General Information
What is the 24 Hours of Freedom?
What is the Freedom for Life Foundation?
How do I register a team?
Who do I write our team's registration fee check to?
When is the last day to register?
What if I have fewer (or more) than 12 runners?
How do I find a team to run with?
Does my team need to provide two official volunteers?
Who has to sign the waivers?
Can I compete with a pacer?
Can I get a donation receipt?
I'm worried about racing at night, what can I do?
What is the 24 Hours of Freedom?
The 24 Hours of Freedom is a 24-hour+, 200-mile+ team relay race from Flagstaff to near Phoenix, Arizona. Most participants run on teams of 12 and are responsible for completing three specific legs of the race. Alternatively some teams have 6 athletes (Ultra Teams). Teams in the Open Division can have anywhere from 7-14 team members.
What is the Freedom for Life Foundation?
Freedom for Life Foundation The Freedom for Life Foundation serves disabled athletes to get them out into the wilderness. To find out more, visit the Freedom for Life Foundation website.
How do I register a team?
To register, click on "Registration" at the top of this page. This will bring you to our registration database where the team captain will create a login and a password for your team. Simply enter your team information and submit your non-refundable entry. Your login and password will allow you to access your team information at any time to further update, make changes, etc. After we receive your entry form, we will email the team captain an invoice for the registration fees.
Who do I write our team's registration fee check to?
Please submit your team payment with the invoice that is e-mailed to you after we receive your team registration in the database. You can make your payment by credit card or by check (payable to the 24 Hours of Freedom). Details about where to send the payment details are on the invoice and at the bottom of every web page. Make all checks payable to:
24 Hours of Freedom
444 Ponderosa Dr. Evergreen, CO 80439
When is the last day to register?
The 24 Hours of Freedom is limited to the first 100 teams who sign up, so register early. Registration closes early April 2009. Please see "Registration" for these dates.
What if I have fewer (or more) than 12 athletes who want to participate?
If you are looking for additional runners or handcyclists to join your team, please take advantage of our team matching system. Just post a message including your e-mail address and solo runners/athletes are sure to contact you. You can also look for athletes without a team who are posting messages. The "Open" Category has been created for teams who lose (or gain) runners/athletes at the list minute or teams who want to alter their running order or number of legs completed. Teams can contain 6-14 runners/athletes who participate in any order, with no set number of legs to be completed.
How do I find a team?
If you are a solo runner or hand cyclist and are looking to join a team, please take advantage of our team matching system. Just post a message including your e-mail address and a team is sure to contact you. Be sure to continually check back and scan other postings for teams looking for another member.
Does my team need to provide an official volunteer to work on the course?
If any one runner on your team lives within 100 miles of any point along the course, your team must provide one Official Volunteers to work at an assigned position along the route. Please enter your Official Volunteer's contact information into your team registration form. Your Official Volunteer will be contacted by our volunteer coordinator with further details and responsibilities. For more detailed information on Volunteers, see the Volunteers page.
Who has to sign the waivers?
Anyone involved with the 24 Hours of Freedom on race day must sign a waiver. This includes all runners, hand cyclists, van drivers, personal volunteers, pacers and Official Volunteers. The waivers are to be submitted to the race organizers (at the start line), by their team captain, on or before race day. You can download a participation waiver form off this website. Please see the Waiver Page.
Can I participate with a pacer?
Team vehicles MUST drive ahead to the next Exchange Point. They CANNOT trail or pace the active runner/hand cyclist along the route. However, during all dusk, dark and dawn hours (when reflective vests and headlamps/flashlights are required), an athlete may have a pacer. The pacer must follow the same rules and requirements as the participant. Ultra teams may have a pacer throughout the race. Please see specific Ultra Team Information for details. Remember, any pacer MUST sign a waiver form and be entered into the DB or risk disqualifying their team or being assessed a time penalty.
Can I get a receipt for my team's donation?
Your team captain will receive a thank you note for all donations made to the Beneficiary of the race. You may specify how many people on your team (and other donors) get a letter. These letters are sent directly to the team captain and that person distributes them. This note can be used as a receipt to enable you to deduct the donation properly in your taxes.
I'm worried about racing at night, what can I do?
Lots of people get worried about night racing. Hopefully it will ease your fears to know that in the ten year history of the sister race to the 24 Hours of Freedom in Colorado (the Colorado Relay) we have never had a problem with dangerous animal encounters. Certainly some legs are more prone to animal encounters than others and it certainly always matters the time(s) of day/night that you're participating. Please take precautions (carrying lights at night, making noise as you run, run without an ipod or other music) and report out any incidents you have with dogs (the most common) or other animals.
Here are some precautions to take:
- Arrange for a pacer. Find a friend to participate with you. Even a late-night leg might get takers. Pose the question as the option for an adventure. You'll certainly learn who your friends are. Perhaps you know someone who wanted to do the race but can't do all 3 legs or you can research running clubs in your area and request someone to join you. Also, check with other participants on your team to find a friend to pace you for a leg. If all else fails you might explore completing a different set of legs on your team if a specific leg concerns you.
- Always keep your headlamp on. This helps animals distinguish you from another animal. Other animals typically don’t want anything to do with humans.
- Make plenty of noise. Animals typically only attack when startled, so let them know you’re coming. A bell is a good way to do this.
- Run “heads up.” Try to avoid getting tunnel vision. Know what’s going on around you. We strongly discourage the use of walkmen/Ipods at night.
- Find another participant on the route. There are times when you don't have another runner/participant close by, but if you do, ask to go together.
