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Nebraska > Double Half Mary Half Marathons
Valparaiso & Roca, NE • Saturday & Sunday, October 13 - 14, 2012 • Course Map
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Ever wanted to run 26.2 miles, but just not in the same day? Or take on the challenge of running multiple half marathon races back-to-back? You'll get the chance to do just that at Nebraska's all-new Double Half Mary Half Marathons, which offers a half marathon on Saturday and Sunday in mid-October, and the option to run either or both.
The first of the two races takes place on Saturday the 13th, along the Oak Creek Trail in Valparaiso, a small town of about 500 residents that lies about a half-hour's drive north from Lincoln. There, runners will follow a route that takes them along the Oak Creek Trail, a former railroad corridor that was closed to rail traffic in the early 1990s and re-opened as a recreational trail for runners, walkers and bikers later that same decade.
Runners will tread along crushed limestone trails for the entire race, a surface that organizers describe as fast and "flat as a pancake." The start of the trail in Valparaiso stretches northwest for several miles through three small towns -- Valparaiso, Loma and Brainard -- and movie fans may recognize the location, as scenes from the 1995 Patrick Swayze film To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar were filmed along the trail.
On Sunday, the second of the two half marathons heads south of Lincoln to the even smaller town of Roca, which is home to about 220 residents, according to the most recent census. Here, runners will make their way along the Homestead Corridor Trail, which also is made up of crushed limestone surfaces throughout. Stretching from Lincoln all the way south to Marysville, this trail reaches some 60 miles in length, and will one day connect with the Homestead National Monument near Beatrice, which commemorates the Homestead Act of 1862 and its far-reaching impact on westward expansion and the creation of the western United States we know today.
Runners may register for the races on the morning of each race, and the scheduled starting time for both events is 7:30 AM. The finishers' medal for these races is unique, also, as runners will receive a different piece of the medal for each day that will fit into a larger medal -- so runners who complete both half marathons will receive the complete set.
Organizers say also that cash prizes (of $100 each) will be given out to the first male and female finisher from each race, and that age group awards will be presented to the top 3 male and female finishers in each of the following age divisions: age 19 and under, 20 to 24, 25 to 29, 30 to 34, 35 to 39, 40 to 44, 45 to 49, 50 to 54, 55 to 59, and age 60 and over.
Race
Weather & Climate
Located in eastern Nebraska, about 20 miles north of Lincoln and roughly 50 miles west of Omaha, Valparaiso typically sees October temperatures that average between 66°F and 39°F, while rainfall totals average about 2.6 inches for the month. On the day of the race (Oct. 13), the average high is 68°F and the average low is 40°F.
Roca, meanwhile, is located about 10 miles south of Lincoln, and typically sees October temperatures that average between 67°F and 41°F. On the day of the race (Oct. 14), the average high in Roca is 68°F and the average low is 42°F.
Course Map
View the race route map for the Double Half Mary Half Marathons
Fees
Double half marathon:
$75 if registered by May 31, 2012
$90 between June 1 - 30
$105 between July 1 - 31
$120 between August 1 - September 9
$150 between Sept. 10 - October 10
Saturday (or Sunday) half marathon only:
$45 if registered by May 31
$60 between June 1 - 30
$75 between July 1 - 31
$90 between Aug. 1 - Sept. 9
$105 between Sept. 10 - Oct. 10
Registration
To reserve your spot in either the Valparaiso or Roca races at the fall 2012 running of the Double Half Mary Half Marathons, register online at Active.com.
Official Race Website
doublehalfmary.wordpress.com
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