RUN KI 10K/5K Course Description. Brian Kosmac’s, Ride Operations Area Manager and 4-time Marathoner, Course Description Mile 1 Mile 1 is a quick mile with one small ascent and some great views of Great Wolf Lodge. The start of the race begins near the Preferred Parking lot. Runners head toward I-71 and do a quick half mile loop around the parking lot before heading towards Kings Island Drive via one of the exits. Up a small ascent and onto Kings Island Drive, runner will begin a loop around Great Wolf Lodge. Mile 2 Runners begin mile two at the corner of Old Columbia and Great Wolf Drive. To your right, you will be able to see Great Wolf’s slides, including the new Triple Twist water slide. To your left, is the location of the Old Kings Island Campground, our Greenhouse, and Flight Deck. You will continue towards Flight Deck and down a small hill back towards the park. Runners will then enter the park via Perimeter Road near Congo Falls. Runners then head towards Drop Tower and take a right into Action Zone. Welcome to Kings Island, you’ll be in the park for the next one and a half miles. From Action Zone you’ll be running towards Delirium and into Oktoberfest past Adventure Express, Viking Fury, and Outer Hanks Shrimp Shack. The route continues on the right side of Coney Mall towards Vortex. You will pass Dodgems, the Racer, Scrambler and Zephyr before hitting the start of mile three. Mile 3 Mile three is relatively flat and begins near the Goblet Gobbler Game and continues toward Vortex before taking a right around Happy Days Diner. Your trip continues past Backlot Stunt Coaster and into Rivertown. Upon entering Rivertown, you’ll make a left in front of Diamondback and then past the Beast, Crypt, under the first hill of Diamondback and into Planet Snoopy. You’ll make a quick trip past Flying Ace Aerial Chase, Race for Your Life Charlie Brown, and past Surf Dog before heading towards the Picnic Grove. Runners will then make a 180 degree turn at the train tracks and head down the maintenance roads before heading back into Planet Snoopy. Another quick run through Planet Snoopy, runners head toward the Eiffel Tower. Don’t be fooled through, you must turn left and head down International Street. At the main entrance, 10K runners will split to the right, 5K runners will continue around the fountains and end by the Eiffel Tower. Mile 4 Mile Four is also flat. Runners head back out into the parking lot and onto Old Columbia Road for a half mile. Once by Boomerang Bay, runners will cut back into the waterpark and continue past the Wave Pool and near Tasmanian Typhoon before turning around. Runners will continue their tour of the waterpark past Coolangatta Racer, Down Under Thunder, and Awesome Aussie Twister. You will then continue toward the train tracks and onto Perimeter Road for some much needed shade. Mile 5 This mile is where the Beast 10K truly lives up to its name! Runners continue on Perimeter Road next to the train tracks and take a left at the first intersection. After making the turn at the intersection, runners will trek through the back areas of Rivertown. To your left will be White Water Canyon. As you emerge out of the woods, you’ll run under Diamondback’s third and fifth hill. If you’re lucky, you may see a few test runs being completed by our maintenance crew. Back into the woods runners disappear until they reach the Beast Hill. This 70 foot descent should not be taken lightly. Watch your footing as the descent is fairly steep. Once at the bottom, runners will pass the infamous Beast helix before heading up that same steep 70 foot hill. Once at the top, runners will run underneath both of the Beast’s lift hills, make a sharp 180 degree turn, and head back into the woods of the Beast. After one final hill, runners will take a hard left and will see the Racer and the end of mile 5. Mile 6 Mile six consists of some rolling hills and views of Son of Beast, Firehawk, Adventure Express, and Flight Deck. Runners continue along Perimeter road and will take a right along the tree line towards Firehawk, Ohio’s only Flying Coaster. As you pass Firehawk, you will continue down a hill towards the old Wildlife Animal Habitat where the monorail used to run through. Don’t worry, from what I’ve been told, the Lion’s, Tigers, and Bears have been long gone. There are a few rolling hills along this stretch, as well as never before seen views of Son of Beast and Adventure Express. As you approach the first hill of Son of Beast, Perimeter Road starts to ascend up a hill. Not nearly as steep as the Beast hill, but at mile five in a half, this hill will challenge the most seasoned runner. Once at the top, you will pass alongside Top Gun and Timberwolf amphitheater before running underneath Invertigo. Mile 6.2 The last 0.2 begins next to Invertigo’s station. Runners head back into the park towards International Street. You will then turn left towards the Eiffel Tower and reconnect with the 5K course. .