2015 Great Smoky Mountains Half Race Guide

RACE GUIDE

September 122015 ,

Great Smoky Mountains

HALF MARATHON WEEKEND WELCOME TO GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS AREA LOCATION OVERVIEW MAP . . . . . . . . . . . 4 EVENT SCHEDULE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Expo Info

Race Day Schedule

RACE INFORMATION

The Course . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Parking & Finish Line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Spectator Info . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Race Check List

Bib Info

Cup-Free Info . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Timing Specifics

Post Race Info . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

10

Photography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Race Demographics . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

14

AREA INFO

Townsend, TN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Great Smoky Mountain National Park . . . . . 16

Great Smoky Mountain Trifecta . . . . . . . . 19

Chimney Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

CONNECT ONLINE (SOCIAL MEDIA) . . . . . . . . . 22 EVENT SPONSORS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2

25

Welcome To

GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK! Welcome to Great Smoky Mountains National Park! We’re so excited you decided to run with us during our second Great Smoky Mountains Half.

It’s going to be a great race!

This national park has a unique background. In the early 1900s there was nothing in place to protect this area from cut-and-run style clearcutting, and some of the natural beauty was being lost. Though the National Park Service was looking to establish a national park in the eastern U.S., they could not afford it. Private citizens joined forces and funds (with significant help from John D. Rockefeller) to help establish the park and preserve it’s beauty. This park is truly by the people, for the people.

We hope you enjoy your time at Great Smoky Mountains National Park!

Happy exploring!

Salem, Dehn, Lyle, Cherie, Megan S, Robin, Megan W

3

3

4

5 6

LANDMARKS

1R ACE EXPO - Heritage Park 125 Townsend Park Rd, Townsend, TN

1

2

7

4 R ACE COURSE 5T HE ARTISTIC BEAN 8027 E Lamar Alexander Pkwy Townsend, TN 37882

2R ACE PARKING & FINISH LINE Visitor’s Center 7906 E Lamar Alexander Pkwy Townsend, TN

6D ANCING BEAR APPALACIAN BISTRO 7140 East Lamar Alexander Pkwy Townsend, TN 37882

3 R ACE DROP OFF & START LINE HERITAGE HIGH SCHOOL 3741 E Lamar Alexander Pkwy Maryville, TN

7G REAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS PARK ENTRANCE

4

EVENT SCHEDULE

September 11 -12,2015

FRIDAY 11 am

6 pm RACE EXPO & PACKET PICKUP

7 pm

Race Expo Packet pickup ENDS CLOSES*

RACE EXPO The expo will be held at the Heritage Park (125 Townsend Park Road, Townsend, TN). You can pick up your bib and gear as well as check out our awesome vendors. The expo will be small, but plan to stay a little while.

The expo will close and vendors will leave at 6:00pm but bibs will be available until 7:00 PM. though we don’t encourage it, we do allow bib pickup Saturday morning before the race. you can get your bib at the start line as early as 6:00am. please plan to pickup your bib no later than 7:00 am.

When you pick up your packet at the expo this year, we’re encouraging you to Bring Your Own Bag! To keep in line with our tradition of waste elimination and conservation of the land, we’re going completely bag-less at the expo this year! If you would like to purchase a reusable, foldable bag, we’ll have them available at our merch store.

PARKING

There will be plenty of parking on race day at the finish land at the Tally-ho Resort, but please get there early. There will be a drop-off area at the high school near the start line as well.*

SEE PAGE 8 FOR PARKING MAP

SATURDAY AM 5

6 5:20 Begin loading shuttles at finish line

7

6:00 Start line opens / last shuttle leaves 6:15 - 7:00 Prize raffle

(every 5 minutes)

7:30 RACE STARTS for all divisions 7:00 Last call for bib pickup

10:15 Awards Ceremony

7:15 Runners line up / Last call for gear check 7:25 National Anthem

5

10

7:16 AM SUNRISE

RACE INFORMATION

The Course

©mapmyrun.com

ELEVATION

START ELEV

893 FT

MAX ELEV

1156 FT

FT MILES

6

GAIN

727 FT

COURSE This race is an OPEN COURSE. There will be cars on the road as well as runners.

There are sections on main roads where traffic may be heavy. These spots on the course could get a little crowded. The course will be well marked but it is your responsibility to stay to the right when running with traffic and be courteous and mindful of cars and other runners. DO NOT step off the course into traffic, you will be disqualified. We want you to stay safe. Be courteous.

ELEVATION You can see the elevation map on the previous page. It looks a little scary, but downhill courses are for wimps, right?

Mile 5-9 will feel long as it is a steady climb.

If you aren’t used to the altitude be sure to stay hydrated. Drink lots of water the days leading up to the race to help.

CLOTHING ON COURSE We will have a clothing bin to dump items in at mile 3.

Anything else found along the course will be treated as trash.

Clothing dropped off at mile 3 won’t be picked up until the last runner has passed mile 3 - so you may have to wait for your clothing.

TIMING All masters and overall awards will be based on GUN TIME. If you plan to compete for these top spots you will need to line up at the front of the line. All age divisions and team awards will be based on CHIP TIME. If you are standing towards the back, it may be a few minutes before you cross the start line. Your time does not officially start until you cross the starting line (unless you are competing for an overall top finisher spot), so please be courteous to others as we start the race.

ABSOLUTELY NO LITTERING AID STATIONS We will have aid stations near miles 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, and 12. All aid stations will have bath-rooms, water + Nuun, and Honey Stinger energy gels. Mile 7 and 11 will also have oranges and bananas.

There will be basic first aid needs at each aid station, but the EMT will be at Mile 7.

TIME LIMIT All runners will have 3.5 hours to finish the race. That is a 16 minute mile - plenty of time for walkers! If at anytime we deem it unsafe and need to pull a runner off the course we would hope for understanding and immediate cooperation.

Failure to comply will result in being banned from future events. We will do our best to leave the finish line open to accommodate everyone.

If you will be walking, please start towards the back to avoid congestion at the start.

PACERS Pacers will line up at the start line around 7:15 am. There will be a pacer pacing the race in 10 minute intervals starting at a 1h40m pace up to 2h30m. We will also have a 2h45m, 3h, and 3h30m pacer. Please seat yourself near the time you expect to finish.

RECOVERY BOX At the finish line we will have a Recovery Box (full of recovery snacks), bananas, and chocolate milk, as well as water and Nuun hydration. Please help yourself to one box, chocolate milk, and banana per runner.

GEAR CHECK You will be given a Gear Check bag at the starting line if you wish. It will be a white garbage bag that you can fill with anything you want transported to the finish line. There will be permanent markers you can use to write your name and bib number.

In an attempt to reduce waste, we will provide a place to trade/leave any unwanted snack items.

Avoid putting valuables in your bag.

Gear check bags will be available at the finish line as soon as the first person finishes.

= 1 RUNNER

7

+ 1 BOX

+ 1 BANANA

1 MILK

PARKING & SHUTTLES We will have plenty of parking to accommodate all of our runners. There will be no parking at the start line. All parking will be at the finish line.

TALLEY HO INN - 8314 TN-73, TOWNSEND, TN

PARKING AREAS

Runners will be shuttled to the start line. Shuttles will load and leave from 5:20 - 6:00 am. There will be no shuttles after the race.

ENTRANCE ROUTE SHUTTLE PICK UP RUNNER DROP OFF

PARKING & FINISH STAGING

START DROP OFF

8

If you are dropping a runner off, please enter the parking area and drop your runner off in the designated drop-off area at the Heritage High School (3741 E Lamar Alexander Pkwy, Maryville, TN).

The runner drop-off is not for parking.

There is an event at the high school on race day and no cars are allowed to be parked there. To avoid any traffic jams from runners being dropped off, please drop-off your runner and then exit the parking area. The drop-off is for quick unloading only.

RACE DAY CHECK LIST PRE-RACE TRAIN Directions to hotel/campsite Directions to race expo Directions to race start/finish Photo ID Valid Military ID (if you registered with a Military Discount) Study the race course

RACE DAY Bib and timing chip Cup Free Hydration (Hydrapouch, hand held, water bottle, pack, etc.)

Running Shoes Socks Sunglasses Hat/Visor Recovery plan Enjoy the park!

BIB DETAILS Indicates if you are a Chimney Club Member

Indicates if you are Military

Your bib number

Your race shirt size

Team name (if applicable) Turn this in at the start line race morning. We will have a raffle from 6:15-7:00 am.

Indicates if you requested a Hydrapouch when registering.

SPECTATOR INFO

Because of the significant amount of road control, spectators are not allowed to stop along the highway at any point along the race. Spectators are welcome at the starting line, but the starting line will be closed to vehicles. You can drop-off runners at the high school parking lot but do not park and leave your car there, there is an event at the high school on race day and the parking lot will be closed.

Aside from the start and finish, we have a few recommendations where to cheer. The course runs along one side of the Little River and the highway runs on the other side. Anywhere there is a bridge you can pull off and walk to you can see your runners.

A couple of the main bridges can be found at: 1. Melrose Station Road and Old Walland Hwy (near Mile 2)

Spectators are encouraged to be at the finish line to cheer on all our runners. All spectators should park in designated parking at the finish line (Tally Ho Inn). If you are within walking distance of the finish line feel free to walk over.

2. E . Millers Cove Road and Old Walland hwy (near Mile 3) We want you to be there to cheer on your runner, but please recognize that the runner area is for runners only! Please do not enter the runner area or partake of runner’s food and recovery supplies.

9

CUP-FREE RACING Having our races so close to the National Parks, unnecessary waste and trash is something we are strongly against. We are dedicated to maintaining a clean race and preserving the beauty of the area we run in.

There is nothing that will ruin a view more than seeing a piece a trash in plain view from a breathtaking landscape.

One of the most important things in a half marathon is ensuring that aid stations are plentiful and efficient. Hydration will make or break a race. What we do is offer a Hydrapouch for every runner that indicated they wanted one as part of their registration.

Other options include running with a water bottle, fuel belt, camelbak or other hydration backpack, etc. Every runner prefers something different. Just make sure you have some way to stay hydrated!

There will be water at the finish line but no cups!

At some places, the water will be hooked up to a system like the one pictured on the left.

Each of these pipes will provide water from the several speed valves we have attached.

Feel free to practice at the expo!

The aid station will have a few cups in case of an emergency, do not plan on using them.

Also, under no circumstances should you put your head under the valve to get a drink.

Not only does this waste water, it is pretty inconsiderate of other runners.

Although we don’t have cups on the course, we have plenty of aid stations with water and Nuun! At all aid stations we will have BLUE COOLERS WITH WATER and RED COOLERS WITH NUUN (ELECTROLYTE DRINK). Both will have the same speed valves attached. So at each aid station you will have your choice of water or Nuun.

TIMING SPECIFICS

There will be water at the finish line, but no cups. Please use your Hydrapouch or water bottle to fill up at the finish line.

WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR SHOE CHIP

BEFORE THE RACE

• Please remove the chip from your shoe and drop it in one of the buckets. This will be self-serve.

Please do it as soon as you’ve got your legs and feel comfortable to do so (but before you leave the race and go back to your hotel!).

• You will receive your shoe chip with your bib.

• Follow the image by image instructions above and zip-tie the timing chip to your shoe on race morning.

• NO CHIP = NO TIME!

• All masters and overall awards will be based on gun time. If you plan to compete for these top spots you will need to line up at the front of the line. All age divisions and team awards will be based on chip time. If you are standing towards the back, it may be a few minutes before you cross the start line. Your time does not officially start until you cross the starting line (unless you are competing for an overall top finisher spot), so please be courteous to others as we start the race.

AFTER THE RACE

• All timing chips must be returned after the race.

• We will have buckets along with clippers to remove the timing chip from your shoe all over the finish area (near the food, before you leave the runners area, before you enter the parking lot, etc.)

10

POST RACE INFO The awards ceremony will take place at the stage just south of the finish line towards the mountains and will begin at 10:15 AM. See location map on page 8.

LOST & FOUND

Results will be available later the morning of the race. We will post them on Facebook and also send them in a post-race email the day or two after the race. They will also be available on our website.

MEDICAL TENT

• There is no official lost & found. If we find lost items we will hold onto them and you can contact us at info@vacationraces.com

• There will be gear check at the start line.

If you checked gear at the start of the race, you • There will be a bin to dump extra clothing will be able to pick it up just past the finish at mile 3. Anything found littered on the line in the runner area. course elsewhere will be considered trash and either thrown away or donated.

RACE RESULTS

The medical tent at the finish line is for athletes only; family members are not allowed. Overcrowding in the medical tent prevents medical staff from doing their job.

For information on an athlete receiving medical attention please wait outside the tent for updates.

MEDALS

All runners will receive a finisher medal. Place medals will be given to the top 5 male and female runners overall as well as the Masters 40+ group. Additionally, the top 5 in each age group and the top 3 teams will also receive a place medal.

POST-RACE SURVEY

Within a week of race day we will be sending out a post-race survey. We would really appreciate it if you took the 5-10 minutes to complete the survey for us. The survey provides us with information that allows us to better work with the local community and gain more support for future races, but more importantly it provides us with valuable insight into what we are doing well and what we need to improve. We love our runners and couldn’t improve our race series without your feedback. Please watch for the email.

If you qualify for a place medal but are not present at the awards ceremony to receive it we will happily ship it to you. Go to our website and request your medal and pay the cost of shipping (about $8).

“A man on foot will see more, feel more, enjoy more in one mile than the motorized tourists can in a hundred miles”

11

RACE PHOTOGRAPHY FROM LUCID IMAGES

FREE PHOTO

Lucid Images will be taking photos at the start line, on the course, and at the finish line. They will be at the expo so be sure to stop by and say hello!

I n addition to photos of runners on the course and crossing the finish line, Lucid Images will have a designated area near the awards ceremony stage where runners can pose for a finisher photo. This photo will be made available FOR FREE to runners!

To be sure you can find your picture later, wear your bib with the numbers clearly visible at all times. If the photographers cannot identify you by your bib then your photo will end up in an “unidentified runner� folder on their website.

PHOTOS ON COURSE

Photos are usually available on Lucid Images website the Wednesday or Thursday following the race. We will send out an email to notify all runners and post it on Facebook

As a heads up to runners, there will be signs on the course to let runners know they are coming up on photographers. Ya know, just in case you wanted to freshen up your makeup or pick up the pace or otherwise pose for the photo :)

12

SO LD A & F T RAC INI SH E EXP LIN O E

RUNNER DEMOGRAPHICS Whos Coming?

38 3 COUNTRIES

STATES

USA | CANADA | UK

28

TEAMS #5KC | #REFIT | Blackberry Fit | CHAFING THE DREAM | Day Drinkers | Family Connection | Glass City Crossfit | Headless Chickens | Hit the Ground Running | Just Doin’ It | Knoxville Moms Run This Town | Latin Crossfiters | Lucy & Olive’s Rainbow Dash Runners | Maryville Helllbenders | Naptown Runners | Old Soles | Pick Six | Road Warriors | Rocky Top Runners | RUN365 | S.W.A.T.T. (Sprinters, Walkers and Trash Talkers) | Team Atteberry | Team Really | Twisted Blisters | Varsity Sports | We Got the Beep | What Were We Thinking? Call Uber! | Wilmington Ohio Runners

AGE DIVISIONS MALE <11 3

12-14 15-19 20-24 25-29 30-34 35-39 40-44 45-49 50-54 55-59 60-64 65-69 70-74 75< 7 9 14 45 55 59 74 83 56 46 19 11 1 1

<11 -

12-14 15-19 20-24 25-29 30-34 35-39 40-44 45-49 50-54 55-59 60-64 65-69 70-74 75< 1 6 47 94 142 173 128 132 95 60 32 8 -

FEMALE

COURSE RECORDS Our course record holders receive a FREE RACE ENTRY every year that their time remains the course record!

Our course records were set at our inaugural race in 2014 by Tim Dake and Varinka Ensminger (men and women respectively).

Tim Dake CINCINNATI, OH

1:25:40 Varinka Ensminger LEXINGTON, KY

1:39:20 14

AREA INFORMATION

Townsend,Tenessee

RESTAURANT RECOMMANDATIONS These are some of the best spots to eat while you’re in the area. Expect these places to be busy, so try to plan accordingly (call ahead and check availability and wait times) and maybe have a backup plan in case they’re full.

THE ARTISTIC BEAN

DANCING BEAR APPALACHIAN BISTRO

Our Coffee House is located in the same facility as our roaster, which ensures the freshest coffee for you to enjoy.

The Baristas are passionate about their job and with our all natural organic ingredients you can be assured you’re in good hands.”

We offer a refined assortment of regionally inspired dishes — all served among elegant surroundings and calming wooded vistas.”

“We don’t take any short cuts to serve you the best coffee you’ve ever had. We start literally from the ground up by roasting our coffee in small batches to ensure consistency and unparalleled flavor.

“We know that great food begins with fresh, quality sourced ingredients. On our menu, you’ll find dishes that are familiar and steeped in tradition yet enhanced with bold new dashes of flavor and component combinations that may surprise and delight you.

7140 East Lamar Alexander Pkwy Townsend, Tennessee 37882 (800) 369-0111 • dancingbearlodge.com

8027 E Lamar Alexander Pkwy Townsend, TN 37882 (865) 336-2972 • theartisticbean.com

Runners receive 10% discount

Runners receive 10% discount

15

SEE PAGE 4 FOR MAP

PARK INFORMATION

Smoky Mountains National Park

2

1 3

16

The park is one of the few national parks where no entrance fees are charged.

Fees are charged for activities such as overnight camping ($14-23 per night) and pavilion rental at picnic areas.

4

PLACES OF INTEREST 1 CADES COVE

2 LAUREL FALLS

3 CLINGMANS DOME

4 CHIMNEY TOPS TRAIL

Great Smoky Mountains National Park CLUBS & TRIFECTA POINTS CHALLENGES FOR THE ELITE AMONG US

Chimney Club Great Smoky Mountains Trifecta To encourage our runners to get our and enjoy the park, we have race hikes and a Trifecta challenge. Our club hikes are a salute to the hardcore among us. We want to reward anyone who completes a designated club hike after the race.

All runners that complete the Chimney Club will receive 50% OFF next yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s race entry, and completing the Trifecta grants 20% off next yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s entry.

Any runner who sends us a picture of themselves at the summit of the Chimney Tops Trail within 72 hours of the end of the race which includes: 1) A clear view of your face 2) Your bib with bib numbers clearly visible 3) Your finisher medal in plain view The same rules apply for the Trifecta (one picture for each of the three activities).

Following the 2015 Great Smokey Mountains Half Marathon, we will post a link to the website where runners can send us their photos and names. Good luck!

18

Smoky Mountains TRIFECTA

The GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS TRIFECTA is comprised of 3 different activities. You must complete all 3 in order to complete the Trifecta. Same rules as the Club Hikes apply: take your picture at each of the 3 with your bib and finisher medal and send them to us 72 hours after finishing the race. The Trifecta is meant to be challenging, but less strenuous. These are iconic activities inside the park that should be experienced, but are doable with children. The 3 activities that makeup the Trifecta are:

COVE 1 CADES Cades Cove is a broad, verdant valley

FALLS 2 LAUREL Laurel Falls is another popular destination

surrounded by mountains and is one of the most popular destinations in the Great Smokies. It offers some of the best opportunities for wildlife viewing in the park. An 11-mile, one-way loop road circles the cove, offering motorists the opportunity to sightsee at a leisurely pace. Allow at least two to four hours to tour Cades Cove, longer if you walk some of the areaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trails.

in the park and parking at the trailhead is limited. The area is especially busy on weekends. From Sugarlands Visitor Center, turn toward Cades Cove on Little River Road and drive 3.5 miles to the trailhead where there are parking areas on both sides of the road. The roundtrip distance to the waterfall is 2.6 miles and takes about 2 hours on a paved (but uneven) trail.

DOME 3 CLINGMANâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S At 6,643 feet, Clingmans Dome is the highest point in the Great Smoky Mountains

National Park. It is the highest point in Tennessee, and the third highest mountain east of the Mississippi. Turn off Newfound Gap Road 0.1 mile south of Newfound Gap and follow the 7-mile-long Clingmans Dome Road to the large parking area at the end.

Following the 2015 Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon, we will post a link to the website where runners can send us their photos and names. Good luck!

CLUB SUBMISSION FORM

www.thegreatsmokymountainshalf.com/club

19

GSM TRIFECTA SUBMISSION FORM

www.thegreatsmokymountainshalf.com/trifecta

Chimney Club Chimney Tops Trail is one of the most popular hikes along Newfound Gap Road. The trail owes much of its popularity to its relatively short length, and its outstanding panoramic views from the pinnacles. Its length, less than 2 miles, however, makes for a very steep hike - so much so that many hikers don’t even reach the top. The first half of the trail is relatively tame. However, to reach the summit, hikers have to climb more than 960 feet over the course of the last mile! The trail passes several beautiful cascading streams.

After the 2 mile hike, the last scramble to the summit can be a little challenging. Be careful and don’t attempt to hike in wet conditions, the rocks can become very slippery.

Please note the trail is CLOSED MONDAY-THURSDAY. You can read a detailed hike description below: “These hikes are challenging and can be dangerous. Please take the hike seriously, and do not act irresponsibly if you decide to attempt the hike. It is not intended to be accessible to everyone. Bring lots of water and make necessary preparations. Weather can be unpredictable.”

SUBMISSION FORM All runners that join the Chimney Club will receive 50% OFF next year’s race entry!

After the race there will be a submission form online where you can upload your photo(s) and send them to us. We have a hard cutoff of 72 hours! If you don’t get it to us before Tuesday at 11 AM (MDT) then we will only give you a virtual hifive.

This picture is from our Angels Club from the Zion Half and is an example of what yours should look like (for both the Club AND the Trifecta).

20

SEE MAP ON PAGE 15 FOR OVERALL PARK LOCATION

CHIMNEY TOPS TRAIL Difficulty: Moderate

Total Mileage: 3.8 mi round-trip Type of Hike: Out and back Elevation Gain: 1,487 ft.

Trailhead Elevation = 3,475 ft.

Lake Elevation = 4,814 ft.

Parking Lot Coordinates Latitude: N35 38.125 Longitude: -W83 28.189

You didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t come all this way...

Just to run a race, did you?

CLUB SUBMISSION FORM www.thegreatsmokymountainshalf.com/club

GSM TRIFECTA SUBMISSION FORM www.thegreatsmokymountainshalf.com/trifecta

21

CONNECT ONLINE @VACATIONRACES

#GSMHALF

We will be making a slideshow video using all the pictures YOU post! Be sure to follow us and use the official race hash tag #rmhalf. We will be giving out prizes from our store (t-shirts and other merchandise) to the best photos featuring:

PHOTO CONTEST • Pictures Of The Course • Race Prep • Race Recovery • Enjoying The Park • And Much More!

PRIVACY SETTINGS - If your privacy settings restrict who can see your posts, then we will be unable to see them, even if you use the race hash tag. If we can’t see the posts then they will not be considered for prizes or included in post race celebrations. If your settings restrict who can see them, it is likely a deliberate choice and we completely understand and respect that. Just FYI.

22

MEET THE VR TEAM SALEM STANLEY Founder

Salem Stanley is the President and Founder of Vacation Races. He loves the personal growth that comes from athletics and physical challenges. He also is in love with National Parks. He received a BA in Business from Southern Virginia University where he was an All-American track athlete. He recently graduated with an MBA from BYU.

DEHN CRAIG Customer Experience - Marketing

Dehn ran track in high school and was the high school hurdle coach while still a student. After working in video production and getting an Engineering degree followed by an MBA (where he and Salem met), Dehn has finally found a home as our Marketing and Creative Director. He loves exploring the national parks with his beautiful wife and four Junior Rangers.

LYLE ANDERSON Race Operations

Lyle was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis on his 30th birthday and was told that in 5 to 10 years he could be in a wheelchair. Lyle, now 37, has ran 9 Marathons, about 43 – 1/2 Marathons and has completed 8 – 1/2 Iron Man distance races and 2 – full distance Iron Man events. One of them being the Iron Man World Championship in 2013 in Kona, HI.

CHERIE SANTIAGO Customer Service

Cherie may live in Southern Utah but her soul still lives in Southern California where she grew up surfing and sailing in the sun. She can be spotted running or biking around the trails or biking through Zion National Park to find more trails to run on. Cherie has been working with us on our race crew since our inaugural run in Zion. You can’t spell customer service with out CS!

MEGAN WHEELER Sponsorship and Expo

Megan began swimming at the age of 5. At the age of 16, Megan’s swimming career was cut short just before she attended Olympic Trials. Megan went on to swim at University of Southern California for two years before transferring to Eastern Washington University and graduating with a degree in Recreation Management. Even after Megan’s fourth shoulder surgery her passion for athletics has only grown, and she still enjoys a number of challenging activities including running, triathlons, and exploring the outdoors around the world.

MEGAN STANLEY Merchandise

Megan has been running since middle school and ran track and cross country in high school and college. She studied Physical Education and Recreation Administration at SVU and went on to coach high school cross country and track. She loves the outdoors and staying active with her family.

ROBIN RODGERS Communications

Robin is an Army Brat who graduated from BYU with a degree in Communications. She’s a recreational runner and a recent fan of half-marathons.

24

There are parks everyone should see some day, and a few you could stop by this a ernoon.

The National Park Service protects our most treasured places, from Arches National Park to National Historic Landmarks, like the Brooklyn Bridge. The parks are so many things.

findyourpark.com

WHO WE ARE Located in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, Honey Stinger makes nutritious and great tasting honey-based foods including energy bars, protein bars, energy gels, organic waffles, organic chews, kids specific snacks and our very own Organic Wildflower Honey.

NATURE’S ENERGY SOURCE • Honey is rich in carbohydrates, making it ideal fuel for working muscles.

• When eaten before activity, it is released into the system at a steady rate throughout the activity.

• Helps muscles stay nourished longer, and delays muscle fatigue.

• Research shows ingesting a combination of carbohydrates and protein immediately following exercise refuels and decreases muscle soreness.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION Providing 17 grams of carbohydrates and 64 calories per tablespoon, honey is a natural sweetener without any added ingredients.

#stayhydrated BEYOND RACE DAY WITH NUUN. Save 20% with code: vacationraces at shop.nuun.com.

Promo code valid at shop.nuun.com through 12/31/15.

Some items cannot be discounted.

SHOP LOCAL

Jax Outdoor Gear: Loveland | Lafayette | Fort Collins

Great Smoky Mountains HALF MARATHON SEPTEMBER 12, 2015

www.greatsmokymountainshalfmarathon.com #gsmhalf