Changes
2022 brought a few changes to the race. First off, the course changed. To avoid congestion at the finish area, the finish line was moved from the M trail head to the Fish Hatchery. This lengthened the course by a few minutes. This change did make the finish less cramped.
The other significant change was the start time was a half hour earlier at 6:30 AM. The intention was to avoid the late afternoon heat. This year heat was not much of an issue, so it probably did not make any difference other than having to get up earlier.
Course Conditions
Which brings up the issue of conditions for 2022 which were about as good as it gets. The trail was dry but not too dusty providing good traction. There was very little wind and some cloud cover to start then clearing and sunny. In the afternoon, a thunderstorm rolled through providing some cloud cover and cooling. No smoke this year so the stunning views were unimpeded.
Personal Experience
On a personal note, this year was the first time I did the race with zero course specific preparation. This goes contrary to what I advised as the most important thing you can do to prepare. Here is what I wrote back in 2011 regarding the importance of training on the course.
Where I now live in the Sapphire mountains in western Montana there is an abundance of beautiful trails for training, just not any terrain very similar to the Bridger Ridge. Given it is a 3-hour drive over to the Bridger Range combined with high gas prices the last couple years my motivation to get over to the Bridgers to train on the course has waned. So much so that I did not get over to train on the course at all. So going in unprepared, I scaled back my intention for the race to just enjoy it and try and have fun. The event is tough so having fun is not what one would usually subscribe to something requiring such work and effort. Let’s face it; the up hills are a challenge, the downhills are a challenge, the rocky footing is a challenge, and the length is a challenge. That is what makes doing it so rewarding. This year I did spend more time in aid stations and enjoyed talking and with fellow participants on the course.
It is interesting to look at how my split times for various sections of the course have changed over the years. My times for the big climbs such as the start to Sacajawea and from Ross Pass to Bridger bowl are about the same as always, but the predominately downhill portions especially the rocky sections such as coming down off Sacajawea, Saddle Peak, and Baldy have slowed significantly. Running downhill on rocky footing is a skill. Fitness is secondary. Honing a skill requires lots of practice. To build confidence running fast on the downhills and where the footing is really rocky requires spending time in preparation doing it. Besides lack of practice, as I get older, it seems I am more risk adverse and not as sure footed. Self-preservation kicks in and forces me to slow down.
The race went pretty much as expected for me. All my equipment worked well with the exception of my poles. The Black Diamond carbon fiber trekking poles are very brittle and prone to breaking. And sure enough one broke. Typically, they break down by the tip when they get caught between rocks. This time one broke near the handle. I’m not sure exactly how I broke it. Most likely when I tripped, fell and my fist hit the rocky ground while holding the pole. Or perhaps just bumping into a rock when negotiating some of the very rocky sections reacquiring the ridge line after Ross Pass or between Bridger Bowl and Saddle Peak. Many sections I had the poles stashed in my run vest. By Saddle Peak the broken pole was unusable so from that point on I only used one pole.
This year I used a fifteen-year-old pair of Nike Zoom Trail shoes from circa 2007. They are a bit heavier than current trail shoes and not as cushy, but they worked fine. The sticky rubber out sole provides great traction and the nylon rock plate provides adequate protection from the sharp limestone rocks of the Bridger Range. Several older posts on shoe choices mention the Nike Zoom Trail.
https://bridgerridgerun.wordpress.com/2011/02/26/choosing-a-shoe-for-the-ridge-run/
https://bridgerridgerun.wordpress.com/2011/04/29/more-shoe-ideas/
https://bridgerridgerun.wordpress.com/2013/02/26/review-of-the-best-trail-running-shoe/
My fueling of just plain water and CLIF Bloks works well for me. Gels are messy and difficult to work with, so I avoid them. And sports drink at the aid stations is an uncertainty of what concentration it was mixed and how it will taste so I also avoid that. Stocking the Aid Stations with water is a difficult labor-intensive endeavor requiring many volunteers for hauling water. So that water generally can be sitting out for weeks in the elements. Not sure about this year, but in years past we reused water jugs from year to year. This all can result in some stale plastic tasting water.
Thanks to all involved with organizing and putting on the 2022 Bridger Ridge Run. And congratulations to all the finishers.
Bridger Ridge Run 