The final update and check-in info

We are less than a week from the race! Maps and passports are printed, prizes from the race sponsors have arrived, and everything is ready for the race day.

GEAR 

Now it’s your turn to get ready. First, please check the updated gear list (Sport, Expert), because we added one new item: Waterproof jacket. We have had an unusually wet summer and some afternoon rains can be really cold. We learned this the hard way, while setting up the course. We will make random gear checks during the race, please prepare everything to avoid penalties.

TRANSITION BINS

We did some final tweaks to the Sport category course. It’s a little longer now, but still much shorter than Expert course.  To make it a little easier we will allow Sport category teams to stage one bin or bag in the middle of the race. You can put extra food, clothes, shoes or any other stuff there. Please don’t stage water; there will be an unlimited supply of tap water available at the location. Expert category racers are not going to have the luxury of staging transition bins and will do the entire course self-sufficiently.

MAPS

Both Expert and Sport category teams will have several 8.5x11 inch maps. O-courses maps will have the scale 1:15000, other maps 1:24000. All checkpoints are pre-plotted on all maps, but you still might need a highlighter to mark your course. There will be one supplemental map as well. All maps, passports and rules of travel are printed on waterproof and tear proof paper, but you still have to protect all these papers from the elements.

CHECK-IN INFO

Check-in will start around 7 am. Follow volunteers’ instructions to park your cars. Carpool, if possible. Please print and fill out the race waiver and waiver for minors, if you have a minor on your team.  To make the process faster, please come to the check-in area with the forms, bikes, biking helmets and biking shoes. Make sure your helmet and shoes are securely attached to your bike; Calleva is not responsible for lost or damaged gear. Leave all other stuff in your cars, you will have enough time to get it after check in and before the race starts. You can attach water battles to your bikes, but please no food. At the end of the check-in you will get your bibs and maps. Around 8 am we will have a briefing and answer all your questions. We will transport you to the start. The race will start at 9 am. You will start on foot.

That’s all for now, the race is officially sold out and on-line registration is closed. If you know some other teams that want to register, we still might have a few spots. Please email us for details. Visit our facebook page to see some fresh photos from the course.

We look forward to seeing you suffer with a smile this Sunday!

Call for Volunteers

The 2013 Calleva Race is less than 2 weeks away and, as the race entrants list fills up, we need your help to make this year's race a success! We need volunteers for the morning before the race, during the race, as racers finish and for help after the finish to clean up. Please note that there is no minimum amount of time for volunteering and that any amount helps! We have opportunities big and small! We are looking for volunteers for:

Race Day Morning: (7:00am to 9:00am)

Help set up race HQ

Work packet pick up and hand out swag on race morning

Distribute maps

During Calleva Race: (9:00am to 7:00pm)

Help at checkpoints and transition areas during the race (a great opportunity for family members of racers and a lot of fun)

Help loading bikes and moving canoes and kayaks

Finish Line: (5:00pm to 8:00pm)

Work the finish line, collecting information as teams come in

Process finish line data

After race clean up

We are so grateful to all of the volunteers that come out and support Calleva and our racers! To show our thanks, all volunteers will get a race t-shirt and post-race food. Middle and high school students can get up to 8 hours of community service for helping us with the race, but every student must be accompanied by adult.

Volunteers make the Calleva Race possible and help us to keep our entry fees among the lowest in the country (and our volunteers have a great time in the process!) We hope that you can help us out this year.

To get more info, please send us an email, or just come Sunday morning (8:30 am or earlier), August 4th to the race HQ at 13015 Riley's Lock Rd Poolesville, MD 20837.

Hope that you are able to come out and volunteer for the 2013 Calleva Race!

Calleva Race pre-run report and race updates

This weekend Brian and Robin did the expert course vetting in real racing conditions with real maps, passports and course description. Here are some recommendations they prepared for you:

Be ready to decide whether you want to spend more time trekking/orienteering or paddling. You may want to think strategically what will get you the most points. It may vary by team depending on your strengths. Be sure to consider river current and air temperature.

Because there are more than enough points don't spend too much time searching for one point. If you can't find it move on and start working on the next point.

Brush is not as bad as years past but I was glad my legs were covered at times. Not as much Poison Ivy but lots of Stinging Nettle.

Trails are almost always faster than bushwhacking even it means going out of your way a little. Try to maximize your time on trails. The forest can be thick. Sometimes it is clear though.

Lots of creek crossings, but if it’s as hot as the vetting then you will appreciate being able to cool down in the creeks so much.

Awesome single track riding. Wish there was more.

Biking is fairly straight forward but you still want to be aware of where you are on the map so you don't accidentally get lost.

Make sure to plan ahead so that you finish on time.

My general impression was that there would be a lot of routes for people to travel, a lot of decisions to be made early on about what to skip, and people will be crisscrossing each other all day.

The stinging nettle was something, I was very uncomfortable on Sunday night and I think it was from not wearing pants on that last O course. (Which was 100% my choice/mistake, I know!)

A few notes from the race director:
Sport category racers, you will have 2-3 miles of simple single track mountain biking. That is in addition to paved and gravel road biking. Please be ready! Expert racers will ride about 20 miles, mostly on single track. The longest time Expert and Sport racers will spend will be trekking and navigating several o-courses. If you like to get lost your total trekking (running) distance could approach 20+ miles for Experts and 10-15 miles for Sport. If you don’t feel confident navigating in the forest, you can skip many land check points and try your paddling skills instead. Navigation on the water is easier, but attempting to collect all paddling check points might increase your paddling distance by 3-5 miles. The major difference of this year’s race compared to all previous years: The Expert course is very long and is impossible to clear in 10 hours (we estimate 12 hours should be enough for a very strong team). You will have to make strategic decisions what to skip, especially at the early stages of the race, when you still have choices and are not running against the cut-off time. Sport category, your course is significantly shorter and some strong (Expert level) teams might be able to collect all check points. For teams that have never raced Calleva Race before, here is a link to last year’s maps, passports and rules of travel. This year the race will be in the same format, but in different location.

Attention Expert category SOLO racers. It is easier to finish the race as a team. Some of you may want to join and create a team. If so, send us an email about yourself and your skills and we will send it to all other solo racers.

T-shirt order will go out in a few days, please update your sizes. Just send us an email to update.

As usual, we will post some photos and maybe even videos from this year’s course on our Facebook page. “Like” us, if you want to receive this inside information!

The race is less than one month away. See you August 4th.