Midcoast Conservancy has announced its schedule of racing opportunities this year for athletes at all levels. All reaces will begin at Hidden Valley Nature Center in Jefferson.
The sixth annual Liberal Cup biathlon will be held Sunday, March 26. Racers can compete individually or in teams of four. Participants are encouraged to compete in costume.
The event combines cross-country skiing with target shooting; air rifles will be provided by the Southern Maine Biathlon Club, and each racer will receive safety training on how to use the rifle. Race categories are based on self-selected skill levels, and there are categories for youth racers.
Awards will be given out for best costume, best team name, and for youth and high school aged participants.
Races will begin at 9 a.m. and continue into the early afternoon. There will be bonfires, food and something on tap from the Liberal Cup brewery throughout the day. Spectators are welcome.
The Midcoast Conservancy will hold the second annual Maine Summer Adventure Race Saturday, June 24.
The races, a 10-hour and three-hour version, will involve teams of two, three or four competing in a nonstop race involving trail running or trekking, road and mountain biking, flat-water paddling and orienteering. Teams will have to combine athleticism with strategy and navigation to guide themselves to as many checkpoints as possible within the race’s time limit.
The race was designed by Cliff and Kate White of the Strong Machine Adventure Racing team and will challenge expert adventure racers and beginners alike. The course tat travels through thick pine forests, across deep cold lakes and rivers and up to promontories that offer the occasional revealing glimpse of the nearby Atlantic Ocean.
Finally, the annual Race Through the Woods will begin at 9 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 1. Racers can choose between a half-marathon and a 5.5-mile course. Both courses will take runners through some of the 1,000 acres that comprise nature center, along challenging trails and past lovely Little Dyer Pond.
Also, there will be a free childrens’ race, for ages 5-12, which will include a loop with obstacles and challenges, prizes and T-shirts for all. Beer and food will be available to round out the day in the woods.
For more information or to register, visit www.midcoastconservancy.org or call 389-5150.
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