First race stickers, then a bike race…next up: an 8K road race.
Creating endurance sports-related stickers and organizing events are keeping Ludington runner Andy Klevorn busy these days (along with holding down a day job and raising a family). Andy, who founded MyRaceSticker.com, last year held Singletrack Showdown, a mountain bike race in Ludington. This year, he is adding the Cocoa Ocho 8K the morning of the bike race event. The events are set for Saturday, Nov. 30, 2013.
“I hope that runners enjoy running in the school forest and that the distance, another two-ish miles past a 5k, inspires them to run farther if that’s their goal as a runner,” Andy says of the Cocoa Ocho race, named for the free hot chocolate at the finish and “ocho” because it’s 8 kilometers.
Ambitious athletes can sign on for both—the run starts at 9 a.m. while the bike race gets underway at 2 p.m.
“For the bikers I hope that the distance attracts new riders to the sport,” he says. “The Iceman [in the Traverse City area] is kind of the pinnacle of Michigan mountain bike racing, but the distance and hills seem to intimidate new riders. So these distances of 10 and 17 miles are kind of an entry into the sport. The weather has the potential to be harsh, but that’s why they make such great clothing.”
Andy also wants to encourage runners and riders to stick around after the races and enjoy downtown Ludington.
“I also hope both events promote Small Town Saturday in Ludington,” he says of the community event slated for the same day. “We want people to come to downtown Ludington, spend a few hours, go eat at one of the many great restaurants downtown, maybe stick around for the holiday parade later that evening and then come back some day.”
I got to know Andy a couple of years ago, not long after I started this site, when he sent me some of his cool race stickers. I’ve got one of his 26.2 stickers on the rear of my car; another marathon sticker is on the back of my laptop. More recently, I’m really excited to be working with him on a custom-designed Michigan Runner Girl sticker, which will soon be available…stay tuned for details on this.
I’m happy to help spread the word of his upcoming races, and he’s generously offered to give a price break to Michigan Runner Girl readers interested in signing on for one of the events, or both. To save money on online fees, download a race entry specifically for MRG readers here »
MRG-Singletrack Showdown-Cocoa Ocho 8K Race Entry
More race day details:
- Over $1,700 in cash and prizes have been announced for this year’s Singletrack Showdown bike race and Cocoa Ocho running race.
- More age categories this year, based on input from last year’s event. This means the dollar amounts aren’t quite as high as last year, but the purse is higher overall. First place riders will earn their entry fee back and second place riders get a $20 gift card good at Sportsman’s Irish Pub, The Mitten or Barley and Rye. If participants reach 150 racers, organizers will look at paying out to third place.
- $2 off your first beer at The Mitten Bar: A Michigan Ideology and $2 off your first morning beverage (shot of Bailey’s in Hot Chocolate or a Bloody Mary).
- Two Iceman Cometh Challenge entries, a Barry-Roubaix entry, free ice cream cones. First 140 riders get a pint glass for that beer at the Mitten and the first 70 runners get a mug for hot chocolate.
Learn more about the Singletrack Showdown and Cocoa Ocho at the race web site here »
To sign on as a Michigan Runner Girl reader and to save money on online fees, download the special entry form here »
MRG-Singletrack Showdown-Cocoa Ocho 8K Race Entry
