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The second race in the 2017-18 series is coming up this Sunday – the Winter Magic 5k+ at Lowell Lake State Park in Londonderry VT. All the race info can be found by following the link but here are a few reminders:

• print out a copy of the registration form and bring it with you to save time that morning – the form also has all the race info on it
• parking, registration, and facilities are at Magic Mountain Ski Area, 495 Magic Mountain Access, Londonderry VT. Shuttles will run from 9 -10:30 AM to take runners to the race site – leave enough time to catch the shuttle.
• there is no runner parking at the race site – you MUST take the shuttle from Magic Mountain. Running or walking on Route 11 between Magic Mountain and the race site is very dangerous – the state permit to use the race site requires participants to take the shuttle.
• while the forecast for Sunday is warmer than it is for Saturday, it’s still going to be pretty cold, so bring a dry bag with extra clothing for after the race – depending on when you finish you might have to wait a few minutes for the shuttle to get back. There may be a heated tent to make the wait more comfortable but best to be prepared.
• if you need to rent snowshoes (limited supply) contact RD Mike Owens at morunning@gmail.com or 845-978-9705 ahead of time to reserve a pair
• smile and have fun – remember, you paid to do this to yourself!

Wishing everyone a holiday season filled with family, friends, and fun. And maybe some snow, too. See you in 2018!

The race pages for the next three series races are now up-to-date:

1-7-18 Winter Magic 3.5mi
1-14-18 2018 WSSF North American Championships Presented by Cock-A-Doodle Shoe
1-20-18 Hoot Toot & Whistle 5k

Winter Magic & Hoot Toot are day-of registration only. Save time on race day by printing the form on the race page to fill out ahead of time.

Cock-A-Doodle Shoe is online registration only, with no day of registration (except for the kids’ race.)  Runners are encouraged to sign up well ahead of time; since this is a WSSF Championship event, the field is expected to be much larger than usual, and registering early will help the race organizers better estimate how many runners to plan for.

Registration is also open for the National Championships which will be held at Prospect Mountain Nordic in Woodford VT on March 10 &11. RD Tim Van Orden encourages everyone to sign up early, as prices will increase as we get closer to the race date. Also, runners signing up for both a Saturday race and either the marathon or half marathon on Sunday will receive a discount (currently $30 off the 2nd registration.) Register online or by submitting a paper application. Anyone running in the championship events must have a current USSA membership (not required for the kid’s kilo, citizen’s 5k, or team relays.)

Finally, I’m in the process of updating the non-series race info – most of the January races have updated information.

The 24th season of the Dion WMAC Snowshoe Series got off to a great start with 20 snowshoers tackling the course at the Gore Ski Bowl in North Creek, NY. 18 went the full 5k distance of 3 loops on groomed nordic ski trails and a short stretch of ungroomed singletrack through the woods, and 2 completed the 2 mile fun run. Brian Northan and Jamie Woolsey finished at the head of the pack on a day that saw us start with mostly overcast skies and then featured occasional patches of blue peeking through the clouds and even a burst of snow flurries for a while. Our thanks to the staff of the Gore Ski Bowl Nordic Center who put on a professionally organized race, provided complimentary day passes for those who wanted to spend additional time on the trails either skiing or snowshoeing, and even sent everyone home with a prize. Thanks also to Bob Underwood of Underdog Race Timing for recording the results.

Race photos courtesy of the Gore Nordic Center staff

Race results courtesy of Underdog Timing

NEXT UP: we take a break from series races for a few weeks and then the Winter Magic 5k+ in Londonderry, VT will be run on Sunday 1/7/2018.