The Estrella Mountains stand as looming giants south of Phoenix, the rugged peaks jutting high in the sky. nestled below the majestic giants are the single track trails located in the Estrella Mountain Regional Park, not as daunting but not to be underestimated. Like the rest of the night series, the temperatures were warm but manageable as the sun sunk in the sky. Runners who had participated in Sinister, Adrenaline, and Vertigo had an idea of what lay ahead. With options of 15k, 31k, and 62k, over 175 runners arrived planning to run between one and four loops. The loop’s elevation profile. The course rolls through the foothills of the Estrellas, climbing gradually for the first …
Hypnosis Race Report by John Kruelle
I’ll start by saying there were two things I failed to execute on this run… I needed two water bottles (only had one) and needed to fuel at a higher level, in spite of a good finish. PRE-RACE All week the monsoon effects were drying out and temps were looking favorable for better conditions than Vertigo two weeks prior. Check; great. This holds up to be true. The start temp is lower and the air is drier. Compared to Vertigo, a 6.5 mile loop, this is 9.5ish. Each had an aid station midpoint or so. Check; great. I’ve run the course before with Xterra, and while this is backwords of Xterra, this is still …