Farm To Farm Ultra Run

Race day is October 16, 2011–that’s this Sunday!

Our friends at Atayne just dropped off our eco-awesome race t-shirts, and we are psyched for this weekend. Maine Track Club, Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust and Wolfe’s Neck Farm wish you a fantastic day of running long for locally-grown food. Stay tuned to your e-mail and Farm To Farm’s Facebook page for any last-minute race updates. Now, let’s answer some of your FAQs…

Packet Pickup

When and where do I get my bib number?

Packet pickup is at Maine Running Company/Brunswick (89 Maine Street) on Saturday, Oct. 15 from 2pm until the store closes at 5pm. If you’re on a relay, one person from your team can pick up your team’s packet. On race day, you can pick up your packet/bib starting at 5:45am at the start/finish area at Wolfe’s Neck Farm. Bonus answer: Don’t wait until five minutes before the gun to get your bib. Studies show that arriving early to races reduces stress and increases cardio performance.

Saturday Night

I’m staying in Brunswick on Saturday night, is there a good place to eat?

Our RD, Brock, plans to have dinner at Byrne’s Irish Pub at 16 Station Ave in Brunswick on Sat. at 5:30pm. Feel free to join him. BTW, Patrick Byrne tells us runners will get 10% off their meal at the pub anytime this weekend if they have their Farm to Farm bib!

Registration

Is it too late to sign up to run?

You can still sign up online for all individual and relay events until Friday at 5pm. You can sign up for individual events on race morning, too. However, there is no race-day registration for relay events.

Race Start/Finish Info

Where’s the start and finish?

All events start and finish at Wolfe’s Neck Farm at 184 Burnett Road in Freeport in front of the farm house.

When’s the start gun?

50 mile individual and relay runners: 6:30am
50K individual and relay runners: 8:30am
25K individual runners: 10am
Kids 1K runners: 1pm

Meals

I bought a meal ticket. When do you start serving food at the big white tent at Wolfe’s Neck Farm?

Meals will run from 12pm to 5pm. You can buy meal tickets on race day for $10. Volunteers who clock in at least a few hours can get a free meal ticket. (Call Brock for more info on volunteering at 233-7968.)

Parking

Where do I park?

Please keep it green and consider car pooling. But here’s the parking deets:

Wolfe’s Neck Farm, 184 Burnett Road, Freeport (start/finish venue): The grass will probably be wet, so we might not be able to park in the field. Assuming that’s the case, drive in on Burnett Road, past the farm house, and please park on the far right side of the road.

Crystal Spring Farm, 277 Pleasant Hill Road, Brunswick (turnaround, water, and relay exchange station): There’s a big parking lot right off Pleasant Hill Road, right next to our water/relay station.

Water Stops

Where might I hydrate and snack whilst running?

There are four water/snack/aid stations on the course. The two middle stations are fluids only and will be unstaffed/self serve, so please try to keep things tidy and make sure your cups reach the trash can.

Expect about 3-4 miles between stations. If it’s hot out, or you’re not used to running 3-4 miles between water stops on your long run, consider carrying your own water bottle or CamelBack. If you find you don’t need your bottle, you can always stash it at one of the stations and pick it up after the race.

Wolfe’s Neck Farm Station: Water, Gatorade, Coke, boiled potatoes, pretzels, peanut butter and jelly sandwhiches, and whatever other sweets we can drum up.
Calder Woods Station (no staff): Water.
Trail Station (no staff): Water.
Crystal Spring Farm Station: Water, Gatorade, Coke, boiled potatoes, pretzels, peanut butter and jelly sandwhiches, etc.

Course

How does the race course work again?

The course basically has two legs: Wolfe’s Neck Farm up to Crystal Springs Farm, and a return leg from Crystal Springs Farm to Wolfe’s Neck Farm. There’s a roughly 2 1/2-mile loop of trails at the Crystal Spring Farm end.

25K

It’s approximately 9 miles up to the Crystal Springs Farm water and relay station and 6 1/2 miles back. If you were a caveman in charge of drawing slightly inaccurate Google maps, you’d draw a 25K course map that looks like this.

50K

You know that caveman-drawing map we showed you for the 25K course. Run that bad boy twice.

50K Relay

It’s the same course map as the 50K individual. There are four legs. Legs 1 and 3 (up to Crystal Springs Farm) are about 9 miles each. Legs 2 and 4 (the return to Wolfe’s Neck Farm) are about 6 1/2 miles each. Legs 1 and 3 have the trails; there are no trails on return legs 2 and 4.

50 Mile

It’s about 9 miles up to Crystal Springs Farm, and almost 7.7 miles back. 50 milers will generally run the same course as the 25K/50K, except they’ll run up to Crystal Springs Farm and back three times. Think about that for a moment and ponder the distance…

50 milers will also tack on an 1.2-mile spur at Wolfe’s Neck Farm on the return legs. Our caveman cartographer also drew this map of the additional spur for your viewing pleasure.

50 Mile Relay

Same course as the 50 Mile individual race. There are six legs–three up and three back. Legs 1, 3, and 5 (up to Crystal Springs Farm) are about 9 miles each and have some trails. Legs 2, 4, and 6 (Crystal Springs Farm back to Wolfe’s Neck Farm) are about 7.7 miles each and don’t have trails.

Will I get lost?

Doubtful. We will have very few volunteers on the course, but it will be well marked with cones, signs, arrows, and tape. Most of the cones will say Maine Track Club or MTC. There’s only a couple of turns on the course, and everything will be well marked. Keep your head up and familiarize yourself with the roads on the moderately precise course map that our caveman intern drew.

Note: On the up leg to Crystal Spring Farm, pay attention to where the course enters the Crystal Spring Farm property from Woodside Road. The entrance will be well marked with cones. But it’s a small trail head.

More Relay Info

Where are the relay exchange stations?

There are two stations:

Crystal Springs Farm, near the parking lot and water station; and
Wolfe’s Neck Farm, near parking and the start/finish area.

Where does my relay team position our team members?

50K relay: Runners for legs 1 and 3 start at Wolfe’s Neck Farm and finish at the exchange at Crystal Spring Farm. Legs 2 and 4 start at Crystal Spring Farm and finish at Wolfe’s Neck Farm.
50 mile relay: Legs 1,3, and 6 start at Wolfe’s neck Farm and finish at the exchnage at Crystal Spring Farm. Legs 2,4 and 6 start at Crystal Spring Farm and finish at Wolfe’s Neck Farm.

How do I transport my teammates to the exchange stations?

Teams are responsible for logistics and transporting teammates to the exchanges.

Do relay runners need to carry a baton or bracelet?

We thought about making you carry pumpkins…

Instead, teams will get one bib with a timing chip. The person on your team who runs the final leg from Crystal Spring Farm to Wolfe’s Neck Farm ~~will~~ MUST wear the bib when he or she strides across the finish line. The rest of the team does not need to wear the bib.

We’re sorry we’re not set up this year to provide splits for every leg.

Also, it is mandatory that you high-five your teammate at the exchanges. If your teammates tricked you into running two consecutive legs, you must high-five yourself. Failure to high-five is bad form and will result in automatic disqualification and a clubbing by our caveman map guy.

Bags

Where can I stash a change of clothes and other gear?

Stash bags at the start/finish area at Wolfe’s Neck Farm or the water station at Crystal Spring Farm. Don’t forget to pick up your stuff when you’re done with the race.

Toilets

Where do I…um…you know?

At Wolfe’s Neck Farm there are outhouses and a port-a-pot about 50 yards from the start/finish area. 50 milers will also run past an outhouse in the campsites at Wolfe’s Neck Farm. At Crystal Spring Farm, there will be two port-a-pots near the water stop and relay exchange.

Showers

What if I sweat a lot during the race?

There are pay showers at the camp grounds at Wolfe’s Neck Farm.

Road Safety

Can I run down the middle of the road with my eyes closed?

The course’s roads are quiet, but they will be completely open to traffic. Please run on the side of the road, opposite the flow of traffic like you would if you were running on your own. Keep your head up. Be very careful, especially at intersections.

Trails

Are they as hard as Pineland?

It’s similar meadow and woods as Pineland, but the 2 1/2 mile trail loop at Crystal Spring Farm is not as challenging. You’ll be fine in road shoes. The trails are in great shape. They are narrow in a few places where you might be passing other runners. Be courteous and yield to faster runners or downhill runners.

Farm Safety

Will I get bit by a cow?

Cows, no. Although, sometimes there’s a rouge goose hanging out on Burnett Road at Wolfe’s Neck Farm. Watch out for the slow, blue tractor giving hay rides at Wolfe’s Neck Farm. Treat every fence as if it’s electric.

Garbage

Can I throw garbage int he woods?

We’ll have trash bags and cans for recycling and non-recycling. Help us make sure everything gets in the right can.

Volunteers

Can I verbally abuse race volunteers?

Shower volunteers with praise and affection at all times.

And now’s the time to persuade your friends, S.O., or family members to volunteer on race day! For details on volunteering, shoot an email to farmtofarmultrarun@gmail.com or call Brock on his cell at 233-7968.

Weather

I’m not from Maine, what’s it like in October?

As I write this, we’re looking at partly cloudy with a low of 47F and a high of 60F on race day. Perfectamundo! Here’s a link to weather.com’s forecast for Freeport.

I have a few more questions, what do I do?

Stay calm. You can reach out in one of the following ways:

1. Post your questions on our Facebook wall;

2. Ask us in person at packet pickup on Saturday afternoon.

3. Ask us in person at the starting line.

4. Email farmtofarmultrarun.com

Thank you for signing up for the Farm to Farm Ultra Run and have a great race!