Events
3 Hour But^3
100 spots left. Price increases after January 20, 2025 at 11:59pm CST
6 Hour But^3
100 spots left. Price increases after January 20, 2025 at 11:59pm CST
12 Hour But^3
100 spots left. Price increases after January 20, 2025 at 11:59pm CST
Volunteer - But^3 - Many Ways to Help
Place
Bald Hill Prairie Preserve
Mount Morris, IL US 61054
Description
The 5th Bald Unyielding Twilight Trail Trial
The 5th Bald Unyielding Twilight Trail Trial
Try saying that quickly, or after you’ve been out all night on the trail, and you’ll see how it goes. It is one of the few timed 12HR, 6HR, and 3HR Ultra running events in Illinois, and it is in the dark! Great opportunity to test your night gear, your cold weather gear (possibly), and your ability to stay on your feet during the night. 100 TOTAL RUNNERS GRAB YOUR SPOT EARLY! Hosted by the Rockford Road Runners, Inc. Our thanks to the Byron Forest Preserve District for allowing us in the beautiful facility with the largest Eastern Cottonwood tree in the state.
Saturday, February 22nd all races starting at 6:00 pm. (Briefing for all runners at 5:45 p.m.)
Three race brackets; 12 Hour, 6 Hour, 3 Hour
12HR: 6PM-6AM
6HR: 6PM-12AM
3HR: 6PM-9PM
Packet Pick Up; "On race day you'll grab your swag and bib, simple as that."
Prizes for top female, male. and non-binary for each time grouping only: the most loops win. Run fast, run slow, walk fast, walk slow, however you want! Simplicity at its finest, just get the loops in. 1F,1M,1NB. 9 total prizes, that’s all. Prizes will be announced some time. Probably on race day! Could be some useful thing, or some weird handmade tchotchke that’s unique and one of a kind. The suspense will likely not be worth it, but it’s fun to ponder and pine away all the same.
There will be 1 aid station with combined gear storage/bag drop. For those racing the longer times, you may wish to bring a camp chair to ease in gear changes or have a seat whilst eating." The gear storage/bag drop will be on tarps exposed to the elements. It’s recommended you have a proper sealed gear bag with your name on it and please keep the size reasonable; a cubic cubit (~18x18x18”) should suffice. The aid station will have 2 pop-up tent/gazebos with a heater, tables of food and drink, a fire pit, some camp chairs, and the park benches.
Aid station will have the usual foodstuffs. The aid station will be there to help you get hydrated and fueled, tempt you with fire and warmth, and test your patience with various forms of music or noise. The race directors are known for tormenting people with music, you’ve been given fair warning. A restroom of the portable fashion will be placed in the parking lot area. There are no other facilities in the preserve.
12,6 & 3 HR Gear Requirements All runners will need to bring a head lamp, temperature appropriate clothing, and your chosen vessel for carrying fluids.
Race Accommodations: None. There is no camping at this event. There are some hotels nearby in Oregon if you’re coming from a ways off. Parking is also a premium at this site (6 spaces total, one being occupied by our precious porta-potty), so please carpool and you’ll be parking along N. Silver Creek Rd. just to the south of the entrance of the preserve and it’s only ~3/8 mile long to the start.
PACKET PICK UP
Packet Pick Up; On race day you'll grab your swag and bib, simple as that.
Packet Pick Up
Packet Pick Up; On race day you'll grab your swag and bib, simple as that.
RULES
Bald Unyielding Twilight Trail Trial Race
RULES
All three races start at 6:00PM. All runners will need to be there at 5:45PM to get a quick briefing before we
start. The race is capped at 100 entrants. To ensure swag sizing race entrants need to sign up by January 4 th ,
2023; we are doing logo sweatpants unisex sized.
GEAR REQUIREMENTS: All runners will need to bring a head lamp (or similarly appropriate light source),
temperature appropriate clothing, and your chosen vessel for carrying fluids.
PACERS: Pacers are not allowed. You may run with other entrants, but if they are not entered/registered you
may not run with them.
No animals allowed at the course/preserve for runners, spectators, volunteers, etc. The forest preserve is trying
to restore the wildlife habitat and has asked that we leave our beloved pets at home. [Byron Preserve rules]
We are cup-less for the water/electrolyte and trying to be cup-less completely. Really, it is quite easy; you bring
an appropriate vessel you want to carry your liquid in whilst running or leave it at the central aid station with
your gear/drop box. Bring your own bowl/mug/spoon for the hot food/soup. Previous BUTTT entrants- your
camp mug/spork combo would be perfect again. We have a limited few previous camp mugs that we shall have
for sale on race day.
LITTERING: You will be disqualified. Pack it in, pack it out. Leave no trace. We will have a trash can at the
aid station and it’s only a couple miles around the course. We understand things happen, your fingers get numb
in the cold, all that jazz and you lost a tear tab off a gel. Just clean up after yourself and your fellow runners.
Look after one another and especially look after the prairie.
RACE DAY REGISTRATION: Allowed if we are under the race cap, but please bring check (made out to
Rockford Road runners) or cash in exact change amounts and be there at least 1 hour before race start. There is
an additional $10 penalty for day-of registrations, and we cannot guarantee swag size.
AWARDS: will be presented shortly after each timed race bracket. The female, male, and non-binary winners
must be present to win. So, if you accumulated more loops than others in your bracket then decided to leave
early, your prize will go to the next runner who was there to finish their race bracket.
Tie breaker loop; after the time limit, should there be a tie, there will be a tie breaker loop. Yes, we know you
just ran for 3, 6, or 12hours, but if you want the win, you’ve got to go out again. The tie breaker loop wont
count towards your overall mileage in the race though.
DROPPING: You may “drop” AT ANY TIME, it’s really just a matter of stopping and notifying the race
officials. You do NOT need to run the whole amount of time that you have signed up for. That is the beauty of a
timed race! Your loops completed count. Just remember you need to be present to win for your bracket. Hang
around, cheer others on, help hand out aid, heckle your fellow runners- truthfully, this is what helps make the
ultra-community so awesome. If you are leaving, make sure to let the timer know.
DROPPING DOWN A RACE DISTANCE: Not allowed for awards. For example- If you signed up for the 6-
hour, you will be recorded in the 6-hour, if you choose to run 3 hours and then call it a night, that is fine. Your
loop count will be put in the 6-hour race. Same for a 12hr dropping to a 6 or a 3, your loops count for the
longest race you signed up for.
LADDERING UP A RACE DISTANCE: Allowed for awards. You can do this before the race or during the
race. The additional $10 day-of race registration penalty plus the difference from your current race bracket to
the one you wish to sign up for is due at the time you wish to pursue going up a bracket. Bring exact cash for
this combined amount [$10+ differences in race price].
LAST LOOP RULE: If you come into the Start a loop before your race time ends and do not make it back, it
doesn’t count. There is no 1/3, 1/8, 59/63rds of a loop. Full Loops only count once you are back on top of the
hill at the aid station and a volunteer has your bib number/name recorded for the loop.
BATHROOM LOOP RULE: Does not count for any mileage. We acknowledge you being crafty and creative if
you thought to ask. The porta-potty will be visible from the aid station and most of the course. So, if we can see
most of the course from the aid station, utilizing mother nature’s facilities may not be the most recommended of
avenues. The loop is small, the detour won’t wreck your mileage on this adventure we assure you.
FOOD MENU:
Vegan vegetable noodle soup- on all night
Candy/chips/cookies/soda/peanuts/pickles/fruit (orange and banana)- available all night
Hotdogs/ vegan sausage/ and buns- 1st half the night
Breakfast sausage & home-made vegan pancakes w/maple syrup - 2nd half the night
Powdered vegan mashed potatoes- available all night
Warm water- all night
Gatorade mix - all night
Vegan hot cocoa mix- all night
Coffee- all night
PB&J- all night
CANCELLATIONS, REFUNDS, AND BIB-TRANSFERS: This event will be held rain, snow or shine! There are NO refunds for this event, you may, however, transfer your bib/entry to another runner only if approved by race director email: Sarahsliefie@gmail.com
COURSE
All runners will start and finish at the aid station along the southern ridge of the park west of the park entrance. The course will be approximately 2 miles per loop. Elevation will be approximately 70-115 feet per mile. You’ll have the park borders on all edges, so it’d be challenging to get lost unless you climbed a fence or went out the parking lot. Don’t climb the park fences or go out the parking lot you ninny. *We want to note that the park will still be open to the public during our event. We will have signage and the trails will be marked where runners will be running so that people will be well aware there is an event taking place, however we cannot legally instruct people to stay off the trails and out of the park. Please join us in showing respect and professionalism to all people at the park on race day! We take pride in "sharing our trails" and we ask that you do as well!
Parking is also a premium at this site (6 spaces total, one being occupied by our precious porta-potty), so please carpool and you’ll be parking along N. Silver Creek Rd. just to the south of the entrance of the preserve and it’s only ~3/8 mile long
More Things You Might Like to Know
Race Accommodations: None. There is no camping at this event. There are some hotels nearby in Oregon if you’re coming from a ways off.
2024 Race SWAG! Roll up fleece Picnic Blanket.
RECORDING/TIMING/RESULTS: You’ll get a bib, we’ll put that bib # and likely your name on Tablets. As you come to the aid station each lap you check in and we record the loop number you are on. We’ll tally the loops but you need to check in each loop, don’t just zip by thinking we saw you and got your name/number. Final results will be posted on the Rockford Road Runners "Results" page.
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