Dirty Bird

PRETZEL CITY SPORTS’ YEARLY “YOU CAN STUFF THIS" RACE; THE 9TH ANNUA L

“Dirty Bird”
15K Trail Run

Sunday, Nov 25, 2012 10:00 AM No Entry Limit!!
New earlier starting time in 2012
French Creek State Park, Birdsboro, PA

Looking at the 4 days off that make up the extended Thanksgiving Day weekend, there are 3 great traditions that occur annual. Gluttonous relatives that you would normally avoid at all costs maim each other for the chance to tear off the turkey's leg. The same weekend, behemoth football players with big frames and small IQ's attempt to tear off the opposing quarterback's leg. And at the end of that weekend, the branches, sticker bushes, sharp rocks and other hazards on Pretzel City Sports' Dirty Bird course attempt to tear off your leg! Actually, the time that you spend around the dinner table and the time that football players spend between the hash marks is MUCH more dangerous than the Dirty Bird course. Heck, Black Friday shopping two days before is FOUR TIMES as dangerous as ANY of the ABOVE! But none of them are near as much FUN as the Dirty Bird!! The Dirty Bird is a moderately difficult run through the rustic trails of beautiful French Creek State Park. It includes gorgeous autumn colors, scenic lakeside sections, undulating trails and the fresh smell of fall in the air, providing that it is not overshadowed by thousands of turkey "poofs" emitted by our well fed entrants. The course is 85% rustic trails, 12% dirt road and 3% paved road, with some long but not steep climbs, shaded trails, lakeside views, 3 water stops (but no water crossings) and just a lot of things that make this course memorable. It is a great test for the Type A's but also very manageable for those who's most recent "run" was a tear in their pantyhose. Come join the 350-450 runners that annually embrace this opportunity to burn off a few of those 44,397 calories that each consumed during the 3 days before raceday. LEGAL LINGO: YOU TURKEYS RACE AT YOUR OWN RISK & ARE SOLEY RESPONSIBLE FOR GETTING YOUR GIBLETS OUT OF THE WOODS! We'll be stuff from the 3 days prior too and will be too full to carry a tune, let alone a body. So, if you gash your giblets or wound your wing, get yourself to the next aide station so they can perform last rites right there on the spot. You won’t get lost but if you do, you're even more of a turkey than what we all ate 3 days before, and we'll leave you out there to be "consumed" as you should be. Also, there is some challenge to this event so the race is closed to those below 18 (16 & 17 year olds may run too IF a parent/legal guardian comes along to the race to watch; our run-medics can’t work on under 18’s without permission), people that think that there is such a thing as "free range cranberry sauce" and anyone who EVER tried to tell other people that tofu turkey tastes "just like the real thing!"

GOODIES: Finishing awards to all (may mail a substitute item if # of finishers exceeds our guess) instant results, registration in enclosed tent, results on www.pretzelcitysports.com in 1-2 days, modern johns (no showers), WELL marked course if no one screws with it, lots of parking, 3 water stops, hot & cold grub, ambulance, course viewable at several points via car, bike or hovercraft, camping/cabins in park (brrr!!!-610 582-9680) Playground right next to registration, pool is expected to have VERY limited hours that day; bring a suit & an ice pick!

ENTRY: We race at 10 A.M.; reg opens at 8:45. $33 if postmarked by Wed, 11/7, with long sleeve tech shirt, $38 after cutoff & day of race while shirts last; $30 when gone. FEW “EXTRA” SHIRTS PRINTED over our entry total at the cutoff! Our shirt designs tend to be “memorable” (not like pinching your finger in a car door; no, the NICE kind of memorable) and they're great conversation starters at bingo, mixed martial arts fights and botox appointments. So pre-enter so you get a shirt, even if the cutoff has passed (can enter on pretzelcitysports.com till midnight on the Wed before raceday) since remaining shirts are awarded on a “first entered, first gets” basis!! We race in ANY & ALL weather; no refunds, no mailed shirts/awards, no racing w/pets unless you follow all runners for the 1st mile, no alcohol in park & no entries that think that "dirt" is something that should be "avoided" rather than "embraced"

IMPORTANT NOTE # 1: While Pretzel City REJOICES IN running in highly interesting weather, things may get so bad that the Park stops us from having the race that day; roads closed by state, mob hit victim found along course, seams of gold and Godiva chocolate discovered near Scots Run, etc. DON”T confuse “bad” conditions with “normal” snowfall (before or during the event), shrinkage-causing temps, slow but still drive-able roads, etc.; we race in ALL of those cases!!! Race to be postponed ONLY in extreme cases. In this HIGHLY UNLIKELY case, a message will be put both on the home page of www.pretzelcitysports and on 610-779-2668 the second that we know & we’ll send out an email immediately but that may not help if I only have your work email. Our regrets in advance to anyone that gets “burnt” from driving in the night before but PCS won’t “control” this; the Park will. IF POSTPONED, NEW DATE FOR THE RACE WILL BE SUNDAY, DEC 16, 2012. If postponed that day, we’ll find ANOTHER day and contact all prereg folks; that’s why readable phone #'s and email addresses on your reg form ARE ESSENTIAL! But the probability that we postpone it is about as low as the probability that Andy Reid can lead the Phila. Eagles to a Super Bowl victory, or, for that matter, even a spot in the game.

IMPORTANT NOTE # 2: PCS shares the Park staff’s desire to limit the impact of any race on its trails. If the trail & weather that weekend require us to do so, we reserve the right to adjust the course, its distance and/or its “percent of trails vs. dirt & hard road” to insure that the trails will not be damaged.

Awards: 1st & 2ndM/F +: 16-29: 4M, 4F 30-39: 4M, 4F 40-49: 4M, 4F 50-59: 4M, 3F 60-64: 3M, 2F 65+: 2M, 2F

Directions: Take Rt. 422 East of Reading about 6 miles. Take Rt. 345 South to 2nd light in Birdsboro; left on Rt. 724 East. About 1 mile; go right onto Rt. 345 South. Park is 5 miles ahead on right. Reg is behind main office.
Alt. Way from both East & West: Take PA Turnpike Morgantown exit, go east on Rt 23 until 345 North, take 345N to 1st Park road. Enter & go to T, go right, then go right again to registration area behind main office.
Another Alt. Way from East: Rt 422 to Rt 100 S at Pottstown, take first exit and go right onto Rt 724 West, Go approx 6 miles to Rt 345, take left. Park is 5 miles ahead on your right. Reg is behind the main office.

OPTIONAL ONLINE ENTRY AVAILABLE ON WWW.PRETZELCITYSPORTS.COM
(small service fee applies---closes at midnight on the Wed night before raceday)

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER ONLINE NOW

Biggest Turkey: Ron Horn, rhornpcs@aol.com, 610-779-2668 (AM or PM), www.pretzelcitysports.com

Check Payable to & Mailed to (with waiver): PRETZEL CITY SPORTS, 112 W. 36TH ST., READING, PA 19606

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Last Name_________________________________ First Name _________________________________

Street Address___________________________________________________________

City ____________________________________ State______ Zip_________ Sex: M F Race Day Age _____
(must be 18 or older to run, 16 & 17 yr olds allowed with parent present )

Date of Birth___/___/___ Tel: (______)________________________________________ A.M. or P.M?_____

Long Sleeve Tech Size (circle one): XS     S     M     L    XL      2X
(regular long sleeve shirts may only be available for late entries, very late entries may get no shirt at all)

Email ____________________@___________________
(if checked fairly regularly-print clearly!!!)

Already Getting Runner Update Emails on Regular Basis? (check one) ________ Yes _________No

WAIVER: I know that running a trail run is a potentially hazardous activity. I should not enter or run unless I am medically able & properly trained. I also know that there will be traffic, winter hazards, debris, and poor footing on the course and assume the risk for running on it. I also assume any or all other risks associated with running or attending the race including but not limited to falls, contact with other participants, the affects of the weather, the conditions of the roads and getting lost, all such risks being known and appreciated by me. Knowing these facts, and in consideration of your accepting my entry fee, I hereby for myself, my heirs, executors, administrators or anyone else who might claim on my behalf, covenant not to sue, and waive, release and discharge Pretzel City Sports, French Creek State Park, PA Dept of Conservation & Natural Resources all municipalities in which the event is held, the race committee, volunteers, all other organizations directly or indirectly associated with the race, any or all sponsors including their agents, employees, assigns or anyone acting on their behalf, or anyone else associated in any way with this race, from any or all claims or liability for death, personal injury or property damage of any kind or nature whatsoever arising out of , or in the course of, my participation in this event. This waiver extends to all claims of every kind or nature whatsoever; foreseen or unforeseen, known or unknown. By entering this race, I am granting permission to Pretzel City Sports to use any pictures or likenesses of me secured at the event in any way they see fit without review, restriction or compensation. I HAVE READ & UNDERSTAND THIS WAIVER:

SIGNATURE __________________________________________________ DATE________________/2012

Insurance Provided by Road Runner Clubs of America