Spooner's Cove Trail Run

Race Day: Check-in beginning at 7:00 a.m. at Montana de Oro State Park (Spooner's Cove). Please arrive 45min before your event to receive your bib and shirt. Event start times are listed here.

Parking is free.

Drop Bags: You can leave a drop bag with non-valuables at the Start/Finish.

50K - 9 hours

• 4 hrs 15 min - 12:15 p.m. @ 25K
• 7 hrs - 3:00 p.m. @ 37K

All Events - 9 hours

The course will be marked with ribbon approximately every 200 yards and color coded as follows:

8K = Valencia Bluff Loop (Yellow)
13K = Valencia Peak Loop (Orange)
25K = Valencia Peak (Orange) + Hazard Peak (Pink)
37K = 25K + Valencia Peak (Orange)
50K = 25K (Twice!)

The most important course marking is the polka-dot flagging. It indicates a turn at an intersection. There will be at least two polka-dot flagging before a turn in the course. The polka-dot flagging will be placed before and on the same side as the required turn. As you approach an intersection, look for any polka-dot flagging before the turn. Waiting until you're in the intersection to determine the correct direction may be confusing and you may go the wrong way. After you complete the turn, there will be yellow, and/or pink flagging indicating the correct route. We also hang blue ribbons at critical junctions indicating the wrong way. Blue is bad!

If you don't see your respective flagging for 3-4 minutes, you are off course. If you get off course, you should retrace your path until you find where you left the course and then continue along the marked course.

Please be courteous on the trail. If you're passing another runner or hiker, announce "on your left" as you approach.

Headphones are allowed on dirt road sections only. Please do not wear headphones on single-track trail, while crossing paved roads, when getting aid at aid stations, or while crossing the finish line.

Your bib number indicates the distance that you're running. If you want to change your distance, please send us an e-mail or let us know by check-in, at the latest.

Many of the parks in California have poison oak. We recommend staying on the trail and washing with Tecnu after your trail run. Occasionally, bees or yellow jackets may be active and precautions should be taken if you're allergic.

No dogs allowed on the course. Please don't leave pets in your vehicle.

Click the icon below to download the attached PDF.

8K

Elevation Gain: 800'

Course Surface: Single Track (72%), Dirt Road (17%), Asphalt (11%)

13K

Elevation Gain: 1,670'

Course Surface: Single Track (81%), Dirt Road (11%), Asphalt (8%)

25K

Elevation Gain: 3,200'

Course Surface: Single Track (89%), Dirt Road (6%), Asphalt (5%)

37K

Elevation Gain: 4,870'

Course Surface: Single Track (87%), Dirt Road (8%), Asphalt (5%)

(see 25K and 13K elevation profiles)

50K

Elevation Gain: 6,400'

Course Surface: Single Track (89%), Dirt Road (6%), Asphalt (5%)

Fully-stocked aid stations every 5 - 8 miles. You can expect fresh fruit, salty snacks, assorted candy, water, and Clif Shot Electrolyte sports drink. If you would like to be sure that you have any other specific item at the event, you should carry it with you. Additionally, it is highly recommended that runners carry at least 20 oz. of water between aid stations.

Click the icon below to download the attached PDF.

In an effort to reduce waste and litter, Coastal/Zoom events are cupless. We request that you bring your preferred means of containing fluids during your run and at the aid stations. We will have some Hydrapak SpeedCup ($5) for sale at check-in.

Please note that there are no pre-filled cups of hydration at the aid stations. In case you really need a disposable cup, please request one from the aid station volunteers. We ask that you use only one. Thank you!

The Spooner Ranch House offers a unique glimpse into the location’s past. From the Native people originally inhabiting the Pecho Coast over 9,000 years ago, to European explorers, ranchers and farmers, Montaña de Oro has been a home to humans. A visit to the house provides a glimpse into what life was like for the Spooner family in the early 1900’s, with period furnishings and the opportunity for the whole family to interact with this living history museum. The Ranch House serves as a visitor’s center for the park with trail maps and park information. The Spooner Ranch House also includes a nature store, with a variety of park-related educational merchandise available for purchase (10% discount if you mention this ad!), and all proceeds support educational programming in State Parks in San Luis Obispo County! Come by for a visit and immerse your entire family in the history of Montaña de Oro!

We use state-of-the-art Bibtags by MyLaps to accurately time each runner’s finish time. Results are published on the website every 30 minutes.

T-shirts will be given to all pre-registered runners. All finishers will receive a custom medal and 50K finishers will also receive a custom coaster.

Overall Winners: The top 3 male and female overall winners of every distance will win an award and race credits to future Coastal races:

1st Place - $50
2nd Place - $35
3rd Place - $20
 

These race credits are valid for 3 months from date of issue and is for one time use only.

Top three finishers in each age group and gender will receive award medals.

Note: Overall and age group placing are based on Clock Time rather than Chip Time.  As a bona fide competition, runners should start at the same time and compete against each other on the course.  Chip Time is used so runners can see their actual elapsed time.

8K

  Cory Smith, 43, Santa Barbara, CA ('21)      35:00

  Arabella Edler, 13, Arroyo Grande, CA ('16)  42:05

13K

  Jasper Hunter, 22, Olympia, WA ('22)           58:51

  Carin Van Gaale, 37, Los Osos, CA ('22)   1:04:40

25K

  Connor Fisher, 28, San Luis Obispo, CA ('22)   1:49:34

  Melissa TenKate, 33, Arroyo Grande, CA ('22)  2:15:30

37K

  Scott Ritterbuck, 52, Avila Beach, CA ('21)           4:26:53

  Gretchen Ziemer, 41, San Luis Obispo, CA ('22)  4:19:21

50K

  Jordan Perry, 33, Pasadena, CA ('19)                   4:25:21

  Tiffany Gummow, 22, San Luis Obispo, CA ('12)  5:25:12

• 2023