Dear 3 Cape Relay Participants,
Thank you for signing up for the Three Capes Relay to be held Feb 23rd. It is an Ultimook non-profit event that benefits local youth running programs. This is important information that everyone on your team should know. Please pass this information on to your team members.
Our race continues to grow. We have 36 solo runners signed up, 26 dual person teams, and 112 five-person teams.
Please check our latest update to the race roster including your start times. You have until Wed. evening to notify us of a change of start time. We cannot accommodate changes to your start time after that time. If we do not have a start time for you, we will assume you are starting at 9am. Check this link for the latest race roster.
We have 3 start time options. You have identified your start time while registering. We have updated all start times the past few days upon your request. Please check them here. After Wednesday evening we will not accept anymore changes.
Because of the variability of finish times, we will not be having an awards ceremony. Teams will be awarded custom made 3 Cape Relay Medals as they cross the finish line. Your race packets will include a split sheet. If you have some fast runners that could challenge for leg records for their respective division, please keep track of the splits and turn it in at the finish line-or if you just want your split times to be recorded.
You can also submit your times using an online form at this link: https://threecapesrelay.oregoncoastalflowers.com/2017/02/21/submit-2017-relay-split-times-here/ . You can also access this online form by going to our website at www.threecapesrelay.com and you’ll find it on a button at the top of the home page. It is only necessary to use this form/online form if you want split recorded and published online.
Water and Gatorade will be available at the finish line as well as all exchange zones. Additionally, we will be serving clam chowder, vegetable soup, and bread at the finish line. For adults 21+ years of age, we’ll be giving out coupons for a free Pelican Pub beer with a purchase of an entree at the Pelican Pub. These coupons will be in your packet.
Finish times will be posted at the finish line and on the website by late Saturday night. Split times will be posted by Sunday night at www.threecapesrelay.com. We take team photos at the finish line in front of Haystack Rock and as many photos during the race as possible. We’ll publish those to our website by Sunday night. After the race, please head to the beach for your team photo.
We encourage team captains/team to pick up packets and shirts from 6 to 8 pm Feb. 22nd in the main foyer of Tillamook High School. We are available at this time to personally answer any questions you may have about the race (we are available anytime via e-mail at patrick@ultimookrace.com). We can only guarantee free shirts for those teams who registered by Feb. 10th.
EXTREMELY IMPORTANT – RELAY TEAMS (5 & 2 person teams)
The finishing participant running the final leg MUST wear the ORANGE numbered bib
Why? The orange numbered bib contains a timing chip and will record your teams official finish time.
Team captains (or the team member picking up the packet) are required to sign the Safety and Traffic Agreement at packet pickup time. Please share this information with all your team members. Everyone should review our traffic and safety plan. Each individual runner/walker is required to fill out their medical information on the back of their bib. This is necessary in case there is any need for medical attention.
For those teams unable to pick up your packet on Friday evening, we will be at the start line and available from 7-8:30 am. We will not be accepting any new registrations at this time. 25 minutes prior to your start time, we’ll have a brief pre-race meeting. Immediately after this meeting, we encourage your shuttle car to leave to the first exchange. This will alleviate a mad dash after the start of the race.
For walking teams, the pre-race meeting will be at 7:15 am. For 8 am starting teams, the pre-race meeting will be held at 7:45 am. We will document walking and 8 am starting teams at the start line and make time adjustments at the finish line to those respective teams.
Start times will correspond to satellite time (just look at your cell phone), to start race time at 9 am, 7:30 am, or 8 am respectively if you leave your 1st runner behind to start.
The starting line is at the intersection of Bayocean Rd. NW and Bayshore Drive adjacent to Cape Meares Lake. There is limited parking along the lake. You may also park along the shoulder of the road that heads out to Cape Mears county park on the spit just NE of the starting line. There should only be one vehicle per team. Park all other vehicles at Tillamook High School and use only one team vehicle along the course. Please do not park on the street. We will have 2 volunteers in orange vests helping with traffic near the start. Do not expect to park right close to the start. Park heading out to Cape Meares Spit and get your warm up in.Please do not study maps online the morning of the race on the way out to the start. Likely you will not have internet connection and then you may get lost. I will not be answering my phone to give directions on Saturday morning.
Park in the direction that you’ll be pulling out (toward exchange #1, see below). After the pre-race meeting we encourage team members not starting to leave early and relaxed toward exchange #1. If you park headed the wrong direction, it is very difficult to get turned around when everyone else is trying to go the opposite direction.
There is no drive through traffic on leg 1 due to a road closure. You must drive around to the first leg exchange in Oceanside. It is 15 miles to the first exchange zone in Oceanside. If you are not familiar with the detour, please see this map. After the pre-race meeting or race start, drive promptly to exchange zone 1 as to not miss it. Runners, do not worry, you’ll be able to run through the road closure.
We encourage teams to drive the course prior to race, hopefully the night before. You may underestimate the amount of time required to make this trip if you try to do it the morning of the race. We will be starting promptly at 9am using satellite time. That way even if you’re not there for the start, you’ll know the race running time. Please familiarize yourself with the course and each respective leg, especially since leg 2, 3, 4, and 5 have all been slight altered from previous years in order to utilize safer exchange zone sites. Mile marks will be painted on the left side of the road in bright orange paint.
There will be at least two volunteers at each exchange zone. Make your exchange (i.e. touch) between the two cones at each exchange. The volunteers will be able to give you advice on where to park and advice on the closest bathroom at these zones. Water and Gatorade will be available at each exchange zone. If you’re running through the exchange, you do not need to worry about going through any cones, etc. Exchange zones and water stations in most cases will be located on the right side of the road since that is where the space is located. Since you’ll be running on the left side of the road, please be careful crossing over into the exchange zones/water stations.
For those 2 person teams who want to run exactly a ½ marathon, the 13.1 mile mark is just past the entrance to the Cape Lookout State Park and will be marked with an orange cone and a white sandwich board.
The finish line is at Web County Park at Cape Kiwanda in Pacific City. Runners will need to turn right into the parking lot (just adjacent to Pelican Pub) and continue about 50 meters to the finish line. The finish line may be adjusted in case the weather is real nice and the parking lot is busy. Just look for the orange cones and signs. Aaron Scovel Racing will be timing this race and will be at the finish line.
Please remember that traffic will not be stopped for this event and have the right away. Please run on the left side of the road and on the shoulder if possible. There are many hills, sharp corners, and blind spots so please be very careful. We will have signs warning cars of runners on the roadway, but it only takes one crazy driver to cause a big problem. The use of headphones is prohibited. You cannot hear a car coming behind you with music playing in your ears. Again, please review our safety and traffic plan and share them with all your teammates.
If you’re a solo runner and need a ride to the start line, we have arranged a shuttle from Pacific City to the start line. We will have two vans at the kiosk near the finish line adjacent to the Pelican Pub in the Cape Kiwanda parking lot. We will be leaving promptly at 7:30am. Please fill out this online form to reserve a spot on this shuttle. Space is limited. We will have a bag drop at the check-in table at the start line and your bag will be waiting for you at the finish line. If you are a solo walker, please let us know so we can pick you up at 6:30 am to be ready for the 7:30 am start for walkers. A shuttle is not available for the 8 am start time. If you’ll take longer than 7 hours to run/walk the marathon please start at 7:30am. We will not leave anyone on the course that starts at 7:30am, but if you start at 9am and take longer than 7 hours, our timing crew will be leaving at 4pm.
Please let us know if you have any questions. We appreciate your feedback, good or bad. And most of all lets have fun, despite any circumstances. It is very fulfilling to work together as a team to accomplish a challenging task. I wish you the best of luck. Again, please e-mail me at patrick@ultimookrace.com with any questions you might have or if necessary call my cell phone at 503.812.9190. A list of phone numbers to call with problems during the race will be provided at check in time.
I will send another e-mail Thursday evning with a few more race details that will develop over the next few days
Sincerely,
Patrick Zweifel, Ultimook non-profit director
