Stay in the Loop for all things Lone Star! Have late breaking news and information about the Lone Star Triathlon Festival delivered right to your cell phone or inbox. We’ll be bringing you updates throughout the week and weekend of Lone Star. All updates will be communicated instantly via SMS to subscribed users. SIGN UP HERE.

---

The Lone Star Half Iron Distance is an official qualifier for the USA Triathlon Halfmax National Championships in Las Vegas, Nevada, October 18, 2008. Finish in the top-20% of your age group or finish within a certain qualifying time for your age group at The MooseMan Half Iron and earn a spot on the starting line! For more details, go to www.halfmaxchampionship.com.

---

Lone Star Half Iron is pleased to be a Team USA qualifier for the 2008 Long Course Triathlon World Championship in Almere, Holland. The first place finisher in each age group will automatically earn a slot. It will roll down to 5th place.
Click here for more information.

---

Spectacular Moody Gardens in Galveston, Texas.

Located on Historic Galveston Island and nestled among 242 acres of lush tropical gardens, the Moody Gardens Hotel, Spa and Convention Center's contemporary architectural design and natural beauty is complimented by views of three spectacular pyramids that are home to a living rainforest, ride film theater, educational exhibits and one of the largest aquariums in the United States. The complex also features an IMAX 3D Theater, 4D Special FX Theater, the Colonel Paddlewheel Boat and Palm Beach- a private freshwater white sand beach complete with soothing lagoons.

The four diamond full-service resort features 428 guest rooms and suites, and 100,000 square feet of combined meeting space, including a 60,000 square foot ballroom quality exposition center. Moody Gardens' top of the line amenities such a Texas-size tropical heated swimming pool, 24-hour room service, elegant full service Spa and Teen Spa, award winning restaurants, state-of-the-art fitness center and the Kid's Safari Club offer hours of added family entertainment.

MOODY GARDENS PASSES:

Special all-day passes for all of the Moody Gardens attractions will be offered to race participants and their families, at a discounted rate of $19. The normal rate is $44!!!! Discounted passes MUST be pre-ordered online. PLEASE NOTE ATHLETES AND SPECTATORS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO PURCHASE THESE TICKETS TO COME TO THE EVENT. These passes are for the added attractions at Moody Gardens. The grounds, food, and more are all available for everyone, free of charge.

Sunday, April 5, 2009. The first swim wave will hit the water at 7:30 AM. The Transition area will open at 5:30 AM. Race management reserves the right to modify or shorten the race course in the case of inclement weather or unforeseen circumstances, and to accept or reject any entry. No transfers, substitutions. The minimum age to compete is 15. Athletes MUST pick up their packets on Saturday, at Moody Gardens, between the hours of 1-6 PM.

PACKET PICK-UP:

FOR THE HALF IRON and QUARTER IRON, you may pick up your packet at Moody Gardens Saturday, April 4, from 1-6 PM, at the Lone Star FEST, Moody Gardens NO PACKET PICKUP IS AVAILABLE ON RACE DAY FOR THE QUARTER IRON OR HALF IRON, unless prior arrangements are made with the Race Director. You may contact him at keith@timbermantri.com.

1.2 mile saltwater swim, in protected Offat’s Bayou. No big surf here! The swim will begin at Moody Gardens’ beautiful white sand Palm Beach, and finish next to the majestic Colonel Paddlewheel boat, with approximately 100 participants per wave. There will be lifeguard and boat support provided by Galveston Beach Patrol. Average water temperature is 72 degrees F. There is an elite wave available for those attempting to win the race. This wave will lead off the race. Per USAT rules, those entering the Elite wave are not eligible for USAT rankings points. Wetsuits will be allowed per USAT rules. TRI ON THE RUN WILL BE RENTING WETSUITS for those interested. Please contact them at www.triontherun.com.
See Map of Swim Course.

56 mile spectacular, scenic one loop course along the Gulf Coast of Texas. Head out of Moody Gardens and hammer along the Seawall and hug the Texas coastline, heading south to the end of Galveston Island. You’ll cross over the San Luis Pass onto the mainland, through beautiful undeveloped coastline. The course is flat and fast! Nary a speedbump to be found. Watch out for the wind! There will be professional lead and sag vehicles provided. MAVIC will be onsite and on course for mechanical support. They will also be on hand to help you with any problems that occur race morning. There will be 4 aid stations with bottle hand ups on course. Gatorade Endurance, water, Clif Shot Energy Gels and bananas will be available. Athletes should begin the bike with 2 full bottles. This is a draft-free event! Marshals will be enforcing USA Triathlon drafting guidelines. You must know the rules! All athletes must have ansi-snell or CPSC approved helmets to participate. See Map of Bike Course.

Motorcycle Support will be provided by Bikers Against Child Abuse. BACA is a child support focused, 501 C-3 non-profit organization in Houston that strives to break the cycle of child abuse among Texas children. To learn more about BACA, please visit www.bacausa.com.

Additonal course support provided by Krewe De Vroom

13.1 mile Run is a 2 loop FLAT course meandering through Moody Gardens, it’s tropical gardens and towering glass pyramids, along Offat’s Bayou and Palm Beach, and by the Lone Star Flight Museum. There will aid stations every mile stocked with Gatorade Endurance Formula, Water, Clif Bars, Clif Shot Energy Gels, fruit, defizzed cola, Salt and Vinegar potato chips, pretzels, and just about anything else you could dream of. Live entertainment featuring great bands, cheerleaders and more will be keeping your endorphins kicking in! Once you cross the finish line, head over to the Lone Star Stage and rock out with THE LINE UP.
See Map of Run Course.
See Map of Half Iron and Quarter Iron Run Courses. (Portion outside of Moody Gardens)

The Lone Star Half Iron will be offering the AquaBike Division. The Aquabike Series was a pilot program for 2005 in which athletes competed in the swim and the bike portions of a half or ultra distance triathlon, but did not do the run. We will continue this program for 2009.

There will be co-ed or single sex relay teams. Teams can be comprised of 2 or three teammates, dividing up the swim, bike, and run portions of the race.

Double your pleasure! Join us both days, and participate in the Sprint on Saturday and either the Half Iron or Quarter Iron on Sunday. We're offering a discounted entry for those participating in 2 events.

Medical Support and the Medical Tent will be provided by University of Texas Medical Branch.

Friday and Saturday Night Moody Gardens Pasta Gala, Pre-race Lone Star Festival and expo with live entertainment, custom multi-color technical shirt, the best goody bags, imprinted swim cap, finishers keepsake, custom awards, participants' raffle, Great giveaways from GURU BICYCLES, ZOOT CLOTHING , FUELBELT, complimentary post-race feast, complimentary post-race massage provided by KOALA HEALTH AND WELLNESS.. Run Far Racing Services timing featuring ChampionChip, boat, motorcycle, and radio support, USAT Officials and Marshals, the best volunteers and staff anywhere, accurate, spectacular, and safe race course.

The dinner will be from 6:30-8:30 PM on Friday evening, April 3rd.
Adult dinners are $30.00, Kids (ages 4-11) are $15.00, with all of the net proceeds benefiting Athletes For a Cure. Athletes for a Cure, a program of the Prostate Cancer Foundation, is a fundraising and awareness program to assist individual athletes in their quest to raise money for better treatments and a cure for prostate cancer. Every dollar raised from the program goes directly to the Prostate Cancer Foundation. Admission is limited, and tickets must be pre-ordered online at the race registration link.

Carbo Loading, tropics-style. On SATURDAY evening, April 4, chill out, relax and grab a great meal under the palm trees and stars, on the white sands of Moody Gardens’ Palm Beach. Overlooking Offats bayou, tiki torches will be a blazin’, music will be playing… a great way to spend the evening before the big day, for kids and adults. While you’re eating, kiddos can play on the beach! A great dinner will be served, with pasta, marinara and alfredo sauce, chicken and shrimp, freshly baked garlic bread, fresh mixed green salad, Caesar salad, marinated cucumber and tomato salad, chef’s miniature desserts, coffee and iced tea.

Dinners are $25.00 per person, $20.00 for kids 4-11. Dinner will be served from 5:30 - 7:30pm on Saturday evening, April 4. Admission is limited, and tickets must be pre-ordered online at the race registration link.

Make sure you stay for the Quarter Iron/Half Iron awards ceremony, and keep your bib number! Guru will be giving away a fully customized Guru bike!

Stick around for a Texas-Sized feast featuring MICHELOB ULTRA, PAPA JOHN'S PIZZA, and SWEET LEAF TEA and all sorts of great stuff provided by HEB! Keep the good times rolling, as live entertainment by THE LINE UP will be performing for all of you as you chow down. Head over to the KOALA HEALTH AND WELLNESS massage area, chill out on Palm Beach…Relax, and enjoy the day at beautiful Moody Gardens!

Date: Saturday, April 4, 2009
Time: 5pm-8pm
Price: $40 per child
Location: Moody Gardens Hotel

The event will include a movie & inspirational sign-making for your child's favorite athlete. Signs will be used on race day! The children will have refreshments including popcorn and lemonade. All children will receive a gift bag.

If you'd like your child to be a part, you MUST register by March 14, 2009. Children from 3 months to 15 years can join the fun!

Join us as we explore the rainforests and oceans of the world! Discover these amazing habitats and the animals that call them home through hands-on activities, crafts, snacks, and a visit to the Rainforest Pyramid and Aquarium Pyramid at Moody Gardens.

Saturday, April 4 from 6am-11am, $36.00 per person for the first camper and $30.60 for additional campers of the same family. This includes a light breakfast and snacks.

Sunday, April 5 from 6am-3pm, it would be $65.00 per person for the first camper and $55.25 for additional campers of the same family. This includes a light breakfast, lunch, and snacks.

15% discount for families with multiple children registered. If you'd like your child to be a part, you MUST register by March 14, 2009. Camps will be for kids between the ages of 6 and 12. Moody Gardens must have a minimum of 10 campers to do the camp each day. If few than 10 are registered, we will notify you after the 14th of March.

DISCOUNTED SCHLITTERBAHN TICKETS!

The new Schlitterbahn water park is open, for a day of fun and sun…check it out at www.schlitterbahn.com. Discounted tickets are available for all of the Lone Star participants and their families. To order tickets, you must use the form HERE, and pre-order the tickets through Schlitterbahn. TO ORDER, PRINT OUT THIS FORM AND MAIL IN.

Run Far Racing Services will be timing the event, utilizing the state of the art ChampionChip. You'll receive 5 Splits: Swim Time, Transition 1, Bike, Transition 2, and Run times.

Special Awards for the top 3 male/females overall. Top 3 M/F all 5-yr age groups. Top Clydesdales (200+ lbs) and Athenas(women 150+ lbs). Relay: top all male/all female/mixed. Awards also presented to the top male and female Master's finishers (40 + years). NO DUPLICATE AWARDS. All Half Iron Finishers will receive a great medal, 22 ounce Lone Star Finisher's waterbottle, and a Lone Star towel. Out of respect for the other athletes, YOU MUST BE PRESENT TO RECEIVE YOUR AWARD. NO AWARDS WILL BE MAILED.

Texas Iron Multisport will provide athletes the opportunity to utilize a complete training program in preparation for the Lone Star Triathlon Festival. Texas Iron Multisport is headed by Jamie Cleveland and Andrea Fisher, both professional triathletes and experienced multisport coaches who have successfully worked with athletes from all over the country and at all ability levels. You can find out more on Texas Iron and their training opportunities at www.texasiron.net

The Texas Iron "Tough as Iron" Endurance Training Camp will get you ready for the Lone Star Triathlon and the 2008 long course season. The camp will be based out of Kerrville Shreiner Park and run from Thursday, March 6th until Sunday, March 9th. This is a distance based camp with a focus on the development of the muscular endurance systems necessary for multisport racing. Athletes will be provided with form feedback, informative presentations, tech support, nutritional support, route maps, all meals, snacks, non-alcoholic drinks, and camp tech shirt. Check out Tough as Iron Endurance Camp.

MASSAGE

Koala Health and Fitness will be onsite race day performing post race stretching and massage for “Tips”...
Saturday April 4th (8:30a-11:00a)
Sunday April 5th (11:00a-6:00p)
They will also be onsite at the Expo on Friday, April 3rd performing chair massage, handing out information, and scheduling for ½ hour and 1 hour massages before and after race...
You may schedule ahead of time by emailing djackson@koalacenters.com or calling (281) 415-7038.
1 Hour = $50 and ½ Hour = $35.00 (Cash or Check Only).

Stop by and grab a Lone Star Cowbell, and fill out a sign to cheer on your favorite athlete!

Pre-order your Lone Star bike Jerseys at www.tracingsgraphics.com. These are a limited edition, so guarantee that you get one! All pre-ordered jerseys will be available for pick up at the Lone Star Merchandise Tent at Moody Gardens on race weekend!

RESOURCE CRISIS CENTER OF GALVESTON COUNTY
The Resource Crisis Center of Galveston County is here"To promote the safety and well being of women, men, children, and families and to advocate for the prevention of family violence and sexual assault."

We're asking athletes to bring used Printer and Fax Ink cartridges and old cellphones-any kind, old, new, broken, working-and donate them to the the Center. They turn them into money to help fund the programs. We'll also be publishing a list of items you can bring to help support the shelter. In exchange, we're working on some great Lone Star Tri Giveaways! Stay tuned!

The Lonestar Triathlon Festival is proud to be in Partnership with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team in Training Program. Team in Training is the world's largest endurance training program and leading fundraising campaign of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Team in Training links the challenge of training and completing an endurance event with the challenge of fighting leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma and Hodgkin's disease. Team in Training members meet regularly for group runs, walks, rides and swims and fundraise knowing that 75% of what they raise goes to the mission of finding a cure for leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's Disease and myeloma and to improve the quality of life of patients and their families. For more information about this program, please check their website or contact Sarah Sherman at (866) 510-TEAM.

                               
Global warming threatens the health and integrity of the environments where we live, we play, we race, and that we depend on for life. The good news it that we can all take steps to be part of the solution.

You can help offset the climate footprint, i.e. the global warming pollution, created by travel to the EVENT by purchasing a $2 Cool Tag™ at the Clif Bar website at www.clifbar.com or with your EVENT Registration. All proceeds from the sale of Cool Tags will go toward the construction of new Native American-owned wind farms, helping to build new sources of renewable energy for a more sustainable future. To learn more about these projects, visit NativeEnergy at www.nativeenergy.com. To learn more about what you can do to fight global warming visit our partner Clean Air Cool Planet. To learn about the causes and impacts of global warming in Texas, visit www.citizen.org/texas.