Sei giorni di pura fatica, cinque notti da campo con temperature vicinissime agli 0° e a volte pure inferiori. Ciò nonostante, questa mattina alle ore 8 puntuali, il popolo della Transrockies era pronto per l’ultima fatica.

Come anticipato, da  percorrere vi erano gli ultimi 38km con 3600m di dislivello totale – tutti in quota con start a 2700 e passaggi oltre i 3600m -, partenza da Red Cliff e arrivo nella suggestiva location di Vail. La tappa era forse meno scenografica di quella del giorno precedente, ma l’euforia che si respirava in gara  era qualcosa di unico. Quasi avessero seguito alla lettera una massima di Aldo Rock, i trail-striders dell’edizione 2012 hanno rispolverato grinta ed energie da vendere per tagliare il traguardo ed indossare la meritatissima maglia di finisher.

Per la cronaca i vincitori finali con invidiabile 6 su 6 sono stati i ragazzi del TeamRun Flagstaff Micheal Smith – Rob Krar e le atlete del Team la Sportiva Pam Smith – Jenny Capel. Sul podio con loro sono salite le compagne di club Nicola Gildersleev – Shauna Connaughton e le portacolori  del Go Go Girls Robyn Kaplan – Cynthia Hartford.

Medesimo podio di sabato anche nella graduatoria maschile con Micheal Smith – Rob Krar a chiudere davanti a Justin Ricks – Jim Rebenack (Team Colorado) e Mario Mendoza – Jorge Maravilla (Team Salomon).

NEWS IN ENGLISH:

Statistics on the GORE TEX TransRockies Run 2012:

• The Run3 had 69 women and 55 men participants
• 300 tents are put up daily (it takes about two hours)
• There are 50 volunteers and 50 staff
• 3000 gallons of water is used daily for the shower truck
• 50 20lb bags of ice are used daily
• The finish line catering uses: 1000 cups, 100 watermelons, 120 2 liter bottles of coke, and 60 loaves of bread
• One breakfast: 90 dozen eggs, 40lbs of bacon, 25 gallons of regular coffee, 1 1/2 cases of 36lbs of oatmeal, 
• One dinner: 400 pieces of chicken plus 80lbs of pulled pork, 50lbs of squash, 20lbs of red onions, 60lbs of peppers, 5 cases of asparagus

Please let me know if you have any questions. And let me know if you need more information on the photo access.

At the start of every stage of the GORE-TEX® TransRockies Run we send our Trail Striders off to the sounds of AC/DC's 'Highway to Hell'. Most find it humorous and `get` the tongue in cheek humor. For others, we're sure, there are moments on the trail each day where the title to this classic song rings loud and true. Today would be one of those days.
 
Unfortunately, due to an error in course mapping, the route would end up several miles longer than planned. Everyone has experienced a moment during an event when the unexpected happens. Fortunately, the runners at this year's event pushed on to the finish line. They now have bragging rights for having run longer and climbed higher than any previous year competitor.
 
 Stage 6 is the final leg of the journey of the 2012 edition of the GORE-TEX® TransRockies Run. One final push through the mountains surrounding Vail and Avon and down into the finish line at Beaver Creek. At 8 AM sharp the runners departed Vail under a controlled lead out, winding their way through town. Once clear of traffic, they were set loose to sort out the overall standings on the trail.
 
Team Run Flagstaff duo Michael Smith and Rob Krar not only captured every Open Men's stage this week but they were also the  fastest overall every day. Impressive would be one word to describe the performance of these men. Dominant would be better. Stage 6 saw them take the lead at the trailhead. They would cross the line in 3:09:50 capturing the stage win by an amazing 1 hour and 32 minutes, and the overall title with the best combined 6 day time of 14:48:34.
 
As the afternoon began to close in the overall winners kept flying across the line. Open Mixed division winners Zach Violett and Stephanie Howe, of The North Face Bendites, came through in 3:39:51 for stage win number 6. They were followed closely by 80+  Men's champs Andy Ames and Bernie Boettcher in a time of 3:40:18. The La Sportiva Trail Masters would finish second on the day to Team Patagonia runners Jeff Browning and Rod Bien (3:33:04) but would retain the overall title. 80+ Mixed team Jeff and Katie Caba, the Caba-nators, snuck in seconds before noon with their 6th stage win, and overall title, with a time of 3:59:34.
 
The ladies of Ooh la La Sportiva were yet another team to join the stage 6 win club. Jenny Capel and Pam Smith descended the switchback singletrack into Beaver Creek and crossed the line first in the Open Women's division with a time of 4:14:14. Six stage wins = one well earned overall title.
 
Last, but most definitely not least, was the showdown in the ladies  80+ division. Valerie Lacarriere and Marielle Chabaud of Team Resilience battled all week with Missy Berkel and Sue Lee of Team Titanium. Including the final stage, each team garnered 3 victories. Ultimately, stage 5 was the deciding factor and Lacarriere and Marielle Chabaud would go on to win Stage 6 in 5:13:34 and take the division by 19 minutes and 31 seconds.
 
The sixth edition of the GORE-TEX® TransRockies Run came to a close the way it began: under a beautiful, blue Colorado Rocky Mountain sky. From Buena Vista to Beaver Creek, and through just about everywhere in between, the runners pushed themselves harder, higher and further than most could ever imagine possible. Along the way, new friendships were born, old ones rekindled and a host of exceptional people were forever welcomed into the TransRockies Run family.  

 CLICCA QUI X VEDERE TUTTE LE PIU' BELLE FOTO DELL'EDIZIONE 2012 By TRAUTMAN & FENGLER!!!