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The Marathon and Half Marathon races start at
Aptos Village Park, the 5K on Aptos Creek Road.
Marathon:
Due to heavy rains this past March that affected
the upper portion of Aptos Creek Rd. (the
marathon course), we have had to redesign the
marathon course this year. The marathon course
will initially follow the half marathon course,
but will veer LEFT back onto the fire road at
the West Ridge junction (instead of going right
back towards the start). From there, runners
will stay on the fire road until a turnaround a
little past the Top of the Incline, then head
back down to the beginning of the trail portion
of the half marathon course (at the Loma Prieta
Grade trailhead). Runners will then follow the
half marathon course back to the finish line.
Detailed directions are below:
Start in line with the
flag pole in Aptos Village Park.
Turn LEFT at the top
of the hill from the park onto Aptos Creek Road
(turns to dirt fire road in about a mile). Stay
on the fire road for about 3.1 miles and veer
left at Loma Prieta Grade trailhead (there will
be an aid station here during the race). The
trail splits and goes up to the LEFT (pretty
steeply at first).
At the next split
(total distance here is a little over 4 miles),
the course goes UP to the LEFT towards Hoffman’s
Historic Site, where it splits and you go UP
again to the LEFT onto the Ridge Connection for
about a mile (steep section also) to West Ridge
trail and turn LEFT again (there will be an aid
station here during the race - water ONLY).
Stay on West Ridge (NO
TURNS) until AFTER the power lines – where the
trail will split and the course goes LEFT.
Follow the trail with NO turns until the fire
road (there will be an aid station here during
the race).
Turn LEFT onto the fire road and continue past
the aid station at Loma Prieta Grade (where you
first turned off onto trails earlier).
Stay on the fire road until you reach a
turnaround approximately one half mile before
the Top of the Incline (there will be an aid
station approximately one tenth of a mile before
the turnaround). Please make sure you
check-in and have your bib number recorded at
the turnaround.
After the turnaround
come back down to the aid station at Loma Prieta
Grade and turn right onto the Loma Prieta Grade
trail. The trail splits and goes up to the LEFT
(pretty steeply at first).
At the next split the
course goes UP to the LEFT towards Hoffman’s
Historic Site, where it splits and you go UP
again to the LEFT onto the Ridge Connection for
about a mile (steep section also) to West Ridge
trail and turn LEFT again (there will be an aid
station here during the race - water ONLY).
Stay on West Ridge (NO
TURNS) until AFTER the power lines – where the
trail will split and the course goes LEFT.
Follow the trail with NO turns until the fire
road (there will be an aid station here during
the race), where the course turns RIGHT and
finishes in the village park (please note that
there is a private road to the right just after
you turn onto the park entrance road - do not
turn down this road as you will lose time - it
happens every year).
Half
Marathon:
Start in line with the
flag pole in Aptos Village Park.
Turn LEFT at the top
of the hill from the park onto Aptos Creek Road
(turns to dirt fire road in about a mile). Stay
on the fire road for about 3.1 miles and veer
left at Loma Prieta Grade trailhead (there will
be an aid station here during the race). Trail
splits and goes up to the LEFT (pretty steeply
at first).
At the next split
(total distance here is a little over 4 miles),
the course goes UP to the LEFT towards Hoffman’s
Historic Site, where it splits and you go UP
again to the LEFT onto the Ridge Connection for
about a mile (steep section also) to West Ridge
trail and turn LEFT again (there will be an aid
station here during the race - water ONLY). That
point is about halfway.
Stay on West Ridge (NO
TURNS) until AFTER the power lines – where the
trail will split and the course goes LEFT.
Follow the trail with NO turns until the fire
road (there will be an aid station here during
the race), where the course turns RIGHT and
finishes in the village park (please note that
there is a private road to the right just after
you turn onto the park entrance road - do not
turn down this road as you will lose time - it
happens every year).
5K
Start on Aptos Creek
Road (right about in front of the bicycle shop)
and follow it to the turnaround (turns to dirt
fire road in just under a mile). Follow Aptos
Creek Road back to the entrance road to Aptos
Village Park and turn right onto the entrance
road and follow to the finish (please note that
there is a private road to the right just after
you turn onto the park entrance road - do not
turn down this road as you will lose time - it
happens every year; also, you will not finish at
the same spot you started - trust me, some
people get surprised by this every year, too).
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Half
Marathon is 3 miles on
fire road then 8 miles on single track trail
returning to fire road with right turn and 2
miles to finish. There is an elevation
gain of 1000 feet in the first 7 miles.
There are 3 aid stations on the course.
5K Run
is out and back with the start on the Aptos
Creek Road above the finish line. There is
a short dip in the first ½ mile and again on the
return. Finish is the same as the marathon
and ½ marathon |
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