2012 Hardrock 100 Preview

A preview of the 2012 Hardrock 100.

By on July 11, 2012 | Comments

Hardrock 100The Hardrock 100 kicks off at 6 am on Friday morning with what are likely the best men’s and women’s field in the race’s history. With no snow and, fortunately, smoke-free air, the course is shaping up to be fast. If the forecast mild weather holds up, that, too, will aid the runners. Regardless, the course through the San Juan Mountains will dish out a worthy test for each runner… as will the other runners. To keep things brief (for once, and for real), here’s a look at this year’s potential Hardrock 100 winners.

Ps. We’ll be covering the race live, as usual, here. (The link will go live on Thursday.)

Potential Women’s Winners – 2012 Hardrock 100

With four straight Hardrock wins and the women’s course record (27:18:24), defending champ Diana Finkel may seem an unbeatable force, but she’s got a stiff competition. Last year, Darcy Africa finished only 19 minutes behind Finkel to finish second among the women and seventh overall. In early June, Africa won the Bighorn 100 miler after a strong return to form at Transvulcania after being hampered by the injury. If there’s another woman perfectly suited to outrace Finkel and Africa around the San Juan Mountains, it’s Krissy Moehl. Back in 2007, she won Hardrock in a time three minutes faster than Finkel’s time from last year. Just three weeks ago, Moehl set a 100-mile PR (18:29:15) in placing fourth at the Western States 100 (video interview).

Potential Men’s Winners – 2012 Hardrock 100

Around Silverton, the town that hosts Hardrock’s start and finish, Dakota Jones is the odds-on favorite. He was second last year behind Julien Chorier. Since then, he’s  finished second at last December’s TNF 50 (video interview) as well as winning both the Lake Sonoma 50 (video interview) and Transvulcania 50 (video interview) this spring. The past month, he’s been living in Silverton, putting in many long days on the course (as well as tapering). Hal Koerner is also being talked up around town and with good reason. Aside from his stellar long-term resume, he ran 13:24 at Rocky Raccoon in February and has taken his longest non-winter break from racing – three months – than he has in quite a while. That suggests he’s been focusing his energies on the San Juans. Uh, and Karl Meltzer’s won Hardrock a few times and still holds the course record in the counter-clockwise direction (24:38:02). (Note: Hardrock reverses course every other running and this year it’s being run in the clockwise direction.) This year the old goat’s blazed a 14:17 in placing second to Koerner at Rocky Raccoon and won the Antelope Island 100 in March (video interview). If one thing’s certain, someone will have to run a hell of a race to beat Karl. Joe Grant’s my dark horse for the win. With all the vert he’s been doing, I think he can go sub-26, which could nab a win if misfortune befalls those listed above.

Other Contenders for Top Three: Jared Campbell, Dominic Grossman, Scott Jaime, Nick Pedatella

Other Hardrock 100 Previews

For once, I actually kept a race preview short, so here’s another perspective.

Call for Comments

Who do you think will come out on top in the men’s and women’s races?

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Bryon Powell

Bryon Powell is the Founding Editor of iRunFar. He’s been writing about trail running, ultrarunning, and running gear for more than 15 years. Aside from iRunFar, he’s authored the books Relentless Forward Progress: A Guide to Running Ultramarathons and Where the Road Ends: A Guide to Trail Running, been a contributing editor at Trail Runner magazine, written for publications including Outside, Sierra, and Running Times, and coached ultrarunners of all abilities. Based in Silverton, Colorado, Bryon is an avid trail runner and ultrarunner who competes in events from the Hardrock 100 Mile just out his front door to races long and short around the world, that is, when he’s not fly fishing or tending to his garden.