Hi All,

A few notes on my Ester Dome challenge.

1) The challenge will take place on Saturday, September 5. Racers must be registered for the UAF Ester Dome race in order to be eligible for prize money.

2) $100 will be awarded to the first person who breaks 20 minutes on September 5, 2009. In other words, if more than one person do it, only the winner will collect $100. In addition, the first woman to break 24 minutes on this day collects $100.

3) No NCAA athletes or high school athletes are eligible for prize money.

4) The course record is 22:47 for men. This was set on September 8, 2007, by eventual NCAA skiing national champion Marius Korthauer. The women’s record stands at 26:03. Pavla Havlova set this mark on October 1, 2005, besting the previous record (set by Pavla one month earlier) by two seconds.  Seven weeks later Pavla raced to All America honors at the NCAA D-II cross country national championships.

5) It is not impossible to break 20 minutes. 

6) I have respect for anyone who races up Ester Dome.  I am not sure why former competitors would feel insulted by the offering of a prize for a lofty course record.  My intention was to create some buzz about the race and offer a bit of cash to a top runner.  I would like to offer more ($1,000, for example), but since this money is coming out of my own pocket it would be irresponsible for me to do so.  If any former racers were insulted by my $100 challenge I certainly apologize.  This was certainly not my intention.

-SJ

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