Your Season Depends On It!!

ALL EVENTS OPEN for registration thru Thursday online. Then each event open for registration an hour and half before each event onsite.  The Epic Challenge is all 4 events in 3 days.  The rest can be entered individually.  Please join us on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest news on the current event, as well as other promotions

Epic Challenge athletes receive Double Points for MMSPS!

Distances: Friday night - 7pm
1mi. Seed sprint - Starkermann jr.
5k seed run - Starkermann

Saturday morning - 9am - awesome new bike course!
2.2 mi.run, 20k bike, 300m swim - Starkermann jr.
4.4 mi run,30k bike, 300m swim- Starkermann

Superkidstry Aquathon - 12pm

Saturday evening - 5pm
20k Time Trial - Starkermann jr.
40k Time Trial - Starkermann

Sunday morning - 10am
1mi. run, 10k bike, 2mi. run - Starkermann jr.
5k run, 30k bike, 5k run - Starkermann


Date/location: Friday, Saturday, Sunday May 14, 15, 16, Gaylord, Mi.
All venues are less than 10k from each other.
Otsego Club - 696 M-32 E, Gaylord, Mi.
Sportsplex - 1250 Gornick ave. Gaylord, Mi. 989.731.3546
Tree Tops Resort - 3962 Wilkinson rd. Gaylord, Mi. 989.732.6711

Venue/Area Information: We picked this area for many reasons, one being it is our home town.  Also, it is the perfect area for such an event.  There are plenty of accomodations, area amenities, and beautiful and challenging terrain with excellent facilities at each venue.  As I said  - perfect for such an event.  Gaylord is located at Exit 282 off of I-75.  Please click here for all the local information.

Courses: Seed runs Friday night are fast, flat out and back on the Starkermann run course giving you a little practice before the duathlon on Sunday. The triathlon run courses will be a fast, flat loop around the Sportsplex.  The out and back bike portions will flat for the jr. and a few rolling hills the final 3 miles for the Starkermann athletes. The swim of course is indoors at the Sportsplex pool.  The bike Time Trials will be on hilly challenging roads including what the locals call Big Nasty and Little Nasty as well as the start and finish at the Tree Tops resort which they call little Alp du Huez. The Duathlon is the same great course used for over 20 yrs. now which will be on some of the time trial course for the bike portion. Run portion is on the beautiful Otsego Club property which is mostly unpaved service roads for the golf courses.

Race Tips:Well what can I other than be prepared for ANY type of weather. Your race bag check list MUST include everything from jacket and tights to shorts and sleeveless top. It is Northern Michigan in May folks.  Most of you competing from Michigan have heard the weather history for this race or have had the pleasure of experiencing it first hand.  In the Starkermanns history it has been 70 and sun on Saturday and 30 and rain/snow on Sunday, and vice versa that is why this event has earned the "epic challenge" in its name. So even though the weather forecast may say good things about the weekend my first tip is pack it all and prepare for it all.  Best case is you don't have to use any bad weather gear.   Next, not just because we want you to do this event, and not just because we are hosting it, you need to do this event to prepare for your season. We have structured this for specific future training purposes. The fast runs to see where the leg speed is at.  The sprint triathlons to practice transitions, leg speed, and get in a little tri before the season kicks off.   Time Trials on the bike because most of us do not do them and they are a great gage to let you know your weaknesses on the bike are and where that endurance, power and strength levels are at. Finally the duathlons.  I have said for 20 years, .a duathlon is more difficult than a triathlon and being the last event of the weekend it will surely tell you if you need more speed work, more endurance work, more hill work, etc. So this event will become the ultimate pre-season gage for athletes training purposes. So tip 3 is, set goals for each event and write down all the information you can following each event so you can use that following the event to tweak your training for the upcoming season. Tip 4, make sure the bike is tuned and ready for some climbing and fast descents. Tip 5, this event WILL prepare you for the June racing season so you owe it to yourself and your season to challenge yourself with this event! 

Packet Pickup/Registration: Will begin at 5:30pm Friday night at the Otsego club. Then 1.5 hrs. before each event for those racing in individual events. Sportsplex for Triathlons, Tree Tops resort for Time Trials, Otsego Club for duathlons.

Athletes registered for multiple events will only need to go to Packet Pickup ONCE, you will receive race number, chip and strap for all your events in your race bag. Do not lose this, you are responsible for the chip and strap all weekend long.

USAT: A $10 one day license fee will be collected AT Registration for all NON USAT members. This was not included in your entry fee and must be paid to USAT, not event management. If pre registered please have a check or cash ready.
(remember the USAT age up rule, meaning you will race at the age you will be at the end of the year)

January 31, 2010	$130 weekend
April 30, 2010	$180 weekend
After May 1, 2010	$190 weekend
4 RaceWeekend	Individual events
On site registration add $10
Non USAT members must pay $10 onsite at registration. $10 goes directly to USAT!
***You must be pre registered 14 days in advance to guarantee a shirt.
Online registration closes Thursday 12:00am

EVENTS
all event start times and distances are subject to change

Starkermann Jr. -1mi. - out half mile and back

Starkermann - 5k - out 2500 and back on the Starkermann run course, perfect to get your prepared for Sundays duathlon.

SATURDAY  5.16 -9am
Packet Pickup 7:30am to 8:30am = Awesome new bike course.
Reverse Format Triathlon:
Starting and finishing at the Otsego County Sportsplex.   Beginning with a flat, fast 2.2 or 4.4mi. run.  Starting with a part cros country run on the snowmobile trail.  These are not trails but more like a cross country course, flat along the train tracks.  Followed by an absolutely awesome bike course because there are like 20 houses on the entire course.  Pine Tree lined the entire way, very little traffic, flat, fast, smooth roads.  Jr. athletes will have a flat course, Starkermann athletes will have some hills the final three miles before returning.   then a 20k or 30k bike  and finishing up with an indoor 400m serpentine style swim inside the Otsego sportsplex pool. Click here for VENUE MAP

Starkermann jr.
2.2mi. run, 20k bike, 300m indoor swim

Starkermann
4.4mi. run, 30k bike, 300m indoor swim (2 loops on run course)

Click here for Run course map      Click here for NEW Bike course   Click here for swim map

SATURDAY 5.16 -5pm
Packet Pickup 3:30 - 4:30pm
Road Bike TIME TRIALS:
Start and finish at the Tree Tops Resort. Both courses will test your brakes, your gears, and you! There will not be a ton of hammering in the aero position on this one folks. But the real question is, who will have enough left in the tank to climb mini Alpe Duez to the finish line?

Starkermann Jr. 20k - An out and back that will turn around just before the descent of the Big Nasty so you will not have to climb the Big Nasty. But you will have to deal with the hills before it.

Starkermann 40k - An out and back encompassing the back half of the Starkermann duathlon bike course as well as Big Nasty.   This will be a leg, lung and gear burner.  Who will be the real Starkermann?

Click here for course maps

SUNDAY 5.17 -10am
packet pickup 8:30 - 9:30am
DUATHLONS: 26th  Starkermann duathlon, one of the countrys oldest.
Start and finish at the Otsego Club resort. This is the final test, rolling to hilly terrain for both disciplines will test both machines, bike and you.

Starkermann Jr. - 1mi. run, 10k bike, 2mi. run

Starkermann - 5k run, 30k bike, 5k run

Click here for course maps     Click here for venue map

*Remember this is an open course! You will be sharing the road with vehicular traffic. Use caution at all times. It will be your responsibility to print maps, and know the courses.  It is the athlete's responsibility to know and understand the courses.  Helmets are a must.  No helmet - no race.  MP3 players on the bike course are an automatic disqualification.  Due to a few athletes actions in the past during an event we are making you aware not only in this event but ALL events whether hosted by us or any other event management company YOU MUST OBEY ALL OFFICIALS and EMERGENCY VEHICLES on the course AT ALL TIMES!!  The bottom line here is your race is not more important than an EMERGENCY or OFFICIAL on the course.  In the event of an emergency you MUST obey officials requests, and you MUST STOP and pull off the road for any and all EMERGENCY VEHICLES to get by.  This is not only to ensure the emergency vehicles can proceed, it is for your safety as well.  Any athlete that does not adhere to this rule will be disqualified and will not race in a 3 d event for the rest of the year.  This to us is common sense and should not have ever came to this point. 
 

Relays: At registration you will receive ONE bib number and ONE chip/strap. The bib number goes on the runner as that is who will be crossing the finish line. All relay members must be body marked with that number. The Chip/Strap will be securely fastened around the person competing in the first discipline. There will be a designated spot for All Relays at one of the entry/exit points in the transition area marked RELAYS. All staging and chip/strap exchanging is to be done at this point. Not on the course. The Chip/Strap must be securely fastened to each athletes ankle, do not grab it and go, do not put it on the wrist. Upon finishing it is the last athletes responsibility to return that chip/strap at the finish line. (one athlete may do more than one discipline)

Finish/Awards: After you have returned your chip and strap you will proceed to the post race snack tent for refreshments. Raffle and Awards will begin AFTER the last person finishes. If you chose to leave event management will not be responsible in any way for mailing your award or raffle prize.

you may print and mail in a check for $10 within 2 weeks after the event to get your award mailed to you. If your envelope is postmarked after 2 weeks or does not contain a check for $10we will not send the award.

Amenities:, Custom Finishers Medal, Custom Awards for age group and overall winners, Huge partner supplied post race raffle, Professional Chip Timing with all splits provided, Hammer Nutrition products, Custom Swim Cap, Partner supplied product samples, The best post race snack tent around, Epic Challenge athletes will enjoy the delicious Otsego Club Brunch following the duathlon on Sunday as part of your entry fee. 

Special Thanks: City of Gaylord, Otsego Club, Tree Tops Resort, Sportsplex,

Proceeds:

Please Support Our Partners:

Rules: Event management reserves the right to post pone, change format, or cancel the event at any time if the safety of athletes, staff, support crew, and officials is or could be in jeopardy. THERE WILL BE NO REFUNDS FOR ANY REASON!!! Event management is NOT responsible for late arrivals, athletes not finding a venue, etc.  Late arrivals will NOT be issued a chip and strap and you will not be allowed in the transition area once it is closed.  Again, there will be no refunds for any reason.  If an event has mandatory bike check in you must check in your bike during the alotted check in times.  Failure to do so will mean you are not going to race and again no refunds will be given.  These rules are in place for a reason and deviation of them is not fair to the hundreds of athletes that follow the rules.  Profanities on the course, directed at support crew, staff, or fellow athletes will not be tolerated and will result in an Automatic Disqualification and could result in further suspension.  If you are caught throwing trash on the course you will receive a 5 minute penalty for the first offense and the second will be a disqualfication. There are garbage bins everywhere, use them.  Kids 17 and under may not compete in half ironman distance events. Kids must be 10 yrs. of age to compete in adult sprint events. The race director will have final say for anyone racing at any event.  Athletes experience will be considered in a personal interview with the race director on site if a question of ability to safely finish is at stake.  Failure to comply will result in a change of event or disqualification if there is an un-willingness on an athletes part.  Safety will NOT be compromised under any circumstances.  A lost chip will be billed directly to the athlete for a $40 fee and may result in no times for event.