Race Info

Saturday, August 4, 2012
Expo Bib Pickup:  Friday, August 3rd.  Location and time to be announced.
Race-Day Bib Pickup Opens: 6:30 AM 
Race Start Time: 8:00 AM 
Start Location: Soledad Mission, 36641 Fort Romie Road, Soledad, CA
Finish Location: Pessagno Winery, 1645 River Road, Salinas, CA
Finish Time:  A finishing time limit of 4 hours will be enforced, and the course will be cleared at noon.

Course

The Salinas Valley Half Marathon begins at the historic Soledad Mission, established in 1791 as the 13th Alta California mission, located in the heart of the Salinas Valley, made famous by John Steinbeck in his novel East of Eden. (More about the Soledad Mission: Monterey County Convention & Visitors Bureau—Soledad Mission). The course takes runners and walkers slightly south from the Mission, then west toward the Santa Lucia mountains—well known for the vineyards of wine grapes used to produce award-winning pinot noir, chardonnay and syrah—before turning north along the base of the mountain range and winding over gently rolling hills to the west of the Salinas River.

On this extremely scenic course, runners and walkers will breathe the cool, coastal air from the Monterey Bay as they pass fields of verdant row crops and vineyards, before crossing an idyllic finish line among the vines at Pessagno Winery. Runners and walkers start at the Soledad Mission at 36641 Ft. Romie Rd. and head south for about 1 mile before turning west on Private Road 2 toward the Santa Lucia mountains. At mile 2.4, runners and walkers turn onto Foothill/River Rd. and proceed north along the base of the mountains to Pessagno. Click here to view the course map, which shows aid stations, porta-potties, parking, road closures, and other important details.   

The course is USATF Certified (certification # CA10002TK). An elevation map of the course can be seen on the USATF website here:  http://www.usatf.org/routes/view.asp?rID=371515 

Bib Pickup

Bibs will not be mailed to participants.  Participants should pick up their bibs at the Expo on Friday, August 3rd, or on race day at the registration area. PHOTO ID WILL BE REQUIRED FOR BIB PICK UP. If you are picking up your bib on race day, please arrive early at the Soledad High parking lot and give yourself plenty of time to get to the starting line area to get your bib and prepare before the race starts.  

Awards

The awards ceremony will occur in phases, beginning at 10AM for the fastest finishers and continuing throughout the Finish Festival as complete results for each age category are available.  The top male and female overall winners and the top three finishers in each of the following age categories will be recognized with trophies: 12-15 / 16-20 / 21-24 / 25-29 / 30-34 / 35-39 / 40-44 / 45-49 / 50-54 / 55-59 / 60-64 / 65-69 / 70-74 / 75+   All finishers receive a medal. The team with the most registered members participating on race day will be recognized with a special gift from our sponsor, New Balance.

Aid Stations and Porta-Potties

There will be 5 aid stations on the course, approximately every 2.5 miles, with water, Gatorade and Gu. There will be 70 port-potties at the start, 4 more at the 3/4-mile point, and 3 at the 1.5-mile point, plus 6 potties at each of the 5 aid stations.  Click here to view the course map, which shows aid stations, porta-potties, parking, road closures, and other important details.   

Safety and Emergency Services

California Highway Patrol officers, Police Explorers and private security along with volunteers will be on duty at several points along the course controlling traffic and keeping participants safe. Two ambulances will be on stand-by throughout the race, positioned at the north and south points along the course, ready to respond should emergency medical attention be necessary above and beyond our race Emergency Action Team and Course Monitors. A First Aid area will also be staffed by volunteers from Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital at the Finish Festival.

Parking, Busing and Commute Times
Details will be posted as race day draws nearer.