Race Weekend Information
Packet Pickup & Late Registration
Friday, April 14th, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm at Gretna Elementary School, 801 South Street. Please come to the main entrance on the North side of the school. Packet pickup will be in the cafeteria, just inside those doors.
Saturday, April 15th, 6:45 am – 8:30 am at Gretna Elementary School, 801 South Street, north/main doors, in the cafeteria. See below for race day parking; there is no parking in the west lot of the Elementary school on race morning.
Race Day Schedule: Saturday, April 15th
6:45 am – Packet Pickup and Late Registration
7:55 am – Kids Races Report to Start Line
8:00 am – Kids’ Mile, Quarter, & Half Mile Runs
8:25 am – 5k/10k Report to Start Line
8:30 am – 5k/10k Races begin
* Awards for each event will be presented in the GES Gym as soon as results are available.
Race Day Parking
Please park at Gretna Middle School, 11705 S 216th St, just southwest of Gretna Elementary. Please approach the Middle School from the south by exiting Highway 6 at Schramm Road (by Runza) and following the curve to 216th Street and the Middle School. This will help minimize traffic on South Street as the Kids Race participants line up and run at 8:00 am. Note that 216th Street at Schramm Road will close at 8:25 am, please arrive early! It is a very short walk/warm-up run from Gretna Middle School north to Gretna Elementary School via the access road. NOTE: There is no parking in front of Gretna Elementary or in the west parking lot at Gretna Elementary on race morning!
Restrooms
There are modern restroom facilities inside Gretna Elementary School.
Starting Line
We will start & finish in the west parking lot of Gretna Elementary School.
Runner Safety
Please study the courses (shown below) prior to the race to become familiar with the course. The course will be well marked by signage and sidewalk chalk (weather permitting). We have a lead biker who will stay just ahead of the lead runner (either the 5k or 10k runner), and trailing biker to accompany the last runner. We will also have volunteer course monitors at the turns and at major intersections to provide directions and to increase safety. The course is not closed, meaning we share it with vehicle traffic. The majority of the course is in residential neighborhoods. Please be aware of your surroundings and run on the edge of the street when meeting a vehicle. While headphones/earbuds are not explicitly forbidden, we encourage you to leave them at home or keep them at a low enough volume that you can hear traffic, course monitors, and other runners. Strollers are allowed and occupants do not require a registration. Be courteous to your fellow runners! A parent or sibling can and is encouraged to run with our Kid’s Race runners without registration or charge.
There are a few places on the course where you may meet runners head-on (S 217th Street, Plum Creek Drive, and South Street.) Please stay left, keeping oncoming runners on your right. Again, be aware of your surroundings!
Please watch your step on the streets. There are some areas of concrete that have broken up due to the freeze/thaw cycle that we experience in Nebraska. We will do our best to mark these with a cone or chalk. Also be careful on the Red Bricks! As beautiful and distinct as they are, they can be uneven in places.
Drops
If you are out on the course and cannot finish, please notify the nearest course monitor and provide your name and bib number. If you require assistance to return to the starting area, the course monitor will contact a race official to come pick you up. We may contact your emergency contact provided at registration if deemed necessary. If you are able to return to the finish area or your vehicle safely under your own power, please utilize sidewalks and use caution. Course monitors have been instructed to contact 911 if any runner collapses or is involved in an accident.
Race Timing
Run Nebraska will be doing our timing this year. The 10k, 5k, and kids mile are chip timed races, meaning that your time doesn’t start until you cross the start line and ends when you cross the finish line. Be sure you run under the truss at both the start and the finish. Please pin the bib to the outside front of your clothing. Bibs during the race will ensure your time is recorded properly, help course monitors identify you as part of the Red Brick Run, and let the public know you aren’t just out for a stroll, you’re in a race!
Water Station
We will have at least one water station for the 10k race, and depending on the weather conditions, one for the 5k and a second for the 10k.
Weather Policy
Runner safety is important to us and if conditions warrant (such as lightning or thunderstorms) we will delay or in the worst case scenario, cancel the race. We do not anticipate either of these occurring. We will run in the rain so long as lightning isn’t present.
Post Race Party
We’ll have bottled water at the finish, and more water, gatorade, hot cocoa, and food inside Gretna Elementary School’s main doors in the cafeteria. Age group awards for the 5k at about 9:10-9:15, followed by 10k awards at 10:00 am or so. If you are unable to stay, we will be in touch with you to get you your award.
Thank you!
Thank you again for running the 8th Annual Red Brick Run! We appreciate your support of the race and most importantly, of the Gretna TeamMates mentoring program! Teamwork makes the dream work!
Jeff Spilinek & Michele Prell
Race Directors
Course Maps
2023 5k Course
Course Description
Our 5k race starts at Gretna Elementary School at Corner of Wesgaye & South Streets. The race goes south on 216th Street to the Plum Creek Neighborhood, traveling south on 217th street then looping around Hilltop, 221st, and Bobwhite Ave before traveling back north on 217th and 216th. Runners will then go past the starting line on South Street and do a loop on Scott, Figg, and Aberdeen Streets. 5k runners will turn into the parking lot and finish. Mile marks are shown on the map.
2023 10k Course
Course Description
The 10k course follows much of the 5k course, deviating south into the Chestnut Ridge neighborhood on 218th Ave at the end of the first mile, then rejoining the 5k course on Hilltop Avenue. At the exit of Plum Creek neighborhood on Schram Rd, 10k runners will turn left (west) on Schram Rd and head for the Copper Ridge neighborhood for a lap. They will then rejoin the 5k course on Schram Rd and head north on 216th to finish the loop in downtown Gretna before finishing at Gretna Elementary School.
Kids Races
Course Description
All three kids races start at Gretna Elementary School at Corner of Wesgaye & South Streets. They run west down South Street and 216th to the turnaround. As the runners return and reach the west parking lot the quarter mile runners (green bibs) turn in and finish. The half mile and mile runners proceed up South Street to Scott Street. When the half mile runners (red bibs) reach the turnaround point on Scott Street they turn around and run back to the finish line. Mile runners (white bibs) continue around Scott, Figg, and South streets to the finish line.