Mr Trail Safety Speaks!

The rescheduled SGM50k was run under perfect conditions this past Saturday. For those laboring under sleeting conditions elsewhere, now would be a good time to ignore the following paragraphs. RD Jim O'Brien has designed the San Gabriel Mtn 50k to take full advantage of the vertical delights of Mt Wilson. The course is largely absent of debilitating flat stretches, which can only lead the unwary into the snares and traps of complacency. How many flat loops can any sane person do? How much frozen Hoosier mud does anybody need in this short life? I'm certain that many people asked themselves these questions. Runners got off to a scenic start from the top of Mt Wilson. A scenic view of Catalina Island and the blue Pacific beckoned off to the south, but many had their focus on PowerBars, splits, Gu and future glory. Tom Nielsen hung back in the parking lot, by accident or design is not clear. Perhaps it was too crowded at the start. In any event, a full 90 seconds had elapsed befor...

In which a Race Report is filed regarding the San Gabriel Mtns 50k. REPORT HIGHLIGHTS: ***Life's A Bitch, then you finish uphill. ***Some runners were drinking Aid Station beer ***Why STUFF Magazine is totally cool ***Blatant Attempted Puppet Abduction ***S&R Dogs that Drink Beer and Find Amorous Couples in the Wild ***RD Jim O'Brien has a twisted sense of humor ***Ian Torrence & Jennifer Johnston win like last year. So much for the highlights. Now is the hard-hitting report that everybody has been waiting for. What....really happens at an end-stage aid station? The morning dawned clear and cold. Perky weather indicators were in evidence everywhere at the start. The sun rose and not a moment too soon for the shivering heroes. WIth a shout and whoop, they were off and the Mt Zion Aid Station Krewe begins its descent. Chucky the Cheez-Kutting Kougar lives nearby, and has missed the company of chubby hikers due to the recent closure of the Chantry Flats Picnic Area. As bef...