Registration for the Spring Season is now open! Practices will start on January 26th, and we will be training for the final race in Too Cool's Spring Sprint Series at Lake Georgetown on April 25th. When you register this month you will have the option to sign up for one season or the entire year of training (spring, summer and fall seasons included) at a discounted rate of $275.

To kick off the new year, we will be holding an informational event at REI - Galleria (7538 Westheimer) on January 22nd, 7pm. Bring a friend along to meet the team and learn more about adventure racing.

Don't forget about our referral program as you gear up for the Spring Season. This program, made possible by our sponsor Volant Solutions, rewards current members of Houston Fit AR for referring new members. With one referral you get $25 off your membership. With two, you get a free jersey. And with three or more, your spring season membership is free!

To help you spread the word about HFAR, download and print the flyer below and pass it on to anyone you know that might be interested.

20 Highlights From the Sports Nutrition Pros
By Nancy Clark, MS RD CSSD

Over 5,000 exercise scientists, sports dietitians, physicians and coaches gathered for the annual American College of Sports Medicine meeting in May 2008 to share their latest research in sports nutrition. Below are some of the sports nutrition highlights. Here are the 20 most significant highlights.

GHORBA has received a significant grant to extend the trail system at Double Lake and is in the process of developing a Master Plan for all bike trails throughout the Sam Houston National Forest.

In an effort to support GHORBA and the National Forest Service in the development of their trail systems, Chad will be creating a trail coalition to act as a collective voice for all trail users (runners, bikers, hikers, equestrian and motorized vehicle users).

If you are interested in participating in the trail coalition, you can contact Chad at organizer@houstonfitar.com.

By Stephen Regenold

A common question I get from first-time multisport athletes revolves around the versatility of footwear in sports such as adventure racing and off-road triathlon. Namely, newbies aspiring to speed transition times or cut back on the quantity of gear carried in a race wonder whether one pair of shoes might make it through multiple legs during an event, including cycling, trail running, and potentially paddling and off-trail navigation in an orienteering section.

Last year 10 veteran members reached our "Elite Membership Level". If you have been with HFAR for at least two full years then you are eligible for this program aimed at rewarding those who have helped grow our team throughout the years.

The annual cost for an Elite Member is only $150 - nearly half of what a returning member pays for one full year! The benefits of membership remain the same, minus the t-shirt...which you probably have plenty of anyway. You'll get the same level of top-notch instruction from our coaches, three full seasons of practices and mock races, access to our year-long periodized training calendar, continual use of our online member forum and invitations to all social events. Plus, the opportunity to train and race with all your HFAR friends!

Some of you are eligible for Elite Membership status now, and many of you are only a few short seasons away from reaching this level. If you have any questions about your current membership status or the Elite Membership program, please email Megan at organizer@houstonfitar.com.

For any of you former adventure racers tired of that yellow eyesore collecting dust in your garage, now is the time to unload it. With our spring season starting later this month, there are sure to be plenty of new members interested in buying a gently used Sevylor for paddling practice.

Click on the link below to connect with new members to sell your old boats/seats/paddles. The link is below.

USARA Nationals (11/7/2008)
HFAR Knights - 15th
HFAR Co-Factor - 24th
Outcast - 25th
Werewolves - 53rd

Texas Jailbreak AR (11/22/2008)
HFAR Knights - 1st Coed
Werewolves - 2nd Coed
HFAR-Silly Sudsuckers - 3rd Coed
Rock Paper Scissors - 4th Coed
HFAR - Truitt Trouble - 7th Coed
HFAR Reckon So - 4th Male
Big Sky HFAR - 9th Male
HFAR Pipe Monkeys - 15th Male
HFAR Team Know Not - 1st Female
Short and Spicey - 3rd Female

2008 Dave Boyd Adventure Race (12/13/2008)
Truitt Trouble - 3rd Coed (sprint)
Keith H. - 4th Solo Men (sprint)

(clockwise from top left): Robert and Josh race strong at the Huntsville AR. | Team Truitt plots their course at the Huntsville AR. | Team HFAR Knights earns their first place finish at the Huntsville AR. | Helena and Elizabeth at the New Year Potluck Social.

If you've got something to say, we want to hear it! Email Megan at organizer@ houstonfitar.com with your articles, photos, story ideas or suggestions, and we will try to include them in our next issue.