2020 LLTH Results and Race Recap

Preliminary results have been posted.   The direct link is currently at: 
http://headfirstperformance.com/Results/20LLTHResults.pdf

Updated results are now at:
http://headfirstperformance.com/Results/20LLTHResults1.pdf

If this link does NOT work, it's probably because the results have been updated and I just haven't updated the direct link listed here.  In that case, you can find the most current results on the Headfirst Performance website under the Results tab.

If you note any errors or have any missing information, notify Headfirst Performance (see Contact Us on their website) -- the sooner the better.  Results will be on Ultrasignup at a later date once the results have been finalized and they get them uploaded to that site.


 recap :   (photos & photo links to be added later)

A great turnout for the 17th running of LLTH (around 400 registrants) despite the prospect of wet trail conditions and with the snow showers in the preceding hours before the start.  It hovered around the freezing point early and it would reach the lower 40's by late afternoon on a mostly cloudy day with the winds becoming breezy by noon.  

The 1/2"-1" snow from very early Thursday morning had disappeared from the trails during the day Thursday but remained about everywhere else till late afternoon.  Also the early race morning dusting of snow quickly disappeared from the running surfaces.  The grass parking areas were snow covered early and everyone handled them OK.  

With only minor & rare freeze/thaw cycles this "warm" winter, the trail foundations have been solid this season in the Forest including this week.  The rain on Tue, the 1/2"-1" snow in the very early Thu a.m. hours and a dusting of snow just before the race kept the trail surfaces wet, but overall in fair to good condition.  Of course there were some real muddy spots, but they were somewhat isolated -- these poorly draining areas are muddy even in drier times.  

Scott's Gap Trail and the far (west) end of the Siltstone Trail were a little surface wet/damp and in very good condition.

The dropoff that was mentioned in the "last minute notes" post didn't cause any problems race day.  The area had dried up since that rain on Tuesday and someone had also fashioned a rock "step down" which provided a solid landing coming downhill.  Didn't see that landing on the return trip but by then it had really dried up & was uphill anyway.


2020 winners:

50k:   Bob Adams        4:34:09      Sally Thompson*      5:56:10

15m:  Garrett Bowers  2:05:03      Amanda LeBlanc**   2:12:42

6m:   Thomas Hunter     47:59      Rachel Noirot             53:47 

*Sally Thompson becomes the 2nd runner, joining Alicia Heyne, to have completed a LLTH TRIPLE -- that is, have wins in the 6m, 15m and 50k.  For Sally, the wins have been: 6m (2016), 15m (2018) and the 50k (2020).  For Alicia, it was:  6m (2014), 15m (2011, 2012, 2015, 2016) and the 50k (2018). 

**Amanda LeBlanc improved on her winning time of 2:22:55 last year & had the fastest time for Females since the hilly Purple Heart section was incorporated into a new, longer 15m course in 2014, surpassing the 2:13:32 by Alicia Heyne in 2015.



shirt, Hoorag & finisher medal:
 

An award is issued to runners when reaching 10 finishes at LLTH.  2 runners reached that milestone this year:  Joseph Haist and Miles Spalding -- Congratulations!  A list of the all time finishers at LLTH with a minimum of 2 finishes can be found here:

ALL TIME LIST

As noted previously,  in collaboration with Land Between the Lakes (LBL), a special award will be given to those who complete both LLTH (50k, 15m or 6m) and LBL (50m, 60k, marathon or 23k).  Information on LBL can be found here:  https://runsignup.com/Race/KY/GrandRivers/LandBetweentheLakestrailruns.


If you have any photos/videos/race reports you wish to share on this blog, send them or the link to Ed at edibo@insightbb.com.  Thanks!

Congrats & Thanks to all!  Thanks also to the Headfirst Performance crew & all the volunteers!

Special Thanks to Todd & Cynthia Heady who went ahead & put the race on this year despite most difficult times for them recently.





HOME

Feb-5-2020 LLTH last minute notes

Online registration thru Ultrasignup has been extended thru tonight (Feb 5). 

There are 2 locations in Louisville with early packet pickup & registration on Friday, February 7:   KEN COMBS RUNNING STORE at 4137 Shelbyville Road from 12 noon to 3 pm EST and at QUEST OUTDOORS at 4600 Shelbyville Road in the Shelbyville Road Plaza from 5 to 7 pm EST.  QUEST OUTDOORS will be having their FREE pre-race pasta dinner again this year at their store location from 5 to 7 pm EST -- everyone is welcome.

You can also register or pick up your race packet at the Horine Center at the Start/Finish area on race morning starting around 7 am EST.  It's recommended to pick up your packet on Friday to avoid the rush & lines on race day.

Flagging will be 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. 200 to 300 feet along the entire course.

Out on the course today, the trails were wet from the rain yesterday but were hardly muddy at all (with a few exceptions) -- nothing like a couple years ago when the frozen trails thawed the day before the race making it muddy, then rain on race day.  Hard to predict what the trails will be like 3 days from now as the forecast for race day has been changing daily . . . .   The most current forecast can be found here:

National Weather Service

For current road/weather conditions (traffic cams):  Weatherbug

The courses are the same as last year with the minor exception being a short re-route around the 1st small lake at about mile 6.5.  After crossing the dam, instead of going thru the spillway, you'll now go over it using a small bridge (slick when wet!) and traverse a newly cut trail thru a dirt (now mud!) bank.



NOTE for 50k runners only:

There's one precautionary note I would like to add here.  Normally I  would not have to say anything to ultrarunners about trail technicalities, however, since it was a tricky maneuver for me today and the potential for real injury is there, I felt it best to at least say something about it.

At about mile 14.5, OUTBOUND on the Siltstone Trail, there's a small bridge where the trail turns right immediately at the end of it.  There use to be a large stump there that supported the trail on the corner but that has slipped off down the hill leaving a dropoff/hole & roots.  Be careful, especially if wet & slick, as a small trip or slip here will send you down a steep ravine on the right, and it's a long way to the bottom.

Photo shows the dropoff looking from the OPPOSITE direction going INBOUND (uphill) on Siltstone -- ravine is on the left in this photo.  The bridge end is tricky going OUTBOUND (downhill) and is about a half a mile past the little shelter on the sidewalk where the railroad tie steps start. Photo is deceptive & it's steeper than it looks.
                                          
A sign is being made & will be installed by race day & say something like:  "CAREFUL  DROPOFF AHEAD"  The bridge itself is a little green from the lack of really cold temps so you don't want to be flying across this slick bridge anyway to find this surprise.



 
Feb 6 update:
Found an older photo at the same location (runner is Rob Apple) when the big stump was still there:

             2010 LLTH photo by Susan Donnelly

Feb 7 update:
Early this morning near mile 6.5 on the Blue Trail:

We didn't get all the rain forecast for this week but we did get a 1/2" - 1" snow last night.  The snow has been melting all day with upper 30's this afternoon --- the current forecast calls for more wet snow in the morning. 




Be SAFE, HAVE FUN & GOOD LUCK!




HOME