IROC’S Summer Series in the Kingdom 2011
Running – Biking – Swimming
In the heart of the Northeast Kingdom
IROC’s Summer Series of running, biking, and swimming
events offers challenging, fun, well organized and well supported recreational and competitive athletic events for all ages and all levels of ability. The buzz is out
and they are growing fast. They take place in one of the most beautiful areas of the nation, the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. The NEK is one of only a few geotrourism
areas in the world specially designated by National Geographic. Participation in these events has steadily grown from 50 in 2007 to 97 in 2008, to 550 in 2009, to 928 in 2010. They
are now drawing participants from 32 different states, DC, four Canadian provinces, Mexico, Great Britain and as far away as Mumbai, India. 75% of the participants travel
from out of the Orleans County Area. 48% are from out of state. The events are designed for participants of all ages and all abilities ranging from 6 to 75 years
old. 55% are over 40 while 11% are 18 or under.
The Summer Series is hosted by Indoor Recreation of Orleans County, a 54,000 square foot sports, fitness and recreation facility and pool in Derby, Vermont. They are
charity fundraisers for IROC’s Healthy Changes Initiative, a ground breaking and highly effective exercise program for people suffering from Diabetes, Obesity, Heart
Disease and Rheumatoid Arthritis as well as Cancer patients and survivors and seniors aged 65 and older.
May 21, 2011 – The Third Annual Dandelion Run – “The Dandy” is a
hilly and challenging half marathon (with relay options and a five mile alternate running and walking course). The course is laid out largely on dirt roads and is run
at the height of dandelion season, when the fields of Derby, Morgan, and Holland are blanketed with millions of dandelions for as far as the eye can see. Vermont Sports
has selected the Dandelion Run as one of the five most scenic running races in
Vermont. A Dandelion Festival of blue grass and old country music is beginning to evolve around this event, offering a great celebration of spring in the heart of
the Northeast Kingdom. Our YouTube video slide show is at: It’s May! It’s Time to Run!! Just
for the Fun of it!!!
June 1 - 5, 2011 – The Fifth Annual Tour de Kingdom – The Tour has grown from a one
day Century Ride in 2007 to a five day event in 2011. We will be offering three days of touring (Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday) with longer and shorter options on each day. Each
of these days is guided by riders from the Kingdom Velo Group and the White Mountain Velo Group who join with IROC in hosting this event. The Tour culminates in two
days of supported Century Rides on Saturday and Sunday. Each of these days offers optional routes of varying distances. Two years ago we added the Double Century
Challenge as a “timed event” on Saturday and Sunday which is now drawing the interest of serious riders from all over the northeast and as far away as Great Britain. Cyclists
are invited to sign up for anywhere from one day to all five days. Couples and friends can ride at different levels each day and return to the same lodging each night. Here’s
the schedule of the 2011 Tour: Wednesday: Orleans Central; Thursday: Connecticut River and Beyond; Friday: Around Lake Memphremagog; Saturday: Western Hill Country;
Sunday: Legendary Lake Region.
Our YouTube video slide show can be seen here.
July 9, 2011 – The Third Annual Kingdom Swim – On
Lake Memphremagog, the Swim now offers 10 mile, 6 mile, 3 mile, and 1 mile swims for adults and youth, along with ¼ mile and 100 yard swims exclusively for kids. The
swim is hosted in conjunction with Kingdom Aquafest, which includes a Pet and Swimmers Parade on Friday, July 8, 2011 followed by the Montgomery’s Café Swimmers
and Yackers Pasta Dinner. This year the event drew 195 swimmers from all over the nation and as far away as Mumbai, India. Lake Memphremagog has been named one
of the 50 greatest open water swimming venues in
all of North America. Our 2009 YouTube video. Our open water swimming rally cry: No
Lanes – No Lines – No Limits.
August 8, 2011 – Fourth Annual Kingdom Triathlon – We now offer two triathlon events,
a radically different Aquaman Even Up and a traditional Sprint. Our Even Up Aquaman Triathlon consists of a 3.5 mile swim in Lake Seymour, a 30 mile bike, and a half
marathon on the Dandelion Run route. This is a challenging half iron type tri, but with a twist. The swim has been lengthened substantially and the bike leg shortened
so that triathletes spend about an equal time on each leg. It has been organized in response to what we call “The Swimmers Lament”— that triathlons
are stacked against them. The rally cry: “Swimmers of the world, unite and fight for an even-up Aquaman Triathlon.” 2010 was the first year of this
race and we attracted some high level triathletes from the Boston Triathlon Team, as well as other parts of Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Quebec. They enthusiastically “field
tested” the course. They had a blast. Some said they’d been waiting most of their adult lives for this type of event and they are already helping organize
and promote the Aquaman Tri for 2011. IROC also offers the more traditional, runner friendly Sprint on the same day -- a 500 yard swim, a 13 mile bike, and a 5 mile
run.
August 20, 2011: The Second Annual Willoughby Swim – A no-nonsense, 4.75 mile magnificent
swim on one of the cleanest, most spectacular lakes in North America. No falderal with this one, just one of the best swimming experiences you’re ever going to
have.
These events have been made possible by the strong support of a wide variety of sponsors. Major underwriting has been received from Community National Bank, Vermont
Highland Cattle Company, Jay Peak, Paul Decelles Investment Planning, Wilson & White, P.C., The EastSide Restaurant, Poulin Lumber, Community Financial Services Group,
Jennifer Nelson, Esq., Pick & Shovel, and Montgomery’s Café, as well as Louis Garneau, Boston Sports Club, Hammer, XTerra Wet Suits, Swim Art, and Swim Vacation
and numerous other local sponsors donating a wide variety of goods and services and smaller cash sponsorships.
We are now preparing to aggressively promote these events up and down the east coast and in selected areas of the southwest starting in September of 2010. We are also
involving more and more out of area participants on our planning committees to help us improve these events and better promote them. We fully expect the participant
levels to continue to grow to 1,500 to 2,000 in 2011. We are seeking sponsorship commitments at several levels to allow us to staff and support the costs of these events
and to allow us to advertize much more aggressively throughout the northeast and in national publications and web sites that focus on running, biking and swimming
