Dick Collins Firetrails 50 October 10th, 2009 6:30 am
General Information

To Enter
Refunds                                                
Start Time
Directions to the Start
Map to Start
Course Description
Course Map
Aid Stations: mileages & elevations
Altitude Profile
For Crews: Driving Directions to Aid Stations  Map to Aid Stations
Drop Bags
Pacers
Cut Off Times
Medical     
Littering
Post Race BBQ  Check out past menu at the: Firetrails Cafe
Race History:  Overall Winners   Top Male & Female Performers    Age Group Course Records  
                                                    Dick Collins Award Winners
Awards:  Finisher Awards  Overall & Age Group Awards   Dick Collins Award  10 Time Finisher Award
USATF Ultra Grand Prix    
Accommodation Ideas 
Airports
Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run Qualifying Times
Golden Hills Trail Marathon   Held in conjunction with 50 mile run
Volunteer  

To Enter

Registration can be done either online at Active.com or by mail. 

• To register online and pay with a credit card the following  link will take you directly to the Firetrails 50 section of the Active.com web site:      
 
• If you prefer you can enter by mail. To enter by mail just print out  entry form  , fill it out and mail it in with a check.  

Entry fee are as followed: $85.00 if postmarked by 9/05/09, $100.00 if received by 10/03/09. All entries received after 10/03/09 will be returned.   Race day registration will be available. Race Day Fee: $120.00.

Refunds

No refunds will be granted after August  28th. In the event that the race is cancelled due to park closure or other unforeseen circumstances, partial refunds may be granted, but only to the extent funds are still available at the time of cancellation.  

Start Time

The race will start at 6:30 am.  Please note that the first 30 minutes will be run, in the gray of dawn, before sunrise.  Flashlights are not required, as the first miles are run on pavement, and the footing is excellent.  Runners who would feel more comfortable using flashlights can drop them off at the Marciel Road aid station and they will be returned to the start.  Runners who feel they may need more than 12 hours are encouraged to take the early start option at 5:30 am.

Directions to the Start

From Dublin/Livermore take I-580 westbound towards Oakland, take the Strobridge Avenue exit.  Turn right on Strobridge, right on Castro Valley Boulevard, and left on Lake Chabot Road.  The Lake Chabot Marina is about two miles ahead on the right.  From San Jose take I-880 northbound towards Oakland.  Take I-238/Castro Valley(I-580) exit towards Stockton.  Merge onto I-238 south.  Take the Castro Valley Blvd/CA-238 exit towards Castro Valley Boulevard. Turn left on Castro Valley Blvd. Turn left on Lake Chabot Road.  The Lake Chabot Marina is about two miles ahead on the right.  [Alternate way from San Jose: take I-880 northbound towards Oakland.  Take I-238/Castro Valley(I-580) exit towards Stockton.  Merge onto I-238 south. Take I-580 west towards Oakland.  Take 150th Avenue/Fairmont Drive exit.  Turn right on Fairmont.  Fairmont Drive becomes Lake Chabot Road.]  From  Oakland/Berkeley take I-580 eastbound towards Hayward, take the 150th Avenue/Fairmont Drive exit.  Turn left onto 150th Ave, right onto Foothill Blvd, left onto Fairmont Drive. Fairmont Drive becomes Lake Chabot Road. The marina entrance will be to the left at the bottom of the hill (parking fee is $5). {note:  parking lot will open at 5 am}  

You can park for free on either side of Lake Chabot Road. Please be careful crossing Lake Chabot Road. The start is to the east of the Chabot Marina at the Cove Picnic Area & is approximately a 1/4 mile from Lake Chabot Road.  Glow sticks will be placed to assist you in finding the start area.  Detailed park map of Lake Chabot Marina & surrounding area.

Map to Start

Course Description

Out-and-back course; mostly along the legendary East Bay Skyline National Trail; fireroads and single track with gorgeous views of San Francisco and Mt. Diablo.  Three miles of pavement.  7,800 feet of climb.  Be prepared for any condition.  Can be hot, perfect, or cold and raining.  In previous years race week has included the following: fire, earthquake, flood, and stock market crash.

Course Map

Aid Stations: mileages & elevations

Aid stations will have water, GU 2 0 Hydration drink, Gu, Coke, Sprite, ice, fruit, homemade baked cookies, hard candy, potatoes, P.B. & J sandwiches, pretzels, Succeed Caps, crackers, potato chips, salt, wonderful volunteers, etc.   It is recommended that runners carry a water container during the race

Altitude Profile

Map to Aid Stations

Driving Directions to Aid Stations

Coming out of the parking lot at the Lake Chabot Marina, turn left, east, away from I-580. After six tenths of a mile turn left at a light onto Seven Hills Road.  Go one mile and then turn left onto Redwood Road.  Follow Redwood Road for about five and one half miles to Marciel Gate. Turn left at Marciel Gate onto Marciel Road. Proceed along Marciel Road for about one and one half miles.  The first aid-station, "Marciel Road" will be on your left.  If you see your runner off at the start it is hard to see them again at Marciel Road since it is a much longer drive than it is a run. The second aid station, Bort Meadows is a parking lot just left off of Redwood Road about a mile and a half beyond the turn for Marciel Road. Three miles farther up Redwood Road, also on the left is the MacDonald Gate parking lot.

Now continue up Redwood Road to a traffic light at the top of a hill and turn right onto Skyline Boulevard. After about seven tenths of a mile, Skyline Boulevard turns to the right and what looks like the continuation of the large street, which you are on, becomes Joaquin Miller Boulevard.  If you see the signs for the Woodminster Amphitheater on your right you've gone too far and should turn around and find where Skyline Boulevard turned without you.  Skyline boulevard now winds through the Oakland Hills and the next aid station is Skyline Gate, a large parking area on the right.  After Skyline Gate continue on Skyline Boulevard until you see Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve, the next aid station, also on the right.

Leaving Sibley continue up hill on Skyline Boulevard a few hundred feet before turning right onto Grizzly Peak Boulevard.  Continue on Grizzly Peak, past the intersection with Claremont Avenue and Fish Ranch Road until you see the turn for the Steam Trains and the Grizzly Peak Stables on your right.  Turn right and then make a quick left.  Continue straight (past aid station on your right) for about 200 yards and park in the dirt lot on your left.  (Please do not park in paved lot across from the aid station as that is for steam train riders only.)

After Steam Trains, turn right onto Grizzly Peak again and continue, past houses on both sides until you see the Summit Reservoir on your left (about 4 miles).  Turn Right onto Wildcat Canyon Road and immediately, immediately, immediately left onto Canon.  Go down a steep hill on Canon and at the bottom turn right onto Central Park Road and then the first left toward the Lone Oak Area.  Lone Oak is the turn around so now stand on your head and follow these directions in reverse to get back to the start/finish at Lake Chabot.

Maps, to assist crews, will be mailed with race packets and will be available at the start. 

Drop bags will be transported from the start to the turnaround at Lone Oak (mile 26).  Drop bags will not be returned to the finish until after the Lone Oak Aid-station closes (approx. 2 pm).  

Pacers will be allowed from Skyline Gate at mile 37.0 to the finish.

Cut-off time of 6:15 hours at Lone Oak (mile 26), 9:30 hours at Skyline (mile 37) and 11:45 hours at Bort Meadows (mile 44) will be applied. The finish line will close down at 12 hours. If you feel you may need more than 12 hours please consider the early 5:30 am start option.

If you have special medical conditions (asthma, allergic to bee stings, etc.) please take appropriate precautions.  Parts of the course are relatively inaccessible.  Neither the Race Management nor the East Bay Regional Park District can be liable for injuries.

Littering along the course will result in immediate disqualification.  Please dispose of ALL cups paper, wrappers, etc.  at the aid stations.