2009 Leading Ladies Marathon

Coming back from injury, I decided to walk the half marathon event in the 2009 Leading Ladies Marathon. This race has a touch of class at the hand of race director Elaine Doll-Dunn. The race packet included yummy chocolates. You also get to choose a rock, because “you rock” and a star because “you are a star.” The host hotel is the Spearfish Holiday Inn and convention center. The packet pick up and Expo takes place in the convention center.

There is a pre-race pasta dinner, right there in the hotel as well.

It’s advertised as all downhill. I have to admit, it really IS all downhill. The course is on a twisty windy road in beautiful Spearfish Canyon SD. The road is not much traveled in the early hours of the morning, and in general, traffic was not an issue as we made our way down. I repeat, this course is beautiful! Even the weather was beautiful.

It was a cool start. About 49 degrees,(daytime high of 72 gentle breeze ) and there is a bit of elevation as well, around 5000 feet. There were some low clouds hanging in the mountains. After the start, you rarely notice the chill, but wearing gloves was a good idea. As the sun begins to rise above the canyon walls the scenery awakens around you. Lovely wildflowers line both sides of the road. Across the road is a lovely river that meanders down the canyon with you. The full marathon is treated to 2 waterfalls, tin the half you still see beautiful Bridal Veil Falls. Beautiful trees and the ever changing canyon walls make the time go by quickly. Before I knew it I was at mile 11 lamenting the fact that the end was near! Soon after, there was a quick turn, past a campground and into Spearfish City Park.

The aid stations are all well stocked with oranges and chocolate along with the usual power aid and water. They were every couple of miles and all staffed by handsome men of all ages. J When you hit the finish line, you are handed a rose, a bottle of water and a lemon scented washcloth. Nearby is a table of yummy fruit tarts, pretzels and chocolate. There is a trolley there to whisk you away back to the Spearfish Holiday Inn. Pictures are at Leading Ladies Pictures

Leading Ladies Marathon is a great event. The course is scenic, it is a wonderful area to visit and race is superbly organized and managed. Elaine Doll-Dunn is a very experienced runner and exceptional race director. She is a motivational speaker and author (you’ve GOT to read her books!). This is of course, in addition to her other full time jobs as mother, wife and school guidance counselor . Her husband Jerry Dunn is the race director for other exceptional races in the Black Hills of South Dakota. The other races are the Deadwood-Mickelson Trail Marathon (hosted in Deadwood) in early June and the LeanHorse UltraMarathon (Hosted in Hot Springs) in mid August.

Put all three of their races on your calendar for 2010 and we will see you in the Black Hills of South Dakota next summer.