Wow!  What a fantastic year and what a fantastic group of athletes we had attend 2010 Du Draper Twice.  This year was especially great because we crowned Long Course Duathlon National Champions and had athletes from 22 states join us.  Congratulations to our Female Overall Champion Kirsten Chapman from Edmond, Oklahoma and our Male Overall Champion Chris Harig fom Issaquah, Washington.

The Draper Sprint On-Road  also congratulates its Female Overall Champion Alicia Ballard from Norman, Oklahoma and Travis Newton from Moore, Oklahoma.  Great job guys.

Not to be outdone the Off-Road Duathlon, seeing its biggest turnout to date, congratulates its Female Champion Desiree Margagliano and its Male Champion Chris McClure, both from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

There were 21 athletes that completed both the On-Road and the Off-Road races.  The two Du Draper Twice Champions are Gina Kraft of Shawnee, Oklahoma for the women and Mike Franklin of Oklahoma City for the men. 

Congratulations to all our winners, as well as all who braved the Oklahoma heat and competed this weekend.  Timing was conducted by DG Productions and results can be found at (http://dgroadracing.com/cgi-bin/p/awtp-home.cgi?d=dg-productions)

A special thanks goes out to TRI-OKC and all our volunteers, who are too numerous to mention but nonetheless extremely appreciated.  Without volunteers races would not happen.  A personal word of gratitude is also extended to Keith McCombs and Dave Wood who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to make this race happen and my wife of 21 years Angie Sholar who is just plain awesome.

A special thanks also goes out to all of our great sponsors.  Check out some of their links on this website.  They allow us to do what we love.

I would be remiss without thanking USATriathlon and the great folks there who have made multi-sports what it is today.

What a fantastic year!  See you in 2011.

Bret Sholar, Race Director

For those of you who wait until the last minute to register you better hurry.  Registration closes at 11:59 p.m. Thursday night.  Due to the logistics of putting on a National Championship there will be no race day registrations.  If you show up on Saturday or Sunday and want to participate we will gladly put you to work as a volunteer.

USATriathlon and the Draper staff will be very strict about this.

ALL athletes are required to show photo ID. NO ID, NO RACE, NO EXCEPTIONS.  Every single participant in the race must have a photo ID, this includes all relay participants.  Youth athletes without an ID must be accompanied by a parent/guardian with a photo ID.  Annual members are required to bring their membership card every time they compete in a USAT sanctioned event.   If their card has been lost, they can download and print out a temporary one at http://www.multisport.hangastar.com

I know the vast majority of you race for the sheer enjoyment of it and the competition.  However, it is nice to get a shirt to show off to your friends.  This is the National Championship after all.

Well, we are geting close to race day and the shirt supply is getting low.  Only the next few athletes that register will get a shirt.  We have to preorder them and we are going to be right near target this year.  So, to be sure you get a shirt register now.  I will do my best to pull the sizes we are out of off of the website.  But, if you register at this late date please do not be surprised if you do not get a shirt.

See you at the race.

Packet Pickup will be Friday, July 9 from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Schlegel’s Bicycles in Oklahoma City (900 N. Broadway Avenue).  You must have a photo ID to pick up your packet.  USAT members must also have their Membership card.  You will not be able to get your packet without them.  For Schlegel’s location follow ths link http://schlegelbicycles.com/

Athletes are encouraged to get their packet on Friday.  However, for those of you traveling,  you can also get your packet before the race on Saturday or Sunday at the race site.

Who would have thought that when the Draper Lake Duathlon started 15 years ago we would some day be a National Championship and people would want to be a part of our event.  Well, here we are.

I am proud to announce that Acumen Contracting Group has signed on as a sponsor.  Owner Matt Miller also formed a group called C-Different.  C-Different was created to inspire visually impaired persons around the world to lead active and healthy lives.  There is a chance that a couple visually impaired athletes will be joining us on Saturday.  To learn more about C-Different check out their website.

http://www.cdifferent.org/

This race is getting more exciting all of the time.

Athletes:

I have been notified by USA Triathlon that ITU will hold a 2011 Long Distance Duathlon World Championship.  The date and location are yet to be determined.  You will be able to qualify for 2011 Worlds at the Long Course this year at Draper.

The top 5 in each age group (after the age-up rule) rolling down to 8th place will qualify to race at Worlds for Team USA.

The age-up process works like this.  You will race at your “race age” at Draper in 2010.  Awards will be based on this age.  A separate set of results will be issued accounting for those that age-up in 2011.  The qualification slots will be based on that.  The following link is to USA Triathlon’s 2011 Qualifying Guidelines.

http://www.usatriathlon.org/resources/about-events/team-usa-qualifying-events/2011-qualifying

I am excited that our race is hosting such an event.  Good luck to all of you.

Bret Sholar, Race Director

HAMMER NUUTRITION, our long-time sponsor, is really stepping up to the plate this year.  In addition to providing us with HEED and Hammer Gel for the race, they are supplying bottles for the handups on the Bike Course.  These are the 22-ounce plastic bottles.<br>

Here is how it will work.  The bottles will be filled with HEED.  As you approach the handup area you will let us know if you want HEED or H2O.  Our capable volunteers will then give you what you want.  Not only is this a great product, the are great bottles, yours to keep.

Hello athletes:

From here on out I will try to keep you updated as things happen.

1)  We will have packet pickup at Schlegel’s Bicycles on Friday afternoon, July 9.  Stay tuned for exact times.  For details on how to get there see the link on this web page.  We will also have packet pickup available on race day Saturday and Sunday, but if you can get there on Friday it will make everything go smoother on race day.

2)  We will have water bottle handups available on the bike.  It will be located about 13 miles into the Bike loop and about 1.5 miles from Transition.  There will also be an Aid Station when you get off your bike, but if you are doing the Long Course then I suggest you take one.  If you want more than water on the bike, you need to carry it.

3)  Oklahoma is hot in July and this race is usually a tad on the warm side.  Make sure and do some training in the heat to acclimate yourself.  You will be glad you did.

4)  We call this race Du Draper Twice for a reason.  If you race one of the On-Road races (Long Course or Sprint) on Saturday and the Off-Road Du on Sunday and finish both and “Du Draper Twice’” you get something special.  In year’s past it has been a cooler.  This year it is even better.  So in order to get a cool parting gift, Du Draper Twice.  Besides think of the smack you can talk when you finish both and your buddy only does one.

We are a little more than a month out and I hope everyone’s training is going well.

Bret Sholar, RD – Du Draper Twice

For those of you traveling in from out of town you will find that Oklahoma City has a lot to offer.  Downtown Oklahoma City is undergoing a major revitalization and Bricktown has become the place to be.  In the middle of all of this excitement is the Bricktown Residence Inn.  To find out a little more about the Bricktown Residence Inn and how to contact them go to the “Race Info” page.  They have offered us a block of rooms at a reduced rate.  Even though your primary purpose for visiting us is to ruthlessly take out your competition on the race course, spend some time relaxing before and after the race in Bricktown.