What? UA Copper Mountain
When? July 14, 2018
How far? 10K
Website? www.uamountainrunning.com

Pre-Race:
Packet pick-up was at the course, but they also offered free same day pick-up which is nice since Copper Mountain is a drive for many people. On race day, the expo was open very early (starting at 5:30). Since this event took place at the ski resort, Starbucks was open which was a nice treat, but UA also put out free food and refreshments. It’s technically the off-season at Copper, so the base of the mountain was dedicated to the race expo which made it exciting and easy to navigate through. Another highlight was the free bag check, which I always appreciate since I start the early morning bundled up with layers that I don’t want to carry or dispose of on the run.

Race:
2 words: elevation and altitude. This race is no joke as you are literally climbing up a ski mountain for the first 3 miles. I’m lucky that I only live less than 2 hours from Copper, so the thin air did not effect me as much as I thought it would. But I passed many many people who were having difficulty getting enough oxygen on the climb. This race is not impossible and shouldn’t be avoided because of the altitude, but it is definitely something to keep in mind.

The good news is that all of that climbing led to an absolutely gorgeous view especially with the summer wildflowers blooming. Plus, after mile 3, it was (mostly) downhill! I say mostly because there was a steep hill around mile 5.5 that was about 0.25 miles. It did, however, lead to an aid station that was stocked with Honey Stinger.

Post-race:
The post-race was a fun time as all of the athletes really took advantage of the expo. They had a LARGE recovery zone with foam rollers and NormaTec boots. You also got a complimentary beer from 10 Barrell Brewing. I don’t drink so I didn’t take advantage of that, but I did have a free kombucha that was absolutely delicious!

Summary
This was an UnderArmour event, so I was expecting everything to be first-class, and it did not disappoint. The swag and expo were high quality, but the course was the star of the show. This is an event that offers a course for everyone (5K-50K). I will definitely be running this course next year and will tackle the 25K. Overall, this course was not just a race, but an experience.