Hello Sprocket Fuel MTB Racers,
Welcome to the 3rd Annual Sprocket Fuel MTB Race coming up this Saturday, 8/24 at Harris Lake! We’re sooo excited for race day and hope you are too. It’s going to be a great day!
Below is the race day info email which contains detailed information for Saturday. This note is long but should answer most questions you might have about the race. Please take a few minutes to read. We will send another email on Friday morning with reminders and updates.
Some items before we get to logistics:
Start List and Reg Open until Thurs @ 10pm: As of Tues 8/20 @ 9am, we have 123 athletes registered to race (see START LIST HERE). Please let your MTBing friends know that online registration is open until 10pm on Thursday, 8/22 and that race day registration on-site will be available for an extra $10. NOTE – registering online is preferred (and thus less expensive) because it simplifies and speeds up the check-in process. THANK YOU for registering early and for helping to spread the word to your friends. The registration link is HERE.
T-Shirts: If you ordered a t-shirt, you will receive it at check-in. We still have some t-shirts available in most sizes, but size inventory is in the single digits for all available sizes. These tees are stylish, comfy, and fit great. If you want a tee and did not order one when you registered, you can see available inventory and order one HERE (click on the dropdown menu to see inventory).
Volunteers: We can still use the help of a few more volunteers, mostly with course marshalling (need 1 from 8am-10:30am and 1 from 12:30pm-2pm), sweeping (need 1 to sweep expert race @ 8am – follow last racer – do not need to be an expert rider, but able to ride 21 miles at a medium+ pace), and demarking (need 2 from 12:30pm-3pm). 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 8/21 so we have time to incorporate them into the volunteer plan. THANK YOU!
RACE LOGISTICS
Race Classes and Starting Procedures: To prevent overcrowding on the trails and to ensure riders of similar ability are racing together, we are separating the field of racers into three distinct races – expert/sport/single-speed (8am), beginner/juniors (11:30am), and intermediate (12:30pm). Within those races, we will further separate into start waves, spaced 1-3 minutes apart (see below for exact start times).
Combining Classes: Racers are currently registered in 25 of the available 30 classes. Few people want to race with just one or two other athletes. So, after online registration closes at 10pm on Thursday, 8/22, 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 race day registration). We will not change distance or general race time (8am, 11:30am, or 12:30pm) for any racer and we will not combine gender or ability levels. The final start list posted online on Friday morning will reflect any changes we make (VIEW START LIST HERE). The email we send on Friday morning will include the final classes and start times for each class (which might be off by 1-4 minutes from what is now posted).
NO CLASS CHANGES AFTER THURSDAY 8/22: If you would like to change your class, you MUST change before online registration closes at 10pm on 8/22. To change your class, log into your profile on bikereg.com and edit your registration or click on the ‘Edit My Entry’ link in the navigation bar near the top of the registration page. You can also email me before Thursday and I can make the change for you.
Current Classes / Start Times / Schedule:
8am Race
Experts (22.5 miles / 3 laps)
Sport and Single-speed (16 miles / 2 laps)
• Check-in open from 6:45am-7:45am
• 7:50am – Race line up and pre-race brief
• 8:00am – Expert Male Open
• 8:01am – Expert Female Open, Expert Male Masters 50+
• 8:04am – Sport Male Open
• 8:06am – Sport Male Masters 40+
• 8:08am – Sport Male Masters 50+, Sport Male Masters 60+, Single-speed Male Open
• 8:10am – Sport Female Open, Sport Female Masters 50+, Single-speed Female Open
• Post-race food/beverage starting at 9:15am
• Awards/giveaways at 10:15am
11:30am Race
Beginners and Juniors 6-14 (7 miles / 2 laps)
Super Juniors 6-10 (3.5 miles / 1 lap)
• Check-in open from 10:45am-11:15am
• 11:20am – Racer line up and pre-race brief
• 11:30am – Beginner Male, Jr 13-14 Male, Jr 11-12 Male
• 11:33am – Beginner Female, Jr 13-14 Female, Jr 11-12 Female, Jr 6-10 Open
• 11:35am – Super Junior 9-10
• 11:36am – Super Junior 6-8
• Post-race food/beverage
• Awards/giveaways at 12:45pm
12:30pm Race
Intermediate (10 miles / 1 lap)
Adapted (1 mile / 1 lap)
• Check-in open from 11:15am-12:15pm
• 12:20am – Racer line up and pre-race brief
• 12:30pm – Interm Male 19-39, Interm Male 13-18
• 12:33pm – Interm Male Masters 40+
• 12:36pm – Interm Male Masters 50+, Interm Male Masters 60+
• 12:38pm – Interm Female 19-39, Interm Female 13-18, Interm Female Masters 40+, Interm Female Masters 50+
• 12:40pm – Adapted (any recumbent trike or handcycle in either Class 1 E-assist or Non E-assist)
• Post-race food/beverage until 2:30pm
• Awards/giveaways at 2:00pm
Weather: Race day weather is currently looking fantastic, with sunny skies, light winds and temps from the upper 60s in the early morning to the low 80s in the early afternoon. We will provide a weather update on Friday.
Course Conditions: The park did an amazing job clearing many downed trees after the storm – THANK YOU, Harris Lake park staff! We were at the park yesterday (Mon, 8/19) clearing the remaining derailleur-killing sticks from the trails north of the park road (6+ miles) and will go back today or tomorrow to finish clearing the intermediate and beginner trails. We are not expecting any rain from now until race day and anticipate a fast and dry course. On Friday, we will provide an update on the course conditions.
Pre-Riding: We will mark the course on Thursday morning and finalize the caution taping on Friday afternoon. It will be easy to follow on Thursday after 3pm or anytime on Friday if you would like to give the course a whirl. You can also pre-ride the entire course on race day from 7am-7:45am and from 10:30am-11:15am, and the trails north of the main entrance road from 10:30am-12:15pm.
Venue Address: Harris Lake County Park, 2112 County Park Drive, New Hill, NC 27562
Parking / Arrival: After entering the park, follow the ‘race parking’ signs. Park in the field near the Hog Run trailhead. Please arrive early and carpool, if bringing family or friends. Our staff/volunteers will be controlling the flow of traffic to maximize available space. If and when all the space fills up near the staging area, vehicles will be directed to our overflow parking @ the Cypress Pavilion, which is a .3 mile trail ride to the staging area. Please factor parking, check-in, warming up, and using the restroom into your travel plans. We recommend arriving AT LEAST 45 minutes before the start time for your group (arrive by 7:15am for the 8am race, 10:45am for the 11:30am race, and 11:45am for the 12:30pm race).
Check-in: Check-in at the staging area near the Hog Run trailhead. Check-in will be open from 6:45am-7:45am for the 8am race, 10:45am-11:15am for the 11:30am race, and 11:15am-12:15pm for the 12:30pm race. At check-in you will receive your race number and t-shirt (if you ordered one). VERY IMPORTANT: Your timing chip will be on the back of your race number and should be affixed to your handlebars, with the twist ties provided, so it is fully visible from the front. At check-in we will also mark your calf with your class number.
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.
Portajohns: Portajohns will be located near check-in and the race start.
Race Lineup / Pre-Race Brief: The races will start on the gravel road near the trailhead. Racers should line up 10 minutes before the start of each race. 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 7:55am for the 8am race, 11:25am for the 11:30am race, and 12:25pm for the 12:30pm race. 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 Course Description: Depending on class, athletes will start in waves and complete 1-3 laps on a course that includes smooth, twisty, and flowing single-track trails and short punchy hill climbs. These trails are fast and FUN! The race will start with .25 miles of wide gravel road, open field, and double-track trails, before hitting the single-track. The course measures 6.3 miles for a lap, north of County Park Drive, and 3.4 miles for a shortened lap, south of County Park Drive. The shortened lap is less technical. Expert, Sport, and Intermediates will complete one shortened lap and 1-3 laps north of County Park Drive. Juniors 6-14 and Beginners will complete 2 shortened laps for a total of 7 miles and Super Juniors 6-10 will complete one shortened lap for a total of 3.5 miles. Adapted riders will complete one lap of the beginner course measuring 1 mile.
To view interactive course details and elevation profiles for each course, click on the links below:
Link to Full Lap
Link to Shortened Lap
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 / Trail Closure: The course will be marked with arrows at all turns or areas of decision. Caution tape will block off trails that are not part of the course. Course marshals will be placed at key spots along the course and at the road crossing. The MTB trails at Harris Lake will be closed to other MTBing traffic for this race. With this said, there is always a chance a non-racer finds their way onto the course, so please keep your eyes open for other users.
NEXT LAP Course Marking: Racers in the classes below will complete two or three laps. We will have course marshals near the next lap intersection, but it is the responsibility of each rider to know which lap they are on. NOTE – we will help the juniors to ensure they take their second lap but for all you adults out there, please remember your lap count.
• Experts will complete three laps of the course north of County Park Dr and should TURN LEFT the first and second times they see the ‘TO NEXT LAP’ signs (to start lap 2 and lap 3). On their third time through this intersection, expert riders should follow the ‘TO FINISH’ signs.
• Sport and Single-speed racers will complete two laps of the course north of County Park Dr and should TURN LEFT the first time they see the ‘TO NEXT LAP’ signs (to start lap 2). On their second time through this intersection, sport and single-speed racers should follow the ‘TO FINISH’ signs.
• Beginners, Jr 13-14, Jr 11-12, and Jr 6-10 racers (excluding super jr 6-8 and super jr 9-10 that do one lap) will complete two laps of the course south of County Park Dr and start their second lap after going through the finish chute the first time.
Mile Markers: We love to use mile markers in our races but given the nature of this course, mile markers would be more confusing than helpful. With this said, we will have a mile marker at the aid station for Lap 1 (6.6M), Lap 2 (12.9M), and Lap 3 (19.2M). Obviously, the Lap 3 marker will only apply to experts and the Lap 2 marker will only apply to expert, sport, and single-speed racers. There will also be a ‘½ Mile To Go’ mile marker, which will apply to all racers on the last lap.
Aid Stations/Hydration: We recommend that every racer bring their own filled water bottle/s or hydration pack to use in this race. We will have one aid station on the course (every 6 miles for the 8am and 12:30pm races only) and one at the finish line. The aid stations will have water, Gatorade, a first aid kit, and a staff member with emergency communications. A bike pump will be available for use at the aid station and also at finish of each lap for the 8am and 12:30pm racers (near the road crossing).
NO EARPHONES or AUDIBLE MUSIC: Using earphones 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.
Photos: Professional photographer Tim Skelding be at the race capturing images from the event. All photos will be available for FREE download a few days after the event, and we will send you an email when they are ready. Smile big when you see Tim 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. 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.
Recovery / Medical: EMTs from the Apex Fire Department will be on-site to provide any needed medical assistance or emergency response. Thank you, to the Apex Fire Department for the awesome support!
Post-Race Food: Water, Gatorade, soft drinks, and Athletic Brewing Company non-alcoholic craft beer will be available after the race. Food includes yummy stuff like sliders, bagels/peanut butter, hummus/veggies, fruit (bananas and watermelon), trail bars, chips, cookies, little cups of M&Ms, etc. Food and beverage is complimentary for all racers and volunteers.
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 for your generous support!
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.
Awards / Prizes / Giveaways: We will have three separate awards ceremonies, at 10:15am for expert, sport, and single-speed, at 12:45pm for beginners/juniors, and at 2pm for intermediate and adapted racers. 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/or discounts into next year’s Sprocket Fuel race). Giveaway swag will be randomly distributed at the award ceremonies. You must be present at the awards ceremony to claim your award/prize or win a giveaway – THEY WILL NOT BE MAILED.
Coastal Credit Union Donation to Meals on Wheels: Not-for-profit, member-owned cooperative, that provides member dividends, teller service 7 days a week, better rates, low fees, and safe/secure banking, Coastal Credit Union has been putting community over profit for over 50 years, and we are thrilled to partner with such an upstanding corporate citizen. At this race, and at many of our events, Coastal has committed to donate $3/athlete to the local chapter of Meals on Wheels to support its mission of providing meals and connection to homebound seniors in need. You rock, Coastal Credit Union – THANK YOU!
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, Coastal Credit Union, and Delta Cycle.
One final THANK YOU goes out to you and all racers for participating, to the helpful volunteers for donating their time and energy, to Harris Lake Park Manager Ash Subat and his staff for 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
