2021 Straight Street Climb Recap

The Straight Street Hill Climb is a .36 mile race up Straight Street in the CUF neighborhood. The race was started by the Clifton Track Club in 1976 and is currently the Sunday before Thanksgiving. In the 1970's and 1980's it was part of a Hill Climb Series, four races up Cincinnati's steepest hills and put on by  a group in the Clifton Track Club known as MAHFU(Mountains and Hill Freaks United).  Straight Street and Monastery Hill were always in the rotation and the other two Hill Races in the series rotated on different streets and hills in Greater Cincinnati.  Straight Street is the last one standing.   In 2011, the race added a bike challenge in addition to the road race and a few years later added a Rucking Challenge(Carry at least 25 lbs) and a Duathlon(Bike and Run).  This was the third time that I did this special form of torture.  The last time was 2012.  I decided to do it this year since it was last run in 2019(not run in 2020 due to Covid-19) and I needed points for the RCGC Grand Prix. They had about 120 people who decided to run up the hill and a few cyclists and duathletes.  Conditions were cold and rainy.   The race started a few minutes later than expected due to the rain and a few last minute registrants(me).  I was coming off an illness so I walked most of the route. Post race was at Mecklenburg Gardens which I could not attend as I needed to be somewhere in Northern Kentucky by 11:00 AM. View Results.