Valley of the Sun Half Marathon & Relay Participant Information Sheet... PDF Version
as of February 13th, 2008
Note: New Start Times (see below)
Where:
· Half Marathon Start Line and Relay Leg 1 - Usery Pass Rd. (Ellsworth Rd) .75 miles North of Ellsworth Rd and Mc Dowell
· Relay Leg 2, 3 and 4 Start Line (5K, 10K and 10 mile markers on course – see map)
· Finish Line for Half Marathon and Start and Finish Line for Kids 1 Mile Fun Run – Salt River Tubing Parking Lot (Northwest Corner of Usery Pass Rd. and Bush Highway Rd.)
When:
· Race Day, March 9th
· Expo, March 8th
Race Times:
· Half Marathon and Half Marathon Relay* 7 am – to 11am
· Kids 1 Mile Fun Run/ Walk 9:15 am
*Shuttle Busses Run Finish Line to Start from 5am – 6:15am)
Dear Athlete!
Welcome to the 8th Annual Valley of the Sun Half Marathon. Your preparation, participation and support of this event are greatly appreciated. Please read this sheet carefully for important details. You must be familiar with them.
Before You Leave Home or the Hotel
Prepare for all your race needs. Make sure you have your bib number and Champion Chip. Bibs and chips will not be replaced if misplaced before the start of the race. Hydrate! This is the desert. This is especially important for those visiting Arizona and not acclimated to the dry desert climate. Forecasts can call for overnight lows in the 50’s, day - time to highs in the 80’s, and sunny; perfect running weather. Please remember to protect your skin and wear sunscreen. If you have any medications you may need, remember to bring them. If you have any special medical problems, taking medication or are allergic to any medications please note on the back of your bib. Leave your valuables at home.
Race Parking
Parking will be at the Salt River Tubing Recreation Center Parking Lot on the North West Corner of Usery Rd. and The Bush Highway. The finish line for the Race will also be in this lot. Please look for parking marshals to park you in the correct areas within these lots. ALL PARTICIPANTS will park only in this parking area. There will be busses within the parking lot to take participants to the start line. Sheriff’s Officers and Race Staff volunteers will be directing you. Please listen to their instructions and pay close attention. It will be very dark. Wear warm-ups, hats, etc. with reflective tape. Please ride share as much as possible.
Directions to Finish Line Parking Area:
Take Bush Highway (Power Rd) North about 5 miles to the Salt River Tubing and Recreational Parking Lot. This will also be the Finish Line for the Race. Below are Directions from various points to the Bush Highway.
· From Sky Harbor Intl. Airport: AZ-202-Loop East ramp towards Tempe. Merge onto the 202 Loop East.
· Exit Power Rd. (freeway ends) turn left (North) Power Road becomes Bush Highway.
· From the North: I-17 south to I-10 east. I-10 east to the Loop 202 East. Exit Power Rd. (freeway ends) turn left (north) Power road becomes Bush Highway.
· From the North East: Loop 101 South to the Loop 202. Exit Power Rd. (freeway ends) turn left (North) Power Road becomes Bush Highway.
· From Central Phoenix: I-10 east to the Loop 202 east. Exit Power Rd. (freeway ends) turn left (North) Power road becomes Bush Highway.
· From Tucson: I-10 west to US 60 east. Exit Power, turn left (north).Power Rd will become the Bush Highway.
Road Closures: Be aware that some of the freeway system closes for work on the weekends. Please consult www.azdot.gov/Highways/RoadClosures.asp or dial 511 for the latest updates of roadway restrictions that might delay your getting to the race. At the time of this printing, closures for race weekend were not posted.
Shuttle Busses/Transportation to the Start Line at Usery Park
You must take a bus from the Finish Line (Salt River Parking Area) to the Start Line. You may begin parking at 4:30am
- Busses begin shuttling Participants to the Start Line at 5am.
- The Last bus to the Start will leave at 6am.
- Do not wait for the last bus!
- Half Marathon and Leg 1 Relay participants ONLY must take shuttle busses to the start line.
- Relay Leg 2, 3 and 4 will take only busses DESIGNATED (2,3 or 4) from the Parking Lot to their respective (2, 3 or 4) Relay Stations.
- PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU GET ON THE CORRECT BUS (See Below for Relay Detail).
- Buses will take all participants to their respective starting positions; relays will be taken to and from their exchange points. There will be NO public car access to the starting line/staging area.
- The start line is .75 miles north of the Ellsworth Rd (Usery Pass Rd) and Mc Dowell Intersection.
- DO NOT WAIT TILL THE LAST BUS.
- At the Start Line we will have PORT-A-POTTIES AND THE GEAR BAG DROP OFF are all located .3 OF MILE SOUTH FROM BUS Stop UNLOADING Area.
- ARRIVE EARLY, STREET CLOSURES AND RACE TRAFFIC MAY CAUSE DELAYS.
- USERY PASS WILL BE CLOSED TO ALL TRAFFIC AT 5:00 AM – 7am.
- PLEASE BE PATIENT, LISTEN TO STAFF, VOLUNTEERS & POLICE OFFICERS.
- IT IS IMPORTANT FOR SAFETY AND THE FUTURE OF THIS EVENT. WE MUST MOVE A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE INTO A NARROW AREA IN A SHORT TIME.
Relay Teams:
No matter what leg of the relay you are running you should also plan on arriving early. Due to street closures and race traffic you could experience delays.
The BUS schedule is as follows:
-
Leg 2 BUS LEAVES: 6:00 am
-
Leg 3 BUS LEAVES: 6:15 am
-
Leg 4 BUS LEAVES: 6:30 am
All relay participants ride the bus to their exchange points. There is no parking at the exchanges. Relay Legs 2, 3, 4 will be shuttled from their exchange points to the finish line at the Salt River Parking Lot in 45 minute intervals. When making exchanges, relay runners will hand off a baton. You may keep your baton at the end of the race. Please pay attention to other participants around you as you make your exchange. Please be sure to turn in your timing chips after finishing your leg.
Ready, Get Set …
Before heading to the starting line or boarding busses make sure your timing chip is properly secured to your shoelace using the electrical tie provided. No Chip, No Time, No Medal. Race supplied chips MUST be returned or a charge of $30.00 will be assessed.Toeing the Line: Start Time for Half Marathon and Relay is 7 am.
All runners are required to follow standard race etiquette and position themselves realistically at the start according to their estimated race pace.
· The fastest seeded runners in front, followed by progressively less fast runners or walkers. Remember walkers should position themselves near the back.
· Abandoned clothing along the race route will be considered a donation to charity.
· When tossing clothing, or other gear, please be aware of the people around you, look before tossing to avoid any accidents.
· Please be respectful of the desert surrounding the start area and entire course.
· PLEASE USE PORT-A-POTTIES AND TRASH RECEPTACLES. There will be plenty at the Finish Line Parking Lot and Start Line and positioned at the 1 mile, 5k, 10k and 10 mile marks on the Course.
· Leave the area without a trace. Do not wander off in the desert. Arizonans know the pain a jumping Cholla or cactus needle can cause.
· Please be careful to avoid all cactus and plant life when RUNNING as well. Those soft fuzzy looking cacti are deceiving. The results of interacting with a cactus will be very painful – so please stay far away!
Drop Bags
You can bring a bag to the start line for your warm-up; we will also have them there for you. Please mark your bag with the tear coupon from your bib. Please place in the appropriate area. Do not place any valuables in your bag, the event is not responsible for your items. Unclaimed bags will be available at the Grand Canyon State Games Office (2120 E. 6th St. #4) through March 21. Unclaimed bags or tossed clothing will be donated to charity.
On the Course
- There are 11 aid stations on the course, at miles 2-12. They are all stocked with plenty of water and Gatorade and smiling faces.
- Medical Tents are at the 10k and 10 mile mark.
- Porta-a-potties are positioned at the 1 mile, 5k, 10k and 10 mile marks.
- Three timing clocks will be positioned along the course. They are positioned at the 5k, 10k and 10 mile.
- The course is officially opened until 10:45 am. Participants running/walking at a pace slower then 16 minutes on the course will be considered pedestrians must obey all traffic laws, please use the sidewalks, shoulders and obey traffic lights. This is for your own safety and required by City of Mesa and Maricopa County traffic control and police.
The Finish & Awards
Congrats! You made it! Half marathoners and relay finishers will receive their medals after returning their Champion Chip. Relax after your race. Please enjoy the finish-line food. Awards will begin at 8:30 am.
Course Safety - Important Things to Remember
This scenic course finishes on the road in Tonto National Forest. Spectators – the Bush Highway WILL be open for two way traffic this year. So race viewing will be legal and accessible. Remember to park entirely on the shoulder, NOT in the roadway or bike lane, or on ANY VEGETATION. Please remember to thank Tonto National Forest, Maricopa County, City of Mesa and all their staff for allowing you to run in such a special place.
Thank you
We wish you the best of luck. Have a great race and enjoy the day. Thanks again for joining us at the 8th Annual Valley of the Sun Half Marathon & Relay. We could not put this race on without you. We also want to thank the many wonderful sponsors, vendors, volunteers, cities, county agencies, law enforcement, medical, fire, traffic control agencies for pulling together to make this event a success. This event would have not happened without them. Please support our sponsors, thank our volunteers and all the government and municipal agencies and their staff for making this a safe and well-supported event. It could not have happened without each and every one of them and you.
Good luck, have a fun and fast day!
~ The Race Staff of the Valley of the Sun Half Marathon and Grand Canyon State Games
