24th Annual McKenzie River Trail Run, Sept 10, 2011
Directions
Directions or addresses to all race-related venues are at the end of this document.
Packet Pick Up
At Takodas Restaurant in McKenzie Bridge (next to Harbick's Country Store) 5-8 PM Friday Sept 9th, and at the start beginning at 6 AM Saturday at the start area near Carmen Reservoir.
Race Start
The run starts at Carmen Reservoir (historic start line) at 7:30 AM (6:30 for early starters). All packets picked up will be considered starters and must notify race officials if they pull from the event.
Early Start
No one planning to run faster than 6:00 hours should start early; early starters finishing faster than 6:00 will receive 6:00 as their official time. The early start is intended to allow slower runners a chance to complete the race at a reasonable time. It is not intended as a way for you to pick your own start time. If you start early and run faster than a 6 hour pace, you will likely arrive at aid stations before they are set up and able to provide you aid. Switching to or from early start: Please confirm whether or not you intend to take the early start at packet pickup. If, after packet pick up you choose to switch to or from the early start, you must let us know before you start.
Communications
For the first time we will have radio communications on the course for runner safety and medical emergencies. For your safety, and to prevent a search and rescue operation being launched to locate you, if you drop from the race for any reason, you must inform the nearest aid station captain and radio operator at that aid station.
Cut Offs
In consideration of our volunteers, we will enforce cut off times again this year. The cutoffs are generally based on a 16:27 average pace for an early starter, allowing 8 hours, 30 minutes to complete the course. The cutoffs will be: mile 21.8 Deer Creek Aid station at 12:30 PM; mile 25.1 Buck Bridge Aid Station at 1:30 PM; and the finish line will close at 3:00 PM.
Race Finish
The finish line is the traditional finish across from the ranger station. If you must drop out, please inform an aid station captain.
Parking and Shuttle
The start is about 15 miles east of the finish. No shuttle is provided. Self arranged car pools, shuttles, and hitch hiking have worked well over the past 20 years and will remain the way to get back and forth. If you are driving to the start, please pull into the Ranger Station and see if anyone needs a ride, or be on the lookout for hitchhiking ultra runners on the road and give them a lift. Likewise when you are traveling back toward the start area after the race, ask around if anyone needs a lift or consider picking up a runner who is hitching.
We hope to have a race official assisting with parking at the Ranger Station. It is very important that we park only in designated areas, with no parking in front of or east of the Ranger Station.
Aid Stations and Drop Bags
Water, Gu electrolyte drink (Gu2-O) and soda at all stations. Fruit, pretzels, cookies, Gu, and other energy boosters will also be available.
Aid Station locations: AS 1 Santiam Wagon Road mile 5.7, AS 2 Carmen mile 11.2, AS 3 Trail Bridge Reservoir mile 16.7, AS 4 Deer Creek mile 21.8, AS 5 Buck Bridge mile 25.1
Drop bag service will be available at the start for Carmen (#2, mile 11.2) and Deer Creek (#4, mile 21.8) and the finish. After the race, drop bags will be delivered to St Benedicts lodge (site of lunch and awards), not the finish area.
The McKenzie High School Track and Cross Country teams, along with local volunteers, fellow ultra runners, and the race directors' friends and family will be staffing the aid stations. Please thank our volunteers, the race could not happen without them.
Course and Markings
The course will be marked with surveyor tape and flags. We will mark or sign all the intersections, but will not have extensive confidence markers along the trail. The trail is heavily used and there is always a possibility that a user could move or alter our course markings. We'll do our best to mark the trail, but you are responsible to be familiar with it. Please review the course map found on the web site and be familiar with the route it takes. There is only one primary trail, if you find yourself in a campground, at a scenic overlook or running upriver (after going around Clear lake), back track until you find the well traveled McKenzie River Trail and proceed down river on it. Please be courteous to other users to avoid complaints that could put our permit in jeopardy. You should expect to meet hikers and mountain bikers on the trail.
Lunch, Awards, and Showers
Showers and lunch will be available at St Benedict Lodge after your run (Noon-3:00). Lunch is free for runners. Others are welcome to eat; a reasonable donation for the extra meal would be appreciated. An awards ceremony will be held at ~2:45. Awards go to open male and female overall winner and top male and female in each age group. Age groups are 39 and under, 40-49, 50-59, and 60 and over. Open winners not eligible for age group awards; therefore there will not be an age group award for the age group that the open winner comes from. Following the MRTR awards, awards will be distributed for the Oregon Trail Series.
Our Thanks!
To everyone who contributed to the success of our run this year, including, Gu Energy Gel, KAP Art Design, Ninkasi Brewing, Harbick's Country Store, Takoda's Restaurant, Jeff and Mary Sherman, Lane County Sheriff's Amateur Radio Operators, US Forest Service, all our aid station and course volunteers, and our web master Milo Skinner.
Locations
Packet Pickup
Friday September 10, 5-8 PM
Takoda's Restaurant (located next to Harbick's Country Store on Hwy 126)
91806 Mill Creek Rd McKenzie Bridge, OR 97413
And at the start beginning at 6 AM on Saturday September 10.
Start Location
Saturday September 11, 7:30 AM (6:30 early start)
Carmen Reservoir: Directions from Eugene: Travel east from Eugene on Highway 126. Carmen Reservoir is 16.5 miles East of the McKenzie Ranger Station. Allow at least 90 minutes travel time from Eugene to the start. Google Map Carmen Reservoir
Finish Location
On the McKenzie River Trail across the Hwy from the McKenzie River Ranger Station. Park only on the West side of the building. We are not allowed to park in front of or East of the Ranger station, or on the highway.
Lunch, Showers, and Awards
St. Benedict Lodge
Directions from the finish: Traveling West on Hwy 126, in the community of McKenzie Bridge make a very sharp right turn onto North Bank Rd. 1/2 mile up North Bank is St. Benedict's on the right.
