Description

The Lula Lake Trail Blazer is unlike any race you've ever trekked!
Lula Lake Land Trust started our race series in 2019 to raise money for our trail building efforts. Lula Lake has built over 40-miles of trail on our properties across Lookout Mountain, including the Moonshine trails, Cloudland Connector Trail, and the Durham Mine Trails. Your participation in this race (and all of Lula Lake’s races) goes directly back into our trail maintenance and construction efforts!

This race is designed for trail runners with 10K, Half Marathon, and 50K courses that utilize Lula Lake's famous trail systems. The race course will be well marked and you are expected to follow the course to place. Please arrive at least 20 minutes before start time if you’re pre-checked in and 45-minutes before start time if you need to check-in. 100% of proceeds go directly back into Lula Lake's trail work efforts and conservation mission.

The Trail Blazer is sponsored by City of Chickamauga, Rock/Creek, Gearhead Outfitters, HOKA, Fleet Feet, Walker Rocks, TrimTab Brewing, and Publix Super Markets, Inc.

FYI: Aid station details are listed below course maps

Timeline

6:30AM ET - Check-in opens for 50K
7:30AM ET - 50K Start
8:15 AM ET - Check-in opens for Half Marathon
9:00 AM ET - Half Marathon start
9:15 AM ET - Check-in opens for the 10K
10:00 AM ET - 10K race start
11:30 AM -1:30 PM ET - Afterparty with food and live music
12:30 PM ET - Beer Mile

Cut-off time is 1:00 PM ET for 10K and Half, 4:30pm for 50K
10K = 30min/mile
Half-Marathon = 18min/mile
50K = 9 hours = 17.5min/mile
Please be respectful of race officials if you are asked to drop - no discussion. You will be provided with transportation back to the start/finish.

Registration Details

Early Registration (thru 10/15/24):
$70 10k
$80 Half-Marathon
$90 - 50k Registration

Prices will go up $10 on October 16, so get in early!

Registration includes food and beer/drink, and afterparty with live music.

9-20-24 Note: T-Shirt deadline has passed; however, we will have a select variety of sizes available on a first-come, first-serve basis at check-in.

Note: Dogs can NOT run this race; however, they can attend with spectators if leashed.

Add-ons

Add-ons include a Friday night campout with bonfire, fun, and headlamp night warm-up and a beer mile.

Camping: $10/individual
Camp Night details: The gates will open at 4:00 PM ET for camping, warm-up run will start at 7 PM ET - bring a headlamp! Please select the Camping add-on while registering - LIMITED.

Beer Mile: $10/individual
We're bringing back the beer mile fun run after the two main races are complete. What is a beer mile? Simple: drink 4 beers and run 4 laps around our cross country "track" (aka a loop around our gravel road) as quickly as possible. We'll provide the beer, you’ll provide the psych! The beer mile will begin at 12:30 PM after the majority of runners have completed the 10K and Half Marathon, so you can certainly do both! (Obviously: this is a 21+ event, and we WILL be checking IDs before the race. If anyone under the age of 21 purchases a ticket, you will not be permitted to compete and will not be refunded.) If you want to add-on the beer mile to your race registration, you will see a $10 "add-on" at checkout. Click that and it will allow you to participate in both events. Please note: 50k Runners will likely not finish in time to do the beer mile.

Packet Pick-up

Packet Pick-up will be available on Friday, Nov. 8th from 4:30-6:30 PM ET at Gear Head Outfitters (formerly known as Rock Creek Outfitters) located at 301 Manufacturers Road Suite 109, Chattanooga, TN 37405. If you cannot pick up your race packet Friday, the gates will open Saturday morning (race day) for check in at 6:30AM ET for 50k runners and 8:00 AM ET for 10k and half marathon runners.

Those who are camping Friday night will be able to claim their packet when arriving at Lula Lake on Friday night.

Prize Categories

10K
Women: 1st, 2nd, 3rd
Men: 1st, 2nd, 3rd
Kids (under 12): 1st, 2nd, 3rd
Non-Binary: 1st, 2nd, 3rd

Half Marathon
Women: 1st, 2nd, 3rd
Men: 1st, 2nd, 3rd
Kids (under 12): 1st, 2nd, 3rd
Non-Binary: 1st, 2nd, 3rd

50K
Women: 1st, 2nd, 3rd
Men: 1st, 2nd, 3rd
Non-Binary: 1st, 2nd, 3rd

Courses

10K Course:
This 10K is an enjoyable run through the heart of Lula Lake Land Trust. The course will take runners past beautiful scenic views including Lula Lake’s two waterfalls and bluff overlook with a large portion following Rock Creek. As the course progresses in the Core Preserve, runners will find moderate climbs on single-track trails that total an elevation gain of 630 ft.

Course overview available here.
Note: The 10K will be the main Core Preserve section of the half marathon.





Half Marathon Course:
This challenging half marathon course boasts more than a 1,400-foot elevation gain as it climbs through our Core Preserve and Moonshine Trails. Runners will start off climbing the old railroad grade to the Moonshine Trails where they will find 800 ft. of elevation gain over the next 7 miles on single-track trails. They will then finish the remainder of their run on the 10K course with beautiful scenic views and an additional elevation gain of 630 ft.

Course overview available here
Course overview available here.
Note: The 10K will be the main Core Preserve section of the half marathon.





50K Course:
The 50K course will follow the half marathon course for the first ~10 miles and then continue to the Nickajack section of the CCT where runners will make their way to High Point and make a loop back into the Core Preserve. There is an elevation gain of 4,200 feet.

Crew- If you have crew meeting you to run or give you gear, the best option for parking is the Nickajack Trailhead. Runners will pass through the trailhead TWICE at miles 12 and 24.

Back half of 50K overview available here (Note: the back half only shows 900 ft. of elevation gain).
For course map of the 50K, please click here.
If you have questions about the 50K course or training route options please email pkelly@lulalake.org. Disclaimer: Most of the back half of the 50K course is on private property and cannot be accessed before the race. The best option for training that segment is an out and back on the CCT to Tower Road.

Aid Stations

For map of aid stations, please click here.

There are 8 aid stations along the 50k course (see map above for details). The first aid station is at mile 7. Beyond that most aid stations are spaced out approximately every 3-4 miles, with the longest stretch between aid being 5 miles.

The first 2 aid stations will also supply the half marathoners, and the first aid station will be along the 10k course.

All aid stations (except aid station 5) will be fully stocked with:
Regular water
Tailwind
Cokes
Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
Cracker (peanut butter crackers or cheez its)
Salty chips
Pickles
Oranges and/or bananas
Trail mix
Aid stations 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8 will have some variation of gels, clifbloks, etc.
**Aid station 5 will only have water, but it is less than 2 miles from the next aid station

Refunds / Transfers / Deferments

There are NO refunds or transfers.
We do not have the capacity to mail awards, shirts, forgotten gear, etc.

Deferrals are only offered in certain medical situations, please reach out to inquire.

Weather

This event will be rain or shine. In the event of extremely severe weather (highly unlikely in early November) we will delay the start or reschedule.

Lodging

The closest lodging is The Chanticleer Inn, Cloudland Canyon State Park, or various Airbnb’s in Lookout Mountain and Chattanooga.

Event's current local time: 3:45 AM ET