Maine Running Company

The 2011 Mid Winter Classic race has been cancelled. While we’ve worked very hard to make this race happen (twice), and we know that lots of people will be disappointed, we believe that a runner’s safety trumps all other concerns.  There is a high chance of precipitation with snow accumulations starting tonight and continuing through race-day morning. The Cape Elizabeth police will not permit the race to happen under these circumstances. There are a number of reasons for this including: falling snow makes it harder for vehicles to see runners, instead of running in a slushy break-down lane runners are more likely to run out in the road, there’s a chance that a vehicle could accidentally slide into a runner, and because the snow plow drivers need to be able to do their jobs.

The race will not be postponed to another date. All remaining race shirts will be available for pickup at the Maine Running Company store in Portland starting around noon on Sunday 2/27. If you purchased a shirt you may pick one up at any time that’s convenient for you – the shirts will remain at the store for some time. If you would like us to mail you a shirt please mail a check for $4 (payable to: Maine Track Club) to Erik Boucher, 66 Grant St #4, Portland, ME 04101. No refunds will be given.  However, you may transfer your entry fee over to next year’s race. When registration opens for the 2012 event we will send all registered runners a notification. The notification will include a special promotional code. You will need to register through our online process using the promotional code. We are also offering all registered runners $5 off the entry fee to the new “Race The Runways” event held on April 2^nd, 2011 in Brunswick, Maine. Please visit the website www.racetherunways.com to learn more. In order to receive the discount you must register online and enter the following promotional code: MWC2011.

Even though the Mid Winter Classic race has been cancelled for Sunday 2/27 the Bradbury Blizzard snowshoe race will be held at Bradbury Mountain Station Park in Pownal, Maine, starting at 11:00am. This race will only get better with more snow. To learn more please visit http://www.snowshoethebrad.blogspot.com/

GiddyUp!

Sincerely,

Erik Boucher
Chandra Guyot
Blaine Moore
Don Penta
Marcella Tierney

Maine Track Club

An official announcement will be made tonight around 6:30 pm about the status of the race tomorrow. We will post an announcement here on the race website, on our Facebook fan page, and through email to all registered participants. Until 2:00 pm today we will only be handing out shirts for those who bought one at the Maine Running Company store, and not bibs. If the race happens we will hand out shirts and bibs tomorrow morning starting at 8:00am. We REALLY want to do this race. However, given the current weather forecast Cape Elizabeth police will not allow us to put on the race. Unless the forecast changes significantly by 6:00pm tonight the race will be cancelled, and it will not be postponed to a different date. If the forecast does change by 6:00 pm so that the race is allowed to proceed as planned we will post that announcement. The race cannot happen if there is any precipitation coming down at 9:30am on Sunday or if there are any snowplows on the road at that time. If the race is cancelled please do not come to the Cape Elizabeth High School. If the race is cancelled we will make all unclaimed shirt available for pickup at the Maine Running Company store in Portland starting on Monday, 2/28.

Race Postponed

We are sad to announce that the Mid Winter Classic 10 Mile race scheduled for Sunday, February 6^th, in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, has been cancelled. The Cape Elizabeth Police Department has informed us that we will not be permitted to host the race due to safety concerns. Recent storms have caused the snow banks along much of the course that’s open to traffic to swell, leaving precious little space in the breakdown lane for a pack of 800 runners. The Police Department also felt that the town would not have sufficient time to clear the snow expected to fall on Saturday night, salt and sand the roads, and cleanup all the high school parking lots before the race on Sunday morning.  No other acceptable alternatives could be found that would mitigate the risk to runners.

Please do not come to the Cape Elizabeth High School on Sunday, February 6th. If people do arrive on Sunday, February 6^th, they will not be permitted to run on the course per police orders.

If you purchased a race shirt you may pick up the size that you ordered at the Maine Running Company store in Portland on Saturday, February 5^th, from 10:00 am to 1:30 pm. If you do not pick up your shirt at this time you may do so on Saturday, February 26th, or Sunday, February 27^th, and still be guaranteed the same size. We will not distribute race bibs until the new race date.

New Race Date: Sunday, February 27^th, 2011

The race has been rescheduled for Sunday, February 27^th, 2011, starting at 9:45 am at the Cape Elizabeth High School. Packet pickup will be held on Saturday, February 26^th, at the Maine Running Company store from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. You may also pickup your packets at the high school on race day from 8:15 am to 9:30 am.

Registration Transfer Option

No new entries will be accepted for the rescheduled race. If you are currently registered, but unable to run on the rescheduled date, you may transfer your registration to another person. There are no race refunds. Please complete the form on the following page if you would like to transfer your registration to another person.

http://www.midwinterclassic10miler.com/transfer-registration/
(The registration transfer period has now expired.)

Sincerely,

Erik Boucher
Chandra Guyot
Blaine Moore
Don Penta
Marcella Tierney
Maine Track Club

Because we are using a new timing technology this year, it is very important that you wear your bib properly. You will not have to worry about a separate timing chip that you need to attach to your ankle or shoe; instead, the timing chip is integrated as part of your bib number.

Because of this, your bib must be worn on your chest.

If you do not wear the bib on your chest, then the chip may not be read properly. Do not, for example, wear the bib on your legs, back, or folded up in a pocket.

Also, be sure that you put the bib on something you will continue wearing on your chest; if you plan to take off a jacket and tie it around your waist then you must attach the bib to your shirt below the jacket.

Please reference this sheet for more details: ProperBibPlacement.pdf

All registered runners should take a moment to read our athlete’s guide. We want to ensure that everyone has a fun and safe experience. Please pass this link along to your friends who will also be running.

http://www.mainetrackclub.com/MidWinterClassicRunnersGuide.pdf

G-UP

We have reached our cap of 800 runners, and so registration has been closed!

We still have a few paper applications to enter that will push us a few people over, but we are no longer accepting new registrations.

That doesn’t mean that you can’t still take part on race day, however!

We still need need volunteers, so if you’d still like to help out and want to give back to the community you can visit our volunteer sign up page to see how you can help out!

We are especially looking for volunteers that can be out on the course during the race to help out at aid stations and to direct traffic. All volunteers will get a free long sleeve tech shirt!

Starting this year when athletes pick up their packets at registration each person will receive a bib with an built-in disposable RFID chip. We’ve decided to do away with the chips that wrap around your ankle using a Velcro strap. Now, while using the new disposable chip system we will be able offer runners more amenities. In addition to providing an official Gun Time we will provide an unofficial Chip Time — the time measured as soon as your cross the start line. We will also provide live scrolling results on two 32″ LCD monitors and project the results on a wall inside the cafeteria.

We’re very pleased to have the doctors and staff from HealthSource Portland join us this year. The folks from HealthSource will be providing a variety of free services for runners before and after the race including: 4 massage tables, foot scanning, rock tape and kinesiotape, pre and post stretching and A.R.T.