Spring Thaw Email - Fountainhead 03/17/2015

Dear Trail Masters,

What a fantastic day of racing at the Grant this past Saturday. Great job to everyone who came out and braved the wet and muddy conditions. Results are now posted online here and series points are posted here. We already have a few sweet pictures on our Facebook page, and the main album from Bushnell Photography will be posted later in the week. Also check out this slide show to whet your appetite for the next two races.

Thanks to A1 Bikes, Appalachian Outdoor Readiness, and Dr. Eric from Saxton Chiropractic for coming out and providing prizes. As always a big thank you goes to to Willowsford for hosting and providing food, and we hope you liked the tasty brew from Old Busthead Brewery. Prizes were also generously given by The Running Store and Road Runner Sports.

Trail runners, don't forget to post your race photos on social media and hashtag them #trophyseries for a chance to win prizes from Trail Runner magazine. Readers pick the best image each week, so share to get votes! They say they are awarding the first prize April 1.

Now on to Fountainhead.

For those of you who are racing in the second race in the Spring Thaw series at Fountainhead, below you will find all the race-day information. If you have not yet signed up, online registration is still open. Race-day registration also will be available. Also, If you have friends who are on the fence, we are sure you can convince them to come on out. We can take cash, check, and credit cards.

• $50 for the 5K/10K Trail Run

• $50 for the Newbie, Weekend Warrior, & Trail Expert MTB

• $25 for the Young Warrior MTB

Please be sure to like us on Facebook. We post the most up-to-date information there.

The race will be staged out of the parking lot at Fountainhead. Our finish line, food, refreshments, and registration will be on the far side of the parking lot located on a grassy area next to the woods.

The starting lineup can be found on the event website under Who’s Racing.

Volunteering

If you are bringing friends and family and they would like to help in any way, we would love to put them to work. We are looking for people to help marshal the course and run aid stations. Volunteers are very much appreciated by all—organizers and racers alike. To show our gratitude, Rev3 Adventure will give all volunteers an “Adventure Enabler” T-shirt and a $20 coupon code toward any of our other races in 2015. Volunteers can sign up here, and we will be forever in their debt.

Race Day Schedule

• 08:30am - Packet pickup/registration opens

• 10:00am – Trail run race start – 5K and 10K

• 10:45am - 5K Awards

• 11:00am - Grill opens for hotdogs and chili

• 11:30 am - 10K Awards

• 12:15 am - Registration closes

• 12:30pm – MTB race start – Trail Experts (Expert)

• 12:35pm – MTB race start – Weekend Warriors (Sport)

• 12:40pm – MTB race start – Newbies (Beginner)

• 12:45pm – MTB race start – Young Warriors (under 16)

• 1:30pm - MTB Awards - Newbie and Young Warrior

• 2:30pm - MTB Awards - Weekend Warriors/Trail Experts

Please make sure you arrive at least 40 minutes before your race starts so that you have time to park and get your race packet.

Rain Date

With the current weather situation we are keeping a close eye on the trail conditions for Saturday at Fountainhead. The final call on whether the race will be postponed until April 26th will be made on Saturday morning, if not sooner. If April 26th is rained out, we will provide race credits for the Fall Foliage race at Fountainhead in 2015. Will will notify participants via email and also post on our Facebook page if the event is postponed as soon as we are notified by the park.

Packet Pickup

Before you race you will need to pick up your bib/timing chip. At packet pickup:

1. Complete the REV3 Adventure waiver (You can save time by printing, completing and bringing the waiver with you. Also, many of you may have already signed this online at registration at Active.com.)

2. Find your bib number on the printout at the registration area.

3. Pick up your race packet from the registration tent.

4. Pick up your T-shirt. (If you are signed up with the discounted three- or six-race option, you will only get one T-shirt for the series.)

5. Get ready to race.

For the 5K and 10K trail run please attach the bib to your front so that it can be clearly seen. Bikers, attach the bib to your handlebars. Your timing chip is attached to the back of your bib number. Timing chips are disposable, so feel free to keep it as a memento or toss it in the trash. All awards are based off gun time. If you are doing the run and the bike, you will get a separate bib and chip for each event.

Course

• 5K and 10K will run on the right side of the park and will use the blue and white trails

• Trail run course map can be found here

• Young Warriors – Green loop (3 miles)

• Newbies – One lap (Green and Blue Loops, 6 miles)

• Weekend Warriors – Two laps (Green and Blue Loops, 12 miles)

• Trail Experts - Three laps (Green and Blue Loops, 18 miles)

o Technical Trail Features will not be included in the course.

o The new Shockabilly Trail will be used.

o The race will start with a prologue out and back along the main entrance road to the park.

o You can see the course map here.

All the trails at Fountainhead are considered technical. The 5K and 10K runs will be on trails that have roots, rocks, steep inclines, and descents. The mountain bike course will follow the Green and White loops. the Fountainhead courses are considered the most technical out of all the venues in the Spring Thaw trail series. The mountain bike course is lightly marked, with heavy marking at intersections and in areas where the trail gets lost in leaves. Come prepared.

Aid Stations

There will be water and Gatorade on the course.

Gear

For the Trail Run 5K and 10K, you will need a pair of running shoes and your normal running attire. For the Young Warrior, Newbie, Weekend Warrior, and Trail Expert Mountain Bikes Races you’ll need a bike and a helmet (CPSC, ANSI, or SNELL certified). A water bottle or CamelBak-type device is highly recommended.

Food

We will be serving hot dogs and chili from 11am until 2:30pm. Bottled water will be available.

Parking

Please park in the trailhead parking lot. If this becomes full, we will have you park on grass areas. Please following parking directions when you arrive. Parking is always at a premium at Fountainhead, so if you can carpool, please do so.

Directions

10875 Hampton Rd, Fairfax Station, VA ‎(703) 250-9124

Thanks again for choosing Rev3 Adventure. We look forward to seeing you on race day.

Mark Harris

Race Director

REV3 Adventure

mark@rev3adventure.com

Categories

Trail Run Categories

• Ladies and Gentlemen 5k and 10k

• 29 and under

• 30-39

• 40-49

• 50+

Mountain Bike Race Categories

• Ladies and Gentlemen Newbie, Weekend Warrior and Trail Expert

• 29 and under

• 30-39

• 40-49

• 50+

Newbie is for racers trying mountain bike races for the first time and have not raced extensively in previous seasons. Weekend Warrior is for anyone who considers themselves sport class. Trail Expert is for advanced riders who frequently ride or race. No sandbagging, please. Category is determined by age on race day.

Trail Series Rules

1. To be eligible for the Trail Run and MTB series awards you must compete in at least one race.

2. To be eligible for the Trail Master series, you must enter at least one trail run and one mountain bike race. These can be at any location within the Fall Foliage series.

3. Eligible participants will be automatically entered into the series.

4. Trail run and MTB series winners are divided up by gender, discipline, and division. All age groups compete for the same prize.

5. Trail Master series winners are divided up by gender.

6. Point tie breaker is determined by fastest time at the series finale. If a participant who races in the finale ties with someone who does not race in the finale, the participant who raced in the finale wins.

7. Series points will be tabulated and posted to the Rev3 Adventure web site no later than 1 week after each of the qualifying events.

8. No race-day category changes. Failure to complete your prescribed course will result in a DNF.

9. No chip, no time, no points. If you forget to wear your bib chip, we will not be able to give you an official race time and you will get a DNF.

Series categories

Trail Run

• Ladies and Gentlemen 5K and 10K

Mountain Bike

• Ladies and Gentlemen Newbie, Weekend Warrior, and Trail Expert

• Young Warrior

Trail Master

• Ladies

• Gentlemen