You’re tackling a STOUT course with nearly 1,500 feet of ascent and descent. There’s also some technical terrain (and no shortage of switchbacks) over the course of the race.
Read on for some tips around navigating the course!
Course Map & TBT Directions….
Here’s a link to the Strava course map…
Honey Badger Half Course Map (please review the elevation profile)
Here’s a link to the cheat sheet/TBT directions….it’s not a bad idea to have this loaded on your phone and/or print a hard copy….
Honey Badger TBT Directions/Cheat Sheet
The course will be marked with RED flagging tape, black & white flagging tape (wrong way), signage at key intersections, & a number of course marshals at key spots.
Aid Stations (Mile 3, Mile 6.35, Mile 9, approx).
We have THREE aid stations lined up to support you. The first is roughly 3 miles in at the intersection of Bay View Trail @ Knight Drive. The second is at the conclusion of the first loop (6.35 miles) at Miwok Meadows (the start/finish area). The last aid station is adjacent to the Back Ranch Meadows Campground Area about 9 miles into the race.
We’ll have GU packets, pretzels, potato chips, water, and Skratch Labs electrolyte drink at all aid stations.
This being said, we’d highly recommend bring a water bottle/vest (w/water & electrolytes) and fuel if what we’re offering isn’t your thing.
Insider tips for conquering the Honey Badger Half!
Independent of the ‘basics’ above, we want to provide a few additional tips for tackling this ‘honey badger’ of a course 😉 Below are a few key spots on the course we HIGHLY recommend you make note of as you prepare for race day.
#1)Honey Badger Hill (1.5ish miles)-This hill begins during the first loop of the half marathon at the intersection of Shoreline/Back Ranch. This spot is about 1.5 miles into the race. Bang a LEFT at the intersection of Shoreline @ Back Ranch and a BEASTLY climb (that is a bit rocky) commences.
There’s no shame in walking/hiking this segment. Fortunately, Honey Badger Hill only lasts about 1/2 a mile. Once you reach about 2-2.25 miles, you’ve conquered Honey Badger Hill!
#2)Bay View Climb (9ish miles)-The next beastly climb is just over 9 miles into the race shortly after you pass the FINAL aid station near Back Ranch Campground. This climb is about 3/4 of a mile.
Fortunately, it’s not as steep as Honey Badger Hill. But, it is longer and has quite a few switchbacks as you ascend. There are also a few rocky/technical segments.
#3)Bay View/Back Ranch descent (11ish miles)-This is about 11 miles into the race. You’ll hit the intersection of Bay View at Back Ranch and descend Back Ranch towards Shoreline Trail. Essentially, you’re running Honey Badger Hill in ‘reverse’ (aka-downhill).
This is a STEEP and TECHNICAL descent. Your legs will likely be a bit heavy at this juncture, so you’ve really got to be dialed in when you start descending. Again, there’s no shame in slowing down and/or walking/hiking here if necessary.
Early start at 8:15 for those who need 3.5-4 hours to complete the Half.
If you think you need 3.5-4 hours to complete the half, please drop us a line at INFO@SASQUATCHRACING.COM and take advantage of the 8:15AM early start time! Otherwise, the standard half marathon start is at 9:15AM.
We absolutely must have all runners across the finish line no later than 12:30PM as per the terms of our permit/contract with China Camp State Park
We would generally NOT recommend tackling the half marathon if ANY/ALL of the following applies to you….
#1) This is your FIRST half marathon (road or trail).
#2) You’ve never run on the trails before.
#3) You’re not currently doing any kind of trail running.
#4) You don’t think you can complete the distance in four hours.
We’re not sharing any of the above to frighten you. We share the above to ensure that you’re well educated about what you’ve signed up for on 9/14.
Your SAFETY is PARAMOUNT to us. We also want to do whatever we can to make sure you have a good time on race day! 🙂
If after reading the above you decide a shorter distance is in order, drop us a line at INFO@SASQUATCHRACING.COM and we’ll take care of it.
Otherwise, bring your ‘A’ game on race day and channel your inner honey badger! 😉
Best,
-Marathon Matt & the Sasquatch Racing team