jhancock@journalnet.com

POCATELLO - Ryan McDermott enjoys marathons so much that a few years ago he took up the 50-mile endurance variety.

Now the former Gate City resident and a friend are bringing the increasingly popular trail race here. The Pocatello 50 Mile Trail Race is slated for May 23.

"We're known for the phenomenal mountain biking trails here," McDermott said of Pocatello and its outlying area. "But the mountain running trails are great here as well."

McDermott, who now lives in Salt Lake City, resided in Pocatello for about five years when working for then-AMI Semiconductor. He and his partner in the Pocatello 50 Mile Trail Race, Jared Campbell, began running the endurance marathons about six years ago.

"We have probably 100 races under our belts," McDermott said.

His goal is to bring the endurance race to Pocatello because of the topography offered here, and the belief that people will be attracted to the course he has configured.

The course starts at the Mink Creek Canyon Forest Service Pavilion and ends at the Nordic Center at the East Fork of the Mink Creek.

The first leg takes the runner to the Gibson Jack area, ending at City Creek. Then the second leg takes the runner to Kinport Peak and ends at Mink Creek Road. During the final leg, the runner reaches the summit of Scout Mountain before finishing at the Nordic Center.

"We think it will attract a lot of people because this would probably be considered a difficult 50," McDermott said. "Not the toughest, but a difficult one. It has a total elevation gain of about 13,000 feet and a total descent of about 13,000 feet."

McDermott said the end of May was chosen as a good time because of temperate weather in Southeast Idaho.

"Temperatures haven't gotten too high yet," he said. "By May 23, there won't be any big snowstorms, but there might be a some snow still left."

McDermott and his partner know this firsthand because they ran the course last May. He said it provides the runner with some spectacular views.

Because most of the course is on Forest Service land, McDermott had to get a permit from the federal agency to run the race. The permit allows him a maximum of 150 racers, and he already has about a third of that registered.

"These races are pretty popular," he said. "There are some that fill up within minutes or hours of registration starting."

Because some who may be interested in running the course may not want to tackle the entire 50 miles, the Pocatello 50 Mile Trail Race is also open to teams of up to three members. The course is broken into 17.4-, 15.9- and 18-mile legs.

Those interested in learning more about registering for, or sponsoring the race can visit its Web site at www.pocatello50.com.

The cost to enter is $60 for a solo runner, $80 for a two-person team and $100 for a three-person team. The fee includes a goody bag, a T-shirt, and food and drink along the course.