La Sportiva Trail Run

Enjoy music by Hardscrabble and feast on Moe’s barbecue after you race the La Sportiva Summer Solstice Twilight Trail Run on Saturday, June 20 in Beaver Creek, Colorado. Festivities start at 5:00 p.m. with the RTP Kids Fun Run and at 5:30 p.m. the Vail Daily 5 Kilometer Walk/Run and the more challenging FirstBank 10 kilometer race will head out on the trails at Beaver Creek Resort.

This second year event is a fundraiser for the Vail Valley Charitable Fund, a 501 (c ) 3 non profit organization founded in 1996 that provides financial assistance to residents of Eagle County who are experiencing a medical crisis. The fund generates and distributes about $250,000 annually. “We hope to build on the momentum created at last year’s event and create more awareness for the fund,” said Karen Simon, VVCF Executive Director. “We hope this event will result in another $10,000 for the Fund.”

Simon and her 13-member volunteer board will be at the event to provide information about the Fund. Many of the board members will also be participating in the race.

The 10 kilometer is the first scoring race in Colorado’s premier trail running series, the La Sportiva Vail Mountain Trail Running series, which celebrates its twelfth anniversary this year. The six race series which runs June through September includes events from 10 kilometers to the half marathon distance.

“We strive to have the best race series in Colorado by providing great courses and excellent organization. Adding one more race to this year’s series will attract new participants to the start line alongside the runners who support the series year after year,” said race director Joel Rabinowitz.

There is free parking at the base of Beaver Creek Mountain or in the parking garages at the Mountain. Registration for the events begins at 4:00 p.m. at Beaver Creek Village. The entry fee is $35 in advance and $45 on race day. The kids’ fun run is free.

The races start and finish at Creekside Park and run on single track and cat track trails to include BC Village Loop Trail, Aspen Glade, Lost Buck Spur, and Corkscrew. The 5 kilometer route gains 811 feet while the 10 kilometer boasts 1535 feet in elevation gain. In addition to refreshments at the start finish area, there is one aid station on the 5 kilometer course and two aid stations on the 10 kilometer course. Sponsors of the on-course aid stations are Brill Insurance Agency and East West Resorts.

The La Sportiva Series continues on July 5 with the 33rd running of the La Sportiva Vail HillClimb. This 7.5 mile route offers a gut-busting 2200 foot vertical ascent from the base of Vail Mountain to the summit and is the largest event in the series and a favorite of locals and visitors alike.

On July 19 the longest race in the series will be held. The La Sportiva HalfMarathon is actually a bit longer than a half marathon at just over 14 miles with an average grade of seven percent. The course boasts 4,020 feet of climbing with the high point at 11,653 feet. The event starts at the Golden Peak Children’s Center at 8:00 a.m.

The shortest distance event in the series at 4.3 miles, the La Sportiva Berry Picker, will be run on August 2. The race starts at an elevation of 8,238 feet at Lionshead and ascends to 10,346 feet to finish at the top of Eagle's Nest. The average grade is 12 percent on single track trails and double-wide gravel paths.

The fifth event, the La Sportiva 10k at 10,000 Feet will be held on August 16. Runners will take a ride up the Eagle Bahn Gondola for the start of the race at the summit of Vail Mountain. The entire race is above 9,000 feet of elevation with the high points above 10,000 feet.

The final race of the series is the La Sportiva Evergold 10k on September 13. The race starts behind Golden Peak Children’s Center located at the base of Vail Mountain, and traverses the mountain on some of the most beautiful trails at a time of year when the colors are sure to include golden, and bright yellows from the Aspen trees.

Compete in one event, two events, or the entire series. Register Online at www.active.com, download an entry form at www.vailrec.com and fax or snail mail your entry to Vail Recreation District, or register onsite at the VRD offices.

Every race participant will receive a goody bag, and a commemorative T-shirt designed by Bernie Boettcher, an artist from Silt, Colorado who is a perennial finisher of the series. For the first event, the race T-shirts will be designed by graphic artist Ken Nager of Treehouse Creations. Runners will enjoy well-marked courses, great post race refreshments, be cheered through the routes by wonderful volunteers, and receive accurate results at the finish line. Prizes from La Sportiva will be presented to overall and age group winners of each event with series prizes awarded after the final event to runners who compete in at least four events. Last year’s series boasted more than 1500 participants with 29 runners completing at least four races in the series.

One of the popular additions to last year’s series – random prize drawings – returns this year. The drawings will be held at each race awards ceremony featuring products from area merchants and national companies.

Joining series title sponsor La Sportiva will be First Bank of Vail, Vail’s Mountain Haus, Tiga Advertising, SmartWool, Howard Head Sports Medicine Centers, Steadman Hawkins, and Gatorade.

For more information on the La Sportiva Vail Mountain Trail Running series including results and press releases from last year’s event, and to view course maps visit www.vailrec.com.