Runner’s Guide
Schedule
Last revision: October 25
Friday, October 27
5:00pm
Packet pick-up opens
5:30pm
Dinner service begins; food available for purchase to all runners and guests (Vida’s Plant-Based Butcher)
6:30pm
Pre-race briefing and sponsor acknowledgement
8:00pm
Packet pick-up closes and dinner service ends.
Saturday, October 28
6:30am
Packet pick-up opens
7:30am
Pre race-briefing
8:00am
RACE START, both distances (12km and 60km)
10:30am
Lunch and dinner service begin (Vida’s Plant-Based Butcher)
5:30pm
Cut-off for final lap for 60km runners. 60km runners must start their 5th and final loop by 5:30pm.
8:00pm
Race ends. All runners not across the finish line by this time will be considered DNF.
All events occur at the Start/Finish area, located next to the Day Use Shelter on Pike Lake Rd. Times are listed in Eastern Standard Time.
Sunrise: 7:55am. Sunset: 6:38pm.
Race Address
Pike Lake State Park
1847 Pike Lake Rd
Bainbridge, OH 45612 (map)
If you check-in on Friday and recieve your bib, you do not need to check in again on Saturday morning. Please arrive by 7:30am for our pre-race briefing.
Course Information
The Pike Lake Ultramarathon course uses a mixture of park trails, connecting trails, bridal trails, and a small amount of roadway to create a challenging and exciting route with a high amount of elevation gain and loss. The course start/finish is next to the day use shelter on the southside of Pike Lake, and runners will head east into the woods on the Mitchell Ridge trail and follow it around back to the lake, running across the dam and across a major road crossing in front of the park office. This road crossing will be staffed, but runners should use caution regardless. From there, the runners will head back into the forest and run on bridle trails, the Buckeye Trail, and park trails until they come back out behind the park office, headed towards the finish back at the shelter house.
Please note, for 2023 the course has been slightly modified from the 2022 course. After exiting one of the bridle trails, you will cross the road by the second aid station and proceed into the forest instead of following the road to the Buckeye Trail connection.
Loop length: approximately 7.3 miles (12km)
Elevation gain per loop: approximately 1,600 ft (490 m)
60km runners will run 5 loops, for a total of 36.5 miles (60km) and 8,000 ft (2,450 m) of gain. 12km runners will run 1 loop.
Course runs in the counter-clockwise direction.
Download: GPX File
Note: Gaia processes the GPX file as ~1,300' of gain. From a variety of different of GPS watches and Strava analysis we believe it to be nearly 1,600'
Course Markings
The course will be well-marked with green barricade tape, green flags, and large plastic signs. The barricade tape will be used to guide runners through trail intersections and to mark long open stretches. At no time should runners go through or under barricade tape—it is there to “barricade” you! Green marking flags will be placed often on the ground (on the left or right) to guide runners in the correct direction.
Large plastic signs will be posted at all major intersections and turns, with arrows pointing in the correct direction. These signs will contain a reflective element that will be visible at night with headlamp. Many of these signs will say “WRONG WAY” on the backside: if you see this, you are going the wrong way! Most of these signs will also contain a Safety Location sticker on the back; see more information about this in the Safety section below.
All road crossings will have signs prior to the crossing instructing you to slow down and check both ways. Only the main road crossing on Pike Lake Rd is staffed—all others are your responsibility to check for vehicles. For the two brief road sections of the course, please run on the LEFT side of the road (towards traffic) and/or use the shoulder as needed. Traffic is typically low during the race, but always use caution.
Cut-off Information
For 12km runners, the official cut-off is 8:00pm (12 hours). However, if you do not cross the finish line by 12:00pm (4 hours), we will likely come looking for you to verify your safety. In 2022 (with a slightly shorter course) the slowest time was about 3 hours and 20 minutes.
For 60km runners, you must start your fifth and final loop by 5:30pm. We have this cut-off to ensure that runners will not be on course past 8:00pm and to give you enough time (2.5 hours) to complete the final loop. Should a runner not finish by 8:00pm, that runner will be considered a DNF. Additionally, if we are not clear as to your whereabouts, we may begin looking for you to ensure your safety.
For the above 60km cut-off standards, an average pace of ~19 min/mi is needed to ensure that you finish safely and within time limits. While this sounds almost ridiculously slow, it is a testament to the rugged hills of the Pike Lake area.
Aid Stations, Drop Bags, and Restrooms
There are two aid stations on course: one at the start/finish which runners will come through just before starting their next lap (60km only), and one at approximately mile 4.2, called the “Greenbriar Aid Station.” Each aid station will have: water, Skratch-brand electrolyte drink, snacks, and more. All food at the aid stations will be vegan/plant-based. You expect typical aid station fare such as: pretzels, cookies, pickles, candy, fruit, etc.
As a reminder, all aid stations at TINAR events are CUPLESS! All runners will receive a complimentary SpeedCup (250mL) in their swag bags that we encourage you to use during the race if you do not have another way to carry fluids. If you know you won’t use your SpeedCup you can return it to us and we’ll give it to another runner.
The Greenbriar aid station will also serve as a communication point for runners should they need to drop or become injured.
All runners may have a drop bag at the start/finish, next to the aid station. Please do not bring this bag on Friday night as we do not have a secure storage area—you can place your drop bag in the marked area starting Saturday morning at 6:30am. 60km runners may have one crew person assist them between loops in this area; it can be a different person each time, but we are trying to avoid having a massive entourage of people inside the race course/aid station area. We highly encourage you not to use your car as an aid station and this will prove logistically difficult for most runners.
Bathrooms (porta-potties) will be available at the start/finish, directly behind the aid station, for use before, during, and after the race. For 60km runners: please visit the porta-potties after crossing the timing mat while at the aid station, and then return to the course in the proper direction.
The Greenbriar Aid Station at mile 4.2 will also have a porta-potty restroom available for use.
All bathrooms will have menstrual products inside, and be present at the aid station. Please throw these away in the provided trash receptacle and not in the toilet.
Please do not litter on course—after past races we have found next to no trash from runners on course, and we are proud of that legacy! Trash cans will be provided at aid stations. We will also have can (aluminum) recycling, and gel-wrapper recycling. Please see our Sustainability section for more information.
The 2023 Pike Lake Ultramarathon is sponsored in part by Fleet Feet Columbus and UNITS Moving and Portable Storage of Columbus. We are grateful for their support! Click to learn more about these amazing local businesses.
Race Information
Prizes & Awards
Cash and prizes will be distributed to the top 5 five runners of each of distance (12km and 60km), per scoring category (“male” and “female”). Additionally, bonus primes (preems) may be awarded on the day of the race, and will be announced the morning of the race. The top five runners of each race will be determined by the mass start time (“gun time”) relative to each runner’s finish time (“chip time”).
Award ceremonies for each distance and scoring category will occur shortly after the fifth runner of each race has crossed the finish line. While we do not require runners to be present to receive their awards and prizes, we highly encourage it. We understand that for the 60km race this can prove difficult given the length of time between finishers, so we encourage you to hang out after the race, relax, enjoy your free meal, and cheer on other runners.
All runners who finish their chosen distance will receive a beautiful finisher medal from Aravaipa Artworx.
Cash & Prize List
60km Ultramarathon
1st
$700 cash + $150 Fleet Feet gift card + Naked T/r shoe + Naked HC Vest w/ 2 soft flasks
2nd
$500 cash + $75 Fleet Feet gift card + special TINAR swag
3rd
$300 cash + $50 Fleet Feet gift card + special TINAR swag
4th
$150 cash + $25 Fleet Feet gift card
5th
$100 cash + $25 Fleet Feet gift card
12km Trail Race
1st
$175 cash + $100 Fleet Feet gift card + Naked Running Band w/ soft flask
2nd
$125 cash + $50 Fleet Feet gift card + special TINAR swag
3rd
$75 cash + $25 Fleet Feet gift card + special TINAR swag
4th
$50 cash + $25 Fleet Feet gift card
5th
$25 cash + Fleet Feet gift card
Plus additional prizes from our sponsors, including Yellowbird Foodshed, and Peak Cocktails!
Cash and prizes are for both Scoring Categories, “male” and “female.”
Cash prizes may be awarded in the form of pre-loaded VISA debit cards. These can be used nearly anywhere debit cards are accepted, including online purchases, in the United States. Runners will be issued a physical card in the value of their winnings that requires activation; the funds on this card never expire.
Gear & Crewing
Due to the technical nature of this course (rocks, roots, mud, water crossings, and off-camber sections), we highly recommend trail running shoes with good tread for this race. Trekking poles are also allowed, however, we ask that you collapse all trekking poles down during the first 2 miles of the race to avoid any contact with runners. We will remind all runners about this during the pre-race briefing.
We do not have any mandatory gear requirements for the race, but we strongly encourage runners to carry a reusable bottle, flask, or cup for aid stations.
Headlamps: 60km runners should pack a headlamp in their drop bag. After 4:30pm will be checking with runners to verify you are taking a headlamp with you on your next loop. Headlamps will not be needed at the start.
You may access your gear (drop bag) and crew at the start/finish aid station only. Please label your drop bag with your name and bib number, and make it as weather-proof as possible. There is no crewing allowed outside of the start/finish aid station, including at the Greenbriar Aid Station at mile 4.2.
All runners on course must be a registered runner—i.e. no pacing or following your runner is allowed (this includes pets and animals as well). We do encourage friends, family, and spectators to cheer on runners, and there are a number of places to do this in the park.
Results
Results will be available as soon as possible on the RunSignUp website for all races, and will continue to build during the 60km race for live tracking. While we strive for accuracy with these results, they should be considered tentative until the race is completed and all results have been finalized.
Results can be viewed here once a finisher arrives: https://tinyurl.com/PLU2023RESULTS (this link will currently only show 2022 results)
Bibs
In order to have accurate results and to ensure runner safety, all runners are required to wear their race bib on the front of their body, uncovered, for the entire duration of the race. Each bib contains a digital chip that tracks your location as you cross the start/finish mat, and another location mat at the Greenbriar Aid Station. Please do not bend, fold, or deform your bib.
In order to facilitate the ease of wearing these bibs, TINAR is providing complimentary “race belts” to each runner upon request, during check-in. These belts are comfortable and lightweight and allow you to attach the bib securely while running. This also avoids the issue of having to put safety pins through expensive technical fabrics. Please ask for a race belt upon check-in and use it for the race—then it is yours to keep.
Tip from the RD
I have always loved the aesthetic of race bibs, but have never enjoyed dealing with safety pins or plastic clips designed to hold them in place. For a race like the Pike Lake Ultramarathon, I think the perfect solution is the Naked Running Band, and I am not just saying this because they are a sponsor! In fact, I sought Naked out as a sponsor because I believe in their product so much. The band allows for a secure attachment of the bib on the front of your body, and plenty of space for a 500mL soft flask, gels, phone, keys, etc. I use mine constantly, and encourage you to try it if you need a better solution for trail races. -Samuel Hartman, TINAR RD
Use code “PIKELAKE10” for 10% off your entire Naked order.
Food and Drink
Runners will receive a meal ticket for one complimentary meal and drink from Vida’s Plant-Based Butcher, a Columbus-based vegan caterer and restaurant. This meal can be redeemed any time after you finish your race on Saturday. Vida’s will also be serving food on Friday night during packet pick-up where anyone can purchase a meal. Saturday, friends and family can purchase meals from Vida’s at any time after 10:30am.
Complimentary drinks will be available with each meal, including sparkling water, Peak Cocktails, and more. No alcohol will be served at this event. Please recycle cans in our provided recycling bins!
Transportation & Lodging
The official address for the race, including the start/finish is:
1847 Pike Lake Rd, Bainbridge, OH 45612 (map)
Note that there are two cities named Bainbridge in Ohio! You are going to the one in Southern Ohio.
Parking is available at one of several lots in the State Park. Parking areas will have signs that indicate race parking or signs that say “no race parking.” See a parking map here.
Please do NOT park in front of the Day Use Shelter, or directly in front of the camp store during the race.
As of this writing, cabins at the park are sold out. Car camping sites are still available and are a short walk from the start/finish. Book those here (type “Pike Lake” into the search box). Hotels are also available in nearby cities such as Waverly or Chillicothe.
Once the race starts, runners will be using portions of the road throughout the park. Please slow down and use caution when driving on these sections!
Please support our 2023 sponsors! Click the logos to learn more.
Sustainability
TINAR Race Series has always strived to create sustainable races in terms of our impact on the environment and reduction of waste. With this goal, we implement the following measures, some of which are new for 2023.
Recycling & Waste Reduction
TINAR strives to use aluminum cans whenever possible for drinks at both aid stations and for post-race meals. Aluminum is an infinitely recyclable material, and it takes up to 95 percent less energy to recycle it than to produce primary aluminum. Aluminum can recycling bins can be found at both aid stations and at the start/finish—please use them!
Running shoe recycling: many runners struggle with what to do with old, worn out running shoes. Please bring running shoes of any condition to the Pike Lake Ultramarathon and deposit them in a “Sneaker Impact” box at the start/finish. These shoes will be sent to Sneaker Impact, a Florida-based company who finds novel uses for used running shoes. While they can take any shoes, please remove as much dirt and debris as possible before giving us the shoes.
Gel wrapper recycling: both aid stations will have bins for gel wrapper and “performance nutrition” packaging recycling. This includes gels from any brand (Gu, Hammer, Spring, etc.), bar wrappers, and the like. We send these collected wrappers to Terracycle where they are shredded up and turned into recycled plastic products, among other things. If you are not sure if something is recyclable in this fashion, ask a TINAR staff member.
Cupless: As mentioned above, TINAR races are cupless to avoid the endless sea of single-use cups that go into the landfill. We expect all runners to have some sort of cup or bottle to fill with water or electrolyte solution (and we provide you a free SpeedCup, as mentioned above). If you’re craving a full 12 oz of Coke or Ginger Ale, just ask for the can!
Aid station etiquette: some single-use products are unavoidable at aid stations given the high turnover of runners coming through, so paper trays, cups for maple syrup or pickle juice, and even cutlery will be available for use by staff and runners. We also try to avoid having runners “self-serve” from large quantities of product for sanitary reasons. Please utilize our aid station staff to help you get exactly what you need in terms of quantity and food type from the aid stations.
Other Measures
Since the first TINAR race in 2021, we have served 100% plant-based/vegan food at all aid stations and post-race meals. Food without animal products contains significantly less carbon emissions and has a variety of other benefits. Learn more about our decision to do this on our “Why Vegan?” page.
There is much debate over the use of “swag bags” and the various merchandise that comes with races. On one hand, much of this swag is cheap, single-use, and easily thrown away. On the other hand, more quality merchandise (such as event shirts) can be worn more frequently if they both fit the runner (size variety) and are of good quality. TINAR works hard to find this balance between cost-effective merchandise and re-usable products, from the actual swag “bags” given to runners to the t-shirt quality itself.
Runners who have feedback about these ideas and policies are encouraged to tell us in the post-race survey. While sustainability is a very worthy goal, it is one that our organization will continue to improve year after year.
Race Policies & Safety
Fairness
At TINAR Race Series, we assume that all runners who wish to participate in our events will support and encourage other runners to do their best on course. While we encourage fierce competition, it should never be at the expense of someone’s safety, or via “unsportspersonlike” (unfair) behavior. If, in the event that race management is notified of unfair behavior from a runner, we will hold the runner at the start/finish or aid station with the race clock running while we determine the appropriate course of action.
We reserve the right to remove any runner from the race if we deem that they have engaged in unfair, demeaning, or unethical behavior towards another runner or race staff. All decisions made in this capacity by the race director are final. Put simply, please treat others with respect, kindness, and fairness while racing next to them. Race hard, and race with dignity.
Safety
The Pike Lake Ultramarathon will have medical services (EMS) on site for the entire duration of the race. We take runner safety extremely seriously, while acknowledging that you run at your own risk. Regardless, if you become injured on course, please take the following measures:
If you sustain a minor injury, move forward on course (in the direction of the race) to the nearest aid station and inform the aid station crew. Should you wish to drop from the race at that time, the aid station crew will help you get back to the start/finish (if you are at the Greenbriar Aid Station) and discuss your injury with EMS.
If you sustain a major injury that does not allow you to move, immediately inform the nearest runner with the following information: your name, your bib number, and your nearest “Safety Location.” All signs on course contain a “Safety Location” marker on them, typically “A1” or “B2". Given the sporadic cell service on course, this will likely be the fastest way to relay information to crew so we can find you.
If you arrive at the start/finish of your own will and stop to have EMS review your medical condition, you may rejoin the race (typically this will only apply to 60km runners). The clock will not stop, however. Should you decide to drop from the race, you MUST notify race staff (anyone with a “CREW” badge) immediately.
ALL RUNNERS WHO VOLUNTARILY DROP FROM THE RACE MUST NOTIFY RACE STAFF VERBALLY. Do not simply walk to your car and leave—we will not know where you are and treat you as an “unaccounted for” runner. This will cause us to waste resources looking for you.
In the case that severe weather causes a delay of the race, we will notify runners via all available channels as soon as possible, including social media and email. In the case that severe weather occurs after the start of the race, TINAR reserves the right to change the overall race distance and modify the race in the interest of runner safety. In this situation, runners will be notified as soon as possible at whatever aid station they are nearest to.
FAQ
Can I “drop down” to the PIKE12 race after the start?
No. If you need to change the distance you registered for, please email us before registration closes on October 25.
Will there be race photography?
Yes! We will have professional photography for both races all day. High resolution photos will be available 2-3 weeks after the event for free online for all runners. Video will also be captured at the race. See photos from last year’s race here.
This is my first trail race—what should I expect?
Expect to be challenged and to meet some amazing individuals on the trail. TINAR staff is here to help you succeed, so simply do your best and keep putting one foot in front of the other. If you have specific questions, please email us directly.
What if it rains, is very cold, or very hot?
The race will happen regardless of weather, so please prepare for a variety of conditions. The only exception to this is severe thunderstorms that yield lightning, or severe wind such as tornadoes.
Last year’s race started off chilly and was quite warm throughout the day, but it is impossible to accurately predict Ohio weather.
Can my friends come with me? What is there to do?
Yes! We encourage spectators at this event. There are plenty of activities in the park, especially during this beautiful fall weekend. Visit Pike Lake State Park’s website here. Your friends and family can hang out at the start/finish to see live results and cheer on other runners, and buy food and drink from our caterer or the camp store across the street.
Are there showers available after the race?
Yes, the park campground has a shower house that runners may use after the race.
Will the trails be in use by other people?
Possibly. The public has been informed of the race and signs will be placed throughout the park, even in remote areas. Please share the trails with other hikers, but know they have been instructed to give you the right of way.
The exception to this is horses: while equestrian groups have been notified by ODNR that we are using bridal trails this weekend, and it is unlikely you will see them, always alert horse riders to your presence. Make sure they are giving you the right of way before you proceed.
Is there cell service in the park?
Typically, no. Only T-Mobile networks seem to work in the Pike Lake State Park area, so please be mindful of this as you use GPS directions and/or plan on texting friends or family off-site. If you urgently need to contact someone, please see a TINAR staff member and we can help deliver the message.
Please support our 2023 sponsors! Click the logos to learn more.
