Welcome to the Red Moon Trail Run
Presented by Blake’s Hard Cider Co.!
Here is your 2024 Participant Guide
Dig Deep and Blake’s Hard Cider Company welcome you to the 8th Annual Red Moon Trail Run! We, along with our partners at Jolt Credit Union, Shine Water, the Fraternal Order of Eagles - Midland 2110, Midland City Forest, and Runners Athletic Company are excited to once again get you on the trails for a unique and fun running event. We hope you enjoy it as much as we love putting it on!
We highly recommend coming prepared with some of the basics for night-time trail running: a headlamp or light source; trail shoes; insect repellent; and light technical clothing for warm weather running (and a hoody or jacket for after as it may cool down at night). Our partners at Runners Athletic Company (and our friends at Complete Runner in Flint and Grand Blanc) can get you set up with good shoes, light options and technical gear if you’re in need! The weather is looking great and the refreshments are on ice! Can’t wait to see you all Saturday!
Oh, and once again, please note the exclusion of dogs for this year’s event. We apologize if this is a disappointment to anyone (as it certainly is to us). If you signed up specifically because you wanted to run with your pooch, please contact us at info@digdeepraces.com to discuss. For a dog-friendly race, check out the Dirty Dog Trail Run 5K/10K at City Forest an August 17th!
Race Start Times:
DAYTIME 5K - 6PM
NIGHT TIME 10K and 25K - 8:45PM
NIGHT TIME 5K - 9:15PM
*We’ve had feedback about the 10K and 25K events starting before the 5K event and want all to know that this is being done so the 5K event can begin as close to nightfall as possible. The longer distances can begin earlier (during daylight hours) and still finish in the dark. The alternative would be to start the longer events at 9pm - which is WAY too late for many folks (a fact also obtained through feedback).
Race Location, Packet Pickup and Late Registration:
Packet Pickup and Race Location: Midland City Forest, 2840 E Monroe Rd, Midland, MI 48640
Overflow Parking Location: SOUTH SIDE of Monroe Road (the side of the road the park is on)
Packet Pickup takes place Saturday, July 20 from 5:00PM-9:00PM at the event tent. This year’s event tent will be located in the open field at the bottom of the sled hill at Midland City Forest’s Monroe Rd Entrance.
Registrants age 21 and over will receive 2 beverage tickets at packet pickup. To receive those tickets (and a wristband), participants MUST show I.D. at packet pickup. Please bring your I.D.!
All participant will receive a Red Moon Trail Run Pint Glass at packet pickup. Those who registered for day AND night events will receive 2 pint glasses.
Bring some extra cash! A limited number of shirts and pint glasses, as well as some past Red Moon and Snow Moon swag will be available for sale during packet pickup.
Race bibs are color-coded by event and MUST be worn uncovered on the front of the body. Be sure to smile when crossing the finish line the first time through as our photographer will be taking your FREE online photo!
If you need to change events, please notify staff at packet pickup. Moving down is simple enough, but those moving up will incur a minimum fee of $10.
Those who purchased T-Shirts will receive them at packet pickup. Limited exchanges MAY be offered based on merchandise availability. Refunds will not be allowed.
If you’d like to “drop” a bag of personal items in the event tent, please bring a bag with you! Mark a duffle bag; backpack; grocery bag; etc. with your personal information to place your stuff in. Event Staff at the merchandise table inside the event tent will be happy to hold your bag for you.
Midland City Forest is an “open container” venue. Please refrain from brining glass containers. Don’t drink and drive! We are all about having fun and celebrating your accomplishment with a cold beverage or two, but drink responsibly. We love you guys and want to see you back for Snow Moon Trail Run in February!
PLEASE NOTE: If you purchased a t-shirt, you MUST pick it up during packet pickup. If you are unable to make the event, you may have a friend pick up items for you. We will NOT mail or ship items. If necessary, we will provide hours and location for pickup of items at our offices.
Parking -
PACKET PICKUP IS UNDER THE TENT AT CITY FOREST! The parking location is the same - at City Forest’s Monroe Road Lot and along the SOUTH side of Monroe Rd as noted by yellow lines in image below. The Tent Location is in the field below the chalet and at the base of the sledding hill. See image below.
Race Course
FAQ’s
What is the terrain like? Will I need traction for my shoes? The course is NOT single track trails. It is wide path that is fairly smooth but might have puddles, sticks, roots, rocks throughout. Trail running shoes are recommended and can be purchased locally at area Runners Athletic Company locations!
Can I bring my dog to this race? Unfortunately, No. This event is sanctioned by USA Track & Field. Per USATF: “USATF sanctioning policy does make a distinction between service dogs and pets. Service dogs are allowed to participate, where family pets are not. It’s a matter of liability, we just can’t approve events that allow animals (excluding service animals)”
Do I need a head lamp? We highly recommend head lamps so you can see where you are stepping. Trail races by nature require more attention to one’s footing. Roots, rocks and darkness increase the need to be more aware of your footing. Trails will be “marked” by small LED lights that do NOT provide surrounding light and are visual markers intended only to help provide direction.
Will the trail be lit or marked? The trail will not be lit. However, there will be LED lights and course markings to guide runners through the course.
Will there be an aid/water station on the course? Yes. The course constricts for a bridge crossing at approximately the .75 mile mark. An aid station providing water, Hammer Heed sports drink and snacks of several sorts will be set up at sign 11 on the event map so that runners will pass by it twice for every 5k lap.
Do I need special running shoes for this race? Not necessarily, though trail specific shoes would help tremendously in keeping your footing on this course. We recommend you visit our friends/partners at Runners Athletic Stores in Midland, Saginaw, Bay City, and Mt Pleasant to find the best available options!
Can I walk or ruck instead of run? Absolutely. We ask that you sign up ONLY for the 1 Lap 5k or the 2 Lap 10k races and that you remain to the side of the trail and out of the path of runners if you choose to walk or ruck though.
Can I bring my own beverages? Midland City Forest allows open non-glass containers. However, out of respect for our Presenting Sponsor Blake’s Hard Cider Company, we’d ask that any personal “refreshment" be from Blake’s.
Will I be able to buy shirts or pint glasses? A limited number of extra t-shirts will be available in various sizes. There will also be a limited number of past Red Moon and Snow Moon shirts for sale… as well as some additional pint glasses from both races. Cash, checks and credit cards will be accepted!
Will there be a drop bag area? We will have an area behind the registration table to drop bags. However, we ask that participants bring their own bags (duffel bags, backpacks, grocery bags, etc.) and have them marked with participant name for identification.
Will there nutrition on the course? We will have water and Gatorade on the course for 5K and 10K participants. There will be Twizzlers, Pringles and CocaCola for the 25K runners. We ask that 5K and 10K participants please refrain from “tasting” the goodies intended for the longer distance participants. 25K Runners: please feel free to offer suggestions to the Full Moon Junction (water station) attendants for future snacks.
Awards
We will announce and distribute awards as quickly as possible once each event is finished. Runners MUST be present to receive their awards! We will NOT mail them. If you are one of the fast ones, please chill out, have a refreshment, and cheer on those still running until we can get those awards finalized and begin distributing them.
Day Time Top 3 Overall Fastest 5k (1 Lap) Male & Female (chip start – chip finish actual)
Night Time Top 3 Overall Fastest 5k (1 Lap) Male & Female (chip start – chip finish actual)
Night Time Top 3 Overall Fastest 10k (2 Lap) Male & Female (chip start – chip finish actual)
Top 3 Overall Fastest 25k (5 Lap) Male & Female (chip start – chip finish actual)
Age Group Awards will be issued for First Place Only Male and Female in each of the following groupings:
14 & Under
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70+
*All Awards will be determined based on GUN START times
Results
Race results can be obtained by scanning the QR code on your race bib after you finish your race. Both actual and adjusted results from EnMotive Michigan will be online HERE shortly after participants cross the finish line and will be posted at DIGDEEEPRACES.COM within 48 hours of race completion.
For cool images and to keep up to date on Moon Run registration and happenings, please be sure to follow us through Social Media. We know it can be exhausting…but we want you to be AWARE! (And emails often get caught up in spam boxes) Don’t miss out on future offers or (GASP) take the chance on not getting in to Snow Moon Trail Run next year! Follow Us!
Be sure to check out our awesome sponsors and partners!
Refund and Transfer Policy
We completely understand that plans change and athletes will sometimes be unable to compete in an event they've signed up for. We also understand that registering for one of our events is a financial investment in that race. We accept your registration funds with the full intention of putting on the promised event with the listed amenities and we use your registration funds to pay for the necessary items and services needed to host the event. With that in mind, refunds will not be provided for this event unless the event is cancelled for reasons within our control. The following are examples (but not limited to) of reasons an event might be canceled that are NOT within our control: Dangerous weather; natural disasters; pandemics; acts of terrorism; local emergencies; government mandates; and any situation creating a threat to safety of participants, volunteers, staff or bystanders.
Should an athlete have an injury or other medical issue keeping them from competing in an event they've registered for, we would be happy to transfer their registration to a similar Dig Deep-owned event up to and including the same event the following season. A doctor's slip may be required as proof of injury or ailment. Failure to provide proof if requested will result in non-transfer of the event.
Transferring registrations to other runners/athletes is NOT allowed.