RFG 2014 Event Details

(messaged out to participants)Thank you for registering for the Race For Grief event to be held this next Monday May 26^th – Memorial Day. We are excited to have you join us for this 4th annual event! The weather forecast is looking sunny and bright - so be sure and wear sunscreen. Here are the details about the event:Packet/timing chip & shirt pick-up:Packet and timing chip pick-up will begin at 6:30 a.m. race morning at the race venue (West Bountiful Park, 550 West Pages Lane). Only 10K and 5K participants will need a timing chip and must wear it during the event to be timed and eligible for prizes. All run and walk participants will need to wear a bib number on the front during the event. The RFG shirts run small so you will be given one size larger. Unused shirts can be exchanged for a better fit after the race at the registration table.RFG Shirt ConcernsWe are excited to have all the great support for this event! A lot of registrations have come in after the shirts were ordered. I did order extra shirts but had to guess on sizes and gender. The shirts already run small and as we indicated in the event details email we will be going one size up at pick up. If the shirt is still too small, we ask that you come back after the race and exchange it for a larger size. I ordered quite of few extra women’s shirts, but didn’t anticipate as many new men signups as we had so we will for sure run out of men’s shirts. If you (men or women) don’t plan to use your shirt or would prefer to have us donate more to charity please message me at lora@blonderunner.com If you’d still like a shirt and we run out and you registered before 5/17 please give the registration table your name and shirt size and we will order more. Sorry for the inconvenience. Thank you for your understanding.Booths & Contributors:We will have several interactive booths for you to explore this year. Try out the Normatec compression boots (great for recovery!) at the Wasatch Chill Zone booth or get a massage with Sage Pullman. Shop a little at the Over The Moon booth, or check out what Wastatch Running Center has to offer. BIB and Swinton Counseling will also be there along with Max the safety dog mascot to saying hello to the children. We may even have another surprise mascot make an appearance. Our charities will also be there: The Sharing Place, U of U Caring Connections and Utah Share. Please be sure to look for their fliers in your race bags.Thank you to others that support this event and have donated prizes, refreshments and other support: Bountiful Bicycle, Cracksports, Aquaholics, Children’s Dentistry – Dr. Nelsen, Mueller Park Baseball, Elete Electrolyte & Road ID. Also a big thank you goes to my Team Blonde Runner (TBR) athletes for volunteering and helping with this event. Please be sure and say hello to them.Race-day registration & Transfer:Race day registration is available the morning of the event however there is no shirt guarantee. On-line registration is encouraged and will be open until Sunday the 25^th on active.com http://www.active.com/west-bountiful-ut/running/distance-running-races/race-for-grief-2014If you need to transfer you registration to someone or move from the 10K to the 5K please do so through active by the deadline Thursday May 22^nd. If you know someone that would like to volunteer please have them message me at lora@blonderunner.comRace Start for 5K/10K: A traditional Zumba warm-up will begin just before the event around 7:30 a.m. to get everybody warmed up and excited. The 10K & 5K event will be starting together at 8:00 a.m. with 5K participants at the line and 10K participants behind. The walk will start separately and shortly after the running events. **Lucid Images will be taking pictures at the event. Pictures will be posted to our Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/RaceForGrief. You can also find us on Instagram at RaceForGriefUtah & The Blonde Runner.Race Results & Awards:Age division and overall placement awards will be given out after the races in the main pavilion. Results will be posted on the website, RFG Facebook page along with the Blonde Runner Health Facebook page. I have hired a DJ who will be playing upbeat music throughout the event and announcing names for random prize winners. Listen for your name. Registered participates are automatically entered.Route & Directions:This is a well-marked out-and-back route. The 5K will turn around just past the Pages Lane trail head with the 10K turn further along the paved trail. The turn-around is clearly marked in orange paint. All participants with strollers are asked to line up in the back for safety reasons. All children walking need to be registered participants and wear a bib number. Babies and toddlers starting in the stroller will need to remain in the stroller during the event for safety reasons. The route map can be found on the event website page www.RaceForGrief.com DIRECTIONS TO THE PARK: West Bountiful Park, 550 West Pages Lane (1600 North), West Bountiful Utah. The park is just west of I-15 From the North (Layton/Ogden)From the South (Salt Lake City) 2013 resultsRefreshments/water stops:Along the route there will be two water stops providing water, e-gel and e-fuel provided by CrankSports. Refreshments will also be provided for race participants at the finish (popcorn, oranges, water, e-fuel etc).Honor Your Loved One:This event is put on in memory of a little girl I lost – Samantha. It is not meant to be a sad event but rather a celebration of their lives and a day to honor and remember them. The West Bountiful Park venue welcomes families with playground equipment and lots of grass and covered pavilion. Blank “In Loving Memory…” bibs will also be available at the registration table to fill in with a name of your loved one and pin to your back to take them on your event journey with you. We also encourage all participants to make and bring a poster about your loved one to display at the event. Pinwheels remind me of my Samantha – I miss her. We encourage all those attending to bring a pinwheel to line the finish lineRFG in the NewsIt is exciting to see more media attention given to grief. We shouldn’t be afraid to talk about it. Here are some recent opportunities I’ve had to talk about my experience and share my story.Recent KSL article: http://blonderunner.com/2014/05/race-for-grief-feature-article-on-ksl-com/Radio feature/program link: http://blonderunner.com/2014/05/coach-lora-erickson-on-byu-radio/YouTube Video of the Race For Grief 2013 event: http://youtu.be/3vDEg7HLuX0Thank you for joining us to honor your loved one! See you there.Coach Lora Erickson"Blonde Runner"Race DirectorUSATF certified running coach& nationally ranked triathlete801-608-5516www.BlondeRunner.comwww.RaceForGrief.com