Background & Rules
Here's that long pitch about why we set up the BEBG (Breck Epic Blogging Grant) program, and why you should cast a vote. Oh yeah, and the rules.
Background (got an hour?)
I’ve been involved in cycling events for as long as I can remember. There are two memories that stand out for me when I look back and I guess if I really dig deep into the mental nooks and crannies I can say that they’ve shaped how I’ve come to look at events in general. The first one that jumps out at me was a what-was-then-called NORBA event in Traverse City, Michigan. I remember that the race was so much more than that – it was an event. The energy was unbelievable and you were left with no doubt that if you were a mountain biker, that Traverse City, on that weekend, was the center of the universe.
My weekend was highlighted by two notable experiences, both of which left indelible impressions on a short, pale and naïve kid from Wisconsin. First, there was a fit and tan women walking around all weekend with a shirt made of what I could only describe as the sort of fish netting that you might sea in the South Pacific. She was also bra-less. Possibly European. To this day I couldn’t tell you what her face looked like. Couldn’t pick her out of a crowd of two if I had to. What can I say? I was about 22 years old and still flailing about in the uncertain seas of huge testosterone surges. I was also sort of a drooling moron at the time (you could make a case that I still am, although it’s possible that I’ve been upgraded to ‘juvenile’.)
The other part of that weekend that sticks out for me was the fact that the night prior to the XC event I got caught up in the excitement of the weekend and the camaraderie of sharing one crappy hotel room with 15 other farting, belching and generally stinky recent post-adolescents. There was beer. There were drinking games. Being a Wisconsinite, there was credibility on the line. So I got hammered. Drunk as a chicken. I was so hung-over during my Sunday race that I’m pretty sure I got passed by a 12 year-old wearing clogs. I may have hallucinated that, but unfortunately for my ego I’m pretty sure that hippy freak middle-schooler owned me. My race experience was summed up at the finish line (yes, I finished) with the following words: “I’ve never wanted anything to end so badly in my life.” Then I was laughed at. By people claiming to be my friends. For years.
What these two memories underscore for me is that events at their best are experiential. When the stars align they give a participant much more than just an on-course experience. I don’t want to get all John Tesh-y here, but something that requires an over-the-top amount of commitment and sacrifice tends to get its mitts into your life in a systemic way. By living through the experience you generate memories. Of pain. Of triumph. Of good food or the lack of it. Of a particularly smelly fart. Of intense suffering and of rich reward. Of a woman with nice boobs, a staggering lack of modesty and no visible tan lines.
What started way back in over 20 years ago as a ‘sweeper’ for a local century ride turned into a full-immersion experience that’s defined my life and career. Over the past decade and a half one of the things I’ve most enjoyed is living vicariously through the exploits of others, especially where it concerns bike racing. I like reading about other people’s experiences in the saddle and my guess is, so do you. So without further preamble, I give you “The Breck Epic Blogger’s Grant Program”. Or in other words, “Why use 10 words when 10,000 will do?”
So to bring a long and probably pointless intro to a merciful close; we’re giving away 4 free entries to the top vote getters in our blog contest. Each contestant will be required to submit three pre-race blogs, plus one for each day of the event. These will then be passed along to our media partners to be published online during the race. So be funny. Be smart. Be informative or entertaining. Be all of those things. Or be none. We don’t care what you have to say…as long as it’s interesting. If that sounds like you, then sharpen your pencils, cut and paste the “Blogger’s Grant Application” below, bring a bit of the funny and email that mofo to MIKE. Make sure it hits our inbox on or before March 1st, 2010..
The Breck Epic Blogger’s Grant (BEBG) Program was established out of pure selfishness. I like to read about bike races and I feel like there are a lot of people out there like me. I also feel that the current crop of race reports published in the straight-up vertical media sometimes lack in nuance what they attempt to make up for with a detailed list of top-five finishers. I think that people want to live vicariously through others and I’m willing to pay for a small handful of you to document your journey from wherever you are right now to your finish in Breckenridge on August 27th. In exchange for you putting pen to paper I’m offering 4 individual race entries.
The Application
Cut and paste this text into an email addressed to MIKE. Be funny. Have a take. Don't suck.
1. Name:
2. Porn Name...theoretical of course. Unless you actually have one. (And if you don't know how to get one, well...someone needs to explain Google to you.) If you live in Jimmy Swaggert or Pat Roberts territory along the political and ideological spectrum you can substitute your "Televangelist" name instead. Even though the rest of us know that you people are the most freaky and that you probably already know your porn name without having to look it up, you naughty little closeted monkey. Everyone knows that NeoCons are the naughtiest:
3. Hometown:
4. What bike you gonna ride?:
5. Why does it rule? (100 words or less):
6. Best day ever on your bike? (100 words or less):
7. Your favorite bumper sticker slogan?
8. Who's gonna play you in the Breck Epic movie? (I love this question):
9. Favorite quote/words to live by?:
10. 100 words (or less!) about you. Feel free to lie.:
11. Quien es mas macho, _____ o ______? (Insert two ridiculous opponents, choose the winner, then defend your position about why your victor would dominate. 100 words or less.)
That's right. My blog contest goes to 11. Party on, Garth.
The Rules
There are four BEBG’s. They’ll be made available to solo and team competitors.
Only 1 person per team may receive a blogger’s grant. In the event that you win 50% of your team’s entry will be picked up by us.
Camping (if you elect to camp) will also be on us.
Meal plans are on you.
BEBG application submission period runs through March 1st, 2010. Thanks to all of you who’ve already forwarded your literary palmares.
BEBG applicants will have their applications posted online on the event’s website. Using an online pollings service applicants will be able to point their friends to a website where they can vote for you.. Winners of the ‘poll’ will receive their very own BEBG and unlimited self-promotional bandwidth. Polling rules are still to be determined, but will be sorted out by March 2nd.
Blogger’s will be required to submit three training/general articles (500 words minimum) prior to the event and one per day (500 word minimum) while the event is in progress. Did you get 9 when you added that up in your head? Me too.
BEBG applications need to be submitted (via email only) by March 1st, 2010. That’s 6 months out from the race start which provides you a rough submission deadline of one article every 6 weeks leading up to the race.
Articles will be edited by BE staff, posted here and blasted out to the members of our newsletter email list. The copy of BEBG recipients becomes the exclusive property of the event. You may repost your copy, but in broad strokes, we own exclusive rights. This leads us to…
Your blogs will appear on the Breck Epic website and in email blasts. Each blogger will also be ‘paired’ with one of the industry publications. BE staff will edit and forward your copy (race journals only) to your designated publisher with the sole intent that it be allowed to be published on that publication’s website.
Don’t be bummed if you don’t win! If you habitually write we’ll happily post links to your stuff on the blog page. There are also event sponsors who may request their own writer for the event. We’ll address this situation one-on-one with sponsors and writers as it becomes relevant.
