Athlete's take on a 5k / 10k Challenge


July 28th, 2007 marked the first annual Throw Down in the Dirt, Greenbelt 5k / 10k Challenge.
Athletes were greeted to sunny skies and heavy morning dew on the trails at the 8:30 start time. 5k and 10k participants started at the same time but at different areas on the course. Everyone was treated to a healthy dose of dirt, grass, prairie, roots, rocks, sand, water, mud, and even a water crossing for the 10k runners.
In the 5k event Dan Rediske and Seth Brown played cat and mouse during most of the event with Dan taking the win at 21:05 with Seth just 3 seconds behind. The womens 5k overall was also tightly contested with Ashley Ubbelohde pulling away taking the womens overall with a time of 28:55 while Kelli Huges and Michelle Daavettila finished 2nd and 3rd just 5 seconds apart.

In the 10k race Sarah Gall put the hammer down early and never looked back. Posting a 5k split that would have dominate the 5k event she ran away with the womens 10k with a time of 39:37. On them mens side Keith Mears put in a winning time of 40:32 with Rick Colton posting a 41:31 for second in the mens overall.

For a complete listing of all results please go to the Cedar Valley Adventure website.

Huge thanks goes out to all the volunteered for this event. Without them event do not take place. Carl Buchanan, Paul Buchanan, Kelly Hackett, Chris Dumas, Andrea Dumas, Bradon Rogers, and Katie Slade.

Also, don't forget to check out all the CVA partners to the left of your screen. Without them you wouldn't have the rocking prizes and awards that we are able to give away at every event!

Don't forget to find a partner and hit the Leap Frog DU coming in October!

posted by All3Sports @ 9:27 PM, ,


CVA Donates to Children's Miracle Network

Cedar Valley Adventure is very proud to announce a $250 donation to the Children's Miracle Network of Iowa. The donation will go to the Local University of Iowa Children's Hospital in Iowa City.

Children's Miracle Network is the alliance of premier children's hospitals. Every year, Children's Miracle Network hospitals treat 17 million children for every disease and injury imaginable. Children's Miracle Network hospitals impact the lives of more children than any other children's organization in the world. Children's hospitals provide state-of-the-art care, life-saving research and preventative education for children 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Children need the specialized care and equipment only children’s hospitals can provide. Children's Miracle Network hospitals:

  • Provide $2.5 billion in charity (uncompensated) care each year
  • Treat 98% of all children needing heart or lung transplants
  • Treat 88% of all children with cancer
  • Treat 76% of all children with cystic fibrosis
  • Treat 90% of all children with sickle cell anemia
  • Treat 72% of all children with pediatric AIDS
  • Devote 60% of their services to children under age six and 25% to newborns
  • Train 60% of pediatricians and 80% of all pediatric specialists
  • Educate families about issues like child safety seats, helmet safety and bike safety
For more information or to make a personal donation you can visit the Children's Miracle Network.

posted by All3Sports @ 8:31 PM, ,


Races just around the corner!

Don't forget about the Cedar Falls Jaycees 5k for Independence Day on July 4th. Cedar Valley Adventure has designed the course so you know it's gonna be fun!

Registration is open in full force for the Throw Down in the Dirt, Greenbelt 5k and 10k Challenge on July 28th. Go to Active or to the CVA website.

posted by All3Sports @ 8:24 PM, ,


Announcement

The Greenbelt 13.1 race is being changed to a 10k and 5k Adventure Trail Run.
The Reason is simple. Too much rain all spring and early summer. The high creek levels make the off road exchange from North of Ridgeway to South of Ridgeway impossible. To hold the 13.1 race the athletes would need to cross Ridgeway on the road (DANGEROUS!) or run the first loop twice (BORING!) So, what do we have up our sleeve???? Plenty of creek crossings, mud, and other fun stuff in your choice of a 5k or 10k run.

For those of you looking forward to the 13.1 we are sorry. Remember they are two other great 13.1 mile events in the area. Sturgis Falls and the Park to Park

Be Active Be Happy

posted by All3Sports @ 10:10 PM, ,


Up Side Down DU Review

Sunday morning greeted athletes with sunny skies and calm winds as they arrived for the Up Side Down Duathlon at Camp Ingawanis. The event was the first of it's kind in the area and the participants were going to be treated to some of the best single track in Iowa. After a pre-race briefing at 9:45 the participants placed their bikes about 75 yards from the starting line to get ready for the La Man's start.
At 10:00 they were off. After a short stretch of open grass the athletes hit the challenging single track for the next 4.1 miles or so.(each lap was a total of 4.6 miles) After the first lap Jeff Kerkove of Team Ergon was in the lead with Rob Houlihan from BTR not far behind. The Runner's Flat Scott Gall was in third and Casey Dean fourth. Kerkove(Chad Juel) and Dean(Kasey Smidt) were part of the team competition while Houlihan and Gall rocked the course solo. In the women's field Sarah Gall was first off the bike with Dawn Keller settling into second position. Jill Sinwell was also having a nice race before a mechanical failure caused her to drop out.

On the run positioning stayed the same throughout the entire field. The Up/Downs and Sand Wall did not seem to favor any athlete over another. It was looking like those with superior bike handling skills may have the upper hand.

After the run athletes mounted their bikes for the final 4.6 miles of mountain biking. Positions held and crossing the line first with the best overall time of the day 1:32:14 was the team of Kerkove and Juel. Just 5 minutes later Houlihan crossed the line to take the men's overall with Gall crossing 3 minutes later for second in the men's overall.
Sarah Gall was able to hold off the women's field for a first place overall with a time of 2:11:49.
Keller took second with a time of 2:23:28
Full results can be found here.

A huge thank you goes out to everyone that accepted the challenge and attempted the event.
Events like this are not possible without help from a great volunteers and CVA has the best, so another big thank you to them!
And last but not least, thank you to all the sponsors. If you don't know who they are just look to your left and scroll down. These companies and businesses are very passionate about what they do. Their products and services are here to make you, the athlete, better and stronger.

Bike Tech and Ergon at the eventMichale Lubbers completing the Up/Downs

posted by All3Sports @ 7:55 PM, ,


Up Side Down DU 101

A few people have asked about a crash course on the Up Side Down DU. So, as best I can without giving aways some of the fun details here it goes.

What to bring: A mountain bike, helmet, shoes, sun screen, bug spray, any other special needs you may have. Just don't forget your helmet!

What will be at the race: Water, hammer gels, orange slices, bananas, apples, sun screen.

The Transition area: This area will be roped off and only athletes allowed inside of it during the race. Racks will be provided for your bike. A Duathlon transition is pretty simple. Since you are starting on the bike your area will have your running related gear in it. My advise is to keep it simple, running shoes. Maybe a hat or sun glasses, have a gel shot or water bottle ready if needed. You may want to bring an item you can use to find your area easier, like a towel.

How's the race going to go? (mileage subject to change)
Everyone starts on the bike. First bike leg is 2 loops of 4.75 miles per lap for 9.50 miles on the first bike leg. You will then come into the transition area, dismounting at the dismount line (safety first!). You will rack your bike at your transition area, remove your helmet, grab your running shoes and exit the transition area. Right off the bat there is a "no way" on the run. The run will be 2 laps at 1.55 miles each for a total of 3.10 miles. In each lap there will be a "you've got to be kidding me", moment.....It's all good. After the run you will enter the transition area, change shoes, put your helmet on, grab your bike and head out for the final 3.36 mile bike leg. You will then cross the finish line, grab some food, chat with vendors, and rock all the killer prizes.

Aid Stations: There will be one aid station that you will pass twice. At the start of the run and again about 1.55 miles into the run. Water and hammer gels will be provided.

Teams: here is how your transitions shake out.
There will be a waiting zone for the team athletes.
So, cyclist will come in the transition area, rack their bike, then run to the END of the transition zone and tag the runner in the waiting area. When the runner returns the cyclist will be at the FRONT of the transition zone in the second waiting area. Runner will tag the cyclist, they will go to their racked bike, remove the bike and exit out the rear of the transition area.

Anybody with specific questions or helpful comments please post and someone will reply.

See everyone Sunday, the weather looks to be fantastic.

Here is a crude drawing of the transition area.

posted by All3Sports @ 9:36 PM, ,


Incoming!!!!

Just one more week till the off road duathlon bomb drops on the Cedar Valley. Get the bikes tuned up and your chinstrap tightened, it's going to be a ride!

For those of you wondering about the Duathlon 101 clinic it's going to happen but as a blog post. By midweek I will have a complete overview of how to handle this duathlon.

Stay tuned and keep the rubber side down!

Cedar Valley Adventure

posted by All3Sports @ 8:45 PM, ,