Bootleg Beatdown 5M Race

Bootleg Beatdown 5 mile race is one of my favorite races. The trail is the home of what some locals call "Ginger" - a very steep, vertical climb up to the peak of the mountain. The course is 5 miles, but the 1,000 feet of elevation change is gained in the first half of the course. Getting to the top of the mountain is no easy feat, but it is well worth the effort. If you can spare a minute at the top, you can soak in some views of Lake Mead and Boulder City as well as Las Vegas in the distance.

After reaching the summit, the rest of the race is literally downhill. There is some technical terrain, however it involves uneven surfaces without an excess of loose rocks. This means you can pick up some great speed on the way back to the finish line if you are able to pick up your feet enough to clear the technical terrain.

This year, the weather was perfect. The race director jokingly stated that it is supposed to be the hardest and hottest race of the year, but somehow we lucked out with amazing weather. When the gun went off, I started out strong on the rolling dirt bike mounds for the first mile. Then you reach Ginger and the gravity of the climb hits you when the fastest runners start to walk with their hands on their knees. I had a hard time catching my breath towards the top of Ginger. I ended up letting two amazingly fit ladies pass me at this point as I took a ride on the figurative struggle bus up to the top. Once I reached the top, I had a few encouraging words from one of the volunteers at the aid station and felt the oxygen coming back to my legs and brain.

Thankfully, this was another turn in the race for me. With a revived energy, I was able to gain some speed on the downhill. I was going so fast that my stomach was turning, but I was headstrong about making the podium. Both of the girls who had passed me on the up hill had slowed down on the downhill. I couldn't help but notice their bloody knees. If you choose to do this race, please know your limits! I enjoy the technical downhill, but it may not be kind if you aren't used to the terrain.

After a speedy sprint to the finish line, I clocked in at 1:01:48 as the first place female. I was super spoiled when I got onto the podium, not only because of the generous prizes from Desert Dash, but also because one of the other female podiums gave me a big high five. The sportsmanship of trail running is truly great, and the people always keep me coming back.