[COURSE PREVIEW] Blazin' the Burg 5k

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The event's official site can be found HERE.

Perhaps one of the coolest events of my season comes with the Blazin' the Burg 5k, if not for the challenging course, for the gorgeous town-and-country surroundings, and amazing town's people. It is always a treat participating, despite any events I already have going that morning (it is an evening race).  But first, a quick preview of the very different course...

Course Preview
On paper (or map, as it were), the Blazin' the Burg 5k route looks like a simple loop around the awesome town of Louisburg. For the most part, that is correct -- but it is far from simple.

Here are the basics for the 2014 10k route...
Distance: 3.10mi
Route Type: Loop
Terrain Type: Town Streets, Park Roads, Some Trail (Blacktop, Concrete, Dirt Trail)
Start/Finish Location: Louisburg, Kansas
Start Elevation: 1115ft
# Climbs: 4
Tot. Elevation Gain: 243ft
Google Maps Link: HERE

The 5k route, with Rogers Hill highlighted.

The course starts from the center of town, heading West, then South out of town along Rogers Street. This is where things get sticky. Rogers Street itself has a nice little climb that is just enough to strike down anyone thinking at this point it is...well...a simple course. Then, the left-hand turn on to 287th...this is where, despite coming off of Rogers Street, the REAL Rogers Hill hits. And hits HARD. At an AVERAGE of 6.3% gradient, it is an incredibly tortuous quarter mile. Although, admittedly, I love it if nothing else for the wacky encouragement spectators give along the way (I think the one truck of spectators from last year offered me some beer from a keg).

Once conquered, a short decent and the back in to another climb towards Louisburg Lake. Things get even more interesting here, where a turn off Metcalf puts you within the Lake's park limits. From here, the course runs along the park's multi-use trails, through the pretty neighborhoods of Louisburg's Southeast side (spectators out in lawn chairs in their back yards along the way). Then, a quick cross of a street and you find yourself on UNPAVED park trail. A right turn out of park boundaries comes quickly, but not without a few hops and jumps around some big rocks and surrounding trees (unless they have since paved it -- which I doubt).

Finally you come out on to the back parking lot of Louisburg High School before heading back on normal city streets and up one last climb while passing the City Park. Then, an incredibly quick jaunt to the line, technically also up-hill.

Here's a run-down of the climbs on-route...

• Rogers Street: 0.11mi @ 4.0% average grade (10.1% maximum), +22.6ft
• Rogers Hill: 0.26mi @ 6.3% average grade (15.8% maximum), +67.2ft
• Louisburg Lake: 0.15mi @ 3.0% average grade (7.0% maximum), +23.8ft
• City Park: 0.73mi @ 2.2% average grade (7.0% maximum), +77.7ft

A full race report to follow.

Keep R/B/S-ing.

-tds

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