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FOR ALL VOLUNTEERS, AS WELL AS RACERS/TREKKERS WHO HAVE SIGNED UP TO SUPPORT: Volunteer schedule appears below- please first read this important letter:  Dear Patch Sprint volunteers and participants,
Over the course of the past 22 years, Pok-O-MacCready’s Patch Sprint has grown from a recreational jog amongst friends, to one of the most popular adventure races in the Adirondacks. This growth could not have occurred without the dedication and enthusiasm of our volunteers, and other supporters. Thank you for your willingness to volunteer your services to The Patch Sprint, in our effort to raise money for the ADK Scholarship Foundation. go to READ MORE link for schedule and responsibilities  Is Your Start Time Correct?
The 2018 Patch Sprint will be staged in five waves of racers and trekkers next Saturday morning, May 26:
Please CLICK HERE to verify your start time, as selected during event registration, as well as see the CHAMPIONSHIP REQUIREMENTS and accompanying awards. If you request a change in start time, please Email your request as soon as possible, or comment below. Deadline: Monday, May 21  It's official: The Patch Sprint is now a half-marathon... and then some!
13.3 miles... four mountains... paved roads, dirt roads, driveways, trails and woods. And only so many arrows. Please familiarize yourself with the Patch Sprint course by linking to or downloading a course map. Copies will also be available at Friday night's race expo.  Because of the DEC policy eliminating the Pok-O summit party, there will be very little Sherpa support.
Event officials plan to carry first aid gear and, if conditions warrant, some fluids. Racers are free to solicit a friend, or trekker, to carry gear to the top of Pok-O, but please keep in mind that your stay on the summit will need to be short. Along with the summit timers, race directors Tim and Spencer will be on top. Please honor their request to keep your summit stay short. Shuttle service will be available at the south trailhead of the mountain - the alternate trail by which participants are asked to descend - which is also a good place to have a friend bring a change of clothing. To compensate for the absence of a summit party, the post race awards dinner will be a late afternoon affair, scheduled for 4:30 at Pok-O-MacCready. Later this week we will send out the list of start times for you to confirm. As you plan for race day, please be advised that all summit timers and aid station attendants will be operating on a fixed schedule. CLICK HERE for the "hours of operation", and plan accordingly.
 You've run the roads, hiked the trails, climbed three mountains and you get to the base of Pok-O-Moonshine. All you want to do is try and finish, preferably as quickly as possible. However, for the second year in a row, that mission has been made somewhat more lengthy, if not difficult. As was the case in 2017, the trail up Pok-O has again gone through a longer re-routing. Last year, it was a new lower section, with switchbacks. Now it's the area above the first clearing, leading to the old ranger's cabin. "Just like last time, the trail is much better," said veteran Patcher Jim Kobak. "But, it's again a lot longer." NEW TRAILS MANDATED While the Patch Sprint course - and even part of Pok-O - still allows for some options, racers and trekkers are required to follow these new trail sections. "I've already been in touch with the state DEC," said event organizer Tim Singer. "They have asked that we use only the new route. Since we already have to apply for a permit to be on top (with so many participants), we have no choice but to respect their wishes."  One benefit of the new trail, according to Kobak, is that "it's level enough where some people can run it, if they're into that kind of thing. It could make for a very interesting race finish."
This is the third re-routing - all longer - this decade. The approximate total length of the course is now a shade over 13 miles. "The two-hour barrier may remain safe for awhile," said Singer. "With the new length, this may now be the hardest half-marathon in the east!"
 With three weeks to go until the Patch Sprint, the event has sold out for racers and trekkers. 2018 marks the 8th consecutive year that the event has sold out; six out of those years it has filled up before May.
Registration remains open for volunteers, Kindersprint, Half-Sprint, Relay, as well as event guests. A waiting list has been instituted for the racing and trekking divisions, with the priority being placed on first come, first serve, as well as donor generosity. "We'd love to take as many as possible," said event co-director Tim Singer, "but we have to limit numbers due to event logistics, environmental impact, and state regulations." So far, 171 people have registered for this year's event, scheduled for May 25-27.  The end of April deadline has passed for Patch Sprint participants to receive refunds. Should anyone need to drop out between now, and event weekend, they may request for their race fee to be added to their donations, for which they will be receipted.
If you plan on backing out, please alert us as soon as possible, as racers and trekker spots are nearly sold out. In addition, most T-shirt sizes have sold out but, if interest is there, we may do a supplemental order.  As has been the case in the past, for the 2018 Patch Sprint, complimentary lodging at Pok-O-MacCready Camps is available for all requesting participants.
For those who would like to consider a more private, personal and slightly upgraded accommodation, the event is partnering with Long Pond Cabins. "We began our association with Long Pond Cabins in 2012," said Tim Singer, Patch Sprint founder, "for a variety of reasons. First, we began to have an overflow at camp. Secondly, some of our participants had stayed there in past years' and found it to be a nice alternative. And, most important, the owners of Long Pond Cabins have graciously consented to letting us use a small slice of their property as a route on our course, to avoid racing and trekking on Route 22." Hit the READ MORE link (right) for additional information and booking info. |
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