Upcoming events

Most of the postings are moving over to facebook. Search for pocatello outdoor recreation.


Aug 1 Pocatello Triathlon

Aug 8 Poky run with the senior games

Aug 12 payette river raftathon

The Fun run Saturday is all set to go. We will have over 400 participants. It will be chip timed again. Pick up your chip and shirt 5-7pm Friday evening at the rec center or the morning of the race from 7am-7:45.

there is a recer meeting at 7:45am.

I understand the courses are a hair short 4850 meters and 9700 meters.

We still have a few shirts left that aren't spoken for, come register and claim one.

Summer Programs

Outdoor summer programs are open for registration. There are rafting trips, kayaking, rock climbing, more runs, a triathlon, family nights, mountain biking, disc golf, backpacking, more runs, GPS courses, and so much more.

My reccomendations:

Salmon River Rafting- spend 5 days deep in the central wilderness traveling 85 miles and campiong on the beach every night. Absolutely no experience is necessary, all equipment can be rented or is provided.

Family city of rocks- Climb for 2 days just 2 hours from Pocatello on excellent beginner routes. The group camps together. No experience necessary.

Law Day Updates

Please read the bottom part about chip timing.

The half way point for 5k, start line for 2.5k

What an exciting week! Only a few days left to the series kickoff event- The Law Day Run on May 2. There are 230 names in the computer right now. I ordered almost 400 shirts. The old record for any race is about 335 if memory serves. About 130 people signed up for the whole series so far. Should be some good competition. A steady stream of happy runners in 2008

I have spent the bulk of the last few days trying to get our new timing system up and running. So far I have had little luck. I think it may have something to do with the instructions in Danish. Or lack of instructions.

Again a reminder. The race is from city hall to the ross park pool. The gun fires at 8:00am (except 10k walk - 7:30). Routes are mapped on http://www.pocatellorunners.com/ . A shuttle van is provided from 8:30-when the job is done.
This is where the 10k takes off from the 5k.

The sponsor is the 6th district bar association (that's lawyers, not brewers). They do an excellent job even in tough times and prizes should be great. I have heard the shirts are going to be awesome.

I still need a lot more volunteers! email me lclark@pocatello.us

Chip timing: Every registered racer will receive a quarter sized white plastic token that holds a small mircochip. You zip tie your chip to your shoe. The finish time plus chip number is transmitted to the computer at the finish line when you cross our new finish mats. That is coordianted to our racer database to produce results. You will not get resutls if: you lose your chip, you miss the mats, you wear your chip on your wrist or hat.

IF YOU LOSE YOUR CHIP WE WILL CHARGE YOU $10. Some one will be at the finish line to collect chips. If you are picking up multiple chips please keep the straight. they all look the same and if someone wears the wrong chip results are messed up forever. I am still unsure what will happen if you cross the finish line multiple times (this always happens with at least one person every race).

So a summary: wear your own chip on your shoe, be normal.

Law Day 2009

I can't believe Law Day 2009 is almost here.

This is a call for volunteers. I am getting desperate. I need help at some intersections, water stations and possibly the registration table.

Volunteers will be feebly rewarded with a certificate for a free fun run, or $10 cash. The run certificates are fully transferable and there is a brisk black market for them. Please email me if you know someone that can make it at 7:30am-9:15am on May 2.

Two of the homeless people last year at sister city park finish line. This is part of the reason the race is moving to....................................Raymond park.



here's a copy of the email announcement:
Hey early season runners,
Raymond Park is the super secret meeting location and start line for the race tommorow. Raymond park is near Irving Junior high, has lighted tennis courts and the river divides the park. We will meet at the shelter across the river from the tennis courts. The course is only 5k but may feel like eight, so be ready for some possible elevation changes. Also plan on meeting at the shelter at 8:30 am to pick up bibs and make sure you are registered. The race will start at 9 am sharp. There are course maps available, but you will have to wait until you get your bib to look at it. So carb up tonight and get ready to kick off the running season.

Rusty Joe II

Here's an update on rusty Joe's. We have 25 folks in the computer right now, well below the 100 person limit. That is actually fine with me since it is largely a tune up for the timing system.

Early SUPER GOOD set of hints: The start line is in a park with tennis courts. You have to cross a bridge.

The weather looks OK. We'll be there either way. We will call and email the night before, so be ready about 5-6pm on Friday to hear from us.

Rusty Joe II

The course is set and the permit is in the mail. Here's a hint for the one person checking this blog: we start and end at a park that no fun run has used before. we are also in an area of town that soesn't see any running action at our usual races. The course is almost exactly 3 miles. It is hilly, or one big hill to be fair.
The course is a loop and we will finish where we start. We will mark the miles for you Nic.

River trips are OPEN

Sign up for a June trip on the main for of the Salmon River or an August trip on the payette rivers.

Costs are very reasonable and include transportation and some equipment rentals. For more info email lance
lclark@pocatello.us

Race stuff

I have been working on race stuff lately. check out www.pocatellorunners.com for general info.

Rusty Joe's- April 18th. Secret location, secret distance, cost: $11, no shirts, no sponsors 100 participant limit.

Law Day- May 2nd register at rec center or online: www.active.com

Other runs, same as always, one a month till September

Poky tri will change courses this year. the run and bike will change to make routes safer, scenic and transition easier. It will not add significant elevation to the bike, the runn will now have a few ups and downs, nothing huge.

Just Cuz- the fall half marathon will join the fun run family. Nov 7th. see past races as www.justcuzhalfmarathon.blogspot.com discounts for series participants will be offered. Fun will be mandatory.

Grooming and snowpack

If you haven't skied at the nordic center lately, then get up there, the snow is holding up really well. we've had about 3 inches in the last 5 days. the course is very flat and a good balance of fast/hard and soft/steerable.

the racecourse is in great shape.

summer schedule

The summer schedule is almost done. it will be posted here by the end of the month. sign ups will start Feb 1. Some trips and programs have limited space and will fill on a first come first served basis. a deposit is required on some trips and full payment on most classes.

recent snow happenings

The ski free day on the 10th was a big success. 300 people pushed through. On the 17th is the potato cup. come up and pactice a lap on wed night at the free fun race.

the temps are very warm right now and it looks bad in places (the stadium), but the skiing is still quite good out on the trails. it didn't freeze last night, and that is bad but we still have enough snow to push on.

We'll do a full groom tonight and probably call it good until Friday except to refinish the skate on the racescourse occasionally.

grooming 1-3&4

The rain on friday turned to snow by 1:00. about 3 inches accumulated but promptly started blowing all over the place. the temprature drop was quite sudden and the rain that was falling froze quickly and powery snow accumulated on top. This prevented the snow layers from bonding together and has presented a grooming challenge. the top layer tends to slide around on the ice below and make mounds and trenches in random places. the new snow was also not enough to press track into and the ice below was too hard without tilling up the ice, a long tedious and often unsuccessful process. Sometimes when you break through the ice it all goes terribly wrong. exhibit A was at teh lower canyon/fox tail intersection. big crater.
Add to this the fact that I was trying to widen the trails for the potato cup and the friday night grooming was slightly messed up. it was OK but should have been awesome. the easiest grooming is typically 2 inches of fresh on a good base with tempratures in the 15-25 degree range.

Last night I tried to fix some of the ruts on the race course skate lanes by tilling the entire course twice before smoothing it all out and hoping it would re-set by morning. well- it was below zero and the snow would re-set almost immediately so I had to break the course into small sections and till and groom anout 1k at a time. this is less than ideal ebcause any time to stop and start a nice ridge/jump appears. At this point the best thing is to hope for some snow on monday and avoid making things worse tonight. the creekside area is still a bit thin for th PB to set track ad the ginzu can't do it without making about 20 passes to soften things up first. maybe Monday.

grooming 1-2

groomed all the upper areas early morning of 1-2. lost groomer and high basin are in great shape. didaction is passable. Water trough and lagomorph/screamer are good. rained and steeted from 9am-noon and turned to snow after that. we probably lost a little snow overall. the skiing is still good overall but a few more days of 40 degrees will make it a lot less attractive. the track is all older because I don't dare press new track in to really thin snowpack and dig up dirt.

if we get much snow i will focus on the race course and creekside tonight.