EPS Half Marathon, 10K and 5K Race Rules

1. For the safety and enjoyment of all participants, pets, bicycles, wagons, roller blades, skateboards, hand cycles, motorized vehicles, motorized wheelchairs, unregistered runners, strollers, baby joggers, are not allowed. For your safety, running with headphones or ear buds, make it difficult to hear bike and pedestrian traffic or marshal
   instructions and therefore discouraged. This is extremely important for the safety of all runners as 5K, 10K participants will be merging with the half marathon participants at
   turn around points while the race already in progress. We will try to mange to flow of the race by adjusting start times for the 10 km and 5 km races if necessary.
2. Most of the race takes place using the Edmonton River Valley Park trail system. The path will not be closed to the public and therefore expect to share the path with other users and in some instances, their pets. Runners should remain on the right side of the divided path throughout the race. In the instance where runners are required to use residential roads, they must follow the direction of the race marshal, keeping to the right of the road as indicated or directed by race marshal, and be aware of possible road traffic.
3. The EPS Half Marathon will be using a colour coded Event Alert System (EAS) to communicate the status of course conditions to participants, event staff, leading up to and
   on race day.
4. Race Bib must be pinned to the front of your shirt so that it is visible for race officials. You will get pulled of the course if you don’t comply. You will not receive a finishers
   medal if your bib is not visible.
5. Timing: Gun time will be used to determine the top 3 Overall Female and Male Finishers. Chip time will be used to determine age group winners.
6. Participants must be able to complete the half marathon course in 3:15 minutes. 10K runners should be able to complete the distance in 90 minutes. 5K participants must be
   able to complete the event in 70 minutes.
7. The course will be marked with traffic cones and athletes must stay within the traffic cones and barricades unless otherwise directed by a race official. Be aware that some
   section of the course may be uneven or have potholes.
8. Medical personnel and race officials reserve the right to remove any participant from the race judged to be physically incapable of continuing without a risk to their health.

RACE DAY FAQ – Frequently asked questions

• Where is the event taking place? Kinsmen Park (Kinsmen Baseball Field)
• Where can I park? Parking West of the Kinsmen Baseball Field will be restricted and available for volunteers only. There is plenty of parking available in the surrounding area
  (e.g., REMAX Field Parking Lot B & C). Do no park in the Kinsmen Sport Centre Parking Lot. Please make sure lock your vehicle and keep anything valuable out of sight
  and locked up.
• Is there a bag check? No.
• What is the start time for each race? Festival grounds open: 07:00 AM Half Marathon: 08:00 AM 10K: 08:15 AM * subject to change based on the flow of the Half Marathon Race 5K: 08:30 AM *subject to change based on the flow of the Half Marathon and 10K races
• Is there a minimum time requirement for finishers? Participants must be able to complete the half marathon course in 3:15 minutes. You should be able to complete the
  10K in 90 minutes, however the 10k event will officially close as we shut down the half marathon course. 5K participants must be able to complete the event in 70 minutes.
• Are runners seeded based on projected finish? No. However, please pay attention to signs located in the starting corral that indicate where you should be lining up based on
  your goal finish time.
• Are there any Aid Stations? Aid stations are located on the Half Marathon Route at approximately 5K, 10K, 15K, and 17K, 18.5K locations (bonus one due to course
  change). As the 10K shares the same route as the Half Marathon, aid stations will be at 3.5K and 5K, 7K (bonus one due to course change) for 10K participants. There are no aid
  stations on the 5K course.
• What will be offered at the Aid Stations? The event provides water and electrolytes in a disposable cup. Electrolyte drinks (PVL Pro H20) will be available at all aid stations.
  Applied Nutrition Endurance Energy Gels will be available to half marathon participants at the 14/15K (Forest Heights Park) and 18.5K Aid Station (Rossdale Pak/Jame
  MacDonald Bridge).
• Is the course marked? There will be km markers located on the right side of the path going out for the 5K, 10K and Half Marathon course. The KM markers for Half
  Marathon are BLUE. The KM markers for the 10K course are RED. The KM Markers for the 5K are GREEN. Note: There may be variation depending on markers being
  moved/removed by reasons outside our control. Also, there will be some variation in the distance by KM, but the length of each event has been measured using several GPS
  devices. Please make sure you know where key distances are for your pace times. The turnaround points, for 5K, and Half Marathon will be marked by a pylon and a sign. 10K
  runners, please pay attention to this so that you don’t end up on the Half marathon course
  or turn around early on the 5K course!
• Are there washrooms on the course? Portable toilets are located at all four Aid Stations. In addition, Public Washrooms are also available near the Louise Mckinney
  Riverfront Park – River Valley Adventures.

Race Etiquette

As an athlete who has run 26 marathons in 26 different locations around the world, countless half marathons and other distances, I have come to appreciate well organized races and good race etiquette. So, in the interest of promoting an enjoyable race experience for everyone, I thought I would share some race rules and etiquette that all participants should follow. Many of these are common sense, but my experience in having to run around a wall of walkers having a social visit, tells me that it may not be.

-Syl Lemelin, Race Director, EPS Half Marathon, 10K & 5K

1. Line up correctly at the start line. Larger events will assign corrals that places faster runners up front and slower one behind them. Please look for signs in the start corral of
   the race so you may line up in the appropriate zones. In smaller events, please line up according to how fast you plan to run or walk. Slower runners and walkers should move
   to the back of the group. In addition, most races use timing chips, so you don’t need to move right up to the front of the line to hit your best time.
2. The Bib goes on the front. The race bib must go on the front so race officials can know at-a-glance that you are registered participant and to identify which event you are
   running. This is especially important for events like ours that hold multiple distances sharing the same course.
3. Pay attention to the pre-race instructions. What you hear will not only help guide you through the course but will also keep you safe. For example: stay on the right side of the
   road, or stay inside the traffic cones, or watch the course marshals (they control traffic to make your race a safe experience). Listen to pre-race announcements that may include information on water stations, course direction, finish-line procedures and what to do
   with your race number as you finish.
4. Do not stop abruptly at the start of the race. If you drop something, pull off to side and wait for runners to pass through before collecting it.
5. Do not run or walk more than two abreast. Unless you’re leading the race, faster runners will need to pass you (especially if you lined incorrectly at the start of the race.) Don’t
   create a roadblock!
6. Let them know you are passing. If you are about to pass someone, let them know you are coming so they can move to the side for you. Say something like “Coming through”,
   “Excuse me” or “Passing on your left/right.”
7. Move to the side. If you need to slow down or stop for any reason, pull off to the side and make sure that no one is directly behind you. It is important that you not block or
   impeded the runners behind you.
8. Don’t stop at the aid Station. If you are planning on using an aid station, move all the way over to the table (or volunteer), grab the drink and move away from the area so others may have access to it as well. If you need to stop and drink, move to the side of the road so as not to impede other runners. If there is a garbage receptacle nearby, use it to discard your cup. If not, then try not to carry it too far as event staff have clean the area up.
9. Be kind to volunteers. Without volunteers, this event would not happen. Our volunteers get up early, make sure that you get your race packet, water, finisher’s medal, and
   basically everything else. Thank them! Just because you are tired and sore, or having a rough day, it is not a reason to be rude to them.
10. Encourage. Feel free to encourage your fellow runners. It’s great thing to hear when you are going through a rough tough.
11. Pay attention during the race. Expect the unexpected. As most of our race is being held on the shared river valley pathways, think unleashed dogs, playing kids, low branches,
    uneven surfaces, and potholes.
12. Don’t stop abruptly at the finish. Follow the instructions and keep moving through the finish line, slow to a walk, but keep moving to get out of the way of other finishers.
13. Don’t hoard the post-race refreshments. Trying to stock your cupboards with free food at the end of the race is generally frowned upon and not great etiquette. Leave some for the slower finishers.
14. Cheating. It happens more than we’d like to admit. For example, cheating may include running without a bib, helping someone else get a better time by wearing their bib, or
    cutting the course.
15. Have fun. It’s not etiquette per se. But what is the point of doing this if you can’t have run!? Most of us are not going to win the race, we are here to challenge ourselves. So,
    let’s enjoy the journey (training) and the destination (race)!

Refund and Bib Transfer Policy

1. No Refunds: Refunds will not be issued. Most expenses for organizing an event are incurred prior to the actual event. These expenses include marketing, socks, medals, permits, deposits, and insurance. Processing refunds would place the event at a financial disadvantage. By registering, you acknowledge and accept the risk that if you cannot attend or if the event is canceled, a refund is not guaranteed.
2. Entry Conditions: All entries are non-refundable, non-transferable to another person, and non-deferable to future events unless explicitly mentioned otherwise.
3. Transfer Restrictions: Sale or transfer of race entries or bib numbers is strictly prohibited. This policy is in place primarily for safety and administrative reasons. Accurate participant info is vital for emergency situations, and allowing transfers could lead to errors and increased risk. It also prevents scams, ensuring all entries are legitimate. From an administrative standpoint, it minimizes workload, allowing volunteers to focus on key logistics for a successful race.

These policies ensure the financial stability and integrity of the event. By registering, participants agree to abide by these terms.