The 50- and 100-mile runs will begin and end at Hope Lake Park, which is located at 2245 Clute Rd (directions), northeast of the town of Virgil, NY at 06:00. The 50-mile endeavor will finish 16 1/2 hours later with course closure at 22:30. The 100-mile journey will finish 36 hours later with course closure at 18:00.

The Virgil Crest 100-Mile Trail Relay will start at 12:00, providing time for solo ultra runners to establish their pace and effort. Course closure for the relay will occur at 4:00 on Sunday.

• Friday, Sept 24, 2010 - Hope Lake Park, Clute Rd., Virgil, NY
  • 3:00 - 8:00 pm - Packet Pick-Up
  • 5:30 - 7:20 pm - Caloric Loading Session

    Open to Athletes/Crew/Family/Friends/Volunteers (Please let us know upon registering whether crew, friends or family will join us for dinner. $10 will be the charge for crews and guests. Thanks!)

  • 7:30 pm - Pre-Race Briefing and Drop-Bag Deadline
• Saturday, Sept 25, 2010 – Hope Lake Park
  • 5:15 - 5:45 am - Athlete Check-In and Late Arrival Packet Pick-Up
  • 5:45 am - Final Report and Runner Roster at Starting Line
  • 6:00 am - VCU50 and 100 Mile Solo Ultras Start
  • 12:00 pm – VCU100 Relays Start
  • 10:30 pm - Course-Closure for 50-mile distance
• Sunday, Sept 26, 2010
  • 11:00 am - Athlete/Pacer/Volunteer Brunch begins

    All others $10 (please let us know when registering if family or friends plan on joining us for breakfast so that we bring enough of the good stuff. Thanks!)

  • 12:00 pm – Combined Awards Ceremony, Continued Feeding Session
  • 4:00 pm - Relay Course Closure
  • 6:00 pm - Course Officially Closed

• VCU50 and VCU100 Solo

  The overall male and female winner will be provided free entry into the VCU100 (or VCU50) in 2011. Belt buckles will be awarded to all 100-mile finishers. Mugs will be awarded to all finishers unless an individual has paid the baseline "no schwag please" price. A commemorative race print and armsleeves designed by Adam Batliner will be provided to those opting in on the schwag. Assorted additional awards will be raffled during the post-race celebration. If a 100-mile runner drops at the 50-mile mark ahead of the lead 50-mile entrant, the 100-mile runner will be awarded the top 50-mile place.

• 100-Mile Trail Relay

  An award will provided to the top male, female, and mixed open teams as well as the winning public safety division team at the noon awards ceremony. The top overall team based upon age/sex/handicap will be acknowledged post-race once the splits and results are processed. The following will be used as the handicap criteria for scoring the overall winner: Women 10% and 1% for each year over the age of 40. If we're able, we’ll weight the distances covered by the handicap of the runner. If we’re able to track runners and splits accurately, a team with a woman who covers 56 miles will have the relative advantage over a team whose gal covered only 10 miles. Public Safety Division Teams must have at least 60% of their members be current public safety personnel. We’re not sure whether we’ll be able to pull it off, but we’ll try!

The American Trail Running Association's Principles of Trail Running Etiquette

Races, especially in their infancy, run a fine line with acceptance and success in the community. Greek Peak Mountain Resort has been overly generous in allowing us access to both the Alpine facilities and trail networks. Community volunteers including those organized as the Finger Lakes Trails Conference have worked hard to cultivate relationships with local land owners and the New York State Parks who have been kind enough to permit trail construction and use. They continue to ensure the responsible use of the amazing public resources available for all for generations to come. Please note that trails are kept in various states of intentional maintenance designed to prevent their use by horses or motorized vehicles. No athlete or volunteer will be permitted in any way to clear trails of rocks, limbs, or other seeming obstructions.

Abuse of these trails and/or private lands may not only result in failure of this event, but more critically in the termination of land grants and thruways that have been secured through hard work. Race directors and volunteers will ensure that garbage bags are available at aid stations and that toilet facilities are present at pre-established locations on the course. Littering from athletes or their crews will not be tolerated and result in immediate disqualification from not only the current race but also those in the future.

Additionally, all realize the volunteer intensity and supervision that such events require. Organizers most appreciate the assistance of all volunteers and officials. Please be respectful of their presence and assistance.

Relieving Yourself: As with littering, the event relies upon each of us respecting the state and private properties through which the course passes. Through strategically placed Port-a-Pots, or "Groovers," drop-off locations will be available approximately every 8 miles. Race organizers ask that athletes take advantage of them where and when possible. If you should take advantage of the purely natural option, please ensure that you are out of sight, that waste is away from water sources and is buried properly, and, most importantly, that you have a great view to enjoy while spending some quality time.

Aid Stations with Groovers:

• Hope Lake – Start/50.0/Finish
• Lift House 5 – 9.9/13.9/36.1/40.1/59.9/63.9/86.1/90.1
• Daisy Hollow Rd. - 25.0/75.0

Dogs: Athletes and families are not encouraged to bring dogs along as even the best-trained may not be welcome in tight aid-stations, on the course, or at the pre-post race meals. If the canines do make the trip please ensure that they remain on-leash.

There will be 20 aid stations with sections ranging from 4.0 to 6.0 miles. All stations will provide water as well as an electrolyte mix such as GuBrew, and latter stations will offer soda. All will provide Gu and some will provide Gu Chomps. Aid station 4 and on will provide increasingly substantial solids from pretzels and bananas to potatoes, soups, and sandwiches. We hope to provide hot soup at every aid station after sunset. We hope to lay out the nutritional spread more accurately when able.

What will be certain, to celebrate Greg Loomis and to ensure that we offer only the finest in sports nutrition, is that Pop-Tarts will be available at all Aid Stations.

Note: Not all Aid Stations will have Gel thoughout the race as there is not enough to sustain everyone. If you rely on having it, please plan accordingly.

Drop bags will be accepted for transport to all aid stations. Athletes are required to tie off bags and mark them with their name, race number, and the name (not number) of the aid station intended. Drop bags must be left at Hope Lake Park by 19:30 at the conclusion of the pre-race briefing on Friday evening. Drop bags may not return to the finish until later in the afternoon on Sunday. Consult the aid station chart for a listing of applicable aid stations.

Note: Anticipated dark hours are shaded in blocks on the aid station charts based upon a 36-hour finish time and associated cut-offs. Runners at this pace are advised to have headlamps or flashlights in drop bags marked for AS#8, Rock Pile, or as accurately estimated based upon projected finish time. Some stations may have backup lights or batteries available on a first-come first-served basis, but runners should not expect or rely on them being present or available. Runners are encouraged to plan conservatively in predicting their finish time and ensure that their crew or drop-bags have appropriate supplies available.

All aid stations will have cut-off times established to ensure that all runners complete the course within 16 1/2 or 36 hours. All runners must be verbally checked-out of each aid station before the cut-off time. Officials will enforce this policy and times indicated in the aid station chart.

Dropping out: Runners not able to complete the race due to physical or mental circumstances or on account of missing cut-offs must check-in solo or aided to the nearest aid station, notify aid station volunteers and turn in their bib number to aid station personnel. This policy is to ensure that all runners are accounted for during the race and is for the safety of all participants. Runners failing to notify race organizers or volunteers of a dropped status or who fail to turn in their bib numbers will not be permitted to return in future years or endeavors. Runners intending but not able to complete the 100-mile distance will be given credit for a 50-mile finish if reaching AS 10. Finish order for the 50-mile will be based on each runner passing through the 50 mile mark. For instance, if a 100-mile runner drops at the 50 mile mark ahead of the lead 50-mile entrant, the 100-mile runner will be awarded the top 50 mile place.

All athletes understand that even in the best of fitness, accidents happen and the body may break in any number of ways in the course of competing in a 50- or 100-mile trail race. Athletes taking on the challenge of the Virgil Crest Ultras are indicating that they are experienced enough in endurance racing to make safe decisions over the course of this event. While the race organizers will make efforts to ensure that wilderness search and rescue volunteers are present on the course during the event weekend, athletes should not expect nor rely on medical assistance to be available during the event.

To borrow from Stan Duobinis and the MMT, "you are responsible for your own safety. We do not provide any medical care during the run nor do we perform 'weight checks'. No doctors, nurses, or EMTs are available along the course or at any aid station. In case of an emergency, we will endeavor to get local emergency personnel to an injured runner as soon as possible, but due to the remote location of portions of the course, this could take hours. Many runners finish, or drop out, with bruises and scrapes. This is an event with risks".

Race organizers, volunteers, and search and rescue volunteers retain the right to pull runners from the race if they exhibit unusual amounts of disorientation, confusion, or fatigue. Runners will be permitted monitored recuperation time within aid stations and cut-off times, but must agree to accept the judgment of race officials for the safety of all involved.

If you become lost or consciously disoriented do not wander off of the trail in search of help. Stay put on the trail until another runner or sweep is able to inform the next aid station and until volunteers and/or medical personnel return. First aid boxes will be present at each aid station and will contain a few basic supplies (bandages, tape, Vaseline, Rolaids, Ibuprofen). Please bring any supplies that you envision needing during the race for placement in drop bags, but take only those medications that have been approved by your physician for use under these extreme conditions.

Cortland Regional Medical Center is located in Cortland, N.Y., 30 to 45 minutes by car northwest of Virgil. Take Route 13 North to Cortlandville. Pick up Route 281 North. Follow for approximately 3 miles. Turn right onto West Main Street. Follow for approximately 1/2 mile, the hospital will be on your left. Turn left into the parking lot.

Sunrise 6:49 am, Sunset 7:07 pm (12 hours 18 minutes)
96% Illumination of Moon
Average Low Temp: 51 F, High: 70 F, Mean: 61 F, Records: 34 F / 88 F
Average Monthly Precipitation for September: 4.21 inches

Entry will open on February 4th, 2010 and be limited to the first 150 qualified entrants in both of the solo events. The 100 Mile Relay will be open to only the first 30 teams.

• On-line with a credit card required (no additional fee)
  Finger Lakes Running Company - Race Registration
• By mail:
  Choose and print out race waiver: VCU 50-mile   VCU 100-mile   VCU 100-mile Relay
  Checks payable to FLRC, mail to:
  Finger Lakes Running Company
  Attn: Virgil Crest Ultras
  215 E State St.
  Ithaca, NY 14850
  

100 Mile Relay: The person registering the team will be registered at that time and will need to pay for the team. All other team members will also need to go the Finger Lakes Running Company - Race Registration and register by selecting the "Add to Existing Team" option on the Relay registration page.

• 100 Mile Solo

  Athletes will be required to have demonstrated the completion of either:

  • An organized/verifiable 100 mile run before February 5th, 2010
  • A 50 mile or 100 km trail (roads will be considered) completed after January 1st, 2008 and prior to February 5th, 2010.

  Considerations will be made for athletes who have not yet completed the required distances but who are signed up for qualifying events prior to September 11th, 2010. These athletes will be placed on the wait list behind qualified runners and formally granted acceptance upon completion of their respective events if space remains.

• 50 Mile

  Open to any and all who understand that the VCU50 is a challenging course which can make for both a rewarding and long day on your feet.

• 100 Mile Relay

  The second annual Virgil Crest 100 Mile Trail Relay Open Divisions (non service-related teams, see below) will be open to teams of 5 covering the 100 Mile Ultras course and have a 28 hour cut-off. Teams are permitted to break up the 20 legs as they see fit with a minimum of only 1 leg per runner. Refer to the chart for leg breakdowns. Members may only hand-off at designated aid stations and runners must reach the target aid station to remain qualified. Teams may provide supplies and support only within aid station and no runner is to receive aid, pacing, or muling outside of those designated stations. Teams are permitted the use of only 1 car at any one time on the course with the exception of emergency situations.

• 100 Mile Relay Public Safety Division

  The inaugural Virgil Crest 100 Mile Relay Public Safety Division will be open to teams of up to 20 where at least 60% of its members are members of Fire, Police, Emergency Medical, Military or related services. Timing and scoring of the relay will be handicapped based on the number of runners on the relay as well as gender and age (see the Awards section).

Entry will open on February 5th, 2010 and be limited to the first 150 qualified entrants in both of the solo events. The 100 Mile Relay will be open to only the first 30 teams.

• The entry fee for the solo ultras will be based on a sliding scale depending on the level of schwag that you’re interested in, meals that you plan to attend, and date of entry. The baseline will be $170 for the 100-mile, which includes a custom finisher’s belt buckle without extras, and tops out at $245 for all schwag and meals. Baseline for the 50 mile distance will be $55 without schwag or meals, and $135 with schwag and meals. Entry fees will rise on a sliding scale the closer we get to the event.
• The fee for the relays will be based upon the number of team members but be equivalent to the entry fee for the 100 mile solo, i.e. start at $165. For the public safety division on a team of 20, the baseline cost is a mere $9 without schwag or meals. Bargain basement pricing here at Virgil Crest so get those teams together!

Entries received over the solo 150, relay 30, or pending pre-race qualifications will be placed on a wait list and notified as soon as possible up to race day.

Spots will not be held based on the failure to meet event qualifications outlined above. Only the first 150 qualified solo athletes and 30 teams will be guaranteed spots.

I'll again do my best to have everything approved and set as soon as possible. Entrants understand that the powers that be, i.e. the State or private land owners, have the final decision on approving organized events over public and private lands. If permissions are not granted or rescinded all entrants will be notified as soon as possible and refunded all money.

Those athletes with paid registrations who, for unforeseen circumstances such as injury, are unable to compete in the VC Ultras will be refunded all money if informing the race director prior to July 1st, and 50% of their entries w/ notification prior to August 25th. There will be no refunds of entry fees after August 25th.

All aid stations are available for crew access. Crews are to provide assistance to runners only within 200 meters of an aid station. Crews are discouraged from catching runners outside of aid stations on account of traffic regulations and the risk of disturbing private land-owners. Supplies present at aid stations are for the use and consumption of athletes only. Driving directions for crews can be found below. Relay teams are reminded that only 1 car is permitted to be in use for crewing purposes at any given time.

Considering the density of some forested sections and night-time route-following, pacers will be permitted for the safety of 100 mile solo athletes according to the following:

• Pacers may join runners only at aid stations beginning with AS#9 Gravel Pit, mile 45.4, or after 19:00, whichever comes first. This is an extension over years 1 and 2 per requests to increase the safety of participants on sometimes tricky trails after dark.
• Pacers are not permitted to mule or assist runners outside of aid stations through carrying gear, running ahead to refill supplies, or leading in navigation.
• A list of individuals interested in pacing will be accrued by race management and provided to runners per request as available. Race management will not be responsible for guaranteeing that pacers are available and racers should prepare accordingly.
• Race organizers and volunteers are not in any way responsible for the security of vehicles left on the course or for the transportation of pacers.

Please remember to print off a map and these directions for use by your crew vehicles before you leave home as we may not have enough copies at the race!

The course is a spectator friendly course with road crossings throughout. Although it would be great if crews could intercept their runners at each of these crossings, most occur along narrow, trafficked, or residential areas where group parking is not safe or legal. In many areas Aid Station and Search and Rescue volunteers may need quick access to what little parking space is available. Crews may catch runners at several designated road crossings if traffic laws permit, however no aid or pacing is to be provided to runners outside of aid stations with penalty of disqualification. Accessing aid stations other than those indicated below may require 4 wheel drive vehicles and/or those with good ground clearance.

Please be mindful of parking in the following designated areas only.

• Hope Lake Park (Start and AS# 10) to the Gravel Pit (AS#'s 1 and 11)

  Turn right/south out of the Hope Lake parking area onto Clute Rd., left onto Rt. 392, in ~ 1.5 miles turn left on Carson Rd (please watch for runners crossing Rt. 392!!!). Proceed uphill on Carson Rd. approximately 3 miles until it merges with/becomes Snyder Hill Rd. Proceed straight, uphill on a wooded dirt road approximately 1 mile. Pipeline Rd. will be on your left, coming in on a downhill. Please do not turn onto Pipeline Rd. or access Pipeline Rd from Clute Rd (it's shorter but you're apt to run over a runner and I, and they, will be very very angry). Park on Snyder Hill Rd. and walk approximately 0.25 mile uphill on Pipeline Rd. to Gravel Pit AS.

• The Gravel Pit (AS#'s 1 and 11) to Lift House 5 (AS#'s 2 and 12)

  Keep going on Snyder Hill Rd., proceeding ~ 600 meters to a left turn onto Stafford Rd. Proceed approximately 1.5 miles and make a left onto Clute Rd. Proceed ~ 3 miles to to Rt. 392. Make a left on Rt. 392 and proceed approximately 1.5 miles to park on either Woodchuck Hollow Rd on your left (before the bridge and Gatherings) or Tone Rd on your right (after the Gatherings). Please note that Tone Rd winds and is a narrow dead-end street that will have runners and AS personnel coming and going. We don't advise parking on Tone Rd as it will be congested and unsafe for runners. If you park along Woodchuck Hollow Rd please do not block driveways or park on resident's grass. We'll hope to clarify the parking situation here at the pre-race briefing.

• Lift House 5 (AS#'s 3 and 13) to the Rock Pile (AS#s 4 and 14)

  Return to Rt 392 and proceed west. Drive a few miles toward but just shy of the Virgil crossroad (Rts 392/215 intersection) and make a left onto Van Donsel Rd., passing a farm and proceeding uphill. Make your first right on Bleck Rd. and proceed approximately 2 miles (rough road at times, please drive slowly and carefully) to the white-blazed FLT crossing. You will have just passed official trailhead parking area so start looking at about 1.5 miles on Bleck Rd. Please park far enough off the road to allow vehicles to pass, or proceed approximately 0.25 further to park at intersection w/ Cortwright Rd.). Walk southwest along the FLT (to your right if following these directions) uphill ~0.35 mi to the Rock Pile.

  Note: access via the fields to the Rock Pile is for Race Management Only as this is private property. Thanks!!!

• The Rock Pile to (AS#s 4 and 14) to Daisy Hollow (AS#'s 5 and 15)

  At the terminus of Bleck Rd. make a right onto Babcock Hollow Rd. Proceed ~ 5 miles to a "Y" w/ West Meetinghouse Rd. to your right and Daisy Hollow Rd. veering somewhat straight and to the left. Proceed uphill on Daisy Hollow Rd. approximately 2 miles to the FLT intersection (emerges to your left) just downhill from Carpenter Hill Rd. Please park out of view of residences and on the same side of the road as the FLT. The AS is just in on the trail. Please be quiet and mindful of residences especially as a few have barking dogs.

• Lift House 5 (AS#'s 8 and 18) to the Gravel Pit (AS#s 9 and 19)

  Turn left/west out of Tone Rd. on Rt. 392 and make a quick right to proceed uphill on Carson Rd. approximately 3 miles until it merges with/becomes Snyder Hill Rd. Proceed straight, uphill on a wooded dirt road approximately 1 mile. Pipeline Rd. will be on your left, coming in on a downhill. Please do not turn onto Pipeline Rd. Park on Snyder Hill Rd. and walk approximately 0.25 mile uphill on Pipeline Rd. to Gravel Pit AS.

• The Gravel Pit (AS#'s 9 and 19) to Hope Lake Park (AS#'s 10 and Finish)

  Keep going on Snyder Hill Rd., proceeding ~ 600 meters to a left turn onto Stafford Rd. Proceed approximately 1.5 miles and make a left onto

2245 Clute Road, Cortland, NY Map

From North on I-81 take exit 10 (McGraw), then Route 11 South for 7 miles, then West on Route 392 for ~ 4.5 miles. Turn right on Clute Road and proceed uphill to HLP on the left.

From South on I-81 take exit 9 (Marathon), take Route 11 North for 4.1 miles, then West on Route 392 for ~ 4.5 miles.

From Dryden go east 6 miles on Route 392 to Virgil. Take a right at the main crossroad, staying on Rt. 392 ~ 2.5 miles to Clute Rd on your left. Greek Peak Alpine Resort on your right is too far.

From Cortland take Route 215 (junction with Route 13 is 2 blocks Southwest of Main St.) South to Virgil. From Virgil take Route 392 East for ~ 2.5 miles to Clute Rd on your left.

Hope Lake Park has ample parking in upper terraced lots. Please observe no-parking signs where present and please ensure that no driveway or entrance/exit is blocked to allow emergency vehicle access if needed. Crew and pacers meeting athletes on the course are to ensure that vehicles are parked off of roadways, removed from visible private residences, and commensurate with local traffic regulations. The race is not responsible for traffic fines or the safety of vehicles throughout the duration of the race weekend.

• Greek Peak Mountain Resort Lodging
  • Greek Peak’s gorgeous Hope Lake Lodge is now open adjacent to Hope Lake Park and offers Resort and Privately owned rooms that rent for up to 8 persons. Condos around Greek Peak on Clute Rd just south of the Park offer condos and single family homes from 1 to 3 bedrooms that can accommodate up to 12 adults. Most have mountain views to view the opening and mid-race progression of runners or headlamps in the distance. So grab the family or make contact with some other runners and get on that reservation!
    Greek Peak's Hope Lake Lodge is offering the Ultras a generous 25% discount on lodging for the weekend. The beautiful new Hope Lake Lodge sits adjacent to the start/finish/staging area at Hope Lake Park and has an indoor waterpark for those families who may have children in tow. Rooms accommodate 4,6,8 or 10 people. With the discount and no waterpark a room sleeping 4 for the weekend would cost around $490, a room for 8 around $810. A pretty good deal for beautiful rooms race-side, so grab some friends and family and enjoy the warm room and hot shower pre and post race. Our group promo code is "VCU". You can explore and place an Online Reservation or by phone at 877-965-6343.
  • Greek Peak Mountain Resort offers condos and single family homes from 1 to 3 bedrooms that can accommodate up to 12 adults. Most have mountain views to view the opening and mid-race progression of runners or headlamps in the distance. So grab the family or make contact with some other runners and get on that reservation!
• Cabins
  • Gatherings'/Virgil Resort Cabins - Several cabins located at the Gatherings Restaurant on Rt 392 1.5 miles east of Greek Peak (800-955-2754). These cabins sleep up to six individuals. Tenting around the cabins may be permitted for event weekend, please check in with us regarding this option as we get closer.
  • Buttermilk Falls and Robert H. Treman State Parks in Ithaca
• Camping
  • Camping may also be permitted near the start/finish area at Hope Lake Park but we're still working on these details Again, check back to see if this option is available.
  • Hauck Hill Primitive Camping area - Hauck Hill Rd. between Bleck and Cortwright Rd's on the Finger Lakes Trail Dabes Diversion
  • Country Hills in Marathon, N.Y.
  • Cortland Country Music Park in Cortland, N.Y.
  • Woodchuck Hollow Lean-To is near AS#2 with parking designated on Cortland 9 Rd (Intended for users of the Finger Lakes Trail, first-come/first-served).
  • Foxfire Lean-To is near AS#6 with designated parking on Bleck Rd (Intended for users of the Finger Lakes Trail, first-come/first-served).
• Hotels

  A good number of hotels and motels are available within 20 minutes of Virgil in most any direction. The following is a link to a Google Hotel search