2020 MS Blues Athlete Guide February 29, 2020 7:00am Sharp Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, Mara. Relay

MS Blues Marathon Athlete Guide 1

Welcome to The Blues!

The 13th Annual Mississippi Blues Marathon will take place on February 29, 2020 in downtown Jackson, Mississippi. With live music before, during and after the event, the Mississippi Blues Marathon proves to be one-of-a-kind experience for the entire family! Since our inaugural race in 2008, our event has worked to showcase Jackson and the rich Blues history of the state, with a portion of proceeds going to the Mississippi Blues Commission’s Musicians’ Benevolent Fund.

Challenge yourself with the marathon or half-marathon, or take things a little easier with our 10K or 5K Road Race. You can even create a team of five runners and tackle the marathon course as a relay team. Four of you take on five-mile legs with the final runner going the 6.2 miles to the end.

With the Mississippi Blues Marathon, there really is something for everyone!

#RunTheBlues

Get official race information on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MissisippiBluesMarathon or on Twitter @msbluesmarathon

CONTENTS

Welcome 1

Mississippi Blues 1

Continental Tire / Sponsors 2

Pre-Race 3

Race Day 4

Post Race 6

Marathon Course 8

Half Marathon Course 8

10K Course 9

5K Course 10

MS Blues Marathon Athlete Guide 2

Presenting Sponsor - Continental Tire

Beginning with the 2018 event and now in the middle of a new three-year contract, Continental is the Presenting Sponsor of the Mississippi Blues Marathon. With a new plant now open in Hinds County, Mississippi, Continental Tire of the Americas has initiated substantial economic development and community outreach to the State of Mississippi for years to come.

The idea for the Mississippi Blues Marathon began through a group of individuals committed to civic opportunities. They wanted an event to showcase the city of Jackson, as well as the rich Blues history of the state of Mississippi. That’s how the Mississippi Blues Marathon has come to be what it is today.

To support the state’s rich Blues heritage, the Mississippi Blues Marathon has donated a portion of its proceeds each year to the Blues Foundation and its efforts in supporting local Blues musicians. For the past several years, the donation has been earmarked to support the Blues Musicians Benevolent Fund, which provides financial support to Blues musicians in need.

Please Thank Our Sponsors

MS Blues Marathon Athlete Guide 3

Schedule of Events | Pre-Race

Mississippi Museum of Art |

308 Lamar St, Jackson, MS 39201 Friday, February 28, 2020

10:00 am – 7:00 pm Expo, Packet Pick Up, New Registration

Saturday, February 29 2020 – RACE DAY

5:30 am – 2:00 pm Expo, Packet Pick Up, Post Event Party

8:30am – 2:00pm Post Event Party

Items needed for Packet Pick Up 1. Photo id 2. Completed Proxy form (if applicable) 3. Patience 4. Your Smiling face

Waivers All athletes are required to sign a waiver upon registering for the race. Additional waivers will be available at packet pick up if your name is flagged as “WAIVER NOT SIGNED” Parking (Packet Pick Up) Parking is available to all athletes in many of the local parking lots in and around the Mississippi Museum of Art. Registration Changes The registration team will accommodate all requests at the Solutions Table at the expo. If there is a price difference for upgrading the category, the difference will be due at packet pick up.

Schedule of Events | Race Day

START | FINISH LINE Mississippi Museum of Art | Art Garden | 380 South Lamar St. | Jackson, MS 39201

Saturday, January 26, 2019

6:00 am Gear Check Opens

6:55 am National Anthem

7:00 am Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, 5k and Marathon Relay Start

11:00 am ONLY – Overall Awards Presented on Stage

2:00 pm Gear Check Closes

MS Blues Marathon Athlete Guide 4

Race Day Start / Finish Location The Start/Finish area is located at the Art Garden at the Mississippi Museum of Art at 380 South Lamar Street. The exact location of the starting line is on Lamar Street between Pascagoula Street and Court Street. Race Day Parking There is plenty of parking all around the start/finish area. There are lots across the street from the Museum of Art/Expo and all metered parking downtown is free on weekends. Garage parking is available in the City Centre Garage just steps from the starting line. The fee is $5 all day. Enter from West Street or Pearl Street. We recommend that you leave valuables invisible in your car during the race. Gear Check Gear check is located in the grass field just outside of the Mississippi Museum of Art. Please look for the Gear Check Signs! Gear Check will be open from 6:00 am – 2:00 pm race day. Any items not claimed after 2:00 pm will be donated to local charities. Race Results Race Results will be posted and updated throughout the day on the front steps of the Mississippi Museum of Art, Next to the Food tent. After the Race Join us at the Art Garden of the Mississippi Museum of Art. We’ll have live music, fresh fruit, snacks, Jambalaya, cold Pepsi and Budweiser Beer. Post-race massages will be available in the community room of the Museum of Art. Look for the Massage banner to the left of the Museum entrance. Note: There is a minimal charge for massage at the 2020 event! Restrooms There will be at least two portable restroom of every aid station on course as well as units at the start/finish line for your convenience! Pacers – Fleet Feet Jackson Having Pacers at any event is a huge help for athletes looking to hit a finish time personal best! We would like to thank in advance Fleet Feet of Jackson for their assistance again with the recruitment and training of our athletes and pacers for the 2020 MS Blues Marathon and Half Marathon!

MS Blues Marathon Athlete Guide 5

Relay Information Relay Exchange zones will be marked with a white feather banner. There is plenty of parking around all the following handoff points. Exchange #1 (Mile 5) | Dalton Street and West Pearl Street Parking is in the open lot on West Pearl Exchange #2 (Mile 10) | Riverside Drive at Football Stadium parking lot Parking is at the Football Stadium on the right side of Riverside Drive Exchange #3 (Mile 15) | 201 West Capital Street at intersection with Roach Street, Parking lot is on the corner on the north side of West Capital Street and Roach St. Exchange #4 (Mile 20) | E. Amite Street and North Street Parking lot on North Street after left hand turn onto North Street

Parking is available at all four relay exchange locations. Each team member receives a finisher medal at the finish line. We encourage all team members to meet downtown and run the last few blocks with their final runner to get a finisher’s picture of the entire team and receive their finisher medals together at the finish line. Aid Stations / Bands / Bathrooms Aid Stations are located roughly at every 2.0 miles through the course. Every Station will offer water and Gatorade Endurance, Energy Gels are offered at mile 6 on the half marathon route and at miles 16 and 18 on the marathon courses second loop. These locations will also host our live band performances along the route as well as our restroom locations on course! Race Route Turn-by-turn directions may be found on the race day & course info page at msbluesmarathon.events Awards

• Overall and Age Group Awards

• Overall, Master, Grand Masters and Age Group places will be awarded three

deep. Only Overall Awards will be presented on stage at 11:00.

• Marathon and Half Marathon will be given awards for Male and Female in 5 year

increments.

• 10K and 5K will be given awards for Male and Female in 10 year increments

starting with age 20. Athletes under 20 will be separated as 13-15, 16-19 and 12

& under.

MS Blues Marathon Athlete Guide 6

Post Race

Check the website after the race for post-race information… Have your bib number ready and visit our website for your finish line photos and race results: Photos: msbluesmarathon.events/photos/ Results: msbluesmarathon.events/results/ Don’t forget to share your photos on social media using #RunTheBlues.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MississippiBluesMarathon/ Twitter: @msbluesmarathon

MS Blues Marathon Athlete Guide 7

MS Blues Marathon Course: Double Loop is USATF Certified

MS Blues Marathon Athlete Guide 8

MS Blues Half Marathon Course is USATF Certified

MS Blues Marathon Athlete Guide 9

MS Blues 10K Course is USATF Certified

MS Blues Marathon Athlete Guide 10

MS Blues 5K Course

MS Blues Marathon Athlete Guide 11

LEAP WITH US INTO THE 2021 MS BLUES MARATHON

WEEKEND ON SATURDAY FEBRUARY 27TH, 2021!!! NEW DATE, BUT, SAME GREAT BLUES!

OUR LEAP YEAR SPECIAL LAST 10 FULL DAYS FOR THE 2021 EVENT! MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2020 UNTIL MIDNIGHT WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19,

2020

2021 PRICING FOR 15 DAYS! BLUES MARATHON - $65.00

BLUES HALF MARATHON - $55.00 BLUES 10K ROAD RACE - $30.00 BLUES 5K ROAD RACE - $20.00

BLUES RELAY - $120.00