50K and 50 Mile Final Instructions 2024
As ultra runners, you have a unique opportunity to raise funds for the SOWF- as very few people even attempt to run that distance. Your fundraising page is already setup and you can find the link to share it with your friends at https://destinbeachultraruns.itsyourrace.com/Fundraising.aspx?id=7349. As we continue to lose special operations personnel around the world, anything you can do to support their children left behind would be greatly appreciated. It will also give you added motivation during the dark and challenging times of the event if you are running for a cause greater than yourself.
Packet Pickup: Friday 16 Feb, 11am-5pm upstairs at The Back Porch Destin (1740 Scenic Hwy 98, Destin, FL 32541). You must pickup your packet for the ultra runs in person. If it is impossible for you to pickup your packet on Friday, you must coordinate ahead of time with the Race Director to pickup your packet Saturday morning.
Start: Saturday, Feb 17th 2024
All races will start behind The Back Porch on the beach. You can access the beach by going on the west (right) side of the building. Please have your water full and use the restroom prior to arriving.
4:30am: 50 Mile Start at The Back Porch (arrive by 4am for briefing)
5:00am: 50K Start at The Back Porch (arrive by 4:30am for briefing)
Course: The 50K runners will have a 1 mile out and back to the west at the start to get the required distance. Other than that, the courses run east along the water (all in the sand) to the respective turn around points. Then you head back west to The Back Porch Destin.
You are REQUIRED to go to each aid station location as the distance from the water to the aid station are included in the distance of your race.
Approximate Miles-
Back Porch-Start/Finish
Pompano Joe’s- 50K 6M/27M, 50mile 4M/46M
Hilton- 50K 10M/23M, 50mile 8M/42M
Shunk Gulley- 50K 17M (turn around), 50mile 14M/36M
The Red Bar- 50mile 18/32
Turn Around- 50M Mile 25
Rules: 1) If you withdraw from the race you MUST notify a race official (this is very important). 2) No littering- period. 3) Do not run above the mean high water line on private property. This should not be an issue since most folks run in the wet sand along the water. 4) At no point should you enter the sand dune area or the private property behind home. 5) We encourage you to carry a cell phone. In case of emergency dial 911. 6) If you depart the course at any point, such as using a public beach access toilet, you must return to the course at that same point.
Aid Station Details:
You must check-in at every aid station and you are NOT allowed to take aid outside of the station area. All the aid stations, are off the beach on private property. We will have a volunteer and/or marker on the beach for each aid station exit. Your crew can meet you on the beach but can NOT crew you down on the beach.
Each aid station will have ultra basics- Tailwind drink, S! Caps, gels, salty snacks, sweet snacks, water. Our three aid stations co-located at restaurants (Pompano Joes, Shunk Gulley and Red Bar) will have some additional treats for you. If you have certain dietary restrictions or specific drinks/supplements, please carry them with you or have your crew meet you at the aid stations.
All aid stations have restrooms except the 50 mile turn around point.
The Back Porch- 1740 Scenic Hwy 98, Destin, FL 32541. You can also leave drop bags at this point.
Pompano Joe's- 2237 Scenic Gulf Dr, Destin, FL 32550. Located under the restaurant.
Hilton Sandestin- 4000 S Sandestin Blvd, Miramar Beach, FL 32550. Located on the back pool deck, east side.
Shunk Gulley- 1875 S County Hwy 393, Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459. Located on the first level. You have to cross a road to get to the restaurant. We recommend using google street view prior to get a sense of what it looks like from the beach. This is the 50K drop bag location and 50K turn around.
The Red Bar- 70 Hotz Ave, Grayton Beach, FL 32459. This is located some distance off the beach. There will be a Rotorhead feather flag along with a volunteer on the beach. Once you enter the road from the beach it will be on your left side. You will use the back entrance of The Red Bar (southeast corner). This is also the 50M drop bag location.
50 Mile Turn Around (no crew access) - This location will only have water and basic snacks. Also there is NO restroom access at this point. The nearest beach access to turn around is 320 Beachfront Trail, Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459. (no crewing food/drink allowed at this point, only cheering).
Crew/Pacers: You can have crew at all aid stations except the 50 mile turn around. Please ask your crew to respect the space of the volunteers and other crews. 50K can have pacers starting at the Turn Around point at Shunk Gulley. And 50 mile runners can add crew on the return leg from Red Bar. Your crew should be self-supported and not depend on the aid stations for food/drink other than water.
Drop Bags: 50K runners can have 1 drop bag at your race’s turn around point (Shunk Gulley) and 50 Mile runners at Red Bar. You will drop these in the designated area at the race start and we will transport them to the aid station. We will then collect them and return them to the race start after that aid station is clear. If you finish early, your bag may not be back to the start when you finish. Please ensure your bag is waterproof, in case there are rain showers, and do not put anything valuable in your drop bag. Please keep drop bags to a reasonable size and have it clearly marked with your name and bib number. We are not responsible for lost/stolen drop bags. If you don’t pick-up your bag after the race, they will be donated or disposed of.
Cutoffs:
50 Mile Turnaround CUTOFF TIME: Noon (7.5hrs)
6:30pm: COURSE CUTOFF for all events (14hr 50M, 13hr 50K). There will be no race support after this time. Anyone finishing after this time will receive a DNF.
Awards/Post-Party: All runners are invited to enjoy a free meal from the runner's menu upstairs at The Back Porch between 11am and 6pm after your event. Your family is invited to join you, but will have to pay for their meals.
We have invested a great deal in amazing awards this year, but you must be present at the awards ceremony to receive your award. 50K awards are usually around 3pm and 50 mile awards will be at 6:30pm. They will not be mailed or picked up after 6:30pm on race day.
Every finisher receives a custom medal at the finish.
50 mile Overall Male Winner
50 mile Overall Female Winner
50K Overall Male Winner
50K Overall Female Winner
50 mile Overall Male Runner-up
50 mile Overall Female Runner-up
50K Overall Male Runner-up
50K Overall Female Runner-up
50 mile Overall Male 3rd
50 mile Overall Female 3rd
50K Overall Male 3rd
50K Overall Female 3rd
50K/50M Age Group 1st and 2nd, Male/Female:
18-29
30-39
40-49
50-59
60+
Fundraising: You all have done an outstanding job of fundraising for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation (SOWF) so far and I thank you for that!
This race was conceived as a fundraiser, that just happened to be an ultra run, and we keep that at the core of everything we do. As you know, the money you raise is very important to the families of the fallen. But just as important is all the new people you are introducing to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation through your fundraising and running. If those people that donated to you tell a couple new people about the SOWF, and then those couple people tell a few more- we can make a HUGE impact on the lives of these children! Keep up the good work all the way through the event and for the week after by spreading the word about the SOWF.
If you have any questions, please email [email protected] as soon as possible so we can get it cleared up for you.
Thank you!
Zane
As ultra runners, you have a unique opportunity to raise funds for the SOWF- as very few people even attempt to run that distance. Your fundraising page is already setup and you can find the link to share it with your friends at https://destinbeachultraruns.itsyourrace.com/Fundraising.aspx?id=7349. As we continue to lose special operations personnel around the world, anything you can do to support their children left behind would be greatly appreciated. It will also give you added motivation during the dark and challenging times of the event if you are running for a cause greater than yourself.
Packet Pickup: Friday 16 Feb, 11am-5pm upstairs at The Back Porch Destin (1740 Scenic Hwy 98, Destin, FL 32541). You must pickup your packet for the ultra runs in person. If it is impossible for you to pickup your packet on Friday, you must coordinate ahead of time with the Race Director to pickup your packet Saturday morning.
Start: Saturday, Feb 17th 2024
All races will start behind The Back Porch on the beach. You can access the beach by going on the west (right) side of the building. Please have your water full and use the restroom prior to arriving.
4:30am: 50 Mile Start at The Back Porch (arrive by 4am for briefing)
5:00am: 50K Start at The Back Porch (arrive by 4:30am for briefing)
Course: The 50K runners will have a 1 mile out and back to the west at the start to get the required distance. Other than that, the courses run east along the water (all in the sand) to the respective turn around points. Then you head back west to The Back Porch Destin.
You are REQUIRED to go to each aid station location as the distance from the water to the aid station are included in the distance of your race.
Approximate Miles-
Back Porch-Start/Finish
Pompano Joe’s- 50K 6M/27M, 50mile 4M/46M
Hilton- 50K 10M/23M, 50mile 8M/42M
Shunk Gulley- 50K 17M (turn around), 50mile 14M/36M
The Red Bar- 50mile 18/32
Turn Around- 50M Mile 25
Rules: 1) If you withdraw from the race you MUST notify a race official (this is very important). 2) No littering- period. 3) Do not run above the mean high water line on private property. This should not be an issue since most folks run in the wet sand along the water. 4) At no point should you enter the sand dune area or the private property behind home. 5) We encourage you to carry a cell phone. In case of emergency dial 911. 6) If you depart the course at any point, such as using a public beach access toilet, you must return to the course at that same point.
Aid Station Details:
You must check-in at every aid station and you are NOT allowed to take aid outside of the station area. All the aid stations, are off the beach on private property. We will have a volunteer and/or marker on the beach for each aid station exit. Your crew can meet you on the beach but can NOT crew you down on the beach.
Each aid station will have ultra basics- Tailwind drink, S! Caps, gels, salty snacks, sweet snacks, water. Our three aid stations co-located at restaurants (Pompano Joes, Shunk Gulley and Red Bar) will have some additional treats for you. If you have certain dietary restrictions or specific drinks/supplements, please carry them with you or have your crew meet you at the aid stations.
All aid stations have restrooms except the 50 mile turn around point.
The Back Porch- 1740 Scenic Hwy 98, Destin, FL 32541. You can also leave drop bags at this point.
Pompano Joe's- 2237 Scenic Gulf Dr, Destin, FL 32550. Located under the restaurant.
Hilton Sandestin- 4000 S Sandestin Blvd, Miramar Beach, FL 32550. Located on the back pool deck, east side.
Shunk Gulley- 1875 S County Hwy 393, Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459. Located on the first level. You have to cross a road to get to the restaurant. We recommend using google street view prior to get a sense of what it looks like from the beach. This is the 50K drop bag location and 50K turn around.
The Red Bar- 70 Hotz Ave, Grayton Beach, FL 32459. This is located some distance off the beach. There will be a Rotorhead feather flag along with a volunteer on the beach. Once you enter the road from the beach it will be on your left side. You will use the back entrance of The Red Bar (southeast corner). This is also the 50M drop bag location.
50 Mile Turn Around (no crew access) - This location will only have water and basic snacks. Also there is NO restroom access at this point. The nearest beach access to turn around is 320 Beachfront Trail, Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459. (no crewing food/drink allowed at this point, only cheering).
Crew/Pacers: You can have crew at all aid stations except the 50 mile turn around. Please ask your crew to respect the space of the volunteers and other crews. 50K can have pacers starting at the Turn Around point at Shunk Gulley. And 50 mile runners can add crew on the return leg from Red Bar. Your crew should be self-supported and not depend on the aid stations for food/drink other than water.
Drop Bags: 50K runners can have 1 drop bag at your race’s turn around point (Shunk Gulley) and 50 Mile runners at Red Bar. You will drop these in the designated area at the race start and we will transport them to the aid station. We will then collect them and return them to the race start after that aid station is clear. If you finish early, your bag may not be back to the start when you finish. Please ensure your bag is waterproof, in case there are rain showers, and do not put anything valuable in your drop bag. Please keep drop bags to a reasonable size and have it clearly marked with your name and bib number. We are not responsible for lost/stolen drop bags. If you don’t pick-up your bag after the race, they will be donated or disposed of.
Cutoffs:
50 Mile Turnaround CUTOFF TIME: Noon (7.5hrs)
6:30pm: COURSE CUTOFF for all events (14hr 50M, 13hr 50K). There will be no race support after this time. Anyone finishing after this time will receive a DNF.
Awards/Post-Party: All runners are invited to enjoy a free meal from the runner's menu upstairs at The Back Porch between 11am and 6pm after your event. Your family is invited to join you, but will have to pay for their meals.
We have invested a great deal in amazing awards this year, but you must be present at the awards ceremony to receive your award. 50K awards are usually around 3pm and 50 mile awards will be at 6:30pm. They will not be mailed or picked up after 6:30pm on race day.
Every finisher receives a custom medal at the finish.
50 mile Overall Male Winner
50 mile Overall Female Winner
50K Overall Male Winner
50K Overall Female Winner
50 mile Overall Male Runner-up
50 mile Overall Female Runner-up
50K Overall Male Runner-up
50K Overall Female Runner-up
50 mile Overall Male 3rd
50 mile Overall Female 3rd
50K Overall Male 3rd
50K Overall Female 3rd
50K/50M Age Group 1st and 2nd, Male/Female:
18-29
30-39
40-49
50-59
60+
Fundraising: You all have done an outstanding job of fundraising for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation (SOWF) so far and I thank you for that!
This race was conceived as a fundraiser, that just happened to be an ultra run, and we keep that at the core of everything we do. As you know, the money you raise is very important to the families of the fallen. But just as important is all the new people you are introducing to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation through your fundraising and running. If those people that donated to you tell a couple new people about the SOWF, and then those couple people tell a few more- we can make a HUGE impact on the lives of these children! Keep up the good work all the way through the event and for the week after by spreading the word about the SOWF.
If you have any questions, please email [email protected] as soon as possible so we can get it cleared up for you.
Thank you!
Zane
