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In this episode Angie recaps the Jackson Hole Marathon in beautiful Jackson Hole, Wyoming plus she explains how to run a marathon according to your heart rate.

Jackson Hole Marathon Race Recap

Jackson is a town in Wyoming’s Jackson Hole Valley, home to 3 ski areas, hiking, fishing, and water sports. One iconic part of the Town Square features arches made of shed antlers from the nearby National Elk Refuge. To the North are the peaks of Grand Teton National Park as well as Yellowstone National Park. The elevation is around 6,200 feet and the area has about 10,000 residents.

Pre Race Happenings

I flew into Jackson Hole the day before the race and met my friend Adrianne who was going to run her first half marathon. We ate lunch at the Snake River Brewing CO and then went to packet pick-up at Spring Hill Suites which was very quick and easy.

The 7th edition of the Jackson Hole Marathon, Hole Half Marathon and Relay was held on Sept 2, 2017 at 7am. These races are put on by Dreamchaser Events and the race director is Jay Batchen with Lisa Smith-Batchen (ultra runner extraordinaire). The course is USATF certified and run on paved pathways and roads.

With Lisa Smith-Batchen

Race Morning

We stayed at the Mountain Modern Motel which was an easy walk to the town center and starting line. The half marathon started in a different location and you could catch a shuttle to the starting line from parking at the Teton Village.

It was a clear and cool morning in the low 40’s. I got to meet MTA podcast fan John Danby who is a local and fellow Marathon Maniac.

With MTA fan John Danby

The Course:

The entire course is run on paved roads and/or paved pathways, with the exception of a tenth of a mile near the finish Line, which is run over grass (and is slightly uphill).

There were some slight inclines along the way but no major hills. The best part was gorgeous views of the mountains the whole time. “Breathtakingly beautiful” is an apt description (especially since my lungs were not elevation ready).

This is not the marathon for you if you need a lot of spectators. But I saw eagles, cattle and horses and enjoyed talking to runners along the way. It was a well marked course with mile marker signs every mile and great support along the way.

• The race starts in historic downtown Jackson Hole. After running by the National Elk Refuge within the first mile it passes through East Jackson and by the Snow King Ski Hill before joining the Community Pathway system.
• Runners then head south of town and follow South Park Loop Road, that has majestic views of the Teton Valley, before joining the pathway again along Highway 22 heading west into the small town of Wilson, WY.
• From Wilson, the Community Pathway takes runners toward the Grand Teton and the Finish Line at Teton Village, home of the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and the iconic Red Tram and Clock Tower.

Around mile 24. Photo credit: Jackson Hole Marathon

Aid Stations:

This is a cup free event to reduce waste and littering (so be prepared with your own bottle or hydration system). Aid stations were at 2 mile intervals and well stocked with water, gels, sports drinks, candy, and electrolytes. My favorite was the beer stop at mile 25.

I used my faithful Generation UCAN for fuel. I had a snack bar pre-race and 2 servings of UCAN mix during the race. I also used electrolytes and stayed well hydrated to balance out the warm day and elevation. Use the code MTAJHM for 15% off your next order of UCAN.

Finish Line:

My finish time was 5:19:42 for my 49th marathon and 38th state. Each runner got a box of food, water, and soda or beer from Snake River Brewing CO. There was a nice grassy area with tables to sit and relax in the sun post race.

There were 193 half marathoners and 208 who did the marathon. The 1st place man was Kyle Baldwin with a finish time of 2:54 and the 1st place woman was Emily Jurlina in 3:29:48. Accomplished ultramarathoner and local, Pam Reed, finished in 3:45.

Here’s what my 50 state marathon quest looks like now:

My recovery:

One of the great things about running according to heart rate and taking it easy was how fast I recovered. I wore compression pants post-race and by the second day didn’t even feel like I’d run a marathon. My friend and I went white water rafting on the Snake River the next morning (good cold therapy) before driving several hours up to Montana.

Also in this podcast episode you will hear me discuss how to run a marathon according to your heart rate.

Also Mentioned in This Episode

The Harrisburg Half Marathon -great local race in the Pennsylvania State Capitol City.

The MTA Virtual Half Marathon – challenge yourself by running 13.1 miles this November and get a one of a kind medal and hat in the process!

Generation UCAN -our preferred fueling source for long distance running. It keeps your blood sugar stable and allows your body to burn fat.

Sun Basket -makes it easy to create healthy organic meals at home in 30 minutes or less.

Virtue Labs -a new haircare brand with a vision: To give everyone the best hair scientifically possible. Use the code MTA to try Virtue at 10% off, plus free shipping.