100K Ultramarathon & Ultramarathon Relay Participant Guide

Title Sponsor:

Welcome to Birkie Trail Run Festival 2019!

The ultramarathon participant guide contains everything you’ll need to know to be prepared for a great race day on September 28. The Birkie staff has been hard at work making certain that from bib pick-up, to the course, aid stations, post-race festivities, and everything in between, we’ve created the best possible race experience for you. As always, our number one priority is for you to have a safe and successful race.

Thanks for participating in the ultramarathon event at the 2019 Birkie Trail Run Festival! We look forward to seeing you on Friday night for the mandatory ultramarathon meeting (relay teams needn’t attend, but it will have lots of useful information) and again bright and early Saturday morning at the start! Let’s get started!

100K Ultramarathon Presented by:

Please note, pets are not allowed on the race course, in the festival area, or in the event tent at any time.

Friday, September 27

Bib Pick-Up Bib pick-up is available at Birkie Ridge from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Friday, September 27. Directions to Birkie Ridge are found under “Get There.”

There is no race day bib pick-up available for ultramarathon or ultramarathon relay runners.

Bibs Your bib is a unique identifier and must be worn and visible on the front of your body at all times on race day.

MANDATORY Pre-Race Briefing All ultramarathon runners must attend a mandatory pre-race briefing on Friday, September 27, at 6:00 p.m. at Birkie Ridge. The ultra course has been adjusted and it is important that you are aware of the 2019 course changes. Ultramarathon relay runners do not have to attend this meeting, but it would be helpful for teams, also. Call us at 715-634-5025 if you have questions about the meeting.

Vendor Fair Birkie Ridge is also home to the Birkie Trail Run Festival Vendor Fair- your source for great gear, clothing, and more. The Vendor Fair will be open during bib pick-up on Friday from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and again on race day until 3:00 p.m. • Salomon • Telemark Vacation Condominiums • FITS Socks • OCSA – Ovarian Cancer Symptom • Citizens Climate Lobby Awareness • Hayward Coffee Company • Birkie Store • Leki Poles • Sidas USA • Anderson’s Maple Syrup • Jim Anderson, Author of Discovering • Earth Rider Brewery America One Marathon at a Time • Framed Bikes

Saturday, September 27

Getting There The race start is located at Birkie Ridge Trailhead on U.S. Highway 63. Whether coming from the north or south, Birkie Ridge is very easy to find. Watch for large signs marking the entrance to Birkie Ridge on U.S. Highway-63.

• From Hayward, On U.S. Highway 63, drive north 12.5 miles from the U.S. Highway 77 intersection in Hayward, WI. Look for large signs directing you to turn right into Birkie Ridge on the east side of Highway 63. • From Cable, On U.S. Highway 63, drive south 5.0 miles from the County Highway M intersection in Cable, Wisconsin. Look for large signs directing you to turn left into Birkie Ridge on the east side of Highway 63. • GPS Coordinates 46.147384, -91.331785

Parking There is ample parking for the ultramarathon start available at Birkie Ridge trailhead. Parking at the finish may be crowded as it is the town of Cable’s annual Fall Fest on Saturday, September 28. As such, portions of County Highway M and Kavanagh Street, in Cable, will be closed until 3:00 pm on Saturday. Later in the afternoon Kavanagh Street will be open for parking. The Cable Municipal lot is located one block south of Pine Street off Randysek Road and will have parking available throughout the day. A shuttle will be provided from the finish back to Birkie Ridge for those needing transport.

Race Day Event Schedule • 5:30 AM Ultramarathon/Ultramarathon Relay Start • 6:30 AM Bib Pick-Up Opens • 8:00 AM Marathon Start • 8:30 AM Marathon Relay Start • 9:00 AM Dive for the Dirt Kid's Obstacle Course Open • 9:15 AM Half Marathon Start • 9:30 AM Trek Start • 9:45 AM 5K Start • 10:30 AM Post-Race Party Begins • 11:00 AM 5K Overall & Age Group Awards • 11:35 AM Half Marathon Awards - Overall, Age Class and WI USATF Championship • 11:45 AM Kid's Warm-Up & 1 km Race • 12:45 PM Marathon Awards - Overall, Relay and Costume • 1:15 PM Marathon Age Group Awards • 3:00 PM Final Marathon Finish Cut-Off • 6:00 PM Ultramarathon Champion Awards (at The Rivers' Eatery) • 11:00 PM Final Ultramarathon Finisher Cut-Off

On the Course

Race Courses The Birkie Trail Run Festival shares common trails for each of the different race distances. As such, the route for each race will be fully marked with color-coded signage unique to each specific race. The ultramarathon course will follow the marathon course for almost one complete lap; the ultramarathon course will deviate from the marathon course at mile 25. After passing through the start line for the second time, ultramarathon runners will begin lap 2 of the marathon course. After the third time through Timber Trail Aid Station, the ultramarathon will deviate from the marathon course. Please read the Ultra Course Description document on www.birkie.com for detailed information about the ultramarathon course.

Course Marking and Signs – Ultramarathon & Ultramarathon Relay Ultramarathon runners will follow the lime green directional arrow signs and marking ribbon tied in trees found along the race course. The ultramarathon course will be fully-marked by Friday, September 27. Please remain alert and follow the correct ultramarathon signs. On race day, the post-sunset sections of the course will be marked with reflective tape on signs and ribbons to aid you along your way (you must have a headlamp).

Arrows confirm your direction!

Indicates a right turn onto a new trail.

Indicates a left turn onto a new trail.

Indicates you maintain a straight course on the current trail.

(Course marking continued on next page)

In addition, throughout the ultramarathon course, lime green mile marker signs will count down in 5-mile increments to the finish.

Aid Stations

Runners must check in at the race start, at each aid station along the race course, and at the race finish. Failing to do so may result in disqualification!

Each aid station will be supplied with water, nuun performance, Coke, GU energy gels, fruit, cookies, salty snacks, as well as ultramarathon specific food. The ultra runner options will include bread, tortillas, cheese, peanut butter & jelly, Chex mix, pretzels, soups (most likely bone-based broth), pickles, etc. Hot sandwiches and soup will be available at Timber Trail and American Birkebeiner Trailhead aid stations. There are toilets and basic first-aid supplies available at each aid station.

Additional aid station information is available in the Ultra Details and Directions document that was also emailed to you.

Birkie Green & Cup-less Racing The American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation recently launched Birkie Green, an initiative designed to inspire solutions to address changing climates and implement sustainability practices wherever possible. As part of our Birkie Green initiative, the Birkie Trail Run Festival will be completely cup-less this year. Please plan to bring your own hydration vessel. In addition to going cup-less on course, after the race we will be serving beverages in recyclable cans instead of plastic cups; providing waste stations for the sorting of trash, composting, and recycling; offer bib recycling; and will be collecting GU wrappers as part of Gu’s TerraCycle recycling program.

Finish The ultramarathon race will finish on the rail trail behind The Rivers Eatery, located at 43455 Kavanagh Street, in downtown Cable, WI.

Drop Bags Runners may have drop bags transported to aid stations. All drop bags must have the runner’s name and the name of the aid station clearly marked on them. Please provide your own drop bags (some plastic bags may be available) and bring them to the ultramarathon meeting or leave them before the 5:15 am race start. Drop bags may be picked up by crew members at the aid stations. Any bags not picked up at aid stations will be transported back to the finish. Your Timber Trail drop bag must have a headlamp. All runners must start with a headlamp and must have a headlamp leaving northbound Timber Trail on the second loop.

Ultramarathon Relay Teams The ultramarathon relay is new in 2019! Teams are made up of 2, 3 or 4 runners and are placed in one overall category (no men’s, women’s, mixed or master’s categories). Teams will receive a slap bracelet and can exchange as many times as they’d like, as long as the exchange takes place in one of the ultramarathon aid stations. Relay teams will not drop bags on Friday and are not required to attend the ultramarathon informational meeting on Friday night. However, ultramarathon relay runners must pick up their bibs on Friday, September 27 before 7:00 pm. There is no bib pick-up for any ultramarathon runners on Saturday, September 28. Ultramarathon teams must start with a headlamp and have a headlamp available for the final legs depending on time of day. No one will be allowed to leave Timber Trail aid station after 5 pm without a headlamp.

Cut-Off Times Participants will not be allowed to continue past the cut-off times noted below and must reach the finish by 11:00 p.m. to be considered an official finisher. Transport back to Birkie Ridge will be provided for those not making the cut-off times. Please review the chart below for aid station locations and associated cut-off times.

Miles Miles to Cut-Off Aid Station from Next Aid Pacer Time Start Station Birkie Ridge - Start 0 3.7 N/A No 1 Boedecker Southbound 3.7 4.8 N/A No 2 Boedecker Northbound 8.5 5.2 N/A No 3 Timber Trail Northbound 13.7 4.7 N/A No 4 Timber Trail Southbound 18.4 5.2 N/A No 5 Fire Tower 23.6 3.5 N/A Yes 6 Birkie Ridge- Start Area 27.1 3.7 N/A Yes 7 Boedecker Southbound-2 30.8 4.8 N/A Yes 8 Boedecker Northbound-2 35.6 5.2 N/A Yes 9 Timber Trail Northbound-2 40.8 7.0 5:00 pm Yes 10 Birkebeiner Trailhead 47.8 6.0 7:00 pm Yes 11 Timber Trail Southbound-2 53.8 8.0 9:00 pm Yes Cable - Finish 62 0 11:00 pm

Dropping Out If you need to drop out of the race you must report in to an aid station Chief, medical personnel, or Race Communications at Birkie Ridge notifying them of your status. Please call or text 218- 256-8765 if you leave the course for any reason. Make sure your emergency contact information is correct in case we need to be in touch with your support crew or you.

Crew Support Please see the Ultra Details and Directions document on www.Birkie.com for driving directions for your crew.

Please note, pacers will be allowed from Fire Tower Aid Station to the finish. Pacers may not carry gear for racers.

Spectators are encouraged to share their photos from the day’s events on social media using the hashtag #BirkieFever.

Safety For the safety of every participant, it is very important that we are able to track runners at every point along the race course. Ultramarathon runners are required to check in at the start, at all aid stations, and if they drop out of the race!

All runners will need a headlamp for the race. Sunrise at Birkie Ridge is it at 7:00 am and sunset at 6:52 pm. Runners will not be allowed to leave the Timber Trail aid station the second time without a light. Please stash a headlamp in your drop bag for Timber Trail. Please note that no headphones or earbuds are allowed on the race course.

Medical team members will be found on course (on ATVs and bicycles) and at various aid stations to check on ultra marathon participants throughout the day. Runners may be asked to withdraw from the race if upon assessment the event medical team feels that it is too dangerous for the runner to continue.

While You Run, Let the Kids Play! Dive for the Dirt - An obstacle course for kids, Dive for the Dirt will include a tunnel crawl, balance beams, slack lines, agility ladders, hurdles, and even a cargo net belly crawl! Birkie volunteers will supervise and help kids as needed. An adult must sign a waiver for each child participating in youth events. To save time, please register your kids in advance for this free event sponsored by Hayward Memorial Hospital and Water’s Edge.

Kids 1k (0.6 miles) Fun Run – At 11:45, kids will gather at Dive for the Dirt where they will be led through pre-run warm-ups and a fun run through the woods. The run will end at the main finish line and is untimed. Kids can enjoy cold Kemps chocolate milk after their run. To save time, please register your kids in advance for this free event.

Birkie Ridge Bash Celebration There will be a celebration following the other Birkie Trail Run Festival events, from 10:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the big tent at Birkie Ridge. Runner’s crews and spectators can purchase an herbed chicken sandwich meal for $5.00, provided by Northern Lakes Corner Deli. Beverages will be available for a nominal fee and include a variety of Earth Rider Brewery craft beer selections, root beer, and water.

Ultramarathon Awards and Post-Race Party in Cable Ultramarathon runners will be treated to a hot meal and a cold beverage after their finish. The Ultramarathon Relay Team awards will be presented upon the team finishing. Individual Ultramarathon awards will be presented at the Rivers Eatery, Cable, WI in a timely manner. The after party at Rivers Eatery will include good food and lots of celebrating!

All runners who reach the finish before the official cut-off time at 11:00 p.m. will receive a finisher gift commemorating their achievement.

First place overall female and male, and the first place Relay team, will each receive a certificate for a pair of Salomon trail-running shoes. First, second, and third place in the individual Ultramarathon will be awarded prizes at the Rivers Eatery after party.

Where to Stay Lodging information for locations in and around the Hayward, Seeley, and Cable areas is available from regional tourism offices and on Birkie.com.

If you prefer, you can pitch your tent or park your camper within sight of the ultramarathon start area! Camping is available at Birkie Ridge Trailhead on Friday, September 27 and Saturday, September 28 for a $10 per night fee. There will be portable toilets, water, and a community fire pit available. No generators or pets are allowed at the campground. Register and check-in at Birkie Ridge from 1:00 pm to 7:00 pm on Friday. Check-out is no later than 12:00 p.m. on Sunday • Click here to register for Camping at Birkie Ridge Trailhead

Please call 715-634-5025 or email us at [email protected] with any questions!

Have a great race & thanks for participating in the 2019 Birkie Trail Run Ultramarathon!

Good Luck Runners!

Our Amazing Sponsors

Shout-out to our amazing sponsors without whom the Birkie Trail Run Festival would not be possible! Thank you!

• Salomon – Title Sponsor, Birkie Trail Run Festival • Carlson MD – Presenting Sponsor, Marathon • FITS – Presenting Sponsor, Marathon Relay • The Rivers Eatery – Presenting Sponsor, 100K Ultramarathon • Hayward Area Memorial Hospital & Waters Edge – Presenting Sponsor, Kids 1K and "Dive for the Dirt" • Corner Deli – Post-Race Food Lunch • Earth Rider Brewery – Official Birkie Beer • Clif Bar – Official Bar • Gu – Official On-Course Energy • nuun – Official On-Course Hydration • Kemps – Finish Line Recovery • Anderson’s Maple Syrup • Hayward Coffee Company • Marketplace