Buff Betty Women's Adventure Race October 22, 2006 Cunningham Falls State Park Thurmont, MD

A six hour, women's only adventure race including paddling, mountain biking, trekking, navigation and special challenges.

Remember...Buff is a state of mind and our unique race format enables any reasonably fit and determined competitor to meet the challenge, finish the race, and most of all - have fun!

The Buff Betty adventure race is suitable for ALL athletic women, regardless of experience - skills clinic the day before will give you the confidence to blaze through the course to glory (or to at least not embarrass yourself too bad...) It is competitive, but in a very different way from races that are mostly guys. We think you'll like it no matter how well you do.

Teams may be composed of females only and can be from 2-4 women. Solos are welcome as well. Masters teams have an average age of 40 or greater. (For example, a 30 year old and a 51 yr old are a masters team, as are a 39 year old and a 41 yr old.) Mother/daughter teams are composed of at least one mother and up to three of her daughters. Two mother/daughter pairs may form a four woman team.

There is no minimum age for the race, but the Buff Betty will probably be a bit much for children under 16. All children under 18 must have a waiver signed by a parent or legal guardian, and all girls under 16 must be accompanied by an adult (racing) woman.

If you would like to race as a team, but are having a hard time finding other women to race with, please contact the Race Director - we can usually do a pretty good job of matching you up with someone with a similar goals, fitness and experience level.

Several experienced female racers have volunteered to captain teams of newcomers, so if you want to race but are concerned about your lack of experience, we will be glad to find a spot for you on one of these teams, or assign a captain to an inexperienced team you have already formed.
(If you are veteran racer and would like to volunteer to lead a team, please contact the Race Director.)

Of course there will be awards and prizes for the top finishers, but we also spread the love around with raffles and random prize-giving, so even if you don't finish as well as you had hoped, you can still have a chance to go home with a little something for your trouble

Mandatory gear:

• Mountain bike & approved helmet
• PFD (life vest) must be worn while on the water
  (Rental boats come supplied with PFDs)

Although we strive to keep the list of required gear to a minimum, that doesn't mean that those items are all you should bring. You should carry whatever you need to feel safe and comfortable given the race description and potential weather conditions. This may include:

• Hydration pack (ie. Camelbak) & plenty of water (or water purification kit)
• bike repair kit, pump and spare tubes
• Extra clothing, windbreaker, fleece
• First aid kit, small knife, emergency space blanket, whistle
• Energy bars, gel or snacks

All types of non-motorized boats are allowed - either canoes or kayaks. We have plenty of boats for rent. Each comes supplied with paddles and PFD. For safety's sake - maximum of 3 racers/boat. There are a limited number of single kayaks for solos. Boat rental cost is $20/boat and you will be prompted for boat rental when you regsiter online.

No skills certifications are required for this race.

If this is your first race, or you would simply feel more confident with a little bit more training, be sure and attend the free skills clinics on Saturday before the race.

Maps will be of a variety of types and scales suitable for the adventure race. They are premarked with checkpoint locations and it will not be necessary to plot CP locations from UTMs.

The race will include 'real' navigation, and while not particularly 'tricky', you will need to be able to read a map and use a compass. If you are unsure of your navigation skills, be sure and join us for the navigation clinic the day before the race. It is, by far, our most popular clinic offering and you'll have lots of company.

Entries are discounted based on team size, so get some friends to join you - the more the merrier!

Solo or individual registration	$65*
2 person team	$120*
3 person team	$165*
4 person team	$200*
skills clinic donation (includes post-clinic picnic)	$10
extra meal ticket	$5
boat rental (max 3 people/boat - includes paddles, PFDs)	$25
*LATE FEE: Please register before September 23 to avoid a $10/person late fee.

There is no race day registration. To properly prepare for your adventure, all participants must pre-register on or before October 19.

If you register** before September 23, you will receive a high-quality wicking event T-shirt. (otherwise $15)
** mail-in registrations must be received by 9/23 to give us time to order shirts

ONLINE REGISTRATION
To be eligible for discounted team prices, ALL team members must register at one time, so please choose a team captain and have all info available when you register.
SignMeUp charges a 6.5% service fee for online registration, which you can avoid by using the mail-in registration form before Oct 14.

MAIL-IN REGISTRATION downloads a .pdf form that you will need to print and send by mail.
Save the online service fee and register by mail.
To allow time for processing, please have mail-in entries postmarked by October 14.

Please read the refunds policy before registering.

Be sure and check the website about a week before the race for the latest detailed information

For answers to specific adventure racing questions you can contact the race director