Rock/Creek Race Team Member, Roxanne Zobava, traveled to Moab Utah last weekend for the Red Hot Race. This is a report from her trip. Roxanne finished Third Women’s Overall with a time of 3:08:10.34. Congrats! ~R/C
This was my first time in Moab, Utah were the Red Hot 55k & 33k race is held.
I flew into Colorado and met up with my friend Katie who lives in Eagle, CO which is only a 3hr drive from Moab. On the friday before the race Katie and my other friend Anita who ran and WON the 55k, drove to Moab. It was a spectacular drive. It was making me VERY excited to run in Moab. Katie and Anita have run this race before and just love it, so I thought it would be a great race to run and hang out with my friends!
The weather was crazy! We leave CO and there is snow on the ground and its 20 degrees and then drive to Utah and it around 45ish and not a thought of snow.
The morning of the race it was drizzling a little but not too bad. That was ok though because I enjoy running in the rain.
The race started around amazing rock formations. It was so different than the south. Wide open spaces. The 55k started a half an hour before my race so they started and they just looked so tiny as they ran off into the rocky mountain terrain.
I was feeling good. The altitude was not an issue. I was just hoping to keep up with the Westerners!
We started and I spotted a few girls to keep up with, while still trying to look up and take in all the views.
The only way to describe this race was “Amazing”. Every little pink flag that I was looking for had large rock formations and mountainous views that were breath taking.
The first aid came and went. I had all my fuel on me so I knew that I could run 33k hard and I would not have to stop if I had all my fuel on me.
2nd aid was at the top of a nice climb. With every short steep climb came a better view than the next.
We were running on slick rock almost the whole time and every so often there was a Jeep trying to climb and go over the rocks but could not make it. There were no clear cut roads or traisl until we got out closer to the finish of the race.
After the 3rd aid, I remembered Anita and Katie telling me it was down hill, or at least a slow grade down hill and about 3-4miles to the finish. It was not a smooth down hill to the finish, but at least there was a more direct path and I was not searching for the next pink flag.
Finished 3rd female 15th overall with a time of 3:08:10.34.
Put this race on your bucket list!!! It’s a well put on race and so beautiful!
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