Come run the beautiful and challenging trails surrounding Helen, GA. All races start and finish on the field adjoining the Chattahoochee River. All races have a mandatory pre-race meeting 20 minutes before the start. The meeting will go over the course and make sure you don’t get lost. There will …
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Come run the beautiful and challenging trails surrounding Helen, GA. All races start and finish on the field adjoining the Chattahoochee River. All races have a mandatory pre-race meeting 20 minutes before the start. The meeting will go over the course and make sure you don’t get lost.
There will be port-o-johns at the start/finish area.
Aid Stations & Cutoffs
There will be several aid stations for the marathon & half marathon. Runners should expect to get aid every 4-6 miles. If you need water/food at a greater frequency than the aid stations, you should bring your own water bottle/hydration pack and food.
We have strict cutoff times for the marathon and 1/2 marathon. This is to make sure that we don’t keep our volunteers out on the trails for hours upon hours. Any runner who does not make a cutoff will be given a ride back to the start. We believe all of our the runners are capable of doing great things. We also want to respect our volunteers. A runner who continues to run past the cutoff time is essentially running without any support and possibly without trail markings (thus, getting lost is a major concern). So, if you are asked to stop, please abide by this rule and come back next year to give it another shot 🙂
LESS
Beautiful Race
Challenging, but maybe not for others who are use to running trail races (this is the 5th one I've run- but for me, technical as there were a lot of … MORE
Challenging, but maybe not for others who are use to running trail races (this is the 5th one I’ve run- but for me, technical as there were a lot of down trees to hop over or skirt under, and some of the climb was STEEP); beautiful backdrop, but as you know, it’s hard to see it while you are trying not to trip on the trail; people were friendly and helpful and I appreciated all the volunteers; the course was very well marked. The afterparty is fine, but I didn’t really stay to see if it ramped up. I didn’t get the shirt or hat as I opted out…I kind of wish races would do something other than those typical things. Worth running but don’t expect to much than just the race.
A good challenge
Great scenery, great challenge, great aid stations with plenty of variety. Great people! Only disappointment was no medal. Unique swag though as you get a bag of grits instead of … MORE
Great scenery, great challenge, great aid stations with plenty of variety. Great people! Only disappointment was no medal. Unique swag though as you get a bag of grits instead of a medal. Great post-race atmosphere to hang out and listen to music. The hills are absolutely gnarly but such a great feeling to accomplish and complete them.
Hell and Back
My sister, who participated in the 5K, affectionately renamed this race. This race was extremely challenging, especially coming from flat Florida. It was surprising how many first-time participants there were. … MORE
My sister, who participated in the 5K, affectionately renamed this race. This race was extremely challenging, especially coming from flat Florida. It was surprising how many first-time participants there were. Thankfully, a veteran from the previous year gave us tips to conquer the first half mile of almost straight incline. Don’t stop! Don’t give up!
This race had the absolutely best-stocked aid stations I have ever experienced. The scenery was gorgeous. I wish mile markers had been included on the signs! My daughters GPS clocked over 15 miles for the half. It had recently rained which added to the challenge. I appreciated the rope across the stream we had to ford. The live band at the finish line was a lovely experience as we sat recovering. I would prefer a medal over the grits handed out at the end.
As recommended by the race, we stayed in Unicoi. If I come again, I would definitely chose to stay outside the park.
This is a small race with wonderful volunteers. Despite its difficulty, this race is one of my favorites. Great memories!