Thank you for registering for the
9th Annual
Sheep Mountain Ultras
Date: August 5, 2023
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A reminder that it is your responsibility to read all race communications in their entirety, that includes emails such as this one, and the Runner’s Manual. **IF YOU HAVE RUN WITH US BEFORE, THE MANUAL HAS BEEN HEAVILY EDITED. PLEASE DO GIVE IT A READ!**
PLEASE LET US KNOW ASAP IF YOU NO LONGER PLAN ON ATTENDING! Refund/Credit/Deferral policies can be found HERE.
A note on personal accountability:
Trail running is an extreme sport! The onus is on you to come prepared on race day.
This includes and is not limited to:
Please remember that by completing registration for this event you accepted everything that this adventure entails. PERSONAL ACCOUNTABILITY is valued at the utmost at HPRS and we ask you to please view our Personal Accountability webpage.
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EVENT DETAILS
• Both distances start at 6am on Saturday, August 5, 2023 at the Fairplay Events Flat (top of Town of Fairplay Beach Road) in Fairplay, CO
• Everyone is welcome to have a drop bag at the start/finish area for the event. Please do check the aid station chart to see where drop bags are also welcome.
• 50k Runners: Spectators are only allowed at the Start/Finish location. You may not have a crew, pacer, or spectators out on the course if you are running in this distance.
• 50-Mile Runners: Spectators and Crews may see you at Horseshoe 1 & 2, Watrous, Round Hill, Pasture, and the Start/Finish Line.
• Pacers can jump in with 50-Mile runners ONLY at Pasture and/or Horseshoe 2. You're allowed one (1) pacer at a time.
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PRE-RACE MEETING
**Sunday Night, July 30th** @ 8:00pm Mountain Time (10:00p ET, 7:00p PT)
You do not need to be a member of, or logged in to, Facebook to see it.
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All of the above info, plus more, is available in the HPRS Race Drive: |
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There you will also find:
Please pay special attention to the Runner’s Manual! We recommend printing or downloading for offline use of any documents you may want on race day.
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AWARDS
Finisher's Awards: Those who successfully complete the adventure they start will receive a finisher's award.
DFL: Awarded to the person finishing Dead Fucking Last - Beautiful custom award, 1 Comp race entry, and a bottle of wine!
Transcendence: This award is given to the individual runner who we feel most embodies what we're doing here at HPRS. It could go to the person who exemplified "community" the most while out there, the person who helped the most runners along the way or offered the best attitude. It could be the runner who faces and overcomes the most adversity. It could be the person who truly transcends on their journey to and through the race. This award is our highest honor and it will be just that.. an honor.. to present it to whomever it is that deserves it - Beautiful custom award, 1 Comp race entry for yourself and 1 for a friend or loved one, and a bottle of wine!
All runners who signed up before the awards deadline (July 24th) will receive a finisher medal and T-shirt! Runners who signed up later will receive both only if there are enough available.
We do not have a podium, special awards for 1st, 2nd or 3rd place, or age group awards. Prizes and Awards
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Check-In...
You may be required to show a government issued photo ID at time of check-in. You may only pick up your own bib and swag. We do not allow the gathering of items for anyone other than yourself. Thank you for understanding.
Drop Bags...
All Drop Bags can be dropped off Friday Night and/or prior to start on race morning. We have pre-determined locations where they can go. You may have anything in it that you'd like.
If you use a drop bag, DO NOT LEAVE IT BEHIND. All abandoned drop bags are terminated at the literal conclusion of the event (11p Saturday).
My Shirt Doesn't Fit...
Shirt's are made to order and not purchased in bulk by size. Unfortunately we will not have "extras" of a size laying around, Sorry. You can ask other runners if they want to trade.. but in general they seem to be true to fit.
No shirts will be mailed post race. Those who leave the event without their shirt, will not receive a shirt.
Pre-Race 1's and 2's...
We will have porta-potties on premises at the start/finish area. This is not the time or place to play words with friends or update your Instagram. Shit or get off the pot as it were.
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GELS
HPRS will NOT have gels or chews at our aid stations. Gels are a fast burning food, which does not fit well in a slow burning sport. We provide a vast menu of items for you to choose from. Our aid stations are legendary. We'll have what you NEED. If you want something else, best to plan and bring it on yer own.
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Please do take photos during the race and share them with the world. Use the following Hashtags: #HPRS #hprunningseries
Please also send us a link to any race report you may sling up on a website or blog. We want to share it on our website!
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WE STILL NEED VOLUNTEERS!
Please share the volunteer registration page with anyone you know who is willing and/or able to help. We can't do it without an army and it takes an entire village. We have a need to fill twenty-two (22) volunteer slots for the race.
HPRS pays $10-$20/hr in HPRS credits for volunteer time. These credits are 100% transferable; so if you bring a family member or friend who is willing to volunteer with no intention of using the credits they earn... they can pass them on to you for a future race!
Here is the current volunteer roster, Any red "VACANT" that is bold, red, and in a larger font is a slot we absolutely need to have filled. ROSTER
Thanks!
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NAVIGATION
The course will be marked with surveyor’s tape and flags. Each loop will be marked with the appropriate color tape. At major intersections, we mark the course with laminated signs. We will primarily be marking the course Wednesday through Friday (7/5 - 7/7). We cannot promise it will remain free of vandalism though we feel the chances are minimal. We do not have enough volunteers to place course marshalls along the route.
In the traditions of our sport, it is ultimately up to the runner to know the course.
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Through the CalTopo and COTrex apps; live tracking functionality works even if you don't have cell service. This live tracking feature is visible only to you as, unfortunately, we don't do live tracking for audiences in the "outside world." You can learn more about how your family can live track you from afar by CLICKING HERE.
If you're someone who regularly second guesses whether you're on course or not, or how far away the next aid station is, these apps are for you! You'll want to download the app, and the data for the race within the app, BEFORE you arrive on race day. Information pertaining to Runner Navigation is detailed in the Google Drive IN THIS DOCUMENT. So get on that now!
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TRAIL & ULTRA 101
The following video discusses the Do's and Don'ts of Trail and Ultra Running events. If this is your first time running in a trail or ultra running event, or if you've done a few but no one has formerly outlined the basic guidelines to you, this video is for you. It is a 27-minute video designed to help you set accurate expectations for your participation in an HPRS event.
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NO DOGS!
"But I'm a good dog." Unfortunately, even good dogs can cause problems in our parks and at our races. They can harass wildlife, disturb sensitive nesting and breeding areas, and spread diseases to other animals. Dogs, especially those not on a leash, can intimidate other visitors; and not everyone is comfortable around dogs. They can also be injured in fights with other animals or by falls off cliffs or down steep hillsides.
To prevent these problems and more, DOGS ARE NOT ALLOWED AT ANY HPRS RACE. Unfortunately the behaviors of a few dog owners in the past have highlighted that allowing dogs at our events is a liability we cannot shoulder. Should your family or friends bring a dog to the event, you will be immediately disqualified from the event. It is your responsibility to ensure they know to leave poochie at home.
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Every single one of you has put in months of training, made considerable sacrifices to be here, and have a desire to not only run but to be belong. We run countless miles alone, race day is the culmination of your commitment and a time of celebration and community.
Imagine how incredibly deflating it is for those who are near the back of the pack, who make it to the finish line only for most everyone they shared the trails with having already gone home.
We are asking you to #STAY. We all have busy lives, we all have families to get back to. We're also all part of the same community of trail and ultra runners. It has been a long tradition in our sport that we stay at the finish line and cheer each other in to the finish. Stay with us. Stay awhile and let's bring everyone home. Let's celebrate everyone's achievements together. #STAY
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Challenge by choice is an important philosophy in outdoor programs, because it encourages the participant to achieve their goals while providing them a safe environment to do so. It is the empowerment you are given to decide your level of participation in an activity.
In trail and ultra, we are faced with challenge by choice on the regular. We face it when deciding to sign up for a particular race or not.. and we use it during the event in choosing to continue or not. Simply put, the challenge you face is your decision and your decision alone.
It is our every mission to keep you going during this weekend's race. Should you decide that you've had enough and wish to drop from the event, we have implemented a short multi-step process that allows our volunteers to encourage you to continue, while also respecting your choice not to. Our mission is to provide you with care in a compassionate way. Only you decide what success looks like on race day, and we acknowledge that success is not always defined by reaching the finish line.
Please remember that you signed up for this, and in doing so you accepted everything that this adventure entails. Each race is unique with its own set of circumstances and rules. While we do greatly value the integrity of the race, the experience matters most.
HPRS acknowledges that a vast majority of trail and ultra runners participate in our sport as a way to work through life's many challenges. If you are working through something in your life, and are using running as a therapeutic tool, we would love to offer you care and compassion towards your work. We're here for you.
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FEEDBACK
We value your feedback! Our race series is designed to help you realize your human potential, and we’d love to know how we’re doing in that mission. Please direct your comments to [email protected]. Feel free to include as much detail as you’d like, include your favorite parts of the day, and don’t forget to share some recommendations for how we could improve the event for next time!
IMPORTANT: We respectfully ask you to please refrain from offering in-person feedback to our Race Directors on the day of the event. They’re likely sleep-deprived, exhausted, and may not be equipped to give your feedback the proper attention it deserves. Using the email address above is your best bet to make sure that your voice is heard!
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This event is directed by HPRS Race Director John Lacroix, a 2021 Sheep Mountain 50k Finisher. This will be John's 86th event directed, accounting for 220 total individual distances.
"Normally I am at the finish line for the day, to welcome you all in after a hard fought day on the trails. There is no greater pleasure for me than to celebrate your moment of triumph by offering you a warm embrace, a high five, fist bump, or a friendly hand shake. Please take the time to introduce yourself this weekend. It would be a true pleasure to meet your acquaintance and personally thank you for joining us this weekend. It is an absolute honor and privilege of mine to be your race director."
SEE YOU SOON!
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25% off with Code HPR25
(Parker & Castle Rock)
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