Pemberton 24: Festival of 5ks

The Pemberton 24 is an exciting and crazy opportunity to run as many 5ks in a day as you and and/or your team would like to race. We will be starting a 5k every hour on the hour for 24 hours starting on Friday September 24th 2021 at 7pm and ending with the last 5k starting at 6pm on the Saturday September 25th.

The course will be a 5k trail run in The Pemberton Park trail system and put on by Algonquin Ultras Inc. and Wicomico County. We will have an aid station at the start/finish of the 5ks. There will be places for runners to set up their ‘camp’ to rest or sleep (if possible) in between runs and to socialize with other runners and volunteers. The aid station will have lots of cold water, snacks, Gels, chips, sodas, and everything a runner could want or need including many surprises.

All runners must have: HEADLAMPS (unless you plan to not run any night 5ks), your own water bottle or hydration belt/vest/handheld (this will be a Cupless race), and bring a chair to sit on between races.

The PBT24 will not be timed in the traditional manner. There will be a timing clock, but individual times will not be recorded. Instead.....

Runners will earn points for each 5k they run. A runner’s placement is important (for the top 5 men and women), but not their actual times. Runners must complete the 5k course in under an hour (so, before the next 5k starts) or else they will not earn a point for their run. Runners must also start each 5k on the hour with the other runners participating (no late starts).

Here is the breakdown of the points runners could earn:

1 point for completing each 5k (24 possible points)
1 additional point for completing each 5k during the hours of midnight, 1am, 2am, 3am and 4am (5 possible points)

Placing points per 5k:
4 extra points for placing as the 1st male or female in each 5k
3 extra points for pacing as the 2nd male or female in each 5k
2 extra points for placing as the 3rd male or female in each 5k
1 extra point for placing as the 4th male or female in each 5k
1 extra point for placing as the 5th male or female in each 5k

There will also be an additional 10 points for completing all 24 of the 5ks ***

If there is a tie at the end... There will be a .6 mile sprint for the win

There will be two categories: The individual category and the team category. Those competing in the team category will NOT have their points count towards the individual category.

The team category will include team of 4 runners. Runners who compete in the team category will have their points added with the points of their three teammates for a combined score. Since teams can draw points from either males or females placing points, the team category will have only one division and teams can have any combination of males and females running.

Once points are tallied up, Awards will be given for the top three men, women and teams.

If a runner quits, cuts short (and tells us), or finishes late any of their 5ks, they are still welcome to run the next 5k on the next hour. They will not receive any credit on the 5k they quit, cut short, or finished late. Any runner caught cheating will be disqualified.

Runners can aid other runners on the course, but can not receive aid from their crew or others not running the race.... unless it is at the start/finish location. Crews are welcome to help runners at the start/finish. No pacers are allowed. No crew members are allowed on the course.

So how many 5ks are you planning to run?

Rules and more rules

No bib transfers or bandits
Bib numbers should be visible at all times (if your bib is not visible at the finish your time for each 5k will not be recorded)
No littering. Pack in, pack out.
Runners should stay on the established course or you will be disqualified
No pacers
No crews members on the course
No deferrals
No refunds
No dogs (or other animals)
No early or late starts (for each 5k, but you can run as few or as many as your would like)

Just to clarify: You could for example run the first 5k at 7pm, skip the next two, run again at 10pm, go home and then return and run from 7am until the last 5k..... or however you would like to plan out your 5k festival