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27th Annual TD Banknorth Craftsbury Marathon Entrant Instructions
POINT-TO-POINT X-C SKI RACE AND TOUR
25 & 50 KM
DISTANCES CLASSICAL TECHNIQUE
February 2, 2008
Get Ready for the 2008 Craftsbury Marathon: If you don't have at least an advanced intermediate skill level we highly recommend you follow the Three Month Training Plan prepared by our Head Ski Instructor, Pepa Miloucheva.
Car Pooling to Craftsbury Common: We encourage all participants to carpool to the marathon. Car-pooling to the marathon will reduce congestion and crowded parking. It will also help save our limited petroleum resources and reduce one of the causes of global warming. Global warming is very bad for cross-country skiing! Go to Car Pooling on our web site to find others willing to share a ride.
Travel Directions: From South take route 14 to South Craftsbury Road or from North take route 14 to North Craftsbury Road. Travel east on either one of these town roads about 3 miles up to Craftsbury Common.
Parking: Please do not block roads near Craftsbury Academy. Parking in front of the Academy is reserved for busses. Parking is plentiful at the Dustan Fields lot to the north of the Common. Roadside parking at Highland Lodge is limited with no transportation back after finish.
Pasta feed, day before bib and packet pickup, and Toko/Swix waxing clinic at Church on the Common: Friday evening from 6-8PM, call 802-586-7767 for reservations for the pasta feed if you did not sign up with entry form. Cost: $15 to benefit Craftsbury Nordic Ski Club.
Race day bib packet pickup at Craftsbury Academy on the Common: Opens at 6:30 AM at Craftsbury Academy Gymnasium on Craftsbury Common. Racers must pick up their packets by 7:30 AM and Tourers must pick up their packets by 9:30 AM All skiers must confirm information including name, address, sex, age class, start time and wave, race vs. tour, club name, NENSA number and distance as posted on the Alfa list. There will be no day of race registration but you may change distance or class at registration for a $10 fee. An adult should accompany children under the age of 14. You will be issued an info packet with lunch ticket, course map, clothing bag, clothing bag label, energy packet, and a bib. Racers will be issued a paper over the shoulder souvenir bib which you may keep; tourers will be issued a paper souvenir bib, which must be pinned to the front of your jacket and visible throughout the tour. Before you leave the gym, fill out both sides of clothing bag tag with your name and bib number using the marker pens available at the registration table.
Toilets: Portable toilets in front of Craftsbury Academy (none available inside). Portable toilets at the start line at Highland Lodge.
Buses: Your bib will serve as a ticket to get on the bus. Busses will transport you to the Highland Lodge start area, which is about a 20-minute drive from Craftsbury Common. Don't wait for the last bus. You may not get on it and miss your start. The first bus departs Craftsbury at 6:40 AM. There are warm indoor spaces, an indoor waxing area, and portable toilets at Highland Lodge. They are providing plenty of free coffee, muffins, and bagels in their dining room. The last bus for racers leaves the common at 8:00 AM. The last bus for tourers leaves at 10:00 AM.
Waiting at the Start: Bring plenty of warm clothing with you to the start. A few minutes before the start you may put any extra clothing in the bag provided and close it with the label with your name and number. Racers place the bag in the designated place next to the start corral. Tourers place your bag by the drive at the entrance to Highland Lodge. It will be loaded in a bus and transported back to the finish on Craftsbury Common. It will be stored under cover in a tent by the finish.
Race Seeding: In order to reduce congestion on the trail especially during the start, males doing the 25 and 50 km race will be seeded into one of two waves depending on their results in the marathon from 2007 (The first wave will include all men who finished in the top half of the Craftsbury Marathon in 2007, the third wave will include all men who finishes in the bottom half of the Craftsbury Marathon in 2007). Unseeded elite male racers such as factory team members and others who petition in writing to the race director prior to the registration deadline January 26th will be considered for the first wave. Otherwise unseeded males will be placed in wave #3.
Race Wave Starts: If you are assigned wave # 1 (male 25 and 50 km) you should check into the corral starting at 8:45 AM. Course marshals will check your number off the list as you enter. Once you have entered the coral you must stay in until the 9:00 AM start bell. If you are a woman you will be assigned to wave #2 (female 25 and 50km) you should check into the corral immediately after wave #1 has left and stay until the 9:15 start bell. If you are assigned to wave #3 (male25 and 50 km) you should check in to the coral immediately after wave #2 and stay until the 9:30 start bell. Racers should self-seed within each wave so the fastest are in the front and slowest in the back. Be realistic. Start off carefully and conservatively so you don't cause a pile up. There are over 1000 feet of vertical climb in the first 9 kilometers!
Tour start: You may enter the corral any time between 9:35 and 10:30 AM. A course marshal must check you in. You may start anytime after you are checked off by the course marshal, but be aware that the first cutoff is 2:00 PM, 15 very hilly kilometers down the trail. If you are not a speedy skier we strongly suggest you start closer to 9:35. YOU MAY NOT START AFTER 10:30 AM WITH A RACE OR TOUR BIB ATTACHED. THIS WILL BE STRICTLY ENFORCED. We do not encourage tourers to race each other or the clock.
Course Marshals: Marshals will keep track of your progress throughout the race or tour for your safety. They will also enforce the cut off times. You must have your bib number visible at all times on the outside and front of your parka or racing suit.
Technique: This is a Classical technique race. Skating is not permitted. Using skating technique will ruin the machine set classical tracks for everyone behind you. Tourers using the skating technique will be asked to leave the course and racers will be subject to disqualification. We have a number of course marshals stationed along the trail to enforce these provisions.
Course: The course will be marked with black arrows on a yellow background and flagged its entire length. Be careful to follow the flagging at all intersections. The course will also be marked with kilometer signs. See the map for feed locations, road crossings, first aid stations, and course profile. Note that all tourers turn off the long course shortly after 23 km point and finish on Craftsbury Common at approximately 25 km. There is no 50 km tour. The course is open only to registered marathon skiers wearing a bib on marathon day. The second half of the 50-kilometer marathon race course is open only to marathon racers registered for 50 kilometers.
Danger Areas: There are several spots on the course where the trail makes very sharp turns on fast down hill sections. These will be marked with signs. Use extra caution; expect ruts, scraped icy areas, and fallen skiers ahead. Ski under control at all times.
Snowmobiles: There are several sections where the course follows a snowmobile trail. Tracks may be obliterated. You may encounter snow machines coming towards you around a bend. Keep right on all shared trails. Please be cautious and polite in the vicinity of snowmobiles. It is their trail too.
Cut off/aid station closure times: For safety reasons we will be strictly enforcing the following cut off times even in the event of a delayed start. This means Marathon participants will not be permitted to continue on the course after the cutoff time:
- Craftsbury Road - 15 km - 2:00 PM
- Craftsbury Village - 20 km - 3:00 PM
- 25/50 km turn off - 23 km - 12:30 PM (for 50 km skiers), (no cutoff here for 25 km skiers)
- Craftsbury Center (inbound) - 27 km - 1:00 PM (for 50 km skiers)
- Craftsbury Center (outbound) - 45 km - 3:00 PM (for 50 km skiers)
Drop out info: If you need to drop out, or if you miss a cut off time you must report your bib number to a race marshal at one of the feed stations or at the finish. Please do not leave the race or tour without making sure someone has accounted for you. We will be searching for any unaccounted skiers. A shuttle van will periodically make the rounds of each feed station for emergency evacuation only.
First Aid: First aid will be available at the Highland Lodge, Craftsbury Road, Craftsbury Village, Outdoor Center, and Craftsbury Common stations. If you notice someone in need of help on the course please report his or her bib number and location relative to the nearest kilometer sign at the next station.
Feed Stations: Nine feed stations will be located at 4 to 7 kilometer intervals along the course serving energy drink, water, granola bars, and Hammer Jell packets for the duration of the race for all participants along the entire 50 kilometer route. Additionally you can expect delicacies such as pastries, hearty soups, hot bread, and other tasty treats served at all stations. The food tables will be available only until the cut off time for each station. The first food station is inside at Highland Lodge prior to the start and the last food table will be at the finish. All food stations will have a cheery bon fire with seating around it for those needing a rest. All the stations on the 25 km course will in addition have heated tents for warming up. You can expect a lot of excitement at each of the 7 food stations this year. Each station will be vying for your vote for cash bonuses as the best and most creative station on the course in terms of service, music, cheering, colorful banners, dancing, special dress, etc. You will be asked at the finish to identify the best, most creative stations on the course.
Finish: The finish for the 25 and 50 km events is located on the Common in front of the Craftsbury Academy Gym. Do not cross the finish line unless you have completed the distance you are registered for. Please inform the timers if you have dropped out or have not completed the entire course you were signed up to tour or race. You may keep your bib as a souvenir of the marathon. You may pick up your clothing bag next to the finish line inside the tent. Don't forget to vote for the best, most creative stations on the course. You will be presented with a ballot by a volunteer to be filled out at the finish line. As you ski the course keep in mind your favorite stations!
Distance Medals: All tourers completing the 25-kilometer course will be awarded a specially designed enameled Craftsbury Marathon pin at the finish line.
Post Race Meal: The last "feed station" will be at the finish. A hearty lunch of chili, cornbread, salad, and chocolate chip cookies and drinks will be served from 12:00 AM to 4:00 PM at Sterling College 200 meters south on the main street. You must present a meal ticket or purchase one for $5.
Racer awards and drawing among racers and volunteers: Awards will be presented in the gym. Again this year, we will be awarding locally hand-crafted pottery bowels for the top three in each age class and special "25% club" pins to each racer who finishes within 25% of the class winner. At 2:00 PM prizes will be awarded for the 25 km race to the overall male and female and ten-year age/gender class winners followed by a drawing for merchandise prizes among all 25 km racers. At 3:00 PM prizes will be awarded for the 50 km overall male and female and ten-year age/gender class winners followed by a drawing for merchandise prizes among all 50-kilometer racers. At 4:00 pm a drawing will be held for all volunteers. At 4:30 PM age class awards will be presented to late finishing racers. You must be present to pick up your prize or drawing.
Results and evaluation form: Complete race results will be posted on our web site at www.craftsbury.com and the New England Nordic Ski Association at www.NENSA.net. The names of all tour finishers will be posted on our web site as well. We encourage all racers and tourers to fill out the event evaluation form on our web site so we can improve the event next year. You will be placed in a drawing for a major prize!
Delayed start/course shortening/back up course site/postponement: If the weather conditions require, the start may be delayed and/or the course shortened. In the unlikely case of an extreme thaw, icy conditions or severe wind chill, the tour and race may be relocated as late as the morning of the event. If the race is relocated you will be bussed to the Craftsbury Outdoor Center from Craftsbury Academy; 2.5 miles north of the Craftsbury Academy Gym where you will ski on a 12.5 km loop either 2 or 4 laps. A shuttle bus will return you to the Academy for the post race festivities. In the event of lack of snow or forecast severe weather conditions the marathon may be postponed to the next day, Sunday February 3 or Saturday, February 23rd.
Next years date: The 28th Annual TD Banknorth Craftsbury Marathon will be a 25 and 50-kilometer point to point event held on Saturday, Janurary 31st, 2009. REGISTER EARLY AND ON LINE!!! The marathon fills quickly. We will be accepting registrations for the 28th Annual Marathon starting on November 1, 2008.
New England Nordic Ski Association sponsors a four event Marathon Series: NENSA membership is encouraged in order to be included in the interclub competition scoring. For more information go to www.NENSA.net.
