The Toughest Race in Texas!
Presented by
WHAT:
Puzzler mountain bike race and trail run.
WHEN:
RUN – 8:00 am January 19, 2013 – Marathon and Half marathon
BIKE – 8:00 am January 20, 2013 - 13, 35, and 50 mile individual mountain bike race and 50 mile relay
WHERE:
The Bowen Ranch Round House in northeast El Paso, TX. Lat – 31°57’39.74″N Long – 106°26’33.60″W
The venue entrance is located 2.6 miles north of U.S. 54 on Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. (Farm to Market Road 3255) on the west side of the road. Drivers will be greeted by a large sign that reads BOWEN RANCH. Keep an eye out for the entrance when the road turns from 4 to 2 lanes.
PACKET PICKUP and ON-SITE REGISTRATION:
RUN – Host Hotel – Friday January 18, 2013 4 pm to 6 pm. Venue morning of race.
BIKE – Host Hotel – Friday January 18, 2013 4 pm to 6 pm. Venue Saturday 9 to noon. Venue the morning of the race.
ADDITIONAL:
For five years now, the Borderland Mountain Bike Association has hosted what most riders will say is definitely the toughest mountain bike race in Texas. Now the El Paso Convention and Visitor’s Bureau and the Sports Commission of El Paso have brought in the El Paso Marathon Foundation to create a truly epic weekend of endurance sports in the Franklin Mountains State Park with an addition of a trail running marathon and half marathon.
Want to try both? Then compete in our Half Mad or Completely Insane competition. Half Mad is the half marathon run and 35 mile bike. Completely Insane is the full marathon and 50 mile bike. Register for each event separately, then email to notify us that you are planning to attempt this foolish stunt so we can give you a special award for completing something that we think is not very smart.
Mountain bike event held under USAC Permit #2013-191. All USAC rules apply. Annual or one day ($5) license required. Part of the Texas Mountain Bike Racing Association’s Marathon Series.
All riders must sign the standard USA Cycling waiver. Members may download a pre-filled out form here.
A blank USA Cycling release can be downloaded from here.
1. El Paso Convention and Visitor's Bureau
2. El Paso Sports Commission
5. New Belgium Brewing
Airport Printing
Half crazy! I am so stocked that you are adding another challenge to this already tough race. I pushed my self through a few pain thresholds I never knew I had last year. If I can get in enough quality training I might attempt to put on my big boy pants and go for insane.
Awesome that you are adding a run to this event, why limit to just 26.2 though? You have a 50 mile course all ready set up. Lets bring an ultra to El Paso.
Kyle,
We’d love to do the same with the bike race and make it 100 miles, but with limited daylight that time of year, both events would require lights. Finding volunteers would be tough too. The bike guys have held some underground events in the past with pretty solid participation. If this event takes off with the runners, then maybe we’ll see some ultras here in the future.
Right on, I understand your concern. Most races usually require the runners to have thier own flashight/headlamp after a certain point or time. Still awsome that you all are putting this on. Hope we get some out of town trail runners to come and see what the Franklin Mountains are all about.
Very exciting! Let’s promote the heck out of it and get the word out!
I may start training for the full combo. Is there any way you guys could facilitate finding training partners? Also, it sounds like you guys are still working out the details, but do you know if competitors doing the run/bike would start early? I’m guessing the full run/bike is going to take at *least* 10 hours.
The run and the bike are done on different days. Run on Saturday….bike on Sunday.
Question. Is there a different category if you participate in a full marathon run and 50mi mtb than only a mtb?
I’m not sure on what you mean. If you decide to do both the full marathon and the 50 mtb……and you complete both…..you will receive a special prize. Probably something in the realm of a belt buckle like Leadville….or maybe a custom monogrammed jacket. We’re not sure yet, but we’ll come up with something that only the hard men and women will earn.
Any word on what the special prize is yet? Will it be different for the Half Mad vs. Totally Insane? I’m doing the full bike marathon for sure, but can’t decide which run I want to do. A bad ass prize could sway me to blow up my legs on Sat. and coast the MTB marathon on Sunday.
Completely Insane finishers will receive a monogrammed warm up jacket and Half Mad finishers will receive a monogrammed vest. The prize shouldn’t be what sways you. Being a bad ass is should be enough. Bad ass’ery is limited in this town. Step up and get some!
Whats the email address?… I have a friend that wants to do the Completely Insane
bmbaelpaso@hotmail.com Your friend is NUTS!!
His name is Ruben… I wonder if he is going to go through with it…
Planning on the half mad..count me in…:)
Looking forward to more details being put up–course descriptions, start times, prices, post-race activities, etc. Thanks!
Dont know how Im going to do this but Im signing up for the Completely Insane. See you then
Is 13 MTB and half marathon an option?
NO!
Its official just signed up to do the totally Insane for both day.
This events sounds amazing, looking forward to do the Half Mad !!
Is the half marathon and 50 mile MTB an option? Or does it still only qualify for the “Half Mad”?
We would qualify you for the Half Mad.
Is is possible to just do the run, not the run and the bike?
You can do the run without a number, but don’t expect any on course support from the race staff. You will be shunned.
I really dont think thats what she meant. I am pretty sure you can register for the run only @ http://www.raceadventuresunlimited.com/01-19-2013/The-Puzzler-Endurance-Weekend/547
Can I pick up my packet race morning?
Yes. Be early. We do not allow registration on race morning.
In for Completely Insane. I could not find email address on the website to notify. Thank you for hosting this and I’m looking forward to visiting El Paso again!
-M
Gotchya Matt. Looking forward to your reaction to the course.
I signed up for the completely insane. Just notifying you as you requested above. Thanks for putting so much work into a long weekend!
I do everything that Keen does. I’m registered for completely insane too. Yeehaw.
Thanks for all the work organizing this event!
gk
I can’t seem to find the STARTING TIME for the running race. In Race Adventures says it’s 8am, but perhaps you want to put it up on your home page as well.
8 am for everyone with maybe a slight delay to space out different categories.
Are the pictures from the race available somewhere? I remember that I saw a photographer near the rock garden downhill from Mundy’s Gap.
Here are some videos I recorded from the 2013 Puzzler…
Part 1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhNZTAwqIcU
Part 2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-z5TusyBss
Part 3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2cGoeB2kmY
Part 4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEoCNAQytk4
Part 5. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvHogO0-_Rk
Part 6. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRljEZdiYtY
Part 7. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_QypU1w_l0
Part 8. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAawIleEO98
Part 9. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzZeAHXRONc
Part 10. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BObYKVsl6fU