It's business as usual this week for Imogene Pass Run race director John Jett.

Between fielding frequent phone calls and signing up new volunteers by the hour, he's also orchestrating many of the oh-so-important details required to put on a high altitude endurance race for more than 1,500 athletes. Before sunrise tomorrow, water jugs need to be delivered to the lower aid stations, the portable toilet must be hauled up to the summit, and supplies must be organized and ready to be brought up to the aid stations, along with enough able-bodied volunteers to man those stations.

Jett admits that although preparing for the Imogene Pass Run is indeed a logistical challenge, the event - now in it's 32nd year - typically runs like a well-oiled machine.

"Things don't change much from year to year as far as the race's preprogram goes; what we need to do just normally gets done. Being the logistical challenge it really is, this race has a mind of its own," says Jett.

This year, runners will tackle the 17- plus mile, high alpine course that takes runners up and over Imogene Pass from Ouray to Telluride. The only change racers can expect is that the cutoff times for the Upper Camp Bird and Summit aid stations have been shortened by half an hour. According to Jett, this will ensure that race volunteers can get off the exposed, upper reaches of the course before inclement weather rolls.

Race numbers are up from last year, from 1,515 runners to 1,556 runners as of Wednesday. More than 90 are local; large contingents of runners are also coming from Durango (75 runners), Boulder (99), Denver (150), and Flagstaff (228).

"We have better than a 50 percent return rate for this race," Jett reports. "The Imogene is what a lot of local racing clubs base their entire training schedule around."

2003 and 2004 Imogene Run winner Bernie Boettcher, from Silt, Colo., will try to capture Imogene's "triple crown" this year. Last year's female winner, Lisa Goldsmith, will also take a stab at a back-to-back Imogene win; she may, however, face stiff competition from 2001 female winner, Najeeby Quinn.

Many of the Telluride Imogene Run faithful will be making their umpteenth appearances at the ever-popular race this Saturday as well. Regular top finisher Chris Haas will take a shot at improving his time this year, as well as Jim Looney of the Telluride Post Office. Jerry Greene will continue his reign as the runner with the most consecutive Imogene Run starts in the race's history, as he steps up to the starting line for the 26th time tomorrow.

"It's going to be very much the same crowd this year, once again getting their good shoes on and making some blisters," Jett says.