Portage Winter Blast

About This Event:
The 8th Annual Portage Winter Blast Half Marathon/10K/5K is organized by Susan G. Komen Michigan, Kalamazoo Area Runners, and the City of Portage in a community celebration of health and wellness. All proceeds will benefit Susan G. Komen Michigan. Over the last 20 years, Komen Michigan has funded over $12 million in community breast health programs across 24 counties.

Course:
The half marathon, 10k and 5K courses highlight the Portage Trail Way System and include a mix of mostly flat paved bike trail and city roads. Road closures will occur as appropriate.  The course is cleared of snow and ice as much as possible, however, this is a mid-winter run and conditions may include extreme cold and windy conditions and slick surfaces caused by snow, ice, sleet, hail, mud, and rain.

Event Dates and Times:
All running events will start and end at Loy Norrix High School at 606 E. Kilgore Rd., Kalamazoo, MI 49001  on Sunday, February 23, 2020.

Each race will have its own start as follows:

• Half Marathon - 8:00 am
  • Cutoff time to be included in half marathon results is 3 hours, 45 minutes. Roads will be re-opened at 12:00 noon.
• 5K - 8:10 am
• 10K - 8:20 am

Registration:

Online registration closes Thursday, February 21, 2020, at 11:59 pm.  The half marathon will close registration once it attains a cap of 1,500 runners.
Early packet pick-up and late registration for all events will be held from 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm on Saturday, February 22, 2020, at Kalamazoo Loy Norrix High School. Race day registration will be available for all events.  
Race Day packet pick-up will be Sunday, February 23, 2020, at Kalamazoo Loy Norrix High School.  Race Day packet pick-up will be from 6:30 am - 7:30 am. 
There is no shirt guarantee for transfers or late registrations received after February 21st.
Due to safety and potential liability issues, anyone running with a bib not their own in any race will be disqualified.
There are NO refunds or deferments.  Registration may be transferred to another runner as a “gift” or as a reimbursement to the original registrant and charge to the new registrant online through pre-registration close.  
Runners may drop from the half marathon to the 10k or 5k at no additional charge but cannot transfer from the 10k or 5k to the half marathon.
 

Registration Fees:

Period 1: May 15 to December 31, 2019
Half Marathon: $65 ($10 discount for KAR members)  FEES INCLUDE TECH TEE SHIRT.
5k/10k: $15 ($5 discount for KAR members) REDUCED REGISTRATION FEE WITHOUT A TECH TEE SHIRT.  PARTICIPANTS MAY ORDER A SHIRT WITH A $20 EXTRA CHARGE.
 

Period 2: January 1 to February 21, 2020 (Registration closes 2/21/2020 11:59 pm)
Half Marathon: $75 ($10 discount for KAR members) FEES INCLUDE TECH TEE SHIRT.
5k/10k: $20 ($5 discount to KAR members) REDUCED REGISTRATION FEE WITHOUT A TECH TEE SHIRT.  PARTICIPANTS MAY ORDER A SHIRT WITH A $20 EXTRA CHARGE.
 

Late Registration: On-site only Saturday, February 22 and Sunday, February 23
Half Marathon: $85 ($10 discount for KAR members) FEES INCLUDE TECH TEE SHIRT.
5k/10k: $25 ($5 discount for KAR members) LATE REGISTRATION FEE WITHOUT A TECH TEE SHIRT.  PARTICIPANTS MAY ORDER A SHIRT WITH A $20 EXTRA CHARGE.
 

Awards:

Awards to first place overall open, masters, grand masters, senior masters and age group awards for top 3 finishers. Finisher medals to all participants completing a race.

2020 Winter Blast - Course Directions (Turn-by-turn):

All 3 routes start in the parking lot of Loy Norrix High School, exiting onto Lovers Lane by the southern-most exit.
All races utilize the PCBT system, accessing from Lovers Lane at the access gate just south of I-94, across from Hamelink.
 

1/2 Marathon Route

Exit southern-most exit of Loy Norrix High School parking lot
Turn left from the lot and proceed south, crossing into the western-most lane of traffic
Proceed South on Lovers Lane to Access Gate.
Turn right to go through the Access Gate and follow PCBT south towards Romence Road
(Please note there may be construction on the legs of the trail between Milham and Romence)
Course proceeds south on the straightest/shortest sections of trail
Pass under Romence Road and proceed to Garden Lane
Cross Garden Lane and continue south on the trail towards Centre Street
Continue south on the trail behind the library, using the trail section running parallel to Currier
Cross Centre street and turn right, proceeding along Centre Street on the south sidewalk
Continue on the south sidewalk, crossing over Cross Westnedge, past Chicken Coop, and under the Centre Plaza sign entering the Shaver Rd. Bikeway.
Stay on the Bikeway south, parallel to Shaver Rd.
Cross Melody Ave. and continue south on the trail as it runs parallel to Industrial Drive
Just before the driveway to BASIC, turn right and continue onto the Eliason Trail, continuing south
Near Delineator #73, and just south of “Becky’s Bench” you reach the TURN AROUND
Retrace all routes along the roads and trails back to the Access Gate on Lovers Lane near Hamelink
At the gate DO NOT reenter Lovers Lane, but continue north on the trail toward Kilgore Road, crossing under the highway
At the Kilgore Road Trailhead turn right towards Low Norrix High School, utilizing the south sidewalk
Cross Lovers Lane at the intersection with Kilgore, proceeding east along Kilgore Road on the south sidewalk
Turn right at the Kilgore Road entrance to Loy Norrix High School and follow the cones/markings toward the finish
 

10K Route

Exit southern-most exit of Loy Norrix High School parking lot
Turn left from the lot and proceed south, crossing into the western-most lane of traffic
Proceed South on Lovers Lane to Access Gate.
Turn right to go through the Access Gate and follow PCBT south towards Romence Road
Please note there may be construction on the legs of the trail between Milham and Romence
Course proceeds south on the straightest/shortest sections of trail
Pass under Romence Road and proceed to Garden Lane
Cross Garden Lane and continue south on the trail towards Centre Street
Just south of the Grain elevator to the west of the trail at Celery Flats, and up the hill behind the housing community, you reach the TURN AROUND
Retrace all routes along the roads and trails back to the Access Gate on Lovers Lane near Hamelink
At the gate DO NOT reenter Lovers Lane, but continue north on the trail toward Kilgore Road, crossing under the highway
At the Kilgore Road Trailhead turn right towards Low Norrix High School, utilizing the south sidewalk
Cross Lovers Lane at the intersection with Kilgore, proceeding east along Kilgore Road on the south sidewalk
Turn right at the Kilgore Road entrance to Loy Norrix High School and follow the cones/markings toward the finish
 

5K Route

Exit southern-most exit of Loy Norrix High School parking lot
Turn left from the lot and proceed south, crossing into the western-most lane of traffic
Proceed South on Lovers Lane to Access Gate.
Turn right to go through the Access Gate and follow PCBT south towards Milham Road
Cross over Milham Road using the pedestrian bridge
Just beyond the parking lot to the Milham Road PCBT access/park you will reach the TURN AROUND
This turn around is just south of delineator #23
Retrace all routes along the roads and trails back to the Access Gate on Lovers Lane near Hamelink
At the gate DO NOT reenter Lovers Lane, but continue north on the trail toward Kilgore Road, crossing under the highway
At the Kilgore Road Trailhead turn right towards Loy Norrix High School, utilizing the south sidewalk
Cross Lovers Lane at the intersection with Kilgore, proceeding east along Kilgore Road on the south sidewalk
Turn right at the Kilgore Road entrance to Loy Norrix High School and follow the cones/markings toward the finish