Thank you for signing up for Sunday's Hairy Gorilla Half Marathon and Squirrelly Six Mile held at Thacher State Park! 

We are thrilled that you've decided to join us for our beloved Halloween event!

Please set aside a few minutes to read this email fully.

TEN THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

  1. The event is on Sun, 10/29 staged from Horseshoe II Pavilion at Thacher Park.
    8:55am - Costume Contest & Gorilla Imperation Contest at the Start Line
    ~9am- Kids Race 
    9:30am - Start of 6M / 13.1M
    11am - 6M Awards
    12pm - 13.1M Awards
  2. You will drive to/park at this location.
  3. Water Stop Info - Use of your own water carrying containers (ie. bottles/hydration packs) is encouraged to reduce waste/litter (but yes, there will be cups if needed).
  4. We're having a BBQ/Pot Luck! We'll provide the burgers/dogs/veggie versions - you provide the rest! (We welcome your consideration of contributing with any food/beverage you'd like to share.)
  5. The Costume Contest and Gorilla Impersonation Contest will be a hoot! Be sure to join us to either participate or watch.
    We encourage you to dress up for the race! And we have AMAZING PIES for the winner of each contest!
  6. Awards: Top 3 M/F Overall (super cute gorilla and squirrelly trophies) and Top 3 M/F in the age group awards (delicious homemade cookies) [14-u,15-19, 10 yr groups to 70+]
  7. Packet Pick-up: is exclusively available on race morning starting at 8am in Horseshoe II Pavilion. Have friends who want to sign-up? Race Day registrations are also being accepted. ($5 for the kids race, $45 for the 6M, $60 for the 13.1M)
  8. Giveaway/Merchandise: As indicated on the reg page, there is not an included merchandise item with your registration. There will be event-branded items for sale on-site.
  9. Mud: Be prepared to encounter mud.
  10. Fun: Be prepared to have it! :)

 

GENERAL EVENT SCHEMATIC

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PLEASE ALSO NOTE

  1. Plan to arrive between 7:45am and 8:45am on race day. The parking lot is about 200 meters from the pavilion.
  2. 35 are in the kids race! We encourage you to cheer for them (9AM start)!
  3. The six mile and half marathon share the same first 5.75m before splitting. If you signed up for the 13.1M but decide to do the 6M instead, please tell our timer in the truck at the finish line when you finish.
  4. Race Day Forecast: ~50 degrees with a 60%+ chance of rain. Bring a COMPLETE change of clothes, extra shoes, a towel, and anything else you may need for after.
  5. The park charges a $6 parking fee (per car).
    If you pre-purchased your parking pass, drive straight in (do not stop at the kiosk) - you will receive it at registration (and can then place it on your dashboard). 
    If not pre-purchased, you can get one at a kiosk.

 

THE COURSE, ITSELF

This is a trail race at a park that sits nearly 1,000 feet above the city of Albany. It is beautiful! There are also treacherous sections. Please be mindful of leaves covering roots and rocks, etc. Definitely be aware of your surroundings. If you spot a hard to see root, yell "Root!" for those around you that aren't otherwise lost to the world with headphones on. (Polite way of saying wear them at your own risk! Plus, you'll want to hear the panting of gorillas lurking near you.) Be courteous to fellow runners. The course offers a little bit of everything. If you have never run on trails before, welcome to trail running. :) You will be running mainly on dirt and rock, with some grass sections as well.

Will my feet get wet?
Yes. There are several sections that are VERY muddy.
Do also note that there is a small creek crossing at 6.5M/12.2M.

STAY LEFT
There is one section (from 3.2m until 3.9m) that is an out/back with two-way traffic. Please stay to your LEFT. It is definitely wide for 1 or 2 people in each direction; just please keep your eyes open and up.

Course Map - General "Picture" Version (RE: water stop info / refer to above)
'Real Map' Course with Elevation (ignore the distance - GPS wasn't 100%)
Google Maps Version - for those who use 'My Maps' GPS Tracks (RE: water stop info / refer to above)

The views are amazing! Here's many pictures from the course.

 

COURSE CUT-OFF

  1. All participants must be faster than 17:00 per mile to progress on the course.
  2. At 1:17:30 (~10:48am / 13:30 pace) - Half Marathon participants not past 5.75 miles will be re-directed to finish the 6m (and be considered an official 6M finisher). 
  3. At 3:15:00 (~12:45pm / 15:00 pace) - Entire course cut-off (all event operations cease).

 

VOLUNTEERS

An event like this relies considerably on volunteers. We will have upwards of 20+ on the course, not to mention many others assisting in various roles. Be sure to thank them. We could also use a few more course marshals in the final few miles of the 13.1 - if you know of anyone who can help, have them sign-up here.

 

LASTLY

This event is brought to you by the Albany Running Exchange, a Capital Region based running club, and ARE Event Productions, the company that produces races for ARE and assists countless others. In short, we LOVE our running community, and whether you're a regular or brand new to our events, we can't wait to see you. Let's have some fun. :)

Josh Merlis and the ARE Event Productions Team

 

Unanswered questions? Refer to the event website for additional information. If you have a question, please leave a note on the AREEP Facebook Page (if an option for you) so the answer is publicly available. Otherwise, reply to this email.