Trailhead Running Presents

Women on the Trails

Race Series
2017-2018
ATHLETE GUIDE
Creepy Crawlies and Critters • 02.10.2018
WELCOME!
What started out as a half-baked idea
during a trail run has turned into the sixth
year of the Women on the Trails Race
Series. Our first race, Dirt Trails and Pony
Tails, took place at Austin Ridge in 2012
thanks to the 65 women who signed up for
the 5K and a LOT of help from our friends
and family. Since then, hundreds of women
have joined us and we couldn’t be more
grateful. We are still laughing, still getting dirty, and continue to explore the trails. As
always -- you’re not lost, you’re with us!

Richelle Criswell and Susan Farago

Race Directors and Coaches, Trailhead Running

For more info, please visit: www.trailheadrunning.com

Comments and suggestions: info@trailheadrunning.com

Many photos throughout this athlete guide are courtesy of Jake North Photography.

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RACE DAY SCHEDULE
6:30 am Volunteers Arrive
7:00am Parking opens
7:00 am - 8:45 am Registration & Packet Pickup
8:50 am Welcome & Course Review
8:55 am National Anthem
9:00 am Race Start – All Distances
9:30 am Post Race Activities
10:00 am Race Awards & Prize Drawings
11:00 am Course Closed
11:30 am Post Race Course Sweep &
Trash Cleanup

RACE DAY INFORMATION

ü Start time is 9:00 am for all distances.
ü NO CUPS ON THE RACE COURSE
Bring a water bottle or hand held. Water is
provided on the course.
ü No headphones on the course (safety).
ü Race day registration is available if the race has
not sold out (credit card or cash).
ü Race day packet pickup only.
ü There is plenty of parking but give yourself
enough time to get there and get organized!
ü Event is not chip timed but awards go to the
top three finishers for each distance.
ü Course and venue are spectator friendly so
bring your friends and family (no dogs allowed
on premises or course).
ü Post-race food is available for runners.
ü Any last minute urgent updates will be posted
on Facebook and e-mailed out to participants.

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PACKET PICKUP – RACE DAY ONLY
Athletes can pick up their race number, shirt, and
other goodies on race day. Don’t forget to bring
your own goodie bag and we will supply the
goodies!

Saturday, February 10 (Race Day)

7:00 AM - 8:45 AM
Race Location - YMCA Camp Cypress

POST RACE ACTIVITIES

Athletes will be treated to a fun post-race party
including refreshments and activities from
fantastic local businesses, including:
Ü Big Mouth Announcing
Ü Fruit and Freshly Made Pancakes
Ü Hot Coffee
Ü Massages by Austin Massage Company
Ü Awards Ceremony
Ü The great people from the Hays Community
YMCA

RACE BIB SPONSOR: BEN PHILLIPS

A big THANK YOU to Ben Phillips with Engel &
Volkers for sponsoring our fantastic race bibs!

Contact Ben for any real estate questions or if you

are thinking about buying or selling your home.
He’s Trailhead Running’s favorite agent!

Reusable cloth race bibs!

Get your bib at the start, then race, and then
return your bib after the race to receive your
finisher award. Race. Return. Reuse!

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 PARKING DONATION THE RACE – YMCA ANNUAL CAMPAIGN

The boys and girls from the YMCA will be helping with parking
race morning. While parking remains free for the event, please
consider donating a few dollars to support YMCA programming.
Thanks!

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RACE LOCATION AND COURSE MAPS
Location for Creepy Crawlies & Critters
YMCA Camp Cypress
(Ranch gate says “Rainbow Ranch”)
Intersection of Old San Antonio and
Manchaca Springs/CR 104
Buda, TX 78610 Google Map URL
From downtown Austin: 15 miles (30 min)

Parking
There is plenty of paved parking available
and the race start is just a very short walk
from the race area (less than 5 minutes at
the farthest point). Follow race signs and
volunteers to help you get parked quickly
and safely on race morning!

Race Course and Maps

Meadows and fields describe this course.
Set just north of Buda, it follows Onion
Creek (don't worry - no creek crossing) on
a fairly flat course with a few rolling hills
and many twists and turns on a mix of
single-track, double-track and jeep road.
Map to the right is also available online as
well as a slideshow of the terrain.
AID STATIONS:
5K Race: At miles 1 and 2.
10K Race: At miles 1, 2, 4, and 5.

MEDICAL ASSISTANCE
Capital Medical Services will be at the
start/finish line and on course.

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FACILITIES
A big THANK YOU to YMCA Camp Cypress
in Buda for use of the facilities on race
day! Please help us keep the trails clean
by using provided trash cans and being
respectful of their property. Port-a-potties
will be available at the start/finish.

VOLUNTEERS
Be sure to give a big THANK YOU to all our
fantastic volunteers at packet pickup and
during the race! If you would like to
volunteer, please sign up on the race
website OR go to the registration table on
race day.

SPECTATORS
Spectators should plan to arrive at least
30 minutes before the race starts to
ensure time for parking and to find a place
out on the race course if desired*. The
course is spectator-friendly with several
places to cheer athletes on during the
race and/or meet up with athletes at the
post-race celebration. There are plenty of
places for kids to run and play during the
events; however, children under the age
of 16 must have adult/guardian
supervision at all times.

WEATHER
The race will take place rain or shine. The
only exception will be in the case of
lightening; the race will be postponed for
20 minutes after the last rescheduled for a future date. Last minute updates
lightening/thunder strike. The race will be will be posted on Trailhead Running’s website,
delayed up to 1 hour. If severe weather Facebook page, and an e-mail will be sent out to all
does not allow for safe racing conditions, pre-registered participants.
the race will be cancelled and not
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RUN GREEN EVENT!

We care about the impact we make on the

environment so we have partnered with
the Council for Responsible Sport and are
ReSport Certified for the entire Trail Race
Series. What does this mean? With a few
small changes, we are making a big impact.
In the 2012/2013 three race series we
achieved some amazing results…

Athlete involvement includes:

1. No Cups on the Course
We saved over 300 cups and only used 6
gallons of water TOTAL for all three races
2. BYOB: Bring your own bag for Packet
Pickup
We saved over 300 plastic bags!

3. Take Only What You Want at Packet

Pickup
We saved over 40 pounds in paper and
materials!

4. Carpool or Bike to the Event

More and more athletes are ride sharing or
cycling.

5. Opt In: Shirts and Finisher's Awards

1% of athletes took advantage of this
option.

Community involvement includes:

1. Limited Use of Bio Fuels
2. No Styrofoam/Polystyrene Packaging
3. Locally Sourced Food/Beverage
4. Eco-Friendly Porta-Potties
5. Give Back - Support Local
Charities/Businesses

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RACE INFORMATION: By Topic
(In alphabetical order)

Awards
Awards will be given to the top three overall
finishers. Everyone will receive a finisher’s gift –
unique to each race!

Age Minimum
Participants must be at least 14 years old.

Course Marking
The course will be very well marked. Orange flags
will be used throughout the course to indicate
correct course direction. Large "Wrong Way"
signs and yellow/black "Caution" tape will be
used to indicate areas that runners should not
go. If you pass by one of these markers, turn
around. Volunteers will be on the course to assist
runners.

The race venue will be well marked with signs so

athletes and spectators know where to go for parking, race start/finish, packet pickup, etc.
Volunteers will be at the race venue to assist runners and spectators.

Cups
There will be NO cups at the aid stations. Athletes are strongly encouraged to refill using their own
water bottles. This is to support our certification by the Council for Responsible Sport.

Dogs
We love our four-legged furry friends—they are welcome as spectators but not as a participants.
Humans only please.

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Drop Bags
No official drop bags or areas are available. Plan to
keep any items (change of clothes, etc.) with family
or friends or keep in your car. Trailhead Running is
not responsible for lost or stolen items.

Emergency
For all life threatening emergencies, dial 911. Then
contact the race organization at: 512.585.5034.
Capital Medical Services will be on the course race
day.

First Aid - Medical

First aid and medical assistance, provided by
Medicine in Motion, is available for all athletes at the
race venue. Additionally, EMS and local authorities
will be notified of the race and will be available for
any emergencies.

Information / Registration
An information and registration table will be on site
to assist volunteers and spectators with any
questions or concerns during the event.

Littering
No littering. There are garbage cans at water stops
and at the start/finish line area. If you see trash,
please pick it up. This earns you mega karma points
with us AND Mother Nature.

Lost and Found

Lost and found will be located at the information
table near the start/finish line. Please e-mail
info@trailheadrunning.com for any unclaimed items
left after the event.

Maps
See “Maps and Location Info” in this document for
venue and course map information.

Pacers
No pacers are allowed for this event. Only registered runners and official race personnel can be on
the run course during the event.
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Packet Pickup
Race day packet pickup is available. Go to www.trailheadrunning.com for packet pickup times and
locations. BYOB – In an effort to reduce event waste, please bring your own bag for packet pickup.
Our motto, “We provide the goodies, you provide the bag.”

Parking: Car
There is plenty of parking for cars and bicycles close to the race start for each venue. We encourage
carpooling whenever possible. Follow volunteers and parking signs. ALWAYS lock your car and take
your keys.

Photography
We will do our best to capture the excitement of race day! Photos will be posted after the race and
links available on our website.

Port-A-Potties
Port-a-potties will be available for all participants and spectators throughout the event. And we will
have PLENTY of toilet paper too!

Pre-Race Meeting
There will be a brief pre-race meeting 10 minutes before the race starts at the start line followed by
the Star Spangled Banner. Then the race will begin promptly on time.

Race Day Registration

Race day registration will be available (until race is full). All forms of payment accepted.

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Race Distance
Each of the race distances have been measured using Garmin technology and Google Earth maps.

Race Timing
This event is not chip timed. Please wear a watch to track your run time.

Refund, Race Entry

Refunds are not available a week before the race. Race registration transfers are on a case by case
basis. See also cancellations due to inclement weather (“Weather”).

Results
Only the top three overall finishers for each race distance will be announced. This is an untimed
event.

Schwag
All registered participants will receive a high quality women’s cut shirt with the race logo on the
front. Finishers will receive a unique finisher’s gift at the finish line. There will be a different
finisher’s gift for each of the races.

Shoes and Clothing

Trail-specific apparel (shoes, clothing) is not necessary for the event. However, the course is off-
road so there are plenty of opportunities to encounter rocks, trees, cactus, brush, and other things
that scrape, sting, or bite. Please take any precaution necessary to ensure a fun and safe event.

Spectators & Kids

Each course is spectator-friendly with several places to cheer athletes on during the race and/or
meet up with athletes at the post-race celebration. There are plenty of places for kids to run and
play during the events. Children under the age of 16 must have adult/guardian supervision at all
times. Check the race course map for areas that are marked as spectator friendly.

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Star Spangled Banner
This is America. Darn right we
will have the Star Spangled
Banner!

Start Waves
This is a “mass start” event
where all runners start at the
same time. Wave starts will not
be used.

Start/Finish Line
The start and finish lines are in
the same location and marked
with appropriate signage.

Time Cutoff
There is a two (2) hour time cutoff for the 5K and 8K distance events, and a three (3) hour time
cutoff for the 13.1 mile distance event. Race director(s) have the right to pull anyone off the course
at any time for safety reasons.

Updates and Information

Any major changes or updates to the race or related events will be e-mailed to the participants,
posted on Facebook, and updated on the trailheadrunning.com website. Please check these areas a
few days before the event so you have the latest
information.

Volunteers
We love our volunteers! Volunteers can register to help
with an event by going to
https://ultrasignup.com/volunteer.aspx?dtid=27540 . All volunteers
will receive a race-specific t-shirt, post-race food, and our
undying gratitude!

Waivers
All runners and volunteers must sign a waiver as part of their race entry/volunteer process.

Water Stop(s)
There will be at least one water stop on the 5K, 8K, and 10K courses (depending on the venue), and
at least two water stops on the 13.1 mile course where water will be provided. There will be NO
cups at the water stops. Athletes are strongly encouraged to refill using their own water bottles.
This supports Trailhead Running’s certification by the Council for Responsible Sport.

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Weather
The races will take place rain or shine. The only exception will be in the case of lightening –
the race will be postponed for 20 minutes after the last lightening/thunder strike. The race will be
delayed up to 1 hour. If severe weather does not allow for safe racing conditions, the race will be
cancelled and not rescheduled for a future date. Refunds will not be issued because almost all of
the supplies and services for the event must be purchased well in advance of the actual event date.
Last minute updates will be posted on Trailhead Running’s website, Facebook page, and an e-mail
will be sent out to all pre-registered participants.

Thank you for joining us and have a great race!

Photo courtesy Kristen Herrera.

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