Posted: April 20, 2006

Athletics: XTERRA's "Scramble"® Mixes It Up, Bringing Runners Back to Nature

From: Monica Bridle

HONOLULU, Hawaii - (April 19, 2006) - XTERRA, the most illustrious name in off-road triathlons gives the pavement a vacation by offering the XTERRA Scramble® - a fun and challenging series of trail runs, staged across the nation with distances ranging from 5K to 10K.

New for this year are regional series within the schedule, providing more race opportunities within a region, including the 10-race Ohio Valley Series, four-race Southern California, Utah, and Chesapeake Bay Series' and the three-event Midwest Series as well as single events in Knoxville, the Bay area and Athens, GA. Some races are integrated in the Nissan Xterra USA Championship Series of events. The new points series concept allows trail runners, for the first time, the chance to compete for XTERRA supremacy.

Why just run, when you can Scramble®? Dirty, dusty, crooked, muddy and gutsy, the XTERRA Scramble® is good, "clean" fun for all ages and athletic abilities. Whether you are a seasoned runner or a self-proclaimed couch potato - this is the perfect opportunity to amplify your health and happiness. Smiles prove to be contagious as competitors hurdle over rocks and roots, duck under trees and blaze across rivers; pushing both body and mind, all while having a blast!

Even spectators benefit from the electric atmosphere and vibrant spirit that exudes from this outdoor adventure. The scenic venues that host the XTERRA Scrambles are idyllic places to bring the whole family.

"XTERRA Scrambles give road runners a new reason to run," said TEAM Unlimited President Janet Clark. "In much the same way we lured triathletes off-road with the popular Nissan Xterra USA Championship Series, Scrambles are adventurous running experiences that take runners off the road and into natural environments where Mother Nature will be their greatest competitor."

Each race is partnered with and benefits a local non-profit organization or the XTERRA Foundation. The XTERRA Foundation is aimed at making the world a better place by infusing hope and opportunity into underprivileged and "at risk" youth. It provides opportunities for quality education, introduces kids to sports, teaches the benefits of a healthy lifestyle and shows them how participation in sports can help with life's challenges.

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ABOUT XTERRA
The 2006 Nissan Xterra USA Championship Series (now in its sixth year) boasts more than 50 events in 29 states across the country. It's the only series of its kind for age group athletes, which provides amateur multi-sport athletes with a bona-fide championship to compete for within their geographic region against other athletes the same age. The first XTERRA race was held in 1996 with 123 competitors in Maui. The demand for the sport exploded thereafter and there are now more than 20,000 competitors, ages 13-65, from all 50 states and more than 30 countries worldwide. Simply put, XTERRA evolved into the most prestigious off-road multi-sport race in the world.

The Nissan Xterra USA Championship Series is the home and foundation for the XTERRA Scramble® Trail Run Series. In 2005, the XTERRA Scramble® Series grew beyond the USA Championship Series to include 15 additional U.S. races. In 2006, the series begins another year of growth with the addition of 27 events for a total of 34 races nationwide. The XTERRA Scramble® Series sponsors include Paul Mitchell, XTERRA Gear, GU and Gatorade.

Upcoming XTERRA Scramble Races
Apr 23 XTERRA Otter Creek Scramble, Louisville, KY Ohio Valley Points Race #1
Apr 30 XTERRA Hartwood Scramble, Pittsburgh, PA Ohio Valley Points Race #2
May 13 XTERRA Spring Stomp, Indianapolis, IN Ohio Valley Points Race #3
May 13 XTERRA Malibu Creek Trail Challenge Scramble, CA SoCal Points Race #1

The complete 2006 XTERRA Scramble Series schedule at: XTERRAPlanet.com.

Ryan Lamppa, Running USA Media Services Director
385 Oak View Lane
Santa Barbara, CA 93111

(805) 696-6232, fax (805) 967-5958
Ryan@RunningUSA.org
www.runningusa.org.

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