Race Details

THE SEA TO SUMMIT TRIATHLON

The 2019 Men’s Podium

“Musts”

• All athletes must attend the pre-race zoom meeting on Tuesday, July 23 at 7pm, or view the recording afterward

• All athletes must pick up their race packet the evening before the event, or contact the race director at least two days ahead of event

• All athletes must have a designated porter (support person). Multiple athletes who wish to use one porter should discuss this with race director (email to andy@neeevents.com) at least two weeks ahead of the event

• All athletes must affix their race number and “safety tail light” to their bike’s seatpost (supplied at packet pick-up). If a racer changes bikes en route, he/she must also transfer the bike number and tail light

• All athletes agree to review, fully understand, and abide by USAT rules regarding drafting on the bike leg. Time penalties will be assessed for violations. Eight vehicles will be on the course, all with authority to document infractions. Note: USAT’s bike drafting rules have changed for 2023. Review them here.

• All athletes must have prepared their run backpack to meet race specifications (see “Run” below). If your porter is accompanying you up the mountain, he/she needs their own backpack with the same items! Both backpacks must to be presented to race staff at T2 (Wildcat) before the racer arrives. Keep in mind the porter may drop out at the Hermit Lake checkpoint (announce such to our staff); otherwise both racer and porter must arrive together at the finish line

• All athletes agree to present themselves for a medical check after arriving at T2, and agree to abide by the decision of the medical professional as to their ability to continue

• All athletes agree to abide by the intermediate cut-off times set by the race organization

Time Limits

With a start time of 5:30am, athletes are expected to have concluded their swim by 6:30am.

The most critical time cut-off, however, will be at T2, at the end of the bike leg. Athletes must have arrived at Wildcat Mountain by 1:00pm and have passed a medical check in order to be allowed to continue.

Additional athlete cut-offs are 2:30pm at the AMC shelter near Hermit Lake, and 4:30pm to be an official finisher at the mountain top.

Under no circumstances will an athlete be allowed to proceed as an official racer if they miss any of these cutoff times. Should they continue they will be considered to have left the race, with no further assumption of responsibility by the event organizers. All vehicles are ordered off the mountain by New Hampshire park staff at 6:00pm, and it’s a long walk down.

Please understand the reasons why these limits have been put in place. As the sun sets (much earlier on this, the eastern side of the mountain) the darkness on the headwall increases rapidly and temperatures plummet. Staff and volunteers at various points on the mountain need to get back down to safety before dark. Don’t put them at risk.

Layout: Start Area & T1:

Transition Area 1: 

Parking lot of the Spring Hill Recreation Area. Transition will open at 4 am

The Bike:

• You may cycle along any road with the exception of these two:
  • any stretch of ROUTE 16 SOUTH OF NORTH CONWAY
  • any stretch of ROUTE 4 NORTHBOUND
• There are no race-specific directional signs along the course; you are responsible for charting your own route by pre-scouting, review of maps, internet mapping services, past racer’s online postings (such as ridewithgps or Strava) or by following our cue sheet (below). You may also converse with your porter during the race as long as the porter is not in a moving vehicle at the time
• There are no restrictions as to the type of bicycle you may use (except no e-bikes will be allowed — not even with the battery removed!), nor the type of road surface on which you may travel (gravel bikes are allowed)
• There are no restrictions as to the type of wheels you may use on your bike. Be advised that as you climb the lower slopes of the White Mountains, winds may increase. Check the forecast for WILDCAT MOUNTAIN SKI AREA, NH on weather.com before deciding on race wheels
• Bike changes and wheel changes are allowed en route but if it’s a different bike your bike number tag and safety light must also be switched (option: affix a fully charged safety light to the rear of your spare bike beforehand)
• Athletes are allowed to visit their porter’s vehicle at any point in T1, T2 or parked just off the bike course (in a safe location from other traffic), but once a vehicle moves with you inside you are disqualified from the competition.
• Your helmet chin strap must be securely fastened BEFORE you remove your bike from the rack to head out on the ride
• We will strictly enforce the USA Triathlon “no drafting” rule. Marshals will be on the course: both moving and hidden. Nine athletes received significant time penalties in the 2019 race and two were disqualified. Thankfully, drafting incidents have been rarer in 2020, 2021 and 2022. But…we’re serious about this. And note: this year USAT increased the allowed zone between bikes to 30 feet!)
• No transfer of any items are allowed from a moving vehicle directly to a cyclist. Porters must park completely off the road surface and only then may they stand aside the road or turn-out to pass items to a rider. Penalty may be disqualification.
• Stay to the right except when passing
• If you hear, “On your left,” you are about to be passed. Stay right. Likewise, verbally communicate when passing others
• LITTERING is grounds for a time penalty
• Follow all rules of the road as if you are on a recreational ride. Porters must follow all rules as well — including obeying stop signs (This is important, as numerous porters involuntarily contributed over $1000 to Carroll County’s treasury last year by rolling through stop signs…which upset not only the sheriff’s deputies but also town officials as well as — upon learning of this at a later date — the race directors)
• Note: Five (5) railroad crossings. Hit ’em at a perpendicular angle!
• Most commonly used route is shown here. More details below.
• GPS files of the route: a collection of racer-uploaded files are located here
• Here’s a recent training segment on Strava
• If you are doing any communication by cellphone with your porter, be aware that cell phone coverage is spotty/non-existent for much of the bike course past Mile 30 and before Mile 75. Plan accordingly.
• The 90+ mile bike leg has a total elevation gain of 5,550 feet. 1600 of it is over the final 11 miles. Pace accordingly.

Bike Course: most often followed route:

For decades, the tradition of this race has been to not designate a “set” bike course, but rather allow competitors to choose their own “fastest way” to Wildcat Ski Area — as long as it is via a non-motorized bicycle. However, the race has always published a “most frequently followed route.”  Here is that route:

From the Spring Hill Lodge:

MapMyRide: https://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/5592620992/

Cue Sheet:

– As you exit the Spring Hill Lodge, turn right onto Pond Rd.

– At the end of Pond Rd. carefully turn left onto Portland Street (Rt 4 South) Warning: you are crossing traffic

– Very shortly after, turn right onto Blackberry Hill Road. Stay on this road to its end — but note that it takes a sharp left turn when it meets Love Brook Rd. and Guinea Rd. It almost looks like you should be going straight — but don’t!

– Turn left onto Berwick Rd. for a quick few seconds, then right onto Rt. 236/Allen Rd. (Option, turn right onto Berwick Rd. and join up with 236 in 3/4 mile or so.)

– When you arrive in the Town of Berwick you will see a “End of Rt 236” sign. Keep going straight at the Rt 9 intersection onto Wilson St.

– When you can no longer go straight (the street becomes one way in the other direction) turn left onto Sullivan St.

– Very shortly after, turn right onto Eleanor’s Street and keep bearing right onto Rochester St.

– Stay on Rochester Street (it will turn into Salmon Falls Road) all the way to Route 125 in Rochester (2020 Note: much of this road was in need of resurfacing!)

– Take a right on Route 125 (Milton Road) In Union 125 merges with 153. You will cross over Route 16 at a light. Dangerous intersection!

– Follow Route 153 to where it meets with Route 25. Take a left onto 153/25 (warning: you are crossing high-speed traffic here)

– After a mile on 25, take a right onto Route 153 (Eaton Road). Option: turn right earlier onto School St. and follow that to 153.

•  For about 1-2 miles after you pass Purity Springs Resort on Rt. 153, the road surface was quite bumpy in 2023. Exercise caution.

– In Conway, NH go straight across Main Street to Washington Street and quickly bear left onto West Side Road.

– Watch out for train crossing on this road…don’t try and go around the barrier if it comes down. Its just a race.

– At stop sign take a Rt on River Road Take a left on Route 16/302 at the light (warning: you are crossing traffic here)

– Take a right on Route 16 (Storyland amusement park will be coming up on your right)

– Follow Route 16 to Wildcat Ski Area on your right. Dismount soon after turning into the parking lot so that you don’t get mixed up in the gravel surface.

Look for the NEEE vehicles! 

Layout: T2:

Transition Area 2: As you reach the 80-mile mark of the bike and begin to climb Route 16 out of North Conway, your destination is the Wildcat Ski Area, located on the right-hand side of the road. Please exercise caution as you enter into the parking lot. The surface is a mix of asphalt and dirt — which with a decelerating bike and a tired rider creates perfect conditions for a fall. We suggest a pre-race scouting trip to Wildcat.

(While you’re scouting out Wildcat, also visit the nearby Pinkham Notch Visitors Center — where your run turns into a climb. Read the park’s signs! There are several hiking trails leading from Pinkham out to the mountains surrounding and including Mt. Washington, and you certainly don’t want to take the wrong one. We will have support personnel at Pinkham and on the lower trail of the mountain but it’s a large area and it would be easy to become confused.)

GPS address of Wildcat is: 542 NH-16, Gorham, NH

GPS address of Pinkham Notch is: 361 New Hampshire 16, Gorham, NH

Porters: We suggest you do not drive to Wildcat until after your racer has passed Storyland Amusement Park at the intersection of Routes 16 and 302. Pass them and head up the hill.

IMPORTANT! What you need to have in your run backpack to be allowed to continue onto the run as an official racer:

The Run:

• Your porter must arrive at T2 at least 10 minutes before you do to present your run backpack for inspection. If he/she does not, it could delay your run start
• Our suggestion: as your porter passes through North Conway (where cell phone reception is good) he or she may wish to log in by cellphone, laptop or tablet to the Mount Washington Observatory website for the latest report on weather conditions
• You will start off running toward Jackson (in the opposite direction which you were headed on the bike) on a slightly uphill stretch for 1 kilometer to Pinkham Notch. You will cross the road at a safe opportunity. As you enter into the hikers’ parking lot, the trailhead is located to the left of the lodges and visitors center.
• Several signs outside the visitor’s center point to the Tuckerman’s Ravine Trail, which will be your only route up the mountain. Note: changing conditions throughout the season (yes, snow in July has happened) may cause U.S. Forest Service rangers to erect temporary detour signs. Please follow them.
• The Tuckerman’s Ravine Trail is well marked but there are other trails leading up the mountain. Please be warned: if you take one, you are completely on your own, and will be considered to have left the race. However, every trail intersection is marked so it would be difficult to venture off in error.
• It is a 4.4-mile journey from Pinkham Notch to the finish; however keep in mind that for each mile you travel you will average over 1000 vertical feet of altitude gain. The last two miles are the most difficult.
• You are allowed to bring your porter or another companion along for the climb as long as they are physically fit, have signed the pre-race waiver, have presented his/her own backpack for inspection in T2 (same supplies as the racer), and both racers have a ride back down the mountain. While there is a privately owned shuttle service that carries hikers back down the mountain (Mt. Washington Auto Road Tours), it is first-come-first-served with no advance reservation allowed. Have another friend or family member drive up to the top to meet you at the finish.
• Should your porter accompany you on your climb, they must finish with you. We cannot stress this enough. If they are below you on the mountain — even if within sight of the finish line — your time will not be recorded until they arrive. There is one other option: upon reaching our staff at Hermit Lake mid-mountain, your porter can choose not to continue. They must announce this to our staff. Then they can hike back down (not up!)
• There are public restrooms at the AMC Pinkham Notch Visitors Center at the base of the mountain. Mid-mountain, there are “real” (fully operational, with water and everything) restrooms near the Hermit Lake Lodge (watch for signs), and a few hundred yards further up the slopes from that lodge is a hand-pumped well for additional drinking water. At the summit, there are public restrooms, snack bar and secure indoor wind shelter.
• Tuckerman’s Ravine Trail is a very popular trail in the summer and you will be sharing it with hundreds of recreational hikers. Once the crowd begins to understand they have a race in their midst they become our biggest fans. The trail is not considered technical by mountaineering standards but it is extremely rocky and becomes quite steep as you climb the headwall of the ravine.
• Thunderstorms: perhaps our biggest concern for athletes above the tree line. The race directors reserve the right to alter the run course to stay below the treeline if thunderstorms are likely. This could be announced race morning but also upon your arrival at T2 — or possibly, Hermit Lake mid-mountain.
• Should you be caught in a thunderstorm:
  • stay off the ridgeline at the top of the ravine. You are safer in the ravine or on the headwall, but conditions could get slippery fast
  • get low: crouch or even sit on your backpack to reduce your conductivity
  • if exposed to the storm don’t huddle with another or others. Position yourselves 50-100 feet apart and crouch, cover ears
  • get rid of any treking poles if they are made of metal
  • mid-sized trees are the safest; not the tallest or the only one around
  • more reading: How to Survive a Thunderstorm
• Please also do plenty of reading in advance about Mt. Washington to fully understand and appreciate the unique conditions that can occur on this mountain. Weather conditions near the top invariably are much different from at the bottom — or even at the midpoint. Furious storms can pop up seemingly out of nowhere. In some prior years of this event, windy conditions have led race officials to alter the run course for safety.

Travel and Lodging:

Awards

Dogs and Smoking:

Racers and porters may have dogs accompany them at the starting property and at Wildcat. (Pick up after them.) No smoking is tolerated anywhere at this event.

A penalty! What, me?