[COURSE PREVIEW] Mustache Dash 5k

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The event's official site can be found HERE.

Local runners may be familiar with this one; perhaps one of the more popular themed races is the Mustache Dash 5k. This year there are five offerings throughout the midwest, including Omaha, St. Louis, Wichita, Tulsa (OK), and Leawood (KS). This one will, of course, be covering the KC-area version, Leawood.

OF NOTE: This year's route has changed slightly. The start and finish still resides in front of the sponsoring Cupcake A-La-Mode shop in Park Place (next to Town Center Plaza), but offers a less-neighborhood and more-town-street route (strikingly similar to the CASA Superhero 5k).

But more on that in the...

...Course Preview!
Link to this route in Google Maps can be found HERE.

The 2014 route, with Roe climb highlighted (image courtesy of Google Earth).

          Intro
The basic layout last year was nearly the same to the revised route for 2014. In 2013, participants meandered through the Leawood Country Manor neighborhood, bypassing College Boulevard completely. For this year, the neighborhood run is skipped in lieu of a College Boulevard run. With the exception of a brief detour cutting the Northwest corner of the block, it's pretty much a run around the block of Nall-College-Roe-Town Center, and a near-replica of the 2014 CASA Superhero 5k route.

          Route Basics/Metrics
Here are the basics for the new 2014 route...

• Distance: 3.23mi
• Route Type: Loop
• Terrain Type: City Roads (blacktop, concrete)
• Start/Finish Location: Park Place, Leawood, Kansas
• Start Elevation: 926ft
• # Climbs: 2
• Tot. Elevation Gain: 167ft

         Climbs
There are two significant climbs on-route (both "1/10 Category" climbs, using my method). Be aware: there are two blips along College that put some extra stings in the wings after having run half the race. Here's what the significant climbs look like...

• 117th to North Nall: 0.50mi (0.6-1.1mi) @ 2.0% average grade (5.9% maximum), +44.2ft (918-962ft), Cat.1/10
• Roe South to Town Center Drive: 0.19mi (2.56-2.74mi) @ 4.3% average grade (9.3% maximum), +40.5ft (888-928ft), Cat.1/10

         Virtual Run

The run starts from the heart of Park Place Plaza, in front of the Cupcake A la Mode storefront (one of the sponsors). For this year, the route heads north out of Park Place and Southeast on to Town Center Drive, a very slight (therefore fast) downhill. A right-hand turn has runners headed back West towards Park Place on 117th. This is where climb #1 ("117th to North Nall") begins to pick up. Though not a steep climb by any means, it ascends for a half-mile. The first third of the climb is the steepest, topping out at almost 6%.

Climb 1 hits maximum elevation just short of the right-hand turn on to Ash, descending rapidly on to Ash, clipping the Northwestern corner of the Nall-College-Roe block. Runners quickly exit from the neighborhood on to College, heading east. It is the right turn on to college that the halfway point comes, and another short (non-category) climb.

Just short of the 2-mile marker, athletes turn right on to Roe, heading south. The initial turn on to Roe gives another small bump, which at first feels a bit steep. Perhaps the only flat road exists around the mid-section of Roe between College and Town Center Drive, which will present some nice respite for runners before the final short, but high-grade, climb off of Roe and West on to Town Center Drive. The second and final climb, Climb #2 ("Roe South to Town Center Drive") lasts only a short two-tenths of a mile, but pitches upward at a maximum of nearly 10%.

Once the final climb is overcome, it's a quick left-hander back on to 117th Street, and a fast (hopefully) and flat race back in to Park Place, first through the parking garage, then around the center roundabout, and finish back in front of Cupcake A la Mode.

          Strategy
All runners will be tempted to take full advantage of the opening start-line descent, although the steepest pitches of Climb #1 quickly follow. Competitive runners will want to plan for the early-and-late climbs on this route, whilst hanging on to pace groups for the middle-most sections. The most competitive runners will have to enjoy steeper pitches, as the maximum-10% climb comes right at the turn on to 117th from Roe, only 1000 meters from the finish. However, don't expect to have to be a "climber" overall: this course only poses a total of 160 feet of climbing -- only about 50 feet per mile -- far from the 100+ feet per mile seen in events like Hospital Hill and Broadway Bridge.

Race report to follow.

Keep R/B/S-ing.

-tds

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