If you want to score a prime spot to watch the action, use these tips:
Where to watch
Race start & swim course (7-8:30 am)
From East End bike path along the beach. This is the best place to cheer on the athletes. See them come out of the chilly water and sprint right past you as they make their way to the mini-transition area.
From the Eastern Prom Trail/Park (just up from the bike path). This is a versatile spectating spot with panoramic views of the swim course, mini transition station and part of the run to the main transition area. Just turn around and walk to the top of the hill to watch the bikes heading out on the course for the second leg.
Transition area (7:30-10 am)
At 58 Fore St. you can watch the transition to and from the bikes, see runners leaving and cheer on athletes as they complete the event.
Bike course (7:30-11 am)
See the riders head out along Fore Street and the Eastern Prom. The bike course has a pair of tough hills, one leaving the transition area and another coming back up Munjoy Hill near the end of the leg. Enjoy a cup of coffee and pull up a piece of curb. They won’t be gone for long.
Run course (8:30-noon)
The best spot for the run is at the top of the Eastern Prom near Congress Street, where athletes will be challenged by two excruciating hills at mile 4.5 and 5. You’ll see athletes coming in on bikes, going out on the run and coming back from the run with the beautiful view of Casco Bay behind you.
Finish area (9-1 pm)
Just around the corner from the transition area is the finish line, where athletes can celebrate and then move right inside for the festival, which goes until 1 pm. Come join in the party.
Where to park?
Shuttles will run from the Marginal Way park and ride and the County Courthouse lot on Federal Street to 58 Fore St. There’s also the new Ocean Gateway Garage across the street and up a bit from the venue. It’s within walking distance and will be available to park for $10 for the day.
Vendors to check out
Zone Labs — The main sponsor of the Epic will provide information on nutritional products and athletes.
Whole Foods — Serving post-race food for athletes and handing out athlete goodie bags.
Sebago Brewing Company — Providing a complimentary beer garden. (Brilliant!)
Other booths will be manned by reps from: Vitamin Water, Tri-Maine, EPIC, Sugarloaf/Sunday River, Peak Performance Multisport, Bondi Bands Headwear, TerraCycle, Atayne, Saris Power Tap/Zip Wheels, The Maine Switch magazine, Grain Surfboards, Corduroy Surf Gallery and Boutique, Innate Chiropractic and My Race World.
Things to do and hear
Barefoot Truth — The band will be playing live at the finish line.
Maine Rock Gym — Have you felt like you’ve been climbing the walls at work this summer? Now you can do it for real — outdoors.
Co-Ed Dodge Ball Contest — Casco Bay Sports will run a dodge ball firing contest. T-shirts and other prizes will be awarded.
Live Mural Art Display — 2Rich will be tagging and creating a gigantic urban-inspired mural during the event.
There will also be breakdancing demos, a DJ spinning tunes and local art on display.
Don’t miss ...
Profesisonal triathlete Becky Lavelle — She started her multisport career in 1999 and has claimed titles in a number of the country’s most prestigious events including Escape from Alcatraz, the Chicago Triathlon, the Wildflower Half Ironman and Escape to Bermuda. “Triathlete Magazine” named her Comeback Athlete of the Year in 2005 after she won the U.S. National Championship. In 2006, USA Triathlon lauded her as the Multisport Athlete of the Year and she’s the first alternate for the U.S. team and is headed to Beijing for the Summer Olympics. This will be the first time she’s raced in Maine.
Amateur racer Mary Miller — She’s a homegrown girl from Eliot and is taking the competition by storm. This year she won the prestigious Wildflower Tri in California and took top amateur honors in the Philadelphia Triathlon. She also had exceptional showings in the World Championships and St. Anthony’s Triathlon (read more on page 14).
Making a sustainable stand
To minimize event waste and reduce the overall ZUE carbon footprint, race directors are working with Bruce Rayner and Athletes for a Fit Planet to make crucial eco-friendly changes in all aspects of the race, from marketing to event facilities to sponsor involvement to clean-up.
At water stations, athletes will find biodegradable and compostable corn-based cups filled with local water from large containers instead of water bottles or non-recyclable cups. All aluminum cans, plastic bottles, glass, cardboard and paper will be collected in appropriate containers and recycled post-race. All food waste will be composted.
Shuttle buses will be available to transport athletes and spectators from various locations throughout Portland, and information on how each individual can reduce their own carbon footprint will be available on-site. FairPoint Communications has committed to offset CO2 generated from the ZUE, including athlete travel and shuttles. In addition, the majority of event marketing has been done through electronic means and all posters, fliers and promotional materials have been printed on recycled paper.
TerraCycle will set up stations to collect non-recyclable materials of all kinds. Accepted materials include energy bar wrappers, nutritional gel packs, swim caps, polyester sports apparel and more. TerraCycle and Atayne both directly reuse materials to make eco-friendly, affordable products ranging from tote bags and purses to sports apparel and shoes.
Facts about ZUE
The debut event in 2007 saw 350 athletes compete
2007 winners were Kurt Perham, 36, of Brunswick in 2:14:54 and Catharine Payson, 42, of Cape Elizabeth in 2:29:45 (she’ll be in the field again this year).
Racers from 15 states and 2 provinces will compete
50% of the racers are from Maine.
The Zone Urban Epic has been selected by the Council for Responsible Sport as one of 14 national “seedling” races to participate in a pilot program that focuses on developing an official certification for sustainable, mass participation athletic events.
It’s the most spectator-friendly race on the East Coast. There are a plethora of activities for families and friends to participate in while athletes race.
ZUE raises money for STRIVE, helping young adults with disabilities in the Greater Portland Area
Still to come
If watching the Urban Epic has you inspired, check out:
The Rangeley Oquossoc Mountain Pursuit on Aug. 31. It’s a modified Olympic distance event featuring a .5-mile swim, 22-mile bike and 4.5-mile run. Or do a duathlon of .5-mile swim and a 22-mile Aquabike leg.
Set against the Western Mountains of Maine, the ROMP is one of the most challenging races in state — and also one of the most beautiful. After a swim through Rangeley Lake, athletes embark on a fierce bike course that tests the limits of individual endurance and then rewards racers with spectacular Northern Maine vistas. The ROMP finishes with a trail run through dense forests and up to the top of steep Saddleback Mountain. The race is grueling but the event setting is breathtaking, making the ROMP one unforgettable event.
The Lobsterman Triathlon on Sept. 13, an Olympic distance event in Freeport featuring a 1-mile swim, 40K bike and 10K run with 500 competitors expected.
Held at beautiful Winslow Park, the Lobsterman offers the quintessential Maine triathlon experience with a spectacular swim in Casco Bay, a bike leg along the scenic coastline, a run through the quaint village of Freeport and a post-race lobster bake at the finish line. With live music, a beer garden, a kids race and local atmosphere, the Lobsterman is a destination must-do race for any athlete from beginner to pro.