News & Stories
2012 Surly Trail Loppet – Quick Reference Guide
With the big day coming up soon, runners have questions on their minds . . . This quick reference guide is meant to provide some answers . . .
Course – The 2012 course is set and the map is up on the website. For those who have run in the past, note that the course is a bit different than in past years, particularly at the end of the race. More information on the course.
Transportation – As always, we are encouraging participants and spectators to bike, bus or walk to the event. Those who bike or bus will receive a coupon for a free hot dog or beer or other beverage (must be 21 to receive a beer and must have an ID). Penn Cycle will be providing a bike corral as well. More information on the bike corral.
For those who must drive, we encourage carpooling. Parking at the start/finish area will be extremely limited, with no parking on Glenwood Avenue. We have set up a shuttle system from the nearby Mortenson Construction parking lot (northwest corner of Hwy. 55 and Wirth Parkway). We recommend that runners proceed immediately to Mortenson rather than trying to find a space at the start/finish area. Shuttles will be running continuously from 7 a.m. – 1 p.m. Or, for the more ambitious, it is a short walk or jog from the Mortenson lot to the start (proceed south on Wirth Parkway and turn left (east – toward downtown) on Glenwood. Please plan plenty of time for parking, catching the shuttle, and packet pickup before the event!
Registration and Packet Pickup – All Surly Brewing Co. Trail Loppet events are full. If you have not registered yet, please plan to volunteer, cheer, and/or start training for next year . . . Because there is no registration remaining, there is no race-day registration. Packet pickup begins at 7 a.m. in the picnic pavilion at the top of the hill across the street from Wirth Beach. Participants must have a Photo Identification to pick up their packets. Map showing location of start/finish/packet pickup. (Photo ID will also be needed for those interested in having a Surly Beer after the event as well).
Chip Timing – For the first time this year the Trail Loppet will feature chip timing. All runners must wear their chip throughout the race. Chip timing will mean faster and more accurate results. Note that this year’s event will feature several undisclosed timing mat checkpoints along the course. Any runner whose timing chip does not register at each timing mat checkpoint will be disqualified. This means that runners must wear their chip the entire race and any runner who goes off course will need to go back to the spot where they left the course – or risk disqualification!
Course Marking and Checkpoints – The course will be marked with a combination of blue ribbons, blue arrows, flour and chalk. But runners are responsible for staying on course! We are planning to place timing mats in undisclosed locations on the course. Any runner whose chip does not register at each timing mat location will be disqualified. In other words, cutting the course is at your own peril. If you go off course, you must go back to the place where you left the course and start again there or you risk disqualification. More information under Course Marking on the website.
Wave or Event Transfers – Because all of the events are full, at this point there are no transfers between events. With the unprecedented registration this year, we have added a third wave – the Hell Wave. Runners have until August 31 to transfer between waves.
Injuries and Inconvenience – Your registration purchased an opportunity to run in the Trail Loppet. Unfortunately, there are no allowances for injury or inconvenience. Nor can you give your registration to another person. We will be checking identification at the event. Anyone caught running with another person’s number will be disqualified immediately.