Race Information and Etiquette

Schedule of Events at the Heritage Center on Saturday, December 7:

5:00 - 7:00 p.m.: Packet pick-up

5:30 - 6:30: Pre-race reception

6:30 - 7:00: Program featuring Judge Mitchell

7:00:	Screening of "Skid Row Marathon"

Schedule of Events on Race Day:

8:30 Packet pickup and race day registration begins - (Heritage Center central meeting rooms)

9:30 Big Rig 105.9 Radio will begin broadcasting Christmas music from the Badlands Plaza (west patio) of the Heritage Center

9:45 Runners should be assembled on the Badlands Plaza for pre-race instructions and a group photo (in the event of inclement weather, we will meet inside the Heritage Center near the west entrance for the pre-race ceremony)

9:50 Pre-race ceremony - Badlands Plaza

10:00	Race Start (Start and Finish on the roadway northwest of the Heritage Center)

11:00 (Or earlier, if the last walkers finish before 11) Closing Ceremony and finisher awards and door prizes in the Heritage Center Atrium (must be present to win)

11:30 Screening of "Skid Row Marathon"

Parking: You can park in either the east parking lot of the Heritage Center, the DOT lot north of the Heritage Center, or the visitor lot north west of the Heritage Center. the safety of the runners and walkers, the access roads to the Capitol grounds will be blocked off during the run and will reopen after the run. There will be traffic control volunteers at each of the entrances. IF YOU NEED TO LEAVE WHILE THE RACE IS STILL IN PROGRESS, please be on the look out for runners and walkers, and obey traffic control volunteers if you are asked to wait. If you are parked in the east parking lot of the Heritage Center, you should exit by taking a right turn out of the parking lot on South Loop Road and proceed through the parking lot of the Water Commission and out to Boulevard Avenue by the exit on the southeast corner of the Capitol grounds. All other vehicles should exit via the North Loop Road and proceed to exit the Capitol grounds on the west side on to Fourth Street.

Packet Pickup: In the meeting rooms in the central area of the Heritage Center on Friday, December 7 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. and Saturday December 8 beginning at 8:30 a.m. Packets arranged in alphabetical order by last name.

Bag Check: There will be a bag check available in the Heritage Center

Restrooms: There are restrooms available in the Heritage Center.

Course Route: A map of the course is available on the Event Info page of the BismarckSantaRun.com website.

Place Finish Awards: Awards will be given to the first five male and female finishers. You must wear the Santa suit or Elf suit issued in your race packet to be eligible to win a place finisher award. There are no separate award categories for walkers.

Door Prizes: All race participants, elves, and volunteers are eligible to win door prizes! To win, you must register by signing up and placing your name in the door prize box located near the entrance to the Heritage Center auditorium. The drawing will take place at approximately 11:20 a.m. and you must be present to win. Good luck!!!

Race Day Specifics and Etiquette

The Santa Run 5K run/walk will begin promptly at 10:00 a.m. from the roadway northwest of the Heritage Center. Our goal is to have 500 Santas, plus an additional number of children, Elves, and Christmas Trees running. In the spirit of the holidays, please be mindful of, and courteous to, the other walkers and runners.

Race day packet pickup begins at 8:30 a.m. in the meeting rooms in the central area of the Heritage Center. By 9:45, you should assemble on the Badlands Plaza (west patio) of the Heritage Center for pre-race instructions and a group photo. (In the event of inclement weather, the pre-race ceremony will take place inside the Heritage Center near the west doors.) Please pick up your packet early to allow you to get dressed and assemble on the Badlands Plaza by 9:45.

The race route is the same as last year's scheduled route, and a link to a map of the route is available on the Event Info page on the BismarckSantaRun.com website. The start and finish lines are on the roadway northwest of the Heritage Center near the northeast corner of the Capitol mall. As soon as the pre-race ceremony concludes, runners should line up at the starting line.

When you line up for the run, runners should line up at the front, with faster runners near the start line, and WALKERS SHOULD LINE UP BEHIND THE RUNNERS AND PARTICIPANTS WITH PETS OR STROLLERS SHOULD LINE UP BEHIND THE WALKERS. Please be courteous to other participants at the start.

The Santa Run does not encourage or prohibit participants from running or walking with pets or strollers. However, for the safety of the participants and your pet, ANYONE RUNNING OR WALKING WITH PETS OR STROLLERS WILL NEED TO START BEHIND THE WALKERS and will need to remain at the rear until you reach the Capitol Mall roadway. Pets must be on a leash at all times and you must clean up after your pet. DOGS ARE NOT ALLOWED IN THE HERITAGE CENTER. There will be volunteers stationed at the east and west doors of the Heritage Center to hold your pet while you pick up your race packet.

At the start of the race, all runners and walkers will loop the Capitol Mall one time in a clockwise direction. You will then proceed under the tunnel behind the Capitol steps and continue on through the west parking lot of the Capitol toward Fourth Street. When you reach Fourth Street, turn right and proceed to follow the sidewalks and recreation trail around the perimeter of the Capitol grounds. When you reach the south end of the mall loop after traveling around the perimeter of the Capitol grounds, you will go around the mall loop ONE AND ONE HALF TIMES in a clockwise direction and then finish where the race started on the roadway northwest of the Heritage Center.

The Santa Run is a timed event with a digital timer at the finish line. There is no chip timing this year, so please note and record your time when you cross the finish line. There are awards for the first five male and female finishers. There is not a separate competitive walking division. When you cross the finish line, please follow the directions of our finish line volunteers. DO NOT ENTER THE FINISH CHUTE AND CROSS THE FINISH LINE MORE THAT ONE TIME!!! It makes it impossible for our timers to get accurate times and finishes if you cross the finish line more than once.

The Santa Run is held the second Saturday of December so please be prepared for a winter run. Be careful and watch for ice or slippery spots on the trail. We will do our best to put ice melt on any icy spots, but you should always be aware of the possibility of ice on the trail, especially at curbs, driveways, and intersections and on the portion of the run along the recreation trail between Fourth Street and State Street.

By participating in this run, each of you agrees to the waiver on the registration form:

Waiver: I know that running/walking a road race is a potentially hazardous activity. I assume all risks associated with participating in this event, including but not limited to: falls; contact with other participants or spectators; the effects of weather including cold temperatures; traffic or the conditions of the race course, including snow and ice; all such risks being known and appreciated by me. I hereby, for myself, my heirs, personal representatives, and anyone authorized to act on my behalf, waive and release The Santa Run, Runners Against Destructive Decisions (RADD), and any other race officials, sponsors, donors, volunteers, and any other individuals or entities associated with this event from any and all claims or liabilities of any kind arising out of my participation in this event. I attest that I am in adequate health for this event and that I may be removed from the race if my health is endangered or I do not follow the rules of the event. I grant permission to the organizers of this event to use photographs or other record of me in this event for any legitimate purpose.

There are wonderful post-race treats and refreshments in the Heritage Center after the run. Please join us for treats and the post-race ceremony and awards. And remember to sign up for the door prizes to be given away after the awards ceremony! There will be a screening of the award winning, inspirational documentary film "Skid Row Marathon" after the closing ceremony.

Thank you all for registering and have a great, safe, and fun run or walk!!!