Iron Girl Columbia Half Marathon & Family Fun 5K Columbia, MD. *Information as of 4/22/14

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1 * Iron Girl Columbia Half Marathon & Family Fun 5K Columbia, MD *Information as of 4/22/14

2 Welcome Letter On behalf of Iron Girl, I wish to welcome you to the 2014 Iron Girl Columbia event. I am excited and thankful to be kicking off the third annual Iron Girl Columbia Half Marathon and Family Fun 5K event. This race provides an opportunity for you to reach your personal goals and inspires all of us to live a healthy lifestyle. I would like to thank Howard County, including the Police Department, Fire Department, and Howard County Hospital for their medical support. Also, a huge thank you to The Sheraton Town Center, The Howard Hughes Company, and The Mall in Columbia. We want to send a very special thank you to our local clubs, teams, and charity groups for their continued support. Annapolis Tri Club, Mid Maryland Tri Club, Girls on the Run of Central Maryland, Ulman Cancer Fund, and Visionquest have been our number one supporters in making this event a reality. In addition, I would like to thank the additional volunteers who give so much. Their effort and support helps each participant realize her Iron Girl dream. Enjoy your time in Columbia and good luck to you for a safe and successful race! Sarah Frey Iron Girl Event Manager

3 Schedule of Events PARTICIPANT PACKET PICK-UP AND LATE REGISTRATION Packet pick-up includes your bib number, timing chip, and athlete shirt. Participants must have a valid photo ID in order to pick up a packet (driver's license, passport, Military ID, Government issued ID.) All participants must sign a waiver in order to receive their race packet. A parent or legal guardian must sign the waiver for any participant under 18 years old. Participants can save time by printing waivers online at IronGirl.com/Events/Columbia and bringing them to packet pick-up. Bib numbers will be made available online on Thursday, April 24th. If you're unable to attend Packet Pick-Up, someone may pick up your packet on your behalf. He/she MUST have their own photo I.D. plus a copy of the participants photo ID and an event waiver signed by the participant. No exceptions Friday, April 25 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Sheraton Columbia Town Center Hotel Wincopin Circle, Columbia, MD Saturday, April 26 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Sheraton Columbia Town Center Hotel Wincopin Circle, Columbia, MD *Packet pick-up will not be available on race day Late registration will be available at each packet pick-up. Shirt sizes are not guaranteed for late registrations. RACE DAY Sunday, April 27 7:00 a.m. Half Marathon Start Columbia Town Center 7:30 a.m. 5K Start Columbia Town Center 7:45 a.m. Breakfast Café Opens for Participants 9:00 a.m. 5K Awards Presentation 10:30 a.m. Half Marathon Awards Presentation

4 Parking Information Parking is available in the following parking lots and parking garages: The Mall in Columbia Parking Lot Little Patuxent Pkwy Medstar Parking Lot 5575 Sterett Pl. Sheraton Town Center Parking Garage Wincopin Cir. The Medstar Parking Lot and Sheraton Town Center Parking Garage may only be accessed from Wincopin Circle. Sterrett Place will be closed to traffic. Please allow enough time to find a parking space, park and walk to the venue. And the lines for the port-o-lets get longer the closer to the start of the race. Keep all of this in mind when setting your alarm for Sunday morning!

5 Race Information Awards Milestones Sports Jewelry will present a special piece of Iron Girl jewelry to the top three females finishers in each age group for both the half marathon and 5K. Medals Participants who cross the finish line will receive a finisher s medal. Timing & Withdrawing During Race You must wear your timing tag at all times during the race. Fasten it to your shoe and leave it on until after you finish the run. Volunteers will help you remove the tag at the finish line. If you do not start the race, you are responsible for returning the tag to the Iron Girl Timing Tent. If you drop out or are pulled from the race at any time, turn in your tag to a member of the race staff. It is essential that we know where you are on the course at all times for your safety and our peace of mind. Your timing tag is a loaner. When you pick up your race number and timing tag, you are guaranteeing that you will return the tag to race management. Half Marathon Pace Requirements Mid Maryland Tri Club will be providing pace groups for the half marathon. We would like to thank our pace group sponsor, Princeton Sports, for their generosity and hospitality. There will be a 4 hour time limit for the Half Marathon. An 18:18 - minute per mile pace or faster must be maintained for the Half Marathon. 5K Pace Requirements There will be a 75 minute time limit for the 5K. Corrals are based on race pace, with faster expected finish times in the front and walkers in the back. It s recommended that casual runners start at the back of the pack and work up to a comfortable pace.

6 Race Information Weather The weather at the start of the race is vastly cooler than the weather at the end of the race, with a typical 10 to 15-degree variance. It could be 50 degrees when you hit the start line and 70-plus when you cross the finish line. Be prepared for this change! Hydration is key to a successful race particularly if it is an unseasonably hot or humid day. What you drink the day before and prior to the race will make all the difference between a painful or prideful race day. Avoid alcohol and salty food the night before to avoid dehydration and drink plenty of water. Gear Check A gear check tent will be available near the start/finish line starting at 5:30am. Half Marathon and 5K participants may check one gear bag on race morning. The line can get long so drop off early and have your bag ready. Plastic gear check bags will be available for those who need it. Please do not leave any valuables in your bag. We are not responsible for any lost or misplaced items. Race Etiquette In order to ensure everyone has an amazing race experience, keep the following race etiquette items in mind while running. Occasionally look over your shoulders to not impede anyone s path and use extra caution when stopping to tie a shoe, fixing an ipod, or grabbing water from the aid station. Look behind you when discarding cups or trash. Most importantly, if taking a leisurely, enjoyable approach to the race, the safest route is the right-hand side to not impede other runners trying to keep a pace. Headphones The use of personal music devices is strongly discouraged. Please be mindful of the other participants and respect the race personnel to ensure a safe and enjoyable race for everyone.

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8 Course Map

9 Course Information Course Turn by Turn Directions Half Marathon 1. Start Sterrett Place to Little Patuxent Parkway (LPP) 2. Left on LPP, with traffic 3. Left on Cedar Lane, against traffic 4. Left on Hickory Ridge Road, with traffic 5. Right on Martin Road (Martin Road becomes Harriet Tubman Road), with traffic 6. Cross Cedar Lane 7. Right on Cedar Lane, against traffic 8. Left on Harmel Drive 9. Right on Watch Chain Way 10. Left on Hickory Ridge Road, against traffic 11. Left on LPP, against traffic 12. Right on Sterrett Place, with traffic 13. Sterrett Place to Finish Line Course Turn by Turn Directions 5K 1. Start Sterrett Place to Little Patuxent Parkway (LPP) 2. Left on LPP, with traffic 3. Turn around at Princeton Sports 4. Continue LPP back, against traffic 4. Right on Sterrett Place, with traffic 5. Sterrett Place to Finish Line

10 Course Information Half Marathon course and the 5K course start and finish at the Sheraton Town Center. Aid Stations There will be 1 aid station along the 5K course and a total of 8 aid stations and 1 food stop along the Half Marathon course. Each aid station along Half Marathon course will be serving water and Gatorade. 5K Location*: Aid Station 1 turn around at Princeton Sports Half Marathon Locations*: Mile 1.55 Princeton Sports Mile2.8 Hickory Ridge Road and Sunny Spring Mile 4.3 Martin Road and Kiteline Court Mile 5.8 Harriet Tubman Lane at Tubman Head Start Center Food Stop Mile 7.3 Cedar Lane at McGregor Drive Mile 8.75 Hickory Ridge Road between Watch Chain Way and LPP Mile 10.4 LPP and Pear Tree Way Mile 11.5 Princeton Sports *ALL AID STATION LOCATIONS ARE APPROXIMATE AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE

11 Post Race Information Awards Ceremony The awards ceremony is scheduled after the race (pending final results being available) and will be located adjacent to the finish. 5K awards will start around 9:00 a.m. and the half marathon will start around 10:30 a.m. Race Results On race day you will receive a personalized with your results. Post Race Recovery Got Chocolate Milk? is proud to be the Official Refuel Beverage of the Iron Girl Event Series. The participant post-race Breakfast Café will open after the first finisher and will be located near the finish line. The Breakfast Café is for PARTICIPANTS ONLY. Race Photography FinisherPix is proud to serve as the official photographers for the 2014 Iron Girl Women s Event Series. Photos available to view and order online after the race. A few days post race you will receive an with your photos. What do you need to do for a good photo? 1. Have your race/bib number visible at all times. 2. Smile when you cross the finish line! 3. Visit at to view and order photos.

12 Frequently Asked Questions Q: Can someone pick-up my race packet for me? A: If you're unable to attend Packet Pick-Up, someone may pick up your packet on your behalf. He/she MUST have their own photo I.D. plus a copy of the participants photo ID and an event waiver signed by the participant. No exceptions. Q: Are strollers, dogs, bicycles, headphones, in line skates, roller blades or skateboards, etc. allowed on the course? A: For the safety of all participants we do not allow strollers, dogs, bicycles, roller blades or skateboards, etc. on the course. As a participant in the event you must wear your bib number on course at all times. Q: Where does my race bib go? A: Please affix your race bib to the FRONT of your shirt or with a race belt. We need to see that bib number at all times. Q: Will my friends and family be able to track me on race day? A: Yes, race day tracking will be available via the Iron Girl App. To download the Iron Girl App, search Iron Girl in itunes or the Play Store. Q: Where can I find results after the race? A: Results will be posted at on the event specific Web site under the results tab. Your personal finishing time will be also be ed to you following the race. Q: What if I need to use the restroom before, during or after a race? A: If you gotta go, you gotta go! There will be Port-O-Lets throughout the race venue and located on course. Q. What if the weather is bad on race day? A. The are no rain dates if the event is cancelled and there are no refunds if the event is cancelled. Q. During the race, if I decide I can t complete the Half Marathon and I finish with the 5K, what do I need to do? A. Please make sure that once you come across the finish line, you find the timing tent and let them know you didn t do the Half Marathon and came in with the 5K instead, so they can make the switch. This is important because if you registered for the Half Marathon but come in with the 5K your time will likely be the fastest of the Half Marathon finishers. This would take an age group placement away from someone who did the Half Marathon.

13 Thank You