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When
Sunday, November 2, 2008
8:00 a.m. - both events

Register
• Mail in: Word document | PDF
• Online: @ active.com

Fees
Marathon: $50 postmarked by October 1st; $65 thereafter
12 Miler: $35 postmarked by October 1st; $50 thereafter
Combined races limited to 200.  
Only entries received by October 1st will have guaranteed shirt size.
ALL mail-in entries must be postmarked by October 15th
GUTS members receive a $5 discount.
No refunds. No transfers.

Start/finish
@ Fort Mountain State Park,located in Chatsworth, GA, 90 miles north of Atlanta. The Start and finish lines are located next to Group Shelter #4, near the lake and campground.

Directions to Fort Mountain State Park
Address: 181 Fort Mountain State Park Road, Chatsworth, GA, 30705

From I75 Northbound from Atlanta:
Exit #293, GA 411 to Chatsworth; travel approximately 39 miles to Chatsworth and turn right onto GA 52; park gate is on left in approximately 8 miles.

From I75 Southbound from Chattanooga:
Exit #336, US 41 to Dalton; travel approximately 16 miles to Chatsworth and turn left onto GA 52; park gate is on left in approximately 8 milesCourse Description
Difficult, sometimes technical trails with long, extended climbs, over and around Fort Mountain.

Daylight Savings Time Ends on Race Day
Daylight Savings Time ENDS this year on Sunday November 2nd at 2am. That happens to be race day!
What does this means? You will need to move your clocks BACK one hour (ie Fall back) before you go to bed on Saturday night. The race starts at 8 am. But it will FEEL like 9am, since we moved our clocks back 1 hour.

Course Description
Difficult, sometimes technical trails with long, extended climbs, over and around Fort Mountain.

Both races will start with a flat, quick loop around the lake. The course then connects to the Gahuti trail via the rocky and rooty Big Rock trail. The Gahuti travels around the edge of the park. The trail is single track, cambered and rocky as it travels just below the summits of both Cohutta and Fort mountains. The course will briefly leave the Gahuti to take in a loop around the top of the mountain. The top of the mountain trail is narrow and footing is difficult until reaching the legendary rock wall, where the trail then descends back to the Gahuti and gradually begins to widen with the footing becoming smoother. The hills do not end coming “down” the mountain back to the lake, the elevation gain is almost the same as the initial ascent.

The course will come back to the lake via the other side of the Big Rock trail (look out for bears! I spotted one in July on this trail section).  The 12 milers will run back around the lake for their finish. The marathoners will turn and run up to the 301 loop via the steep power line trail.

The 301 loop is a beautiful, challenging, and mostly double-track trail. It passes through pine and scrub laurel thickets, upland hardwood and cove forests, by old mines, then waterfalls and rhododendrons before returning up the mountain then following the mountain ridge top before descending back to the lake.  From there the marathoners will run back around the lake for their finish.

Course Map
The course map shows the start (blue box, near lake). All runners proceed on the “purple”. After reaching AS4, the 12 milers take the “pink” route around the lake to finish. The marathoners turn and take the “green” route, ultimately also taking the “pink” route around the lake to finish. Aid stations and Start/Finish are marked with blue boxes.

Trail Course Markings
This is a trail race. As simple as this may sound, this is NOT a road race. There will be no mile markers. It will not always be 100% apparent which way to go. There may not always be another runner in sight. It is entirely possible that you could get lost or sustain a serious injury in this race. No matter how careful you are, you might fall or trip along the way. Ultimately YOU are responsible for running this race, being careful, and following the course markings.

The course will be marked with a combination of surveyor’s tape, directional arrows, and flour. Turns will be marked with one or more of these methods.  The trail will also have “confidence” markers ever 2-5 minutes, even when there are no turns off the main trail – this is to assure runners they are on the right path.  As you run the course you should continually look for markings to be sure you are on the right course.  Do not turn onto a side trail unless you see markings indicating a turn. For the majority of the course you will stay on the main path and seldom take side trails.  If you have not seen a marker in over 5 minutes, then considering retracing your steps to the last known marker or waiting for another runner.

Trail Courtesy
It can be difficult to pass other runners in a trail race, especially on single-track trails. If you are ready to pass another runner you should verbally indicate your intention by saying “may I pass?”, or “trail left” or “trail right”.  The runner should then yield the trail by moving over as much as possible. As soon as you have room, pass the other runner quickly.  If someone asks to pass you, then follow the same rules of courtesy, and move over when requested. Even if you can move partially off the trail or turn slightly sideways, this should be enough room for someone to quickly move past you. Or, if you are looking for an excuse to rest, just step off the trail and wait until they are gone!

Fort Mountain Trails will NOT be closed during the race. You may encounter hikers and bikers (marathon only) on the course on race day. Please be courteous. Announce your approach in order to allow them time to move off the trail.

Leave no Trace. Do not leave any litter on the course. Anyone caught littering will be disqualified and ostracized.  Leave rocks, plants and other natural objects as you find them. Observe wildlife from a distance and do not approach or feed them (especially the bears).

Facilities
Group Shelter #4, located near lake and playground. Parking and restrooms located at start/finish.

Parking fees
There is a $3 parking fee in the State Park. This fee is NOT included in your entry. Fee envelopes will be available at check-in. There are numerous Self Pay Boxes throughout the park. Georgia Annual State Park passes may be purchased at the park headquarters.

Packet Pick-up
Saturday 5:00-7:00 pm at Race HQ, cabin #5 in Fort Mtn State Park.
At start/finish area on race day, starting at 6:00 am.

Time Limits
Marathon: 8 hours.

Cutoffs
3.5 hours at aid station #4 (approx. 11 miles) and 4.5 hours at aid station #5 (approx. 14 miles). Please do not harass the aid station volunteers to let you continue after the cutoff. The cutoffs are for your safety.  We need you off the mountain trails before dark.  Furthermore, it will be the discretion of the race director and EMT supervisors to pull a runner from the race if it is determined unsafe for the runner(s) to continue.

Aid Stations
12 miler: 4 aid stations with variety of food, drink and support; Fluids only at station #3
Marathon: 8 aid stations with variety of food, drink and support; Fluids only at station #3 and #8
For the marathon it is highly recommended that you carry a water bottle. The distance between aid stations #5 and #6, and #6 and #7 will take some runners over 1 hour. Please plan accordingly

Awards
Women/Men: Top 5 overall
1st place masters & grandmasters.
Marathoner finishers will receive a special award.
No duplication or mailing of awards.

Volunteers
If you don’t plan on running or have someone attending who would like to volunteer, please let us know. with the subject “MMM Volunteer”.

Sweeps
The first 4 people to volunteer as sweeps will receive the full benefits of running the associated race - FREE. with the subject “MMM Sweep”. The sweeps have the responsibility of following behind the last runner(s) to assure their safety, and to assist in removing trail markings and any litter (not that there will be any).

Lodging
GUTS has secured the #3 Pioneer Camp site (it is closest to the Gahuti and 301 trails). We are charging $5 per tent. It is available on Saturday, November 1st for tent campers. Please email us at or include a note with your entry form. You can either pay at check-in on Saturday, or include the extra $5 when you send in your entry.

Fort Mountain State Park – cabins, campsites (w/power&cable, walk-in, or platform); http://gastateparks.org/net/go/GaStateReg.aspx?s=0.0.1.5; 1-800-864-7275

Cohutta Lodge & Conference Center (3 miles from park); http://www.cohuttalodge.com/;
800-394-9790
 
Best Western (downtown Chatsworth, 8 miles from park); http://www.bestwestern.com/; 613 S 3rd Ave Chatsworth GA 30705; 706-695-1411

Key West Inn (downtown Chatsworth, 8 miles from park); 501 GI Maddox Pkwy Chatsworth GA 30705; 706-517-1155

Cohutta Springs Conference Center (17 miles from park); http://www.cohuttasprings.com/index.html; 706-695-9093

Weather
All runners should be aware of changing weather. Conditions can change quickly in the mountains so be prepared.  Fort Mountain: November Avg High: 62, Avg Low: 39

Portion of proceeds will go to support Fort Mountain State Park.

Race Contact:
Email: call 678-778-8211