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Coach Weber's Course Commentary
Distances are wildly approximate and not to be trusted!
Everything subject to complete revision and change depending on race director's whim,
the sightings of crocodiles in the Platte River, and recent rulings by the United States Supreme Court .
Due to "suggestions" that the Alferd Packer was toooooo easy from miles 7 to the end of the loop at mile 13.1, I have decided to make the 2004 Alferd Packer Course an out-an-back design (actually it will be lolly pop shaped...out 6 miles...then a 1 mile 'nature loop'...then back to the start via the first 6 miles in reverse). This doubles the fun parts...as well as doubles the deep river crossings, mud and sandy hills! Plus it insures that you do not get tooooooo hot as you will get to cool off in the deep side of the Platte River on the way back at mile 10.5. Excellent. You may thank me...later.
SO...
Miles 0.00 through 1.00: Basic cross country and trail running. This section features ankle-busting gopher holes, a hill or two and is 'punctuated' by some green sword cactus.
Miles 1.00 through 2.30: Easy, easy cruising on flat double track and cross-country. Then, a short stretch of bushwacking to lead to the Platte River Crossing.
Mile 2.30: Cross through the Platte River. Note the word 'through'. If you take the bridge you be disqualified...go home in shame...what were you thinking...back to your couch and Gameboy! I think there was only one person who chose the bridge in 2003. That was my 87 year old grandma (I disqualified her...and made her walk home back to Boulder). Hey, most of the ice floes in the river are melting in early March...so it is usually 'open water' for raceday. Unless you are really tall or really short, the water should be no more than waist deep +/- a foot...however, with the snow melting this week?? I don't think you'll have to swim...you do know how to swim don't you?
Miles 2.5 through 5.0: Up and down some hills...don't fall into the reservoir or become one with the cactus. Stay on the marked route.
Miles 5.0 through 6.05: An embarrassingly easy section...I apologize. Get rested!
Miles 6.05 through 7.05 'Nature Loop': A complex blend of roots, stream crossings, beaver spikes, thicket, mud and bush-whacking...ah, pure Packer! Take your time...enjoy the beauty of nature!
Mile 7.05 through 8.00: Easy, easy section...talk amongst yourselves...write in your journals.
Miles 8.00 through 10.80: Chatfield Reservoir seen from a variety outlooks...low...high...low...high...low...high (you get the idea).
Mile 10.80: You must be hot from all that running! Cooooooooooooooool off...in the Platte...the downstream side...extra-cool...and deep.
Mile 10.5 to 13.1: Some flat and a couple of hills. No problem. You finish up where you started.
Marathoners and Ultramarathoners will head back out to do another loop (s).
PACKER MAP 1: MILES 0.00 TO 2.30
PACKER MAP 2: MILES 2.30 TO 3.50
PACKER MAP 3: MILES 3.50 TO 5.10
PACKER MAP 4: MILES 5.10 TO 6.05
PACKER MAP 5: MILES 6.05 TO 7.05
Basic Advice
Ready to Race the Alferd Packer!
01. Dress appropriately. Cotton is useless in wet, cold conditions. Shorts are stupid considering the skin-ripping brush and thickets you must bush-whack through. Carrying extra shoes and socks is futile (unless of course you LOSE a shoe in the muck). Gloves can be an excellent accessory should you slip and fall. Have warm/dry gear for after the race. Eye protection is smart.
02. Wear your mud shoes with some grip. It is going to be muddy and wet. Your smooth soled-no traction racing flats will land you on your ass.
03. Watch where you put your feet. Be aware of the dynamics of mud, slope, sand, loose gravel, river & stream bottoms, ice-coated river rock, gopher holes, etc. Understand that a slip and fall that ends up impaling you on a beaver spike or cactus spike is going to hurt. This is not the local road race where help is immediately available. We are going to have to call 911 and get help to you...this takes a while and you may be dead by the time they get to you...literally. So, run with caution...walk when it makes sense.
04. Watch for cars and cyclists on the road. There are 3 road crossings per loop. YOU must stop and cross these roads only when it is safe to proceed. Anything heavier than you (or with sharper teeth) has the right of way on raceday. Watch for horses and mountain bikers on the trails...they have the right of way. You must get out of their way not the other way around.
Be aware of dangerous wildlife that frequent the woodsy trails of Chatfield State Park.
05. Plan your hydration and fueling strategy. There are no aid stations on the course except for at the 13.1 mile mark of every loop. This makes things interesting and appropriate for this type of trail racing. (There are water spigots on the course at mile 4 and 11.5). You should be carrying water bottles or a camelback-type pack. Most folks need 20 ounces of liquid per hour to stay hydrated. In addition to fluid, you need fuel. I find gels, maple syrup and GU to be effective sources of calories. 300 calories per hour keeps the body functioning. Trail runners are cool about not trashing the trails and not expecting others to clean up after them...carry a zip lock bag to carry your gel wrappers and such off the course. By the way, wild bears shit in the woods, you shouldn't in an urban state park. Plan your morning constitutional to eliminate this possibility.
06. If you are going long-the 26.2, 39.3 or heaven forbid the 52.4 mile EVENTS-then have a gear bag at the end-of-loop area. This gear bag should have your pre-filled bottles and calorie sources for your next loop. You will not be going by your vehicle (without an extra quarter mile walk or so), so plan accordingly.
07. Please put your race number on your front side...unfolded...so that the finish line workers can SEE your number and record it properly...and...so that the chute workers can easily tear off the bottom tag to insure your time and place are recorded properly. I hate to harp on this, but it gets to be a drag asking for some folks to display/find/unfold their number as they approach the finish chute. The other finish line issue is to not ask the finish line person what your time or place was. That person is usually working at 100% effort to watch for runners coming in, recording their number and writing down the times. Interrupting to ask your time/place while the race is going on means that the numbers/places/times of the people coming in are not recorded properly. Everything will be published to the internet...if you need your info on raceday, then wear your personal watch. You and I both look forward to the day when a champion-chip mat/computer system makes times and places available near real time....that will be cool. Until then, it is a pencil and paper/stopwatch operation where the info gets assembled after the race...and published to the internet.
Always wear your number unfolded and clearly visible on your front side
Photo not taken at the Alferd Packer thank goodness
08. Medals will be awarded in the finisher's chute as you come in.
09. Oh, don't park on the grass...use the parking lot. If the lot gets full, then park parallel on the uphill side of the road with no more than 2 wheels on the shoulder. Be thoughtful as to not tearing up the ground when parking and leaving.
10. Arrive early. Arrive no later than 1 hour before your event's start so that you can park, pick up your packet, get oriented, warmed-up and ready to run.
Wild pre-race partying at the Littleton discos is always a bad idea. Get to bed early to race well.
11. Remember that your park day pass is included in your entry. You do not need to get a pass at the main gate to the park. If your crew or friends are driving around during the race to cheer you on, remind them that the speed limits are strictly enforced in the park as well as the parking regulations.
12. There will be food & drink at the end of loop area: Coke; Powerade; water; cookies; pretzels/salty Snacks; & hard candy. I will have one table specifically for those continuing on to another loop and a separate table for those who have finished. Having two tables means that those continuing on to another loop are unimpeded in grabbing up some food and filling bottles; and, those who have finished can relax off the course and have a snack and fluid without having some sorry slobbering bastard who has another loop to go elbowing his way to the pretzels or barfing on your shoes (I have a great photo of one such incident...a GAL barfing in the garbage pail next to the aid table...). Anywho, finishers use the finishers table...extra-loopers use the aid table....barfers head for the bushes.
Coach Weber serves up the fixins' at the mile 13 aid station.