Local

There are plenty of steep climbs for runners at the Valles Caldera, but the Run the Caldera has seen a pretty good climb in popularity itself.
For the second straight year, the Run for the Caldera will set a new record for participation. The races are set for Saturday at the Valles Caldera National Preserve.
The Run for the Caldera is now in its sixth year. In 2011, race coordinators are boasting nearly 800 participants in this year’s three races.
The event will feature the regular 26.2-mile marathon, a half-marathon and a 10K race.
The races will start at the Banco Bonito staging area, right off NM 4 on the caldera. Marathon runners will head on a path through Redondo Meadows and start an ascent toward the 10,800-foot Redondito.

Cross country teams will meet tonight at LAMS

The Los Alamos Hilltopper boys and girls cross country teams will hold a meeting tonight at Los Alamos Middle School.
Anyone interested in participating in cross country during the fall 2011 season is strongly encouraged to attend. Information on the season will be discussed, followed by an informal group run.
The meeting is set for 5:15 p.m. in Portable 1.
Those interested who cannot attend the meeting are asked to call Rob and Kathy Hipwood at 662-9164 or e-mail rkhipwood@yahoo.com.

Bob Weeks shared the top prediction of the week with Ted Romero at the Atomic City Roadrunners’ Pace Race.
Last week’s Pace Race was run in Bayo Canyon. The next Pace Race is scheduled for Tuesday in the Quemazon area.
The race was the annual Lollipop Figure 8 run. All finishers of the race were given a lollipop at the finish line.
Weeks, who was the top predictor a week earlier, and Romero finished just three seconds off their times last Tuesday. Jennifer Reglien was nine seconds off and Dan Kelly had an error of 15 seconds.
The fastest finisher on the 1-mile course was Charlotte Ulrich, who finished in 10:40. David Romero and Alexander Romero tied for the top finish on the long course, both posting a 22:32.

There was a multitude of game animals near the Los Alamos Sportsmen’s Club Saturday, everything from porcupines to mountain lions, although none of them were cause for concern.
The LASC and the Los Alamos Youth Shooting Sports Program held an exhibition 3D archery shoot Saturday in Rendija Canyon. About 30 game animals made out of foam were placed in various spots around a trail near the LASC clubhouse for archers to take aim at.
Jeff Fredenburg, the section chair for archery at LASC, helped organize the event as a fundraiser for the youth shooting program, which he also oversees.
In all, more than 30 archers from around the area took part in the exhibition.