"A mind troubled by doubt cannot focus on the course to victory."
---Arthur Golden
Registration will be at Ultrasignup.com.
You may also use out printable registration form and mail your entry to:
David Tosch - Birmingham Stage Race4697 Bridgewater RdBirmingham, AL 35243Please make checks payable to: Southeastern Trail Runs.Runners not able to enter all three stages may enter a shorter version of the three day race to be held on Saturday and Sunday. The race will be run concurrently with the 3 day event and runners will receive shirts and winner awards will be given.
Area Hotels: The hotels on the link are convenient to Mountain High Outfitters and centrally located to all race locations. Link to Hotels. Camping is available at Oak Mountain State Park. Use the link below.
Runners my register for one stage at a reduced price but will not receive a race shirt and are not eligible for awards.
Race Schedule:
Package pickup and late registration will be Thursday, September 26th at the Mountain High Outfitters located in Cahaba Village on Hwy 280, next to Whole Foods. 2800 Cahaba Village Plaza, Suite 250, Birmingham, AL 35243. Here is a map to the Cahaba Village Store.
Runners may also pickup their race packets between 6:30 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. Friday morning at the starting area South of Ruffner Mountain in the Irondale Baseball Fields on Ruffner Rd. If you arrive later than 7:30 you will not be able to get your race packet until after the start. You will not be allowed to start without you run number so you may loose as much as 15 minutes. Don't be Late! (All times are CST)
There will be no race day registration.
Aid Stations: This race is set up much like a longer ultra (50 to 100 miles.) In long ultra races aid stations are as much as 13 miles apart and can take 3 hours or even 4 hours for slower runners to reach the next aid station. The average distance between aid stations in the stage race is 6 and 7 miles. You must carry water with you at all times. Some runners will take as long as 2 hours to get from one aid station to the next. For many of you, one 16 oz hand held bottle will NOT be enough. I suggest two hand held bottles or a hydration pack or belt with two bottles.
Trail Marking: Trails will be marked with a combination of flagging, yard flags and white painted arrows on the ground. The majority of marking will be strips of blue flagging tied to tree limbs over or along the side of trails. At all intersections we will use yard flags to mark the turn and flagging along the trail leading away from the intersection. If you go through an intersection and do not see blue flagging in front of you, you went the wrong way. Go back. Critical turns will have white arrows sprayed on the ground as well. We will also have arrow signs at critical turns. You will not get off course if you pay attention.
When the course changes from one trail to another, there will be several "confidence" flagging markers in the first 100 yards or so and visible from the trail intersection. Trails that are very clear will have one flag every 200 to 400 yards. There will never be more than 400 yards without flagging and usually it will be much less.
Race Stages:
Stage 1, Ruffner Mountain: Friday, September 27th. at the Ruffner Mountain Nature Center on 81st. Street South. The directions are from the intersection of I-459 and I-65. The race will begin at 8:00 AM and the first stage will be 16 miles. Two laps of the 8 mile course. This stage is very difficult, despite the small size of the Mountain. The trails are rugged and very rocky.
Stage 2, Red Mountain: Saturday, September 28th. at Red Mountain Park. The parking area adjacent to the Start/Finish. The directions are from the intersection of I-459 and I-65. The race will start at 8:00 AM at the Visitor's center at 277 Lyon Lane, Birmingham, Alabama 35211. The second stage will be two laps of the 7.5 mile course for a total of 15 miles. Red Mountain is very nice course with gentle hills and very runnable trails. Virtually no technical terrain.
Stage 3, Oak Mountain State Park, Sunday, September 29th. at Oak Mountain State Park, Starting area at the Redbud Pavilion. The directions are from the intersection of I-65 and I459. The race will start at 8:00 AM at the Tranquility Road park area near the BMX track, below the spillway of Tranquility Lake. The final stage will be about 20 miles.
