Well folks we are 1 week away from race day, and we can’t tell you how excited the race team is!!! This has been 2 years in the making, and we are looking forward to once again making our way through the beautiful Copeland forest. The team was out last weekend on the trails for some clean up, and we have to say they are looking great! For the most part it is dry, with exception of course the ski hill crossing at Aid Station 1- Tankers Canteen. If you have a chance and you’re wondering how they look, pop on our social media channels for a video of the visit last weekend.
Well it’s time for the pre-race email that details all the important information leading up to race day. Please take the time to read through all of the information and send any questions you may have ahead of time to the team! Please BEAR (ha ha ha see what I did) with us as there is a lot of information below.
COVID Policies- Let’s work together to keep everyone safe!
Masking
So, let’s just get this one out of the way off the hop. Pick Your Poison has an indoor venue at the start and finish line. This means that 325 sweaty, stinky runners and volunteers will be making their way indoors at some point and time. Despite the current provincial mandate related to masking, we are requiring all participants to be wearing a mask in the chalet. This can be either a mask or a buff. The only exception is if you are eating and drinking (more on that later). We will have masks on site, so don’t worry if you forget to bring one. We are doing this in order to keep runners, volunteers and Heights of Horseshoe staff as safe as we possibly can.
Hand Sanitizer
We will have hand sanitizer at the entrance of the chalet, and at each of the aid stations. We ask that you use the sanitizer when entering and exiting the building, and when entering and exiting the aid stations.
Physical distancing
We ask that participants practice social distancing in the ski chalet, and at the start corral. We have staggered the starts this year so that the ski chalet will not be as full at the start and finish of your race. This should allow for more then enough room to practice this.
Finally, we want to say that we know everyone is fatigued with covid and the restrictions that have been in place for 2 years. We appreciate your participation in this, as we all work together to keep everyone as safe as possible.
Race Kit Pickup
We will have early race kit pick up on Friday April 29th from 1-5pm. Unfortunately, the Heights is closed in the evening, so it will be offered during the daytime hours.
Kits can also be picked up on race day starting at 7am.
Parking
As you enter the venue you will be greeting by our friendly parking volunteers. Take some time to say hi, express your excitement and thanks, and then follow their directions. There is lots of parking at the venue, however as always carpooling is the more environmental choice and we always encourage that 😉
Race Start Times- Cut-off time for all distances is 5:00pm
50K : 8:00am
12.5K: 9:00am
25K: 10:00am
Drops and Injury - IMPORTANT!
If you make the challenging decision to drop out of the race, whether at the end of the loop or on the course. Please let the race team know. This is extremely important for safety reasons. We keep track of all the runners on course to ensure that they are safely back to the chalet. If we think you are still out on course we will head out to find you. Additionally we need to let the timers know. If you are dropping mid course, please make your way to the closest aid station. If you drop at Aid Station 2 (golf course), we will send a volunteer to drive you back to the start.
If you are injured on course and cannot make it to an aid station, please let a fellow runner know. They can make their way to the next aid station and let our volunteers know. We can then send our team out to assist you and get the support you need.
Trail Conditions
As of 2 weeks to race day the trails were in excellent condition. There is still some snow on the ski hill, so please exercise caution when crossing these sections. Due to some digging at the base of the ski hill before Aid Station 1, we will be diverting racers for safety reasons.
The race directors will be out on the course the day before the race and will update runners in a pre-race briefing on Saturday.
Course Marking
The course will be marked with pink flags pinned into the ground, and PYP signs at key turn points. DO NOT FOLLOW ANY ORANGE FLAGS. These flags belong to the mountain biking association and routes associated. We will have the course over-marked, every 200m or so, so if you do not see a flag for a while please turn back until you do.
There will also be red DO NOT ENTER tape across sections. As the tape says, do not enter.
Food
There will be a coffee station before the race for runners at the Heights.
In each of your race kits you will receive a meal ticket. This will be good for 1 individually bagged lunch post-race. You will need to have this ticket to receive your lunch so be sure not to lose it! Lunch includes a wrap, green salad, fruit, cookie and beverage. If you would like a vegan wrap or gluten free, please ask the venue and they will provide this for you.
Guests and family members can purchase a meal ticket as well from the Heights of Horseshoe staff.
Finisher Award and Prizing
Each finisher will receive a pair of PYP socks and a PYP pint glass. You must finish the race in order to receive these coveted prizes.
We are awarding 1st, 2nd, and 3rd male and female for each of the distances, and the final finisher for each distance will receive the esteemed Mountain Goat Award!
WHEW!!!! Well folks we think that is it. If there are any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at info@pickyourpoison.ca. We are so excited to see you all in a week and look forward to launching the 2022 trail racing season!