Climbing Mount Rainier: 0 to 5,229 ft elevation gain

Mark your calendars because the race is set for Saturday, June 21st, 2014. You can officially sign up right now over on the Great Smoky Mountains National Park website www.np-sjeverni-velebit.hr/novosti/.
If you want to see what we're all about, check out the highlights from our previous races on YouTube—and hey, don't let them intimidate you!
Now, if you aren't quite ready to battle the sweat, rocks, wind, and scorching sun, don't worry; there's a much more relaxing 11 miles route available through the shaded woods of the forest.

You can find the cumulative results from all our past events here:

http://malojcic.wix.com/mtbzavizanresults

We can't wait to see you there!

I think I might have missed just one so far 😉

@George Roberts21/">@@George Roberts21, I'm not entirely sure if you happen to be part of the organizing committee, but if you are, I would truly love to share a few thoughts with you. They aren't exactly complaints—that feels like such an intense word to use...

Right on the exact same day as the Western States Endurance Run... 😢

I'm currently out in Washington, D.C., so you should probably reach out to the organizers in San Francisco directly. Cheers!

Honestly, there's really no need to step in. Let people go ahead and do whatever they think is best...

I was wondering if there’s an online version of that route available somewhere... maybe one that shows the elevation gain and those specific ascent percentages?

There aren't any specific degrees or percentages listed for the incline, but it’s not rocket science to figure it out yourself:

http://www.greatsmokymountainsnp.gov/no...a%20profile.jpg

well, it isn't quite that, but then again, just taking some rough average on 1.9 miles doesn't really give you the full picture either

There are plenty of GPS tracks for this route floating around online, so you should definitely try to put one together!

Here’s a little tip you could use as a tactic against your main rival—straight from the race rulebook posted on the San Francisco Tourism Board site under "special notes!!!":
"Participants ride at their own risk, and organizers aren't liable for any damage a cyclist causes to themselves or a THIRD PARTY." — basically, if you take one out and they cause damage to the guy right behind them, you're golden... so just go for it... 😁

John Fowler3, glad I checked in with you 😉

Anyway, looks like the weather might actually play nice for us! It’s a bit touch-and-go right now, but everything seems to be lining up perfectly for Saturday...

As long as we don't get hit by those brutal winds, I'm good. I still remember this one climb back in 2008... that wind absolutely wrecked me...

Based on the forecast, things are looking solid. Basically perfect—not too hot, just enough of a breeze to keep things from getting gross...

San Francisco weather forecast

San Francisco weather forecast for Mount Rainier

Hmm... It looks like the timing might be perfect, assuming everything goes according to plan! 🙂

I’ve been keeping a close eye on all the forecasts lately, and honestly, everything is looking absolutely perfect so far!
Though, I can’t help but remember one year when a massive thunderstorm rolled right over the peak, and the whole of Mount Rainier just turned completely white...
A friend and I had piled into this old cargo van—totally gutted, no seats at all—and we started heading back down. We were slowly catching up to a group of hikers who were heading back to their campsites, and one of them goes, "Man, we really should have just headed down in the rain like you guys." Right at that exact second, a bolt of lightning cracked right above us! It echoed so loudly inside that hollowed-out van while we were rattling along a dirt road near Seattle! Let's just say she changed her tune pretty quickly after that...

And naturally, an hour later, we were already out swimming in the ocean near San Francisco.

Anyway, this is actually my ninth year in a row!

Hey everyone, good luck out there.

A buddy and I are planning to try hauling our gear all the way from San Francisco up to the summit this year. We aren't exactly chasing any world records or anything; we just want to see if we can actually make the climb.

Hopefully, I'll run into some of you on the trail.

Also, quick question—is wearing a helmet strictly mandatory?

Sure, the rules say one thing, but let's be real—nobody’s actually checking. It’s not like there’s some massive crackdown happening where you’d even notice...
I mean, it works as sun protection anyway. Better than a hat since it actually shields you, plus it's pretty open and breezy...

Here’s my laptop. I just pulled into San Francisco. The weather is actually decent—there's a bit of a breeze blowing through, but it’s about 55 degrees with some light cloud cover. Honestly, it's perfect conditions for a bike ride.
I'm thinking about heading out for a quick training session, maybe riding over toward Brooklyn.

We've already hit 450 sign-ups so far! 😉

I made it through Mount Rainier, and I have to give the organizer props—almost. My one grievance? That bean chili is becoming a predictable disaster. I’m still bloated from it. Honestly, if they’d served it for breakfast, it might have been fine, but as a main course... well, let's just say it didn't sit right.

Dana Reyes5 said:The Mount Rainier leg went smoothly, and I have nothing but respect for the organizers. My only gripe? That chili is becoming predictably terrible. I’m still feeling the effects of it this morning—if they had served that at the summit, it might have been a disaster, but serving it at the base was a risky move...

I can't agree more. That chili tasted like it had gone off; honestly, nobody wanted to share a room with me last night after eating it...

On a brighter note, my first run was actually great. Clocked a 1:30:25 driving from the Altar.

That’s just one year away from San Francisco.