18th Annual Race - Sunday, September 25th, 2011

Running or Mt. Biking

Hosted at	Benefitting

Date:	Sunday, Sunday, September 25th, 2011
Location:	Registration, Meals, Start and Finish at Ascutney Mountain Resort in Brownsville, VT
Entry Fee:	Mt Bikers: $125. Runners:$115 for runners before Aug 1 and $135 thereafter.  Relay teams: $275.
Fee Includes:	Breakfast munchies, aid station food, post-race dinner meal ticket, t-shirt and festivities.
Registration:	Pick up your registration packets on Saturday, Saturday, September 24th, 2011, 12:00 to 8:00 p.m. under the tent in the Cunningham building of Ascutney MT Resort, Brownsville VT. Participants must each pick up their own registration packets.  Photo ID is required to pick up packets. NO WALK-IN REGISTRATION ON SATURDAY OR SUNDAY All entrants must pre-register and pick up racer packets on Saturday.
Pre-Race Meeting:	Early morning on Sunday, September 25th, 2011 Meeting times: 50 Mile - Bike, Run, Relay 5:15 a.m. 50 K Racers 7:30 a.m. You must check in at pre-race meeting and give bib # in order to participate.
Race Starts:	Category Start Time Expert Male Senior 2 and All Single Speed 6:00 am Expert Veteran Men and Master 1 Men 6:05 am All remaining Experts (Male/Female) 6:10 am Sport Veteran Men 6:15 am Sport Master 1 & 2 6:20 am All remaining Sports 6:25 am All Novice & Tandem 6:30 am All 50 Mile Runners 6:35 am     All 50 K Runners 8:00 am Be prepared for a chilly and foggy morning start! Cut-off time for finish, for all racers: 6:40 p.m.
Aid Stations:	Ten stations throughout the 50 Mile course. Three aid stations will be accessible to handlers. The aid stations are well stocked with drinks and food. You won't go hungry!! Note: Aid station close times are NON-NEGOTIABLE. Aid Station details - mileages posted here may change, depending on weather, trail problems, etc.
Relay Points:	Mileage breakdown: 12.3 Miles Start to Skunk Hollow 17.9 Miles Skunk Hollow to Dugdale's 19.8 Miles Dugdale's to finish
Pre-Race Dinner:	Saturday, September 24th, 2011. Spaghetti Dinner will be served, cost is $15 per person (Not included in entry fee and limited to 170 people). The pre-race dinner will be Harvest Room in the main Hotel. Single seating: 5-7 p.m..
Post-Race Lunch:	Cookout served from approximately 12:00 - 6:00 PM (included in fee for racers).  This is not an all-you-can-eat buffet.  Please try to be considerate of others who finish later and are at least as hungry as you are. Due to limits by the vendor, the BBQ is limited to racers only.  Other food vendors will be there for spectators to purchase food.
Awards:	MT Bikers at 1:30 PM Runners at 3:00 PM Plaques and prizes will be awarded to the top 3 finishers in each category. MT Bikers Male and Female in each category and class Categories: Novice - entry level or first time competitor Sport - intermediate competitor Expert - very advanced competitor Age Groups (age as of race date): 1-17: Junior 18-26: Senior I 27-34: Senior II 35-44: Veteran 45-54: Master 55+: Master II All juniors will enter in the regular junior class that includes competitors up to age 18. In addition, for the Novice ability category only, special additional recognition will be given to the younger competitors, with a race season age of 14 or younger. These "Junior-Juniors" will receive top 3 medals for placement within this additional sub-category. Additional Classes: Clydesdale - Novice (min. weight 200 lbs) Clydesdale - Sport (min. weight 200 lbs) Tandem Runners Male and Female in each category and class Age Groups (age as of race date): Under 29 30-39 40-49 50-59 60-69 70 & above *Top 3 overall runners and mountain bikers.
T-Shirts:	Extra T-shirts - $12.00
Lodging:	Check the separate Lodging page. Should you need more information, just give us a call.
Directions:	Ascutney Mountain Resort is 10 miles from exit 8 or 9 off Interstate 91. Take Route 5 to Route 44. (From north, take Route 44A to Rt. 44). Located on Route 44. Take a left into the Resort, take the first right you will go past the fitness center, then look for Cunningham's Ski Barn on the left. The race registration is on the lower level in the rear of the building. Yahoo! map to Ascutney Mountain Resort
Parking:	Please park at the base lodge (and other designated spots only) and walk or bike down to the race office in the Cunningham building (look for signs). Please use parking lots only for parking!! To get to the Base Lodge when turning off Route 44 continue straight (do not take turn). The parking lot will be on your right. If you park on the grass you will be towed!
Refund Policy:	Refunds will be available until September 1, 2011, but not after that date, no exceptions. We will refund $50 as well as fees for any pre-paid meals and T-shirts.
50 Mile Runner's Description by Zeke Zucker	The race starts at Ascutney Mountain Resort in Brownsville.  For the first 4 miles racers will be on smooth gravel roads, one mile down, two on the level and the fourth one up. Now it's time to get to work, when you get onto 2+ miles of snowmobile-ATV trail which is fairly steep at the outset.  Another road segment, hilly this time, followed by more trail miles. After the aid station at the Skunk Hollow Tavern (@12 mi.), the next 8 mile stretch includes less than 2 on trail. Enjoy it because it's going to change. A key feature of this course is the fact that it pretty much alternates between road and trail and gives you plenty of hills to deal with. At mile 20 you'll encounter 1812' Garvin Hill, the highest point in Hartland, and wind up over and around it before heading back south on more trails and gravel roads. This includes a long descent of Densmore Hill Road, part of the revised 100 mile course, and then back up an equally long hill trail. At about 28 miles you come out onto Reeves Rd., where the 50K route hooks back in. Now there's over 2 miles of fairly decent terrain road, passing Smoke Rise Farm, but, of course, followed by more canopied trail. Be aware that the great majority of the trails on the course are quite ride able / run able with little in the way of rocks or roots.  Almost all are part of the Green Mountain Horse Association trail network and are well maintained.  Another brief road segment is followed by a weaving route through the woods and meadow around Blood Hill, some steeps near the 100 finish area and a climb over a 1,600' attention getter.  In the last 11 miles the only road pieces you'll be seeing will be one, then a half and then a quarter mile long, respectively. You can pick up a pacer at Goodman's (mile 42) but they have to ride on the shuttle to get there.  The rest of the way is all trail, which gets progressively tougher after the Johnson's aid station at mile 47.3. At mile 49 you enter the nordic trail system, which is surprisingly steep and hilly for cross country skiers.  Then with one mile to go you start criss crossing Mt. Ascutney's lower Alpine ski slopes on mostly grassy terrain.  It's worth all the effort you've expended when you can finally look down at the finish line by the base lodge and pound/pedal your way down a quarter mile of blessed downhill. For those familiar with the Vermont 100 course, the 50 Mile is basically superimposed on the last third of it and actually shares less than 10 miles of it.  About 2/3 (67%) of the 50 Mile course is on trails or jeep (unimproved) roads. 30% is on smooth, rolling gravel roads and 3% is on pavement.  It is a challenging course, with good footing/traction, plenty of hills and classic Vermont scenery that will knock your socks off. For the statistically-inclined, there is about 8,900' of vertical in the 50 Mile.
50K Runner's Description by Zeke Zucker	If you're looking for flat and fast, this isn't for you. If you are looking for something that isn't quite so challenging as the 50 mile, listen. Both races start together, with the two events parting company just after the 7 mile mark. The first 4 miles are on mostly dirt roads and then you get to your first challenging 3-mile trail segment. Almost 2/3 of your course is trail, most of which provides fairly decent footing. While the 50 Mile then heads toward some rather tough vertical, the 50K 'shortcuts' on 4 more miles of roads before rejoining the longer course at your 12 mile point on an abundance of trail.  From this point there will only be a couple of stretches of road and you'll learn more of the constant hilliness that comprises Central Vermont. You'll cross Route 44, with just over two, attention-getting, miles to go. You wind back and forth along the lower extremities of the Alpine ski trails on Mt. Ascutney and finally get to enjoy the downhill rush to the finish line next to the base lodge. It is a scenic and exciting course which you will thoroughly enjoy. For you statistically inclined, 8 miles of it (26%) is on segments of the 100 mile course, and the total vertical is about 5,600'.
Ask Zeke	Runners, have you got a burning question about the Vermont 50 course or how to prepare?  Well our pal Zeke Zucker has offered to answer your questions. Just email him at zekezucker@yahoo.com with your question.

Trail Guidelines

Racer Guidelines

Print out the appropriate guidelines for runner or mt. biker.  You will be held to these rules even if you don't read them.

Markers:

There are a lot of markers out on the trail of all colors for other events. Follow the official VT50 course markers. They are fluorescent VASS markers with black arrows.

• 50 Mile - Yellow plates
• 50k - Blue plates

Use this course only for this race. The property owners do not want it used at other times. If you get lost (but you won't) you must go back on your own to the spot you went off course without assistance (e.g. car rides, etc) and then continue.

Helmets:

All bikers MUST wear a helmet.

Aid stations:

Please be sure to give your bib number at the morning racers meeting and at the aid stations.

If you drop out of the race you must let the aid station staff know because we will be keeping track of everyone!!

You may drop off extra clothes you might have started out with in the morning at the aid stations. Please mark it beforehand with your name and bib number on a large piece of duct tape. We have tape and markers available.

Please be very considerate of the landowner's property. Please do not litter!! There are leash laws in the towns you will be going through. All dogs should be restrained.

Typical Aid Station Foods

Note that not all items will be at all stations.

Water Honey Peanut Butter Potato Chips Grapes Bananas Fig Newtons Chocolate Chip Cookies Oranges Salt Hammer Gel Potatoes Turkey Cheese Soup Coffee Tea Cocoa Assorted Candies Hammer Heed replacement drink Various sodas (Coke, Mt Dew, ginger ale, etc)

Leave No Trace:

We have been in danger of losing this race because of complaints by property owners about the amount of trash left on some trails. Please carry your trash to the next aid station, or drop it just after a station.

Showers:

There are showers available at the Sports and Fitness Center at the resort for use after the race. Please take your bib number with you to show you were a participant in the event.

Drop bags:

We will deliver drop bags from the start to aid stations Skunk Hollow, Dugdale's and Johnson's. Be sure to label which aid station you want it dropped, your name and/or bib number. You may drop articles during the race at all aid stations EXCEPT Garvin Hill and Cady Brook. These bags must be at start by Saturday night 8 PM. Leave reasonably-sized bags at the BIG tent in Cunningham's Parking lot by 6 PM if you want us to deliver them if you want us to deliver them

Pacers:

We do not encourage pacers out on the course because the trail is very narrow and we want the participants to have as much room as possible to enjoy the course. But if you feel it is necessary, you may have one during the last 10 miles.

Confirmation:

Online registrations are confirmed automatically via email.

We look forward to seeing you on race day. We hope to have a beautiful sunny day this year! Should you have any questions after you have reviewed this information, please give us a call.

We would like to thank you for coming to the Vermont 50 MT Bike or Ultra Run! this event is to benefit Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports. Your participation will allow individuals with any type of disability to enjoy outdoor sports and recreation that is not always easily accessible to them.

Thank you in advance to our wonderful crew of volunteers, who come to help you reach your goals. An extra special thanks to Lou Schmertz, Erik Schutz, and Bill Stillson for designing the course and getting over sixty property owners' permissions.

Have fun and enjoy the trails!