BUFFALO RUN ADVENTURES | Mountain View Trail Half Marathon

Date: Friday, November 2nd, 2024

Start Time: 9:00am

Changes

The race will now start at the Antelope Island marina and will be an out and back down the Mountain View Trail.  In the past, the race started at the White Rock Bay Trailhead and finished at the Ranch, but with moving to the marina, it makes more sense to have an out and back.

The move to an out and back race also means that there won’t be a need for shuttles to get you back to your car.  Yay!

Race Registration

Registration opens June 1st, 2024  The cost for the race is $88.42 through September 30th, then we raise the entry fee to $98.58, so get it in early. You’ll be able to register online until October 31st, 2023. There may be race day registration again this year, it depends on if the race is full or not. If we have race day registration it will be $100.00 even.  That’s so we can make change easier.  If you wait until race day to register, there is no guarantee of a shirt or any of the other goodies in your goody bag.

Refunds

Click here for refund policy 

Discount Codes

DUMBEST IDEA EVER! Just makes your running buddy mad that you got into this sweet race for less money than he/she did. I don’t do them and have no plans to have any. Just pay the entry fee if you want to run the race.

Course Info

As mentioned above, we will be starting at the Antelope Island Marina at 9:00am. The first couple of hundred yards will take you to the Mountain View trailhead.  After that it’s just head south on the trail.  There will be two aid stations that you will go past twice, so an aid station every few miles.   There will be a sign at the turn around.  We may also have a volunteer to help out at the turn.  The new course means maybe there will be a bit less vert.  That’s all there is to it. Pretty easy.

Race Check In

You will check in at the big parking lot near the entry station to the park. Your race bib gets you on to the island without paying the entry fee.  If you have family coming out after about 9:00am, they will need to pay the entry fee.

Aid Stations

For the Half Marathon there will be two aid stations.  You will go through each aid station twice.  They’ll have water, some sort of sports drink (probably whatever was left over from the Buffalo Run), and hopefully some gels.  This will be a cupless race.  that means there will not be cups at the aid stations.  We highly recommend that you carry a bottle with you and bring your own gels. Remember, this isn’t some little foo-foo road half with an aid station every mile.  This is a little foo-foo trail half with aid stations every 3-4 miles instead.

Time Limits

Typically hasn’t been any sort of time limit for this race. There won’t be for this year either. Try your best to be finished by 4pm.

Timing

We hand time this race. We need to see your bib when you cross the finish line.  Make sure your bib is visible.

Drop Bags

If you want us to haul a bag full of your paraphernalia to the finish line, we’ll do that. Drop bags on the course? For a half marathon? Please, let’s not go there.

Dogs

Your dogs are awesome.  Bring them out to run.  However, because of an incident this past spring, I now have a dog  policy.  Please read it. 

Camping

Reserve a campsite if you want to camp out. There is a new campground with hookups available.  There will be camping at the start only for volunteers.

Some Rules

Here are a few of the rules. We’ll make up others as needed.

1. NO TRASHING THE PARK. If you are observed purposely dropping litter of any kind (including the little gel tab thingies), you will be removed from the race. Period. We will have trash cans setup a ways outside each refreshment stop. Drop your cups and gel thingies in those or carry them with you. They aren’t that heavy. This ain’t no stinkin’ road race and we aren’t your Mother and don’t want to sweep the course to pick up your trash.
2. Don’t cut the course. Of course that would be kind of difficult. Make sure your race number shows.
   If you’re going to bandit the race, then we won’t give you anything at the aid stations.  We might heckle you as well.
3. No pacers. Come on now, really. If you need a pacer for a measly 13.1 miles, well, we won’t go there. Of course you can hang with someone else running the race if you’d like.

Weather

The weather for the past races has always been perfect. Sunny, cool at the start but by the time everyone was done, the temps had warmed up and it was very nice. Let’s keep it that way, so don’t bring any bad weather with you. However, it could be different. Just pay attention and dress accordingly.

Directions to Antelope Island

If you’re coming from either the north or south on I-15, take exit 332. This exit has a state park sign on the freeway. It’s also the Antelope Drive exit. Once at the traffic signal off the exit, go west on Antelope drive. This means turn left off the northbound exit and right off the southbound exit. Drive about 4-5 miles towards the Great Salt Lake (west). Just before the lake you will run out of houses, etc. and see the main gate on to the island causeway. Just prior to the main gate, there is a paved parking lot on the left. This is where you can check in Saturday morning if you didn’t on Friday. You will pick up your goody bag, etc. here. Your bib is your pass on to the island. There is no separate island pass this year. If you carpool with your friends and your family comes out later, they will have to pay the entrance fee to get on the island. Go across the causeway towards the island, enjoy the scenery of the mud flats, water and definitely enjoy the smell affectionately known as “lake stink”. The smell isn’t apparent on the island unless there is a good breeze blowing. The marina will be on your left jsut as you get on to the island.  Parking will be in the dirt area behind the marina.  Please do not park in the pavement parking lot.  We’ll have some race signs out on race day to help those that are directionally challenged. Once you get to the race area, you will be directed where to park by our friendly staff of parking enforcers.

Finish Line Stuff

We’ll have some sort of food for you to eat when you finish. My lovely wife will once again make Buffalo Chili for everyone. We’ll do a vegetarian version as well. Soda, homebrew, cookies, maybe some other stuff. We’ll have a large canopy up and if it’s cold we’ll see about getting some sort of heat in there to take the chill off.

Awards

Everyone that finishes will get a nifty coffee mug as a small token of your awesome accomplishment. The top three men and women will take home some prize money.

Miscellaneous Stuff

You may encounter Bison out on the course. One year there was a thundering herd of maybe 200 animals that ran across the trail in front of the front runners. It was very cool to watch, but I was a bit worried for the runners. No, you don’t get time compensation for buffalo delays. Go around the animals if you can, or just wait them out. Your call. Usually the females will move out of the way. Lift a tail and check if you’re not sure of the gender. If you can do that, then you’ll probably be eligible for a Darwin award. If you have family following you, make sure they don’t speed. The speed limit on the island is 25 mph except for the ranch road, where it’s 40 mph. The rangers do write tickets.