GSSS Final Thoughts

The final Granite State Snowshoe Series standings are now posted on our website as promised. Red Bull is a remarkable thing. It's almost 10 pm and I feel like I could go all night. Problem is, in about 30 minutes I'll be wishing I could fall asleep. A couple of finals thoughts about the 2009 GSSS...we saw a 42% increase in participation in the three races we hosted (173 vs. 246 competitors). There were 309 men & women along with 29 teams who competed in series races. Two races in the series had over 100 competitors (Frosty's, 141 & Kingman, 107). I've said it before and I'll say it again, team racing is becoming a big draw and more RD's should consider it during all seasons. At acidotic RACING we're now 70+ strong and all of the team-focused events we race (24 Hours of Great Glen, Reach The Beach, Pinnacle Challenge, etc.) fill up very quickly. There's something special about being part of something bigger than yourself and the additional motivation derived from not wanting to let your teammates down. Perhaps this is why the team events I race during the year are always the most rewarding and memorable. Sharing and spending time with teammates takes me back to a very happy time in my athletic life. Looking forward, the series is likely to expand in '10 and will include a year end championship event at a location to be determined. The other RD's and I will get together over the summer to discuss and set the schedule. We'll also talk at that time about potential series scoring changes (ie. best 6 of 8 races). I'd personally love to see one or more new RD's in NH get into the mix. There's really only so much Deb, Paul, Michael, and myself can do and we'd certainly welcome more positive energy.