Steamboat Springs Running Series

2008 USA Trail Championships
June 29, 2008
12km Men, 8km Women and Juniors

$5,000 Purse

The first 300 entrants to sign up will receive Smartwool Running Tee, retail value of $60, (courtesy of Smartwool Corporation).

Open to USATF and non-USATF members.

A $5,000 purse will be offered to the overall winners, USATF members & USA citizens only.
USA Championship Awards, USATF members & USA citizens only.
Race age group awards, for ALL runners (USATF members, non-USATF members, USA citizens and non-citizens)
Additional gear give away, all runners (USATF and non-USATF members) eligible, including certificates for 30 free pairs of Vasque trail running shoes.
The first 300 entrants (USATF and non-USATF members) to sign up will receive a Smartwool Running Tee, retail value of $60, (courtesy of Smartwool Corporation).
Free lodging at the Sheraton Hotel for prior year's 2007 Trail Championship male and female winners and up to three 2007 World Team members, first come first serve. Must be registered in USATF event to qualify. Inquiries should contact the race director at info@runningseries.com
Post race brunch hosted by Qdoba.
Post race Blue Grass music by Ragweed.
This event further enhances our community's commitment to providing quality and fun running events. Our running series hosted 4,500 runners at its 14 events last year and with this new event.
Your Hosts:
- Race Director - Shannon Carlin, boo_wag@yahoo.com
- Assistant Race Director - Adam Feerst

Race Info

The course is a 4km (approx.) loop.
- Senior women, junior men and junior women and will run two loops (approx. 8km).
- Senior men will run three loops (approx 12km).
All races will start concurrently, at 8:30 a.m.
Awards will start at approximately 10:30 a.m.

View Photos From Last Year's Race

Course Description

The course is a 4km (approx.) loop, with 805' (approx.) of climbing per loop.

Senior women, junior men and junior women and will run two loops (approx. 8km).
Senior men will run three loops (approx 12km).
All races will start concurrently, at 8:30 a.m.

The letters and descriptions below correspond to the letters on the map. On the map, the letter marks the end of the section being described below:

The course starts at the NW corner of the rodeo ground, at 6,705'. There's ~250m straight, flat sprint, starting wide, and gradually narrowing to the bottome of the big hill.
The first part of the hill is up a steep service road. The second part is up an even steeper ski run. Overall, the climb is ~420' in just over 1/4mi. This takes you to the top of Howelson Hill, the ski lift and ski jump.
After cresting the hill, start down the ridge. Take a right down a very short, steep single-track. Take another right down a gradual descent on a dirt road. Take a sharp left and head up a single-track, climbing ~130' in a little over 1/4mi.
At the top of the trail, take a sharp left and head down a dirt road. Then take a right down a very short and very steep hill. Here the trail meets runners coming down at the end of this section. Take a quick right at the bottom of the hill, and head up a gradual climb, on a wide, smooth path. Here you reach the highest point on the course, 7,230'. There, take a sharp left down the Lupine trail. This is a moderate descent, on a narrow single-track, with some tight turns.
At the bottom of the Lupine trail, go right down a short, steep, straight trail. Go right and continue down a couple of steep switchbacks. Continue down a service road.
Go left up a ski run, climbing ~90’ in ~150 yards. Go steeply back down the ski run. Go back down the dirt road a short way. Go right, up a short hill. Then go left on a single-track, down a moderate descent.
The last short section of the single-track drops very steeply back to the dirt road. The road drops steeply towards the rodeo grounds.
Just above the rodeo grounds, take a series of switchbacks, with some moderate downs and ups. There's a short steep drop to the horse track. Then, run down the dirt track to the finish, or next lap. To head out on the next lap, continue past the finish on the dirt track, then go left to the bottom of the steep climb, again.

View Course Map

Rules

Your race number must be visible, on the front of your top or bottom.
Runners being lapped are asked to yield to the faster runners coming from behind. Course marshals will try to alert slower runners when the leaders are approaching. Communication between runners is the key to avoiding conflicts. Faster runners should alert slower runners that they are coming by saying, "On your left" - in general, passing should be done on the left, although faster runners may take advantage of available openings, and call out which side they are going to use. Then, runners being lapped should move to the far right side of the trail, or step just off the trail if necessary.
Stay on the trail. No cutting switchbacks or other shortcuts. You may only go off the designated trail when passing or being passed, but must immediately return to the trail once the pass in completed.
No littering. Gel wrappers, cups, etc., may be dropped at the aid stations - one on the upper part of the course, and one near the finish.
No headphones.
No external aid on the course. You may only take aid from the aid stations.
No pacing, on foot or bike, by non-participants.
No pets.

Spectator Viewing

You are able to see the big initial climb, and much of the lower part of the descent, from near the base of the big climb.
You can see much of the upper parts of the course from along the ridge between the top of Howelson Hill and the bottom of the Lupine trail. To get there you can:
- Hike up along the course before the start of the race.
- Mountain bike by riding more gradual trails around the north and west sides of Howelson Hill. Directions will be given later.
- The ski lift may be operating during the race for spectators.
There is seating at the rodeo grounds with views of the start and finish.

Prize Money/Awards

USATF Championship Awards
Open to USATF members and US citizens only

$5,000 in prize money, divided equally to men and women:
- $900 for first
- $700 for second
- $400 for third
- $200 for fourth
- $150 for fifth
- $100 for sixth
- $50 for seventh
Medals for the top 10 overall, male and female.
Medals for the top 3 Juniors (under 20), male and female.
Medals for the top 3 in 5 yr age groups, male and female, starting at 40-44.

Age Group Awards
Open to all, USATF and non-USATF

Top 3 in each age group, male and female. Prizes include shoes and other gear. Age groups as follows:

Under 20
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60+

Registration & Packet Pick-Up

$25 in advance.
- Online at until June 21st
- Via mail application, by June 20th.
  - Applications available at most Colorado running stores.
  - Download Registration Form (PDF format)
$35 after that date including day of registration. In person registration available on:
- Saturday, June 28th, noon - 6:00 p.m., at the Ski Haus sport store, 1457 Pine Grove Road, just off Hwy 40, on your way into town.
- Limited race day registrations may be available beginning at 7:00 a.m. at the start area.
Bib/SmartWool Shirt/Packet pick up will be on Saturday, June 28th, noon - 6:00 p.m., at the Ski Haus sport store, and on race morning, beginning at 7:00 a.m., at the race start.

Travel & Hotel Accommodations

Travel and Hotel Accommodations:
The Steamboat Sheraton has been selected as the event's lodging site and race headquarters. Special rates will be provided to entrants upon calling the hotel at
Reservations Phone: 970-879-2220 Reservation E-mail: reservations.Steamboat@sheraton.com
ASK FOR THE USA TRAIL CHAMPIONSHIPS DISCOUNTED RATE

All USATF Event Athletes

U.S. Citizenship: Only U.S. citizens are eligible to score in this USA Championship. Members of USATF who are not U.S. citizens may participate in the non-championship division of the event.
USATF Membership: All athletes must be 2008 members of USATF in good standing. USATF memberships may be purchased online, through your local Association Office, or by calling the USATF National Office at 317-713-4665.
Entry Standards: There are no performance standards to participate.
Club affiliation: Athletes must be bona fide members of a 2008 USATF club in order to represent a club and score team points. All athletes entering as part of a club must be affiliated with that club as part of their USATF membership (an athlete's current affiliation can be viewed in his/her membership profile and as part of the online entry process). Athletes wishing to change affiliations can make such a request through their local Association (note that this request must be made by the athlete--see Regulation 7 in the USATF Governance Manual, Section III).
Ages: Female athletes must be 14 years or older on the day of competition. Male athletes must be 16 years or older on the day of competition.