Pre-Race 2026

Hello from Gorges Ithaca,

Welcome to the…I think, 10th running of the Ithaca Half, from the beginning, with support from and thanks to Centralus Health (Cayuga & Arnot Health). We’re stoked to have you.

You’re collectively coming in from 13 different US States and 1 other country. Though total entries are slightly up, the geographic spread is down from 30 States and 3 Countries last year. I think a pretty good reflection of the state of our economy and larger environment at the moment. Thanks for making it a piece of your year! Our youngest entrant is a spry energetic 12, and the oldest, the stalwart Dave Weiss still cranking and coming back to us for another finish at 77.

Take a bit of time to explore Ithaca, Trumansburg, the Finger Lakes. Feel the mist on your face standing next to Ithaca Falls, take in the highest singular drop falls in the northeast which Taughannock Falls, or the lush deep canyon and historic stairs of Lucifer Falls. Grab your BIB early on Saturday and take in a local band while checking in on Saturday at Trumansburg’s Porchfest and grabbing lunch at the Main Street Market or Garrett's Brewing in Tburg. Pop in and pickup a fresh read at One Green Horse bookstore. If Sam’s in, engage him in debate and go down in flames. If Veronica is in ask for her local favorite active spot. Check out the start location and while you’re there, stroll another 50 meters and buy some sweet handworks from Mary Ellen at Salmon Pottery.

Post-race? Take the family over to the Ithaca Children’s Garden just a short walk from the finish, or follow the waterfront trail around the inlet to the Farmer's Market Nab some salt tabs or pre-race gear at Finger Lakes Running. Check out the beautiful Cornell Botanical Gardens or grab a hot-dog from Lou on the Commons.

It’s a good part of the world. Explore it.

Here's a rundown of need-to-knows, updates, and tips to hopefully make this weekend smooth and fun. The event website is to-date with maps, links, and timelines, please use it! This week is nuts in preparation. Have a question? Please scour the website for the answer before emailing. Thanks!!!

Start / Finish

Start: The race will have a mass start at 07:30 from 11 South St., Trumansburg. Erin and Rob who own the home will be between volunteer spots and seeing you off. Sean and Eli will most likely be inside sleeping. Don’t wake them up.

Finish: The race will have a 4 hour course cut-off at 11:30 at the finish in Cass Park, Ithaca. The rough coordinates of the finish line, using Google Maps, are 42.45404877326816, -76.51263267596495

“Packet” Pickup

*It's okay for friends / family to pickup your BIB/shirt for you.

*All Race-Day Check-In’s will pickup their shirt at the Finish after the race (keeps race morning check-in moving quicker, and makes it so that those checking in race morning don’t have to either race with them, or make the walk back to a car after parking).

• Thursday, June 4th – 12:00 to 6:00

  • Finger Lakes Running Company (SYRACUSE LOCATION)

    (720 Van Rensselaer St – next to Cafe Blue - pickup an energy ball…Ian is addicted to them)

• Friday, June 5th 12:00 - 6:00

  • Finger Lakes Running Company (ITHACA LOCATION)

    (700 Cascadilla St – next to Purity Ice Cream)

• Saturday, June 6th - 12:00 - 6:00

  • Garrett’s Brewing Company

    (1 W Main St, Trumansburg, NY)

• Sunday, June 8th - 06:00 - 07:15 (BIBs only pre-race on raceday, shirts at finish)

  • Trumansburg Central Schools

    (100 Whig St, Trumansburg, NY)

Raceday Timeline

• 05:30 - 06:30 - Race morning finish area parking in assigned zones (entrants parking at finish will get email with assigned zone) in Cass / Alan Treman Park. PLEASE see below or checkout the website for info on which lot you’re assigned (based on where you’re in from).

• 6:00 - 6:45 - Finish area shuttle bus loading and departures for the start.

• 06:00 – 07:15 – Raceday Check-In, Start-Line parking, and drop offs at Charles O. Dickerson High School. PLEASE see below or checkout the website for info on which lot you’re assigned (based on where you’re in from).

• 07:30 - Mass Start at 11 South St in Trumansburg

• 08:40 - First finisher anticipated to reach finish line

• 09:30 - Shuttle Buses begin transporting finishers back to Trumansburg

• 11:30 - Last finisher anticipated to reach finish line and course closed

• 11:45 - Last shuttle bus leaves for Start Parking return

• 12:00 – Catering closed and Park Cleared of Event Staging

Parking Maps & Instructions

There is a lot of information below on parking. Please try to understand it and where to go as it’ll make things a lot smoother for all of us. So grab a warm blanket, a cup of your favorite beverage, and let’s dig in.

You have four basic options, and selected one of them at registration which hopefully you’ll stick to:

1. Park at the start and get shuttled back post race.

2. Get dropped off at the start and picked up at the finish.

3. Park at the finish and take a shuttle to the start.

4. Dude, what? No way I’m reading this multi-volume set of instructions and maps. I’m going to sleep in and opt for the virtual option out my front door. (note: there is no virtual option so please don’t ask me if I can mail you your shirt for running 13.1 miles around your neighborhood)

Option 1: Park at the start and get shuttled back

Instructions for runners driving to / parking at the Start:

We will be using Charles O. Dickerson HS / MS for Start parking and drop-off. You may park and drop-off here between 05:45 and 13:00 on race-day. We will have shuttle buses returning runners from the finish back to the start area parking between 09:30 and 11:45 on race day. We’ll have an orange sign at the entrance to each of these lots.

Long Term Parking will use two lots, noted on the image above:

1. Non-NYS Residents will use the first lot to the left (Lot A above)

2. NYS Residents will use the lot straight in (careful, busses dropping off overlapping) Lot B above

Return Shuttle

For those parking at the Start and taking a return shuttle, the shuttles will pick finishers up from Cass Park north of the Ice Rink / Pool. To get there, walk back out / north from the finish, with the loading zone across the field to your left. They’ll run intermittently between 9:30 and 11:45.

Option 2: Start Drop Off / Finish Pick Up

Start Drop Off and Long Term Overflow:

1. Transient Vehicles / Dropping Runners off will use Lot C in the Start Staging area image above and which is fairly straight in. This is intended for drop-off only. No long term parking or hanging around too long otherwise it won’t work. Drop-off vehicles may use circular entry drive for pure momentary drop off, or pulling in to lot proper but only staying literally a minute or two to get stuff out of the car.

2. If Lots A and B max out Long Term parkers may park in Lot C.

Finish Pick Up

1. See the map below for lots we’ll use for the finish area. The easiest and least congested may be the lot to the north which is for the Ithaca Dog Park and Alan Treman Marina.

Option 3: Park at the finish and shuttle to the start

The address of the finish staging area is roughly 701 Taughannock Boulevard, Ithaca, NY. Given none of the lots are able to accommodate all event parking, we’ve divided the use into groupings such as by zip code or out-of-state. Please see the maps and info below, as well as interactional course map on Plotaroute for more detail on designated parking areas. I’ll also hope to send you a follow up email with which you are (for those not reading it here). We’ll have an orange sign at the entrance to each of these lots.

Shuttle Buses / Loading Areas

Instructions for runners driving to / parking at the Finish

We will be using several lots surrounding Cass Park and Alan Treman Marine Park for finish-area parking. We’ve divided up the entrants list by place of origin and assigned each to a specific lot.

• Parking Lot A - Alan Treman / Dog Park (NYS Runners w/ Zip codes of 148xx & 149xx - relative “locals”)

  • Getting To: Plug 801 Taughannock Blvd, Ithaca into your Mapping app and it’ll take you to the entrance to both the Hangar Theater, and Alan Treman / Cass.

  • Getting to Shuttle Bus: After parking, walk back south to the parking strip running north from the Rink. Buses should load in that area.

  • Getting to Parking Post Race: You can walk directly out from the finish line north to get back to that lot.

  • Distances: ~ 0.2 mile walk

• Parking Lot B - Cass Park (northeast of Pool) - Volunteer / Vendor Parking

• Parking Lot C - Cass Park Rink - All Non-NYS Entrants

  • Address is 701 Taughannock Blvd, Ithaca

  • Buses load just north of the Rink building and the finish is around the back.

  • Distances: ~ 0.2 mile walk

• Parking Lot D - Union Fields (Runners from NYS but not from zip codes of 148xx or 149xx)

  • Getting To: You can plug 678 Taughannock Blvd, Ithaca, or this link into mapping. You’ll enter / exit via Rt. 89 to the northeast of the ballfields with a bathroom building straight ahead at entry. That lot is a crescent shape with most of it to the right / north of the entrance.

  • Getting to Shuttle Bus: Walk north along paved waterfront trail, cross Rt. 89 by the Rink. Buses load just north of the Ice Rink building.

  • Getting to Park Post Race: Walk past tennis courts, take a left on the west side of the Ice Rink building on the Waterfront Trail, cross 89, parking ahead.

  • Distances: ~ 0.5 mile walk

Buses to the start will load just north of the Cass Park Ice Rink / Pool complex and run between 6:00 and 06:45. The shuttle to the start is approximately 15 - 20 minutes. There will be a handful of porta johns near the bus loading area as well as 15 or so at the start drop off area.

Those finishers who park at the Start can catch buses back to the finish between 09:30 and 11:45 which will leave from the same spot.

Ian, Chief Newt