Please read this racer update carefully. It is full of important information!
Thank you for registering for the seventh annual Maine Summer Adventure Race, taking place July 22-23, 2023! We are excited to host you at P-3 Park in Brunswick for our 3-, 8-, and 24-hour events this year.
Race Headquarters and Parking. Race day check-in will be located at P-3 Park on Admiral Fitch Avenue in Brunswick, Maine. Parking is at the Brunswick Naval Aviation Museum (179 Admiral Fitch Avenue). There will be port-a-potties at P-3 Park and racers can also use the facilities at Wild Oats Bakery and Cafe just across the street. Wild Oats opens at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday morning for those who want to purchase breakfast or other food items. We recommend bringing water to fill your bottles and bladders for the race start. We will not provide water at the start.
Race Headquarters and Parking. Race day check-in will be located at P-3 Park on Admiral Fitch Avenue in Brunswick, Maine. Parking is at the Brunswick Naval Aviation Museum (179 Admiral Fitch Avenue). There will be port-a-potties at P-3 Park and racers can also use the facilities at Wild Oats Bakery and Cafe just across the street. Wild Oats opens at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday morning for those who want to purchase breakfast or other food items. We recommend bringing water to fill your bottles and bladders for the race start. We will not provide water at the start.
Mandatory Gear Lists. Please review the mandatory gear list for your race. Remember that these items are mandatory and may be checked on course; teams missing any items will be penalized 1 CP per missing item. We require these items for your safety. Teams should review this list as soon as possible and make sure they have all of the items by race day.
General Tips. We highly recommend arriving as close to when registration opens as possible because maps will be handed out as you register, so arriving early means you will have more time to plan your route. Most teams in all of our races will not “clear the course”, meaning that they will need to make strategic choices throughout the race about which checkpoints to go for and which ones to skip. All checkpoints (unless otherwise noted) will be marked with orange and white orienteering flags. Teams will use the punch hanging from the flag to mark the race-provided passport, showing which checkpoints they obtained. The team that obtains the most checkpoints in the least amount of time wins the race!
General Tips. We highly recommend arriving as close to when registration opens as possible because maps will be handed out as you register, so arriving early means you will have more time to plan your route. Most teams in all of our races will not “clear the course”, meaning that they will need to make strategic choices throughout the race about which checkpoints to go for and which ones to skip. All checkpoints (unless otherwise noted) will be marked with orange and white orienteering flags. Teams will use the punch hanging from the flag to mark the race-provided passport, showing which checkpoints they obtained. The team that obtains the most checkpoints in the least amount of time wins the race!
3-Hour Schedule and Race Notes. 3-hour race registration opens at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday. Teams will receive their map and course instructions at registration and we will hold a pre-race meeting at 11:30 a.m. to answer any additional questions. The race will begin at noon.
The 3-hour event is designed to be beginner- and family-friendly. Teams will need to bring bikes this year in order to get themselves to the hiking section. There is no paddle section for the 3-hour race. Family teams can bring bike trailers, backpacks, or any other gear needed to gently encourage younger teammates to move around the course!
8-Hour Schedule and Race Notes. 8-hour race registration opens at 6:00 a.m. on Saturday morning. Teams will receive maps at registration and we will hold a pre-race briefing at 7:30 a.m. at the start line and the race will begin at 8:00 a.m.
8-hour teams wishing to use their own paddle gear can bundle their paddles and PFDs together and bring them to the registration area. We will transport paddle gear back to the finish line. We are providing PFDs and kayak paddles for all teams so you can also choose to use the race-provided gear.
24-Hour Schedule and Race Notes. 24-hour registration opens at 7:45 a.m. on Saturday morning. Teams will receive maps at registration. We will hold a pre-race briefing at 9:30 a.m. at the start line (at P-3 Park) and the race will begin at 10:00 a.m.
For 24-hour racers, every team is allowed one TA bag. All gear must be contained within the bag or well-secured to the bag and your bag must be clearly labeled with your team name. We are not responsible for lost gear that is not sufficiently bundled together. You may use your TA bag for food and gear resupply, as well as to store any personal paddle gear that you wish to use during the race. In these bags you can include personal paddles, PFDs, extra food, extra clothing, and anything else you may want to bring for resupply. There will be water available at the transition areas, so do not pack water in your paddle bags. Teams will see them at two transition areas on the course: one TA a few hours into the race and another TA overnight. Please be respectful of our volunteers who will be lifting these around the course - time penalties will be given if bags cannot be easily lifted by our volunteers.
Teams should also prepare themselves for a special oyster-shucking challenge, part of our partnership with the Maine Oyster Company! At some point during the 24-hour race, teams will need to shuck and eat one oyster (per team, not per racer). We will provide the shucking knife and one beautiful, local, delicious oyster - you provide the hand-power and the mouth. Teams who cannot or do not want to shuck and eat an oyster will need to serve a time penalty before leaving the challenge. We highly recommend practicing the art of shucking an oyster before you arrive!
We are thrilled to again be offering GPS tracking for the 24-hour race through a partnership with Enabled Tracking. This will allow race staff to track racers through the event for increased safety, but will also mean that your fans at home can watch your progress through the race course! We will post the link on our Facebook page in the days leading up to the event.
GPS-Enabled Devices. Racers are not allowed to use GPS-enabled devices at any point during the race. Please do not bring any GPS-enabled bike computers. If you wish to track yourself via a GPS-enabled watch or other similar device, you can keep it in your backpack in a place that is not visible during the event. We are allowing Garmin devices set in AR mode during the event. If you plan to use a watch in AR mode, please alert the race staff at registration.
Spectators. Friends and family are welcome and encouraged to cheer you on throughout the course. We can provide more information about the course to fans interested in meeting their favorite teams on-course after the race start. Please alert your fans that they are not allowed to provide any special assistance to your team while the race is in progress.
Post-Race Celebration. We will hold a post-race party immediately following each race. For 3- and 8-hour racers, we’ll have sandwiches and side dishes, as well as a full oyster shucking bar from our friends at the Maine Oyster Company! For 24-hour racers, we’ll have a hot breakfast buffet. All food will be sourced locally by our race partner, Wild Oats Bakery and Cafe. Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options will be available. Friends and family are welcome to join in for the party and can purchase their own food at Wild Oats. For those who want to celebrate with a beer, enjoy one on us at Flight Deck Brewing, right next door to the finish line!
Seeking Volunteers. We are forever indebted to our fantastic volunteer crew, who you will see throughout the race weekend staffing our registration table and transition areas, and shuttling gear all over the course. If you know anyone who would like to help out during the race weekend, we could use another couple volunteers to help out early Saturday morning through midday. We offer free entry to a future race for all of our volunteers as well as an event t-shirt, food during the race, extra swag, and entry to our big post-race feast.
Sponsors. We couldn’t do this without the generous support of our sponsors! Please consider supporting the businesses listed on our website as you stock up for your AR needs. We appreciate their ongoing support of our event and the sport of adventure racing!
As an early thank-you to all our racers, OutThereUSA is offering a 20% discount on their fantastic AR-specific race packs. Use the code: StrongMachineAR20
We are also excited to introduce racers to our favorite race snacks, Pasokin! They are offering Maine Summer AR racers at 15% discount on their products using the code: ADVENTURERACE
Facebook. Please “like” our Facebook page to get updates before, during (for friends and family), and after the race!
Questions? Email us anytime at StrongMachineAR@gmail.com.
The 3-hour event is designed to be beginner- and family-friendly. Teams will need to bring bikes this year in order to get themselves to the hiking section. There is no paddle section for the 3-hour race. Family teams can bring bike trailers, backpacks, or any other gear needed to gently encourage younger teammates to move around the course!
8-Hour Schedule and Race Notes. 8-hour race registration opens at 6:00 a.m. on Saturday morning. Teams will receive maps at registration and we will hold a pre-race briefing at 7:30 a.m. at the start line and the race will begin at 8:00 a.m.
8-hour teams wishing to use their own paddle gear can bundle their paddles and PFDs together and bring them to the registration area. We will transport paddle gear back to the finish line. We are providing PFDs and kayak paddles for all teams so you can also choose to use the race-provided gear.
24-Hour Schedule and Race Notes. 24-hour registration opens at 7:45 a.m. on Saturday morning. Teams will receive maps at registration. We will hold a pre-race briefing at 9:30 a.m. at the start line (at P-3 Park) and the race will begin at 10:00 a.m.
For 24-hour racers, every team is allowed one TA bag. All gear must be contained within the bag or well-secured to the bag and your bag must be clearly labeled with your team name. We are not responsible for lost gear that is not sufficiently bundled together. You may use your TA bag for food and gear resupply, as well as to store any personal paddle gear that you wish to use during the race. In these bags you can include personal paddles, PFDs, extra food, extra clothing, and anything else you may want to bring for resupply. There will be water available at the transition areas, so do not pack water in your paddle bags. Teams will see them at two transition areas on the course: one TA a few hours into the race and another TA overnight. Please be respectful of our volunteers who will be lifting these around the course - time penalties will be given if bags cannot be easily lifted by our volunteers.
Teams should also prepare themselves for a special oyster-shucking challenge, part of our partnership with the Maine Oyster Company! At some point during the 24-hour race, teams will need to shuck and eat one oyster (per team, not per racer). We will provide the shucking knife and one beautiful, local, delicious oyster - you provide the hand-power and the mouth. Teams who cannot or do not want to shuck and eat an oyster will need to serve a time penalty before leaving the challenge. We highly recommend practicing the art of shucking an oyster before you arrive!
We are thrilled to again be offering GPS tracking for the 24-hour race through a partnership with Enabled Tracking. This will allow race staff to track racers through the event for increased safety, but will also mean that your fans at home can watch your progress through the race course! We will post the link on our Facebook page in the days leading up to the event.
GPS-Enabled Devices. Racers are not allowed to use GPS-enabled devices at any point during the race. Please do not bring any GPS-enabled bike computers. If you wish to track yourself via a GPS-enabled watch or other similar device, you can keep it in your backpack in a place that is not visible during the event. We are allowing Garmin devices set in AR mode during the event. If you plan to use a watch in AR mode, please alert the race staff at registration.
Spectators. Friends and family are welcome and encouraged to cheer you on throughout the course. We can provide more information about the course to fans interested in meeting their favorite teams on-course after the race start. Please alert your fans that they are not allowed to provide any special assistance to your team while the race is in progress.
Post-Race Celebration. We will hold a post-race party immediately following each race. For 3- and 8-hour racers, we’ll have sandwiches and side dishes, as well as a full oyster shucking bar from our friends at the Maine Oyster Company! For 24-hour racers, we’ll have a hot breakfast buffet. All food will be sourced locally by our race partner, Wild Oats Bakery and Cafe. Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options will be available. Friends and family are welcome to join in for the party and can purchase their own food at Wild Oats. For those who want to celebrate with a beer, enjoy one on us at Flight Deck Brewing, right next door to the finish line!
Seeking Volunteers. We are forever indebted to our fantastic volunteer crew, who you will see throughout the race weekend staffing our registration table and transition areas, and shuttling gear all over the course. If you know anyone who would like to help out during the race weekend, we could use another couple volunteers to help out early Saturday morning through midday. We offer free entry to a future race for all of our volunteers as well as an event t-shirt, food during the race, extra swag, and entry to our big post-race feast.
Sponsors. We couldn’t do this without the generous support of our sponsors! Please consider supporting the businesses listed on our website as you stock up for your AR needs. We appreciate their ongoing support of our event and the sport of adventure racing!
As an early thank-you to all our racers, OutThereUSA is offering a 20% discount on their fantastic AR-specific race packs. Use the code: StrongMachineAR20
We are also excited to introduce racers to our favorite race snacks, Pasokin! They are offering Maine Summer AR racers at 15% discount on their products using the code: ADVENTURERACE
Facebook. Please “like” our Facebook page to get updates before, during (for friends and family), and after the race!
Questions? Email us anytime at StrongMachineAR@gmail.com.
FAQs
- Do you have any recommendations for places to stay? The Best Western Plus at 71 Gurnet Rd, Brunswick is very convenient to the start/finish location. For camping, recommend the Thomas Point Beach & Campground.
- Do you plan to provide any information in advance regarding the length of each leg and the order of disciplines, or is that information being kept secret until race day? This will remain a secret until race day, but you can expect estimated minimum and maximum distances as previously listed on the race website, found here: https://www.mainesummerar.com/race-info.html.
- What kind of boats teams will be getting? For the 8- and 24-hour race, all teams will paddle in sea kayaks. 24-hour boat configurations are: 1 single kayak to solo racers, 1 tandem kayak to all teams of 2, 1 tandem kayak and 1 single kayak to all teams of 3, and 1 tandem kayak and 2 single kayaks to all teams of 4. 8-hour boat configurations are: 1 single kayak to solo racers, 1 tandem kayak to mixed and female teams of 2, 2 single kayaks to male teams of 2, 1 tandem and 1 single kayak to all teams of 3, 1 tandem and 2 single kayaks to male teams of 4, and 2 tandems to mixed and female teams of 4. **Note**: Boat configurations are based on the number of single and tandem boats we have available and how many teams we have in each category so that all teams within a category have the same configuration. We may have to change the configuration up to race day to accommodate any changes in team rosters.
- Will 24-hour racers have access to the TA bag at every TA or just some of them? You will see your TA bags at 2 TAs on the course. You will learn more about the course and when you will see the bags on race morning.
- Are Garmin watches allowed? As long as they support "AR mode" and are kept in that mode for the duration of the race. GPS-based watches are not allowed in any other mode and especially cannot be used to track distance traveled or to find your location on a map.
- Are cell phones allowed to be used after the maps have been distributed but before the race has started? No cell phone use is allowed after maps have been distributed, which will happen once you check in with your entire team.
- Are bikes required for the 3-hour race? Yes. There will be some flat road biking required as well as an optional mountain biking section.
- Is there packrafting in the 24-hour race this year? No, there is no packrafting.
- Will maps be pre-plotted or do we need to bring a UTM tool? Maps will be pre-plotted with TA and CP locations. Teams will not need to plot anything on course.
- How are the bugs this year? There are fewer ticks than usual this year. There about as many mosquitoes as usual, which is to say that you might want to bring bug spray!
