SILVERTON – There may be 152 athletes competing in the Hardrock Hundred Endurance Run that starts and ends in Silverton, but it takes a whole team for one person to finish.
Pace runners accompany the ultra marathon runners for the majority of the 100-mile race through the San Juan mountains. They carry supplies to the 13 aid stations along the 100-mile course that extends from Silverton, Lake City, Ouray, Telluride and back to Silverton again. Many of the aid stations have to be hiked into, with supplies backpacked in during the days leading into the race.
Pacers embrace the spirit of the race and readily admit they are happy it is their friends running the full 100 miles instead of them.
“It’s very low pressure and a whole lot of fun,” said Dylan Bowman, who will pace Montana’s Mike Foote from Ouray to Telluride, a 16-mile stretch Bowman expected to take four to five hours.
Foote is a favorite for a top-10 finish in the race. Bowman expected to meet up with him in Ouray around 6 p.m. or so Friday.
“It’s all about supporting my runner and doing everything I can to help him move efficiently,” said Bowman, who arrived in Silverton on Thursday night from San Francisco. “I can’t physically help, carry his stuff or push him uphill, but I can help him remember to eat, maintain a good pace and keep breaks to a minimum.”
Competitors without a team of pacers can sign up to be assigned a volunteer.
Running at an average altitude of 11,017 feet is quite a way to make a new friend.
“You’re there for companionship and to keep their spirits high,” Bowman said. “If a runner can stay on top of their attitude and be positive, they will be in a good place.”
Bowman is an elite runner himself, regarded as one of the top men at the 50-mile distance, and he has a few first-place results at the 100-kilometer distance, too. He’s happy to be part of the Hardrock 100, but he also admitted he’s happy he isn’t racing.
“This is one of the greatest races in the world, and for me it’s a fun opportunity to mess around in the mountains again,” he said. “I’ve done a bunch of these, so fitness is not an issue. The biggest thing for me, as a pacer, is to put together the right equipment.
“This race is very unique, so you have to respect the mountains and make sure you have everything you need to run throughout the night.”
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
