

ESSENTIAL EVENT INFORMATION 2025
Due to the scale and nature of Rat Race Events, changes to the event course, structure and timings sometimes need to be made right up until the date of the event. To ensure you have the latest information and are fully prepared for the challenge that lies ahead, please checkback on this EEI before travelling to the event.
This EEI was last updated on: 04/03/2025
Dear Intrepid Rat Racer,
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The eagle eyed of you will have noticed that we have changed the name of the event from Crater to Canyon to Canyon to Canyon.
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The reason for this is that the test pilot event identified some difficulties gaining access to the crater and these were on many levels - administrative, ownership and the general state of the trails were rough and overgrown.
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We have worked very hard in the time since then, in an attempt to overcome the obstacles we have faced, but in the end we have accepted that our plan A was not going to be achievable.
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Consequently, further reccies took place to identify an equally stunning start location at the foot of Bell Rock in the glorious Sedona region of Arizona.
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This change guarantees epic trail running and flowing mountain biking all the way to Flagstaff.
Please find our Essential Event Information Document, containing everything you need to know. If you have not done already, do ensure you are fully conversant with the website and then pour yourself a cup of tea or coffee (or something a little stronger!) and read on….
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James Campbell - Canyon to Canyon Project Manager
FILES AND DOWNLOADS:
KEY REMINDERS:
Make sure you’ve read this thoroughly well ahead of your departure date to ensure there are no last minute panics or surprises, if you have any questions after reading this please reach out to us on events@ratrace.com
SKIP TO SECTION

TIME ZONE
GMT - 7 hrs

PHONE CODE
The area code is USA +1

LANGUAGE
English

CURRENCY
US Dollar

TEMPERATURE
Average temperature range is -3°C to 15°C
Humidity + 25%
IMPORTANT REMINDERS
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​ Online form to be submitted by 10th March 2025.
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Medical forms must be filled out by 10th March 2025.
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Snacks: Please bring 3 days’ worth of scooby snacks PLUS one day of contingency = 4 days total. See below in the relevant section for what we provide and how we suggest you augment this with some simple snacks of your own.
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Trackers: Please remember that whilst GPS trackers will be issued, consistent and reliable service is not a given; you should particularly note this if sharing live links with supporters.
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Kit: You will need to pass final kit check before beginning participation in the event, this will take place in Flagstaff. If your kit is not right, the Event Team will reserve the right to prevent you from starting the Event. Don’t worry – there are several touchpoints before departure to ensure this does not occur. See the relevant section below on kit and our webinar. If in any doubt on kit, please do get in touch with us at events@ratrace.com and we can help.
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Insurance: You need insurance. If you are bringing your own bike, please ensure it is insured against loss, theft and/ or damage. You will need a medical repatriation and evacuation policy that has a minimum of $500 000 trip cover on it. You will submit this to us pre-event and we will ensure we have the correct number to call your insurer if we need to evacuate you or provide serious medical attention. We also highly recommend a policy that covers you for curtailment and non-attendance.
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Bike Rental: Bike rental is available in-country. The bikes will be of a right specification and type and suitable for the journey. You will need to bring your own helmet. A bike can be ordered for rental in the 'add extras' section under your event entry when you log into your Rat Race account.
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Live Events Decision-Making: When we are in Arizona, the Event Director’s decision is final. They are always acting in the best interests of the safety of the individual and of the group.
KEY INFO
PERSONAL DOCUMENTATION
Please use the following as a checklist on what you will require for this trip. We recommend all documents should be in a waterproof pouch or container.  

PASSPORT
(at least 6 months remaining and enough pages for all the required stamps - minimum 2).

RETURN AIR TICKET
You should ensure you have purchased a return air ticket.

TRAVEL INSURANCE
See insurance section or event FAQ.

PERSONAL MONEY
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TRIP MEETING POINT AND END POINT
The dates of the trip are fixed as 28th April to 2nd May 2025. These are the dates on which our itinerary commences and finishes.
The meeting point for our dabble in the desert, will be the 28th April in downtown Flagstaff, High Country Lodge Motor Hotel at 4 pm.
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The trip will end back in Flagstaff on the 2nd May at 1 pm, so we advise you do not book flights before 4.30 pm.
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Irrespective of when you fly, please ensure you have suitable insurance policies in place, or flexible airline tickets, to accommodate any changes to schedules that may be required on your part.
We will ask you to tell us about your arriving and departing flights in the participant online form.
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KIT LIST
You will find the kit list below.
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WEBINAR
We will carry out an info-packed Q and A-style webinar on Wednesday 12th March 1800 UK local time. This is a great opportunity to ask questions of the event team to aid your preparation. The session will be recorded and those who cannot make it can watch it in their spare time.
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TRAVEL MEDICINE GUIDANCE
For vaccinations, you should in all cases seek guidance from your local travel clinic, however if you do need further guidance in this respect, you can speak to our medical providers via the contacts given in this document. See more in the medical section, below.
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BIKE SECURITY, CONDITION & IN-EVENT MOVEMENTS
​If you are planning to bring your own bike to the event, we 100% recommend that you get it serviced beforehand. The desert is a unique arid environment and this means a lot of dust, which will give any chain, group set or general bike componentry a bit of a pasting. The bike needs to be tip-top before travel to avoid drivetrain problems on the ground.
There are occasions where we will be moving your bike during the event. Our crew will of course take exceptional care with participant bikes alongside the rental bikes. The bikes may be carried in a truck or contained area (big vans) but often, they will be fitted to racks on the back of 4x4 trucks. This is a standard for events of this nature in these environments, as we need the right vehicles that we know can confidently navigate the terrain we’ll be covering and get bikes from A to B across the country.
The risk of damage to your bike is no more than most back-of-car carriers or what you will put the bike through while riding it along the route. Our experience is that the bikes are typically far enough off the ground that this is not a primary concern. The bikes will pick up dust and other muck and crud when on the back of the vehicles and this is easy to remove. If there is a catastrophic failure of the transport and bikes get destroyed or seriously damaged, your insurance is there to cover this. That said, this is highly unlikely.
Security-wise, while the bike is in your possession, such as in hotels at the start and end of the event, these are 100% your responsibility. When we have your bikes together en-masse, such as in transit or transition, we will look after them as if they were our own. When we are using hotels and locations where your bikes can be stored safely and managed, we will give instructions as to where to put your bike overnight or when not in use.
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We have stated that your bike must be insured for theft, accidental damage or loss and this will cover any unforeseen eventualities. It is prudent for us to direct you to insure your bike for such an undertaking in this respect.
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​STYLE OF TRAVEL
There will be 8 participants in the event. In general, we will provide lead and sweep vehicles. We will establish pit stops along the route, roughly equidistant to one another as the course allows.
You should bring your own means of navigation (GPS enabled running watch, bike computer and phone with navigation app and maps downloaded for offline use). If you don’t have access to a watch or a bike computer, we have these devices available for rent which can be booked in your account under 'Add Extras'.
Generally, you go at your own pace, ride with others, ride on your own, whatever you fancy. There may be exceptions to this where we require everyone to ‘group up’ for safety reasons, such as on the mountain.
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We will not stop you riding or trekking unless you look unlikely to finish in daylight. As such, there is no formal cut-off time, as the daily stages could be influenced by weather, road closures, or other factors – it is very much down to the judgement of the event team on this basis. However, unless we think you’re going to run out of daylight to finish the stage, we will not cut you off. That is our pledge to you. For your part, just keep pedalling, hiking or running.
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​You will need to carry your personal clothing, equipment and snacks for this run / hike in a rucksack.
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FOOD AND BEV
​​Most meals are provided whilst you are on our itinerary, however there are some that are not. Please do note these and prepare options for the meals that you need to provide yourself.
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At the hotels there will be a bar available to you. Please settle your room bill before departing each hotel.
Activity days will be supported by Rat Race Pit Stops featuring water, small grab and go snacks and other treats. At one of the Pit Stops there will be ‘lunch’ items, such as sandwiches, wraps or local delicacies.
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If we know that sections of the route are going to be inaccessible by vehicle, for example on Humphreys Peak, then we will ensure you have plenty of food before you enter those sections.
You should look to augment these Pit Stops with your own snack supplies and extra calories and you should provide your own electrolytes and any gels or similar you wish to use. This will be important throughout your adventure.
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ALCOHOLIC DRINKS AND ‘EXTRAS'
​Where we provide meals, we will not include alcoholic or soft drinks as standard.
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We will provide you with some beers at certain locations, to celebrate a job well-done. That is a Rat Race tradition! These will be at the discretion of the organisers. In general, you should expect to pay for alcoholic and soft drinks.
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ABLUTIONS AND HYGIENE
There is a mixture of accommodation within the itinerary, therefore the type and amount of facilities available will be varied. It is not guaranteed each evening will have a shower facility. Therefore, you should keep to a high level of personal hygiene by using wet wipes, washing with minimal water and always keeping hands clean. Check wounds, rashes, and blisters regularly for infection.
Pit stops will not contain toilets, so if you need to go out on the course, be prepared. We recommend always keeping a pack of tissues, hand sanitizer and a lighter in your day pack. The world of adventure toilets awaits.
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The firm advice is always to ensure you are ‘self-contained’ with toilet roll and with anti-bacterial handwash gel for the route.
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ITINERARY
DAY 1: 28/04/2025: Meet, Registration & Kit Check
Flagstaff Admin and Event Packet Pickup Day
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The meeting point is the High Country Lodge Motor Hotel in downtown Flagstaff. You are welcome to book this spot and join us here for the night, following our registration activities.
Here you will complete registration collect your event packets. Rental bikes will be here and we will conclude this session with a full event safety briefing. The meeting time is confirmed as 4 pm.
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​Accommodation: N/A
Meals: Dinner is not provided this evening. Go your own way or head out with your new friends.
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DAY 2: 29/04/2025: The Journey Begins
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A very early start will see us heading from Flagstaff to our spectacular start location in Sedona for a beautiful desert sunrise, before we count you down and set you on your way If you wish to make your own way to our start location near Sedona you can do so, or ride in our complimentary transportation.
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Famous for its Red Rock beauty, Sedona is a runner’s paradise. A labyrinth of trails await, all set against the backdrop of dramatic canyons and rocky outcrops. You’ll breeze through around 15 miles of glorious trails before transitioning to the bikes and then skirting by the lakes on your way to Flagstaff. The cool of the morning will allow you to make good going along the dusty trails and, as the day heats up, you’ll be grateful for 2 wheels to help clip the miles off in double time.
This whole area is awash with history and legend of the American Southwest. From the Apache death cave in the canyon, to the ruins of Old West ghost towns and derelict trading posts plus Navajo heritage, for which the area is famous. The desert will captivate and fascinate in equal measure. At day’s end, you will swing into town and we will accommodate you in quality hotel digs. Enjoy a hot bath or shower and join us for dinner in town.
RUN LEG
Distance: 26.1 km
Minimum Elevation: 1282 m
Maximum Elevation: 1823 m
Total climb: 816 m
Total descent: 365 m
BIKE LEG
Distance: 87.0 km
Minimum Elevation: 1822 m
Maximum Elevation: 2280 m
Total climb: 861 m
Total descent: 574 m
Accommodation: Flagstaff Hotel
Meals: Pit Stop Support Stations, Dinner
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DAY 3 30/04/2025: To The Top
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Switching back onto foot, you’ll come face to face with the wonders of the Arizona Trail as you make your way out of Flagstaff on foot. Today is a massive day and while the mileage may not sound too much at 28 miles total distance, you will be making for an enormous objective, which will be looming on the skyline all day, ahead of you. At 12,637 feet (3,851 meters) Humphreys Peak is the high point of the State, and you will be making for the summit as part of today’s route. Traversing off it, for a mellow 6 miles descent, you will find yourself wearily making your way to our high desert camp – and you will definitely sleep soundly tonight.
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This day is fully run / trek. We are likely to manage this day differently, due to safety management on the mountain. This is likely to involve allowing you to run up until a certain point, until we re-group, and then begin trekking together as a group.
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Dependant on the conditions, weather, visibility and many other safety and logistical factors, we may allow you to stretch those legs out for the descent off the mountain and take that section at your own pace. This is at the event managers discretion and if deemed necessary, we will stick together as a group for the duration of the day.
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You will need to carry your personal clothing, equipment and snacks for this run / hike in a rucksack.
​RUN / HIKE LEG
​Distance: 41.9 km
Minimum Elevation: 2104 m
Maximum Elevation: 3828 m
Total climb: 1805 m
Total descent: 1082 m
Accommodation: Rustic Desert Camp
Meals: Pit Stop Support Stations, Dinner
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​​DAY 4 1/05/2025: Canyon Finale
Today is a big day! First up, you’re back in the saddle for a super-engaging 74 miles section to finish up at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Starting with a super fun and gradual descent that brings you out of the high country around Humphreys Peak, you will then climb up to Coconino Rim, before descending again to journey’s end at the Canyon itself.
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A beer has most well and truly been earned, and we will not disappoint tonight, as you kick back with the views of the most famous national feature in all of North America, stretching out in front of you and a cold bottle of suds in hand. Enjoy a wrap up to your journey with a meal on us and some lodgings right here in this most wonderful of settings, at the end of your Canyon to Canyon journey.
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BIKE LEG
Distance: 110.0 km
Minimum Elevation: 1816 m
Maximum Elevation: 2828 m
Total Climb: 459 m
Total Descent: 1119 m
Accommodation: Grand Canyon Eco-Campsite
Meals: Breakfast, Pit Stop Support Stations, Dinner
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DAY 5 02/05/2025: Journey’s End
After our final breakfast together, it’s time to head back to Flagstaff for your return onward travel. It is around 3.5 hours back to Flagstaff, so we would be advising not flying out until after 4.30 pm.
ALL UP, the journey totals:
Distance: 265 km / 165 m
Ascent: 3941 m / 12,929 ft
EVENT REGISTRATION PACK
There will be one event pack issued per person. Your Event Pack will contain:
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Personalised bib number - You should try and wear this on the outside of all clothing or your day pack so that it is always visible.
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Tracking device
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Event T-shirt and Rat Rag – essential wear! Your preferred size will be provided if you communicate this to us in our form, linked in this document. If we do not receive size info from you, you will receive size Large as default.
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GPS Navigation device/s for those who have requested hire​
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THE ROUTE
GPS DEVICES
The way you will make your way through the course is to follow a GPS device, on the bike and trek sections. For the run / trek, the ideal option is a GPS navigation enabled watch, such as a Garmin Fenix.
For the cycling, you should use a bike mounted cycle computer. Garmin Edges are excellent devices, and we recommend those. If you do not own either of these devices, you can hire one from us via your account. Whenever you hire a device from us, we will ensure that they come fully functioning with the GPX files pre-loaded.
If you are using your own device, GPX files will be shared closer to the event so that you can upload these files onto your own devices.
All GPX files will need to be added to your phone for use in an emergency. They need to be on an app that you are comfortable navigating with. Each route must be saved and available offline (downloaded). You will need to carry a battery pack to ensure you phone has enough charge when you need it.
Therefore, there are 3 devices required for navigation.
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1. Watch for running and trekking.
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2. Bike computer
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3. Phone
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Phone - It is also mandatory to carry a phone on the trip, with the ability to charge it via portable battery pack. This device can be your primary nav device on the bike stage, mounted to your bike and waterproofed accordingly. You also use it as a back-up on the trek stage. You must upload the route files to your phone and download them for off-line use.
If you are keen to practise using your phone to navigate, download a suitable App such as Garmin Explore, RidewithGPS or Komoot (there are loads of great Apps, but we use these ones a lot) and practice uploading GPX files to the phone and following them in the App. It really is easy once you know how to get the files into the App.
Tracker - Separate from the devices above, we will issue everyone with a tracker, which provides both a tracking function for us to keep tabs on you while out on the course and for your supporters to track your progress
(Please note that this is a separate device from the GPS navigational devices – it is very light and small and will likely attach to your bag or stuff into a pocket. More is explained on tracking in the section below).
If you need assistance, please email james.campbell@ratrace.com and I will be happy to talk through any of the tech side of things for those who are not comfortable with it.
At registration we will ask everyone to show us all of the technology above with GPX files uploaded and files ready for ‘offline’ use on your phones.
ROUTE GPX FILES
We will also make available route GPX files for you to upload onto your own devices as you see fit. These files will be provided much closer to the commencement of the event.
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MANDATORY KIT LIST
Some of the kit listed is to help you have a safe experience and have the best chance of finishing. Some of this kit is to ensure that if you are unable to continue without our assistance then we can be confident of you having the level of equipment required to keep you as comfortable as possible whilst you wait for that assistance. Some of it is simply to keep you from perishing. It is a serious list, and we know everyone knows this, but we ask that you please do work with us on this. Please do not skimp on kit. As we will point out in the webinar thus far, the weather in Arizona is hot and humid. However, due to the elevations we ascend the weather can be changeable and cold. Dramatically so. Spare sets of kit will be worn, you will get hot, and you will get cold, you want clothing to get comfortable again. As such, do not skimp on kit!
BAGS
There are 3 bags you need for this event:
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1.Day Pack or carrying capacity for the bike stage.
You will use this bag to carry food, water, repairs kit and other supplies during the biking. Please make sure it is big enough to carry the mandatory kit and water. You can choose to carry water in bladders and/ or bottles. We are happy for this to be as a backpack OR as bike bags – such as saddle bag/top tube bag.
2.Day Pack - Running and Trekking.
This bag needs to be suitable and comfortable for the trekking day. It needs to be big enough to carry your personal camping kit, equipment and clothing.
3.Main Overnight Bag
This should be a soft duffel (please, no hard cases or wheels) and be capable of carrying the kit you will not be wearing during the biking or trekking stages. It must be one bag (not a series of bags). Size is not too important – up to 120l is OK as we do realise this kit is bulky. In general, we ask that you attempt to get this bag to around the 23kg mark (this is the upper limit for most ‘standard’ airline checked luggage anyway).
This bag will be left with our event team each day and you will have access to it each evening.
MEDICAL OPERATION & PARTICIPANT SAFETY
MEDICAL OPERATIONS
Our team is there for you in case you have an incident with which you require assistance. The team will shadow the progress of the Challenge each day in vehicles; before establishing a medical centre each afternoon at our accommodation. Whilst the medics are there for ‘what ifs,’ they are also a great source of preventative advice; so please do use them to ask questions and check best practice, particularly in suspected foot injury or issues such as blisters. We will also have medical staff on foot with you on the trekking stages.
Medical pre-screening questionnaire:
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At this stage we are inviting you to have a medical screening, which can be completed via the link below. Please complete this as soon as possible and certainly no later than 10th March. If you do have any condition that you feel we should know about, however small you feel it may be, please do share this with our Medics. Experience has shown that early pre-screening can assist both us and you greatly in enabling the care you need pre and during the trip. If you do not share information on conditions which are likely to affect your participation or decide to share them very late in the process, we are all under pressure and we will always reserve the right to cancel your participation if we feel there is a medical issue that may affect yours, or others’ safety. So please, do share anything and everything you feel our team should know about, at the earliest opportunity.
IMPORTANT NOTE ON SUBMISSION OF DOCUMENTS AND MEDICAL INFORMATION:
We are very fortunate to have an excellent Medical Director providing oversight, planning and screening on all of our international trips, who, in turn, engages seriously professional and qualified staff to join you on the trip. Rat Race also conforms and has been audited to the rigorous BS8848 standard of expedition management. This means our approach to all things safety and medical is extremely thorough and it is designed throughout with your best interest at heart.
Your medical screening details will be sent direct to our medical team and under medical confidentiality rules, this will only be shared with our medics and no-one else. If they decide this is info that is in the best interests of everyone for us as organisers to be privy to, they will seek and gain your consent before doing so. It is therefore important you complete the link to the medical survey which can be found HERE; do not send Rat Race medical information direct. If you have any queries at all on the medical side of things in relation to this event, you can email our Medical Director, Dr Patrick Musto confidentially on office@trailmed.com and he and his team will assist.
TRAVEL MEDICINE ADVICE
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To view some handy environment-specific info we have prepared in relation to the destination.
Blister Kit
We have split the blister kit list into mandatory and recommended - you can view this and the full kit list HERE.
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Personal Med Kit
We have split the medical kit into mandatory and recommended - you can also view this and the full kit list HERE.
Travel Medicine Guidance
We have provided a handy guide to travel medicine and some environment-specific medical guidance, HERE. For vaccinations, you should in all cases seek guidance from your local travel clinic, however if you do need further guidance in this respect, you can speak to our medical providers via the contacts given in this document. See more in the medical section, below.
Altitude
Altitude sickness, also known as mountain sickness, is a medical condition that can occur when your body doesn't have enough time to adjust to the lower oxygen levels at high altitudes. Altitude sickness usually occurs at levels above 2,500 meters. The body's process of adjusting to lower oxygen levels is called acclimatization, and it usually takes about 3 to 5 days.
The cause of altitude sickness is the rapid ascent to higher elevation where the air pressure is lower at higher altitudes, which means there's less oxygen available for your body to breathe.
Medex have created a booklet called ‘travel at high altitude’, it explains altitude, altitude sickness, symptoms and preventions. You should read this document departing for Arizona.
We have structured the event to create the lowest risk altitude profile. Using the first few days to acclimatise on Acatenango, before descending back to sea level where we will continue to slowly reach our highest point on the event 5 days later.
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Travel Contingency
Arizona is known for being hot and humid, however the temperatures dramatically decrease at altitude. Please be prepared for the multiple weather conditions and temperatures ranging from hot to cold. The terrain and altitudes along the route will influence the temperature.
The event will proceed in many conditions, but if it is deemed unsafe to continue due to weather conditions, the event will be halted at the current accommodation location. If required, we will await more favorable conditions to re-commence. This may result in some stages being cut short or cancelled in their entirety to achieve forward progress within the time available.
In all cases, the decision of the Event team is final in these matters. We will monitor weather and general course conditions throughout, and rest assured that any decision we do make in this regard is only ever made with the safety of event participants at its core.
But please do understand that the very nature of such an undertaking in such an environment requires us to plan (and deploy) contingencies and we cannot therefore guarantee that the exact itinerary as laid out on the website and in this document, will be achieved. Such is the essence of adventure!
COURSE CUT OFFS & WITHDRAWALS
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This event is not about cut-offs. But, having a ‘cut-off’ and a ‘sweeping’ structure is an important part of our Event Management Plan and Risk Assessment Processes. Cut off times are independent of any other factors that occur earlier in the course such as start time, injury, going the wrong way, time taken at Pit Stops, head winds, and whether it is your fault or not. We understand that missing cut offs can be tough to take but please remember this is not the crew member’s fault that breaks the news to you, should it happen to you. Please also remember that if this does happen to you, the Event team’s decision is final.
If you are cut off, there will be no option to re-start from where you were cut off the next day. (The event only ever moves forwards). You may however re-start the next day from the official re-start location, subject to the discretion of the event team.
There are a number of reasons why you may be cut-off or withdrawn from the event. These could be medical, pace, kit, personal or other factors. If you are moving forward and your safety/health is not at risk you will be able to continue until the sun goes down.
It is OK to retire and to be taken forward to the overnight stop. We’d rather you re-start the next day vs suffer meaninglessly and spoil it for yourself. We call this being ‘boosted’.
As far as the time available goes to avoid a cut-off, there is no ‘set’ cut off time each day. (ie. time limit or published time). Instead, we require all participants to be at the finish location before nightfall. If this is looking unlikely, you will be ‘swept’ forward. That is the cut-off.
Above all else, please remember, this event is not about cut-offs. It is about getting the most out of this magical environment. We will not cut you off and sweep you forward unless we really must. And if we do, it is for your own safety.
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'BEDDING DOWN ONTO THE COURSE'
It is probable that when you set off on the Challenge on day 1, the first hours of the first day may be a bit hit n’ miss. Pace, temperature regulation, kit selection, footwear or glove niggles. All to be expected. Embrace that ‘bedding down into it’ phase and listen to your body and to your kit. Expect some unexpected phenomena (not UFOs, just unusual kit or bike issues that you may not have quite been expecting). Use this time to just get used to the environment, the gear and the temperature. Go with it and relax. By Pit Stop 1 or 2, you’ll have worked out enough to be comfortable…
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SUN & HEAT
Please carefully review our Sun & Heat Safety Guidance and Cold Guidance issued by our medical partner Trail Med.
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General Safety Around Vehicles
This event takes place on public roads and tracks and there will be vehicles around, sometimes it will be extremely quiet with only our vehicles present, at other times it will feel like the traffic is heavy. You must courteously give way to other users whilst on the route. Vigilance must be taken at all times.
Litter
We want to show that this event has exemplary control of littering. Please help us achieve that. Pack your litter into your pack, pockets or nearby bin bag (trash sack) at a vehicle. No exceptions. Our absolute commitment is to not have an impact of the Arizona countryside and if possible leave it better than we found it.
Emergency Protocol
In the event of a true emergency or serious incident you will be notified of protocols at the orientation at Registration. If you are with an injured party whilst on the route, stay with the casualty and await assistance. In the event of a non-emergency incident but for which action is requested from the organisers, then you should place a call (we will give you numbers) or if no phone reception, you should send a message forward to the next Pit Stop with another participant if possible and/or await an event crew member approaching via vehicle from behind. This might be medical, logistical or kit/ equipment breakdown as examples.
We politely ask that you stop and help someone that is in difficulty – you will be the first person to find them – remember to take note of time, place (number of km, or minutes/ hours from last Pit Stop) and participant number/ name at the incident site. Remember we are all in it together and we are in effect one big team.
Music Players
While these are allowed, please control their volume according to your environment. Always use your judgment when listening to music or audiobooks. Please also be aware that if you cannot hear general voice levels you might miss instructions or warnings from crew, other participants or approaching vehicles. We suggest that you run the leads behind you so that persons or vehicles approaching from behind might be able to see that you are wired for sound. If you do decide to use earphones it is our preference for you to have bone conducting headsets rather than ear plugs.
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Event Bib
Ensure your Bib is attached to some of your clothing. We know you will be layering on and off a fair amount.. We will also give you a bike number to attach to your steed.
OTHER ADMIN MATTERS
EVENT ETHOS:
‘RACING’ AND OUR FINISH TIMES SERVICE
We are all about completing and not competing. Rat Race’s ethos has always been about inspiring folk to undertake challenges in awesome outdoor locations. Canyon to Canyon is just that, taken to an epic level. This is not a formal race environment and there are no winners and losers. We do not award prizes for the fastest. There will be no splits. Indeed, there will be no timings. At Rat Race, we totally appreciate the incredible commitment of those taking on the challenges that we lay down. Each participant is as important as the next regardless of how fast you can cover the distance. This is akin far more to an expeditionary undertaking than anything else.
In delivering this unique challenge, we prioritise factors such as safety, camaraderie and environmental concerns. Respecting the wishes of local stakeholders with our route management and litter policies is vital in being able to bring folk together for this unique experience. Safety, above all else, is paramount, as you will fully appreciate. To reasonably balance all these factors, we emphasise that the event is not a formal race environment, rather it is a challenge in the great outdoors where great folk come together with a common purpose.
​​​​Local Payments
Most locations in Arizona take credit and debit cards and the hotels where there are bar and other services are no exception. Having some local currency is a good idea, however. When we are staying in hotels, you may charge incidentals to your room if the hotel has that facility. All room accounts should be settled prior to leaving the accommodation in each location. If hotel room bills remain unsettled, Rat Race will reserve the right to charge your nominated card, plus a $20 admin charge per unpaid bill.
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TRANSFER DEADLINE
As we are within 12 weeks prior to departure, we regret that we can no longer provide any transfers as the transfer window is closed. We respectfully remind all participants that unforeseen circumstances preventing attendance is what travel insurance is designed for and is the reason for this as a strong recommendation on such undertakings.
This is a HARD deadline as we must go firm on all aspects of our planning at this stage, so please do not be offended if we refuse any request after this time.
CONTACT DETAILS AND ACTIONS CHECK LIST
CONTACT DETAILS
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For ALL pre-event email correspondence prior to departure, email events@ratrace.com for challenge-based questions, kit, training, bikes, prep – directing to me, James, Project Manager.
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events@ratrace.com for all admin-based questions directing to our events administrator, Hannah.
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office@trailmed.com for Dr Patrick Musto and his team, concerning all and any medical-based advice or discussion on medical conditions, in confidence.
For specific arrivals and pre-trip issues to Arizona in the immediate days pre-arrival, we will set up a WhatsApp group, this will have the event directors details on to message directly if needed. You will also be issued phone numbers for this arrival period which will be issued much nearer the time.
Emergency correspondence from people who need to get in touch with you (i.e. from those who need to contact you) IN EMERGENCY ONLY, while you are embarked on the event: events@ratrace.com.
The originator should quote ‘Emergency correspondence for James Campbell in the email title and they must provide a phone number for return communication. This will be patched through to our crew’s mobile phones, (or satellite messaging platform if we are out of reception) from our office and a satellite phone will be made available for you to return the communication to the originator. We would aim to provide a suitable response period of within 24 hrs for this service to the originator.
Please, please, please do tell your family and supporters not to contact us about Tracker Emergencies!
Communication Coverage and Data
You will have good phone reception throughout a lot of this course. Check your own mobile phone provider to detail packages available to you. Or seek out E-sims using App such as ‘Airalo’. Of course, it is not everywhere and one of the joys of such things, we think, is switching off from the world and dialling into the wilderness you are in.
Each hotel should have access to WiFi.
The event will not be providing satellite data or phone services as standard unless for EMERGENCY USE via satellite phone.
FINAL CHECK LIST
Submitted no later than the 10th March
Submitted no later than the 10th March
1800 UK Time - 12th March
Submitted no later than the 7th April
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That’s it. Pheeeww!
See you in Arizona….
James Campbell
Project Manager