Racing Ahead FAQS

Frequently Asked Questions:

What is meant by a 6-hour, 12-hour or 24-hour Adventure Race? Is that front teams, back teams??

The way we design the series' courses, the advertised length of the race is the maximum length of the race:

For the 6-hour Event:

- Team Check-in takes place the morning of the event

- The start is at 12noon, and race cut-off is at 6pm.

- Awards begin around 6pm

- We expect the front teams to finish in 4-5 hours. All racers will be off the course by 6 hours or shortly after.

For the 12-hour event:

- Team Check-in takes place on the night before the race.

- The start is at 6am Sunday, and the cut-off for the finish is at 6pm.

- The post-race dinner, and prize giving is at 7pm.

- We expect the front teams to finish in 7-10 hours. All racers will be off the course within 12+ hours.

For the 24-hour event (times may change slightly!):

- Team Check-in will be on Friday night.

- The course will be given out in the Friday evening at the race briefing.

- The race will start at 9am on Saturday, and the race cut-off will be at 9am on Sunday.

- The post-race meal will be at 11am on Sunday.

- We expect the front teams to finish in 12-14 hours. All racers will be off the course within 24 hours.

Is this a novice-racer friendly Race Series? We feel this race series is very achievable, even for first-timers. We always incorporate alternate routes in our courses, in case teams are off pace to finishing the full course. We like to have as many teams as possible cross the finish line! We sometimes incorporate Rogaine style courses

Where is Check-in? The Pre-Race Briefing? Each event host will be the location of each series event's pre- and post-race festivities. There is no pre-race gear check. We will have random gear checks during the race. If you are uncertain that something may not pass inspection, please bring it to team check-in.

Where does the race START? The START location is not revealed until the race briefing on the evening before the start date for any of the Series events. The only exception is the Urban AR, when the race start is typically revealed pre-race.

How much distance will the race cover? The 6-hour events will be approx 20-25 miles, the 12-hour event will be approx 40-50 miles, while the 24-hour will be 70-90 miles. The racers will not know the exact distance of each discipline until the maps are given out at the start.

What is the order of the disciplines? The order of the elements is not revealed until the start. In fact, racers do not know what the 1st discipline will be until the start.

Will we have to do any of the disciplines more than once? It is possible that one or more of the disciplines may be repeated.

What will the mountain biking be like? It is possible that the mountain biking sections will range from paved roads to gravel roads to dirt (double) track to single-track to bushwhack/carry sections.

Do we need an USARA license? Yes, all races are sanctioned by the United States Adventure Racing Association. The 12 and 24-hour events are National Qualifiers and Team Ranking Events. If you do not have a 1-year license already, you may purchase a single event license for $8 per race (per event). One year licenses are also available. You can purchase these at the event as well, for $35, but are encouraged to pre-purchase a yearly event at USARA.com.

Where should we stay? Please see each race's 'Local info' section for details and recommendations on places to stay.

What about the weather? Each Series Event's home page has a link to local weather .

Do I have to have the same teammates for the entire series? You may have one alternate, meaning, you must have 2 constant team members throughout the series in order for your team to be eligible to accumulate Series Points

What are the Skill Requirements for the Series? We highly recommend you have a minimum of basic knowledge and skill in all the race disciplines, including First Aid Skills, mountain biking, 3 person canoe paddling, and running with a pack.

Do all 3 members have to do all events? This is not a relay event, and thus, all members must travel together through the entire race to remain an official team.

Do I need to compete in ALL of the Series Events to earn Points? No, but the more races a team competes in, the higher the factor the individual race's score is multiplied by. If a team competes in ALL the races, their chances are VERY good for being an Overall Series Contender.

Where does the race start/finish? This is something we can tell you - each race will FINISH at the Host Center that is hosting the event.

I have family/friends coming, what if they would like to volunteer? Please see the volunteer section of this site.

New England Adventure Racing

Racing Ahead,llc

Hosting Adventure Races in New England