Extreme Relay Dirtails
START: 7:30 AM
Gnaw on This!
Relay legs are marked in Yellow, Blue, White and Pink. Remember your color.
Team Membership
Team members can change up until the start but not after the start! Team members must be human even
if you’re dog follows trail better. You can run with less than 5 people on a team but not more.
All team members must sign a waiver & turn it in prior to the race start. Visit dwdgnawbone.com to
update your team information.
Finish Cut Off Time
7 PM, which is easily done using concurrent running (legal cheat) at given times. See Cheat Sheet. It’s
important to finish before we devour the entire barbecue!
Team Handicap Adjusted Time Award
Masters runners receive a 1.0% handicap for each year over 40 and 1.5% handicap for each year over 50.
Women receive an additional 12.5 % handicap.
The sum of the age and sex handicap (sounds bad) produces the individual handicap.
The average of the individual handicaps is the Team Handicap.
Your actual finish time will be reduced by this percentage to determine Team Handicap Adjusted Time.
Example: Team Rose and 4 Pricks consists of one 44 year old woman and four 38 year old men. Woman
handicap is +12.5% + 4% = 16.5%. Each of the 4 men have 0%. Sum is 16.5%+0%+0%+0%+0%, = 16.5%.
Average is 16.5% total / 5 members = 3.3% team handicap adjusted time. Confused? You should be!
Vehicle Signs
Official DWD vehicle signs must be visible in rear window of all vehicles on the course and to park!
Map
Each team receives maps with marked running course, auto-route and exchange points.
Drive Route (Caution: The running course and drive route cross several times)
Detailed drive instructions to each exchange point is provided.
The routes are fairly direct and provide sufficient time to travel to the next exchange point.
You will notice that the route may not always be the most direct. Safety, traffic flow and other park user’s
concerns are preeminent in the routing. Although we attempted to limit the runner and driver
intersections they do exist.
The drive route is also designed to facilitate responsive medical emergencies and race management.
We do understand that sometimes you may miss a turn because the stench in the vehicle gets intolerable
and you have your head out the window and not on the map. Take a test drive on Friday if you can.
Course
The course is primarily spectacular trails with a bit or road and some memorable moments & stupid spots.
Relay course is designed as a separate race from the other events. At times the other races will merge,
coexist and diverge from the Relay course.
Course is a series of sections or “Legs” between Exchange Points.
Legs
Legs are from 2.3 miles to 6.1 miles in length if you do not get lost. They may change slightly if windy!
Each team member is to run 3 legs. Decide how to best utilize or torture each runner. Back to back legs will
probably equate to a slower over all time and a high chance of injury. Come up with a plan to start with
and be ready to change once the whining starts.
Each section or leg is marked in a specific color to avoid conflicts with nearby legs.
Each team runner is required to run a minimum of 3 legs unless injury occurs. Only one runner per team
runs a leg unless injury occurs. See injury substitution procedure below.
All legs must be run in the order presented and to completion, (no improvised shortcuts).
Each leg begins from one exchange point and ends at the next exchange point. While one teammate runs,
the remainder of the team moves or drives to the next exchange in a timely fashion. Sometimes the leg is a
loop and the team does not drive. There is plenty of time to drive to each successive exchange point.
Exchange Points
Exchange is usually made by making physical contact with the next runner in the exchange zone. To avoid
traffic and dangerous situations, some exchanges may be Air Touch – high five sign across the road.
Allow adequate space to execute the exchange. No pushing, crowding, peeing in the pool. Huh, wrong list.
As you enter the exchange zone alert your teammates by screaming and yelling.
Check-in at exchange point is not required.
If you arrive running and your teammates are AWOL, inform the exchange volunteer of the team name
and number. Chill out as we search starting with the local bar. We usually will find your directionally
challenged teammates.
If your runner does not arrive, inform volunteers of the runners name and number. We will facilitate
locating the lost souls.
Also, inform volunteers that a lost soul has been found.
Some exchange points are aid stations for the Ultra, Marathon, ½ M and 10k runners.
The food and drinks are for the solo runners. H2O & First Aid is for all.
Some legs pass through aid stations. Grab a drink.
Restrooms are available at some exchange points and at other points in the park.
Thank the volunteers and our park hosts. Be helpful in allowing other users passage.
Injury Substitution
A teammate can complete the leg of an injured teammate from the point of injury.
An injured member is out of the race.
Only original team members can represent the team.
An injury substitution is the only allowed substitution within a leg. That is, all non-injured exchanges occur
at the exchange points only.
Good Samaritan Act
Please help the injured. As a participant, you are first on the scene. Record the amount of lost time assisting
the injured on Cheat Sheet. We will deduct the time. Thanks.
Emergency Numbers & Medical Concern
Please, record and retain emergency contact and number for each teammate.
Please, record and retain any medical conditions or concerns for each teammate.
Relay Team Worksheet
Leg
Start
Length Total Runner
Finish
Color
R.01 Mike’s Dance Barn
Mike’s Dance Barn
Yellow
3.4
3.4
R.02 Mike’s Dance Barn
Mike’s Dance Barn
Ogle Lake
SW corner
Blue
2.8
6.2
Pink
5.4
11.6
Ogle Lake W Trail 7-N
Blue
2.8
14.4
R.05 Ogle Lake W Trail 7-N
Hoosier’s Nest West
Pink
3.5
17.9
R.06 Hoosier’s Nest West
Hoosier’s Nest West
Blue
5.2
23.1
R.07 Hoosier’s Nest West
Burnt Opry
Yellow
5.0
28.1
R.08 Burnt Opry
Burnt Opry
Blue
3.0
31.1
R.09 Burnt Opry
North Gate West
White
3.0
34.1
R.10 North Gate West
North Gate East
Blue
2.8
36.9
R.11 North Gate East
Hoosier’s Nest East
Yellow
4.3
41.2
R.12 Hoosier’s Nest East
Hoosier’s Nest East
Blue
2.3
43.5
R.13 Hoosier’s Nest East
Heaven Nature Center Pink
3.1
46.6
R.03 Mike’s Dance Barn
Ogle Lake
R.04 SW corner
R.14 Heaven Nature Center Ski Area
Blue
6.1
52.7
R.15 Ski Area
Notes
White
2.6
55.3
Mike’s Dance Barn
Concurrent Running (THE LEGAL WAY TO CHEAT):
If you have a fun team and are running a bit slow, been lost for hours or otherwise way behind, you will be
instructed at the exchange to send your next runner off before your previous runner finishes. YOU MUST
CHEAT WHEN INSTRUCTED! Note the time the next runner left early and the time the current runner arrives in
the columns below. The difference is the Time Adjustment.
When your runner comes in, jump in the car and head off to the next exchange. If your runner beats you to
the exchange, they will have to wait. This legal adjusting method will get you to the post-race party on time.
Start Cheating
if later than
No.
Leg Name
1
The Plunge
Start Finish - Start Finish
NA
Start Finish - Start Finish
NA
2
3
Start Finish - Ogle Lake
8:40 AM
4
Ogle Lake - Ogle Lake
9:45 AM
5
Ogle Lake - Hoosier's Nest
Hoosier’s Nest - Hoosier’s
Nest
10:15 AM
7
Hoosier’s Nest - Burnt Opry
12:00 PM
8
Burnt Opry - Burnt Opry
1:00 PM
9
Burnt Opry - North Gate
1:45 PM
10
North Gate - North Gate
2:00 PM
11
North Gate - Hoosier’s Nest
Hoosier’s Nest - Hoosier’s
Nest
2:45 PM
6
12
13
14
15
Hoosier’s Nest - Heaven
Rattlesnake Run
Heaven - Ski Area
Crack of Doom
Ski Area - Start Finish
Left
Time Left
Early
Early
X
Time
Arrived
Time
Adjustment
11:00 AM
3:30 PM
Not
Recommended
5:00 PM
6:00 PM
Total Concurrent
Less
Good Samaritan
Total Net
E-mail questions: randy@runningfit.com or dawn@runningfit.com
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Extreme Relay Course Dirtails
2012 Dances with Dirt Gnaw Bone Relay Leg Descriptions
Relay 1: The Plunge - 3.4 miles – YELLOW - Mike’s Barn to Mike’s Barn
Stampede road and prairie run before a 200’ rise in terrain. That should get the heart pumping. A bit of
minimalist trail followed by a nice ridge trail with scenic vistas. Sudden plunge down a blue square
(intermediate) ski slope then some tough off-trail. Wham, “The Plunge”, a double black diamond expert run,
straight down. Then the other kind of plunge into the river, across the flats and a little more river running. “I’m
tired just from describing it.”
Relay 2: Graveyard - 2.8 miles - BLUE – Mike’s Barn to Mike’s Barn
Why did the duck go in the river? To get to the other side of the road. Be the duck. Go jump in the river! Then
crawl under the highway. No road-kill this way. Climb up onto the gravel road and play hooky from the
graveyard. Go past it and down the hill before turning right into the whack. Wander a bit, horse trail a bit,
whack a bit and back to the gravel road. Jump in the river again and back. Teammates will appreciate you
bathing. Need new shoes, we can help (shameless plug)!
Relay 3: Total 5.4 miles – PINK - 3A through Aid station area plus 3B to exchange.
3A: I’ve Been Slimed! – 3.8 miles –PINK – Mike’s Barn to Playground
“Cant stop the slime, people, lookit me go” Frank Zappa.
South down the road to Shipley’s Cut-Thru. Watch out for dogs. Please, no beef jerky in your shorts.
Super soupy slime climb to the Ten O’clock Line (horse trail G). 1.9 miles. Left-E on Ten O’clock Line (horse trail
G). Fairly flat and fast 2-track all the way to the campground. 3.8 miles.
Goat Note: “Be very aware as it is no fun getting lost early. Wait until later.”
Dog Drool: “Yuck until top o’ the hill then smooth sailing into Playground Aid.”
3B: Goin’ Down - 1.6 miles – PINK – Playground to Ogle Lake
“Well I'm going down - Down, down, down, down, down. I'm going down - Down, down, down, down, down.
I've got my head out the window, and my big feet on the ground” Jeff Beck
Leg 3B departure from the Playground: right on campground road, left at the Dogwood camp area, through
the gat and onto the 2-Track. A couple of hard rights onto Trail 9 at the big sign pointing to Ogle Lake. Get
ready to fly. A great downhill run on perfect trail descending to a small river crossing. A couple of wicked hills
and more goin down, down to the Ogle Lake dam. Across the dam to the exchange 3-4, SW corner of parking.
Dog drool: “Fast blast. Let the legs loose.”
Relay 4: Ogle This, Bub! - 2.8 miles – BLUE – Ogle Lake to Ogle Lake
“Don’t give me no lines and keep your hands to yourself.” Georgia Satellites
Relay course diverges from Ultra and Marathon. Finally a fast and furious leg for the fresh and fabulous.
Pleasant loop around the lake with mild hills and stairs. Keep the ogling to a minimum and your eye on the
trail, lots of roots. 4-5 Exchange slightly N of 3-4 exchange along tree line.
Dog drool: “Dam, Bam, Slam, Damn”
Relay 5: Doo Dah, Doo Dah (Camptown Races) – 3.5 miles – PINK –Ogle Lake to Hoosiers Nest West
“Going’ to run all night, goin’ to run all day, Oh de do-dah day.” Stephen Foster
Pleasant hiking trails with substantial but gradual climbs. Stairs, slippery flat rocks and roots to keep you on
your toes. A bit tricky to follow in the middle.
Head Goat: “Good leg for the Billie Goat on the team to run as lots of uphill and sidehill.”
Relay 6: Bad to the Bone – 5.2 miles – BLUE – Hoosier’s Nest West to Hoosier’s Nest West
“I wanna be yours pretty baby, yours and yours alone. I'm here to tell ya honey, that I'm bad to the bone. B-BB-B-Bad, B-B-B-B-Bad, B-B-B-B-Bad, Bad to the bone.” George Thorogood & the Destroyers
DWD Gnaw Bone Signature leg? Is it seductive or salacious? Is it beautiful or brutal? Is it daunting or
dangerous? It is B-B-B-Bad to the Bone!
Like dating a bad boy, this sucker is not for the faint of heart. Back & forth, stop & drop, whips & dips. It
commands your full attention. A portion of “trail” is about a half-shoe wide on the side of mountain. .
Dog Drool: “Lean into the slop in the narrows, as there is nothing on the other side. It’s not the fall that will
break your bones but the sudden stop at the bottom, which is B-B-B-B-Bad to the Bone. “
Relay 7: Lookout – 5.0 miles – YELLOW – Hoosier’s Nest West via Lookout to Burnt Opry
“There is somewhere some place in this world. I want to take you, look out, look out, look out ... Ahhh” Cheap
Trick
May have to change the name to “Burning Down the House” by Talking Heads as
“Arson ruled on Little Ole Opry fire”. http://www.wlky.com/r/21137032/detail.html
Technical mountain bike trail with lots of tricky descents, slippery rocks and hesitation switchbacks. At 2 miles
make sure you stay straight and do not go to Ultra Hesitation Aid Station. Around 2.75 miles, you are required
to climb the tower and look out! But only for a second, you are in a race! Tear a page out of the book to prove
you climbed it; TURN it in at the exchange to avoid time penalty and beer forfeiture.
Past books: “Between a Rock and a Hard Place”, “Into the Wild”; “War and Peace” 2012? Better run fast, we
are searching at www.onepagebooks.com.
Look Out for cars as the course travels onto a highway to the exchange.
Goat Note: “Exchange details change every year so stay on your toes. Could cause length to extend or shrink,
kind of like cold water.”
Relay 8: Stupid Leg (Dazed and Confused) – 3.0 miles – BLUE – Burnt Opry to Burnt Opry
“Don’t know where you’re goin, only know where you’ve been.”Led Zeppelin.
Dazed and confused, 3-mile wander through the woods with funky footing, thorns, fat daddy hills, shoe
sucking rivers and an impossible climb out of the river. Ridiculously hard. Big momma climb onto thorny ridge
followed by bushwhacking and steep bank drops. River runs and more bushwhacking. More climbing, more
bushwhacking. More bushwhacking than at the Brazilian Wax parlor.
Crash back onto the highway. CAREFUL as cars hurt. You are playing in traffic. “Been dazed and confused for
so long", you might not have noticed that you ran through some serious and beautiful wilderness!
Relay 9: Boned to Run – 3.0 miles - WHITE – Burnt Opry to North Gate
”It’s a death trap, it’s a suicide rap. We gotta get out while were young, ‘cause tramps like us, baby we were
boned to run.” Bruce Springsteen
Careful at the start along the highway, “the streets of a runaway American dream”.
Early portion is definitely bone gnawable. “Baby, this trail rips the bones from your back.”
Be patient as the leg matures it becomes nice trail with beautiful vistas. Yes, we were boned to run.
Re-engages and ditches Ultra and Marathon course along the way.
Dog Drool: “Hang in there; at least you do not have to unmark this crap tomorrow”!
Relay 10: Stapes, (“Short Bone”) – 2.8 miles – BLUE - North Gate to North Gate
A little longer than the .1 inch Stapes bone in your ear that allows you to hear the tunes. This baby's a walk in
the park, an easy bike trail with moderate (considering we're in BCSP) ascent/descent. Lots of converging and
diverging of other races.
Head Goat: “Looking for a wimpy leg? I hear this one may be it!”
Relay 11: Devil’s Daughter – 4.3 miles- YELLOW - North Gate via North Tower to Hoosiers Nest East
“High black water, a devil’s daughter, She’s hard, she’s cold and she’s mean.”Band of Heathens.
Merges early with pink Ultra and Marathon at North Tower. Definitely hard, cold hearted and mean. Plus wet
in places and with very tough climbs. No shortcuts this year. Don’t disturb the romantics like the head goat
did. Take it as a personal challenge to warm up the Devil’s Daughter. Our bet is she will break you!
Dog Drool: “Persevere, get in touch with you inner soul”.
Relay 12: Lunch Meat – 2.3 miles – BLUE - Hoosier’s Nest East to Hoosier’s Nest East
A loop from Hoosiers Nest East that will leave your legs feeling like lunch meat! Proper id of dead meat legs
can be found at www.gomeat.com.
Keep your eyes open as plenty of conflicting corners. Do not disturb the romantics as the Head Goat did once.
Dog Drool: “Good tempo run with nice opportunity to go fast.”
Relay 13: Stairway to Heaven – 3.1 miles – PINK - Hoosiers Nest East to Nature Center.
“There’s a feeling I get when I look to the west and my spirit is crying for leaving. In my thoughts I have seen,
rings of smoke through the trees and the voices of those who stand looking.” -Led Zeppelin
Serious descents, horse pucky, poor footing and bushwhacking. Wait we forgot something. Oh yeah, quad
quivering, stumble down, resistance trails. It would be nice if the trails would improve thereafter. They don’t,
this bitch is not nice. The mucked up trail disintegrates into more bushwhacking and creek crossings.
Take the Stairway to Heaven to the Nature Center where “a new day will dawn for those who stand long, and
the forests will echo in laughter." To be a rock and not to roll” Led ,
Relay 14: Total 6.1 miles – BLUE - 14A through aid station areas plus 14B to exchange.
14A: Recovery – 3.7 miles – Blue - Nature Center via Playground
“I'm about to lose my mind, you’ve been gone for so long. I’m running out of time. I need a doctor. Call me a
doctor. I need a doctor, doctor to bring me back to life,” Eminem.
Nice, easy 1.3 miles on paved campground road that provides an excellent opportunity to reflect, have a beer
& a smoke and access your health. At Playground Ultra Aid station turn hard left - south off the road and onto
a decent 2-Track. Keep heading west across the horse trail toward Nosebleed ultra aid station.
Dog Drool: “Take advantage of the recovery, you will need the energy soon!”
14B: Rattlesnake Run – 2.4 miles – Blue – Playground to the Plunge
“Shake, shake, shake it like a rattlesnake. Staying up late doing the Rattlesnake shake.” - Skid Row, cover Three
6 Mafia.
Although effective last year, we do not recommend hurdling snakes on the trail! Now that you are recovered,
cut into the Ski Area (uh-oh) and shush down a double-black-diamond to the exchange at the bottom. Careful
if you roll down this evil hill you will need a doctor. Remember to smile for the camera. “I need a doctor. Call
me a doctor. I need a doctor.”
Relay 15: Crack of Doom – 2.6 miles – WHITE – Ski Area to Dance Barn
“At the crack of doom, Evil vision fills my mind, chills you to the bone. Take the life force from your soul, Satan
claims his throne.” Warbringer
Back to the top of “The Plunge” where your teammate just rolled down. Cross the summit, bushwhack 0.4
miles into the woods down to the creek.
Crawl up the creek about 3/4 mile to THE CRACK OF DOOM log pile and cliff climb (This thing will piss you off!)
Finally hit a really nice horse trail (oxymoron), a 1/2 mile then flail down a blue square, intermediate ski slope.
Cruise in the last 1/2 mile that may be wet but who cares now. Smell the barn? Maybe the hog and beer!
Dog Drool:” If you want your throne back, you will have to come to DWD –Hell 2012 to get it back!