Race: The Tahoe Super Triple
Runner: Bryan Gray
Race Date: 10/14/2022
Location: Lake Tahoe, California and Nevada
Results: https://results.raceroster.com/v2/en-US/results/njujfe7yvhstqq29/results?subEvent=
Strava Activity Link: https://strava.app.link/USFFEF1ucub
3 Bests – What aspects of the race did you like the most?
- The views were incredible.
- There were bears on the overnight run and I believe I saw 2 coming into Kings Beach but they were too far to tell for sure in the dark, but I definitely saw 1 in the early morning on the west side of the lake South of Tahoe City.
- Crossing the finish line after 125 miles to have the race director shake my hand and congratulate me.
Not so much – Aspects of the race that didn’t do it for you
The bib pickup for the Friday marathon and half marathon wasn’t as well organized as it could have been. The other bib pickups were in an expo and had a great setup, but ours wasn’t well organized.
Weird factor – What’s the weirdest thing about this race?
The first marathon runs through a tunnel with one lane closed. The 72 mile ultra didn’t have that lane closed.
Highlights of your race – What did you do well and enjoy about your race in particular?
The 2 marathons were great. Under 4.5 hours for the first and under 5 for the 2nd. Seeing a bear in the morning was very cool, and my sister, who I’ve been coaching, ran her first half marathon Sunday and passed me on the course.
Lessons for others – Share your pro-tips on the race to help the next runner
The 2nd to last uphill section is named the Hill from Hell. Don’t underestimate it. It’s shorter than the Spooner Summit climb but much steeper.
Lessons you learned that will help you next time around
Drive the 72 mile route before hand so the support person knows where to be to provide aide.
Most important course specific knowledge to know about the race
All 3 races have hills. The 2nd race has the least hills but there are more of them.
Aesthetics – Is it a pretty course?
It’s the most beautiful run I’ve done so far. The towns are cute but you also run through beautiful forests
Difficulty – Is it a tough course?
This course has a lot of elevation gain and is at high altitude so it’s very tough
Organized and well run – Did it feel like a well-oiled machine or were they flying by the seat of their pants?
It was well organized for the most part but since only 2 of us did the 125 miler the people doing bib check-in didn’t seem to be ready for me, but when I went to the expo to get my swag they were much better organized.
Competition – Is there a strong field?
The field isn’t extremely competitive
Logistics – Does it require a special handshake, registration a year in advance, hotels all booked? Give us the low down on the nuts and bolts of making the race happen.
Hotels are expensive but there are a lot of choices around the lake.
Aid Stations – Standard fare or anything special to know about the aid stations in terms of what’s available or when?
The first 2 marathons only had 7 aid stations but they had candy, olives, electrolyte drinks, water, and one had rice Krispy treats. The first 46 miles of the 72 is unsupported but the last 26.2 had 19 aid stations with candy, fruit, pretzels, cookies, and rice Krispy treats. The people manning the stations made and brought a lot of the food themselves
Weather and typical race conditions
Weather was perfect this year but it can be very unpredictable from year to year.
Gear – Did you need anything special or is there anything you’d recommend for the next runner?
Headlights were needed for both marathons and lots of lighting and reflective gear was required for the overnight
Spectators – Is this a friendly course for your friends?
Yes, there are tons of places to cheer on friends and they let friends enjoy the hot dogs at the finish line.
How’s the Swag?
The gear is all great. For doing the super triple I got shirts, a nice travel duffel bag, 2 license plate covers (1 26.2 and 1 72.6), medals for each marathon and a medal for the 72, and a special plaque for finishing the super triple.
The Overall Score – How many stars do you give this race and do you recommend that others run it?
I rate this 5/5 stars. It is absolutely not a PR course but is in one of the prettiest places possible.