RACE DATE: 20 April 2024
This year's Falcon 50 will be open up to all DoD ID Cardholders
Online registration closes 17 April @11:59 PM
***REGISTER BEFORE 1 APRIL TO BE GUARANTEED A SHIRT***
NEITHER LATE REGISTRATION OR RACE DAY REGISTRATION WILL BE OFFERED! Furthermore, registration prices will increase by $10 on April 1st.
***THIS IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION LED BY USAFA CADETS. IT IS NOT A PART OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE OR ANY OF ITS COMPONENTS AND IT HAS NO GOVERNMENTAL STATUS***
Description
Welcome to the annual Falcon 50 Race Series. This event now has 5 race distances/options: the Half-Marathon, Military Half-Heavy, Marathon, Military Heavy, and 50 Miler. Join us and help continue the legacy while discovering how far you are able to push yourself.
The Falcon 50 Race Series, founded in 2011, takes place on the Air Force Academy Reservation and in the surrounding mountains. It is a scenic and challenging route that will take its participants through some of the most beautiful and challenging terrain the Academy has to offer. The route itself is primarily on dirt trails, but also includes sections where runners have the choice to run on a sectioned off portion of paved roads or on the dirt road shoulders.
The ultramarathon is the great equalizer of races. Young, old, seasoned racer, or fresh to the starting blocks... in the end, it will be your determination above all else that gets you to the finish line. The 50 miles of the Falcon 50 Ultra course ensure that this event will be one of the toughest athletic challenges you can undertake on the Academy grounds.
If it wasn't tough, then it probably wasn't worth doing.
Events
The course includes aid stations about every 4-5 miles (a more detailed race route will be sent to participants the week of the race). These stations are stocked with water, gatorade, energy gels, and potentially more!
Races will have the following start schedule:
0600: 50 Miler
0630: Military Heavy
0700: Marathon
0730: Military Half-Heavy
0800: Half Marathon
For safety, all runners must complete before official sunset. A race cutoff schedule will be sent prior to the race start.
No racer will be prevented from attempting the 50 Mile course, so long as they meet cutoff times. This applies to both Marathon and Military Heavy entrants. However, in order to receive event specific finisher awards, like the Falcon 50 belt buckle, you must have registered for that event. If you would like to switch your registration to a different event, please notify the race director in a timely manner.
You can pack any gear, food, or water in the ruck. We ask that those participating have at least 35 pounds of weight to be used for non-consumption purposes, whether that be weighted plates or anything else. Participants will weigh rucks a few days prior to the event, so please plan accordingly.
The course starts at Stillman Field for all events and runs counter clockwise.
* The Half-Marathon and Military Half-Heavy is an out and back on the first 6.55 miles of the marathon route, NOT a loop. https://www.strava.com/routes/3211115987981218726
* Marathon and Military Heavy Strava Map: https://www.strava.com/routes/3201269424129473280
* 50 Mile Strava Map (route is completed 2x): https://www.strava.com/routes/3203042167283394562
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Results
Timing & Scoring will be conducted by Finish Line Timing (FLT) via chip timing. Participants will receive a pre-race email providing chip instructions as well as URLs for live results and livestreams. Also, participants will receive a post-race email informing of results, finisher certificates, and finish line videos. If there are any questions or corrections to race results please contact FLT.
All paid entrants will receive a custom race shirt, access to aid stations throughout the course manned by volunteers of the cadet wing, and photos following the race.
All finishers will be awarded a finisher medal.
Male 50 Mile finishers under 9 hours and females under 11 hrs will be awarded the Falcon 50 Race Series Belt Buckle. Male Heavy Marathon finishers under 6.5 hours and females under 8.5 hours will also receive a Falcon 50 belt buckle. Additionally, all 50 Mile finishers will also receive a Falcon 50 patch (approved for A-Jacket use if applicable).
Directions to Race
Enter the Academy through N. Gate Blvd (Opens at 0530). Make a left at Parade Loop until you reach Cadet Dr. Take a right here and there will be the cadet parking lot on the left. The race itself wil be held on Stillman Field, which can be accessed by taking a left on Rd 239 but there is very limited parking here.
Parking
We ask that participants please refrain from parking in the Stillman Field Lot (as it has been overcrowded in the past while the race is in progress) and please find a parking spot in the athletic fields. To access the fields, instead of taking a left at Parade Loop, continue straight on Academy Dr and take a left at the bottom of the overlook into the lots near the track.
>For any questions regarding the race please contact the race director (C24Abigail.Cook@afacademy.af.edu) or assistant race director (C25Camryn.Miller@afacademy.af.edu)
Event's current local time: 1:43 PM MT
