The trail is in good condition, bare in some areas and up to an inch of light dry snow in other places. It is snowing lightly this evening so by morning the trail markings will probably be obscured.
Aid stations are set up at 4.4 and 6.55 miles. All runners turn left up a short hill 1/3 mile past the first aid station. Marathoners turn around at the second aid station at 6.55 miles. 50K runners continue another 1 1/4 miles to their turnaround, about 1/10 of a mile past a stone underpass; if you reach a paved road, you've gone 0.2 miles too far.
Aid stations have water and gatorade and an assortment of bars, but no gels. We'll have soup, hot chocolate, yams and brownies at the finish.
You may start whenever you like. Please mark your approximate starting time on the timing sheet in a plastic bag at the start. I'll see you on the trail and again at the finish.
Brian
Update Feb 01, 2011
Registration is now open for the second Yours Truly 50K and Marathon on the same course on Feb 27, 2011, the second Yours Truly date. Arrangements will be the same as for Jan 30 - a couple of self-service aid stations, you time your own run, I post the results. We might have lunch at the finish again too.
If you registered for the Jan 30 race you'll still need to add a login and password when you register for the 2/27 race; I apologize for that inconvenience.
Update Jan 26, 2011
I'll be hosting a second Yours Truly 50K and Marathon on the same course on Feb 27, 2011, the second Yours Truly date. Registration will open for the Feb 27 race after this weekend. Arrangements will be the same as for Jan 30 - a couple of self-service aid stations, you time your own run, I post the results.
A note on food - unfortunately I won't be serving chili after the race. I just started a new job this week and have had to focus on which end is up, so won't have time to make chili. I do plan to start serving hot chocolate and snacks once I finish the marathon, which should be around 12:30 unless I can find someone (perhaps even my wife) to show up earlier and do that in my place.
A couple of people have inquired about an early start. In keeping with the world wide Yours Truly event, you are welcome to start whenever you'd like. I'll have aid stations set up around 7:30AM the course marked (just the turns, of which there are not many), so you should have no problems on that account. Whenever you start, you'll want to be sure and get your name and time on the sign-up sheet at the start/finish so that I can include you in the results.
General Info
The Yours Truly 50K 2011 is the nineteenth running of a world-wide 50K race of which the Cedar River Yours Truly 50K is merely one local instance. The Cedar River race is free, and includes a marathon option, but registration is required because the race is limited to about 30 runners. Click here to register for the Feb 27 race if you are planning to run. If you have already registered but will not be able to run, please click here to delete your registration, or here to notify the Race Director that you won't be able to make it.
For 2011 our local races will start at 8:00AM on Sunday, January 30 and Sunday February 27 at the Landsberg trailhead of the Cedar River Trail for a double out-and-back on the Cedar River and Lake Wilderness trails. We'll measure and mark the course, provide some limited aid and food and some slowish company. You can start earlier or later but we probably won't mark the course until race morning.
You are responsible for keeping track of your own race time and reporting it to us at the finish. If we don't manage to record your finishing time at the finish line, please send us your finishing time so we can include you on the results page on this site.
Although you may sign up at the start on race morning if the race has not already filled, advance registration is recommended to secure your spot and so we know how much stuff to bring. We'll supply Gatorade, pb&j sandwiches and some bars at the start (mp 0/15) and the turnaround (mp 8/23). Bring your own bottles because there won't be any cups. We also won't have any gels on the course, so you'll want to bring your own if you use them. At the finish we'll have some snacks and perhaps more - I'll update the information as the date draws near.
Directions
The start
is where 276th Ave SE crosses the Cedar River about 12 miles south of Issaquah. From I-90
take Front Street, which becomes Issaquah-Hobart road, which becomes 276th Ave SE. From I-405 in
Renton take the SE Maple Valley highway (Hwy 169) SE about 10 miles, then turn L at a light onto SE
216th Way (a short distance past where you go under Highway 18). Bear right onto SE 216th St after
a half mile then go 2.5 miles and turn right on 276th Ave SE. Go 2.2 miles and park on either the
right or the left just before the bridge over the Cedar River. The Start is on the right (downstream)
side of the road. There's room for about 30 cars in the parking area. There's a porta-potty across
the street from the start but elsewhere along the course the woods will have to suffice.
Here's a map and directions from
Renton.
Course
Here's a map of the
course.
From Landsberg follow the Cedar River trail 4.7 miles (crossing three bridges over the Cedar River)
then turn sharp left onto the Green to Cedar Rivers trail (aka Lake Wilderness trail). If the trail
changes from gravel to pavement you missed the sharp left turn. Run up the Green to Cedar Rivers
trail 3.1 miles (passing through two short tunnels and under two underpasses) to the aid station and
turnaround about 0.1 mile past the second smaller, underpass. If you reach a major road crossing
you've gone a little too far. From the turnaround return via the same route to Landsberg to
complete 25K. Repeat for 50K. The marathon is on the same course but the turnaround is only about
1.8 miles up the Green to Cedar Rivers trail. The turn at 4.7 miles and the turnarounds will be
marked with flour arrows and signs.
Both trails are old railroad rights-of-way with a hard-packed pea gravel surface. In January 2009 the
trail was quite icy but that was unusual; normally the surface is dry or just damp with a few small
puddles, but no mud. Elevation gain/loss per loop is a very gradual 300'. The route is quite
scenic, mostly through woods along the Cedar River and Lake Wilderness. In good weather it is a
popular walking, cycling and dog-walking route though not so much when it's 38 and raining. The
trail is well above the Cedar River at all points so recent flooding should not have any impact.
Participants in the Cedar River Yours Truly 50K assume all risks associated with participating in this event, including but not limited to personal injury, damage to property, getting cold and wet and stepping in dog doo. This invitation to join us in running the race does not constitute any sort of legal promise of support or assistance during the event itself.