Academy of Pain
Sat, Apr 06
|Cherry Hills Public Library
Come out for one lap, or come out for 20! Each lap is 3.5 (ish) miles on hard-packed gravel around the Academy loop in ABQ (the record is 54 miles). You have 12 hours to see what you can throw down.
Time & Location
Apr 06, 2024, 6:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Cherry Hills Public Library, 6901 Barstow St NE, Albuquerque, NM 87111, USA
About the event
You are welcome park anywhere on the Academy Loop path and jump in, but we are meeting at the Cherry Hills Public Library (parking is available both in the library lot as well as surrounding residential streets). The tally board to count your loops and aid station will be at the intersection of Barstow and Harper (at the stoplight).
This is a 12-hour event, so while we hope you'll come early and stay late, you are more than welcome to jump in at any time and run any distance! Across the road (Barstow) at the stoplights we will have basecamp. There we will have a smorgasbord of treats and things (bring something to share!) and a board to track your completed loops.
One loop = one tally.
We will make special awards marking a few different distances: 50 miles, 50k, PR (the longest you've ever personally run), and a heavy half marathon too (since the loop is a little over 3 miles so it won't be exact).
This is self-supported and a fat ass (free event)! You are welcome to bring your own food/cooler/clothes at your car to resupply or adjust anytime. If you want to run in groups, follow our facebook page (we'll post a few starting times for different groups) via the link below or through the Albuquerque Trail Running Crew facebook group.
There are no official bathrooms on the Academy trail so plan to use the gas station, McDonalds, the Starbucks, etc. along the way if nature does call (or leave and come back, this thing is officially unofficial).
We can't wait to throw down some double digits!
The loop is 3.5 miles (ish), gradually slanty (no hills; I don't know exactly what feet per loop gain and loss it is, but not much although it's not totally flat), and mostly crushed gravel. A few places have sidewalk or an optional bike path.
Grand totals from the 2023 Academy of Pain!
Together, 42 (not even counting a bun in the oven and a cute toddler in a stroller and many four-legged friends) of us ran 286 laps!
That’s 942 miles (an average of nearly 23 miles/person).
4 folks finished 50 miles, 10 ran at least a 50k (and at least two of those ran their first 50k ever!), and at least three 20 milers (another first for at least one monster out there!).
“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
-African Proverb
Page Link:
https://www.facebook.com/events/315352018081033/?acontext=%7B%22event_action_history%22%3A[%7B%22extra_data%22%3A%22%22%2C%22mechanism%22%3A%22surface%22%2C%22surface%22%3A%22permalink%22%7D%2C%7B%22extra_data%22%3A%22%22%2C%22mechanism%22%3A%22surface%22%2C%22surface%22%3A%22duplicate_dialog%22%7D]%2C%22ref_notif_type%22%3Anull%7D