– This Sunday is the 3rd installment of xXx Racing’s CX Relay race. Pre-reg closed last night but there are still spots open in all categories except the 30+ and Co-Ed Open (last race of the day), both of which will have Day-Of wait lists. Day-Of reg incurs a $15 late fee… so bring your cash dollars. See your competition and all the crazy team names here.

– Also, be sure to read the tech guide for all the specific rules that apply to this unique event. Check xXxRacing.org or Facebook/RelayCross for more info.

– Still looking for a buddy to high five? Leave your request in the comments below and maybe you’ll get lucky.

– Due to some restrictions and other events taking place at the park the venue for this year’s course is across Hayes drive to the South from last year.

– Also, for some reason the CPD will not allow anyone to park in the boat ramp parking lot. YOU WILL BE TOWED! Let us repeat that… DO NOT PARK IN THE BOAT RAMP PARKING LOT right next to the course. Sure you can drop off people, or equipment, or your 23 pairs of wheels, but then you have to park across the street. Parking is available on the streets, the lot north of Hayes Dr. (last year’s location), and the lot east of Lake Shore Drive.

– Remember the parking lots around Jackson Park are metered, but only costs about $10 for all day. We don’t want anyone getting a ticket, so you’ve been warned. However, did we mention the boat ramp lot south of Hayes Drive is off limits?

– This should go without saying but PLEASE BE CAREFUL WHEN CROSS THE STREET FROM THE PARKING LOTS TO THE RACE COURSE!

– Please note the Chicago Triathlon will again be taking place along the Lakefront Path on Sunday morning. xXx and the CCC urge all CX’ers riding down to Jackson Park for the race to exercise due caution and courtesy when traveling along that route. If traveling by car, you should probably try another route besides LSD especially North of the city.

– Like every year the CCC and xXx Racing are trying to be green… take a look under the floor mats of your car, dig into to seat cushins and bring your own safety pins to properly attach your bib number. But how will you remember to bring pins each week? Purchasing a patch kit, patch all those tubes you’ve been meaning to patch for months, put all your pins in the little plastic box, keep the box in your gear bag… done.

– Looks like we’re in for some weather on Sunday. Dress appropriately for before, during, and after your race, and learn to make friends with a tent… or a large umbrella.

– Speaking of gear, if you need CCC socks, embro, or coffee mugs we’ll have a few for sale onsite. If you want to make sure you get some email us and we’ll make sure to reserve your items for you.

– Podiums will be awarded immediately after the conclusion of each race and before the start of the next race. So if you finish in the top three head straight to the podiums (look for the CCC flags) after your race so we can stay on schedule.

– Before we start racing… let’s review a few rules of engagement (the same every year). Yes, we’re all racing, yes many of us are aggressive, yes you will fall down, yes the officials might not get your placing correct, and yes tempers might flair here and there… but remember first and foremost we’re all out there to have some fun and enjoy each other’s company. So please smile, have a lot of fun, and enjoy this precious time we have together. Oh, and don’t forget the high fives and handups… even if you’re not racing.

– As with previous years, the Relay Cross has a LeMans start, where one teammate runs to the transition area to get their bike.

– The CX relay course will look about like this, but not exactly. xXx Racing did a great job planning out the course using as much of the park as possible, but there’s not a lot of park to use in the first place. The NEW Jackson Park course is a combination of power sections, turns, and barriers. Run mostly on grass, there are a few paved areas as well as some tight turns among the trees. The new location, SOUTH of Hayes Drive, is spectator-friendly, allowing viewing of 75% of the course from the start-finish area.