Race Reports

For CCAC's 12-hour: http://www.zdap.com/racereports/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=8593

For the 24-hour: http://community.active.com/message/773318?tstart=0 (not that exciting)

ANyone know any more?

Breathe Magazine Covers our 24-Hour Race

Yeah, that definitely looks like California, eh? Cool photo, though. Here's the article.

Press release for Coast to Crest 24 hour race

It's 2 am and we're heading back to the finish/staging area to get ready to receive the first finishers in the early morning hours when one of the SPOT units sends out a "we need help" signal. No! After 18 hours of setting up transition areas, checking in with minor injuries (hamstrings are a big problem), and helping motivate our already stoked competitors, this is the first time we're genuinely worried about a team. Sure, there were some seasickies on the kayak, and a couple teams bonked on the first stage bike ride, but all in all, the race was going smoothly. The competitors were spread out far and wide but we were keeping tabs on them with GPS, radioing to our manned checkpoints, and our manifests. But at 2 am the signal goes out. We're about an hour away from the point we'd have to get to in order to start looking for the team that needs help. As we're logging into the ranger stations' computers to find the exact location and team, the help call is canceled.

And thus goes All Out Events' first 24-36 hour adventure race.

Our teams met up at Santa Margarita Lake, dropping off bins and bikes that would be trucked to the various transition areas they'd need them throughout the race, and they boarded a bus for an hour-long ride to the beach.

Winding through the coastal mountains, through eucalyptus groves, and arriving at a beautiful cove, the kayaks were laid out and our racers set to preparing themselves for one heck of a long day.

After an eight-mile open-ocean kayak (well supported by local rescue organizations and fortuitously, a blue whale), racers landed at a beach in Morro Bay where they hopped on their bikes for a long climb and a fun, fast single-track descent leading into the area's college ag land.

The run transition area was set up at Cal Poly's poultry unit, where racers could stop, take a break, and go back into the hills they came from. Said one member from Team Hilarious, hailing from Calgary, Canada, "That was the second-best mountain biking I've ever done!" Her teammates then decided to weigh the merits of whether it was more like the best or not.

Racers came in looking tired, but stoked. Some stayed for an hour, some took off right away at a jog. We didn't see them until many hours later in the dark - fifty miles away at Lopez Lake, where they picked up their kayaks for a lake trip and then their bikes for another epic tour of the mountains.

Our first team came in just under 6 a.m. - Team DART/Nuun/SportMulti, a world-class adventure racing team. Teams trickled in from there, with our last team finishing at 2 p.m. Results are posted here: http://www.ccadventure.com/results.pdf

Out of a field of 13 teams, we had 5 non-finishers. Though healthy respect goes out to all our DNFers, most especially SLO local Ryan Tarver from Hopes and Dreams, who kept up with the winning team throughout the first three stages of the race before deciding he would bow out.

Watch our 24-36 hour Coast to Crest race live!

Thanks to TrackMe360.com and SPOT rescue units, you can log into the site below and watch the fun along with us!

http://www.trackme360.com/cara/c2c

password: "slovenia"

Tips for an awesome Tri (good for adventure racers, too!)

So yesterday we went and cleared some of the poison oak the 24-hour race trek. I am not going to lie, that section is beautiful. You won't feel like you're in California. And, if you're like me, and you spent your youth exploring creek beds and rivers, you are going to feel so energized by the entire thing. If you are planning on doing this race try to time it so you go during the day. It's worth seeing.

Anyway, I follow a couple fitness blogs and had to direct you to The Fitness Nerd today, who sent me to "That's Fit" for an article with tips on tri training. Check it out: Top 10 Tips for Your First Tri.

1st Annual ECOSLO Triathlon is in the can!

The weather was perfect: clear skies, only a hint of a breeze, clear water, and temps in the low 70s. For Morro Bay, it doesn't get more perfect than that. The day before, a lot of registrants were hesitant about the swim in the bay, only to pop out after it and declare, "That wasn't so bad." By the end of the day, their comments escalated to "that was awesome!"

The first annual ECOSLO Olympic Distance triathlon generated a fair amount of money for the San Luis Obispo-based organization, which is great because many events are happy to break even their first year. We had about 200 participants and far more spectators in and out throughout the day not just because of supportive family and friends but because of the tourist-friendly location of the event. Many volunteers signed on to help the day before hailed from places like Indiana and Texas because they thought the event's venue looked cool and they wanted to do more than lay on the beach on this idyllic June Sunday.

Participants started the race, in waves of fifty, by swimming 1.5 km in a slack tide out toward the channel's entrance to the ocean, around the smiley-faced bouys and back to the shores. Water was in the low fifties and Morro Bay's harbor patrol mandated wetsuits for the swimmers, but none looked worse for wear after - more like energized! They got through the transition area, filled up on Heed and Hammer Gels and headed out on a 40 km classic local ride that took them down Highway 1, through the local community college and out into the rolling, rural hills of San Luis Obispo. Foothill Cyclery provided race aid to the cyclists and even placed volunteers in their support van. Once they were back, they headed back out again to finish the race - jogging along the famous Morro Bay beaches for 10k. The beach run took them over hardpacked sand and rocky shores to an aid station turnaround and back to the finish, greeted by the lovely ladies of FRS with recovery drinks and smiles.

Our overall winner was professional and local triathlete Van McCarty, coming in at 2:18:32. Behind him were Scott Smith (in 2:21:04) and Anthony Barton (2:24:22). Overall women winners were Christine Bare (2:42:59) followed by Kim Schollenberger (2:46:22) and Mary Kelly Dakin (2:48:40). Winners were awarded prizes by supporters Smith Sunglasses, Xterra Wetsuits, Voler, and more. All division placers were awarded an etched glass stein and a Morro Bay Triathlon bike jersey by Voler.

When it was all said and done, participants and spectators were invited back to the beer garden for some refreshing Sierra Nevada pale ale.

Overall the race went great and we're sure to be back next year! In the meantime, watch for us on June 19 & 20th when All Out Events hosts a second installment of the Central Coast Adventure Challenge: a grueling 24 hour Coast to Crest race and an accessibly fun 2-4 hour sprint!

Photos courtesy of All Out Events' Kristin McNamara and ECOSLO's Clint Slaughter.

1st Annual June 6th ECOSLO Triathlon

ECOSLO hosts inaugural Olympic Distance Triathlon on June 6th

ECOSLO, in partnership with local event company, All Out Events, hosts an Olympic Distance Triathlong on Sunday, June 6th, starting at 8 am. An Olympic Distance triathlon consists of a 1.5k swim, 40k road bike, and a 10k run. The event will take place in Morro Bay (those not interested in swimming will be offered a kayak option - something quite uncommon for most races), up highway 1 and through the rolling hills of San Luis valley, finishing with a run on the beach.

ECOSLO hopes the event will generate annual funds to continue their mission to create and support resilient, natural, healthy systems and lifestyles in San Luis Obispo. The event will be as low impact on the environment as possible, thanks to an ongoing commitment by All Out Events, and for this reason, they make an excellent pairing for the central coast in terms of support and mutual goals achieved. In addition to being a fundraiser, the event planners have taken the following steps to create as low an impact event as possible:

-No disposable cup policy (participants get reusable souvenir pint glasses)

-Our event is powered by the sun thanks to REC Solar’s solar trailer

• -In addition to garbage cans we offer recycling and composting receptacles
• -All race merchandise is organic and or locally sourced
• -All food vendors are required to use recyclable and or compostable paper and plastic-ware
• -Encouraging carpooling by holding a raffle exclusive to carpoolers

We have vendors and sponsors who will be in attendance, a beer garden, and great food provided by the Burrito Wagon and Vraja's Vegan Kitchen. Spectators and racers alike will have an amazing healthy, ecofriendly June Sunday on the central coast.