Event Description
RACE DETAILS
We are excited to hold the 3rd Annual One Hour Fox Run! The concept is simple. Start your GPS and see how far you can run or walk in one hour!
Most races are a set distance and athletes strive to cover it in as little time as possible. In this race, the time is set, and it's up to you to see how far you can go! It's simple and fun! You'll start at your designated spot on the 1.6 mile loop around the West Orange Reservoir at 8:30am on Saturday, May 13, 2023. Using a GPS watch or smartphone, you will track your distance over the course of exactly one hour with any GPS tracker you like - Strava, RunGo, MapMyRun, etc. When the hour is over, you’ll stop your tracker, head back to the Clipper Pavilion, and show the check-out staff your distance on your watch or phone. We will hand you your commemorative SFRC Pint Glass (logo by local artist Shauna Cagan), and many congratulations on your amazing accomplishment!
Or of course, you can participate virtually on a course of your own design! Virtual participants must pick up their bib and pint glass at the packet pick up prior to the live race. Please note that virtual participants are not eligible for prizes.
Need some inspiration? The men's and women's one-hour world records were both set on Friday, September 4, 2020. Mo Farah is the men's record holder with 13.254 miles at an average pace of 4:32 per mile. Sifan Hussein holds the women's record covering 11.763 miles in an hour at an average pace of 5:06 per mile. Will those records hold in West Orange, New Jersey this April? History will decide!
Registration is $25 ($20 for 2022 SOMA Fox Running Club members). Entry fee is non-refundable. If the event cannot be held on May 13, 2022, we will make every effort to reschedule, or will move to a fully virtual event. Bib transfers are permitted - please email us at somafoxrunningclub@gmail.com if you wish to transfer your bib.
Can my kiddo run this race? The One Hour Fox Run is a car-free great time for runners 12 years of age and up. If your younger runner wants to join in, please keep a few things in mind: The reservoir loop is 1.6 miles around with entry points to the South Mountain Reservation and 2 major roads, so young children must be accompanied by a runner who can keep up with them. Also, the reservoir path is not terribly wide! With the range of runner’s speeds, there will be passing. All runners must be capable of running on the right, passing on the left, and remaining cheerfully respectful of one another’s need for space. If you are on the fence about registering a kid under 12, please reach out at somafoxrunningclub@gmail.com and we are happy to discuss.
Share your love of Peanut Butter! Are you Team Creamy or Team Crunchy? Come cast your vote by bringing a jar (or many jars!) of your favorite style for our friends at MEND! All peanut butter collected, plus 25% of the profits from this race will be donated to our charity partner, Meeting Essential Needs with Dignity (MEND), bringing fresh, healthy food to our food-insecure neighbors in Essex County.
DATE AND TIME
Saturday, May 13, 2023 at 8:30 AM
+ Virtual Only Option
PACKET PICK UP
Friday, May 12, 4-6pm
576 Prospect Street, Maplewood
The house is on the corner of Prospect St and Plymouth Ave, but the driveway (where we will be waiting for you) is on Plymouth, so better to park your car there. Then just look for the SOMA Fox Running Club tent!
We will be handing out bibs and swag at packet pick up. We highly recommend coming to pick up on Friday if it is possible for you, as one of the swag items is a (breakable) pint glass!
You can also pick up your packet on Saturday morning beginning at 7:30am in the Clipper Pavilion.
LOCATION & PARKING
Clipper Pavilion at the West Orange Reservoir
9 Cherry Lane, West Orange, NJ 07052
Amenities include: Flush bathrooms with running water and water fountains are available at the Paddle Boat House. The check in / check out tables and first aid station will be located under the pavilion. There is ample parking in the paved lot across Cherry Lane from the Clipper Pavilion, with an overflow lot on gravel adjacent. If that fills up, parking is available at the McCloone’s Boathouse Restaurant lot, but you will need a little extra time to walk to the start. Our two cents is that you can never go wrong with a carpool!
THE START (8:30 AM)
The start corrals will be generously spread out on the reservoir path in order to minimize the accordion effect of a group start. This is a race for distance, not time, after all! Please try to be in the Clipper Pavilion by 8:15am, so that we can direct you to your corral in plenty of time for the 8:30am start.
TRACKING
You must track your own distance using a gps device on your person. You may use a watch (Garmin, Apple, Coros, etc) or an app on your smartphone like Strava or Map My Run. You will begin recording your run when you hear the airhorn for the start, and stop recording one hour later when you hear the airhorn for the finish. Tracking is optional to participate, but required for awards and to be listed in the race results.
PASSING
We will be running counter clockwise around the reservoir. Please run on the RIGHT and pass on the LEFT. If you are running in a group, please be sure to leave enough space on your left for another runner to pass. If you are coming up behind someone who seems unaware of you, the traditional announcement of your presence is “On your left!” You can also say, “Looking strong, way to go, what a great day, etc!” Runners and walkers of all speeds can celebrate each other’s efforts in this event - passing can be a lovely opportunity for bonhomie!
Also, please note that the reservoir is open to the general public, so you may have to make your way around non-racers however it works. Be mindful to give dogs a lot of space.
RESULTS AND AWARDS
Please upload your results via the link that will be provided directly after the race. Help will be available in the Clipper Pavilion. To be eligible for awards, your result must be uploaded by 10:00 am. Award winners will be acknowledged at 10:00 am at Clipper Pavilion.
All prizes are sponsored by Sneaker Factory! We will recognize the 1st place overall in the following categories: 1. Male, 2. Female, 3. Open. In addition, we will recognize M/F first place in the following age groups: 19 and under, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, and 60 and over.
To be eligible to win a prize, athletes must compete on the official course on race day from 8:30-9:30 AM. Virtual participants can win our love, admiration, and social media accolades, but not the awards.
BYO WATER BOTTLE
For both COVID safety and to minimize the environmental impact of this event, the One Hour Fox Run is a cupless event - please bring your own water bottle, which you can carry or leave in the designated space. You will be able to get a contactless re-fill at the water station which will be located on the course near the Clipper Pavilion.
TEAMS
You can create or affiliate with a team when you register for fun and togetherness! You don’t need to be an official running team or club – you are welcome to form a team of family, friends, co-workers, whatever – just for this race! Prizes may or may not be awarded for funny team names, matching outfits, excessive niceness…
SOMA FOX RUNNING CLUB
The SOMA Fox Running Club (SFRC) was established in 2021 as a 501c3 non-profit organization in New Jersey, serving South Orange / Maplewood and the surrounding towns. We are a member organization of Road Runners Club of America (RRCA).
Our mission is to promote and extend the joys of running to our community through group workouts, camaraderie, runner-to-runner support, and hosting local races and events. We welcome all levels of runners from absolute beginners to the highly experienced or super speedy. We welcome runners ages 18 and up, all genders, and all backgrounds. We are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion through promoting a safe, welcoming, and respectful community. We strive to share the mental and physical benefits of running with everyone who joins, no matter their running goals.
And, we believe in giving back to our community. Because we firmly believe that all people should have access to healthy food to achieve their own goals, our charity partner is Meeting Essential Needs with Dignity (MEND). We pledge to donate a percentage of all funds raised to MEND.
For more information about the SOMA Fox Running Club, visit: https://www.somafoxrunningclub.org/
