Registration Opens for Memorial SportsCare’s Eighth Annual Women’s Biathlon; Training Program Begins in July

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[June 30, 2015]  SPRINGFIELD – Women can begin registering online for the eighth annual Memorial SportsCare women’s biathlon.

This year’s event will start at 9 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 20, at Memorial SportsCare, 4550 W. Iles Ave.

The Biathlon Brigade, a 12-week training program, will begin July 1 to help women prepare for the September event. The Biathlon Brigade will meet at 5:30 p.m. for one hour every Wednesday and Friday until Sept. 18 at SportsCare.

“The brigade is designed for beginners but can be adapted for more advanced athletes or for women who have already participated in the biathlon,” said Stacy Curtis, SportsCare’s senior physical therapist and the biathlon’s co-director.

To sign up for the training program, women can register online at Active.com. Registration for the brigade costs $50 and is separate from the registration fee for the women’s biathlon

The women’s biathlon is a noncompetitive event that features a 20-kilometer bike ride and a 5-kilometer run. Women can choose to participate in the entire event or select the relay option, in which one woman completes the bike portion of the event and her partner finishes the run.

Cost of the event is based on age group as well as participation on the entire event or the relay only. Registration is limited to the first 500 women. Women can register online at Active.com and search for “biathlon” or “SportsCare.” The biathlon has been sanctioned by USA Triathlon, the sanctioning authority for more than 2,000 diverse events ranging from grass-roots to high-profile races nationwide.

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Participants who are not USA Triathlon members will also need to pay an additional USAT one-day membership fee. All USA Triathlon members must bring their membership cards.

SportsCare’s biathlon is a noncompetitive event for women who may or may not have experience participating in an organized athletic event, Curtis said.

“No matter what your physical fitness level, this is a great event for women and a lot of fun every year,” she said.

Participants will be able to pick up their event packets at Memorial SportsCare from 4 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 17, or on the day of the event between 6:30 and 8:30 a.m. All participants must show a photo ID at packet pickup.

Volunteers are also needed on Sept. 20 to help at the finish line and with timing, course monitoring, cleanup, and drink and aid stations. Volunteers can register at MemorialSportsCare.com.

[Michael Leathers, Memorial Health Systems]

 

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