Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Hawkeye 50K & 25K Email #3: Vahalla 25K

Hello Runners!


Just a few little things.

First, there are a group of runners who will be running the course on Saturday Dec 8 at 10:30am. You are invited to join them! To get more information on this, go to our FB page and  you'll find information on how to sign up. If you don't do FB, the person who is organized this non-official unorganized non-event is Mark Thompson. If you have questions, shoot him an email at thompsonmd@gmail.com. Finally, the name he's given to this is Vahalla 25K, which is why that is in the subject line. Hope to see you there!

(Recognize the name Mark Thompson? He was our 50K winner last year!)


Second, I'm still hoping to open up registration some time before Christmas.

Third, I hope to soon put up a few course ribbons. These will only be put up on the trail portion of the race, in the area by the start/finish (in the Macbride Nature Recreation Area). This is the trickiest part of the course. I will not put up tons of ribbons, but I'll try to mark all the turns. This may help with the above training run, as well as with people who just want to practice the trails out there. If you see yellow ribbons, you're probably on the right trails. I hope to do this this Sunday the 18th if I can get out there.

[EDiT: The ribbons are up! Email about them coming soon.]

Fourth, there are some changes with the shirts this year. We plan on making them optional. So the race prices will be $35 for the 50K, and $25 for the 25K. Then the tech racing shirts will be optional for $10. (So if you get a shirt, the cost is the same as the last two years.) Furthermore, we'll finally have womens specific shirts. I think we're going to use the same design as last year, but different colors.

Fifth, for those who don't know, yes, all finishers of the Hawkeye 50K & 25K get a medal. :-)

Sixth, something to think about: In the past we've had a potluck of sorts. If you have a dish or treat you want to bring for the post-race eats, please do! Also, do you have a photographer friend coming to the race? We'd LOVE to have them take pictures! We got some great shots last year.

Okay, I think that's all for now.

Keep running and Happy Thanksgiving (if you don't hear from me before then).

Your friendly RD,

Tim

PS. Remember the run on Dec 8 at 10:30!

Thursday, November 08, 2012

2013 Hawkeye 50K & 25K Email #2

Hey, remember, all your Hawkeye 50K & 25K information is to the right. Scroll down if needed. Also, sign up for the email list.


Here is the second email I sent out a couple of weeks ago:

Hi Again!

I usually don't email right after another one like this, but this won't be long. I was out on the course today. What a beautiful day. Would have been perfect for a race today. Of course our race will be accompanied by some weather disaster. I wonder what it will be this time? Maybe we should have a contest to see who comes closest. Maybe we can induce a rare Midwestern earthquake or something.

Anyway, the spillway was nearly bone dry, which of course is unlikely on race day. Then again, after such a dry Summer, it may take quite a bit of rain and snow to get levels up, so possibly this will affect things on March 2. We'll see.

More interestingly, we will have a tiny course change! The easiest way to see this is to watch this short video. (I sound like a dork.) What you'll see is that right after the spillway, they've built some steps. You'll still have to clamber up the rocks at first, but then you'll follow a different path using the steps. I don't think this changes the distance or anything much, but it's interesting. (And yes I'm joking in the video regarding the "asterisks.")

Also, last time I forgot to link to our Facebook page. Check 'em out.

Here are a few pictures from today. You can see the new steps in the bottom two.

Here is where you run when coming up to the spillway.

The dry spillway. See the steps on the other side?




A close up of the new steps.




Keep Running. Your Friendly RD,

Tim