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Seneca Creek 6:45am bus/ 8:00am race start Race Director: Ed Schultze
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Get Ready for 2009! Essentially the same process will be used as in the past. Check out the Entry Info link to the left. Little has changed since last year. The course is essentially the same (with some very minor trail re-alignments and the new mile markers may be up by race day). We expect to be able to accommodate 300 runners. Please remember that there is no make up date if for some reason the race does not occur. As most of you know the trail is fairly easy, the distance can be an issue for some but more than likely the weather is the real wild card. It sure seems like we are due for a calm, dry, temperate race. Now, saying that, expect 18 inches of fresh wet snow. Ed
This 'close to a marathon and 50-K', trail race will be very different from other club races and marathons. There will be limited aid, no tee shirts, mile markers or finisher's awards. The race is being called 'close to a marathon and 50-K' distance because the course will not be accurately measured and cannot be used as a qualifier for USATF events. Using existing trail maps the marathon course is estimated to be between 26 and 27 miles and the 50-K course is over 31.1 miles. At the very least, both courses are longer than the standard marathon and 50-K distances. Generally, there are new trail detours each year. Participants should be comfortable running on and navigating trails, running independently and able to complete the marathon distance. The course is over 95% single track dirt trails, includes water crossings and depending on the weather on March 1, could be sloppy and/or slippery. For those that want to run the 50K distance, they can elect to do so on race day. However, only those that reach Clopper Lake, about 15 miles into the race, by a predetermined cut off time may do so. These 'faster' runners will run a loop around the lake which will make their run slightly longer than 31.1 miles. Marathon runners will not run a loop around the lake this year.
Training runs have been scheduled for the following Saturdays: January 5, January 19, February 2, and February 16. Details can be found here and will be posted to the MCRUN email list and e-mailed to registered runners to provide an opportunity to become familiar with your fellow runners, the whole trail and to train. Any runner who wants to get to know the course can also join in one of the regular Sunday trail runs that cover part of the course. A general trail map can be found on the Seneca Creek Greenway website. Go here for this year's written course description. We are looking forward to a fun trail race and have some very nice sponsors lined up including Trail Runner Magazine which has included the race in its Trophy Series (see note below). REI which has been a huge supporter for the past three years will be involved even more this year. We are working closely with officials from both MNCPPC and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources' park authorities, and the volunteer groups associated with the Seneca Creek Greenway Trail, in an effort to celebrate the new trail and it's latest extension up into Damascus. The park authorities and park volunteers have been wonderful to work with and have a good relationship with the various trail runners that enjoy the trail. We want to protect this relationship. Volunteers are of course, more than welcome. Volunteers will be needed to help with aide stations, the start and finish, to help with setting up the course, transporting equipment and supplies, with the picnic at the end and sweeping the course. We could use a few volunteers trained in first aide as well. To volunteer, please contact Ed Schultze at: EdSchultze@comcast.net Sponsors:     To report broken links, mistakes, or other problems, contact Ed. |
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