The first race of the 2023 Alpine Shop Trail Run Series will start this Thursday evening – August 3, 2023 – at 6:15 pm at Queeny Park’s Smith Shelter in central St. Louis County at 550 Weidman Road.
Race HQ, will be in the same location as last year, nearest to the Weidman entrance (the West side of the Park). Enter the park and head up the hill. Take the first left after entering the park and follow the road until it ends at the large parking lot. Race HQ will be at almost the exact opposite side of the parking lot, in the Northeast corner.
Race start will be at the Northwest corner of the parking lot, not more than a tenth of a mile from Race HQ. This first course will be a lollipop, with the first and last quarter mile run on the same section of the Hawk Ridge Trail. This course will feature some of the best climbs and descents in the park as we utilize four different named trails in the first mile and a half.
From Hawk Ridge, we’ll make a right on Fox Run and descend all the way to Owl Creek Trail (just before the half mile mark) where we’ll make a sharp left. We’ll climb back up out of the ravine for just under another half mile before we meet up with our fourth named trail already – the White Oak Trail.
We’ll take the White Oak Trail for its entire length, dropping back down to some of the lowest points in the park before climbing up to the eastern side of the park where we meet back up with the Hawk Ridge Trail and head North. We’ll run this rollercoaster section until right around the two-mile mark before we take a left onto the Dogwood trail and then a quick right back up hill to Hawk Ridge.
From here, you’ll follow Hawk Ridge all the way around the Northern sections of the park before following the trail all the way back to the “stick” portion of the lollipop where we’ll finish right where we started – probably the only time this month you will NOT have an uphill grind to the finish line!
*If you’re worried about the heat, we would also recommend considering bringing a hand-held water bottle or hydration backpack. We will announce the location of the water station before the race.
Enjoy some Schlafly Beer, some hot dogs and other refreshments at Race HQ following your race. And make sure you stick around for the giveaways!
Approximate total distance of the race is 3.74 miles. Lowest elevation: 559 ft above sea level. Highest elevation: 678 ft. Total elevation gain over the entire course: 273 ft.
Want to register today? Here’s the link!