General Information
Join us Labor Day weekend for North Alabama's first 100 mile, 100K, and marathon at the lovely Wheeler Wildlife Refuge. Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1938 as a wintering area for ducks, geese, and other migratory birds. The refuge attracts thousands of wintering waterfowl and cranes each year and is home to the endangered whooping crane who first arrived in 2004. The great blue heron is a regular at the refuge, and you will most likely see at least one during your run. A donation from the race will be made to Wheeler Wildlife Refuge Association (WWRA). We are honored to be able to help expand their conservation mission.
The Blue Heron Hundreds is held in conjunction with the Singing River 10k and 5k. If you are interested in running a shorter distance, or if your crew wants to get in a run, check out this event.
Course information
- Cut off for all events is 32 hours.
THE COURSES:
Courses will be run on soft crushed gravel and dirt roads in Wheeler Refuge.
Starting location: 4865 Arrowhead Landing Road, Mooresville, AL 35649
100 mi—The certified course will begin with a 3.4 mile loop, then participants will run 5 of the 19.4 loops.
Aid: There will be water for runners after the 3.4 mile loop.
Then the distances between aid station will be 4.8, 4.6, 5.4 and 4.5 for each 19.4 mile loop.
Aid station mileage: 100mi—3.4 water only
Loop 1: 8.2, 12.8, 18.2, 22.7
Loop 2: 27.5, 32.1, 37.5, 42
Loop 3: 46.8, 51.4, 56.8, 61.3
Loop 4: 66.1, 70.7, 76.1, 80.6
Loop 5: 85.4, 90, 95.4, 100
100 km—The certified course will begin with a 3.4 mile loop, then participants will run 3 of the 19.4 loops.
Aid: There will be water for runners after the 3.4 mile loop.
Then the distances between aid station will be 4.8, 4.6, 5.4 and 4.5 for each 19.4 mile loop.
Aid station mileage: 100km—3.4 water only
Loop 1: 8.2, 12.8, 18.2, 22.7
Loop 2: 27.5, 32.1, 37.5, 42
Loop 3: 46.8, 51.4, 56.8, 61.3
Marathon-- The certified course will begin with a ~10k loop, which loops back to the start/finish area, followed by one of the big loops (19.4 miles).
Aid Stations:
10k loop: 1.5/4.5 (water only); 6.2- full aid
Big loop (19.4 miles) Full aid: 11, 15.6, 20, 24.5
Aid stations will have water, powerade, sword powder, coke, mtn. dew, sprite, ginger ale, chips, candy, pb&js, cookies, peanut butter pretzels, salt ect. The start/finish aid station and the one you hit twice during the loop (the first, third on the loop) will also have soup, potatoes, quesadillas, and coffee.
PORT-O-JOHNS
We will have a port-o-potty at the start/finish area and at the 2nd aid station in the loop.
See event pictures for maps of the course.
Events information
RACE DETAILS:
The 100 mile and 100k races start at 6am on Sat, Sept. 2nd.
The marathon races start at 7am.
The cutoff is 32 hours. (Sunday, Sept. 4th at 2pm)
PACERS:
100 mile runners can have a pacer starting at about mile 42. (For the last 3 loops). 100k runners can have a pacer starting around mile 42 (for the last loop)
Pacers must check in at the start/finish area to sign a waiver before they begin with their runner.
DROP BAG:
100 mile and 100k runners can have one drop bag. It will be placed at the 1st and 3rd aid station of each loop, so it can be accessed twice per loop. Please have them in the bin at the start/finish area before 5:30 am.
CREWING:
Crewing is only allowed at the start/finish area, so please do not try to access any other parts of the course. Much of it is behind locked gates, so it would be impossible for you to get too far into the course anyway.
AWARDS:
Each runner in the 100k and marathon will receive a blue heron medal.
The hundred mile finishers will receive a custom belt buckle.
The overall male and female in the marathon, 100k, and 100 mile will receive a special award.
If a 100 mile runner decides to not finish the full distance, but still makes it to the 100k distance, the runner will still be a recognized finisher and receive a finisher medal. However, if a runner drops down to the 100k, he or she will not be eligible for awards, and the finish time will be listed in a separate "unofficial" class on Ultrasignup.
We will allow runners to change their race distance up until 15 minutes before the start of the race.
PARKING:
100 milers will get to park along the driveway of the start/finish area, which leads to and from the turn-around/aid station, so they will have opportunity to get aid from their crew or from their car.
The 100k runners will get to park along the street at the top of the driveway and beyond, so they, too, can easily have access to their cars and aid.
There will also be places to set up a canopy tent to use for crewing along the driveway.
The marathoners will park in the parking lot and on a street about 0.2 miles from the start/finish area on Old Hwy 20.
Schedule of events
August 1, 2023: Price increases
August 31, 2023: Online registration closes
Saturday, September 2, 2023:
5:15-5:45am Packet pickup for 100 mile/100k at race site
6 am Start of 100mi/100k
6:15-6:45am: Packet pickup for the marathon at race site
7 am: Start of the marathon
Sunday, September 3, 2023
8:00 am: Cut off time to start last loop
2:00 pm: Course closes
Event's current local time: 6:27 AM CT
