2008 Boston Beanpot Call for Marshals
 

Hello fellow Boston-area cyclists! I am the director of of the upcoming Boston Beanpot Cycling Classic, to be held in Grafton, MA april 12 and on the Tuft's campus in Medford on the 13th. This event has been the largest collegiate cycling event held in the country, with over 500 riders from all over the east coast descending on Boston for two days of racing. This event would not be possible without the contributions of the local cycling community. We mainly need marshals for the 13mi road race course. Transportation and food are provided- specific details are below. It is a great way to spend an afternoon outside and watch some exciting racing!

-Shane
Harvard University Cycling Association
2008 Boston Beanpot Road Race Director



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What:
- The 2008 Boston Beanpot Cycling Classic Road Race
-Course Marshals are needed to direct cyclists along the course

Who:
-The Eastern Collegiate Cycling Conference (ECCC)
-The Host colleges' cycling teams (Boston College, Boston University, Brandeis, Harvard, MIT, Northeastern, Tufts)\
-Cycling enthusiasts
-Local residents
-You!
When:
-Saturday April 12, 2008
-Either a morning or afternoon shift (the commitment is approximately five hours)

Where:
-Grafton, Massachusetts (just west of I-495 on the MassPike). Transportation will be provided from Harvard Square
-once in Grafton, Course Marshals will be provided with transportation to their course locations and then back to the town center (food will also be provided)

Why:
-you once raced in the Beanpot
-some of the racers are on your local team or club
-you like cycling or want to learn more about it
-you like the free food and fresh air
-you want to help make the 2008 Boston Beanpot the best one ever!

RSVP:
- beanpot.volunteer@gmail.com

As temperatures plummet and snow begins to fall the last thing on the minds of most Bostonians is the coming race season. Not those on ski slopes or ice rinks, but the collegiate cycling season. Those shivering pacelines, decked in their school regalia, drafting off snowplows and salt trucks, are actually the first sign of one of East Coast cycling's largest and most highly organized race weekends... The Boston Beanpot !
The Beanpot has become legendary within the cycling community and New England as a whole. Not only for its events, courses and competitors, but for its seamless preparation and execution as well. The 2008 Beanpot continues in this tradition, but we need the support of our fellow students, residents in neighboring communities, and cycling enthusiasts to make this Beanpot a success... we need volunteers to be Course Marshals!
Anyone who has spent time on country roads in New England knows how winding and rolling they can be -- roads that make for a memorable course, but that can be extremely difficult to navigate, especially at high speeds. This is where we need help: it is the Course Marshals who direct the riders. If you don't know whether to turn at the cow pasture or stay straight, Marshals point the way. If you're not familiar with the course or the large pothole that awaits you as you exit the next turn, Marshals steer you around it. They are your guides, your GPS, the people that allow you to focus on the race and still take in some of the scenery. They could be the difference between a memorable race weekend or the one you lament for years to come because you got lost and rode to New Hampshire.

Volunteering as a Course Marshal can be as memorable as being in the race itself (and for those of you who are hoping to participate as racers: you can do both! Marshaling will not keep you from racing the Beanpot). Not only will you be out on the course close to the action, watching the peloton break away or this year's top riders battle for position on the last lap. You'll also know you are helping to keep one of collegiate racing's most well orchestrated weekends just as anticipated for years to come.

As critical a role as the marshals play, there is NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY. Beforehand you are given a brief orientation of what is to be expected out on the course. We will transport you from Harvard Square to the course (Grafton) and provide you with lunch and instructions that are specific to your assigned location. You then make yourself visible and gesture to the approaching riders where they are to go. Extremely simple and extremely satisfying, having pack after pack of frantic cyclists dependent entirely on your directions to get them to the finish.

This is a great opportunity to give back to the Boston community and collegiate sports culture. If you would like to volunteer as a Course Marshal or would like more information, please contact us at beanpot.volunteer@gmail.com .