Fleet Feet Fall Classic - Trail October 20th, 2024

This race was such a hit last year, we are doing it again! 

Due to the Park Fire, the half marathon route will be adjusted to stay out of the restricted area.  The new route will be announced once approved by the City Parks Department. The 4 mi Endurance Challenge will go on unchanged!

LOCATION

South Rim Trail Head/ Backside of Bidwell Golf Course
Chico, CA US 95928

DISCRIPTION 

Fleet Feet Chico is pleased to offer two new trail races in our beautiful Upper Bidwell Park.  The two races will start on the south side of the park down Annies Trail for a fun adventure on the single-track trails. Toss in a creek crossing and a nice finish through Yahi and the golf course, you’re sure to enjoy your run! 

The two races include a half marathon and a 4-mile an hour endurance challenge! 

The half marathon will start at 8:10am along the rock wall off Centennial/South Rim trail head. This race will be a challenging climb with 1600 ft of gain in the first half. Enjoy a party at the top of 10-mile house at aid station #1 and enjoy and all downhill second half of the race!

4-mile endurance race will start at 8:00am. Runners will run a 4-mile loop. If you complete the loop in under 60 mins you will go back in the shoot for loop #2. At the top of each hour a new round will start. This will continue for 8 hours! New this year, every other lap we will change the direction of the loop!  If there is more than one person going into the final hour the run will become a foot race to the finish! If you complete all 8 loops, you will have run approximately 32 Miles! Do you have what it takes? Do one loop, 3 loops or all 8! It’s sure to be a good time for the runners and the spectators!

After the race head up to Bidwell Golf Course Bar and grill for some delicious food and drinks! 

By supporting this race, you will be supporting the families in our community who have lost so much due to the Park Fire. We are working with the North Valley Community Foundation to raise funds to help aid in the recovery of our community members. With the lack of FEMA funding, community effort is needed! That is why a portion of every registration will go toward these efforts as well as an opportunity for you to race for free by raising funds through our fundraiser link. All additional funds raised along with a portion of the race proceeds will go to the NVCF to help support the fire relief program. For more information on this or to make a direct donation to NVCF please click the link below or email shawna@fleetfeetchico.com

Wildfire Recovery & Relief Fund | NVCF

In addition to supporting the Wildfire Recovery and Relief Fund we are also donating a small portion of the race proceeds to local fire academy cadets. Many of the current class are volunteer firefighters who have worked and volunteered in our community and are continuing their education to be able to make a lifelong career the Fire industry. This group of young cadets will be volunteering on the racecourse to help ensure the safety of all our participants. 

FUNDRAISER OPPORTUNITY: 

We are offering an opportunity for you to get a refund on a portion of your race registration! You can set up as a Fundraiser and share your personalized link to help raise additional funds for Park Fire victims and the Butte College Fire Cadets. These funds will go directly to the organizations and as a thank you, you can earn $75 refund on your registration! ($500 min donation raised to qualify for refund) To start your personalized fundraiser click the button "Become a Fundraiser" on the donation page during registration. 

RACE START TIMES
4-Mile Endurance Run            8:00am

Half Marathon                         8:10am

REGISTRATION

Registration for this race is available online. Online registration closes October 18th at 9:00am. Registration will be available in person on October 18th and 19th at Fleet Feet Chico from 10am-2pm. You need to Register by Friday October 4th to guarantee yourself race shirt. If you register between October 5th – October 19th your shirt will NOT be guaranteed. All left over shirts will be available for pickup or for sale (non-registered runners) AFTER the Half Marathon race on October 20th. The shirts will be first come first serve starting at 10:00am.  

RACE FEE SCHEDULE

April 25th - June 30th -  (online) Half Marathon    $75.00

                                          4-Mile Endurance Run     $75.00

July 1st - August 31st -  (online) Half Marathon    $80.00

                                          4-Mile Endurance Run     $80.00

Sept. 1st – October 18th (9am)- (online) Half Mar.      $85.00

                                          4-Mile Endurance Run     $85.00

In person Registration at Packet Pickup (Oct. 18th and 19th)
 
                                                       Half Marathon      $90.00

                                           4-Mile Endurance Run     $90.00
 

In person registration will be available at Fleet Feet Chico during packet pickup ONLY. (October 18th and 19th, 2024)

PACKET PICKUP

Packet pickup will be held at Fleet Feet Chico on the following days and times:

Friday and Saturday October 18th and 19th, 2024

10:00am-2:00pm 

Race Day Packet Pick up (At Race Location)

Sunday October 20th

7:00-7:45am

Fleet Feet - Chico
241 Main Street
Chico, CA 95928
(530) 345-1000

OFFICAL COURSE CERTIFICATION AND MAPS

Both the Half Marathon and the 4-Mile Endurance run will start on the south side of Upper Bidwell Park. The half marathon is under revision as the Park Fire damaged a good portion of the route. New route will be announced as soon as its approved. 

The 4-mile run will take Annies to J-Ford to cross over the creek to Yahi trail. On Yahi runners will continue up the trail to Day Bear Hole parking lot where there will be an Aid Station and restroom if needed before continuing down the Fire Road back to Lower Yahi to finish through the Golf Course. (Hopefully for your next loop) 

Click here for both course maps.

Half - TBD

4MPH https://www.alltrails.com/explore/map/4-mile-challenge-0a0a0c8?u=i&sh=cdgcth

DIRECTIONS AND PARKING FOR OPTIONAL RACE LOCATION

To the course:

The race start is located along the Centennial/South Rim rock wall, approximately a quarter mile past the gate at Centennial Ave and Chico Canyon Rd. 

Directions from HWY 99: 

Take exit at HWY 32 and head east on HWY 32/ Deer Creek HWY towards Bruce Rd. 

At the stoplight at Bruce Rd, you will turn left and continue to Chico Canyon Rd. 

Follow to the end where the road meets the gate. 

This is a drop off ONLY location! 

PARKING

Parking can be found at the following locations: 

• 5 Mile Recreation - .5 mile from the start. Preferred parking area, gate will be open at 6am on race day.
• Hooker Oak Park - .75 mile from the start
• Observatory Parking Lot (limited) - .75 mile from the start
• Horseshoe Lake Parking Lot – 1 mile from start

NO PARKING ALLOWED AT BIDWELL GOLF COURSE!
 

 
Race Rules:

• Be courteous when overtaking slower runners or walkers in your elected race location. We want you to race hard and fast, but with the safety of yourself and others in mind. 
• Use best trail educate. Calling out “runner back’ or ‘runner up” when on the trails
• Follow all trail flagging and marking assigned to the race. Do not go off trails or cut the course. (Pink and Orange Flags)
• Do NOT remove any course markings!
• Where your race number on the front of your body so it is visible to the timers!
• You must cross the timing mat for your chip to be read at the finish of the half marathon. If you are planning to race for top finisher, the race is based on gun time start and first to cross the finish line.
• 4-Mile runners must complete the loop under the 60 min threshold to be able to start the next loop. If you choose to not start the next loop, you must drop with the race director for your loops to be logged. Ring the “I’m DONE!” bell!
• Please pack out all trash that you may have from your nutrition or hydration. Trash cans will be available at all aid stations. Leave no trace!
• No crews or pacers will be allowed for either race on course. All crewing must happen at the start/finish area in the designated runner prep area.
• All drop bags for the 4-mile race must be checked in by 7:45am on race day. They can be checked in and out between each lap as needed.
• No pets will be allowed on the course during the race.
• No strollers will be allowed on course.
• Run, hard, run fast and have fun!
• You must complete all 8 laps to be considered for top 3 male/female in the endurance race.

Thank you for understanding. 
 

AID STATIONS AND RESTROOMS
There will be 3 for the Half Marathon and 2 for the 4-Mile Challenge.

1.     TBD - Upon new half route approval
2.     TBD - Upon new half route approval
3.     Bear Hole Parking Lot Mile 2/11.5 – Water, Superieur (electrolytes), GU 4-Mile and Half Marathon 

4.      Start/Finish Area – Water, Superieur (electrolytes), trail snacks, Jambars and GU, Hot broth, pancakes and quesadillas!! This will also serve as a post-race fuel station for the Half Marathon and 4-Mile Endurance runners! 

Limited restroom on the course will be located at finish area of the race (South Rim Trail), Aid station one at the top of 10-Mile house road, 
 

T-SHIRTS AND AWARDS
Guaranteed Tee-shirt cutoff is October 4th, 2024

Cotton Poly blend shirts from Upper Park Clothing Co. will be provided to all participants who register for this event before the tee shirt cutoff. (10/4/24) Any participant who registers on or before October 4th will be guaranteed a race tee. Any participant who registers after October 4th will be able to receive a race shirt based on a limited size availability (very few extras will be ordered). Any shirts not picked up at packet pick up prior to the race will be available on a first come first serve basis to all paid runners for pick up, and available for sale to any unregistered spectators starting at 10:00am at the Fleet Feet booth. 
All shirts come in adult male (unisex) sizes, so you may wish to choose a smaller size than normal for female and child runners. No youth sizes will be available. 
 
Awards will be presented to the top male and female finishers in the half marathon as well as the top 3 in each age group bracket. 

 Age group brackets will be as followed: 

14 and under / 15-19 / 20-29 / 30-39 / 40-49 / 50-59 / 60-69 / 70 and over

The winner of the 4-Mile Endurance Challenge will be either the last person standing or the first to cross the finish line in the final hour foot race to the finish. 2nd and 3rd place will also receive an award for their efforts! 

SPECTATING

We would love to see everyone come out to support our local athletes in this new trail race! Because the trail is a single track there are limited locations that you can safely watch your favorite runners without interrupting the flow of the race. Here we have provided a few locations where you can safely watch your runners and help cheer them on to the finish.

• Start/Finish area- in the meadow of the finish/ South Rim area. At this location you will not only see the runners start on the run, but this is also the location    of the finish. For the 4-Mile runners this will also serve as the location where they will hold until the start of the next loop.
• Green Gate Parking Lot – This location will serve at Aid Station one for the half marathoners and will also be a great spot to cheer on your runners as they      will have just climbed the final hill of their run…. All downhill from here! Parking will be very limited. If you plan to cheer for your runners at this location, carpooling is highly recommended! 
• Bear Hole parking lot- This location is about one and a half miles past the Horseshoe Lake gate on Upper Park Rd. You will need to walk or bike to this location as the road will be closed to cars for the day. The Parking lot serves as aid station 3 for the half marathon as well as aid station 1 for the 4-mile runners. Runners will be coming in and out of this location from both directions, so this will be a fun and high energy place to spectate. 

For more information, please email shawna@feetfeetchico.com

            **No Refunds on race entries or merchandise purchased for this event**