FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Some of these are based on comments received in the post-race survey sent out to participants in the '09 event (the rest I made up). I appreciate all of the feedback from those who responded to the survey, both positive and negative. We can only make things better by knowing what's important to the runners, so thank you.
Why no finisher's medals?
The sad truth is that finishers medals are typically just a cheap piece of metal that comes from China. I understand and respect the importance many people place on receiving a gift for finishing a challenge, but the main theme of this event is to be environmentally friendly. There's simply no way to do that when buying finisher's medals or that sort of memento. This year though finishers of the marathon will receive a small, environmentally friendly token of accomplishment. Why not finisher's mementos for the 14k? Well, typically finisher's awards are not presented for distances under half-marathon, and often not even for that.
My GPS said the marathon was long - isn't 26.2 miles enough?
This is a trail race, and trail races are rarely exact on distance. In the spirit of the outdoors who would argue about a tenth of a mile here or there and worry about exactly how long the race is? Just between you and I though I've run this course many times with a Garmin 405 and averaging all of the data reveals an overall course distance of 26.305 miles. I know you paid somewhere between $40 & $55 to run a marathon, but you can have that last tenth for free!
Why don't you give t-shirts to all participants?
Again, the major point of this event is to put on an environmentally friendly race. In order to give all participants t-shirts I would have to order extras to compensate for late registrants. Having extra shirts made is wasteful and unnecessary. Make sure to register before midnight on September 26th and you'll definitely get a shirt!
Can you have the park entrance fee waived for registrants?
In order to avoid inconveniencing park personnel I decided against doing this (they would have to get a list of registrants and take the time to double-check the name of every person who drives in and says they're part of the race). Instead, I lowered registration fees by $5 this year. You'll still have to pay at the gate, but the race will have cost less, so it's a wash. Also, enforcing the pay-on-the-day-of fee will hopefully encourage carpooling from folks who have that opportunity.
Can you arrange a discount at local hotels for registrants?
Got it! Check out the "race info" page for details.
Can you move the start time back for race-day travelers?
I've moved the start time back by 1/2 hour this year - to 7:30 a.m. central. I know 30-minutes isn't much, but the race is very near the line between time zones, and making the start any later than that would make it pretty late for Eastern time zone marathoners. Also, despite the fact that race day was chilly in '09, it could just as easily be quite warm. If it happens to be warm/hot on race day the earlier the start, the better.
Can you add a few mile markers to the race?
I understand some runners prefer mile markers, but many don't (we all play a different psychological game, don't we!). For the 2010 event I'll look into making signs to place at the aid stations with cumulative mileage per loop. Hopefully that will suffice.
Can you move the race a week earlier to fit better in the schedule of area races?
I'm going to be very honest with you; although I know moving the race a week earlier would be better for several participants (and potential participants), it simply doesn't work for me. You see, the weekend before the Honest Abe happens to be the weekend of my favorite race. It wouldn't make much sense for me to organize a race that would interfere with my own race schedule! I thought long and hard about changing the weekend this year, but truthfully I just couldn't pass up the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to hold a race on 10/10/10! Depending upon how participation looks this year I will seriously consider changing it for the 2011 race.
Is there any way to avoid the wooden zig-zag ramp?
I think the zig-zag ramp is a unique part of the race! Also, with the route how it is, the only way around it would involve running behind the amphitheatre and coming through/around the parking lot on each lap. The last thing I want to do is add pavement to the race.
Can I walk the race?
Walk the 14K - absolutely yes! Walk the marathon . . . well, I wouldn't encourage it. But, if you're confident you can walk the distance in 7 hours or less then you're welcome to sign up. That's about a 16-minute-per-mile pace though, on trails. Please review the "race info" page prior to registering and make sure you're okay with both the overall cutoff time as well as the cutoff time for beginning your third loop.
I'm not sure I can make the cutoff time - can I start early?
No. All participants will need to begin at, or after the official race start. I apologize, but if you're not confident you can finish in 7 hours or less this may not be the event for you.
Can I bring multiple pairs of old athletic shoes to turn in?
Yes, and we would love to accept as many as you can bring! But, please understand that the $5 refund is only valid once per participant.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS NOT ADDRESSED ABOVE, PLEASE EMAIL THEM TO bwendholt@hotmail.com