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ITeam up for the 'Lighten Up Wisconsin' challenge
MADISON, Wis. Online registration is open for Lighten Up Wisconsin, a five-month team weight-loss
challenge that encourages team members to make small, realistic and permanent changes in their dietary and exercise habits that will last a lifetime.
Lighten Up Wisconsin, organized by the Wisconsin Sports Development Corp., is in its fourth year and gaining momentum. About 6,500 participants from across Wisconsin joined and shed pounds in 2005.
The program encourages team competition in two areas: 1) weight loss from healthy eating and physical activity, and 2) accumulated activity where teams track miles based on activity performed. Teams consist of
two to 10 people and can be formed from people in the neighborhood, workplace or household.
Obesity is an epidemic, resulting in an estimated 300,000 deaths per year and costing the United States
about $117 billion in 2000. With more than 58 percent of Wisconsinites obese or overweight, it's time to change the health of our great state.
Minimal adjustments in your diet and daily exercise can result in enough weight loss to reduce the risk factors for diseases stemming from obesity, such as cardiovascular heart disease, type 2 diabetes, sleep
apnea and others. A healthier Wisconsin means a better Wisconsin.
"It seems another fad diet is introduced every year and they are emphasized around the holidays." Nicole
Vesely, health initiatives director for Wisconsin Sports Development Corp., said. "We need to educate the
public that there is no quick fix and anything advertised as such will likely result in weight gained due to ill approaches such as cutting out certain food groups all together. Weight loss comes from permanently
changing your lifestyle. That's what Lighten Up (Wisconsin) is all about. We teach participants how to make small changes so they don't feel deprived and revert back to bad habits."
Signing up is easy and can be done at www.lightenupwisconsin.com. It costs $10 per participant and includes a T-shirt and helpful tips and strategies to help you succeed. For more information and to register
for Lighten Up Wisconsin, go to www.lightenupwisconsin.com or call 608/226-4780.
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Bike, run or ski the Arrowhead 135-Mile Winter Ultra race, Feb. 6-8
The Arrowhead Winter Ultra is a nonprofit, human-powered ultramarathon covering 135 miles across the Arrowhead Region of northern Minnesota from International Falls near the Canadian border to Tower. The
course follows a scenic, hilly, multipurpose state trail under extreme winter conditions starting at 7 a.m. Monday, February 6, through 7 p.m. Wednesday, February 8.
Completing the course is no small feat as winter temperatures in this area of Minnesota have been known to
reach a record minus 60 degrees. No wonder the locals have dubbed their town the "Icebox of the Nation" and "Frostbite Falls."
There will be one race check point serving hot soup and water at a cabin about the midway point by Myrtle Lake near the town of Orr. Otherwise racers are fully self-supported with a cut-off time of 60 hours. Each
racer is required to carry food, water and gear to cover the three days and two nights outdoors.
The race will have a few costs for permits, insurance, awards and other incidentals that organizers will pass
on to the racers. There is no purse for the winners; however, every finisher receives a unique Arrowhead trophy and an Arrowhead T-shirt.
There will be three entry categories for bikers, runners and skiers that each racer may choose at the start of
the race depending upon the trail and weather conditions. In addition, organizers will track times for fun and posterity in Overall, Men's and Women's categories, as well as the coveted Myrtle the Turtle award.
The Arrowhead 135-Mile Ultramarathon is a founding member of the BAD135 World Series 135-Miles Worldwide initiative organized by AdventureCORPS, the producers of the Kiehl's Badwater
Ultramarathon, a 135-mile foot race from Death Valley to Mount Whitney, California. These two events will join in a series with several new, unique, human-powered races that traverse 135 miles in extreme
environments and conditions. For more info on the series, visit www.AdventureCORPS.com.
For more information, go to www.arrowheadultra.com.
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Lake Minnetonka to host 2006 Best of the U.S. triathlon championship
ST. PAUL, Minn. One male and one female triathlete from all 50 states, having earned the right to compete by winning their state's qualifying races, will congregate on the scenic southern shore of Lake Minnetonka in
Excelsior, Minnesota, on September 16, 2006.
What will follow is the launching of the most talent-rich men's and women's amateur waves ever assembled
for an American triathlon. The first man and woman to cover the spectator-friendly international distance course will be crowned the Best of the U.S.
The inaugural Best of the U.S. championship was staged at the Timberman Triathlon Festival in Lake Winnipesaukee, New Hampshire, last August.
"Though we had a wonderful experience in New Hampshire, we are ecstatic that the championship is coming to Minnesota," said Best of the U.S. Executive Director Trudy Marshall. The venue is overlooked
by Excelsior's historic downtown district.
The event will feature a citizens' sprint triathlon as well as the international distance championship. Located
on a point separating Gideon Bay and Excelsior Bay, the Excelsior Commons is both beautiful and offers great views.
The two-loop bike and run courses will offer ample opportunities to witness the country's best amateur racers. Likewise, the point-to-point swim offers great viewing from the cliffside.
The citizens' sprint, like the popular Lake Minnetonka Triathlon that is staged in June, will consist of a 1/2-mile swim followed by a 15-mile bike and 3-mile run. This late-season addition to the Minnesota racing
calendar offers local athletes the unique opportunity to test themselves on the same course at the start of the season (June 17) and at the end (September 16).
In addition to individual scoring, Best of the U.S. athletes will race for team and "fastest state" honors.
2006 qualifier races begin with Hawaii's Lavaman on April 2 and extend into August. Each state has a single designated qualifier race, the resident amateur winners of which may claim their berth at the championship.
The Best of the U.S. Amateur Triathlete Competition is produced by Midwest Events LLC of St. Paul, Minnesota.
State qualifying triathlons
The state qualifiers for the Best of the U.S. include the following triathlons in the upper Midwest:
ILLINOIS: Tri Shark Classic in LeRoy, June 3 (Sprint Distance)
IOWA: Pigman Sprint Triathlon near Cedar Rapids, June 4
WISCONSIN: Wisconsin Triterium Triathlon in Verona, June 18 (Int'l Distance)
MINNESOTA: Lake Waconia Triathlon in Waconia, June 25 (Sprint Distance)
MICHIGAN: Sylvania Triathlon in Sylvania, August 14 (Olympic Distance)
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2006 GRABAAWR & SAGBRAW routes set
Bike Wisconsin has announced the 2006 routes for Wisconsin's two major cross-state bicycle tours.
GRABAAWR, the Great Annual Bicycle Adventure Along the Wisconsin River, will be held June 24
through July 1. Motorcoaches and bike transport vehicles will load at Prairie du Chien on June 24 to take participants to Eagle River. Cycling will begin on June 25, with overnights slated in Rhinelander, Merrill,
Stevens Point, Adams-Friendship, Baraboo and Richland Center before the ride ends in Prairie du Chien.
SAGBRAW, Sprocket's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Wisconsin, will get under way on July 30 as
buses and other vehicles load in Port Washington, just north of Milwaukee. Cycling will start on July 31 from Marinette with overnights in Green Bay, Sturgeon Bay, Fish Creek/Baileys Harbor, Sturgeon Bay and
Manitowoc. The ride will end back at Port Washington on August 5.
The Fish Creek/Baileys Harbor overnight will allow SAGBRAW participants an opportunity to spend two
entire days of cycling in northern Door County, one of the best bicycling destinations in the state.
More information can be obtained from Bike Wisconsin, P.O. Box 10, Dodgeville, WI 53533;
888/575-3640 or through www.bikewisconsin.org.
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Traverse City the place to ski in February: North American Vasa, White Pine Stampede &
Winter Tour
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. Most people go skiing for pleasure or exercise. For Gustav Eriksson Vasa, it was literally a matter of life and death.
It was 1518. Gustav's native Sweden had been invaded by Denmark, and his father and brother had been killed. Pursued by the Danish Army, the young nobleman fled on skis over the mountains to nearby
Norway, where he rallied a resistance movement, ejected the Danes and was crowded king of Sweden.
Today this feat of winter speed is celebrated by two ski races: Sweden's Vasaloppet, where 12,000 skiers
retrace Gustav's original 85-kilometer route, and the North American Vasa, which attracts more than 700 skiers each February to the pine woods of Traverse City, Michigan. And although neither event is
particularly life-threatening, some competitors ski as if they still thought there were bloodthirsty Scandinavians on their heels.
In fact, the North American Vasa scheduled this winter on Feb. 11-12 is one of 14 Nordic ski races listed in the prestigious American Ski Marathon Series, where most of the nation's elite and professional ski racers
compete. During the first day of races, participants ski 12K, 27K and 50K loops, in either freestyle or classic styles, while traditional old-school Nordic skiers take to the trails on Sunday for the equally
competitive 16K Gran Travers Classic.
Even casual weekend skiers can enjoy themselves during the two-day Vasa Festival of Races. Over the
years, organizers have added a wide range of races and touring events for skiers of all shapes, ages and skill levels: 1K sprints for preschoolers, 3K freestyle and classic events for older youths, and even
noncompetitive 3K and 10K tours for those who prefer to enjoy winter's natural beauty at a more leisurely pace.
Founded in 1976, the Vasa is held on a beautifully crafted trail that winds through Michigan's Pere
Marquette State Forest, just east of Traverse City. Only two races in its 30-year history have been canceled for lack of snow. The 2005 race almost met that fate but was rescued at the last minute when a
local campground and ski outfitter, Timber Ridge, offered its higher, snowier location as an alternative headquarters for the Vasa. The move was so popular with skiers that the race is using Timber Ridge as its
base of operations again this season.
The Vasa may be Traverse City's best-known winter event, but it is by no means the only one. On February
4, the White Pine Stampede will also celebrate its 30th anniversary with a series of 10K, 20K and 50K races. And on February 5, the Vasa Trail will host the Madeleine Thomas Memorial Tour, a women-only
skiing and snowshoeing event that features trailside food, local wines, chocolates and other treats.
"It's really just about women having fun," said Kaye Krapohl who, in 1999, founded the Women's Winter
Tour which will include events in 10 North American cities and attract as many as 5,000 attendees in 2006.
For information about the North American Vasa, the White Pine Stampede, the Women's Winter Tour and
other winter events, festivals and activities, call the Traverse City Convention and Visitors Bureau at 800/TRAVERSE or visit the Web site www.mytraversecity.com.
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New Wisconsin bike maps available
The Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation and American Bike
Trails have joined forces to publish the 2005 edition of the Wisconsin State Bicycle Map. The new map highlights the most favorable bicycling conditions and rates all roadways for bicycling.
Eight panels printed on four separate maps comprise the set. Each quarter section map may be purchased separately or all four may be purchased as a set.
"We're very excited about the new version of the map," Bicycle Federation Executive Director Marjorie
"Dar" Ward said. "The maps haven't been updated since 1998, and road conditions have changed a great deal over that period of time."
The maps have routes marked according to their appropriateness for cycling by indicating the level and speed of automobile traffic, presence of shoulders and bike lanes. The maps also include state trails that do
not allow motorized vehicles in the non-winter months.
Other new features of the 2005 map include locations of all Wisconsin bike shops, designation of local dirt
roads, paved shoulder information for state highways, and the location of interchange and non-interchange freeway crossings. The maps are ideal for long-distance touring bicyclists as well as casual recreational
riders or transportation bicyclists.
The maps can be purchased at bicycle events, bike shops, and at the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin office
at 106 E. Doty Street in Madison. To order the maps, call the Bicycle Federation at 608/251-4456 or Wheel and Sprocket at 800/362-4537.
A portion of the sale of each map benefits the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin's mission to make Wisconsin a better place to bicycle.
To become a Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin member (and receive one free map), visit www.bfw.org/membership/ or call 608/251-4456. Current members get a discount when purchasing the
maps directly from the Bicycle Federation.
The Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin is a statewide nonprofit bicycle education and advocacy organization
with over 2,400 members. The Bicycle Federation promotes bicycling as a viable, healthy and environmentally sustainable means of transportation, recreation and sport. The Bicycle Federation provides
bicyclists of all ages with information on recreational rides, safety tips and commuting skills while educating decision makers about the importance of bicycling to our communities. Learn more at www.bfw.org.
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Help sponsor high school Korte skiers
Last year the Wisconsin Nordic Network (WINN) Kortelopet Sponsorship program provided 20 high school ski team members with a free entry into the Kortelopet ski race. Now you can help give a
world-class skiing experience to a deserving young skier by making a tax-exempt donation of $50 to WINN. For more information, contact Phillip Johnsrud at 715/445-4777 or by e-mail at johnsrudp@iola.k12.wi.us. Donations can be sent to WINN in care of Anne Riendl, 2907 Farmview Ct.. Waukesha, WI 53188-4460.
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