|
|
|
First Timer's Guide
Race Calendars
Training Plans
|
|
Pennsylvania > Nittany Valley Half Marathon
State College, PA • Sunday, December 2, 2012 • Course Map
 |
|
First run in 1984 as part of the final running of the Nittany Valley
Marathon, the Nittany Valley Half Marathon has since blossomed into one
of the region’s most popular road races, drawing several hundred runners each year -- more than 730 crossed the finish line in 2011 -- to an event that typically enjoys beautiful weather
and enthusiastic spectators cheering participants on.
The race, which
is open to both runners and walkers, remains open to traffic throughout
the event, so participants need to be aware of their surroundings as
well as the two-hour, 45-minute time limit for the event. The terrain for the half-marathon is a mixture of paved roadways and
gravel surfaces along both suburban and rural roads, and unfolds across
mostly flat ground for much of the course – though certainly
not all of it.
The total elevation change throughout the 13.1-mile course amounts to
roughly 300 feet, and includes some seriously challenging hills. There
is a long and steep downhill immediately after mile 7 known as the Red
Rock Ravine, two difficult uphill stretches right after miles 9 and 10,
and what race organizers describe as a “final,
soul-crushing” uphill just before the race finish line. As
the event’s website puts it, “this is where the
praying starts.”
Needless to say, heed the race organizers’ helpful hints not
to start out too fast and to keep pace with fellow runners who share
your own comfortable speed, to help make sure you don’t run
out of gas for the last brutal mile of the race.
Race
Weather & Climate
The weather in this central Pennsylvania town can vary widely in the last weeks of fall. Though average area
temperatures for December range between 24°F and 37°F,
the weather can be much warmer in State College at this time of year.
Also come prepared for wet weather, as precipitation averages about
2.84 inches for the month. On the day of the race (Dec. 2), the average high is 41°F and the average low is 28°F.
Course Map
View the race route map for the Nittany Valley Half Marathon
Fees
$25 for the half marathon
Registration
To reserve your spot in the early winter 2012 running of State College's Nittany Valley Half Marathon, register online at Active.com.
Official Race Website
www.nvrun.com
Leave a Comment
Ever run in Pennsylvania's annual Nittany Valley Half Marathon? Share your impressions, stories and tips from the event.
|
|
|
