Peace, Love, and Zero Waste: Run Woodstock 2021 Sustainability Report

I had a feeling things were going too well. It was Sunday morning, the final day of Run Woodstock, and the bags of waste from the Saturday night aid station cleanup were fewer than usual. And I had a good crew coming to assist with the final sorting and takedown. Things were looking up! RunContinue reading “Peace, Love, and Zero Waste: Run Woodstock 2021 Sustainability Report”

T-Rex Triathlon Sustainability Report

The 2021 triathlon season is over at RF Events, and a successful one despite the ongoing uncertainty. And there was no doubt about the Zero Waste success, with every event achieving over 95 percent landfill diversion. Of the four triathlons in the T-Rex series, this one is the most challenging because it gets dark beforeContinue reading “T-Rex Triathlon Sustainability Report”

Dexter-Ann Arbor Run 2021 Sustainability Report

The Dexter-Ann Arbor Run is one of Ann Arbor’s longest-running events. This is the 47th year of the event, and the third using a Zero Waste approach. Once again we achieved over 90 percent landfill diversion, officially making it a “Zero Waste” event per ZWIA guidelines! Attendance was down from previous years but still healthy,Continue reading “Dexter-Ann Arbor Run 2021 Sustainability Report”

The Legend Races 2021 Sustainability Report

The image you see above is of a Zero Waste Station that was unattended through an entire event. In earlier years I would not have dared to attempt this. And yet this year it has been successfully managed twice! In both cases the waste bins required only minor sorting before dropping them off at theContinue reading “The Legend Races 2021 Sustainability Report”

Battle of Waterloo 2021 Sustainability Report

What’s better than a triathlon – a three-stage swim/bike/run event? How about a ten-stage swim/bike/run event? Over a hundred athletes thought it was a good idea. And what’s even better than that? A ten-stage event that goes Zero Waste, of course. And such is the Battle of Waterloo, so-called because it traverses the trails, roads,Continue reading “Battle of Waterloo 2021 Sustainability Report”

Pterodactyl Triathlon Sustainability Report

The third triathlon in the RF Events T-Rex series kicked off on a beautiful evening in the Island Lake Recreation Area. While attendance was nearly back to pre-pandemic levels, total waste dropped to its lowest ever – under 100 pounds! Contributing factors include optional, order-ahead T-shirts (reducing packaging), lighter medals with no inner plastic wrappingContinue reading “Pterodactyl Triathlon Sustainability Report”

Ugly Dog Triathlon Sustainability Report

It was hard to tell who enjoyed Saturday’s Ugly Dog Triathlon more – the athletes, or the mosquitoes. Thanks to two weeks of wet weather, the little buggers were out in force, as were some bees. But the Epic Races staff persevered and pulled off another great event! The race followed the same format asContinue reading “Ugly Dog Triathlon Sustainability Report”

Firecracker 5K Sustainability Report

Independence Day in Ann Arbor wouldn’t be the same without its traditional 5K event. At least not to runners, and the Epic Races team! And so despite a warm morning and a new location, the show went on without a hitch. This year’s event, for several reasons, took place at Briarwood Mall instead of downtownContinue reading “Firecracker 5K Sustainability Report”

Epic Races Goddess Weekend 2021 Sustainability Report

The forecast for last weekend at Portage Lake predicted a soggy mess for the Epic Races Goddess 5K on Saturday and the Tri Goddess Tri on Sunday. But the weather goddesses were smiling down on us, and both days were (nearly) rain-free, making for happy athletes and happier staff. We set up our Zero WasteContinue reading “Epic Races Goddess Weekend 2021 Sustainability Report”

Island Lake Tri Sustainability Report

A beautiful day for a triathlon, from mini-sprint to Olympic distance, at the Island Lake Rec Area. And with restrictions lifted, nearly 500 athletes turned out. And the classic Epic Races food was back, with pancakes, breakfast burritos, candy, and even ice cream. The Zero Waste effort would be put to the test! We setContinue reading “Island Lake Tri Sustainability Report”