Sunday, August 15, 2010
Waterloo Recreation Area
Field LImit - 200

The second edition of a wild and testing triathlon challenge. Ten legs, 42 miles through the sprawling Waterloo Recreation Area, one of the most rugged and beautiful parks in the Midwest. Along the way, you will bike remote paved roads, run winding dirt lanes, climb steep trails, swim across three wilderness lakes - carrying your shoes and swim gear with you the whole way.

Where: Portage Lake Beach, Waterloo Recreation Area, near Grass Lake, MI - on Seymour Road - get directions

Park Info: A State Park permit is needed to enter Waterloo Recreation Area. A one-day permit can be purchased on race day at the park entrance. The one-day park permit is $6.00 for residents of Michigan and $8.00 for non-residents. Annual passes may be purchased at any time.

Charity Partner: This year we are partnering with C.S. Mott Children's Hospital and Women's Hospital. A portion of the proceeds will go to C.S. Mott Children's Hospital and Women's Hospital for research in childhood diseases. You may also add an additional donation during your registration process.

Race Details: A 10-leg adventure, starting and finishing at Portage Lake Park; the park is located about 12 miles west of Chelsea (Michigan) in the Waterloo Recreation Area. A 1.5-mile trail run is first on the agenda, then participants will bike a meandering 20.5-mile course on paved roads from Portage Lake to a little known county park on the west shore of Clear Lake. Leaving their bikes in transition #2 at the county park, participants will run a 10.8-mile loop through the forests to the east, swimming across three different semi-wilderness lakes along the way. The trails are hilly and the scenery spectacular. The final run brings participants back to the county park,, where they will pick up their bikes and ride 5.9 miles back to Portage Lake. A 1.5-mile run on the trails at Portage Lake is the finishing leg. The total course is 41.6 miles and includes 1.4 miles of swimming, 26.4 miles of biking, and 13.8 miles of running. You must transport your own swim and run gear throughout. Bikes and all other equipment are to be left on racks in transition zone, with the race organization providing security.

This is an individual event: No relays. No outside assistance. We can not have support vehicles or other vehicles following you around the course. Thank You.

Running Shoes: You are responsible for carrying your own running shoes during the race. We have a couple of suggestions:

1. Buy a dry bag at a dive shop, two extra buckles, and some belting at a fabric store. Make a belt with the two extra buckles and the belting and attach it to the buckels on the bag. You can now wear it around your waist. Here is a picture of the one I made.
2. You can also just stick your shoes in the back or your swimsuit. Picture

Distances and Course Maps: click on the distance for a course map - if you use the map view setting the route will stay in scale with the map, it won't with the satellite view - NEW MAPS ARE HERE - A=Aid Station and T=Timers on the maps

• Leg 1 - 1.5 mile run - Mass start on the beach, then past the transition zone, through the north parking lots, past the organizational campground, and onto the two-track that leads to the main trail. Right turn onto the main trail. Emerge from the trail at the north side of boat launch parking area and from there into the transition zone.
  
• Leg 2 - 20.5 mile bike on paved roads - Out of park, right on Seymour Road (0.6), right on Wooster Road (3.9), right on Coon Hill Road (5.9), stay on Coon Hill Road as it turns left towards the village of Munith (11.0), right on Waterloo-Munith Road (12.3), turn right to stay on Waterloo Munith Road where it intersects with Park Road (15.0), right on Clear Lake Road in "downtown" Waterloo (18.8), left off Clear Lake Road into Clear Lake Park (20.4). Bikes left on a second transition zone in Clear Lake Park.
• transition map
• Leg 3 - 0.45 mile swim - swim easterly across Clear Lake, finishing at private home on the east shore.
• Leg 4 - 4.0 mile run. Left from the cottage onto South Clear Lake Shores Road (0.0), right (east) at the intersection (0.1), right on Loveland Road (0.8), left onto the Waterloo Trail (1.0), bear immediately onto the right-hand trail. Left on McClure Road (1.8), then right into the semi-open area right across from the Waterloo Park Headquarters (2.7). Follow the Waterloo Trail to the southeast out of the opening, cross Ridge Road (3.0), turn left at the southeast intersection with the Lakeview Trail (3.6), follow the Lakeview Trail north along the west side of Mill Lake to the fishing site near the northwest corner of the lake (4)
• Leg 5 - 0.25 mile swim - swim easterly across Mill Lake, ending at the old beach for the fresh air camp (which no one has used for years and therefore doesn't look like much of a beach).
• Leg 6 - 3.4 mile run. Go east and then mostly south along the east shore of Mill Lake, going past the boarded-up log cabins of the fresh air camp and emerging onto the paved access road to the Discovery Center (0.65), right on the paved road to the first parking lot (0.85), right onto the paved path that leads to the Discovery Center, then 150 yards later turn right onto the Waterloo Trail (0.9). Right onto the Lakeside Rail (1.2), right back onto the Waterloo Trail (1.8), and continue straight at the trail intersection on the southwest side of Mill Lake (2.4). For the next 0.7 mile, there will be two-way traffic with runners doing Leg 4. You will cross Ridge Road (2.9) and and then reach the open area across from Park Headquarters (3.1). Bear left (to the southwest) on the Waterloo Trail, which eventually takes you down a steep hill to the north shore of Crooked Lake (3.4).
• Leg 7 - 0.7 mile swim in Crooked Lake, going south-soutwesterly down the narrow lake near the west shore and finishing at the beach that is 100 yards or so south of the rickety old wooden dock.
• Leg 8 - 3.3 mile run. Go north from the beach, continue north through the fishing site parking lot (0.1), and follow the access road north and then west. Left on Loveland (1.2), right on Green (1.4), continue on Green until turning right on the horse trail that is just 150 yards east of Clear Lake Road (2.7). Follow horse trail north, stay left at the trail intersection (2.8). Turn right on the paved road (Clear Lake Road) at 2.9, then follow the shoulder of the paved road north to Clear Lake Park and your bicycle (3.3).
• transition map
• Leg 9 - 5.8 mile bike on paved roads - Right on Clear Lake Road (01), left on Trist Road (0.2), continue west on Trist and Seymour to entrance of Portage Lake Park (5.3), right into Portage Lake Park and finish at the original transition zone.
  
• Leg 10 - 1.4 mile run - basically repeating the last 80% of the first leg. FINISH. In the park, near the transition zone.

Entry Fees Include: tech t-shirt, running hat, sponsor product samples, great food and drinks after the race, and more

Entry Fees (non-refundable - policies):

NO RACE DAY ENTRIES - Registration closes Friday, August 13th at NOON.

FIELD LIMIT - 200 - NO RACE DAY ENTRIES

USAT Licenses: If you paid the USAT member's rate for your entry fee you will have to show a current USAT license and PHOTO ID to pick up your race packet. 

Packet Pick-Up: BYOB (Bring Your Own Bag)

• Saturday, August 14 - tba
• Sunday, August 15 - 5:45 to 6:50 AM at the race - NO RACE DAY ENTRIES

Divisions: 15-17, 18-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75-79, 80 plus. - No Relays

Awards: Top three male and female overall, top three male and female masters, top five in each division - male and female, top three in each division of clydesdales and athenas

Lodging: Courtyard Ann Arbor has offered special rates. The rate code is already programmed in the reservation area on the right column of the reservation page. click here to get started Rooms are also being held at the Comfort Inn in Chelsea. Mention Battle of Waterloo for a rate of $94/night.

Camping: There are two options for reservations at the Waterloo/Portage Lake campground, (1) visit www.midnrreservations.com and click on Waterloo Recreation Area and then go to the Portage Lake Campground or (2) call 800.447.2757 and specify Waterloo Recreation Area Portage Lake Campground.

More Races & Clinics

• Open Water Swim
• Iron Goddess Tri/Du
• Swim to the Moon