Conquer the Castle 100k Race Report – Mark Cliggett

Race: Conquer The Castle 100k

Runner: Mark Cliggett

Date: 11/11/2017

Location: Cleveland, OH

Results: Just under 15 hours

Strava Activity Link: https://www.strava.com/activities/1284555983

conquer the castle 100k race report
Photo: Stu Siegfried

3 Bests – What aspects of the race did you like the most?

  1. The volunteers at east coast races are just as stellar as the volunteers at west coast races.
  2. This is a small park and yet they fit in a very fun, interesting 16 mile loop.
  3. The finishers medals are handmade by the race director.

Weird factor – What’s the weirdest thing about this race?

The race starts at noon – good in some ways for someone traveling from the left coast, but it means you finish in the wee hours.

Highlights of your race – What did you do well and enjoy about your race in particular?

I didn’t fall! Last year, I fell and ended up with a nasty cut just under my eye. It was beautiful at times, with a light snow falling in the light of my headlamp.

Most important course specific knowledge to know about the race

Be ready to run through leaves hiding roots.

Difficulty – Is it a tough course?

It is deceptively hard even though there’s only about 5000 feet of climbing – lots of roots, constant up and down. The winner finished in about 11 hours. Oh, and the same winner just measured the course with a wheel and it’s closer to 67 miles than 62.

conquer the castle 100k race report
Photo: Stu Siegfried

Full race report and more photos at: https://pointlenana.wordpress.com/2017/12/02/conquer-the-castle-then-take-the-crooked-road/