New Event: the Emerald Necklace 100K - May 22, 2010

Join us for a 100K fun run this May 22nd. The course will be the same as that for the Green Jewel 50K, with a little twist: we will start Bonnie Park in Strongsville, run 45 kilometers round-trip to/from Oak Grove in Brecksville Metropark, return to our starting point, then run 55 kilometers northwest to Rocky River metropark and back.

Check out the Emerald Necklace 100K map.

You may also want to see the
Green Jewel 50K map
the Emerald Necklace 100K will simply double this course as runners will effectively run the entire course once in each direction.

There will be limited support, although we're trying to line up some volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Dan Horvath. We can use all the help we can get.

Email to Dan Horvath at runhorvathrun@hotmail.com or on FaceBook if you are interested in running.

Here are your FINAL INSTRUCTIONS:
1) The run will begin promptly at 5am on May 22. We’ll have a pre-run meeting at 4:45am.
2) Bring a $5.00 donation to help cover the cost of water, Gatorade and other supplies.
3) Unless we find more volunteers, there will be no support until about noon. This means there won’t be any for the entire first half of the run from Bonnie Bell Park to Brecksville and back. I will drop supplies at two places along the way however. More on supplies later.
4) The course:
a. Stay on the all-purpose trail at all times, except where it doesn't exist, between Ridge Rd. and Brecksville Rd.
b. The Oak Grove picnic area, the easternmost point and first turnaround, is closed for construction. **If you want to 50K instead of 100K, you may want to continue past Oak Grove down the hill for another mile or so until you get to mile 15.5 on your GPS.** 100K runners can just turn back at the second Oak Grove driveway instead of going into the parking lot.
c. When you return to Bonnie Bell Park, go to your car and get some refreshments. I won’t have any stashed here because there will be too many other people about.
d. After you begin running west from Bonnie Bell Park, you will cross Pearl Road and then under I80 in Mill Stream Run. After this, you will have to turn left to continue on the Valley Parkway. This is about mile 29.5 out.
e. After you cross Bagley Road in Berea, at about mile 32, you will have to bear right to stay on the parkway. There are signs to guide you.
f. In Rocky River, at about mile 45.5, turn left onto the Scenic Park Picnic area all-purpose trail. Follow the trail as it curves around (a bit less than a mile) and finally ends. This is your northwestern turnaround.
g. Follow this route to get back to Bonnie Bell Park.
5) Aid. There are some water fountains and plenty of restrooms along the way. Just look for them. I will buy water, Gatorade, pretzels and energy gel. I’ll drop them at these locations, and if they change, I’ll let you know at the 4:45am meeting:
a. Where the all-purpose trail ends just before Ridge Rd.
b. Where the all-purpose trail begins again on the right, just after Brecksville Rd.
c. Just south of the Bagley Rd. crossing.
d. At the entrance to the Rocky River Nature Center parking lot north of Cedar Rd.
e. At Scenic Park.
6) Our volunteers, Debbie and her sister Kathy, will likely be at point e, Scenic Park for most of the afternoon. The plan is to stay there from about 11:30am until about 3:30 pm. Or they may be driving in between.
7) When you finish, immediately call Dan’s cell. I’ll give you the number at the 4:45am meeting.
8) This is a fun run, so have fun.