We have had a few emails about what to expect for the Texas Switchback race course, so here is some information that can help you prepare your minds!
General Course Info
Flat Creek Crossing Ranch offers just about all types of trail. Expect some nice smooth single track at parts, relatively short but steep and rocky climbs and descents, plenty of twists and turns, shallow creek crossings, and the marathon will use a short 1/2 mile jeep road. All races start and finish at the same location in front of the "Main Lodge". There will be parking near and around the Main Lodge. We will have volunteers helping to guide you to park Saturday morning. FYI This is not an obstacle race. There will not be climbing walls or barricades or electric fences to cross. We do plan on having live music at the start finish as well as a guitar player on course! You will have an aid station at least every 3 miles for the 10k and half marathon, and no longer than 4 miles in the marathon. We will have a loose 18 min/mile cutoff for the marathon that will be implemented at 2pm. We want everyone to be able to participate, so please email us if you have any concern about this.
General Course Info
Flat Creek Crossing Ranch offers just about all types of trail. Expect some nice smooth single track at parts, relatively short but steep and rocky climbs and descents, plenty of twists and turns, shallow creek crossings, and the marathon will use a short 1/2 mile jeep road. All races start and finish at the same location in front of the "Main Lodge". There will be parking near and around the Main Lodge. We will have volunteers helping to guide you to park Saturday morning. FYI This is not an obstacle race. There will not be climbing walls or barricades or electric fences to cross. We do plan on having live music at the start finish as well as a guitar player on course! You will have an aid station at least every 3 miles for the 10k and half marathon, and no longer than 4 miles in the marathon. We will have a loose 18 min/mile cutoff for the marathon that will be implemented at 2pm. We want everyone to be able to participate, so please email us if you have any concern about this.
10K - starts at 8am
The 10k course will likely be a tad long at roughly a 6.5 mile loop. It has just shy of 700 ft gain and loss. It will follow much of the traditional 10k bike loop at Flat Creek Crossing Ranch, but starts from the "Main Lodge" .
The 10k course will likely be a tad long at roughly a 6.5 mile loop. It has just shy of 700 ft gain and loss. It will follow much of the traditional 10k bike loop at Flat Creek Crossing Ranch, but starts from the "Main Lodge" .
Half Marathon- Start 7:30 am
This course is the same as the 10k course, but will be 2 full 10k (6.5 mi) loops. This means it will be righ tat 13 mi, just shy of a half marathon and will have about 1380 ft of gain.
This course is the same as the 10k course, but will be 2 full 10k (6.5 mi) loops. This means it will be righ tat 13 mi, just shy of a half marathon and will have about 1380 ft of gain.
Marathon- start 7am
The marathon loop starts in the opposite direction of the 10k and heads about 1/2 mile on a flat and light jeep path road where you cross the entrance road and run the north west part of the trail closest to the Pedernales State Park. You will run about a 1.5 mile loop before you connect on the 10k route near the Jennifer and Sarah Lodge. You stay on the 10k loop until you get near "the Cave". From there you split off and head down a fairly flat narrow lightly used trail into the cave and down by the Flat Creek. The Marathon course is the only course that used this route! You run through a narrow trail between two rock walls. Then you head back up from the creek through the cactus and hickory bushes where you connect back to the 10k loop. You will run straight past the turn off to the 10k/half marathon finish, where you will finish out the loop and connect back to the jeep road you started out on. From there you will return to the start finish. That will be about 10 mi per loop. Then you do the 10k loop to finish out the marathon!
The marathon loop starts in the opposite direction of the 10k and heads about 1/2 mile on a flat and light jeep path road where you cross the entrance road and run the north west part of the trail closest to the Pedernales State Park. You will run about a 1.5 mile loop before you connect on the 10k route near the Jennifer and Sarah Lodge. You stay on the 10k loop until you get near "the Cave". From there you split off and head down a fairly flat narrow lightly used trail into the cave and down by the Flat Creek. The Marathon course is the only course that used this route! You run through a narrow trail between two rock walls. Then you head back up from the creek through the cactus and hickory bushes where you connect back to the 10k loop. You will run straight past the turn off to the 10k/half marathon finish, where you will finish out the loop and connect back to the jeep road you started out on. From there you will return to the start finish. That will be about 10 mi per loop. Then you do the 10k loop to finish out the marathon!
