IT’S RACE WEEK – LET’S GO!!! 

Hello Rootrock MTB Racers,

Welcome to Rootrock MTB coming up this Saturday, October 19th at Briar Chapel in Chapel Hill, NC!  Prepare for an awesome afternoon on the trails, as you and fellow competitors race along scenic, forest covered courses that include a mixture of smooth and flowing dirt trails, root and rock strewn single-track, and challenging hill climbs. 

In addition to the mountain bike race in the afternoon, we are hosting the 4th Annual Rootrock Trail Run in the morning – for one big, epic day on the trails!  Make a full day of it by racing, volunteering, or spectating in the morning.  And by the way, if you race in both the MTB race AND the trail run, you will receive an extra item of swag – and entrance into a very special pain cave:).  For more info on the trail run, CLICK HERE. 

RACE DAY INFO 

Below is the race info email, which contains logistical and safety details for the race.  This message is long but should answer most questions you might have.  Please take a few minutes to read.

Below is your race check-in QR code.  If you can show this to the check-in volunteers, it will speed up the check-in process.  If you do not have it, no worries – we can look you up.

%REGISTRATION_ID_QRCODE% 

Some items before we get to the logistics:

Race Day Weather:  As of Tues 10/15 @ 2pm, race day weather is looking SPECTACULAR, with sunny skies, light winds, and afternoon temps around 70!  I will send another email on Thursday or Friday with race reminders and an updated forecast.    

Course Conditions:  The trails are in great shape, and with sunny skies predicted all week, there is nothing in the forecast that would cause any adverse conditions.  A big THANK YOU to Chris and TJ from TORC, Jarz and crew from Crank Arm, and Don and Ralph from Briar Chapel maintenance for doing a bang up job helping to get the trails race-ready after all the wind and rain we received in September.  

Start List:  CLICK HERE to view the list of registered racers.  

Registration:  If you have MTBing friends or family that have not signed up yet but intend to race, please let them know the following:

• The reg fee increases at 11:59pm on Thur, 10/17. 
• T-shirts are included with registration, until they run out – we still have tees available in most sizes, but inventory is dwindling with each new registered racer. 
• We will evaluate class participation on Wed 10/16 after 8pm and combine classes with low or no participation.  So, for the best chance of keeping classes currently available, racers should register by 8pm tomorrow (10/16).  
• Online registration will remain open through race day
• Registration link is HERE.     

Volunteers:  We can still use the help of a few more volunteers – need two more course marshals and two more sweepers, one for sport and one for expert.  Volunteers get free food, a race tee, $15 off a future RR event, and our sincere thanks.  Plus, volunteering is FUN!  If you have friends or family that would like volunteer, they can SIGN UP HERE and if possible, ask them to sign up by Wed 10/16 so we have time to incorporate them into the volunteer plan.  THANK YOU!  

RACE LOGISTICS

Starting Procedures:  To prevent overcrowding on the trails and to ensure riders of similar skill are racing together, we are separating the field of racers into start waves, spaced 1-3 minutes apart.  We will start in waves according to class and have arranged the start order and flow of the waves so there will be limited passing between waves.  See below for classes and exact start times.

Combining Classes:  Racers are currently registered in 18 of the available 27 classes.  Few people want to race with just one or two other athletes.  On Wed 10/16 after 8pm, we will evaluate the class participation and combine some smaller classes (if it makes sense).  We will also drop classes that have low or no participation (meaning those classes would not be available for registration from Thur-Sat).  We will not change distance for any racer and we will not combine gender or skill levels.  The final start list posted online on Thursday morning will reflect any changes we make to the classes (VIEW START LIST HERE).  The email we send by Thursday or Friday morning will include the final classes and exact start times for each class (which might be off by 1-4 minutes from what is now posted).

NO CLASS CHANGES AFTER WED, 10/16 @ 8pm:  If you would like to change your class, you, send a request (by 8pm on 10/16) to info@roadlessraces.com.

Schedule / Start Times / Current Classes

• ROOTROCK TRAIL RUN in the morning (CLICK HERE for more info)
• 12:30pm-1:45pm:  Check-in / Calf Marking
• 1:45pm-2:00pm:  Racer lineup
• 1:50pm-2:00pm:  Pre-race brief
• 2:00pm-2:18pm:  Race start (in waves)
  • 2:00pm:  Sport Male Open/Sport Male Masters 40+ (short loop + long loop – 17 miles)
  • 2:02pm:  Single-Speed Male Open, Sport Male Masters 50+, Sport Male Masters 60+ (short loop + long loop – 17 miles)
  • 2:04pm:  Sport Female Open, Sport Female Masters 50+, Single-Speed Female Open (short loop + long loop – 17 miles)
  • 2:05pm:  Beginner Male Open, Jr 13-14 Male, Jr 11-12 Male (short loop – 5.5 miles)
  • 2:06pm:  Beginner Female Open, Jr 13-14 Female, Jr 11-12 Female, Jr 6-10 Open (short loop – 5.5 miles)
  • 2:12pm:  Expert Male Open (long loop + long loop – 24 miles)
  • 2:13pm:  Expert Female Open, Expert Male Masters 50+ (long loop + long loop – 24 miles)
  • 2:15pm:  Intermediate Male 19-39, Intermediate Jr Male 13-18 (long loop – 12 miles)
  • 2:17pm:  Intermediate Male Masters 40+, Intermediate Male Masters 50+, Intermediate Male Masters 60+ (long loop – 12 miles)
  • 2:18pm:  Intermediate Female 19-39, Intermediate Jr Female 13-18, Intermediate Female Masters 40+, Intermediate Female Masters 50+ (long loop – 12 miles)
• 3pm-5:30pm:  Post-race Food/Beverage
• 4:30pm-5pm:  FREE Kids Race for Treasure (Kids 4-10):  We will separate the kids into age groups and complete one, two, or three laps of a .3 mile course in the fields near the staging area (4-5 one lap, 6-8 two laps, 9-10 three laps).  After racing, kids can choose a toy from the ‘treasure chest’.  Sign up your child at check-in from 3:30pm-4:15pm.
• 5pm:  Awards/Giveaways/Contests

Address of Staging Area:  Great Meadow Park – 161 Salt Cedar Ln, Chapel Hill, NC 27516  

Arrival/Parking:  Please arrive early and factor parking, check-in, warming up, and using the restroom into your travel plans.  WE RECOMMEND ARRIVING BY 1:15PM AT THE LATEST.  Park along the neighborhood streets of Briar Chapel, adjacent to Great Meadow Park.  SEE MAP below with parking areas.  Some of the streets at Briar Chapel are narrow so PLEASE PARK ON ONE SIDE OF THE STREET ONLY.  If and when all the space fills up near the staging area, you can park @ Woods Charter School (160 Woodland Grove Lane, Chapel Hill, NC 27516), which is a 8-minute walk (or 3 min ride) to the staging area.  Thank you, Woods Charter!  

Check-in:  Check-in at the staging area under the pavilion at Great Meadow Park.  Check-in will be open from 12:30pm-1:45pm.  At check-in you will receive your race number and t-shirt (if you were able to choose one before they ran out).   

Calf Marking:  At check-in, we will be marking your right calf with your class number.  Calf markings help us with race start efficiency and will help you know who else is in your class during the race.    

Restrooms/Portajohns:  Restroom facilities will be available at the pavilion and portajohns will be located near the pavilion.  Please take your restroom break early.  We have ordered enough portajohns for our anticipated numbers but if everyone tries to ‘go’ a few minutes before the race, there will be long lines.  Each wave will start on time so please factor your restroom break accordingly.  

Race Lineup / Pre-Race Brief:  The races will start near the pavilion, on the corner of Meadows Edge Drive and Salt Cedar Lane.  Line up headed west on Meadows Edge Dr.  Racers should line up starting at 1:45pm.  We will be calling out the starting order of each class to ensure an orderly flow and less moving around after the pre-race brief.  The pre-race brief will begin at 1:50pm.  The pre-race brief includes important safety and logistical information.  

Race Start:  See Classes / Start Times / Schedule above for exact start times.  Reminder, these start times may be adjusted slightly if we combine classes (see Race Classes / Starting Procedures above).  

Race Courses:  Briar Chapel has 20+ miles of AWESOME single-track.  There are some easy, flat mellow areas but most of the trails at Briar Chapel offer a fun challenge and include plenty of rocks, roots, and hills.  Overall, we would categorize the trails at Briar Chapel as moderately technical.  There are two courses that make up this race, a short loop (5.5 miles) and a long loop (12 miles).  We will start in waves according to class and have arranged the start order and flow of the waves so there will be limited passing between waves.  The sport/single-speed racers will start first and complete one short loop, then a long loop for a total of 17 miles. Next up are the beginners/juniors that will complete one short loop for a total of 5.5 miles.  Experts are next and will complete two long loops for a total of 24 miles.  And finally, the Intermediates will complete one long loop for a total of 12 miles.  Each wave will start with .3 miles of wide pavement, perfect for separating the field of racers.  After that, racers hit the trails, and stay on the trails, except for a few road crossings and a couple of short paved sections.   

Click below for links to the courses and elevation profiles:

Short Loop (5.5 miles) – 5.6 miles, 372′ elevation gain – rating is 3 out of 5 (.7 mile easy + 4.9 miles moderate)
Long Loop (12 miles) – 12 miles, 868′ elevation gain – rating is 3+ to 4- out of 5 (1.3 miles easy + 7.6 miles moderate + 3.1 miles difficult)

Pre-Riding:  We will mark the courses on Thursday and Friday but you can follow the courses using the maps links (ridewithgps) here (Short Course – 5.5 miles and Long Course – 12 miles).  Also, we have leaf blown the courses over the past week so just follow the cleared trails and you should be good to go.  Please keep in mind that we are using these courses for the trail run in the morning and then the mountain bike race in the afternoon.  These courses are slightly different, so we will be transitioning/changing some course marking between the trail run and the MTB race.  VERY IMPORTANT – NO PRE-RIDING ON THE COURSE BEFORE 11:30AM on RACE DAY as this is when the trail running race is taking place.   

A FEW NOTES ABOUT A FEW SPECIFIC SPOTS ON THE COURSES:

• Two lap racers (sport, single-speed, expert) will NOT go through timing after your first lap, but instead turn right at the NEXT LAP signage and stay on the trail.  There will be three NEXT LAP signs and a course marshal at this location to help you, but you MUST be mindful of this when you are racing.  All other racers will follow the TO FINISH signs and sport/single-speed/expert racers will follow the TO FINISH signs after their second lap.  This will be explained further at the pre-race brief.     
• We are bypassing some of the more techy sections (jump, drops, etc) on the long course.  Specifically at the following:
  • Top of Dad Bod – we will bypass the very techy boulder section.  You will take a left at the top of Dad Bod, then right  onto Unstanktioned, and then a right back onto Dad Bod. Immediately after this section there are two large rideable boulders.  We are keeping the first in the course because you can roll it but we are bypassing the second boulder because there is a significant drop at the end. 
  • Bottom of Dad Bod – we are bypassing the large drop at the end/bottom of Dad Bod (just before the bridge).  Take the switchback to the right. 
• We are NOT using Dr Jeykl and Mr Hyde trails on the long course, but they are part of the half marathon course so it will be marked leading up to the ride.  We will change this course marking between the run and the MTB, but if you are pre-riding the course this week, be aware that these are not part of the long course.      

Trail Etiquette / Passing:  There are passing opportunities spread throughout the course but passing may be challenging on many of the tight trails.  Passing riders should use audible signals such as ‘passing on your left’ or ‘passing on your right’ and, when possible and safe to do so, slower racers should allow them to pass.  PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE – BE COURTEOUS OUT THERE AND REMEMBER, THIS IS JUST A RACE AND THERE ARE WAY MORE IMPORTANT THINGS IN LIFE.  RACING SAFELY IS AN EXPECTATION.  RACE HARD, BUT DON’T BE RECKLESS.  THANK YOU!

Course Marking / Trails NOT Closed:  The course will be marked with arrows at all turns or areas of decision and ‘comfort arrows’ about every .15 mile along the course.  Caution tape will block off major trails that are not part of the course.  Small social trails leading to homes or to streams may not be blocked off but if you need to make a turn, it will be obvious with the arrows.  Stay on the main trail, unless you see an arrow/s.  Course marshals and/or Sheriff’s Deputies will be placed at key spots along the course, mostly at the major road intersections and road crossings.  With this said, PLEASE LOOK BOTH WAYS when crossing roads.  The trails at Briar Chapel will NOT be closed to other user traffic for this race but we will do our best to alert non-race users that the event is taking place.  There is a chance a non-racer finds their way onto the course, so please keep your eyes open for other users, call your passes, and be respectful when passing them.

NEXT LAP / TO FINISH Split:  Two lap racers (sport, single-speed, expert) will NOT go through timing after their first lap, but instead turn right at the NEXT LAP signage and stay on the trail.  There will be three NEXT LAP signs and a course marshal at this location to help you, but you MUST be mindful of this when you are racing.  All other racers will follow the TO FINISH signs and sport/single-speed/experts will follow the TO FINISH sign after their second lap.  This will be explained further at the pre-race brief.     

Road Section at Race Finish:  The last .3 mile of the course will be on neighborhood streets.  After exiting the trail (after the NEXT LAP and TO FINISH split), take a right onto Old Piedmont Rd and then a left onto Salt Cedar Lane for the uphill climb to the the finish chute.  There will be course marshals along this section but please be careful and keep your eyes open for vehicular traffic.    

Aid Stations/Hydration:  STAY HYDRATED.  We recommend that every racer bring their own filled water bottle/s or hydration pack to use in this race.  We will have two aid stations on the 12 mile course (at 4.0M and 10.6M), one on the 5.5 mile course (at 4.0M), and one at the finish line.  The aid stations will have water, Gatorade, a first aid kit, and emergency communications.  A bike pump will be available for use at each aid station.

NO EARBUDS or AUDIBLE MUSIC:  Using earbuds or playing audible music in a mountain bike race is a significant safety risk and is NOT PERMITTED.  This will be strictly enforced and is grounds for disqualification.  Please don’t make us be the bad guy.

No Dogs on the Course:  We love our furry friends, but for the safety of all racers (and dogs), they are NOT PERMITTED on the racecourse.  Spectators are welcome to bring LEASHED (6′ leash max) and SUPERVISED dogs.  Please do not allow your dog to come within 10′ of the racecourse.  

Photos:  Talented professional photographers Mark Brocker and Jay Profitt will be at the race capturing images of the fun and friendly competition.  All photos will be available for FREE download a few days after the event and we will email you when they are ready.  Smile big when you see Mark and Jay out on the course! 

Chip Timing / Results:  The timing pros from Junction 311 are timing this race.  Your timing chip will be on the back of your race number, which you will receive at check-in.  VERY IMPORTANT:  Affix your race number on the front of your handlebars with the twist ties provided (see photo below for an example of stellar number placement).  Your race number must be visible from the front (cables behind is better but in front is OK also).  Results will be posted online and a QR code to the results will be available after you finish the race.  We will also send you an email with a link to the results.     

Safety and Medical:  Deputies from the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office will be onsite watching over our safety (mostly at busy road crossings) and EMTs from the Chatham County Fire Department will be onsite to assist with any medical issues, and to provide any needed emergency response.  Go to the medical tent if you need first aid or medical assistance.  Thank you, Chatham County Sheriff’s Office and Fire Department!

Post-Race Food/Beverages:  Tasty post-race food such as sliders, bagels/peanut butter, hummus/veggies, fruit (bananas, apples, etc), trail bars, chips, cookies, trail mix, little cups of M&Ms, etc. will be available after the race – enjoy!  Beverages include water, Gatorade, seltzer water, soft drinks, and beer (see below) – NICE!  Food is complimentary for all racers and volunteers.  

Post-Race Beer:  A cold beer hits the spot after a race and you will have two options on race day.  Head on over to the Crank Arm Brewing tent to purchase one of their craft beers or grab a complimentary non-alcoholic beer from Athletic Brewing Company.  Thank you and cheers to Crank Arm and Athletic Brewing Company!

FREE Kids Race for Treasure:  At 4:30pm, all kids 4-10 are invited to participate in the Kids Race for Treasure.  Fun, Fun, Fun!!!  We will separate the kids into age groups and complete one, two, or three laps of a .3 mile bike course in the fields near the staging area (4-5 one lap, 6-8 two laps, 9-10 three laps).  After racing, kids can choose a toy from the ‘treasure chest’.  Sign up your child at check-in from 3:30pm-4:15pm.  

Awards / Prizes / Giveaways / Contests:  The award ceremony will take place at 5pm on the stage near the pavilion.  Awards (1st-5th place pint glasses) will be presented to the top five in each class.  In addition to the pint glasses, the top three in each class will receive prizes (swag and gift certs from Trek Chapel Hill and Delta Cycle).  After the awards, we will do a couple of fun contests, with the winners receiving prizes, and all contest participants receiving swag.   

Awesome Sponsors:  THANK YOU to all our generous sponsors for providing product, services, donations, and giveaways in support of grassroots racing and our community.  Please show your love and support our sponsors in any way you can.  Athletic Brewing Company, Crank Arm Brewing, Delta Cycle, and Trek Chapel Hill.

Swag and Gift Certificates from Trek Chapel Hill:  Trek Chapel Hill has generously contributed gift certificate and swag that will be used for prizes and randomly as giveaways – NICE and Thank You, Trek Chapel Hill!

Swag from Delta Cycle:  A big shout out to Delta Cycle for providing some great swag for prizes and giveaways.  Two lucky randomly drawn winners will grab a very cool Pivot Rack and they have also furnished a few Stwaps for random giveaways.  Also, most of the top spot podium finishers will receive a Stwap.  Delta Cycle has pioneered enhancing the cycling experience for over 30 years through innovative, design-driven bike accessories and storage solutions.  Thank you, Delta Cycle!

TORC:  Triangle Off-Road Cyclists (TORC) will be on-site promoting the club, signing up new members, and supporting the MTB community.  Thank you, TORC for supporting this race, hosting rides, and for all the great work you do to build/maintain the trails we all love.  We would also like to thank all those that donated to TORC during registration – 100% of those funds will be handed over to TORC to further their mission to build and maintain trails in the Triangle.   

One final THANK YOU goes out to YOU and all racers for participating, to the helpful volunteers for donating their time and energy, to Briar Chapel Management (Kianta, Don, and Ralph) and their incredible support, and to the Roadless Races staff, friends, and family for the support and hard work to make it all happen.  

We can’t wait for race day and look forward to seeing you on Sat.

Jim

Jim Harman
Race Director
Roadless Races
Roadlessraces.com
jim@roadlessraces.com
571-251-6034