327 people sign up for quadrathlon

By Jim Maniaci
Cibola County Bureau

GRANTS — The Grants-Cibola County Chamber of Commerce had expected to be lucky to process 300 entries for the 23rd annual Mount Taylor Winter Quadrathlon, which is almost twice as long as the famed Boston Marathon a competition in which athletes climb almost a mile in altitude before coming back down.

As of the deadline Wednesday, 327 people had paid their $55 entry fee. There actually will be more competitors because some credit card payments remained to be processed.

The race committee agreed not to charge the standard $30 late fee this year due to Mount Taylor being almost barren of its white cap. That cap allows competitors to snow ski and snowshoe the top two legs including Heartbreak Hill of the 42-mile round-trip course. The race rises from 6,400-ft. elevation in downtown Grants to the summit at 11,301 feet.

Race Director Mary Savacheck told those at the final organizational meeting Wednesday night in the New Mexico Mining Museum that it would take two feet of snow to cover all the rocks for the skiers route to be safe, so the decision stands to have the two snow legs covered on foot, even if snow does come.

"We have a reputation and we are upholding it," she commented in repeating her constant theme that the Mount Taylor event is the greatest because of the volunteers, some 400 people needed to produce the event.

She also cautioned repeatedly that the big danger this year will be "sunburn and dehydration."

The decision about replacing the snow legs with foot races came during a discussion about which weather forecast to believe.

It will result in the bicyclists who start and finish the event pedaling 26 miles, as planned. But it also means the runners who had planned to cover five miles up and five miles back will have to more than double the length of their journey while seeking their share of the $3,500 prize money. The runners will have to add the 6-mile round-trip snow portions to their foot work.

Savacheck emphasized that because of the weather-imposed changes this year, it will be especially important for the racers to listen carefully during the pre-race briefing from 6-8 p.m. Friday

Wednesday night Barbara Hahn of the chamber staff reported 153 solo entrants. The remaining 174 entrants are 2-member, 3-member or 4-member teams.

Friday contestants can pick up their packets from 2-11 p.m. at the Cibola County Convention Center in the downtown county complex, which is hosting all of the indoor portions of the events except one. Equipment check-in also will be during the same nine hours.

From 5:30-8 p.m. will be the traditional high carbohydrate dinner, across the street at the First Baptist Church on Mountain Road. The event is used as an annual fund-raiser by the Grants High School Band to pay for its regional competition trips, with about 60 students serving and bussing. The meal will feature spaghetti with meat or meatless sauce, plus many kinds of baked goods. Although racers receive a voucher for the meal, the public can attend for $7 per person.

The other Friday night event is the final get-together of the volunteers at 7 p.m., in the convention center, a former high school gymnasium in the center of the county complex.

Actual racing will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday. The New Mexico State Police Department again plans to have 10 officers, two on motorcycles, patrol the route which will be blocked off at 8 a.m. to all vehicles except official race or emergency units.

Pairs and the teams of three or four members will leave the start-finish line at 10 a.m. Along the routes there will be refreshment stations with water and oranges, plus First-Aid stations.

The awards ceremony to conclude the event will begin at 7 p.m. in the convention center, with chamber manager Star Gonzales as the emcee. Awards are given to the overall male and female entrants along with the overall pairs and teams. First, second and third place awards will be presented for each age level, 18 in all, for male and female soloists, pairs and teams.

— To contact reporter Jim Maniaci in Grants, telephone 285-6184 or (505) 870-7775 (cellular).