Registration is now open for the 2012 LLTH to be held on Saturday, February 11, 2012 at 8:00 a.m. EST:
Active.com: http://www.active.com/running/fairdale-ky/louisville-lovin-the-hills-2012
Mail in entry: http://web.me.com/cynthiaheady1/louisvillemarathon/entry_form.html
Entry fee is $50 for either the 50k or 15m thru January 21, 2012 (mail in or online). Registration is available online thru Wednesday, February 8, 2012 @ 11:59 PM PST on Active.com. The $60 late fee applies after Jan 21 for both mail in & online entry.
My apologies to those who were unaware that race buffs were given out only to the 1st 100 entrants last year. This information was made known exclusively on this blog last year. For 2012, at least 200 buffs will be available.
Official race website can be found at:
http://web.me.com/cynthiaheady1/louisvillemarathon/llth_page_1.html
Updates on the 2012 event will be forthcoming.
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Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Sunday, February 13, 2011
2011 LLTH - one to remember
First of all, condolences to the Heady family as Cynthia's father passed away Friday, the day before the event. Although Cynthia & Todd Heady had directed this event together the previous 3 years, this was "Cynthia's race" -- her pride & joy. Cynthia did not make it to the race, but her post race soups did -- hope everyone had a chance to sample them.
8 am start:
Race morning turned out to be cool & clear with a light breeze. A little snow covered the frozen ground near the start area. The temperatures rose quickly on this bright & sunny day and within a few hours, the snow on the trails melted away and the frozen ground quickly thawed. By mid afternoon, the trails were a real mudfest for the 50k runners. Despite the tough trail conditions, most everyone kept to the task & completed their race. Congratulations to all who finished!
early in the day:
Unfortunately, everything did not go as smoothly as planned this day for Todd, who was thrust into directing a race that Cynthia handled and all at the last minute. I hope everyone can be understanding:
Due to miscommunications, the volunteer who was to man the most critical junction (50k/15m split) on the course did not make it there. Once it was discovered there wasn't anyone there, Todd himself went to the junction & directed traffic until help arrived.
part of sign map for RD:
There were 16 runners, including 1 15m runner (based on the tracker at the Siltstone trailhead) who started on the 3rd leg & bypassed most of the 2nd leg. When the 50k runners reached the junction again on the return trip, they were directed to Yost & onto the remainder of the 2nd leg which had been bypassed earlier. The 15m runner was turned around at Bearcamp Road. RESULTS are currently posted, however, I would say they're preliminary until notes can be doublechecked. The link to these results has currently overwritten the 2009 results and the link for 2011 results on the Headfirst Performance website is currently (2-13-11) incorrect. Please be patient as Cynthia & Todd are attending to family matters.
Thank you Headfirst Performance for proceeding with this event despite difficult times. There was a record number of finishers & I believe most would say they enjoyed themselves!
8 am start:
Race morning turned out to be cool & clear with a light breeze. A little snow covered the frozen ground near the start area. The temperatures rose quickly on this bright & sunny day and within a few hours, the snow on the trails melted away and the frozen ground quickly thawed. By mid afternoon, the trails were a real mudfest for the 50k runners. Despite the tough trail conditions, most everyone kept to the task & completed their race. Congratulations to all who finished!early in the day:
Unfortunately, everything did not go as smoothly as planned this day for Todd, who was thrust into directing a race that Cynthia handled and all at the last minute. I hope everyone can be understanding:Due to miscommunications, the volunteer who was to man the most critical junction (50k/15m split) on the course did not make it there. Once it was discovered there wasn't anyone there, Todd himself went to the junction & directed traffic until help arrived.
part of sign map for RD:
There were 16 runners, including 1 15m runner (based on the tracker at the Siltstone trailhead) who started on the 3rd leg & bypassed most of the 2nd leg. When the 50k runners reached the junction again on the return trip, they were directed to Yost & onto the remainder of the 2nd leg which had been bypassed earlier. The 15m runner was turned around at Bearcamp Road. RESULTS are currently posted, however, I would say they're preliminary until notes can be doublechecked. The link to these results has currently overwritten the 2009 results and the link for 2011 results on the Headfirst Performance website is currently (2-13-11) incorrect. Please be patient as Cynthia & Todd are attending to family matters.
Thank you Headfirst Performance for proceeding with this event despite difficult times. There was a record number of finishers & I believe most would say they enjoyed themselves!
Thursday, February 10, 2011
last minute notes 2011
Online registration at Active.com has closed. Late registration is available at packet pickup Friday or on race morning from 6:30 - 7:30 am EST at the Horine Center (Lodge) at the START area.
The temps for Saturday look like they will be close to normal this time of year. Roads are clear. As of today (Thursday), the trails are frozen and there's a dusting of snow from last night. With the sun out today & tomorrow, that dusting will be gone by race morning. However, remnants of last Monday's 1 inch snowfall will still be present on the shaded areas of the course. Be prepared for some snowy trails early. With the sun & temps reaching the 40's on race day, there will be some thawing and a little mud. Most of the streams are dried up or frozen.
A mile worth of course flagging was removed by a vandal & fortunately it was discovered yesterday. The course has been remarked but we cannot guarantee the entire course will be intact race day. If you're unfamiliar with the area, it may be wise to carry a map.
Headfirst Performance (Race Directors) will be missing a main part of their crew Saturday as there's been a very serious illness in Cynthia's family this week. Todd Heady is now handling most of the duties.
The entry list has not been updated lately as I get the info from Cynthia. With better weather & course conditions this year, there should be close to 200 entries, matching last year.
Here are some pics from this morning on the 2nd leg near the dam:
May everyone have a SAFE & FUN race!
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The temps for Saturday look like they will be close to normal this time of year. Roads are clear. As of today (Thursday), the trails are frozen and there's a dusting of snow from last night. With the sun out today & tomorrow, that dusting will be gone by race morning. However, remnants of last Monday's 1 inch snowfall will still be present on the shaded areas of the course. Be prepared for some snowy trails early. With the sun & temps reaching the 40's on race day, there will be some thawing and a little mud. Most of the streams are dried up or frozen.
A mile worth of course flagging was removed by a vandal & fortunately it was discovered yesterday. The course has been remarked but we cannot guarantee the entire course will be intact race day. If you're unfamiliar with the area, it may be wise to carry a map.
Headfirst Performance (Race Directors) will be missing a main part of their crew Saturday as there's been a very serious illness in Cynthia's family this week. Todd Heady is now handling most of the duties.
The entry list has not been updated lately as I get the info from Cynthia. With better weather & course conditions this year, there should be close to 200 entries, matching last year.
Here are some pics from this morning on the 2nd leg near the dam:
May everyone have a SAFE & FUN race!
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Thursday, January 13, 2011
update
Since the last post:
1. Training runs have been set up for the next 2 Saturdays (15th & 22nd). The 1st will be the 2 loops of the 15m course beginning at 8 am EDT from the official race start area. The 2nd will be on the Siltstone Trail (13m) & possibly the Scotts Gap loop (3m) beginning at 8 am EDT from the Welcome Center. Anyone is welcome to run all or any portion of the run or course. It's possible there will be more training runs -- check out the 2011 FAQ side tab for the most current schedule.
2. The new course maps for the 15m and 50k have been posted. Some of the course from last year can be seen in light red. The management at Jefferson Memorial Forest could not decide on the final 1/4 mile of trail connecting the Yellow trail on the 2nd leg of the course for 15m & 50k. Therefore, they have asked that if this area is used for the race, that anything disturbed must be returned to it's original condition. That means this section of the course thru the Forest will be marked only with ribbons & signs. It was previously thought that a trail could be cleared somewhat & that the leaves could be pulled back for a more distinct path, but that will not happen.
Highlights of the course changes:
15m & 50k:
The 1 mile roadway section (run twice on the out & back) connecting the 1st & 2nd legs has been replaced by a new trail section. This new trail adds distance, so a 1.0 mile segment of the Yellow Trail on the 2nd leg has been bypassed with a shorter 0.25 mile trail. There will also be a quarter mile section of "unimproved" trail (run twice) connecting the 2nd leg this year only.
15m:
There will be only be 2 loops instead of 3 this year as most of the 3rd loop has been incorporated into the 2nd loop.
50k:
The end of the 2nd loop is not at the START area as in previous years. The 3rd loop of the 50k is a modified "lollipop" course starting at the 15m/50k split (2nd time thru) and ending at the FINISH area (Lodge).
Instead of running on 1/2 mile of gravel Rayhill Road & Mitchell Hill Road (done twice on the out and back), the 50k course will go over a hill and around the Welcome Center near the Siltstone trailhead.
On the Scotts Gap loop section, 2 steep ditches have been bypassed with new trail segments and a drop bag station has been added.
3. A new GPS info side tab has been added that lists the address & GPS coordinates for the race start for those who like to punch in their destinations.
4. An updated entry list will be added soon.
Online registration is still available at:
http://www.active.com/running/fairdale-ky/louisville-lovin-the-hills-2011
Paper entry form:
http://web.me.com/cynthiaheady1/louisvillemarathon/entry_form.html
1. Training runs have been set up for the next 2 Saturdays (15th & 22nd). The 1st will be the 2 loops of the 15m course beginning at 8 am EDT from the official race start area. The 2nd will be on the Siltstone Trail (13m) & possibly the Scotts Gap loop (3m) beginning at 8 am EDT from the Welcome Center. Anyone is welcome to run all or any portion of the run or course. It's possible there will be more training runs -- check out the 2011 FAQ side tab for the most current schedule.
2. The new course maps for the 15m and 50k have been posted. Some of the course from last year can be seen in light red. The management at Jefferson Memorial Forest could not decide on the final 1/4 mile of trail connecting the Yellow trail on the 2nd leg of the course for 15m & 50k. Therefore, they have asked that if this area is used for the race, that anything disturbed must be returned to it's original condition. That means this section of the course thru the Forest will be marked only with ribbons & signs. It was previously thought that a trail could be cleared somewhat & that the leaves could be pulled back for a more distinct path, but that will not happen.
Highlights of the course changes:
15m & 50k:
The 1 mile roadway section (run twice on the out & back) connecting the 1st & 2nd legs has been replaced by a new trail section. This new trail adds distance, so a 1.0 mile segment of the Yellow Trail on the 2nd leg has been bypassed with a shorter 0.25 mile trail. There will also be a quarter mile section of "unimproved" trail (run twice) connecting the 2nd leg this year only.
15m:
There will be only be 2 loops instead of 3 this year as most of the 3rd loop has been incorporated into the 2nd loop.
50k:
The end of the 2nd loop is not at the START area as in previous years. The 3rd loop of the 50k is a modified "lollipop" course starting at the 15m/50k split (2nd time thru) and ending at the FINISH area (Lodge).
Instead of running on 1/2 mile of gravel Rayhill Road & Mitchell Hill Road (done twice on the out and back), the 50k course will go over a hill and around the Welcome Center near the Siltstone trailhead.
On the Scotts Gap loop section, 2 steep ditches have been bypassed with new trail segments and a drop bag station has been added.
3. A new GPS info side tab has been added that lists the address & GPS coordinates for the race start for those who like to punch in their destinations.
4. An updated entry list will be added soon.
Online registration is still available at:
http://www.active.com/running/fairdale-ky/louisville-lovin-the-hills-2011
Paper entry form:
http://web.me.com/cynthiaheady1/louisvillemarathon/entry_form.html
Sunday, November 21, 2010
2011 Louisville's Lovin' The Hills Registration
Registration is now open for the 2011 LLTH to be held on Saturday, February 12, 2011 at 8:00 a.m. EST:
http://www.active.com/running/fairdale-ky/louisville-lovin-the-hills-2011
Regular entry fee will be $50 for either the 50k or 15m thru January 22 and $60 thru February 9, 2011 @ 8:59 PM on Active.com. Late & race day entry fee will be $60. A mail-in entry form is available on the official LLTH website:
http://web.me.com/cynthiaheady1/louisvillemarathon/llth_page_1.html
There will be an extra goodie in the race packets of early (first 100?) 50k/15m registrants. A race buff was given away last year.
Updates on the 2011 event are forthcoming -- there will be changes -- including a major re-route of the course (3 miles of roadway sections will be bypassed).
http://www.active.com/running/fairdale-ky/louisville-lovin-the-hills-2011
Regular entry fee will be $50 for either the 50k or 15m thru January 22 and $60 thru February 9, 2011 @ 8:59 PM on Active.com. Late & race day entry fee will be $60. A mail-in entry form is available on the official LLTH website:
http://web.me.com/cynthiaheady1/louisvillemarathon/llth_page_1.html
There will be an extra goodie in the race packets of early (first 100?) 50k/15m registrants. A race buff was given away last year.
Updates on the 2011 event are forthcoming -- there will be changes -- including a major re-route of the course (3 miles of roadway sections will be bypassed).
Sunday, February 7, 2010
LLTH 2010 - a tough one
The challenge of LLTH is not just the hills. The uncertain February weather & course conditions will always be a part of the race:
This year saw a storm dump over an inch of rain onto an already wet course Friday, leading to high streams & lots of standing water on the trails. With the rain changing to snow overnight, the puddles & the mud would be hidden from sight with a 1-2" white blanket. It wouldn't take long though, for the runners to reveal all those puddles, splashing water & mud everywhere. Eventually the mud worked it's way to the top on most, but not on all the trails. Where the trail drained well & was on the shady side of the hills, the snow would remain & become packed down as the day wore on. On some hills, the wet snow actually provided better traction than had there been mud alone.
Temperatures hovered at or just below the freezing mark all day. There was a 15-20 mph north wind most of the day. Gusts were in the 25-30 mph range & most noticeable on the ridge tops.
Counting race day registration, there were close to 200 entries for the 50k & 15m races this year -- a record. Also a record in the number of 15m finishers. The slushy, muddy parking areas in the grassy fields next to the Start held up surprisingly well. This was the first test as they've always been fairly dry or frozen in previous years.
Lodge:
Congratulations are in order for everyone who finished this day! Special honors go to Eric Grossman, the one responsible for starting this wonderful race in 2004 and returning for his 3rd 50k overall win this year. Full results are posted on the Headfirst Performance website.
THANKS go out to Cynthia & Todd Heady, who once again put on another great event and to all the runners & volunteers who helped make LLTH another success this year!
Anyone who took pictures & wishes to share them on this site, let me know! The Forest was a really gorgeous backdrop to the race this year with the wet snow plastered onto the trees and the snow covering everything with a sound deadening blanket -- a true winter wonderland!
prerace:
goodies:
This year saw a storm dump over an inch of rain onto an already wet course Friday, leading to high streams & lots of standing water on the trails. With the rain changing to snow overnight, the puddles & the mud would be hidden from sight with a 1-2" white blanket. It wouldn't take long though, for the runners to reveal all those puddles, splashing water & mud everywhere. Eventually the mud worked it's way to the top on most, but not on all the trails. Where the trail drained well & was on the shady side of the hills, the snow would remain & become packed down as the day wore on. On some hills, the wet snow actually provided better traction than had there been mud alone.
Temperatures hovered at or just below the freezing mark all day. There was a 15-20 mph north wind most of the day. Gusts were in the 25-30 mph range & most noticeable on the ridge tops.
Counting race day registration, there were close to 200 entries for the 50k & 15m races this year -- a record. Also a record in the number of 15m finishers. The slushy, muddy parking areas in the grassy fields next to the Start held up surprisingly well. This was the first test as they've always been fairly dry or frozen in previous years.
Lodge:
Congratulations are in order for everyone who finished this day! Special honors go to Eric Grossman, the one responsible for starting this wonderful race in 2004 and returning for his 3rd 50k overall win this year. Full results are posted on the Headfirst Performance website.
THANKS go out to Cynthia & Todd Heady, who once again put on another great event and to all the runners & volunteers who helped make LLTH another success this year!
Anyone who took pictures & wishes to share them on this site, let me know! The Forest was a really gorgeous backdrop to the race this year with the wet snow plastered onto the trees and the snow covering everything with a sound deadening blanket -- a true winter wonderland!
prerace:
goodies:
Thursday, February 4, 2010
last minute notes 2010
Course: The 5" snow from last weekend has been melting away this week. Could get a little messy if we get all the precipitation that's forecast the next couple days. Below are a couple pics on the Blue Trail (3rd Leg) at the dam -- just a little snow left in the shaded areas as of this morning:
Parking: Much of the ground near the start is saturated, but I've been informed by the Forest staff that the grassy fields adjacent to the start area actually have a gravel base beneath them -- I have not confirmed this personally on site . . .
Early packet pickup: Time has been changed to 11 am to 6 pm (was 10 am to 7 pm) Friday at Ken Combs Running Store. You can also register for the race here.
Extra goodies: There will be an extra item in some of the race packets: buffs to the 1st 100 entrants by date; socks or gloves in some of the others.
Entrants: The entry list has been updated thru 2-3-10, 74 entries for the 50k, 88 for the 15m.
New photo gallery: Eric Grossman, the founder of LLTH & one of the top ultrarunners in the country, is the current record holder for the 50k (2007) and plans to participate again this year. He has just uploaded all of his pictures from the 2005 LLTH, the 2nd of the two races which he directed -- the new photo gallery is posted under 2005 by Eric Grossman. Thanks Eric for sharing!
I hope everyone gets the chance to take in the sights thruout the Forest when they're running & when they can afford to take their eyes off the trail. Although the Jefferson Memorial Forest has been scarred badly in recent years from tornadoes, a hurricane & a severe ice storm, there are still very nice areas to enjoy.
You may want to check out the Horine Center (Lodge) after the finish -- I've heard that there will be at least a half dozen hot soups to choose from (Cynthia doesn't want you to leave hungry)!
May everyone have a SAFE & FUN race!
Parking: Much of the ground near the start is saturated, but I've been informed by the Forest staff that the grassy fields adjacent to the start area actually have a gravel base beneath them -- I have not confirmed this personally on site . . .
Early packet pickup: Time has been changed to 11 am to 6 pm (was 10 am to 7 pm) Friday at Ken Combs Running Store. You can also register for the race here.
Extra goodies: There will be an extra item in some of the race packets: buffs to the 1st 100 entrants by date; socks or gloves in some of the others.
Entrants: The entry list has been updated thru 2-3-10, 74 entries for the 50k, 88 for the 15m.
New photo gallery: Eric Grossman, the founder of LLTH & one of the top ultrarunners in the country, is the current record holder for the 50k (2007) and plans to participate again this year. He has just uploaded all of his pictures from the 2005 LLTH, the 2nd of the two races which he directed -- the new photo gallery is posted under 2005 by Eric Grossman. Thanks Eric for sharing!
I hope everyone gets the chance to take in the sights thruout the Forest when they're running & when they can afford to take their eyes off the trail. Although the Jefferson Memorial Forest has been scarred badly in recent years from tornadoes, a hurricane & a severe ice storm, there are still very nice areas to enjoy.
You may want to check out the Horine Center (Lodge) after the finish -- I've heard that there will be at least a half dozen hot soups to choose from (Cynthia doesn't want you to leave hungry)!
May everyone have a SAFE & FUN race!
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