2019 Race Details
*If you're looking at this on a PC rather than a Mac some of the pics might cover up some of the text. Just a FYI. Apple owns everything and secretly wants to take over the universe.
*see Handbook for Aid Stations and Cut-Offs
Friday September 20st
4pm-7pm Packet Pick-Up
Burr Park
101 South Hamilton Street
Dalton, GA 30720
Saturday September 21st
5am: 100 Mile start
Dalton Convention Center
2211 Dug Gap Battle Rd, Dalton, GA 30720
7:15am and 7:20am: 50 & 35 Mile Start
Dry Creek Horse Park
E. Armuchee Road LaFayette, GA 30728
8am: 18 Mile Start
Hwy 136 Trailhead
Shuttle (100 milers this doesn't apply to you!)
There's zero parking at the 50, 35 or 18 mile starting lines. No, we're not kidding. Those are also point to point courses and we think it's super great to finish where you parked your car. So we shuttle all 50, 35 & 18 milers to the starting line...from the finish line. You follow that?
Race morning you'll park your car at the Dalton Convention Center. This is also the finish line. You'll jump into a school bus where you'll be transported back in time as you drive the country roads of Georgia and arrive at the starting line. Good news, there are bathrooms for any last minute evacuations.
You'll RUN BACK TO the Dalton Convention Center for your finish.
50 & 35 Mile: Shuttle leaves at 6AM from the Dalton Convention Center
* 50 & 35 races start at the same place!
18 Mile: Shuttle leaves at 7:20AM from the Dalton Convention Center
The Majors
We’ve got some things we’re pretty serious about. This means you should be serious about them too.
1. Be Clean
Our moms told us to leave a place looking nicer than we found it. So we leave the Pinhoti and any place the Jewel touches, sparkling clean (even porta potties.) All gel packs, food trash or cups must be placed in a trashcan. If we catch anyone littering their finish time won’t be recorded and they won’t be allowed back to the Jewel. Yeah. It’s pretty serious sounding. We’re that committed to taking care of the trails.
2. Be Kind
Ultra running gets ugly sometimes but we like the golden rule; treat other people the way we wanna be treated. Or something like that. We’ve got a lot of volunteers who make this race amazing. Most likely they won’t come back if they’re treated like poop. So let’s be nice to all the volunteers. Or they’ll egg your house.
3. Be Smart
Running on trails is awesome and requires focus. We know you guys are super aware and smart so we’re not worried. Just a few friendly Mom reminders: take warm clothes; carry a water bottle (all runners must have at least 20oz of water on them) and pay attention to trail markings. 100 & 50 milers are required to carry a headlamp and back-up batteries. If you’re sick or hurt stop at the next aid station.
Bibs
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Each runner will be assigned a number.
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If you're running for a time goal, know your number when you come into the aid stations so our volunteers don't have to TSA you and slow you down.
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Each runner MUST check in AND out of each aid station and report your number to the aid station volunteer (and make sure they hear you.)
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SHOULD YOU NEED TO DROP: it’s the runner’s responsibility to find the aid station CAPTAIN and turn their bib in.
Drop Bags
Drop bags can be like a Christmas morning stocking. Or a Hanukah dradle. It’s important to think through what you might need and what you don’t need. Only 100 and 50 runners are allowed drop bags.
Size: we'd rather not make you measure with a ruler so keep it reasonable. Ziploc storage bags are awesome. Try to keep it no bigger than 24x24in.
We reserve the right to refuse any drop bag due to size.
Waterproofing: YES! Let’s assume it’s gonna rain and your bag is gonna get wet.
Required labeling: Please use a permanent marker (Sharpie) to label your drop bag with the following information:
Your Last Name, Your #, Location (as listed above)
Example: Baker, #1, Dry Creek
All drop bags will be returned to the finish line within an hour of the aid station closing.
A Headlamp: if you're running the 50 and you'll be over 12 hours finishing you need a headlamp.
Think about weather. The weather in GA at the end of September is awesome. Highs in the 70’s, low’s in the 60’s (but we’re not meteorologists so we could be wrong.)
Don’t…
Don’t put expensive stuff in there. These bags will be put into tubs in a car. We’ll honor and respect your stuff AND it’ll just be better for everyone if you don’t put nice or expensive stuff in it. Don’t put your car keys in there. Please. Don’t.
Your Bag Should:
Be brought to packet pickup!
Be picked up. We won’t mail drop bags left behind. That’d be a lot of postage.
Be returned to the start/finish area by 4p.m. Sunday afternoon.
Unclaimed drop bags will NOT be mailed back. Sorry friends.
Aid Station Grub
We believe in fueling our body with good food. This means MOST of the food at our stations will be real (but we might sneak in a little candy.) This looks like fruit, sweet potatoes and real broth.
We’ll also have plenty for our vegan or vegetarian friends. Think black bean burritos, pancakes and veggie broth.
HUMA has graciously sponsored us. Their gels are chia seed based with REAL fruit. Nothing artificial in these guys.
Tailwind has also generously given us its fantastic magical powder. It too is all-natural and many of us lovingly use it and our GI systems are super happy.
Race Morning
There’s NO packet pickup on race morning. If you can’t make it in the night before let us know and we’ll work something out. We don’t want you to stress so we’re willing to work with you (within reason).
Race morning check-in IS mandatory for all runners. If you’re riding the shuttle we’ll check you in as you get on.
"If the hill has its own name, then it's probably a pretty tough hill." Marty Stern
Course Markings
We’ll use lovely white flags with silver reflective tape to mark the course. You can also check yourself by looking for the GA Pinhoti Trail blaze of our infamous turkey foot on a white diamond. Markings will be both at eye level on trees or lower on the ground. It’ll be well marked. (Unlike the pictures…we’re way better at trail marking than website creating.)
Cut off times
Runner health and safety is our first priority. Sometimes that means helping you make the choice of living to fight another day. If you reach an aid station after the cut-off time you WON’T be allowed to continue
The cut-off times for 2019 are as follows:
100 Miler
Total Time: 32 Hours
Minimum Pace: 19min: 12 sec
50 Miler
Total Time: 17 Hours
Minimum Pace: 20min: 24 sec
35 Miler
Total Time: 12 Hours
Minimum Pace: 20min: 34 sec
18 Miler
Total Time: 6 Hours
Minimum Pace: 21min: 10 sec
Pacer Pals
We all need a running friend now and then. Especially when we’re running 50+ miles. So we love/encourage/support pacers for the 50 and 100-mile races.
Pacers are awesome and are ABSOLUTELY allowed to eat and get fluids from the aid stations!
Our lawyers say we gotta tell you the Jewel has no responsibility over the care of your pacer. But don’t worry. We’ll still high-five them with a butt slap for being an awesome friend.
Pacers can only meet their runners at the designated locations and each runner can only have one pacer at a time. Pacers can’t drop or enter at any other location than pacer designated aid stations. Pacers are NOT allowed for the 35 or 18 milers.
Crews
We love crew!!! How else could us crazies every finish an ultra?
It’s important to think about runner safety and crew safety for this adventure. Getting lost or missing a runner coming through an aid station are super big bummers (trust us, it’s happened to us a time or two.) We want everyone in and out safely which means without getting run over or blinded.
So PLEASE only have your crew help you at our designated aid stations. Encourage them to be aware of runners coming through and not to do anything, um, not smart, when driving around hauling your gear everywhere.
Remember, if you receive aid anywhere other than our designated crew points you’ll be disqualified. *Seriously...do NOT go up John's Mountain. It's tempting but super dangerous for our runners who are crossing the road on top.
Medical Information
Our medical policy is this: please…please…please…don’t get hurt.
If you do, we’ll have trained CPR, Heimlich maneuver, Herbalists and mental health professionals available on the course for the duration of the race. There will also be radio communication between the aid stations provided by volunteering amateur radio club members of both the Dalton and Calhoun clubs. We do have an emergency medicine professional on site at all times.
Volunteers
You guys, there’s no way we could have a kick-bootie race without volunteers, just like you couldn’t have a great race without your crew. The difference is your crew knows and loves you. Our volunteers might like you but they certainly don’t know you.
So be nice to them. We know you’ll probably come into a few aid stations feeling less than stellar. But let’s all agree to be kind (even if that just means saying thank-you and nothing else.) We know filters come off when we’re in the pain cave. However, as we tell our children, “you can feel frustrated, angry or hurt AND act with self-control and kindness.”
A few pointers for what TO say to volunteers:
“You guys are the best looking volunteers.”
“You really know how to make a runner feel swell.”
“Wow, thanks for bandaging my gnarly blisters.”
Things NOT to say (at least out loud):
“Last year they had xyz, why don’t you have that?”
(yelling) “I NEED COKE, CANDY AND NIP-GUARDS NOW.”
“Just give me that…I’ll do it.” As you rip your pack outta their hands.
Course
Last Words
Enjoy the gift. Run with a grateful heart and at some point remember we’re fortunate to live in a country where we’re running in the woods for fun, rather than running from mortar shells or civil war. Together, let’s be thankful for our health and the financial capital to enjoy such a wonderful adventure.
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
Jewish Apostle Paul, 67AD
