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FROM THE RACE DIRECTOR:

Welcome to the 2012, 11th Annual Valley Crest Half Marathon!

PLEASE READ THIS ENTIRELY.  IT CONTAINS NEWLY ADDED INFORMATION FOR RACE DAY!

RACE DATE – June 10, 2012 @ 8:00a.m.  Please note that race day is SUNDAY (not Saturday).

BIB MAILING: 

•           Race bibs will be mailed between 5/1 and 6/1.

•           Please check your race bib for accuracy.

•           If there are any errors in your bib information, please go to the bib pick up area on race morning. 

•           If your bib did not arrive in the mail, go to the bib pick up area on race morning and bring PROOF of REGISTRATION, ie. a printed Active  Online Registration Confirmation.

•           Bibs must be worn on the front of your person to be an official finisher.

PRE-REGISTERED BIB PICK UP ON RACE DAY:

•           Please go to the Pre-registration Bib Pick-Up Table to receive your bib.

•           Please bring PROOF of  REGISTRATION with you; ie. Your printed Active Online Registration Confirmation.

•           Bibs must be worn on the front of your person to be an official finisher.

RACE DAY REGISTRATION:  $80.00 cash (no checks or credit cards).  Race day registration starts at 6:30 a.m. and ends at 7:50 a.m.

RACE DAY SCHEDULE:

•           Check-in, late bib pick-up, race day registration:  6:30-7:50 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 TO MARVIN BRAUDE MULHOLLAND GATEWAY PARK:

•           Exit the 101 at Reseda Blvd.

•           South on Reseda Blvd.

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

•           Note: There are several STOP SIGNS along Reseda Blvd. on the way to the race site and speed limits are enforced even early in the a.m.

THREE IMPORTANT THINGS:

•           CARPOOL

•           CARPOOL

•           CARPOOL

DRIVING INSIDE THE PARK:

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

•          There is a photo enforced STOP SIGN inside the park. Complete stops required!

•           Please follow the directions of parking attendants; park only where directed to avoid citations.

•           Please park as close to the car next to you as safely possible. This is hillside parking; SET YOUR PARKING BRAKE!

•           A secure area will be provided for you to drop non-valuable items (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.

THE COURSE:

•           The race will start below Mulholland fire road, at Reseda Blvd. 

•           Runners will proceed west on Mulholland fire road for approximately 3.5 miles. 

•           Runners will u-turn at Alhama St. and head east on Mulholland fire road approximately 7 miles to the 10 mile turn-around below Nike Park. 

•           Runners will u-turn at mile 10 and head west to the top of Reseda

•           Runners will make a sharp right turn at Reseda for a steep downhill to the finish.

•           The race finishes on a steep downhill.  Please use extreme caution during the last stretch and remember that you are sharing the trail.

•           The course is open to public use on race day.  You are likely to encounter hikers, joggers, mountain bikers and equestrians. 

•           Portions of the course will have two-way runner traffic.  Stay to the RIGHT SIDE of the trail at all times.

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

•           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.  The race course is on remote, rugged trails and fire roads which may cause delays in reaching you should you require emergency treatment or evacuation.  Please be sure you have read and understood the Valley Crest Half Marathon participant waiver before you sign it.

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

AID STATIONS:

•           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, Function Drinks, fruit and bagels/muffins.

EARPHONES /BUDS are discouraged by RRCA for their sanctioned events. Their use presents a serious danger to runners participating in races where emergency vehicles may enter the course and will not be heard by runners who are listening to music.  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 SHOW THEIR RACE BIB to receive awards.  Awards will not be mailed.

MISCELLANEOUS:

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

•           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. (Guaranteed only for runners who registered before May 1, 2012)

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

OUR SPONSORS:

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.

GOLD SPONSORS:

Fleet Feet Sports Encino

Function Drinks

Gatorade

Injinji Socks

Moeben Sleeves

SILVER SPONSORS:

Buff

CW-X Performance Wear

Foot Pursuit Run Shop

Fuel Belt

Road ID

Runnergy

Sanctity Industries

Superfeet

BRONZE SPONSORS:

Andy Gump

Bankcard USA

Carter House Printing

Numbero Uno Pizza

Larabar

Trader Joe’s

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