It isn’t called the Decker Challenge because it’s a little fun-run through the park. Hardly. Decker is absolutely one of the toughest races in Austin and with the demise of the Motive Bison Half Marathon (sob), it might just be the hardest road-race around.
But Decker is also one of the best. It’s also one of the oldest. This Sunday’s 20-K will be the 29th running of Decker. Although the distances (and race dates) have varied over the years, the one constant has been the venue. Staged at the Travis County Expo Center, east of town, the 20-K course is a single loop that goes up and over the long, gradual hills on the roads that surround Decker Lake.
Although Decker isn’t that far from downtown, it feels like it is. There isn’t much traffic to deal with on the country roads (other than Decker Lane), but the weather is almost always a factor. Usually it’s a combination of strong north winds and bitter cold (with an occasional chilly rain), but this year’s weather should be unseasonably warm. Race time temps should be in the high 60s so you can probably leave the tights, gloves and hats at home. If there’s any breeze at all, it should be from the south which means a tailwind.
Decker is the Austin Runners Club signature event and this year’s race is presented by Lt. Governor David Dewhurst who will be in attendance. No word on whether he’ll run or not, but Governor Rick Perry usually does.
The ARC has pushed hard to make Decker one of the jewels of the RunTex Distance Challenge (this is the third race in the series). Race directors Muna and Dave Mitchell have made a concerted effort to add as much spit and polish to this race as possible.
To accomplish that, the ARC has boosted the prize money. The prize money breakdown is $200 for the first man and woman, $100 for second and $50 for third. Not enough to buy your own island, but plenty of beer money for whoever wins it and their friends. The ARC is also offering the same amount of prize money for the first three males and female masters and, in an unprecedented move, an additional $350 purse goes to the top three guys and gals over 55.
And just to make things a bit more interesting at the front, the ARC will also toss in an extra $500 to the man or woman who can break the respective course records: 1:03:45 by Bernard Manirakiza in ‘05 and 1:15:38, set last year by Desiree Ficker.
That extra incentive is expected to lure most of the top runners in town out to Decker on Sunday. Confirmed top entries include Manirakiza and Owen Washburn, a UT cross-country runner, coming off the NCAA championships a couple of weeks ago, who is expected to challenge the Burundian. Lance Parker has indicated he might run and so might his coach and training partner Derick Williamson. Other front runners could include last year’s winner Alex Moore who just won the Thundercloud Turkey Trot.
Masters superstud Keith Dowland always shows up for this one, but he will be pressed by Chris Gunderson and Peter Rauch. Master queen Cindy Salazar is fresh off a masters win two weeks ago at the Philadelphia Half Marathon and shouldn’t have much trouble winning at Decker. Salazar won two years ago, but was injured last year when Nancy Dasso won. Dasso is running Decker, but is merely using it as a final tune-up run for the White Rock Marathon in Dallas next weekend.
The women’s field should be loaded. Ficker is expected back (she also won in ’04) and she’ll have her hands full with fellow pro triathlete Kelly Handel and possibly Olympic Marathon Trials qualifiers Cassie Henkiel and Chris Kimbrough who won the EAS Run for the Water 10-Miler three weeks ago. Also in the mix is Michele Maton who finished third to Kimbrough and Ficker at the 10-Miler.
Decker’s course is the same as last year with one exception: The stretch of dirt road that came in the eighth mile last year has been paved.
Dealing with the Decker hills is always the key. After leaving the Expo grounds, the course goes for about three miles along Decker Lane which is an up-and-down grind that should be much easier this year without the normal strong headwind. Once the course turns off Decker at about the four-mile mark, the road is a little rough and there are pothole. Still, it’s a relatively easy stretch until about the fifth mile when the fun begins. The steepest hill is just past the fifth mile, but it’s short and sweet. Most of the Decker monsters are between miles six and 10 with the toughest one in the 10th mile. This hill is the longest climb (maybe 4/10s of a mile), but once you get to the top you’ll see the friendly face of Gilbert Tuhabonye and some of his other Gazelles who man this aid station.
The Decker hills certainly are a character test, but none are insanely hard. Mostly, they are gradual grinders that won’t disrupt your rhythm too much. They will get your attention though; grunting and complaining is permitted.
ARC president Muna Mitchell said she expects about 1500 runners to run the Decker 20-K as well as another 50 two-runner relay teams (each runs 10-K). Adding to the merriment, 25 runners are doing the Double Decker (two circuits of the lake for 24.8 miles). Toss in another 500 runners and walkers who will be competing in the Brown Santa 5-K and parking will be a premium on Sunday morning.
Best advice is to try and get there by 7 a.m. to eliminate any parking hassles. There is plenty of room in the Travis County Expo Center to store your extra clothes or if it’s raining, to get out of the wet.
All the fun begins at 8 a.m. when the Decker, Double Decker and the two-person relays all get underway with the Brown Santa starting 15 minutes later.
Packet pick up and registration will be Friday (10-7) and Saturday (9-6) at the RunTex Riverside (422 W. Riverside). There is raceday packet pick up and late registration at the Travis County Expo Center, beginning at 7 a.m.
