This summer, I ran several times in Cloudcroft, NM including the 53K trail race. The heat was unbearable in El Paso, TX this year, so I went up to the Sacramento Mountains in New Mexico to camp, train and relax in the Lincoln National Forest. The elevation is between 8-9 thousand feet and can be 40 degrees cooler than on the desert floor.
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I did a 25 mile training run in June on some parts of the race course which is mostly on the Rim trail. I combined the Rim trail and Westside Rd (Forest Rd 90) by descending Heart Attack Canyon (T235) and ascending Alamo Peak Trail (T109) to simulate the steep climb that I would experience on race day.