By CATHERINE ELLERTON
Moapa Valley Progress
Anticipation filled the air. They had come from far and near to take up the challenge.
The annual Valley of Fire Half Marathon race was held on Saturday morning, November 12. More than 85 racers gathered near the State Park Visitor’s Center to start this epic race.
Most races of this kind are downhill but not the Valley of Fire Half Marathon. It starts with an excruciating run up the steep hill from the visitor’s center, past Mouse’s Tank, past Fire Canyon and all the way out to the White Domes. Even the shorter races – the 5K and 10K races – start with a climb up that tough hill.
It was very early on Saturday morning when the racers assembled to cheer each other on and to enjoy the beautiful and unusual scenery they would encounter on the way. The athletes came from Salt Lake City, Maryland, Moose Jaw Saskatchewan, Montreal Quebec, New York, Brazil and all kinds of places in between.
Some ran as family and friends to honor and support their Aunt Carol Harding who is suffering from appendix cancer and could not make it. But her friends still came from California, Maryland and Michigan.
Another family came from California to race together despite recent medical down times with broken hips and knee and back injuries.
Some had come to the region to run in the Las Vegas Rock ‘N’ Roll Marathon the following day. They picked up this more remote and scenic race as a kind of two-fer. One racer had come from Latvia, EU, had run the New York Marathon, had come to Valley of Fire and planned to run in Las Vegas the very next day.
In addition to the 13.1 miles half marathon, there was the 5K of 3.1 miles and the 10K of 6.2 miles.
The 5K winners were Men – Leon Durbin of Mesquite at 22:14 and Women – Maria Hinkley of Las Vegas at 35:45.
The 10K winners were considered a virtual tie in the Men’s category: Arturo Mendez and Andrade Guillermo (both from Las Vegas) at 1:01:05. The Women’s winner was MacKenzie McGowan from Irvine, California, at 1:05:12.
There were three places awarded in both Men’s and Women’s Divisions in the Half Marathon: 1st-Hans Joerg Fallegger from Uitikon, Switzerland, at 1:46:17; 2nd – Aaron Unger from Henderson, NV. at 1:46:41 and 3rd – Edher Ramirez from Las Vegas, NV, at 1:47:20. In the Women’s Division: 1st – Jenny Rhoads-Larkin from Las Vegas, NV, at 1:48:10; 2nd – Katie Morrison from Big Sky, Montana at 1:58:57; and 3rd – Melissa Marsted from Park City, Utah at 2:00:14.
The Race Director, Deborah Bowling from St. George, Utah, stated that this race draws runners because of the uphill challenge and the scenery. She acknowledged the volunteers that were invaluable. Several were from the Cross Country Team members and their coach from MV High School.
“Unfortunately, because there are so many races held currently, the number of racers is down,” Bowling said of the race. But everyone seemed to have a fantastic time and came for the view.
Next year the race will be the same weekend on Saturday, November 11, 2017, Bowling said.
For more information on this and other races go to: www.runplanetultra.com or www.runvalleyoffire.com.
