6 Hour & 5K trail run around Hale!

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Saturday, March 25, 2023.

 

Hale Reservation, Westwood, Massachusetts.

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Winters can be long in New England. Very long.  We invite all our Trail Animals friends to crawl out of hibernation and welcome dirt and longer days. Come and join us because TARC IS GOING TO HALE AND BACK!

This race is scheduled for the last weekend in March, hoping that we can avoid feet of snow pack and maybe get a chance to feel some fresh dirt under our paws (er, shoes). The 5K and 6 Hour will be held on Saturday, March 25, 2023 with the 5K starting at 8:00 am and 6 hour starting soon after at 8:05 am (bib-pick up starts at 7:00 am, and the hearty volunteers will be there before 6:00 am).

So come on out, shake all that winter snow off your back, and join the pack To Hale and Back! AHHHHHWWWWOOOO!
 

Course Description and Aid Station

 

The course map (mostly accurate) is available here: TARC To Hale and Back Course Map

Some years have required a bit of a last minute reroute due to snow, flooding, etc. so follow all signs on race day!

The course is certainly not the easiest 5K you've ever run.  It is largely singletrack, with a few short/stout climbs, but overall, just a general flow of up/down/side-to-side. There is technical footing, but the reward is following the shores of two idyllic ponds (dare you to jump in!), and getting out onto nice stretches of singletrack.

There will be ONE aid station at the start/finish with water and Tailwind available, plus a variety of food that folks have come to associate with TARC. Plan on being OUTSIDE ALL DAY, with no indoor access. 

Given the time of year though, we may have to adjust the course because of snow banks that limit parking. If, like in 2015, we get some 100+ feet snow again, it will severely limit where we can park, which may also require adjusting the course and adding in some sections of road to let you actually run and not posthole for 6 hours!  

 

Let There NOT Be Cups

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We will NOT have cups for your drink OR soups. Please plan accordingly: ESPECIALLY for after you finish (bring a nice bowl or mug and a spoon; that way you can eat more!). We strive to do everything we can to limit our impact on the places we like to spend our time. Please simply use your water bottle, or bring a lightweight, collapsible cup with you. It takes just a little more planning on your part, and means we won't have pre-poured soda and drinks, but it will mean our impact on Ma' Nature is significantly less than it could be.

BE PREPARED FOR THIS! WE ARE SERIOUS! THERE WILL BE NO CUPS, EVEN AFTER YOU FINISH

 

Getting There & Parking

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The start/finish will be at Powissett Lodge in Hale Reservation. Use 80 Carby St, Westwood, MA for GPS, and then drive down the road about 1.5 miles (it's the last building, on the left, down the road). Please drive very slowly through the reservation as there will likely be other users on the road.

Please start arriving at the start/finish no earlier than 7:00 am to give us time to setup beforehand.  You may have to walk as much as 0.75 miles from your car to the start/finish.  Bear with us (see that, because BEARs are Trail Animals!), and hope that all the snow is gone by the middle of March!

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Parking locations will be shared closer to race day, as this can change based on availability and snow! Parking at Hale Summer Club is typically always an option as it is a large lot, so avoid the hassle of parking at Powissett, please seriously consider going straight to Hale Summer Club, parking there, and then following the course to Powissett Lodge (this is about 2/3-3/4 mile walk). This lot is located opposite 576 Dover Road, Westwood, MA. Practice this! Plan for it, and it will help the volunteers tremendously.

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As always, parking will be tight. Given the potential for complications from huge amounts of snow, parking will be EXTRA tight at this event. If at all possible, run/bike/carpool to the race. The fewer cars we have onsite, the happier we will all be.  We will send out details on where to park as the event gets closer, but plan to have at least some amount of walking to get to the start/finish area.

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Refunds, Deferrals, Bib Swapping, etc.

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None of these are allowed! Event transfers are allowed as long as the event you're transferring to is not sold out; you will need to pay any price difference and no refunds will be given if switching to a cheaper race option. If you sign up and are unable to attend the race, please contact us to withdraw your entry. Your entry fee will go toward a donation to our friends at Hale Education, who let us hold this event on their beautiful trails!

 

Wait List

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Once the race is full, the wait list will open! If you sign up for the wait list, be aware that as spots open up, your credit card will automatically be charged and you will be let into the race; there is no option to accept or decline the entry into the race. If you do not want to remain on the wait list at any point in time, please contact us to remove you from the wait list.

And finally, PLEASE DO NOT WEAR SPIKES/TRACTION IN POWISETT LODGE (trick point here, because you should plan on NOT GOING INTO THE LODGE AT ALL!)