The 2010 edition of the Race to Robie Creek will take place on Saturday, April 17. The race begins at noon at Fort Boise, near the intersection of Fort and Reserve Streets. The course covers the half-marathon distance of 13.1 miles, and finishes at Robie Creek Campground on Lucky Peak Reservoir. The first 8.5 mils are uphill, primarily dirt and sand, and climbs 2,000 feet to Aldape Summit, then drops 1,500 feet to the finish. The last three miles prior to the summit, and the first mile afterwards, are quite steep and often wet and muddy. Runners often experience stomach and leg cramps if they try to run too fast on the first downhill mile as they react to the end of the grinding climb! About two mils past the Campground, the road meets Highway 21, after crossing a bridge over the confluence of Morse Creek and Lucky Peak Reservoir.
This unusual half-marathon, often described as "the toughest race in the Northwest," was established over 30 years ago and now accommodates 2,500 to 3,000 runners and walkers annually. Most of the course traverses rough, narrow and unimproved surfaces not too dissimilar from the situations which confronted the 19th-century travelers who settled the Boise area. Despite these challenging and foreboding conditions, the race is wildly popular. Registration is done primarily online, and this year's race filled in about 30 minutes.
A committee of volunteers works several months each year and raises thousands of dollars for charity from the race proceeds. One early volunteer organization was the Boise Co-op!
Participants reach the finish line greeted by thousands of friends and family members who have bused in. Copius amounts of food, beverages and live music help them recover prior to their bus trip back to civilization.
In a few weeks, most finishers (and organizers) get over their "Never again!" reaction to such a punishing mental and physical ordeal, and begin planning, and eagerly anticipating, next year's race!
The Boise Co-op applauds all the volunteers and participants who make this great, local event one of the best of its kind in the county!
