Was the field size too small, too big or just right?
It would be helpful if you mentioned not just the beginning of
the race but the middle and the top as well as your trip down. (167) [note: 319 finishers]

400 is perfect number

A little crowded at the start, but no more than any popular road race. I think the field could expand ~ 10%.

As a slower starting runner, I had more people around and in front of me than most, but was not seriously held up, and once I started passing runners halfway up the W’s it was easy. The only conjestion experienced was shortly after the B/C turn around, the trail narrows, is very rocky/rooty, and up/down traffic gets a bit conjested. The way down was fine for me, runners coming up were very considerate.

A little small.

about right

About right

all was well done

Although concerned about the logistics of runners “racing” in both directions, I can report that I did not notice any problems with race conditions!

Although the field size was “just right,” both my husband and I felt there was just too much “going on,” (hikers, runners, Search and Rescue bicycles, other runners) for the course to be as safe as we would have liked. All of this activity, combined with the naturally challenging course is why we probable won’t do it again.

At my pace everything was OK.

Congested through the Ws, but overall field could even have been bigger.

Could be a little bigger. I never felt crowded, even at the start and many times had no one else in sight on the way down.

crowded at the beginning, but as things spread out just about right

Crowded in spots early but it thinned out by about half way up. The only thing I did not like about the finish area was the sudden stop because of crowding in the chute. The crowd on hydro was energetic and helped with that last tough hill.

Do not like the final uphill, too hard for spectators to get to the finish line.

doesn’t matter

Doesn’t matter much. It depends on the courtesy of those coming up to get out of the way. If they do it’s fine.

everything just right

everything was fantastic- although since I’ve never done this kind of race before I have nothing to compare it to

Excellent

Field and trail traffic was good — race participants great, but some hikes on course caused some trail traffic difficulties. They can’t judge how fast people are moving coming down.

field size is about right — the start is a bit crowded — above the Ws it is fine

field size is good. It could even be a bit bigger.

Field size is just right.

Field size OK, but with hikers on the trail it became too congested in places

Field size seems about right to me, the race does not fill up immediately so there is plenty of time for entrants to get in, and adding any more to the limit would make the downhill portion too accident prone

Field size was great. The last uphill was too much

Field size was just right. A bit crowded at the beginning, but thinned out. It definitely wasn’t as crowded as I thought it would be.

fine

Fine, I think even more could have fit in.

For me it was just right. I never really experienced any problems with crowding and found the uphill runners to be very courteous on my trip down.

Good

good

Good number; just need to remind runners that downhill has ROW.

Good size — a little crowded at the start, but it thinned out nicely.

great, no problems

I didn’t notice any problems at all with the field size, maybe slightly congested at the start, but there’s not much you can do about that.

I don’t think anyone should be turned away. if the ascent can do 1500 people why not BTMR

I felt it was about right. Coming down would be hard with more runners.

I felt it was just right. The pre race tips were helpful when passing or being passed.

i like the size of the race.

I need clarification on that one. It doesn’t make sense.

I run towards the back so it appears okay for me. When I need to pass, I usually can.

I saw no trouble with the number of runners. Just about right, but we do not need additional numbers.

I still have a hard time knowing that even though we are all runners, so many people simply do not yield or obey the trail rules.

I think it is a little to big. It gets bunched up the last 200 yards to Barr Camp.

I think it was just right. I never felt too cramped.

I think it was just right...I had few problems with other runners coming up while I went down

I think just right — I wouldn’t let it get any bigger

I think that the size was pretty good. The field could have been a little larger.

I think the field was fine and could even be increased. The only bottleneck is the finish line area which I think should be changed.

I think you could let in another 25-50 people. I was skeptical of starting the race in just one lane on the road but I have to admit that although it was tighter at first there were far less passing problems. I think you forced some of the slower runners to the back. Good thinking!

I think you should consider a staggered start because the field was VERY crowded at the beginning and didn’t really thin out for about a mile.

I thought the field size was good. I was toward the end of the pack, tough, so I didn’t have problem with crowding up or down.

I thought the field size was perfect, being a slow runner I was able to see everyone come down the hill and never was there too much congestion for the runners on the downhill.

I was aware about the issue of up runners potentially colliding with down runners. You had to keep your head up to avoid an accident! I was close a couple of times, but in general the runners were very courteous.

I was concerned about coming down and having to dodge people, but it was not a problem. Everyone seemed to thin out by the time you head up the W’s. You may be able to add more but I’m sure it may be hard on the aid stations.

It felt just right. I think the field could even be expanded by 30-40.

It seemed just right, not to crowded

It was a bit crowded at the beginning miles 1-3, but not unmanageable(I was walking). I prefer to have space around me which I had in abundance by the end since I was way back in the pack.

it was all fine

It was fine this year.

It was fine, but I was in the back so crowding wasn’t an issue.

It was fine. If it were much bigger it might be a bit unwieldy, but that is part of the challenge of trail races.

It was good. It does not matter that it is crowded in the beginning because it the trail is so steep you can not go that much faster than anyone else around you anyway.

It was just right

It was just right, the trail never became too congested. All the runners and aid crews were awesome.

It was just right. A little crowded on the single track through the switchbacks, but it’s a good challenge to start out strong enough to be in your pace group.

It was just right. Thanks to your posting the splits from last year, that made it easier to see where to be in the pack.

It was OK for me, but a slower runner told me that near the turnaround point, there was such a glut of runners coming down that she had to walk the last 1/2 mile to Barr Camp.

It was okay after the first 2 miles, up until then it was crowded and very hard to pass. But then thinned out quickly.

just about right

just about right

Just fine

Just fine

Just fine.

just right

Just right

just right

Just right

Just right

just right

Just Right

just right

Just right

just right

Just right

Just Right

just right

just right

Just right

just right

just right

just right

just right

just right

just right

Just right

just right

Just right

just right

Just right

just right

Just right

just right

just right

Just right — I was in the latter half of the pack. It thinned out quickly after the W’s

just right all the way

just right as it broke up pretty well. it could possibly be slightly larger

Just right for me. Once I got past the first mile the crowd thinned out pretty nicely and stayed that way throughout the race. I think I’m a middle of the pack racer.

Just right, because once everyone hits the turnaround they crank it up, yet then runners are spread out enough by then, so as not to create unnecessary dangers. If the field size was increased, this might not be the case. Also, because the finish is limited in size, additional runners would diminish the ability to get needed shade, fluids and food when you need them the most.

just right, beginning a bit congested, but that’s a running race for ya, it got spread out on way up — coming down you had to think more to watch out for other runners going up, most everyone was considerate, not to bash the hikers but they got in the way for me more and a motorbike almost took out the guy right in front of me and me right near the end of the trail which was scary and way not expected!

just right, Beginning was crowded but to be expected. It was perfect the rest of the way

Just right, having participated in just a few races on Barr Trail, I find passing and being passed (bummer) to be just a matter of timing and it does not take much addition energy. I can imagine that first timers and impatient people would find it crowded.

Just right, I didn’t feel crowded anywhere on the trail.

Just right, thick at the beginning, but people were amenable to passing.

Just right, Traffic on trail was workable.

Just right, very energetic and kind crowd.

Just right.

Just right.

Just right.

Just right. A little crowded at the bottom but after a couple of switchbacks on the Ws everything was fine. Very similar to the PPA and PPM.

just right. crowded at first, but it spread out quickly

Just right. It was a little crowded when I hit Barr Trail which made it tough to pass, but everyone was VERY Courteous.

Just right. Very crowded at the start, but a good pace nonetheless. The field spread out shortly after No Name and continued that way until the half-mile to go sign where the traffic picked up again with both uphill and downhill. Runners were very courteous in yielding to those passing.

Just right. Beginning was workable and throughout the rest it was great.

Just right. I wouldn’t let any more in.

Just right... No problems at all even at the middle

Just right--not too crowded at the beginning and passing/being passed was pretty manageable. It got a little bit congested from miles 5-7 with runners going up and coming down, particularly with hikers on the trail.

Keep the field size the same

Little small.

No larger — especially with the lanes narrowed to one at the start.

ok

ok

OK

ok

Probably a little room for more.

Right on

Right size — Sorted out well in the short time on the road and not jammed on the trail. No issues at the top or on the way down.

seemed about right, not too crowded but enough people to make it fun

seemed just right

Seemed like a good amount. Not too congested at the start.. pretty sparse for me coming down.

seemed ok to me

Seemed to be just right.

seemed to be the right size. a little crowded at the beginning, but that is to be expected. it thinned out shortly thereafter and then it was not a problem.

Size okay. I thought that it would be more difficult in the beginning, but it was not a problem. I was also surprised that I was “alone” a lot of the way down.

start was crowded but after 2-3 miles things were fine.

The beginning was a little crowded but it fanned out pretty quickly. I had lots of space during the middle and end of the race.

The beginning was congested, but it evened out well for the rest of the race.

The beginning was jammed for the first mile-start further down the street to spread out the crowd on the trail-tough to pass when it is jammed

the beginning: very crowded. After that, just fine.

The field size is perfect. Thinned out very quickly. Pretty much could go any speed you wanted after the 2nd switchback in the W’s. Could only see one runner ahead of me most of the way up to Barr Camp and only a runner or two close behind. It was wide open! Trip down was also pretty much wide open, other than the guy who was lugging a bike or bike parts down the mountain. All of the hikers that were out were very polite and were good about moving to the side of the trail.

the field size seemed fine and stretched out fairly quickly

The field size was great. You didn’t have too many runners on the trail.

the field size was just right, no more runners

The hikers on the trail were not all cooperative. Dogs on trail was a big problem!!!

The race itself is the perfect size. The hiking traffic makes things a bit messy.

The race size was great (it could probably be a little bit bigger), but I felt there were too many hikers on the trail that were reluctant to move out of the way of racers.

The race size was ok. It was crowded at the beginning but it got spread out after a while

the race was a good size

The size was just right for me. On the way down other runners moved for me, the only problem was the guy who was passed out when I went by and lots of hikers who weren’t running. The number of runners was good but to many hikers.

The start was a little crowded but soon things improved. I had little problems going up or going down.

The W’s were jammed up, but that was expected. I was actually running without sight of a runner for quite a bit on the way down.

This race seemed to be geared towards elite/hardcore runners and not back of the pack joggers/hikers. That is too bad. I know alot of people who did not sign up for this because they were worried they would not make the 3.5 hr cut-off. If your goal is to get more people out on the trail, enjoying nature etc. you are excluding alot of people with the cutoff. I am not saying you should have the course open all day, but maybe extend the cutoff 30-60 minutes.

throughout the entire race the field size was just right with a start that wasn’t too chaotic and plenty of distance between runners coming down to make passing not quite so much of a hassle

Too small

too small

Too small

You could almost bump it by 50 or 100 — it just gets tight in a few places.