

The turn around was confusing, usually turn around races have something to run around, i.e. a cone, instead of just stop and turn around. Or you could have something that you have to run up and touch at the top.

The uphill finish

The wait for the ceremony to begin

The way my legs felt the next day

There was only one person marking bibs at Barr Camp. I actually had to wait to get my bib marked.

There wasn’t anything I didn’t like.

This is a minor nit, but it would have been nice to have a clearly marked starting line. Even a chalk mark would have eliminated some confusion.

This was possibly the best-organized and most enjoyable race I have participated in. Maybe more door prizes would be fun. But other than that, I can’t think of much.

Those damnhills (ha ha ha).

Time of day, too early

Toilets were locked when I arrived (approx. 5:45 a.m.) — spent 20 minutes finding an open bathroom

Too many runners on trail

Too much competition :( just kidding

Trail

Trail congestion

Trail congestion at start because I run so slow

Tripping over shortly after the turnaround! But — I did like the fact that 5 or 6 people immediately offered help, but I was okay. That is the nice thing about trail running

Uh, that I had a slow uphill.

Uh, the never ending downhill? Was that really necessary? ;)

Uphill at finish; t-shirt

Was sick — didn’t get to run :(

Width of trail

Wish there were more spectators.