Stevens Creek 50K

Santa Cruz Mountains

2008 Race: Date TBD

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Results from 2007 are posted!

Pictures from 2006


Lon Freeman on his way to a new course record: 4:27:25	Race Director Steve Patt finishes...much later

Sweep Tom Davis and runner Chuck Wilson cross a rain-swollen Stevens Creek	Tom Davis shows the dry way to cross; most runners just waded across at mid-thigh (or so) level, about 10 yards to the right in the picture at left

Pictures from 2005


2005 Winner Zack Grossman	Brian Robinson (2nd) and Sarah Slaymaker (1st woman, 3rd overall) approach the 19M aid station, wet but in good spirits	Andy Black shows the form that earns him the nickname "Fast Andy"

Led by Amrita Zerbe and Clem Choy, runners face the first crossing of Stevens Creek	Wally Hesseltine shows what it looks like when you're having fun, elements be damned	Birthday Boy Steve Patt toughs it out to the finish


Beth Vitalis (L) and Julia Blanton (R), 2nd and 3rd women

Pictures from previous years:

Kevin Sawchuk, seconds away from setting a new course record
at the 2004 Stevens Creek 50K - 4:35:13

Gillian Robinson crossing Stevens Creek
(photo courtesy D.C. Lundell)

The 2003 race starts on a beautiful Bay Area day.
It's all downhill from here...not!

Stevens Creek

Why run the Stevens Creek 50K?

You aren't familiar with the trails of the Santa Cruz Mountains, and want to experience a fabulous new set of trails.
You ARE familiar with the trails of the Santa Cruz Mountains, and you know how fabulous they are.
You want a chance to run the prettiest 50K course in the country.
You want to run a 50K course which is "challenging" but still eminently fair (entirely runnable).
You like running 50K's but don't like paying entry fees.
You like running 50K's but can never bring yourself to get to a race that starts at 6:00 a.m. or some other ungodly hour.
You liked the pictures of Stevens Creek that are elsewhere on this web site and the picture tour of the course here, and want to see more.
You want to help Steve Patt celebrate his birthday, even if his birthday is March 21 when the race used to be held and this celebration will be just a little bit belated.

Race Details

Start/Finish
Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve parking lot on the west side of Skyline Blvd. (Highway 35), 0.9M S/SE of the intersection of Page Mill Rd. and Skyline Blvd. (35), and 5.4M N/NW of the intersection of Rt. 9 and 35.

Driving
From the north/east, it is probably best to use 92 or 84 to reach 35 (Skyline), and then go south until you pass Page Mill Rd. and then go 0.9M further on the right. From the south, ascend to 35 on Rt. 9 from Saratoga, and then go north 5.4M to the preserve on your left.

Date
Saturday, September 8, 2007

Start Time
9:00 a.m. [Sunrise 6:45 am; Sunset 7:28 pm]. Race briefing will start at 8:45 and the race will go off promptly at 9. Please arrive with suitable time to spare.

Distance
50K

Fee
None, but we WILL ask for a voluntary donation on race day which will be donated to the Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society, perhaps the premiere defender of wildlife habitat and open space land in the area (bring a check if you are concerned about tax-deductibility; otherwise cash; $20 is suggested, more is even better, but the amount and the donation itself are entirely voluntary).

Registration
REQUIRED so we can know how much food and water to have available and also because there is a limit imposed by our permit.

Timing
Using PocketTimer Pro from Stevens Creek Software (naturally)

Aid
At 10.9, 19.3, and 24.9M (two water bottles or equivalent suggested). Full aid is provided, including water, Cytomax, Coke, potato chips, pretzels, boiled potatoes, M&Ms, and the signature of this race, Girl Scout Thin Mints (tm). Some GU will be available, but if you rely on GU or equivalent you should make sure you have a supply of your own.

Post-Race Food
Yes, including sub sandwiches and other goodies

Volunteers
Most welcome and very much needed! (Please use registration form below as well) Information about various volunteer jobs is found here.

T-Shirt
There is always a special giveaway at this race. The registration form asks for your T-Shirt size "just in case" we decide on a T-shirt (fairly unlikely, to be honest).

Route

A mix of single-track and fireroad, covered woods and open hillsides. Two crossings of Stevens Creek; quite likely in September neither will involve getting wet. Course drains well and only minor mud will be encountered, probably none unless it has rained hard and recently. The basic route proceeds south (southeast) from the start via Stevens Canyon and up the Table Mountain/Charcoal Flat Trail to Saratoga Gap, then back via Long Ridge Open Space Preserve to the start, then north (northwest) along the Bay Area Ridge Trail through Russian Ridge O.S.P. to Rapley Ranch Road and then bac.k Climbing is approximately 5000' overall but with only one sustained climb (1100' over 3.6M) and virtually all climbs are "runnable" (i.e., only a few short "very steep" sections). At the same time, however, virtually the entire course is rolling; there are no flat sections of any signficant length.

A detailed map and description with distances is found here.

A picture tour of the course can be found here.

Maps of all these trails are available online.

"Killer" - Sophia Lewis (or perhaps that was "a killer", not sure ;-) )
"Deceivingly challenging" - Whit Rambach
"You should have seen the views yesterday" - Steve Patt

Course Records
Lon Freeman (M), 4:27:25
Sophia Lewis (F), 4:45:27

Parking
Plenty available at Start/Finish (free). When you enter the parking lot, turn LEFT and park in the "Equestrian lot" (i.e., do NOT turn right and park in the main lot which is where one usually parks at this preserve).

Bathrooms
At the start there is a bathroom in the main parking lot (the one to the RIGHT when you enter), so when you arrive in the morning, you may want to go there first, then drive back to the other (lower) parking lot. On the course you pass (within 30 yards) that same bathroom just after the 19M aid/finish line at around mile 20; the only other bathroom is in the Skyline Ridge parking lot which you run through at mile 22 and 29. There are also 31 miles of trails. :-)

2007 Race

2006 Race

Results

2005 Race

Results

2004 Race

2003 Race

2002 Race

Entry Form (Registration is not OPEN):

The waiting list may be about to be exhausted, so if you want to register at the last minute, go ahead. You'll get a note saying your on the waiting list, but you probably (depending on the number of last minute registrants, obviously) will shortly thereafter get an email saying you're in (but don't assume you are).

See who's registered already

Name:

City:

Email:

If you DON'T have an email address, please find a friend who does, because if there are any last-minute changes, this is how you'll be notified. And PLEASE don't worry about spam; there's plenty to go around, but it isn't going to come from here.

Sex:
M F

Age:
(as of Sept. 8, 2007)

T-Shirt Size:
M L XL [Please check one, even though we probably aren't giving out T-shirts this year]

Distance:
50K Volunteer

Volunteers Only:
Help is needed on Friday (for course marking), Saturday 7 a.m. (early start to check course marking), Saturday 10 a.m. on (for course sweeping/de-ribboning) or Sunday all day (for deribboning), and Saturday 9-4 (or portions thereof) for aid station staffing. Course marking and deribboning are available in a wide variety of distances, ranging from 6 miles to 28 miles, so if you want to staff an early aid station and then run, e.g., 10 miles, that's available too. Food contributions also welcome.More details about various volunteer jobs is found here.

Indicate your preferred task(s) and available times:

Additional $0.02:

By clicking on this button, you agree that you understand the normal risks of a long-distance run, are suitably trained, and absolve and hold harmless Steve Patt, Stevens Creek Software, and anyone else associated with this run of any liability for anything which may occur during the course of the event. You understand that you will be running through wilderness areas devoid of even cell phone coverage, that emergency medical services of any type will not be available, and that even if you develop a problem and are able to reach an aid station, the nearest medical aid may be 30 or more minutes away.

Start/Finish	Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve parking lot on the west side of Skyline Blvd. (Highway 35), 0.9M S/SE of the intersection of Page Mill Rd. and Skyline Blvd. (35), and 5.4M N/NW of the intersection of Rt. 9 and 35.
Driving	From the north/east, it is probably best to use 92 or 84 to reach 35 (Skyline), and then go south until you pass Page Mill Rd. and then go 0.9M further on the right. From the south, ascend to 35 on Rt. 9 from Saratoga, and then go north 5.4M to the preserve on your left.
Date	Saturday, September 8, 2007
Start Time	9:00 a.m. [Sunrise 6:45 am; Sunset 7:28 pm]. Race briefing will start at 8:45 and the race will go off promptly at 9. Please arrive with suitable time to spare.
Distance	50K
Fee	None, but we WILL ask for a voluntary donation on race day which will be donated to the Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society, perhaps the premiere defender of wildlife habitat and open space land in the area (bring a check if you are concerned about tax-deductibility; otherwise cash; $20 is suggested, more is even better, but the amount and the donation itself are entirely voluntary).
Registration	REQUIRED so we can know how much food and water to have available and also because there is a limit imposed by our permit.
Timing	Using PocketTimer Pro from Stevens Creek Software (naturally)
Aid	At 10.9, 19.3, and 24.9M (two water bottles or equivalent suggested). Full aid is provided, including water, Cytomax, Coke, potato chips, pretzels, boiled potatoes, M&Ms, and the signature of this race, Girl Scout Thin Mints (tm). Some GU will be available, but if you rely on GU or equivalent you should make sure you have a supply of your own.
Post-Race Food	Yes, including sub sandwiches and other goodies
Volunteers	Most welcome and very much needed! (Please use registration form below as well) Information about various volunteer jobs is found here.
T-Shirt	There is always a special giveaway at this race. The registration form asks for your T-Shirt size "just in case" we decide on a T-shirt (fairly unlikely, to be honest).
Route	A mix of single-track and fireroad, covered woods and open hillsides. Two crossings of Stevens Creek; quite likely in September neither will involve getting wet. Course drains well and only minor mud will be encountered, probably none unless it has rained hard and recently. The basic route proceeds south (southeast) from the start via Stevens Canyon and up the Table Mountain/Charcoal Flat Trail to Saratoga Gap, then back via Long Ridge Open Space Preserve to the start, then north (northwest) along the Bay Area Ridge Trail through Russian Ridge O.S.P. to Rapley Ranch Road and then bac.k Climbing is approximately 5000' overall but with only one sustained climb (1100' over 3.6M) and virtually all climbs are "runnable" (i.e., only a few short "very steep" sections). At the same time, however, virtually the entire course is rolling; there are no flat sections of any signficant length. A detailed map and description with distances is found here. A picture tour of the course can be found here. Maps of all these trails are available online. "Killer" - Sophia Lewis (or perhaps that was "a killer", not sure ;-) ) "Deceivingly challenging" - Whit Rambach "You should have seen the views yesterday" - Steve Patt
Course Records	Lon Freeman (M), 4:27:25 Sophia Lewis (F), 4:45:27
Parking	Plenty available at Start/Finish (free). When you enter the parking lot, turn LEFT and park in the "Equestrian lot" (i.e., do NOT turn right and park in the main lot which is where one usually parks at this preserve).
Bathrooms	At the start there is a bathroom in the main parking lot (the one to the RIGHT when you enter), so when you arrive in the morning, you may want to go there first, then drive back to the other (lower) parking lot. On the course you pass (within 30 yards) that same bathroom just after the 19M aid/finish line at around mile 20; the only other bathroom is in the Skyline Ridge parking lot which you run through at mile 22 and 29. There are also 31 miles of trails. `:-)`

Name:
City:
Email:	If you DON'T have an email address, please find a friend who does, because if there are any last-minute changes, this is how you'll be notified. And PLEASE don't worry about spam; there's plenty to go around, but it isn't going to come from here.
Sex:	M F
Age:	(as of Sept. 8, 2007)
T-Shirt Size:	M L XL [Please check one, even though we probably aren't giving out T-shirts this year]
Distance:	50K Volunteer
Volunteers Only:	Help is needed on Friday (for course marking), Saturday 7 a.m. (early start to check course marking), Saturday 10 a.m. on (for course sweeping/de-ribboning) or Sunday all day (for deribboning), and Saturday 9-4 (or portions thereof) for aid station staffing. Course marking and deribboning are available in a wide variety of distances, ranging from 6 miles to 28 miles, so if you want to staff an early aid station and then run, e.g., 10 miles, that's available too. Food contributions also welcome.More details about various volunteer jobs is found here. Indicate your preferred task(s) and available times:
Additional $0.02: