Good news, everyone! Mountain Hardwear will be sponsoring our race shirts this year – we’re still finalizing details, but it looks like racers will end up with one of our nicest shirts ever. We’ll see what we can do to make the artwork equally memorable.

As a special new sponsor bonus, we’re going to extend early registration rates through the weekend. Three more days to get your teams signed up at a discount – head over to registration now and lock in your chance to get lost in the hills, valleys, streams and fields of Vermont!

We’re also pleased to note that Catamount will offer discounted rates for bike rental – $20 instead of $30 for the day. Get in touch with them directly if you’re interested. They’re also offering camping on their property if you want to stay right where the action is and make it a full weekend of adventure. No showers, but they will have running water… details on camping rates will be posted on the race directions page as soon as we have them.

Sign up now or get in touch if you’ve got questions!

We have a few deals from our sponsors that we want to share with you soon, so you don’t miss out.

We also want to invite you to some upcoming outings – not GMARA events, just things that our members are doing in their free time. As you know, event awesomeness increases in direct proportion to the number of GMARA members attending.

	EMS Club Days are May 3rd & 4th this year. Show your membership card to get 25% off EMS brand gear and 20% off all other in-store purchases.
	A couple former racers from Middlebury have formed a new company, employing veterans to make high-end bags from military surplus fabrics. The results are awesome, and the goal of making products in America is one that GMARA wholeheartedly supports. Check out their kickstarter campaign, and look for one of these bags to be a prize at the Bitter Pill!
	If you need new adventure-ready shades, Julbo has given us 20% off on purchases at julbousa.com using code julbobitterpill1888 – valid until July 1 2013. (If you’re racing, Julbo’s in the prize pool again this year too!)
	This Sunday morning (4/28) join us to Cycle The City of Burlington with Vermont’s Local Motion, one of our favorite non-profits. It’s the perfect way to ease into adventure – biking, reading a map, chatting with good people… just like most GMARA events, right?
	Our friends at Petra Cliffs just finished a huge expansion, adding a massive top-out boulder. They’re celebrating with a bouldering competition on Friday May 3rd that looks like a great party!
	Our host location for the Bitter Pill doesn’t just wait around for adventure to happen, they’re busy all summer with events, camps, races, and fun reasons to get outside. Kick off the season and get your bike muscles tuned up with the Flower Power mountain bike race, May 11th.

In the future, we’ll try sharing small events like these through our Facebook group – we don’t want to mail the entire northeast if we’re just going climbing or grabbing a beer. If you’re interested, join the group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2387676669/.

Registration is open for the 2013 MVP Health Care Bitter Pill!

It's hard to believe, but we've been hosting the Bitter Pill Adventure Race for ten years now. Thankfully, losing you in the woods just doesn't get old. Read on for details, or go directly to the registration page to sign up.

To celebrate this tenth anniversary milestone, we're happy to announce some goodness for this year's race:

• Lower costs! Entry fees are lower than last year, especially for early registrants.
• Teams of two or three! Top prizes still go to three-person teams, but if you only have one awesome friend, you should still sign up.
• Paddling is back! Tandem kayaks for two, and canoes for three.
• Multiple new (and old) sponsors lined up! Details coming next week, including some good discounts.
• We're moving the race north again, basing it out of the Catamount Outdoor Family Center in Williston.

Boats are limited in both divisions, and early registration rates are definitely cheaper, so sign up soon to reserve a properly-sized boat and lock in your spot. More details, as always, on the site: gmara.org/bitter

From all of us at GMARA, we're looking forward to an amazing race and hearing about all your trials, successes, perseverance, and how you've grown as a result of what your team overcomes in the 2013 Bitter Pill.

Special thanks to MVP Health Care for being our title sponsor for more than half of our ten years. Some tremendous things have come together with their support, and we're thrilled to have them back.

Cheers,
The GMARA crew

The 2013 MVP Health Care Frigid Infliction wrapped up nicely on Saturday, March 2nd. Everyone had a great day in the snow, competing against the gorgeous Bolton Valley backcountry.


The full writeup is here with stories, pictures, results, and thanks to everyone who made it happen.

Registration is open for the MVP Health Care Frigid Infliction 2013!

What: 10 hours of winter adventure racing. Navigate, XC ski, snowshoe, post-hole, maybe a little rope work. Some racers even got to “swim” through the deep stuff last year.

When: Saturday, March 2nd. Race starts at 5 a.m.

Where: Bolton Valley Resort, the best place in Vermont to get three feet of new snow in late February every year.

Who: You and your friends, in teams of two or three.

Why: You love the challenge of skiing uphill, in the dark, in the cold, not quite knowing where you’re heading, and making new friends and great memories in the process.

Why, reason two: This will be one of the first USARA qualifying events for 2013, so if you’re trying to get to nationals, this could be your ticket. Top 3-person coed team gets a $400 sponsorship!

Why, reason three: This year’s Frigid Infliction is dedicated to helping raise awareness of and funds for the Bolton campaign by the Vermont Land Trust – they’re trying to purchase (and conserve) the backcountry land that we’ll be racing on. They need a final push to raise money, and we’re excited to be helping out. So excited, in fact, that we’ve cut costs compared to last year. With a few dollars back in your pocket, we’re hoping you’ll contribute to a good cause.

Sign up now for early registration pricing! Bring your friends, bring your family, bring that co-worker who needs a new challenge!

More information, as always, on the website.

GMARA, the Green Mountain Adventure Racing Association, seeks a volunteer Social Media Manager to build and maintain our online identity, including relationships with like-minded organizations, local and national sponsors and potential sponsors, and interested individuals. This position is ideal for an intelligent candidate with enthusiasm but little experience.

About the Position

As GMARA is a small non-profit entirely run by volunteers, the Social Media Manager will be expected to take the initiative in establishing and growing the organization’s online presence. Specifically, the position involves the following tasks and duties:

• Regularly update the GMARA website and social media profiles with news, events, sponsor information, and photos.
• Promote GMARA sponsors and sponsors’ events on GMARA’s online properties.
• Identify and establish online relationships with related organizations, current and potential local and national sponsor companies, and former and potential GMARA event participants.
• Promote GMARA events and initiatives on appropriate third-party websites.

The following skills are necessary:

• Solid grasp of online marketing strategies and event promotion on a nonexistent budget.
• Thorough understanding of the capabilities and limitations of Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, Pinterest, Quora, and other popular social media websites.
• Strong command of the English language, including solid grammar, spelling, punctuation, and editing.
• Ability to use Google Analytics to perform content optimization, research incoming links, etc. to more effectively promote GMARA.
• Must be a self-starter, eager to take the initiative and help a small organization grow.

Additionally, skill or interest in the following is desirable:

• Outdoor activities including hiking, biking, paddling, climbing, skiing, snowshoeing, navigation and orienteering, and wilderness survival.
• A good sense of the organizations, businesses, and facilities related to outdoor activities in Vermont, New England, New York, and Quebec.
• Web and graphic design.
• Advertising design and copywriting.

Compensation

Since GMARA is non-profit, this is a volunteer position without financial compensation. We treat our volunteers well: you’ll receive GMARA swag including race T-shirts; at GMARA events you’ll be entitled to make use of donated or rented facilities or gear; you’ll be fed alongside our racers; and you’ll be invited to take part in any GMARA-run event at a discounted rate.

Further, as a GMARA member you’ll be eligible for member benefits at local sponsor businesses such as Eastern Mountain Sports, as well as national brand sponsors such as Julbo USA and TrailRunner Magazine.

About GMARA

GMARA is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization devoted to encouraging appreciation of Vermont’s natural resources and the enjoyment of healthy outdoor activities. Volunteer-run since its founding in 2003, GMARA typically runs at least two adventure races annually in Vermont: the winter Frigid Infliction (the largest winter adventure race in the United States), and the summer Bitter Pill, both of which are regional qualifiers for the United States Adventure Racing Association’s National Championship.

Learn more about GMARA and adventure racing at http://gmara.org.

How to Apply

Please email a cover letter and résumé to volunteers@gmara.org before December 31, 2012. All applications will receive a response.

We are happy to announce that Julbo, makers of some of the best adventure-ready eyewear available, have joined us as sponsors of this year’s MVP Health Care Bitter Pill!

Julbo makes eyewear of remarkable durability, so you don’t need to worry about breakage on the trail. Full-coverage photochromic lenses protect your eyes from sun and stray branches, and from morning to night.

Julbo USA is based is Williston, VT, and they will be providing some of their high-end gear as prizes to our racers.

We’re excited to announce that Ski Vermont has joined the list of sponsors for this year’s MVP Health Care Bitter Pill. You might expect them to sponsor the Frigid Infliction (and perhaps they will), but Ski VT works year round to support the nordic and alpine ski resorts in Vermont – many of which have fabulous programs all summer. Case in point, the Blueberry Hill Inn is a nordic ski center when there’s snow on the ground… but in the summer, they host events like our adventure race and the Goshen Gallop.

In addition to our usual prize pool (including gear from EMS and that $500 sponsorship to USARA nationals) you can expect things like lift tickets to VT ski areas, fischer nordic ski bags, and backpacks from Burton!

We all have friends who would race if they just had a little motivation. Now, you’ve got a reason to motivate them:

For every team you refer that signs up (and pays) by July 4th, we’ll knock $150 off your team’s entry fee! (Or if you prefer, $75 for you and $75 for your friends.)

We’ve still got six weeks until this year’s MVP Health Care “Bitter Pill” and we want to get a few more teams signed up, and hopefully a few new racers. The Moosalamoo is absolutely gorgeous, first time racers will have a lovely day in the woods no matter how competitive they are.

If you’re a long-time GMARA racer who can’t make it to this year’s Bitter Pill, don’t let that stop you from talking your friends into it. We’ll do our best to give you a decent discount on one of our 2013 races.

Fine print: This is not a complicated promotional program, just have your friends mention you in the comments when they sign up. If you refer ten new teams, we’re not going to hand you a pile of cash, but you will get to race for free. We really do need teams to pay us promptly, too – money for shirts (and permits, maps, food, prizes, insurance, massage therapists) has to come from somewhere!