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FROM THE RACE DIRECTOR:

 

Welcome to the 2010, 9th Annual Valley Crest Half Marathon!

 

We are pleased that you have chosen to participate in our race. Please read the following information containing important details about the race.

 

RACE DATE – June 13, 2010: Please note that race day is SUNDAY (not Saturday).

 

THE COURSE – The VCHM is a challenging mountain run on historic Mulholland Drive fire road. The course is open to public use on race day. You are likely to encounter hikers, joggers, mountain bikers and equestrians. Mountain trail runs may be hazardous. Be prepared to encounter uneven footing and rocks. Falls are a possibility. Encounters with wildlife, including rattlesnakes, are possible. If this is not what you signed up for, please email the race director: valleycrestrun@yahoo.com.

 

BIBS will be mailed between 5/1 and 5/24. No bibs will be mailed after 5/24. Late registrants, please go to the Pre-registration Bib Pick Up Table to receive your bib. Bibs must be worn on the front of your person to be an official finisher.

 

THREE IMPORTANT THINGS:

   1.CARPOOL

   2.CARPOOL

   3.CARPOOL

 

RACE DAY SCHEDULE:

* Check-in, late bib pick-up, race day registration:   7:00-7:45 a.m. Cash or checks only; no credit cards please.

* Race Briefing:  7:50 a.m.

* Race Start:   8:00 a.m.

* Raffles/Awards: 10:30 a.m.(approximate)

* Course Closure: 11:00 a.m.

 

DIRECTIONS:

•Exit the 101 at Reseda Blvd.

•South on Reseda Blvd.

•Proceed approx. 4-miles up the mountain to Marvin Braude Mulholland Gateway Park

 

PARKING is extremely limited (see above); please follow the directions of parking attendants to ensure ample parking space for everyone. There may be a short walk from your car to the starting area.  Please ARRIVE EARLY.  A SECURE AREA WILL BE PROVIDED FOR YOU TO DROP BELONGINGS (jackets, bags, etc.), so you wont need to walk back to your car.  We will provide plastic bags and pens for labeling.  We are not responsible for valuables.  Please pick up your belongings after the race, THEY WILL NOT BE MAILED.

 

 

AVOID TRAFFIC CITATIONS:

•There is a 15 mph speed limit once you enter the park; this will be enforced by rangers.

•There is a STOP SIGN near the exit to the park.  This stop is photo enforced.  If you fail to make a complete stop, you will receive a citation in the mail with a photo of your car attached.  No California stops!

 

EARPHONES /BUDS are discouraged by RRCA for their sanctioned events. Their use presents a serious danger to runners participating in street races where emergency vehicles enter the course and may not be heard by runners who are listening to music.  Although VCHM is a trail run, it is remotely possible that runners may encounter emergency vehicles on the course.  Likewise, runners may encounter other trail users in the form of hikers, mountain bikers, horses and riders, park rangers on ATVs, as well as wildlife, including rattlesnakes.   The wearing of earphones/buds would make it difficult to impossible for you to hear an emergency vehicle approaching from behind… the shout of a biker… or a verbal warning of a snake ahead.  It would also be difficult to impossible to enforce a ban on earphones/ear buds at the VCHM however their use is discouraged for the aforementioned reasons.  If you choose to wear earphones/buds at the VCHM, you should be aware that this will increase the burden of your liability should you be involved in an accident/altercation during the course of the race.  If you choose to wear earphones/ear buds, we request that you consider only plugging in “one ear” so you may be more likely to hear what’s going on around you and that you please remove the earphones/buds entirely at the start line so you may hear the instructions given and remove them entirely as you approach the finish line so you may hear the instructions given.

 

AWARDS PRESENTATION will begin at approx. 10:30am.  Location of the awards presentation will be on the grass on the east side of Reseda Blvd.  If the grass is wet due to rain or sprinklers, the awards presentation will be held on the street. NOTE:  Runners must be present and show their race bib to receive awards and raffle prizes.  Awards/prizes will not be mailed.

 

MISCELLANEOUS:

* Toilets are located on the west side of Reseda Blvd.

* Aid Stations will be approximately 3 miles apart, so it is essential that all runners carry a water bottle.

* Aid stations will provide the following:

   * Aid Station #1 is at mile 3.0 and will have water and Gatorade

   * Aid Station #2 is at mile 6.9 and will have water, Gatorade, salt

   * Aid Station #3 is at mile 9.9 and will have water, Gatorade, salt, oranges

   * Finish Area will have water, Gatorade, Function Drinks, fruit and bagels/muffins.

* Course Description:  The race will start below Mulholland fire road, at Reseda Blvd.  Runners will proceed west on Mulholland fire road for approximately 3.4 miles.  Runners will u-turn and head east on Mulholland fire road approximately 6.8 miles to the 9.8 mile turn-around below Nike Park.  From here, runners will head west to the top of Reseda, making a sharp right turn for a steep downhill to the finish.

* Course distance is not exact.  This is a trail run, it is not USAT&F certified.

* Portions of the course will have two-way runner traffic.  The racecourse will remain open to recreational use.   Please stay to the right side of the fire road at all times.

* The course is on fire roads with some loose dirt.  Although trail shoes are recommended, they are not required.

* The race finishes on a steep downhill.  Please use extreme caution during the last stretch.

* Course littering is strictly forbidden.  Any runner who is witnessed to be littering will have their race number reported to the race director and will be disqualified from the race and banned from participation in future events.

* Pacing Rules:  Runners may be legally paced by another runner, who is entered in the race, who is wearing a race bib, who does not enter the course at any point other than the start line, who does not leave the course at any point to re-enter the course at another point.  Any other pacing constitutes illegal pacing and will result in disqualification of the runner being paced. Pacing of runners via bicycle is forbidden.  Pacing rules will be strictly enforced.

* All runners must wear their race bib on the front of their body.

* Dogs are not permitted on the racecourse or at "base camp" on race day.

* Professional photographs will be taken during the race and will be posted on the race website approximately 5-days after the event http://www.trailrunevents.com.

* Finishers will receive the coveted Valley Crest Half Marathon t-shirt and finisher medal.

* Awards will be presented to the top 3 finishers in 5-year Male/Female age divisions.  Awards must be claimed on race day, they will not be mailed.

* Fantastic sponsor-donated prizes will be raffled during the race.  Please check the raffle board after the race.  You must present your bib to claim a raffle prize.  Raffle prizes will not be mailed.

* Race results will be posted within seven days, on the race website, http://www.trailrunevents.com.

* The Valley Crest Half Marathon is made possible by the generous support  of our sponsors.  Please support our sponsors who are displayed on the sponsor page of the race website,  http://www.trailrunevents.com.

 

ACCOMMODATIONS:

 

Comfort Inn                                       

20157 Ventura Blvd. 

Woodland Hills, CA 91364

(818) 347-8080

 

Courtyard Marriott                                          

15433 Ventura Blvd.

Sherman Oaks, CA 91403

(818) 981-5400          

 

Warner Center Hilton

6360 Canoga Ave.

Woodland Hills, CA 91367

(818) 596-4500

                                   

Happy Trails and thank you for supporting the Valley Crest Half Marathon.

 

Nancy Shura-Dervin

http://www.trailrunevents.com