UPMCA Harrisburg Half Marathon Logo

September 12th, 2021
City Island

The UPMC Pinnacle Harrisburg Half is back! We have redesigned this race from the ground up due to complications that have arisen due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The new course lets you enjoy scenic views of gorgeous Harrisburg city and the Susquehanna river as you enjoy the company of other dedicated runners on their way to reaching their goals. Ready to run? Sign up for the UPMC Pinnacle Harrisburg Half today!

In order to comply with CDC and government protocols we are scheduled to use our 2020 course which received wonderful reviews. There will be a maximum of 300 participants who will be sent off in small group corrals, one at a time, over the course of two hours. This course is flat and fast and many of last year’s participants recorded PR’s.

REGISTER

REGISTRATION DETAILS AND FEES

  • Participants must be 13 years old to register.
  • There is no relay this year.

COST FOR THE RACE

Registration fees – Runners and Walkers

  • March – $70
  • April – $75
  • May – $80
  • June – $85
  • July – $90
  • August – $95
  • September 1st to September 6th at 11:59pm – $100

Virtual Option – $65 (includes shirt, finisher medal and postage)

REFUNDS

In the unlikely event that our permission to have an in-person event is rescinded, the 2020 UPMC Pinnacle Harrisburg Half will become a virtual race. You will have the option of participating in the virtual race and getting your race bag, bibs, and shirt OR a 50% refund.

As much as we would like to be considerate of our participants who may request a 100% refund, this event requires purchasing a significant amount of supplies in advance. If the YMCA were to give full refunds to all participants, this event would go from a fundraiser to a net loss of thousands of dollars for the YMCA during a time when all non-profits are struggling to continue operations.

We are giving 100% to have a safe, fun, and wonderful Harrisburg Half event in person, but if circumstances were to change due to concerns for the safety of our community outside of our control, we will provide additional instructions.

DEFERRALS

PACKET PICKUP

  • FLEET FEET MECHANICSBURG (Silver Spring Square, 6416 Carlisle Pike #700, Mechanicsburg, PA 17050)
    • Thursday, September 9thth – 11:00AM-7:00PM
    • Friday, September 10th – 11:00AM-6:00PM
  • RACE DAY ON CITY ISLAND
    • 6:30AM-8:00AM
    • Please make every effort to get your race bib and shirt prior to race day.

START AND FINISH

  • The start and finish lines will be in the north parking lot on City Island
  • We will use a corral start and will be sending participants off in small groups every 10 minutes starting at 7:00AM
    • The first heat will be for Elite runners who are competing for the overall male and female award and masters male and female awards.

COURSE

Due to extenuating circumstances, we are not able to use our regular course that involves multiple street closures. So, we will be using our 2020 course that is simple to navigate, minimizes 2-way runner traffic as much as possible, is flat and fast and has a start and finish in the north parking lot of City Island where there is lots of room for social distancing. Since we were not able to close roads and will be using the scenic upper and lower level river paths, there may be some pedestrians using parts of the course as well. We are not able to fully reserve the entire course just for the race. The course will close at 1:00PM regardless of corral start time.

If circumstances change for the better and we are able to obtain permits for an event of our size, we would consider changing back to the traditional half marathon course. (2019 version) You would be notified via email and both courses are USATF certified.

Our course is officially USATF certified (meaning it is measured to be exactly 13.1 miles). The USATF Certification # is PA20006NP.

CORRAL START

To maintain proper distancing measures, we will have a corral start every 10 minutes.

There will be approximately 30-35 people in each corral that will be sent off individually every few seconds.

Corrals will be structured based on finish time. When you register, you will be asked to enter your estimated finish time. Prior to the event, we will group all participants based on their estimated finish time and assign corrals. In our normal format, everyone starts at 8am (minus the walkers corral). So no matter which corral you are in, you are still starting and finishing earlier than in a normal year.

Corral times will be as follows:

  • ELITE corral
    • 6:50am – Male qualifying time: 1:30:00 hours or less
    • 7am – Female qualifying time: 1:50:00 or less
  • 7:10am
  • 7:20am
  • 7:30am
  • 7:40am
  • 7:50am
  • 8am

Why aren’t I selecting my corral like we did in 2020?

For 2021, we are aiming to bring back pacers. By grouping participants in corrals based on estimated finish time, we are able to better incorporate pace teams in our event. We are also hopeful that by the fall we will not have to start participants one at a time, so by grouping participants based on corral times, we are positioned to make it work either way.

ELITE CORRAL

The Elite Corral will be reserved for those competing for overall male and female (open and masters) awards.

For males, the estimated finish time needed for this heat is 1:30:00 hours or less.

For females, the estimated finish time needed for this heat is 1:50:00 or less.

When registering, you will enter your qualifying time and if it is within the parameters above, you will be able to select the Elite Corral

We added this corral so that we can minimize the number of participants on the course that may have to be passed (there are some sections of the course with two-way runner traffic).

In the corral chute, there will be measures taken so each participant is 6-feet away from others and will wear a mask until just prior to starting.

HOTEL

The Radisson Hotel Harrisburg has offered a special rate for half marathon participants! This hotel is located just a short drive away from the start/finish line on City Island.

Click here for the reservation link

AWARDS

  • All awards will be mailed.
  • Final age group awards will not be available until results are finalized after the Sunday event.
  • No duplicate awards.
  • We will not be issuing prize money for this event this year.

Overall Awards

  • Overall male
  • Overall female
  • Overall male masters (40+)
  • Overall female masters (40+)

Age Group Awards (first, second, and third place for male and female categories listed below)

  • 19 and under
  • 20-24
  • 25-29
  • 30-34
  • 35-39
  • 40-44
  • 45-49
  • 50-54
  • 55-59
  • 60-64
  • 65+

FINISHER MEDALS AND RACE SHIRTS

All finishers will receive a finisher medal and a race shirt. Race shirts are sponsored by Pennsylvania American Water!

RESULTS

Results will be posted to the Harrisburg Half page on FalconRaceTiming.com

Click here for a link to the results page. 

TIMING

The race will be timed by Falcon Race Timing using disposable chip timing. All race participants must cross the finish mat to register a time. Be sure to wear your bib on the front of your body during the race to ensure an accurate time as the chips will be attached to the back of these.

SPECTATORS

In order for us to keep crowds to a minimum and keep everyone safe, we ask that all participants limit their spectators as much as possible. This way, everyone can have someone cheering them on!

There is going to be a lot of spectator room in the parking lot area. The final stretch of the race will take place around the perimeter of the parking lot, so there will be plenty of room for spectators to space out!

Spectators must wear masks while at the event.
NOTE: We will be following whatever state and local government guidelines are at race time, so these restrictions may change .

WATER STATIONS

  • We will have to do water stations differently this year than in previous years.
  • All water stations will have 8oz bottles of water that participants can pick up as they run past.
  • We will not be able to serve Gatorade, gels, or any open cups.
  • Participants are highly encouraged to use hydration packs and self-fuel.

PARKING INFO

Parking will be available on City Island for participants.

RESTROOMS

There will be porta-potties at the start/finish line areas and throughout the course.

VOLUNTEERS

Not running but interested in helping out?

We need some extra volunteer help since we are holding this race over the course of two days! We need volunteers for the start line/finish line area, water stations on the course, and especially with directing runners on the route. We will provide comprehensive instructions. Most volunteer shifts are between approximately 2-4 hours.

We already have the best volunteers in the entire running community (not to brag =) so if you are interested, please contact Chip Hitz at chip.hitz@ymcaharrisburg.org

MEDICAL ASSISTANCE

EMS utility vehicles will be available along the course. EMTs will be available near the finish line on City Island. EMTs will be in contact with each water station in case of emergency.

MASK POLICY

It is imperative that all participants wear a face mask at all times, except while running their heat. If we work together, we can stay healthy together! You must maintain appropriate social distance at all times, please be aware of your surroundings.

  • Participants must wear a mask up until they reach the starting line area
  • Masks can be taken off while running
  • After crossing the finish line and going through the finish line chute, masks must be put on prior to exiting the finish line chute
  • Spectators must wear masks while at the event

What should I do with my mask while running?

We will not have a bag drop, so please wear shorts with pockets so you can put the mask in your pocket while running and access it again prior to exiting the finish line chute

FAQ

Any chance the course could be changed to the 2019 street course?

  • If restrictions are greatly reduced we will consider moving the course to the one we used in 2019 which starts on City Island and finishes on Front street.
  • Click here for the 2019 course.

Will there be food trucks?

  • We will not be having food trucks this year.

Will there be food for participants after the race?

  • Yes, we will have food available for participants following the race.

Will there be an awards ceremony?

  • There will not be an awards ceremony at the event.
  • All results will be updated on the results page of the Falcon Race Timing page for the Harrisburg Half as soon as they are ready.
  • Awards will be mailed to participants following the race.

Can I register in-person?

  • No, there will not be any in-person registration this year.
  • All participants must signup online by Monday, September 6th at 11:59pm.

Can I stick around to watch the race after I finish?

  • As much as we would love to have everyone hang out and watch the race like we do every year, we need to keep our overall crowd size down and kindly ask that once you finish, you head out and make room for the next finisher.

What do I do after I finish the race?

We’ll miss you! Once participants have finished running, we ask that they exit through the finish line chute and proceed to leave City Island. This will prevent overcrowding, encourage social distancing, and make room for the next finisher!

  • After the race, we will have a finish line chute where you can get water, your finisher medal, food, and see some of our vendors.
  • After exiting the finish line chute, we respectfully ask our participants to head out so we can keep our crowd size down.

Are awards chip-timed or gun-timed?

  • All age group awards are chip-timed.
    • This is because we are utilizing a corral format and not a gun-time format like usual.

Can I transfer my bib to someone?

Half Sponsors

Race Series SponsorDonegal Insurance Group
Title Sponsor
T-Shirt Sponsor
Potato Chip Sponsor
Running Store Sponsor
Fleet Feet Mechanicsburg
Healthy Living Sponsor Select Physical Therapy