LLTH PLUS

A couple changes for 2010

2009-11-23T21:39:00.005-05:00

I've just started updating this blog for 2010. Changes will be forthcoming on dates, links, maps, etc. The first couple changes are here:

The date for the race has been changed to Saturday February 6, 2010. Sorry for any inconvenience this will make to anyone's plans. Although Headfirst Performance had reserved the site for the 13th, Metro Parks changed their mind & gave notification just recently. They have said that the Horine Center would not be available that weekend -- reason being that they were going to extend their one day Valentine's Retreat for couples from Sunday the 14th to the entire weekend!

There will be a course change on the final leg of the 50k. Instead of running the Purple Heart Trail in Tom Wallace Park, the Scott's Gap loop at the end of the Siltstone Trail will be included. The Siltstone Trail will be run in its' entirety from start to finish. After the 3 miles around Scott's Gap, the course will return on the full length of the Siltstone Trail back to the Welcome Center & then back to the finish at the Horine Center. This change will remove about 1.25 miles of sidewalk and paved road within Tom Wallace Park. With fewer turns, it will also make for less confusion for runners & for easier marking of the course. New course maps will be posted when available.

Online registration is currently available at Active.com.

2009 Louisville's Lovin' the Hills -- Notes & Results

2009-02-16T08:50:00.004-05:00

After the ice storm, "postpone" or "cancel" were possible options for the race this year. Fortunately for everyone, Headfirst Performance took on the challenge. This was Cynthia & Todd Heady's 2nd year at directing LLTH & it was another successful event!

The light rain that was forecast didn't happen & the course, for the most part, was only damp with just a few muddy spots here & there. Trails were in great shape, considering what they looked like only recently. Even though most of the course had been cleared at least a couple times, a few new branches & maybe a tree or 2 had fallen onto the trails by race time, but there was nothing very big or hard to get over or around.

THANKS again to all the workers & volunteers who cleared the trails & made the race possible! Special THANKS to Larry Hilton with the JMF staff who went above & beyond to meet the deadline. Also, THANKS to all the runners & volunteers who helped make LLTH a success!

The 2009 LLTH Race Results have been posted at the Headfirst Performance website.

update

2009-02-13T14:19:00.002-05:00

I'm having to post this from another computer as I've been without power at my house since the wind storm hit Wednesday:

With the rain & high winds earlier in the week, plans were set back for the chainsaw crews, but they are working now as I type this to finish the last mile or so of the trails. There was also a last minute (small) re-route on the Yost (Yellow) Trail on the 2nd loop yesterday to avoid a heavily damaged section of trail as it was easier to do so than to cut & remove all the trees. Don't be surprised if you encounter an obstacle in your path tomorrow, in fact, I'd be surprised if you didn't encounter something! Dangling limbs & branches & damaged tree tops left over from the ice storm have continued to fall on the trails. Even going back on the trails to mark the course, it felt at times like a clearing operation. Normally, the trails here are trimmed back fairly well. This year there will be branches & brush that extend into the trails at some locations, so be cautious for those at head/eye level!

May everyone have a SAFE & FUN race!

Super Saturday

2009-02-08T08:43:00.003-05:00

40+ volunteers & workers showed up yesterday for the cleanup of the trails - most impressive! Many THANKS!! More work was done than all the previous weekdays combined. There were a half dozen groups & 3 chainsaw crews scattered thruout the Forest at any given time. Although temps reached the 60's and it had been above freezing for several days, everyone battled the icy conditions on the shady sides of the steeper hills. The thick ice was thawed just enough to be able to kick in steps or dig in with your heels to get a foothold -- that still didn't keep everyone upright when it came to dragging & manuevering fallen trees off the trails. Some fell numerous times on the steeper icy sections. One chainsaw operator slipped & slid 20 feet down a slope, chainsaw in tow.

Only about 2 miles remain to be cleared of the smaller trees, brush & debris & about 7 miles of trails have only the large trees to be cut & removed -- almost all of these are on the segments hit the hardest, the 2nd loop (Yellow Trail) and in Tom Wallace Park. With above freezing temps forecast for the rest of the week and the continued dedication of volunteers & Jefferson Memorial Forest workers, the course will be clear race day (if no other trees fall!)

Cynthia & Todd (Race Directors) and Kim on the Blue Trail:

MAJOR ice storm

2009-02-04T20:53:00.010-05:00

I would have posted this earlier, but like most residents in the Jefferson Memorial Forest area, I was without electric for 7 days & internet service for 9 days:

On January 26-27, a major ice storm, called the worst in Kentucky history, hit the Jefferson Memorial Forest (JMF). It first started with a couple inches of sleet, followed by a day of freezing rain, then it was all topped off with 4 inches of snow. Park roads were closed the 1st week until the trees could be removed and the powerlines restored. Countless trees, tree tops & branches have filled in the trails from start to finish. The monumental task of clearing has begun (MANY THANKS to the dedicated JMF workers & all the volunteers!) -- progress has been slow with the icy conditions. If anyone is interested, meet at the Welcome Center this Saturday or Sunday at 9 am as small groups are assigned different trail segments to clear.

If we have good weather & the current effort is continued, I believe all the trails will be passable by race day.

Pictures taken on the course 5 days after the storm first hit:

Starting line is at the gate (15m, 50k):

Entrance to the Siltstone Trail (50k):

Tom Wallace Lake Road (inbound portion 50k):

Former aid station location at Tom Wallace Lake:

Even the outhouses at the Start were not spared:

race headquarters

2009-01-21T21:24:00.011-05:00

The Jefferson Memorial Forest has a special event planned each Valentine's Day at the Manor House (Lodge) in the Horine section of the Forest. This Lodge has been used the last several years as the LLTH race headquarters as it kept everyone out of the weather and did so with style & comfort. With a scenic overlook of Louisville off the back deck, the Lodge is also within sight of the start/finish area. Although this special Valentine's Day program starts at 7:30 p.m., it would be difficult to clear & clean up after the race in time to prevent any disruption. So late sign-up, packet pickup, post race food, etc., will be located in a tent in an area allowed by Forest Management. At this time, a location close to last year's start/finish/aid station area is being sought. Back in 2004, the race date also fell on Valentine's Day, however, the Lodge was not an issue. The start/finish was located at the Welcome Center that year.

Official announcement from the Jefferson Memorial Forest website:

Valentine Forest Retreat
Saturday, February 14, 2009
7:30 - 10 p.m.

Looking for something romantic to do with your sweetheart this year? Why not give them the moon, the stars, and all of Louisville? Join our staff for a romantic, candlelit hike through the Forest that ends with an incredible view of the lights of Louisville. The hike's destination is the Forest's beautiful Manor House where you'll be greeted by a roaring fire to warm you up, hot beverages and desserts provided by local bakeries. Meets in the Horine Reservation.
Fee: $25 per couple

This fills up every year. If interested, contact the Welcome Center at 11311 Mitchell Hill Road, (502) 368-6856.

NEW official website

2008-12-23T15:38:00.002-05:00

The Cherokee Road Runners organization has given Louisville's Lovin' the Hills to Headfirst Performance. The new official website is found at 2009 LLTH. The old site was 2008 LLTH.

The Trail Store will be conducting training runs in the Jefferson Memorial Forest every Sunday morning at 8:00. To find out where to meet each week, contact the store to get on the running group email list. There will also be tempo road runs from the store location every Wednesday morning, starting January 7, 2009 at 5:30 PM EST. The 1st training run in the Jefferson Memorial Forest will be at the Welcome Center at 11311 Mitchell Hill Road on Sunday, December 28.

2009 Louisville's Lovin' the Hills 50k -- online registration is OPEN

2008-11-24T17:55:00.003-05:00

Event details are beginning to be finalized for 2009. Currently, online registration is open at Active.com. Last year's mail-in entry form is being revised for 2009 and will be posted when it's completed.

HeadFirst Performance Services will direct this event as they did last year. The 15 mile option will be offered again along with the 50k. The early entry fee for either race will remain at $50.

This blog will be updated as more information becomes available.

2008 results

2008-02-17T18:44:00.003-05:00

The overall results have been posted on the HeadFirst Performance Services website.

comments

2008-02-16T17:40:00.002-05:00

I’ve been told by people at the race today that they’ve been unable to post their comments to this blog. In the options, I have set the blog to receive comments from “anyone – including anonymous users”. If someone knows what is needed to correct this, or if anyone wishes to send comments about the blog, race or whatever, I can be reached directly at edibo@insightbb.com – Thanks!

last minute notes

2008-02-15T17:12:00.004-05:00

The sun & warmer temps than expected melted a lot of snow today. About an inch or less of slushy snow remains, with more in shaded areas. How much it freezes back will depend on just how cold it gets tonight.

With all the runoff from the melting, it may be difficult to keep the feet dry crossing a couple streams unless the freeze helps brings them down tonight.

The rock face on the 2^nd loop (Yellow Trail) may be icy in the morning -- the alternate path above it is not a well worn one – although it may be flagged as the course by race time. Some very narrow sections of the Yellow Trail near the end of the loop are tricky when wet, more so when snowy or icy.

Some of the course flagging may be on the ground due to the icing earlier in the week.

Good Luck!

snowy trails

2008-02-13T14:06:00.012-05:00

Weather/course conditions will be a factor in this year’s event once again. After snowing an inch/hour for several hours Monday evening, sleet & freezing rain followed, with an all day rain yesterday. This photo is on the Blue Trail about 11:00 Tuesday morning:
After the rain yesterday, the 4 or 5 inches of snow is down to a couple inches or so with a frozen crust. The picture of the trail hasn't changed much today except the icy coating on the trees is gone.

2008 course

2008-02-11T20:29:00.000-05:00

There have been several changes made to the course from last year. The biggest change involves adding the Orange Trail and removing the section of gravel road around the Nature Center. Another change involves moving the course off the highway and onto a trail at the end of the Siltstone Trail for the 50K runners. The details of the changes can be found at this link: 2008 course changes

As this post is being entered, a heavy snow is falling here in Louisville.

the wind of change

2008-02-09T21:26:00.000-05:00

One of reasons the Jefferson Memorial Forest is such a gem that it is, is because of the people that work to keep it that way. Many thanks go out to Forest Management, in particular Larry Hilton, whose dedication goes far beyond that required of his position. Thanks also to Matt & Eric, who have trekked the many miles of hilly trails with chainsaws to clear the downed trees from the last 2 wind storms. Hopefully the forecast tonight of sustained winds of 40 mph won’t be as destructive as the wind bursts from last week.

According to the RD, there will be several changes in the course from last year, most notably within the first 7 miles of both races. A new trail is being added & a traverse along a gravel road (added last year only) will be removed. This change & others will be noted in detail soon.

speed bumps

2008-02-06T16:56:00.002-05:00

With the ground saturated & high winds during 2 storms this past week, numerous trees have come down blocking several trails. Hopefully Larry & Matt with Forest Management can keep up with the growing list.

race photos

2008-01-31T21:11:00.000-05:00

Links to photo collections from years past have been added. The race photos are courtesy of HeadFirst Performance Services, Smugmug.com, Cherokee Road Runners, Win & Lorrie Apel and Eric Grossman. For 2007, the photos are a sampling of the large collection available at: http://headfirstperformance.smugmug.com/gallery/2485967#130450555.

Thanks goes out to all the photographers. Additional photos will be added as they become available.

video & photos

2008-01-27T13:18:00.000-05:00

Cynthia & Todd Heady have posted a link to a 2nd youtube video of the course on their site at http://www.headfirstperformance.com/index.html. They've also posted an elevation profile for the second half of the 50k course.

Photos from past years at LLTH are being gathered & will be uploaded to a Picasa web album. Links will be forthcoming. Photo courtesy of smugmug.com:

trail re-route

2008-01-24T10:40:00.000-05:00

Larry Hilton, a Naturalist with Louisville Metro Parks, has confirmed that the latest re-route on Siltstone Trail will not be opened till after LLTH. This is good news to those who like challenging hills, bad news for those whose legs are gone when they reach this long, stair stepped hill. When opened after LLTH, the trail will go around & along the side of the hill adding a little distance to the course next year. Larry also pointed out that there’s logging activities right next to the Siltstone Trail on the far end of the (50k) course and that the race organizers may want to use a different colored ribbon than the pink/red flagging used thru this area.

course changes

2008-01-20T21:05:00.000-05:00

As a Jefferson Memorial Forest volunteer “trail ranger” I’m able to keep up with the status of trail maintenance & realignments, especially when it pertains to the trails used during the LLTH event. The course has changed every year that the event has taken place – there have been somewhat major re-routes, but most have been minor changes. Some trail sections are closed to allow “resting” of the area & later rotated back into service. Management also has an ongoing program to eliminate steep and/or difficult to maintain sections of trail thruout the forest. What this means is that some steeper hills are being eliminated from the course each year. Some may remember back prior to 2006 when the steepest section on the course was where the trail went straight up a washed out gulley on the Red Trail and you had to use all fours to get up – no such sections close to that today. So far since February 2007, there has been one section of trail that has been re-routed around a hill approaching Tom Wallace Lake. 50K race veterans may remember this quad burning hill at around mile 14 that’s only on the outbound portion of the Siltstone Trail. This steep, stair stepped section has been replaced with a couple small switchbacks and a trail bypassing the top of the hill. There is another re-route of the Siltstone Trail scheduled to be opened soon near Jefferson Hill Road. Whether this is opened prior to race day is still pending. This big long hill being bypassed is another stair stepped section with this one hill being the most difficult, in my opinion, on the 50K course. It’s not even easy going down with all the steps & roots & sharp twists in the trail, but with the course being an out and back on Siltstone, the trip going back up this hill is one you (or your legs) will remember long after the finish. Tune in for updates on this latest re-route. For runners who are concerned about the change in the length of the races, it’s in the works to have the courses re-checked by GPS & wheel. An elevation profile for the entire 50K & 15M courses is likely to be posted on the website prior to Feb 16.

official site

2008-01-19T21:22:00.000-05:00

1st post

The official LLTH site is at:
http://www.cherokeeroadrunners.org/llth.index.htm

Race directors Cynthia & Todd Heady have their own site at: http://www.headfirstperformance.com/index.html
You can find a link there to a youtube video taken by Cynthia on the 1st part of the LLTH course. Another video is forthcoming on the second half of the 50K course.