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Race Weekend Information

Hello XTERRA EX2 Racers!

The countdown has begun for the sixth annual XTERRA EX2 Off-Road Triathlon and Duathlon to be held on Sunday, July 12, 2009 at gorgeous Rocky Gap State Park in Flintstone, MD.  Rocky Gap offers a beautiful venue and an awesome course. We are looking forward to a fantastic weekend!   

Please take a few moments to review the following details about race weekend (Saturday, July 11th – check-in day and Sunday, July 12th – race day):

- Accommodations:  There are several local hotels with reasonable rates.  The Rocky Gap Lodge is nice and close, but a little pricey.  Camping is available at Rocky Gap or about two miles from the park, at Hidden Springs Campground. 

Contact information for accommodations can be found at the following link: 

http://www.ex2adventures.com/ort-accomodations.php

- Directions:  Rocky Gap State Park is located in western Maryland, 6 miles east of Cumberland in Allegany County. Travel west on I-70 past Hagerstown. At Hancock, take I-68 west. Take exit #50 for Rocky Gap State Park, which is located just off the exit. The park is approximately 2.5 hours from the Baltimore and Washington metropolitan regions. Enter the park and follow signs for Race Parking and Check-In.  You do not need to pay the entrance fee as this was included in your registration.

- NO DOGS IN ‘DAY USE’ AREA: Rocky Gap has a ‘NO DOGS’ rule on the ‘Day Use’ side of their park, where the start/finish, TA, and most of the race activities will be held. The park authority is aggressive in enforcing this since someone was bitten last summer. Dogs are permitted in one or two loops of the Rocky Gap campground.

- Check-In/Packet Pick-up:  Check-in/packet pick-up will be open on Saturday, July 11th from 4pm - 7pm and on Sunday, July 12th from 7am - 8am.  On Sunday, make sure to leave plenty of time to get to the park, check-in (if you did not do so on Saturday), and set up your transition gear.  If you are driving to the venue on race day, it is recommended that you arrive by 7:30am at the latest.  At check-in you will sign waivers, receive your race numbers, t-shirt, etc. and have the opportunity to purchase EX2 merchandise.  Enter the park and follow signs for Race Parking and Check-In. 

- USAT Sanctioned Event:  This is a USA Triathlon Sanctioned event.  At check-in, all athletes (including relay racers) must either purchase a one day USAT license ($10 cash or check ONLY) or show proof of current USAT membership (membership card).  ALL athletes must also have a photo ID.  There are NO EXCEPTIONS to the above as our insurance is dependent on this.  Please come to check-in prepared with your ID and your membership card or payment (again, cash or checks ONLY).  

- Transition Area (TA): The TA location is different from our past XTERRA EX2 races.  The new location is near the Mountain View pavilion, about 200 meters west of the old TA location. The transition area will open at 7am on race day.  Bike racks will be designated for relay teams.  The rest of the racks can be taken by solo racers on a first come, first served basis.  You must show your body marked number or run number to take your bike/gear out of the transition area.  For security and safety, spectators are NOT permitted in the Transition Area.

- Body Marking:  Body marking will take place near the transition area.  Please get body marked before applying sunscreen.  Your age group (ex. 25 for 25-29) or Relay (R for relay) will be marked on your right calf.  Duathlon competitors will also have a D marked on their calf.  Bib numbers will be marked on the front of the left shoulder for all swimmers (all solo triathletes and the swimmers on relay teams).

- Pre-Race Brief:  A pre-race brief will take place from 8:15am-8:30am near the transition area.  Important course, logistical, and safety information will be presented, so please plan on attending.

- Start Line Up:  For safety reasons, we physically account for all athletes before entering the water.  Please be ready to race and at the line up area by 8:45am.
 
- Race/Wave Start: We will begin the race in three waves. The first two waves will be swim only waves and the third wave will include all the Duathletes. We will start solo tri males 25-44 at 9:00am and at 9:03am we will start all solo tri females, solo tri males 25-under, solo tri males 45+, and all tri relays. Finally, at 9:04am we will start all solo and relay team duathletes.

- Relay Procedure:  Each relay team may be comprised of two or three racers.  Each athlete on relay teams must complete at least one FULL segment of the race, either the swim (run#1 for duathlon), bike, or run (run#2 for duathlon).  Racers will ‘tag’ each other at the bike rack where their bike is placed.  For two person teams, one racer will have to complete two FULL segments and the other racer will only complete one segment.

- Course Marking:  The bike and run portion of the course will be marked by Saturday at 12pm.  The swim course is ONLY open during the race.  The course will be marked with red arrows for the run course and blue arrows for the bike course.  We will also use orange surveying flags in open areas and yellow caution tape blocking off trails that are not part of the course.
  
- Aid Stations:  It will likely be hot on race weekend so please hydrate before and during race weekend.  There will be four (4) Aid Stations located out on the course, which you will pass a total of 8 times (9 times for the duathlon) during the race.  Each aid station will be supplied with water, Gatorade, Gu energy gel, emergency communications, and first aid kits. 

- Course:  This fun and challenging course is almost exactly the same as the past four years.  It consists of a 2-lap swim totaling .75 miles, 14 miles of semi-technical mountain biking, and 5 miles of trail running.  The duathlon course will replace the swim portion with a 3 mile trail run at the beginning of the race.  The rest of the duathlon course is the same as the tri course.

- Swim Course (Triathlon Only):  The swim will take place in the clear warm waters of Lake Habeeb.  The water temperature in mid-July is usually between 75-78 degrees.  Wetsuits will not be permitted unless the temps dip below 73 degrees (highly doubtful).  We will start on the western sandy beach near the ‘day use’ area.  Athletes will complete two laps of the 600 meter swim course.  Athletes will run on grass for approx.100 meters between the end of the first lap and the beginning of the second lap.  After the second lap of the swim, athletes will run on grass for approx. 300 meters to the transition area (the transition area will be in a new location in 2009)

- Trail Run Course (Duathlon Only):  The duathlon competitors will begin near the swim start but run in the opposite direction onto the lakeside hiking trails and then onto the dam.  After crossing the dam, you will head into the woods for less than ¼ mile before climbing up Evitt’s Revenge.  From the top of Evitt’s Revenge you will run down a steep rocky descent to a mossy stream crossing and then straight up to the top of the overlook (you are going to love this climb….and you get to do it twice in this race!).  From the overlook you will head down the hill to the aid station then around on the road to the transition area.

- Mountain Bike Course:  After the swim (or run for the duathlon), racers will transition onto the bike and complete two laps of the 7 mile mountain biking course.  The semi-technical mountain biking course offers a great mixture of single-track trails, wide fire roads, smooth pavement, open fields, and several rock gardens.  Most of the mountain biking course skirts the lake, so there is not too much elevation gain or loss.  There are, however, several short hills as well as the dreaded ‘Evitt’s Revenge’. In late 2008, two small sections of the Lakeside Loop trail were rerouted.  We will use these fun new sections.

- Trail Run Course:  The trail run course starts near the grassy area of the transition area before heading onto the lakeside hiking trails and then onto the dam.  After crossing the dam, you will head back into the woods through a combination of twisty single-track and wide fire roads before climbing Evitt’s Revenge.  From the top of Evitt’s Revenge you will run down a steep rocky descent to a mossy stream crossing and then straight up to the top of the overlook (you are going to love this climb!).  From the overlook you will head down the hill to the last aid station then around on the road to the finish line.

For a detailed course description and to view the course map, visit the following link: 

http://www.ex2adventures.com/ort-rocky-gap-course-description.php

- Post-Race Food/Drink:  Post race food includes pizza, bananas, cookies, candy, chips, trail bars, bagels, water, Gatorade, and soft drinks.  Post race food is available for all racers and volunteers. 

- Results:  Results will be posted as they become available on race day.  Final official results will be posted on our website within one or two days of the race. 

- Awards:  Please stick around for the awards ceremony.  The awards ceremony will be held at approx. 1pm.  The top five finishers from each male and female age group will receive awards.  The top three overall male and female finishing racers will also receive prizes and/or gift certificates.

- Swag:  In addition to awards, we will also give away plenty of cool swag from our sponsors.  Some of the items include gift certificates to The Bike Lane, VA Runner, Positively Chiropractic, and Pow-HER Chiropractic, a pair of tickets to a Washington Nationals Baseball game, a hydration pack from Drink More Water, boxes of GU, XTERRA running shoes (2), and an XTERRA bike helmet. You must be present at the awards ceremony to win so plan on sticking around.

- $1000 Bike Lane Shopping Spree Raffle: Go nuts at The Bike Lane with a $1000 shopping spree! Purchase tickets at the race. Tickets cost:1 for $5, 3 for $10, 8 for $20. The raffle drawing will be held on Aug. 23, 2009, at the last Cranky Monkey race of the season. YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE PRESENT TO WIN. All proceeds from the raffle will be equally distributed between The Animal Welfare League of Arlington and MORE (Mid-Atlantic Off-Road Enthusiasts). As an added bonus, those purchasing raffle tickets to the shopping spree will also be eligible to win Bike Lane gift certificates. 

- EX2 Merchandise Sale: Bring some cash and pick up your Cranky Monkey hat or jersey, EX2 hat, EX2 car seat cover, or vintage t-shirt at the race. We currently marked down many of our items so now is a great time to get your EX2 gear. 

- Race Photos:  Brian Knight Photography will be on hand to capture images of the day. Brian’s photos will be available for viewing/purchase within a few days of the race.  Check out the link from the EX2 Website.

- Volunteers:  Finally, we always welcome volunteers.  Volunteers provide essential support at check-in, aid stations, and timing and with course marshalling and post-race food.  As always, our volunteers enjoy the wonderful energy of the race, free food, and a free race t-shirt.  Also, all volunteers receive a coupon good for $15.00 off any 2009 or 2010 EX2 race or $5 off EX2 merchandise.  Plus, volunteering at EX2 races is tons of fun! 

If any of your friends or family can help out, please have them sign up online at http://www.ex2adventures.com/volunteer.php.  If possible, please have them sign up by Wed July 8th so we have enough time to incorporate them into the volunteer plan.  Once they sign up then we will contact them with details and volunteer assignments.

- Contact Information:  Race staff will be on-site at Rocky Gap starting on Friday, July 10th.  We will have limited computer access at Rocky Gap so if you have an urgent question and cannot find the answer on the EX2 website, please contact us at 571-251-6034. 

Thanks for participating in the sixth annual XTERRA EX2 Off-Road Triathlon and Duathlon.  Good luck and see you soon!

Jim Harman
Race Director
EX2 Adventures

XTERRA EX2 Off-Road Triathlon is sponsored by: