Event Sponsors:

The Hoot - Winter Trail Series

(Blended-Virtual)

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Our Winter Trail Series consists of 5 separate races on unique marked courses.  Participants can earn points by completing each race.  There's an option to sign up for single races at $15 each or all 5 for $65, so the more races you sign up for, the more points you can earn.  Register for all 5 and save $10.  Each race will include virtual bibs for each participant, draw prizes and awards for top male and female.  

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In addition to the individual race awards and draw prizes, at the end of the series, awards will be issued to the top male and female based on most accumulated points, in the following categories:

-Open (<40) 

-Master (40+) 

-Grand Master (50+) 

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Should access to the trails be restricted due to heightened COVID-19 restrictions, we will extend the race period to accommodate for the races to be completed. Race entries are non-refundable.

 

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Races: (click on each race to preview the course)​​

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1. Friday, Jan. 15th to Monday, Jan. 17th: Start at Cascades Park - 5.7Km*

   • Course summary:  The route is a clockwise loop and will start on the yellow trail and take a left left at the first side trail opening (to get on the Orange trail).  We follow this Orange trail until the intersection of Red/Yellow/Orange.  Here, we keep going straight to get on the red trail and follow that, passing a sign that tells you that you're leaving Cascades Conservation Area.  Keep following this single-track trail until it comes to the opening of the Adventure trail intersection.  At this intersection, you'll go right and run towards the next intersection marked by flags and food colouring (there will be a tree with ornaments on it with a sign that reads "Cascades" on a tree trunk behind it).  Once you're on that trail, just stay on the main trail until you get to the next opening.  At that intersection, you'll turn left to follow the blue markings on the trail which takes you right to the main parking lot.  The end, along with the start and other turns on the trail, will be marked by flags and food colouring in the snow.

2. Friday, Jan. 22nd to Monday, Jan 25th: Start at George Burke Park - 6.4Km*

   • Course summary: The route follows paved trails and off road trails in the George Burke Parke area. You will start at the red post by the fence of the main parking lot off of the Balmoral entrance.  You will then follow the paved trail all the way to the end near Golf Links Rd.   At this junction, take a left and cross the bridge.  Immediately after crossing the bridge, you'll see an open field area to your left with a trail running through it.  Take a left to get on this trail and continue following the pathway until you're directed by either flags or green food colouring arrows in the snow.  The trail will lead runners to an open field area where a pond/ice pad is located.  Follow the arrows and run the loop around the perimeter of the pond, clockwise.  You'll then follow the trail back.  For most of the way back, you'll cover the same trail as you did going out, except for one area that's marked by flags and green arrow markers.  Be cautious on the technical trail as it can be icy around the tight turns.  This area is also used by dog walkers, most of which keep their dogs on a trail, but not all.  Please be mindful of these folks and alert them with a friendly hello as you approach them.  The end of this course is the same as your start location.  

3. Friday, Jan 29th to Monday, Feb. 1st: Start at Trowbridge - 8.8Km*

   • Course summary: The hyperlink above may be used to navigate during the run, however this link HERE will show you the Strava Segment which also outlines the names of the routes.  

   • The route is similar to the first race, but starts at Trowbridge Parking lot (by the yellow gate closest to the parking lot).  Follow the path straight ahead and run towards the big steel bridge.  Cross the bridge and take a right.  You'll run about 600 m until you see the first spur trail to your right.  Take this single track and keep following it until you come out onto the Adventure trail.  From here, you'll take a quick left and immediately turn right on the first trail opening to your right.  (it's almost a straight continuation of the trail you just came out of ).  Follow the arrows and you'll be ok!

   • Next, follow this single track with the river to your right (this is called the Cascades Access 2 trail), which leads you to the Cascades trails. Keep running straight to follow the Red trail.

   • This trail will intersect the yellow trail, but you'll just keep moving straight.  After the yellow trail intersection, you'll see that the trail changes name to "Orange trail".  

   • Stay on the Orange Trail, which will intersect the yellow trail again, and continue on Orange all the way to the open intersection with a sign straight across you that says "You're now leaving Cascades".  Follow this single track, called "Cascades Access 1" all the way to the Adventure Trail.  At this point, you'll make a hairpin turn to your left and run downhill..ish towards that same trail you came out of.  

   • From here, you''ll be running back to the start line to finish your race.  (As long as you run close to/on the sides of the yellow gate, your time will be picked up)​

4. Friday, Feb 12th to Monday, Feb. 15th: Start at Centennial Park- 6.7Km*

   • Course summary: The hyperlink above may be used to navigate during the run, however this link HERE will show you the Strava Segment which also outlines the names of the routes.

   • The route starts by the coin drop box just after the small bridge at the bottom of the hill from the Chalet.  From here, keep running on the main trail and head towards the highway overpass. 

   • Once under the highway, take a left to run up "hydro hill".  Keep following this main trail straight all the way until you come to the cleared opening where the bench is located.  From here, you'll see 3 trail options.  Take the one on the right (Red Trail).

   • Follow the Red Trail for about 900 m.  Follow the arrows and run straight to connect to the Yellow Trail, where you will take a left (The river will be on your right side at this point).

   • After about 400m, you'll take the spur single track trail on your right (same one you took in Race 3), until you meet up with the Adventure trail.

   • Take a right on the Adventure trail and run towards and over the bridge.

   • Once over the bridge, you'll stay on this main trail until you get to the shorter "U" shaped bridge.  Cross this bridge and take a right at the bottom.  You'll run about 700m, then will take a right on a narrow single track (follow the arrows and you won't miss it).

   • Continue to follow the directional arrows and run alongside the river (this time the river will be on your right).   Stay on this trail until you come out of the fenced off area and in the opening by the main steel bridge.  (Watch the icy patches on the short downhill section as you come out of the single track).

   • Run across the big steel bridge and take a left to get back on the Yellow trail.  From here, you're going to follow the directional arrows and stay on the trail all the to the start/finish area.  

5. Friday, Feb. 19th to Monday, Feb. 22nd: Start at Trowbridge - 10Km* 

   • Course summary: If you click on the title above, you'll access the route.  If you click on THIS LINK, you can access the Strava Segment, which outlines some of the names of the trails.​

   • The course starts at Trowbridge Parking lot (by the yellow gate closest to the parking lot).  Follow the path straight ahead and run towards the big steel bridge.  Cross the bridge and take a left.

   • Stay on the main trail (yellow) and run towards the cabins and main Chalet.

   • Once you cross the small bridge (where Race 4 started) follow follow the arrows and start running uphill on the narrow trail that's tucked behind trees which run parallel to "toboggan hill".  

   • Follow the arrows and uphill course until you get to the top (you'll see a lookout area to your left).  Follow the arrows and continue straight for a short section, before taking a right and running across the top of toboggan hill.

   • This trail (about 1km long) will take you for a little cruise on the back trails behind the barn and will bring you back towards the yellow trail.  You'll make a left turn before joining another trail that leads you towards the highway overpass.  Just follow the course markings and you won't miss it.

   • Once you're under the overpass, stay left and run up Hydro hill.

   • Once you get to the bench at the clearing, you'll take the trail furthest to your left (BLUE)

   • You'll stay on this trail and follow course markings until you come out on the Yellow trail.  At that point, you'll take a right.  Once you're running on the yellow trail, the river should be on your left.

   • You'll run about 500m on the yellow trail, before turning right on the RED trail.  (This is actually the same trail you ran down in the 4th race, except now you're going up it).

   • Stay on the RED trail until you're back to the clearing at the top where the bench is located.  From here, you'll keep left to follow the trail down Hydro hill.  

   • Once you come down Hydro Hill, run towards you'll run towards the metal fencing and take a left on the yellow trail which takes you back to Trowbridge.  You'll have run on this section of yellow trail near the start.  If you see other runners starting their race, don't tell them about all the hills!  From this turn, you'll have about 1.2Km to the finish line at the yellow gates (same as start area)

 

*Distances may vary based on GPS data recording accuracy

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Race Details:  

 

Participants have the whole weekend to complete each race and submit their results.  The races can be run from Fridays at 12:00am to Mondays at 11:59pm.  The courses will be physically marked and a Strava segment will be created to capture each participant's completion of the course.  Strava segment times and elapsed times from GPS recordings (watch or phone) will be used to record your results.  

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Since participants have 4 days to run the routes, they can run it multiple times and submit their best times. The routes will be intentionally easy to follow on a course that allows for appropriate physical distancing.  Runners are encouraged to follow COVID-19 guidelines as set out by local authorities. 
 

Strava: Recording and Submitting your race times

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Click here to watch a tutorial video on how to submit your strava results.

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If you don't currently have a Strava account, you can sign up for free.  You can record your activity on a GPS watch or by using the Strava app directly on your smartphone (remember to keep the phone warm, though, or your battery may die mid-run and your data won't get recorded!)

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When you're ready to start the run, either hit "Record" on your phone app or start on your GPS watch.  As soon as you complete the course, hit stop and either Save on your GPS watch, or "Finish" on your phone app.

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From here, you will need to email your recorded data to us, by either sharing it from your computer or smartphone. (please contact us if you need help with this)

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Please note: if your strava account is currently set to private, you can still submit your time by simply send us screenshots of specific data screens with us only.  We will be looking for 3 main data screens:

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1. The main screen that shows your name, date/time, and total distance of your recorded activity.

2. The Segments showing the race you completed.  This is found in your main screen of your activity, under the "Results" section.  You may need to expand the list of results to view the name of the segment.

3. The "Pace" analysis data, found by clicking on "View Analysis".  This will tell us your Elapsed Time (we will not be using the Moving Time).

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We strongly recommend that you turn off any auto-pause feature on your watches or smartphone.  Although the Elapsed Time will include the duration of your time on your feet, your recorded distance may be impacted by this.  

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If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us!

 

Most GPS watches use platforms that can sync their data directly to strava.  Click here to see if your platform is compatible.  If you're not sure or have more questions, please contact us directly at upriverrunning@gmail.com

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We will tabulate the entries in real time to the best of our ability, keeping a virtual leaderboard for the 4 days the race is open. At the conclusion of each 4 day race period, we will crown the winners and give away prizes and awards.
 

The Points:

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The fastest times will earn 100 points from each race.  Each subsequent place, up to and including the 15th place person, will earn 5 less points.  That is, the person with the 15th fastest time will earn 30 points.  Every finisher that follows, will earn 15 points.  Since points can be accumulated over the five races, it may not necessarily be the fastest runner who completes only some of the races, who wins the overall division.

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Example of point structure from each race:

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1st = 100pts

2nd = 95pts

3rd = 90pts

4th = 85pts

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14th = 35pts

15th = 30pts

16th = 15pts

all following finishers will receive 15 points.

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Each race will award the overall top male and top female participants.

All participants from each race will also be included in the draw prizes!

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At the end of the series, awards will be issued to the top male and female based on most accumulated points, in the following categories:

-Open 

-Master (40+) 

-Grand Master (50+) 

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*DIVISIONS will be assigned based on age on Race weekend. If a runner moves to the next division during the series they will carry their earned points to the new division.

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We are super excited for the potential of these winter runs to motivate and inspire in real time.  

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