Wednesday, November 15, 2017

2018 Louisville's Lovin' The Hills 50k/15m/6m Registration

The official website for LLTH is at HeadFirst Performance.  You can follow the link to registration on Ultrasignup from there or use this direct link:  https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=49028.  The first 200 people who sign up for the 50k and the 15m will receive a bonus race Buff.

Entry Fees:

                     Dec 1 - Jan 31        After Jan 31
6 Mile   $35  $40                       $45
15 Mile   $50  $55                       $60
50K   $65
 $70                       $75
                
Online registration will close February 6 -- now EXTENDED to February 7!

The 2017 info & links listed in the sidebar of this blog are in the process of being updated to 2018.  All the courses for 2018 will essentially be the same as 2017 with only minor changes.  

Blogger.com automatically started to provide a mobile version of this blog last year, however, it did not show the sidebar which caused some confusion for last years' event.  That version has been bypassed so only the desktop version (with small print) will be shown on mobile devices now.

Updates will be posted here on the LLTH PLUS blog (http://llth50.blogspot.com) as needed.  A "last minute" update is usually posted 2 or 3 days before the race date.




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Saturday, February 4, 2017

2017 LLTH Results and Race Recap

Preliminary results have been posted.   The direct link (subject to change) is currently at:

http://69.195.124.103/~headfir2/Results/17LLTH.pdf
  
IF the link does not work, check the HeadFirst Performance website, under the results tab, for the latest revision.  If you note any errors, contact HeadFirst Performance.  Results will also be posted on Ultrasignup.

A record crowd attended the 14th running of LLTH.  Entries numbered over 400 for the 1st time -- due, in part, to the expected weather & trail conditions, which were better than usual.  The temps would range from 17 to 39 on a partly cloudy day & there was a very light breeze.

As expected, the trails were frozen thru mid-morning.  With the hard overnight freeze, parts of the trail that were only damp on previous days had ice form near the surface.  Then as the sun & temps rose higher, the trails did develop some slick areas & a couple fairly muddy spots in the afternoon.  The trails were actually in better shape earlier in the week despite the lack of any precipitation since then.





A better quality version of this start video has been uploaded to OneDrive.  It's in HD format, so not everyone may be able to view it.


2017 winners:

50k:   Scott Breeden      4:14:37**           Jessica Southers     5:27:38**

15m:  Clinton Barrett    1:59:04               Kristin Patterson    2:22:39

6m:    Kaleb Patterson     46:26                Sara Mahoney           46:31

** Scott's time is 2nd only to the record (4:07:38) he set in 2013.  Jessica's time is 2nd only to the record set by Ellen Erhardt/Byron (5:18:05) in 2008.


shirt, buff & finisher medal:
 

Congrats & Thanks to all!  Thanks also to the Headfirst Performance crew & all the volunteers.  And as always, special thanks to Cynthia Heady, who makes this race happen.

If anyone has pictures they wish to share with others, post your link or send it/them to edibo@insightbb.com.   Thanks!



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Wednesday, February 1, 2017

Feb-1-2017 LLTH last minute notes

Online registration thru Ultrasignup closes tonight.  Late registration is available at packet pickup on Friday (3rd) at Ken Combs Running Store from 12 noon to 5:00 pm EST and on race morning from 6:30 - 7:30 am EST at the Horine Center at the FINISH area.  There are a limited number of race buffs in the packets for the 50k & 15 mile runners only.

It has come to my attention that the sidebar of this blog may not be visible with all mobile web browsers -- sorry.  The sidebar contains useful links about the race & is visible on a PC.

All races start at 8:00 a.m. EST. Sat 2-4-17

QUEST OUTDOORS has announced they're having a FREE pre-race pasta dinner again this year at their new store location at 4600 Shelbyville Rd in the Shelbyville Road Plaza in Louisville at 6 p.m. Friday (3rd).  All runners are welcome.

HeadFirst Performance just recently changed their website host. Their race website is still under construction.  The location of the race start is in the Horine Section of Jefferson Memorial Forest.  The entrance to the Horine Section is at 12304 Holsclaw Hill Rd, Louisville, KY.   The start of the race is about a half mile from the entrance down the narrow park road.   The address (11311 Mitchell Hill Rd) currently listed on Ultrasignup for LLTH will take you to the Welcome Center, about 2 miles from the start and on the wrong road.   More specific directions, using Google Maps, can be found using the links in the sidebar of this blog.   If there's any question about the race, you can send it by adding a comment to this post, or you can email me directly at edibo@insightbb.com or you can email Cynthia Heady, RD, cynthia@headfirstperformance.com.  Things are really busy now till the race so will try to get out an answer if there's time.

There's been a record number of entries (383 so far, usually 300 or less) this year.  It's recommended to arrive early as the usual parking areas will likely overflow. There's been some consideration to staggering the start time of the 6 mile runners this year & in the future due to the increasing number of runners -- nothing has been decided at this time.  Everyone starts on the gravel road for the first 0.6 miles, but inevitably a bottleneck/backup eventually forms as it narrows down to single track trail at that point.

Flagging will be a light orange this year.  Trail junctions will be marked with several flags & major junctions will also have signs or a volunteer on site.  Intermediate flagging is spaced approx. 100 to 200 feet along the entire course.

Current forecast is for partly cloudy skies with upper teens to low 20's at the start & highs in the upper 30's to low 40's. The streams are mostly dry.  Trails are in very good to excellent condition.  It's rare to have the trails in this condition this time of year.  If there's a frost heave race morning, that will bring some moisture to the surface -- possibly causing spotty slick spots if or when the ice melts in the afternoon.


On the Blue Trail on the 15m/50k course this morning:


The course is the same as last year with only one very minor change that those familiar with the course might notice:  the bridge just after the start of the Siltstone Trail (15m & 50k) has been replaced & relocated away from the road -- bypassing the steep, sharp rock steps (made of siltstone) and replacing them with slab rock & a short switchback.

Have Fun & Good Luck!

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