Kara Goucher to run Leadville!!!

If you knew that from following the sport so closely you should have medaled against that very weak field too. Oh wait.....

Medaling at WCs is impressive regardless of the year. No, she isn't a GOAT but she is still better than the top .01 % of runners.

This is a brutal race -- starts at 10,000 feet and goes up to a 13,300 foot pass, then straight back down. There is additional elevation gain and loss from two loops around Ball Mountain. I wish Goucher the best, but wouldn't peg her as a favorite before seeing how she does in such a different type of race.

Goucher is gonna get destroyed. June isn't enough time to get used to hammering technical downhills. she will be fine running uphill. but will probably be bad at pacing as well.

I'm not saying that she will lose though...it's not a very competitive race, especially on the womens side. But compared to the men who are about 2:35-2:40 marathoners (about how fit Kara is right now), I bet she gets her butt kicked.

reed wrote:

Goucher is gonna get destroyed. June isn't enough time to get used to hammering technical downhills. she will be fine running uphill. but will probably be bad at pacing as well.

I'm not saying that she will lose though...it's not a very competitive race, especially on the womens side. But compared to the men who are about 2:35-2:40 marathoners (about how fit Kara is right now), I bet she gets her butt kicked.

I was under the impression that the marathon was not very technical. It's mostly road actually. Granted, I've only run the 100, which is an entirely separate course.

If just the trail marathon, why not do pikes peak marathon instead?

faster funnier wrote:

I was under the impression that the marathon was not very technical. It's mostly road actually. Granted, I've only run the 100, which is an entirely separate course.

The only thing difficult in Leadville is the altitude of 10,000 feet.

asdfdsfasd wrote:

crumpetsounds wrote:

Is there a Walking event?

Seems they could make it even slower.

Is there a crying event?

a hole

Scubacane wrote:

I predict a DNF. That’s a brutal race to do an ultra debut. How about a low key 50k to start?

I don't think she will DNF but definitely agree that a less prominent race would have been a better choice. Show up to some small race with no fanfare and get out there and run without the pressure of "KARA GOUCHER FIRST TRAIL MARATHON!!111!".

faster funnier wrote:

reed wrote:

Goucher is gonna get destroyed. June isn't enough time to get used to hammering technical downhills. she will be fine running uphill. but will probably be bad at pacing as well.

I'm not saying that she will lose though...it's not a very competitive race, especially on the womens side. But compared to the men who are about 2:35-2:40 marathoners (about how fit Kara is right now), I bet she gets her butt kicked.

I was under the impression that the marathon was not very technical. It's mostly road actually. Granted, I've only run the 100, which is an entirely separate course.

you're right. just looked at some youtube videos people made about the race. looks like a wide dirt/packed road, but at an average altitude of 11500ft. not technical at all, and probably why Kara chose it. but

course records appear to be 3:31 by Michael Aish and 3:58 by Keri Nelson. Aish was a 27:46 10k guy and a 2:13 marathoner, lived and trained at 8000ft for a long time. Keri Nelson lived in the same town, Gunnison, CO at 8000ft. seems like living in Boulder is not gonna cut it for a Leadville race.

with that, Kara may not get destroyed if she does some additional altitude prep, but she will probably get sick or bonk if she doesn't. she's probably aware of all that though, having been in NOP

Pikes Peak Marathon will probably

Be the much more competitive race this year.

Leadville trails arent “technical” at all.

She should be fine with a little altitude training and fueling plan

stuck in traffic? wrote:

Al the pusher wrote:

Good for her. People don’t like her because she exposed Alberto as a pusher.

Yeah and all the evidence she talked about will be coming out soon. Real soon. Any day now.

I believe the evidence is (and has been) there for quite a while now.

a big bravey fan of hers wrote:

Assuming she's healthy, she's got to be the favorite, right?

https://www.runnersworld.com/news/a26755214/kara-goucher-runs-leadville-trail-marathon/

Who the f*ck cares. Enough with this attention grabbing has-been.

Lots of things come to mind when I read this. Such as:

No longer relevant to racing - sorry, but Ultras just aren't to me.

She's totally given up.

Had to have a headline - narcissist.

Can't stand the heat, had to get out of the kitchen.

Time to move on.

Pretty much don't care wrote:

Lots of things come to mind when I read this. Such as:

No longer relevant to racing - sorry, but Ultras just aren't to me.

She's totally given up.

Had to have a headline - narcissist.

Can't stand the heat, had to get out of the kitchen.

Time to move on.

you think ultras aren't racing? you're right about everything else, that KG is trying to stay mainstream in her dwindling fitness, but you're dead wrong about ultras and trails in general. you may not know anything about this sport, but that doesn't mean ti doesn't exist at a high level. Goucher will probably never be relevant in trail racing, but it does help trail running get some attention and I appreciate that.

maybe Goucher will surprise us and actually be good at trails. I doubt it though - sounds like she has avoided trails for a decade and that's going to be a huge hurdle.

Overall, this is good for running. A big name will help pump up the trail running circuits. And, trail running is more relaxing. There really isn't much racing. everyone seems to be enjoying themselves.

reed wrote:

you think ultras aren't racing? you're right about everything else, that KG is trying to stay mainstream in her dwindling fitness, but you're dead wrong about ultras and trails in general. you may not know anything about this sport, but that doesn't mean ti doesn't exist at a high level. Goucher will probably never be relevant in trail racing, but it does help trail running get some attention and I appreciate that.

maybe Goucher will surprise us and actually be good at trails. I doubt it though - sounds like she has avoided trails for a decade and that's going to be a huge hurdle.

I specifically said that TO ME ultras aren't racing. That's how I feel and my personal opinion. You can't judge right or wrong on that statement.

For instance, I find subjective sports in the Olympics as non-sports. Gymnastics, Diving, Figure Skating... TO ME, those are non-sports - they are artistic events that require an incredible amount of athleticism, but just not "sporting to me.

I'm sure people disagree with me, and that's fine! It's my opinion.

Ultra endurance events just don't line up as racing to me. And I do know of what I speak - as it is my personal opinion - and I get that people involved in it do think differently. Again, that's fine with me. I'm not trying to change anyone's opinion.

This the same route Magdalena Lewy Boulet, an Olympic marathoner, took as she was nearing 40 and shes's done quite well for herself. Kara G may have the same kind of success. Or not.

The idea that "no one likes her" couldn't be more wrong. You guys just recycle the same old nonsense among yourselves. Outside of the bowels of LetsRun, she's been one of the most popular female marathoners with the "general public." Well, until Shalane and Desi started actually winning majors, anyway.

Honestly there isn't a ton of "closely competitive Racing" in many trail-ultras in the US. Lead packs get spread out and huge gaps form. Winners come in 15+or 30+-minutes ahead of the next finisher quite often.

However, the more competitive trail races (esp those with some prize money or opportunity to gain sponsorship) for sure has some racing involved and the margins can be a lot closer with "lead packs" of 2:14-2:25 marathoners forming. $10,000 FTW at a race like North Face 50 isn't something that is super easy to earn.

You want to see real competitive "trail racing"? Search for race videos of "Zegama" or "Sierre-Zinal" (to name a few). Lots of mountain running in Europe is pretty stacked.

Sure, the competitive depth is not the same as a marathon major though. One of the reasons I went to trail running was to gain sponsorship. It is really freaking hard to get sponsored as a 2:16 road marathoner.....even 2:13-2:14 guys nowadays probably have trouble getting sponsored on the roads. It is much easier to be sponsored as a trail-ultra runner...and you can make more headlines (i.e. gain more of a social media following) as well.

Trail running (especially big mountain running) also has more variation in it (nice views/scenery etc.)...so that is a big draw obviously too.

In an ultra the competitors line up a point A and whoever gets to point B first wins. How is that not a race? Because they are not going fast? Is high school cross country racing - those races are pretty slow too. Is there a certain pace required for an event to be considered a race? Can you provide your definition?

Also Kara is running a trail marathon not an ultra, so I don't know if you consider it a race or not.