Runner Information   Application Procedure:   Registration is limited to 2,750 runners, first come first served, no excuses or exceptions. Runners must be 18 years of age or older. ALL RUNNERS MUST BE ABLE TO FINISH IN 2 HOURS AND 45 MINUTES OR LESS. Please do not register if you cannot complete a half marathon in two hours and forty-five minutes or less as road closures will reopen and aid stations will close based on this time constraint. BE SURE TO READ ALL “RUNNER INFORMATION” PRIOR TO REGISTERING. ALL REGISTRATIONS ARE FINAL WITH NO REFUNDS, TRANSFERS, OR DEFERALS. will open on this web site on April 10, 2010 at 8:00am. Online registration will close on Wednesday, September 9th or once 2,750 runners have registered, whichever occurs first. The registration fee for all non-MCRRC runners is $45.00 before August 1, then the fee goes up to $50 for entries received before September 8th. If any spots are still available on September 11th the fee will be $55 (cash or check only). MCRRC members will receive a $5 discount off all scaled registration fees with (paper) mail-in registration only . Not a MCRRC member? Check us out at www.mcrrc.org, we have a pace for you! A free Metro fare card will be distributed at the finish to all runners who wish to use Metro. Environmentally responsible and convenient, Metro is the preferred mode of transportation back to the parking area at the start.   Packet Pickup:   Meet the people who make the Parks Half Marathon happen and pick up some great running stuff at packet pick-up.   When: Saturday, September 11th, 2010 from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Where: RnJ’s Sports Discounters located at: 11910-R Parklawn Drive Rockville, MD 20852. Click here for directions. Where Else: There will be a very limited 1-hour packet pick-up on the morning of the race from 5:45am to 6:45am sharp. It is strongly recommended that all runners go to Saturday’s packet pick-up at RnJ’s as there will not be an opportunity to address any questions or changes to registration during race day packet pick-up. Race day packet pick-up will be located at the upper end of the Rockville Metro parking lot.   Registration Confirmation:   On-line registrations will receive confirmation via e-mail after registering. Please enter your email address correctly when you register! All confirmed on-line registrations will be posted on the confirmation page within one month of the race. Online registration will close at noon on Thursday, September 9th or once 2,750 runners have registered, whichever occurs first. . As they are received, confirmation for applications received through regular mail will also appear on the confirmation page.   Runner Instructions and Number Assignment:   The Runner Instructions will be e-mailed to all runners. Again, please be sure to provide your correct e-mail address when registering as that is the address that will be used to deliver runner instructions. The same information will be posted on this site by the time the mailing occurs.   Area Hotels:   Near the race start: Comfort Inn - 301-330-0023 Washingtonian Marriott - 301-590-0044 Courtyard Rockville - 301-670-6700 Residence Inn Gaithersburg - 301-590-3003 SpringHill Suites Gaithersburg - 301-987-0900   Near the race finish: Hyatt Bethesda - 301-590-0044 Residence Inn Bethesda - 301-718-0200 Holiday Inn Bethesda - 301-652-2000   Getting to the start:   The start line is near the Rockville Metro station at the intersection of S. Stonestreet and Highland Ave. Plenty of parking will also be available at the large parking lot of the Metro station and the large parking lot in front of the Regal Cinemas 13 movie theater located at 199 E. Montgomery Ave, Rockville Md. This parking lot is just a short walk from the starting line and runners will be directed to the pedestrian cross walk from the parking lot to the start. Runners and spectators will need to pay to park in this lot. Please do not plan to park near the finish line for the following reasons: Parking near the finish is very limited. The Metro will not be running early enough to get you to the start line on time. The ride back to the start area on the Metro train will provide a wonderful opportunity to tell war stories from the race with your new compadres and also sort through all the goodies you've received from the race! Please arrive at least one hour before the race start in order to park, make your way to the start area, and hydrate before the race. The gun goes off at 7am sharp! Bags will be transported to the finish line from the starting area. The bag drop will be in the upper end of the Rockville Metro parking lot, near race day packet pick-up. Bags will be provided to all runners at packet pick-up. Simply use this bag and write your bib number on both sides of the bag and we’ll have it waiting for you after you cross the finish line. Port-o-pots will be located along S. Stonestreet between the the Rockville Metro parking lot and the starting line. While we will provide an ample number of port-o-pots please plan to arrive early as lines will likely be long regardless. All runners must be in the start corrals no later than 6:50 a.m. to facilitate a smooth and punctual 7:00 a.m. start: Pace groups will be visible in the starting area and runners are encouraged to seed themselves appropriately within each pace group. Entry into the corrals will be strictly enforced to facilitate the safest start possible and to ensure that only registered runners are in the start area. Use of headphones, cell phones, and any “wheeled” equipment during the race is prohibited and will be cause for disqualification from the race. Runners spotted using any of the above mentioned devices will not be listed in the final race results and will not be eligible for awards. Please don’t e-mail us to argue this or ask for an exception; these rules are in place for your safety and those around you during the race and they will be strictly enforced.   During the race:   The course is described very thoroughly on the Course Page. During the race, the roads on the entire course will be completely closed to all traffic. However, if an emergency vehicle must cross the course, runners will be briefly stopped to facilitate that vehicle's passage. Please be aware of the course marshals and police officers on the course and follow their instructions at all times. There will likely be many spectators on the trails to support the runners, but they will be instructed by the course marshals to provide plenty of room for the runners. The course will be very closely monitored at several points with teams of course monitors and video cameras: Runners must have their bib numbers visible at all times. Any runner not spotted at every video checkpoint will be disqualified. The race is run through an area of exceptional natural beauty. The Parks Half Marathon was created to showcase that beauty, so please make use of the many trash bins along the course to deposit your used gel packs and water cups. Even tossing your cup to within a few feet of the trash bins will greatly assist the post-race clean up effort. To allow safe passage for all half marathoners regardless of their pace, please do not run more than two abreast during the race. Every mile will be clearly marked with large yellow placards. Aid stations will be on the course as follows: Fluid stations will be at the start and finish, plus six fluid stations along the course every two miles. DrinkMore Water will be available at every fluid station with Gatorade and Drinkmore Water at every other station. Aid stations will be closed based on a 12:36 minute-per-mile pace. Please refer to our Course Time Limit for more details. Please be aware of your fellow runners when pausing at an aid station of any type: If you must stop or slow down appreciably, move beyond the last water/fluid table at the station and step to the side. Please do not impair the momentum of the runners behind you when entering the aid stations, as many of them may choose not to stop or slow for the station. Port-a-johns will be provided at the start and finish. They will also be available on the course at miles 1, 2.7, 4, 6, 9, and 11. Signs will be posted 100 meters before the port-a-johns to notify runners as they approach. Use of headphones, cell phones, and any “wheeled” equipment during the race is prohibited and will be cause for disqualification from the race. Runners spotted using any of the above mentioned devices will not be listed in the final race results and will not be eligible for awards. Please don’t e-mail us to argue this or ask for an exception; these rules are in place for your safety and those around you during the race and they will be strictly enforced.   At the Finish Line:   The finish line is located on Woodmont Avenue near Bethesda Avenue in downtown Bethesda. While medals are not awarded, all finishers will receive a special finisher’s only premium that will be awarded once you cross the finish line and return the timing chip. Advanced medical support and massage therapists will be located on Woodmont Avenue immediately after the finish line. There will be a wide variety of post-race food and drink stations.   Awards:   ALL awards listed below will be mailed to finishers after the race. No duplicate awards will be given. In other words, if you win the Top masters award, you can't also win your age group. You'll get one or the other - not both. Overall Prizes: Top male and female - $500.00 CASH Second male and female - $350.00 CASH Third male and female - $250.00 CASH Fourth male and female - $200.00 CASH Fifth male and female - $100.00 CASH Top male and female masters - $100.00 CASH plus $50.00 gift certificate Age Group Awards are given to the TOP 3 male and TOP 3 female finishers in each of the following age groups: 18-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75 & over First Place - $50.00 CASH Second Place - $35.00 CASH Third Place - $25.00 gift certificate Additional Awards will be given as follows: Middle-of-the-pack male - $50.00 gift certificate Middle-of-the-pack female - $50.00 gift certificate Last male under 2:00 (net time) - $50.00 gift certificate Last female under 2:00 (net time) - $50.00 gift certificate Last male under 2:45 (net time) - $50.00 gift certificate Last female under 2:45 (net time) - $50.00 gift certificate   Results:   IPICO timing will be provided by the Montgomery County Road Runners. All results will be posted immediately as they are available at the finish line and on this web site. Results will also be posted on the Montgomery County Road Runners Club web site at www.mcrrc.org. Complete results will be posted on www.runwashington.com on Sunday afternoon and on this web site by Monday, September 13, 2010.

Montgomery County Road Runners Club 8312 Stedmall Terrace Gaithersburg, MD 20886   Copyright © 2006-2008 Montgomery County Road Runners, Inc. All rights reserved.