EndureIt Multisports

Greetings Athletes!

I hope you all are enjoying your tapers before the 3rd Annual Nutmegman Eco-Friendly Charity tri, Relay and Aqua-Bike this coming Sunday September 20th at Kettletown State Park in Southbury, CT. Please read the entire email and note that phone calls and emails may not be returned this week as we are in full-on race mode.

We are feverishly working to prepare the race for you all – eco-tote bags are stuffed with all kinds of goodies from our sponsors and supporters. Since it was so popular last year, we will also be bringing extra items for you to stock up on post-race – gels, bars, anti-chafe creams – anything we have extra of, we’re giving to you!

To date, we have raised and donated over $150,000 to local CT charities and organizations. Beneficiaries from this race include: The Red Cross of Western CT, The Lake Zoar Authority, The Oxford Park and Rec. and many others. If you have a charity here in CT you would like us to consider for 2010, please email Mandy at EndureITmultiSports@gmail.com

Please be sure to support all of our wonderful local and national sponsors – check them out on your t-shirts. They support our eco and charity efforts and in turn, we support them! For the past 2 years we have been working with Athletes for a Fit Planet to make our races entirely sustainable and carbon neutral. We achieved carbon neutrality at our two events earlier this year and we hope to do the same with this race. You will find that everything associated with the race is either recycled, recycleable, compostable or re-usable. We will be collecting swim caps post-race if you would like to recycle them.

If you are still in need of a room, we have rooms at a discounted rate available at the Southbury Crowne Plaza on Strongtown Rd in Southbury, CT 06488 (exit 16 off interstate 84). Camping is also available at the race site itself – Kettletown State Park – contact is available via the DEP website, if interested.

Our newest sponsor, KIND bars, are teaming with us for a special “Acts of KINDness” award for our volunteers – please be sure to let us know during or post race if a volunteer made a difference in your day – we will be presenting volunteers with a special thank you for their efforts.

RAFFLE – we will be selling raffle tickets for some fantastic prizes including Thule bike racks, Xterra Wetsuits, Cannondale clothing and many other items – all proceeds will go directly to the Red Cross, buy a few tickets, support a good cause and win one or more of our fantastic prizes!

RULES – Please visit USATriathlon.org and review the rules and guidelines. Roads will be open to local traffic, so please remember to stay to the right side of the lane and never cross the yellow line. Drafting is not permitted and we will be operating on the USAT system of 3-strikes. You will be participating in your age group as of December 31, 2009.

REGISTRATION – packet-pick up and pre-race registration will be available between 2-4 PM on Saturday September 19th at the Southbury Crowne Plaza.

Please bring a Photo ID and your USAT card if you have one. If you do not have a USAT Membership, you must purchase a 1-day license. If you already payed for one online, you will simply need to fill out the USAT 1-Day Form…we’re working on the folks over at USAT to make them electronic!

The PRE-RACE MEETING will be held immediately following registration at 4 PM. We will cover everything and anything race related – including how chip-handoff works for relay teams and where to put the numbers in your bags.

** If you cannot make it to registration for religious or other reasons, please send an email to Mandy at EndureITmultiSports@gmail.com and we will arrange to have your pack available on Sunday morning starting at 6 AM **

SCHEDULE:
6 AM registration and parking opens, Although parking is ample, please carpool if possible.
Kettletown State Park is located on Georges Hill Rd in Southbury, CT 06488

Get Body Marked, Pick up Timing Chip
7:30 AM Women, Relay and Aqua-Bike Start
7:33 AM Men start
8:40 AM Swim course closes
1 PM Bike Course Closes
3 PM Run Course Closes
We will do awards when all category winners are finished. Awards will not be mailed, so please stick around to accept them or arrange for a friend to pick up. Please remember to return your timing chip as well. Should you choose to abandon the race, make sure you give your timing chip to a race official or the timing company directly. Lost or un-returned chips will incur a $50 fee.

A Lead vehicle will accompany the first cyclist, a lead bike will accompany the lead runner. A sag and support vehicle will be out on course, but we do expect that you will be prepared for and know how to change a flat tire or other basic tech problem. The Sag/Support vehicle will be with the last athlete on course.

COURSE:
course maps available at www.endureitmultisports.com Click on the “events” tab and select the Nutmegman Race. As part of our eco-efforts we try to minimize our paper waste, therefore, if you would like to have a map of the course or turn-by-turn directions, please print them from the website.

The SWIM:
2-laps in clean-clear Lake Zoar. The course will be marked by large buoys and many lifeguards.

3-lap bike – Takes you thru the rolling hills of Oxford and Southbury (and a little bit of Seymour). We will be giving out an award from Cannondale for the fastest bike split. I recommend taking it easy on the first lap and a half to save yourself, those stomper hills feel easy on the first loop, but get a bit harder on the last lap if you’ve gone out too hard. Mercifully, the last miles of the race are downhill to prep your legs for the run! Aid station on each lap (every 14 miles) fully stocked with bottles of Crystal Rock Water, HEED sports drink in sports-bottles, gels, Larabars, bananas, bathroom and anything else you could need.

2-Lap Run – On quiet, shaded roads within and around the park. Easy up, easy down and a bit on the ridgeline. You will always be doing something on this run – it makes it interesting and passes the time. Aid stations every mile on course, but not on the mile markers themselves. Fully stocked with Water, Gatorade, Gels, Cookies, Coke, Pretzels and all the goods. Real bathrooms at start/turnaround and potties along course (please don’t use our neighbors lawns.. we want to come back).

* maps and turn-by-turn directions available at www.endureitmultisports.com – click the “events” tab, then select the “Nutmegman Tri” scroll down for directions and maps to print*

Finish – hand in your timing chip and grab a post race goody, some food and bring your competitor bag to stock up on race extras!

RAFFLE AND AWARDS:

We’ll have freebies for family and friends at the finish, as well as the ice cream truck! Woot!

Awards – presented in the following categories:

Top 3 Male and Female Overall (no double dipping.. or whining)
Top Male and Female Aqua-Bike
Top Relay
Top Athena and Clydesdale
Top 3 in USAT Age Groups (19 and under, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60 +)

PHOTOS: Since we know you steal (ahem, I mean “share”) them anyways, we’re following last-year’s every popular model of having our pro photog taking pics and posting them to a Picasa or Flickr account that we’ll share with you all. From there you can copy, download and print whatever you’d like!

RESULTS: Will be posted on EndureIT MultiSports.com the night of the race – this year’s timing by Bill Sherry of Super Race Systems. We’ll post a direct link to results, photos and more.

VOLUNTEERS:
We can always use more – if you are around for the whole day or even part of it, we would love to hook you up with an eco-wicking t-shirt, goodies and a spot helping athletes!

We are in the process of redesigning our website, so check back in a few weeks when we have the grand unveiling!

2010… And beyond… We are adding a few 5k Races this Fall and will post info and updates on www.EndureITMultiSports.com as well as send out an email y’all. Turkey Trot (Nov. 28) and *possibly New Years Day (A.K.A. the booze run – oh, no, I know you’d never over-indulge on New Year’s Eve!). We’ll be adding a sprint to the line-up for 2010 and there will also be a 5k option added to our 1/2 Marathon and 10k Spring race, so check back often and stay healthy!

I cannot wait to welcome each and every one of you across that finish line on Sunday, first-timers and veterans alike! Rest up and Relax, you will all have a fantastic time out there!