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• 42,000 + feet (12,802meters) of ascent
• 206.5 miles, non stop, point to point!
• Fully marked course with reflective ribbons and signs
• 6 Sleep Stations with full aid, hot food, medical, and crew access
• 14full aid stations with hot food, medical, and more
• The race starts at Mount St. Helens in the Cascade Mountain Range of Washington State and finishes in Randle, WA traversing point to point the Cascade Mountains.

Paavo Nurmi Marathon legend footprints

Paavo Nurmi was a Finnish runner who achieved nine Olympic gold medals and three Olympic silver medals during his career.In the 1925 American tour, Nurmi ran 22 IAAF World Records and 29 unofficial World Records.

Paavo Nurmi was born in Turku on June 13, 1897 and started his great career in the 1910s.He represented throughout his career Turku Sports Federation, which has been organizing a sports competition for the honor of Paavo Nurminen from this 60th anniversary (13.6.1957).

The first Paavo Nurmi Marathon was held in 1992. The idea matured earlier by the organizers was inspired by the veteran World Championships held in Turku in 1991.An organizing committee was required to organize an international 1000 veteran runner-up marathon, so naturally there was now also a resource for the annual marathon event.The event's Secretary-General Pirkko Martin suggested that the event bears the name of Paavo Nurm.The permission to use the name was requested by Nurme's son, Matti Nurmi.The obtained permission was the last thing for the Turku Sports Federation to start with Paavo Nurmi Marathon.

The first Paavo Nurmi Marathon had about 1000 participants.Thereafter, the number of participants grew steadily up to 1997.That year was a jubilee year, for 100 years after the birth of Paavo Nurme.The event was attended by more than 3,000 participants, of which nearly 1,000 registered during the last week.The rapid increase in the number of participants led to evolving changes for the next year's event, as the party event proved to be just a bit too great for the organizers with the current resources.

Pirkko Martin, founder of the event

Pirkko Martin worked as the Secretary General of the Event in 1992-2001.He had good knowledge of international athletics because of his sports career.He has won a number of World Championships and European Championships for veterans from 800 and 1500 meters.From his marathon experience, he applied for a New York City Marathon in 1989.

Martin collected information and experiences from abroad, and went to major marathon events to market a new event in Turku.According to Martin, the city of Turku was willing to cooperate with the event from the very beginning.Sure Turku also benefited from the popularity of the name of Paavo Nurm's name in the new ears.

Event Description

This unique event is a must for all multi - terrain runners. Many competitors return regularly to try and better their performance or just beat that train while others have run nearly every year since the races started. Most serious runners have heard about it either from their friends, TV, or the press so if you haven’t already competed perhaps this year is the time to attempt it. These events also give you the additional challenge of not only racing your fellow competitor’s but also the Train. Having been televised world-wide on several occasions we have attracted many runners from abroad coming from as far away as New Zealand, Australia, America, Hong Kong, Africa etc.

Race the Train takes place alongside as far as practicable the route taken by the Talyllyn Railway on its journey to Abergynolwyn and back. In order to do this all courses use a mixture of public roads, lanes, un-metalled roads, tracks, agricultural land, and rough grazing pastures. The terrain varies all the time and can be very wet & muddy in places, the routes also ascend and descend quite steep terrain and runs on narrow footpaths with little chance of overtaking. Often the Train, or for many runners the track, is just over the fence and in many places if you coincide with the train your family friends, if they are on the train, will be able to shout encouragement to you. A lot of the course is across private land only open for the race so pre & post race inspection of the courses is not possible. All courses are marshalled, well signed, and provided with refreshment / water points along the way. There are members of the Red Cross, Qualified Nursing Staff, & Medical cover over the course. Raynet (Amateur Radio) co-ordinates services should any problems arise. In the afternoon for the main race we normally also have an Ambulance on standby. Remember it is your legal duty to assist any runner with serious problems. You will see that all the races are designated as having approximate distances. This is because we have to alter the course slightly almost every year often in the last few days before the race to accommodate local conditions. These variations are often only slight but invalidate any official measurements of the courses. Usually they tend to balance out and the distance remains virtually the same.

The Talyllyn Railway was the first of the small railways to be rescued by a preservation society, and is now one of the Great Trains of Wales. You can take your family on the train at any time to show them where you have run; or where you propose running. Also if you are visiting at any other time the train runs normally from Easter to late Autumn plus specials over Christmas and the New Year.

All activities are centered on the local school sports ground adjacent to Talyllyn Railway Wharf Station. On race day the route to the field is properly signed, and since we are only a small town impossible to miss. Once on the field you will find registration, changing rooms with showers etc. Other facilities include; refreshments, bar, children's amusements, and various displays by the Police, Fire Service, Coast Guards, Outward Bound, Snowdonia National Park, etc.

As usual we shall have a variety of "Race the Train " merchandise for sale including sweatshirts / T-shirts / vests / mugs etc. some exclusively designed to celebrate this year.

Spectators can enjoy watching the races by traveling on the Race trains, but the capacity is, of course, limited. For the main races we run a second train as soon as legally allowed after the race train and it may be that if you are a slower runner your family / friends would have a better chance of seeing you from this train.

I must stress that the courses are run over private land except for approximately the first and last miles, which are on public roads. Because this land is in use and we run the races with the permission and co-operation of the farmers who own it.The course must not be used at any other time. failure to comply with this request could result in cancellation of future events. It is also for this reason that we do not publish in advance a map of the course, but you will find a general one displayed in the information tent and in the program.

Since the route is quite hilly in some places you are advised to consider bringing adequate footwear especially if weather conditions produce a wet and slippery course (fell running shoes would be considered appropriate).

In 1860, during the Pikes Peak Gold Rush, gold was discovered in California Gulch and the town of Oro City sprang up near present-day Leadville. The boom was brief, and Oro City never became a major settlement. The gold mining was hampered by heavy brown sand in the sluice boxes.

In 1874, gold miners at Oro City discovered that the heavy sand that impeded their gold recovery was the lead mineral cerussite, that carried a high content of silver. Prospectors traced the cerussite to its source, and by 1876, had discovered several lode silver-lead deposits. The city of Leadville was founded near to the new silver deposits in 1877 by mine owners Horace Austin Warner Tabor and August Meyer, setting off the Colorado Silver Boom. By 1880, Leadville was one of the world’s largest silver camps, with a population of over 40,000.

Confederate scout, cowboy and stage actor with “Buffalo Bill” Cody’s traveling revue, Texas Jack Omohundro died here in the summer of 1880, of pneumonia, one month before his 34th birthday. He was living there on a small estate with his wife, ballerina Giuseppina Morlacchi. It was during this period that Leadville saw its most dangerous days, finally brought under control by little-known American Old West lawman Mart Duggan.

In 1882, the Tabor Opera House hosted Oscar Wilde during his lecture tour, one of many celebrities who graced the city. Mayor David H. Dougan invited Wilde to tour the Matchless silver mine and open their new lode: “The Oscar.” Wilde later recounted a visit to a local saloon, “where I saw the only rational method of art criticism I have ever come across. Over the piano was printed a notice – Please do not shoot the pianist. He is doing his best.”

Around 1883, outlaw Doc Holliday moved to Leadville, shortly after the gun fight at the O.K. Corral. On August 19, 1884, Holliday shot ex-Leadville policeman, Billy Allen, after Allen threatened Holliday for failing to pay a $5 debt. Despite overwhelming evidence implicating him, a jury found Holliday not-guilty of the shooting or attempted murder.

In its early years, Leadville was the site of famous mining swindles. When the Little Pittsburg mine exhausted its rich ore body, the managers sold their shares while concealing the actual condition of the mine from other stockholders. “Chicken Bill” Lovell dumped a wheelbarrow of rich silver ore into a barren pit on his Chrysolite mining claim in order to sell the claim to Horace Tabor for a large price. Tabor had the last laugh when his miners dug a few feet farther and discovered a rich ore body. Later, the manager of the Chrysolite mine fooled an outside mining engineer into overestimating the ore reserves of that mine.

A bitter strike of hard rock miners in 1896-97 led to bloodshed, at least five deaths, and the burning of the Coronado Mine.

The city’s fortunes declined with the repeal of the Sherman Silver Purchase Act in 1893, although afterwards there was another small gold boom. Mining companies came to rely increasingly on income from the lead and zinc.

The district is credited with producing over 2.9 million troy ounces of gold, 240 million troy ounces of silver, 1 million short tons of lead, 785 thousand short tons of zinc, and 53 thousand short tons of copper. During World War II, Leadville was a popular spot for visits by soldiers at nearby Camp Hale, but only after the town acted to curb prostitution; until then, the United States Army declared the town off-limits for its personnel.

An interesting side note: LT100 Race Headquarters at 213 Harrison Ave. in downtown Leadville had been the former home of a dry cleaning business during this time, and was considered to be the busiest dry cleaning operation in Colorado because all of the Camp Hale soldiers’ wool uniforms were cleaned there.

The Army Air Forces built the Leadville Army Airfield northwest of the city. The war also caused an increase in the mining of molybdenum at the nearby Climax mine, which at one time produced 75 percent of the world’s molybdenum.

The Leadville Historic District was designated a National Historic landmark District in 1961. It includes 67 mines in the mining district east of the city up to the 12,000 foot (3658 m) level, and a defined portion of the village area, with specific exclusion of various buildings. Principal historic buildings in the district are: Tabor Grand Hotel, St. George’s Church, Annunciation Church, Tabor Opera House, City Hall, Healy House, Dexter Cabin, Engelbach House, and Tabor House, as well as mining structures and small homes. Structures built after 1917 are considered non-contributing.

The closing of the Climax mine in the 1980s was a major blow to the town’s economy. The town has made major efforts to improve its economy by encouraging tourism and emphasizing its history and opportunities for outdoor recreation.

The National Mining Museum and Hall of Fame opened in 1987 with a federal charter. The town’s altitude and rugged terrain contributes to a number of challenging racing events, such as the Leadville Trail 100 series of races. it is often used as a base for altitude training and hosts a number of other events for runners and mountain bicyclists.

Leadville is known for its festive atmosphere. Boom Days, held on the first full weekend of August, is a tribute to the City’s mining past. The festivities include mining competitions and burro racing. Crystal Carnival, held late in winter, features a skijoring competition on Harrison Avenue. As a center for such celebrations, Leadville has unofficially been labeled “Parade Capital U.S.A.” in recognition of the frequent, though sometimes small parades, held in the downtown area, such as the quirky “St. Patrick’s Day Practice Parade.”

About the course

The course gives runners the opportunity to run through many historic sites.

The race course is out and back through the historic mining district on the east side of Leadville. The course is primarily on old mining roads and trails, topping out at 13,185 ft. at Mosquito Pass.