5K PARTICIPANTS GUIDE
MELTFEST 2016
Rockford, Illinois
Saturday, March 26, 2016
Advance Online Registration@ www.meltfest.com
Race Day Registration: 8:15 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
5K Start Time: 10:00 a.m.
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Registration
Online registration will be available until Thursday, March 24th at 11:59 p.m.
In-person registration can be done on Friday, March 25th from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. as well as the
day of the event (Saturday, March 26th) from 8:15 a.m. until 9:30 a.m.
In the event you do not preregister you will need to pay your race fee and complete a liability
release waiver at the time of in-person registration. Please note, if are under the age of 18 this
waiver will require the signature of a parent or legal guardian. Please plan accordingly.
In addition, we have done the best we can to plan for the number of participants to guarantee
each participant a shirt on the day of the event. In the event that we run out of shirts one will
be ordered for you and delivered at a later date.
Packet Pick-up
Packet pick-up will be available at Rockford Brewing Company (200 Prairie Street | Rockford, IL
61107) during the following dates and times:
Friday – March 25th from 5:30 to 8:30 pm.
Saturday – March 26th from 8:15 to 9:45 am.
You will want to enter Rockford Brewing Company from the south side of the building (off of
Prairie Street). Please note that all participants must check-in prior to the race to receive their
timing chip, bib number, goody bag, t-shirt, and other miscellaneous information about the
race.
In the event you have signed up in advance and would like a friend or family member to pick up
your packet/bib please send an email to [email protected] to let us know that you authorize
us to release your participant information to them.
Event Details
MELTFEST 2016 is a festival designed to celebrate the melting away of winter and the melting
together of the community. To ensure a safe and fun event for all who are participating please
follow the event guidelines below.
Event Parking – As the MELTFEST festival will be taking place inside and outside of the Prairie
Street Brewhouse the parking lots immediately adjacent to the building will have limited access.
For packet pick-up on Friday night the parking lots will be open and will be the easiest way for
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you to pick up your packet. The exact address of this lot is 200 Prairie Street | Rockford, IL
61107.
For the day of the event, there are some other great alternatives to parking that you should
consider. The areas listed below have been provided as a guide to assist you in day of parking:
Street Parking at the following areas (red lines and stars below)
Hill Street
Prairie Street
Olive Street
1st Street
Additional Parking:
Riverview Ice House
Water Street Parking
YMCA Overflow Parking Lot
The diagram listed below has highlighted each of these areas. Please note that each of the
options is within a short walk (less than four blocks) from the start of the 5K.
The parking areas have been identified in red above (stars and lines). These parking areas are
not designed to be all inclusive but should serve as a guide for easy (and safe) places to park.
The start of the 5K has been marked with the image above by the end point of the blue line
(approximately). As mentioned the race will start in the 300 block of Madison Street. If you are
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not familiar with Rockford, Madison Street is the first stop light on the east side of the Rock
River located in downtown Rockford, Illinois.
Arrival Time - Participants are encouraged to arrive at least a half hour before the start time of
the race. As the race will start promptly at 10:00 a.m. it is very important that that all runners
and walkers are properly prepared for the race. Arriving early will allow you time to meet other
participants, find the bathrooms, stretch, warm-up, or whatever else you see as appropriate.
Vendors will also be set-up during this time so feel free to look around.
Race Start – The race will start promptly at 10:00 a.m. As mentioned above it is important
that you arrive to the race in enough time to get situated so that when the race starts you will
be ready to run/walk.
There will be a variety of individuals competing in the 5K. We kindly ask that you line up at the
start to allow faster runners to be the nearest to the starting line. If you plan on walking the 5K
route you will want to line up at the rear to allow for faster runners to start ahead of you.
Timing – The race will be “chip timed”. This means it is very important that you have your chip
properly installed during the run. If you have never run with a chip before be sure to talk with
event organizers during packet pickup so that they can show you how to best install it for use
during the race. In addition, bibs will be distributed and should be worn on the front of your
running outfit. These will be used to identify runners and as a backup to the chip timing. When
pinning the bib please do your best NOT to pin the bottom tags to your shirt. The part of the
bib with the large number is the only part of the bib that should be actually pinned to your
shirt.
As mentioned, the event will be chip timed. The chips are NOT disposable. As you complete
the course a volunteer will be helping remove these devices from your shoe. Please do
everything possible to help assist the volunteers in returning all of the timing chips post-race.
In the event you end up with a chip that has not been collected please return it to a race
volunteer.
To assist with the wearing of bibs, pins will be available at packet pick-up. In the event you
have never run a 5K before with a bib please ask and one of volunteers and they will be happy
to show you the best way to mount it.
As the race will be chip timed the start and finish time of each participant will be determined
based upon how each individual crosses the start and finish line. Therefore, each participant
should race the best they possibly can as the exact times awarded for the race will be
determined based upon how the chip records your time. This means the important part of the
race starts when you cross the start line not when the actual race is started.
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In addition to the finish line timing, clocks/times will also be located at mile markers and one
and two. These clocks can be used to judge your overall pace on the 5K. Upon completion we
will also be posting results for you to view at www.meltfest.com and at www.runsignup.com.
Water and Aid Stations – The course will have two water/aid stations on it. Please reference
the blue stars shown below. Each blue star represents the approximate location of a water
station. The stations will consist of water (in cups) as well as minor aid in the event it is
requested or needed. The stations will be placed as close as possible to the 1 and 2 mile
markers (as well as the start / finish).
Water/aid stations will be staffed with volunteers to help with any assistance participants may
need. In addition, garbage cans will be available. Please attempt to throw your used cup as
close to (or in the) garbage as possible. We want to make sure that we leave the course in
pristine condition so that we will be allowed to run it again in the future.
Toilets – Toilets will be available inside of the Prairie Street Brewhouse for your use before and
after the race. Please plan accordingly as it will be a short walk from the Brewhouse to the
start/finish line.
Race Route – The MELTFEST 2016 race route is going to take you through many of Rockford’s
recent transformations. This will include running over the Morgan Street Bridge as well as by
many other historic, newly constructed, and soon to be renovated buildings. The race will start
and finish on Madison Street.
Please enjoy the race route. We realize some of you will be running as fast as you possibly can
but also please take time to enjoy the scenery and some of the beauty that Rockford has to
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offer. You will be running by some great landmarks (as well as future developments) that
Rockford, Illinois has to offer.
Also, please note, that the majority of the Meltfest 5K will be completed on the streets. The
majority of the course will be marked with cones and barricades. In addition, Rockford Police
Department officers will be positioned at intersections to assist with traffic and your crossing of
those respective streets. Although the police will be present please remember it is your
ultimate responsibility to make sure that a street is safe to cross. Be on the look out and make
sure that you and all other participants remain safe.
In addition to the Rockford Police Department we will also have several volunteers along the
entire course making sure people are staying on course. Be ready for some words of
encouragement, as what fun is a 5K without some loud onlookers cheering you on?
Here is a picture of the official race route including the elevation change.
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Awards – Awards will be given to the top three finishers in each of the following male/female
age groups.
Under 10
11-12
13-14
15-16
17-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70+
A small award and prize will also be given to the fastest male and female racers for the day.
Awards will be announced inside of the Prairie Street Brewhouse after the completion of the
race. If you win an award but are not present event organizers will contact you post-event to
figure out the best way to get the award to you.
We hope everyone has a great 5K performance. Regardless of your motivation the ultimate
goal for this race is to have fun, support others, and melt together the community. Please keep
this in mind as you run the race. Everyone loves encouragement so we hope all onlookers and
racers will be throwing out words of encouragement to other 5K participants.
Race Etiquette – Here are some tips for you to consider as you plan for the 5K.
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Most 5K runners/walkers will start out a pace that is too fast. Pick a pace that you feel
comfortable with that you think you can hold for the entire race. It is usually a lot more fun
to finish with a faster run (because you have extra energy) versus having to slow to a walk
(because you used up all the energy at the start of the race).
-
In the event you feel you need music to listen to, you may run with an iPod or other
musical device. Please make sure that you have the ability to hear so that fellow runners
can communicate with you, the police department can communicate with you at crossings,
etc. If you have never run a race without music we strongly encourage you to give it a try.
Some of the people you talk with during a race can make the race even more memorable
than just completing 3.1 miles.
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It is typical for many participants to speed up at the end of the race. Be on the lookout for
this in the event that you are nearing the finish line. People may be running past you and it
is important to make sure that we do not have any collisions on the course.
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As MELTFEST is family focused we do allow strollers. Please note, however, that if you plan
to run with a stroller you need to start at the back of the pack. In addition, caution needs
to be taken when running to make sure that you, the stroller and occupant, and others in
the race remain safe.
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Although MELTFEST likes animals, pets are not allowed to participate in the 5K.
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Have fun! This race is all about melting away winter and melting together the community.
It has been a long winter and you may not yet be in the “fastest” shape you can be. Please
get out, have fun, smile, and enjoy. At the end of the day finishing the 5K and having a
smile on your face while doing it is far more important than any time you may clock.
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Some of the participants may decide to walk the route. This choice is up to you. We kindly
ask that you stay on course during your 5K route. And remember, have fun!
Post Race Snack Table – A snack table will be set-up near the finish line that will have various
drinks and snacks available. Feel free to enjoy these snacks post-race while celebrating your
accomplishment and talking with other runners/walkers about the race. In the event you are a
faster runner feel free to hang out around the finish line and cheer on those that finish after
you.
Other Activities
The MELTFEST festival has been designed for members of the community to come together and
have a great time. Several vendors will be set up early in the morning to help support the 5K.
Food and beverage vendors will have items available for purchase. In addition, kid activities will
be ongoing early in the morning and throughout the remainder of the day for the MELTFEST
festivities (adult supervision required). Please think about bringing your friends, family, spouse
or grandparents down so that they can help cheer you on to the 5K finish. In addition, there is
a free kids’ fun run that will follow the 5K.
As can be seen at www.meltfest.com many activities will be on-going in the morning (including
music) so we are confident that runners and non-runners alike should have a great time. After
you finish the 5K be sure to stick around for a full day of fun and celebration. The vendors will
be out all day and we will several live music performances, magic shows, science shows, balloon
artists, mascot and character appearances, a plethora of kid activities, free ice skating and skate
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rental at the Ice House, free trolley rides (weather permitting) on Madison Street, and a bunch
of other fun surprises. A schedule of the events for the day has been included in the back of
this packet.
Kids’ Fun Run
Following the 5K run/walk there will be a free kids’ fun run for children 12 and under. The goal
of this fun run is to get the next generation of runners out and having fun in a non-competitive
environment. Participants in the kids’ run will run a short out and back route. This run will be
broken up into age groups so that the younger children can run a shorter distance. If you want
to run next to your child you are welcome to do so just be mindful of the other children that
may be running around you.
All kids’ will receive a finisher award. Since the course will be an out and back format if your
child becomes tired they are welcome to simply turn around and run back to the finish line. All
participants that cross the finish line will receive an award.
In order to participate in the kid run each child needs to be registered the day of the event. If
you have preregistered this will guarantee that a spot will be available; however, you will still
need to fill out a waiver and be awarded a bib that your child will wear the day of the event.
The bib will let event organizers know who is participating in the kids’ run. A parent or legal
guardian will need to be on hand to sign permission waivers for your child(ren) to receive a bib
so that they are eligible to participate. NOTE: Children without a bib will not be allowed to
participate. Check out www.meltfest.com for more information on the kids’ fun run.
Thank you again for being a part of the 3rd annual MELTFEST.
Learn more about the entire event at www.meltfest.com. Also be sure to share the event with
your friends (runners and non-runners) by searching for the event Rockford MELTFEST 2016 on
Facebook.
QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS
PLEASE EMAIL [email protected] OR CALL BRIAN @ 815-978-4228
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SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES & MAP FOR DAY OF EVENT
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