Staunton Marathon & Half Marathon Runners,
We’re looking forward to hosting you at the 4th annual Staunton Rocks! Marathon & Half Marathon on Saturday, August 24.
Before we send you on your way, we’d like to draw your attention to some important details for race weekend.
Packet Pickup
Packets will be available at the park both Friday afternoon (4-7p) and Saturday morning (6-8a), by the race start/finish at Staunton State Park’s Ranch Hand Parking Lot.
Note that if you come to pick up your packet on Friday, you’ll need your own parks pass to enter. Please see details below for more on parking/carpooling on race morning.
Picking up your bib either day tells us that you are starting the race. If you pick up your bib, but miss the start, please notify us so we know that you are not lost on course.
Parking/Carpooling
Runner parking at the park itself will only be for carpools of 2 or more registered runners.
Parking at Staunton will be available beginning at 6:00am. Passes for carpooled runners are covered as part of your race entry fee, and you’ll receive your pass at the visitors center booth as you enter the park on race morning.
Race traffic will be directed first to the Meadow Overflow lot, followed by the Meadow lot. Both lots are roughly a quarter mile walk from the start/finish. Please follow directions from the parking marshals and plan sufficient time to arrive and park.
All vehicles with a single registered runner will be directed to park at the Mountain View Park N Ride, 5 miles from the park, and take one of our race-provided shuttles, which will start running by 5:45a. Please plan to arrive at least an hour before your start time if you plan to take the shuttles.
Runners are welcome & encouraged to make a new friend in the PnR lot on race morning to drive in together. You can also post rideshare offers/requests on our Facebook Event.
Friends and family are welcome at the park to come & cheer you in. All park traffic outside of runner carpools will need their own pass (either annual or $10 day pass).
Race Start & Schedule
The Marathon will start at 7:00am and the Half Marathon at 8:00am.
The park will be open to runner traffic beginning at 6:00am. All runners will have until 5:00pm to complete the course.
The full weekend schedule is available here.
Bib Numbers
Bib numbers will be assigned next week no later than Wednesday. You will be able to check your bib number on the UltraSignup entrant list.
At each aid station, volunteers will record your bib numbers. You are responsible for making sure that your number is recorded. Please have your bib visible from the front. Call out your number when entering the aid station.
If you need to drop out of the race for any reason, you must check out with the timing staff at the nearest aid station. If you do not inform us that you have dropped, we will assume that you are lost on the course.
Course Details
The Marathon will feature approximately 4,500 feet of vertical gain. The Half Marathon will feature approximately 2,200 feet of vertical gain.
The trails are generally fast and non-technical with the exception of some rocky areas, most notably on the Scout Line Trail (Half & Marathon), Bear Paw Trail (Half & Marathon) and Lion’s Head Loop (Marathon only).
The marathon will have four aid stations along the way: Old Mill (8.4), Elk Pond 1 (11.8), Elk Pond 2 (16.8) & Staunton Rocks (20.3). The half marathon will feature two aid stations: Old Mill (6.2) and Staunton Rocks (10.5). Aid stations will feature Hammer gels and Gnarly Fuel2O liquid nutrition sports drink, in addition to many more delectable snacks.
In addition to our usual spread at the aid stations, a special treat will also be available at each: Old Mill – oranges; Elk Pond – bacon; Staunton Rocks – popsicles.
The marathon course passes by the Old Mill Aid site twice; however – the aid station is only staffed for the morning outbound leg. Lead marathoners may pass by before they are fully packed up; out of fairness to the rest of the field, do not request service there – get what you need at the Staunton Rocks Aid (mile 20.3) less than a mile before that point.
Park restrooms & portable toilets will be available at the Ranch Hand Start/Finish. Additional park toilets are available at the Mason Creek Trailhead (Marathon Mile 2.6 / Half 0.4) and on the Bugling Elk Loop (Marathon Mile 11) approaching the Elk Pond Aid Station.
If you do need to relieve yourself outside of these spots, please practice appropriate Leave No Trace principles. Aid stations will have toilet paper available.
Full course and aid station details, as well as GPX files, are available here.
Post-Race
We will be offering our usual post-race BBQ to make sure we send you on your way home with happy bellies.
The BBQ will feature hamburgers, vegan burgers and plenty of trimmings. There’ll be refreshments from New Belgium Brewing (plus plenty of non-alcohol options), ice cream, Mary’s Mountain Cookies, fruit & more.
We will post results and conduct awards on a rolling basis during the finish festivities at the Ranch Hand Group Picnic Shelter.
Park Visitors
The park is open to the public. Please be courteous to other users. Yield when appropriate, especially to equestrians if you come across them.
If you have any questions that are not covered here or on the race website, please email us.
Thanks, and once again, we look forward to seeing you all next Saturday.
