BOISE, Idaho — Race to Robie Creek organizers have no concerns heading into the 45th annual race of what's been dubbed 'the hardest half marathon in the northwest,' according to race committee member Brian Rencher.
Rocky Canyon Road hosts the bulk of the race. It leads runners directly to the summit. But two weeks before the race, runners training for the event can't get up to the summit due to weather conditions.
"Once it starts climbing up, it gets a little icy," Theresa O'Connor told KTVB amid a training run. "Ya know, the good thing about this road is it's pretty sandy. You can usually get in a couple miles."
Ada County Highway District (ACHD) manages the road. Rencher and his team have been in close contact with ACHD weeks before the race, and the road will be cleared and graded before the official race date on April 15.
"Do not be concerned. I've been getting emails for the past couple weeks. 'Hey, you gonna cancel?' No, we are not cancelling!" Rencher said. "[ACHD] told us, ‘we will have the road in perfect shape for ya.' I believe that was their quote."
The race will host exactly 2,023 runners; a clip below their peak at 3,000 participants. The race got cluttered for a single-lane road. Additionally, the finish line did not have ample room to accommodate every racer and their families in support.
Fewer participants will provide a better experience for the runners, Rencher said. However, that doesn't mean last-minute runners can't get in the field.
More people are looking to drop out of the race than enter, according to Rencher. The race committee is currently transferring entries from people unable to participate to those sitting on a waitlist.
"I tell ya, there is nothing like crossing that finishing line," O'Connor said. "If you could bottle it and sell it, the feeling you get finishing that race, it would be money in the bank."
Watch more Local News:
See the latest news from around the Treasure Valley and the Gem State in our YouTube playlist: