wrote:
For the second year, the Salt Lake City marathon has allowed cyclists
to ride the route before the runners get started. This was my first
time riding a marathon route. All the roads are closed off and there
are police at every intersection along the route, so for 24 miles we
had roads free of cars and never stopped for a traffic signal or stop
sign - that was cool.

The ride has a minimum average speed requirement of 15 mph and a
required finish time of 1 hour and 45 minutes.

We had a really great time. I've never ridden an entire city with all
the streets closed. I'll ride this again next year.

Pros: Closed streets. No very slow riders. Mostly flat or downhill
route. Quick pace. Early morning ride (6:00am start).

Cons: Starting 1,250 riders in a 5 minute window. Constricting the
route from 3 lanes to 2 as all 1,250 riders passed through the start
line. Finish line miles from the start line (where my car was parked).

You can see the route and elevation profile he
http://www.saltlakecycling.com/rides...lmarath06.html

I didn't bother doing it because it's a bike "tour" and a little short.
(Although at this time of this season 26 miles is a long enough ride,
come to think of it.) And the early start. I did the Josie Johnson
Memorial Ride last year, and that was a closed-traffic situation, but a
casual pace.

I didn't know about the 15 mph minimum speed. Was it a (very) fast
group, or throng or horde?

--
Lynn Wallace http://www.xmission.com/~lawall
I have nothing but contempt and anger for those who betray the
trust by exposing the name of our sources. They are, in my view,
the most insidious of traitors."
George H.W. Bush, April 16, 1999,