Kissing the Hardrock

The Hardrock 100-mile Endurance Run is  not for the faint of heart, lungs, or limbs. Held each year in July since 1992, except for 1995 (too much snow) and 2002 (nearby forest fires).the race is held on a loop course on 4WD roads, dirt trails, steep scree slopes and cross country in Southern Colorado’s San JuanRange. The run starts and ends in Silverton, Colorado and travels through the towns of Telluride, Ouray, and the ghost town of Sherman, crossing thirteen major passes over 12,000-feet.  The race is dedicated to the memory of the miners who lived and work in the region.Due to the extreme terrain (not to mention the fickle weather), the field is limited to 140 qualifying runners. The cut-off time for finishing the race is 48 hours. But instead of crossing a finish line, runners are required to “kiss the Hardrock” –a picture of a ram’s head painted on a large block of stone mining debris. Here’s a photo of Julian Jamison, a great friend of RailRiders and wearing a Speed-T,  kissing the Hardrock. Way to go Julian!