DESCRIPTION OF the 2008 INSIDE-OUT SPORTS CLASSIC - Cary, NC

(10k and Half-Marathon Courses)



PLEASE NOTE
WE HAVE MADE ANOTHER ADJUSTMENT TO THE COURSE FOR 2008.
SEE STEP #3

1. Both races start on Darrington Drive near Inside-Out Sports in the Preston Walk Shopping Plaza.
   
   
2. Turn RIGHT onto SW Cary Parkway and stay to the right of the median.
   
   
3. AT THE FIRST TRAFFIC LIGHT - JAMES JACKSON AVENUE (approx. 0.20 mile) - YOU CROSS DIAGONALLY ONTO THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC (LEFT OF MEDIAN) SIDE OF CARY PARKWAY.
   
   
4. Cross Chapel Hill Road (Hwy 54) and turn LEFT onto Sheldon Dr. (the 2^nd road off Cary Parkway after you pass Chapel Hill Rd. - approximately 1.15 miles out from the start).  A course monitor and a set of cones will be there to help guide you. Listen to the course monitor; the cones don't say much. If you notice that there are no other runners around you, you're either really really fast or you missed the turn.   STAY TO THE LEFT (ONCOMING TRAFFIC) SIDE OF THE MEDIAN ON SHELDON DRIVE.
   
   
5. From Sheldon Dr. turn RIGHT onto Weston Parkway (there will be course monitors and Cary police positioned there to direct you).  Water Station #1 is located up ahead at the driveway of the Lucy Daniels Center near mile # 3. The course uses the right half of Weston Parkway.  Please stay to your RIGHT along the course route and be observant of race signs, course monitors, grazing water buffaloes and runners coming towards you in the opposite direction.  At some point during the race, all of you will encounter oncoming runners. So, please be courteous and share the road particularly if the oncoming runner is a lot bigger than you.
   
   
6. Half-marathon runners skip to #8. (don't skip along the course unless you're looking to have the other runners stay far away from you).
   
   
7. 10k U-TURN (approx. 3.5 miles) is near the beginning of the bridge between Norwell Blvd. and 5001 Weston Pkway.  There will be a sign noting the upcoming turn.  A traffic cone and course monitor will be positioned in the middle of the road. Please don't run over the cone or the monitor. Good traffic cones are hard to replace. Loop around the traffic cone and head back down Weston Pkwy.
   
   As you make the U-turn, please watch for returning half-marathoners coming down Weston Parkway from beyond the turnaround. Skip to #13.
   
    
8. HALF-MARATHON - go past the 10K turnaround. The turn-off from Weston Parkway to Black Creek Greenway is on other side of the bridge between Norwell Blvd. and 5001 Weston Pkwy.  A sign will alert you of the upcoming turn.  Traffic cones and a course monitor will be positioned to direct you to turn RIGHT off of the road and behind the guard rail.
   
   
9. Loop behind the guard rail and onto the path which is now paved. The path is narrow so please watch for returning runners. Follow the path until it connects with the Black Creek Greenway. A course monitor will direct you to turn RIGHT onto the Black Creek Greenway. The Greenway is open to the public during the race and it is not extremely wide, so please be courteous and share the path with returning runners, cyclists, and anyone walking a pit bull.
   
   
10. Follow the Greenway along Lake Crabtree and pass through the trailhead gate at Old Reedy Creek Road.  A course monitor will be stationed at the gate to direct you to turn LEFT onto Old Reedy Creek Road.  The road crosses over I-40 and then switches from pavement to gravel. There will be a portable toilet along the gravel road. We would prefer that you use it to heed nature's call rather than heed it somewhere in public. Follow the road to the West Gate of Umstead State Park (Reedy Creek Trail). Water station #2 is located near the park gate about 0.5 mile beyond the I-40 overpass and approximately 1.8 miles from the course U-turn inside the park. There will be tables set on both sides of the trail so you don't have to collide with runners coming in the opposite direction. We want to thank Mr. Beals for allowing us to use his water supply (and make lots of noise in front of his house at 5:30am).
    
    
11. Please note - the gate to Umstead Park may not be open, in which case use the opening on each side (but watch for oncoming runners). Follow Reedy Creek Trail in the park passed the Airport overlook. If you see a jet coming towards you, run faster because there isn't a runway right there. Water stop #3 is up ahead at the park water fountain (approx. 1.4 miles from the park entrance gate and at the outbound 6.6 mile mark).  The Half-marathon U-turn is .37 mile beyond the water stop. Look for the orange traffic cone in middle of trail. There will not be a course monitor. The last one was eaten by bears. 
    
    
12. Retrace your path out of the park and across the I-40 overpass. Turn RIGHT and pass back through the gate onto the Black Creek Greenway and back along Lake Crabtree. You'll pass under Weston Parkway which is a clue to watch up ahead for the course monitor directing you to your LEFT from the Greenway onto the path up to Weston Pkwy. Watch for oncoming runners. Please stay to your right on Weston Parkway because there may be some outgoing half-marathon runners. Remember, there is a water station ahead of you on Weston Parkway.
    
    
13. Turn LEFT from Weston Pkwy back onto Sheldon Drive, Stay to the RIGHT (with traffic) side of the median.  A course monitor and Cary Police will be there to direct you. Turn RIGHT onto that last @#&%! hill on Cary Parkway. Both races end behind the CVS pharmacy at Chapel Hill Road and Cary Parkway (same as in 2006). CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU! Half-marathoners - don't forget to collect your medals. You can also catch a bus ride back to Inside-Out Sports.

IMPORTANT NOTES TO ALL RACE PARTICIPANTS:

1. As noted on the race application and main web page, your safety is our primary concern. With a lot of people out there in confined areas, you need to be aware of your surroundings. Our insurance does not allow race participants to use iPods, MP3 players, headphones, boomboxes, other personal listening devices, tubas or other such items during the race. Please honor our request. We are serious about this restriction and we will disqualify you from the race.

2. We would prefer that runners not have bicyclists trying to pace/encourage them. The greenway and park trails are narrow and bicycles trying to accompany runners will only complicate matters.

3. Water stops will have both water and Gatorade and are accessible from both directions on the courses (if you can avoid colliding). The water stations on the half-marathon course will also have Gu®. Please discard cups, gel packs, wrappers, clothing, extra cash, etc. near these points.  Help our volunteers keep the streets, greenway, and park clean. Also, please remember to thank the volunteers and any medical support people at all of the water stops, along the course, and elsewhere. They were out there in the early hours to make the race an enjoyable running experience for you. Also thank the Cary Police Officers who are out there helping to make this a safe race for everyone.

4. We invite family, friends, enemies, and other spectators to come and cheer or jeer you on, but remind them to park legally and walk over to the course.  There will be two-way vehicular traffic on the opposite side of Weston Parkway during the race. Please ask friends and family not to stop their cars along the road.

5. Although the course side of Weston Parkway is closed to automobile traffic and we have both Cary Police officers and volunteer monitors throughout critical areas of the course, please be alert to any cars that may try to exit from driveways. Unless you're agile enough to hurdle a Volvo you need to be careful out there.

6. Although we do post advance notices concerning the race at the gate to Umstead State Park, please remember there are other people out there hiking, biking, running, or on horseback.  Please be courteous and respect their right to use the trail, particularly if they're riding something that is over six feet tall, weighs 1000 lbs., and is wearing iron shoes.  We are all guests of Umstead State Park and we sincerely appreciate the Park allowing us to use its trail for the race.

7. Also, unlike most runners and cyclists, horses tend to just stop and "go" when the urge strikes them. For you non-equestrians, if a horse stops ahead of you and raises its tail, move immediately to your left or right. Remember to look down and ahead periodically and watch where you step. We are not responsible for close encounters with "natural hazards" left by equine visitors to the park.

8. Most of all - please enjoy yourself out there. Talk to runners around you (talking to yourself may cause runners to move away from you). Although it's a competitive race, more importantly we want it to be a fun race.