Stretch out and carb up because June is packed with every type of competitive race you could hope for. From foam, mud, mountain bikes, stand up paddleboards and a kid’s dash, to a record setting water slide, you’ll find it all in Reno Tahoe USA.

5K Foam Fest

June 9, at Rancho San Rafael Park – 9:00 AM

One of the craziest races sweeping across the nation, the 5K Foam Fest takes fun runs to a whole new level. Trudge through mud pits, conquer gigantic inflatable obstacles, ascend towering cargo nets, and of course, frolic in tons of foam. From the experienced runner to the first-timer, everyone will finish the race with a smile – and a free beer!

Run Amuck

June 16, Downtown Reno – 2:00 PM

Get down and dirty in downtown Reno for the 5^th annual Run Amuck competition. Pull together a team, and tackle the 2.5 miles of pure madness; including, a 60-foot-long mud pit, and up to 10 additional obstacles throughout the course. Not wild enough? For the first time ever, the race will include a 175-foot-long, three story tall inflatable water slide. That’s the largest inflatable water slide in the world! So grab your teammates and get ready for one of the most popular runs in Reno Tahoe. And don’t forget the costumes as they are STRONGLY encouraged.

Adventure Spots Week

Lake Tahoe

Experience what happens when sporting and community events collide for a thrilling ten days in Lake Tahoe. During the day, take on one of the many competitions; including, trail running, triathlon, mountain biking, swimming and stand up paddle boarding. And once the sun drops behind the Sierra Mountains, relax and enjoy live concerts, a wine walk and much more. Here are the competitions to look forward to:

June 15 – Lake Tahoe Mountain Bike Race

June 17 -  Burton Creek Trail Run, Tahoe Waterman Challenge (Paddleboard race), Thunderbird Run

June 23 – XTERRA Tahoe City, XTERRA Tahoe City Sprint, XTERRA Tahoe City Duathlon

June 24 – Run To Squaw

Northstar Bike/ Hike Park Opening Day

June 15-17, Northstar California – 10:00 AM

Lace up your hiking boots or grab your helmet and get ready for an exciting season at the largest lift-served mountain biking and hiking park in the Reno Tahoe area. Whether you’re an adrenaline junkie or just want to take in the spectacular views, the park offers something for everyone.

Dash for Dads

June 17, Sparks Marina – 7:00 AM

This Father’s Day, join the Builders Association Charity at the Spark Marina for the inaugural Dash for Dads and help raise awareness of prostate cancer. The day’s events include a 5K race, 2 mile walk and Kids Dash – all promoting healthy lifestyles for all ages with a special focus on dads.

For more information on runs, walks, bike rides and other summer adventures, visit our events calendar.

The Tour de Nez has a way of turning spectators into participants.

From June 17-20, the event’s cycling races and festivities move from Sparks to Reno and finally through Tahoe. Tour de Nez attendees will see a lightning quick time trial, cycling team tactics and a furious circuit race through the narrow streets of the Village at Northstar, but the race would not be complete without a tasty mint julep.

But what is more unique about the Tour de Nez is what attendees can do: race messenger-style bikes through the streets of Reno, straddle a clunker for  low-speed laps for a chance to win prizes, or saddle up and soak in the Tahoe scenery with a group of pros.

Even after cyclists climb off the bike, the party goes on with live music, an expo and food and drink sprinkled in between cycling events.

“The festivals include live music and big parties every day,” said Tim Healion, founder and race director of the Tour de Nez. “You can ride your bike all day in the Sierra then watch a killer bike race and party all night.”

The festival feel keeps the event true to its roots as a party that over time grew into a prestigious domestic cycling race.

“Every race I know started as a bike race, and then they had to figure out what to add to get people to come,” said Healion. “We did it backwards – we started out as a party for the first seven years, and then we added the bike race to make it more interesting.”

Today, the Tour de Nez is an important stop on the professional cycling circuit, attracting many of the top U.S. professional cycling teams including UnitedHealthcare (formerly Health Net), Kelly Benefit Strategies, Bissell, Jelly Belly and Fly V Australia.

Pros, masters, women and handcyclists will compete over three days at a time trial in Sparks and circuit races in downtown Reno and at Lake Tahoe’s Village at Northstar, all with the goal to be crowned Tour de Nez champion.

To properly sum up the experience, here’s what the 2007 Overall Champ had to say, “This race is awesome. The others are stupid.”

Well said.

2010 Schedule of Events

Thursday, June 17 – Sparks, Nev.

• Sparks Nugget Prologue Time Trial starting and finishing right in the middle of the craziest farmers market you’ll ever experience. The event starts at 5:00 p.m. with music and food to follow at the Sparks Farmers Market.

Friday, June 18 – Reno, Nev.

• Group ride with athletes in the morning with coffee stop.

• Downtown Reno Circuit Race that starts and finishes on 1st St. at West St. (Pro men/elite women/masters)

• National championship handcycle race.

• Races for clunkers, messengers, and kids at West Street Plaza on the Truckee River in Reno.

• Party afterwards at West Street Plaza.

Saturday, June 19 – Northstar-at-Tahoe, Calif.

• Village circuit race at the Village at Northstar-at-Tahoe for Pro men/women/handcycles/masters and Lance Armstrong Junior Road race Series.

• Village races for clunkers and kids.

• Expo, music, demos, food, festival, and party all in the Village at Northstar

Sunday, June 20

• Ride with the Pros

For more information and registration visit the Tour de Nez site.

Reno Tahoe is gearing up for the Northstar-at-Tahoe Tour de Nez June 17-21, when one of the West’s premier cycling events comes to the Sierra Nevada with events in Reno, Truckee and North Lake Tahoe.

This is bicycle racing at its finest – some of the best athletes in the sport working with and against each other in a race that is part endurance, part speed and part strategy, all against the backdrop of perfect summer weather and the Sierra Nevada range. But it’s not all about the racing: The Tour brings with it a festival atmosphere buzzing with the energy of fitness freaks and partiers – and everyone and everything in between.

So pack up the bike, make your way to Reno Tahoe and enjoy Nevada’s great outdoors.

From Fernando Leal, a Reno developer and supporter of the Tour de Nez:

As developer for The MONTAGE in downtown Reno, I understand the importance of a vital urban core. Cities thrive when there is a downtown from which civic pride and participation can grow and flourish; a core where resident and tourist participation is encouraged through active lifestyles in recreation, the arts, restaurants, entertainment and events.

The Tour de Nez combines two of my great passions – downtown Reno and cycling. A five-day cycling festival that includes recreational rides, world-class racing, cycling movies, parties and more … what’s not to love? I am honored that Montage Marketing Corporation is a proud sponsor of the Tour de Nez. The sponsorship is our way of demonstrating our appreciation and support to the event organizers for hosting a world-class event that we Renoites can be proud of.

Special events like the Tour de Nez and Artown bring thousands of visitors to our area who stay in our hotels, dine at our great local restaurants, and help with a downtown culture we are all working hard to create. These events also leave visitors with a great impression of Reno so they serve as good public relations ambassadors for our city.  The Tour de Nez has been instrumental over the last 15 years in providing a sense of community for Reno residents. Reno residents benefit from a variety of wonderful events that provide great entertainment options nearly every weekend. These events have a huge impact on improving the quality of life in our great city. The least we can do as citizens is to support these wonderful amenities in order to ensure their long-term viability.

Race schedule:

June 17

• Meet and greet with pro racers at Amendment 21
• Screening of “Pee Wee’s Big Adventure”

June 18

• Downtown Truckee criterium for professional men and women, masters and handcycles
• Downtown Truckee races for clunkers, messengers and kids
• Music and feast after races in downtown Truckee

June 19

• Morning group ride with athletes
• Downtown Reno Circuit Race for professional men and women, masters and handcycles
• Downtown Truckee races for clunkers, messengers and kids
• Reno Film Festival bicycle film “Breaking Away,” at Wingfield Park Amphitheater

June 20

• Morning group ride with athletes
• Village circuit race at the Village at Northstar at Tahoe for Pro men, women and masters, juniors and handcycles
• Village races for clunkers, kids and messengers
• Expo, music, demos, food, festival, and party, all in the Village at Northstar

June 21

• LUX, The great Tour de Nez Century ride along the shores of beautiful Lake Tahoe

Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort will serve as the host venue for the final stop on the Winter Dew Tour, Feb. 19-22! Building on the success of the five-stop AST Summer Dew Tour, a 3-stop nationally televised Winter Dew Tour has been created and will begin this December in Breckenridge, Colo. and travel through Mt. Snow, Vt. before crowning Tour Champions at Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort.

The Winter Dew Tour will bring the top athletes in skiing and snowboarding to Northstar for four days of high-level competition, as well as extensive spectator entertainment and activities on the mountain and in the village.

For those not able to make it to the event, ABC, the USA Network, and MTV/MTV2 will be broadcasting the 3-stop tour. Check out this tour preview:

If you haven’t seen the latest issue of Ski Magazine, the cover story is the “Top 50 Resort Guide,” with Reno-Tahoe-area resorts getting some major props from readers.

In the last decade, the resort industry has definitely taken a turn, shifting its attention from a niche of solely ski/board enthusiasts, to travelers and families who want the fresh tracks, but also after-hours activities, shopping, restaurants and nightlife.

Throughout Reno-Tahoe, resorts have been keeping up with demand – and readers of Ski have taken notice. Here are some of the rankings:

• Squaw Valley USA, ranked number 15 overall, was recognized as “A giant playground. Never boring and always challenging,” with it’s 4,000 acres sprawled across six peaks.
• Heavenly Mountain Resort’s addition of a new gondola a few years back certainly helped it earn the 17th spot in the poll, along with its expansive terrain bridging two states and 300 days of sunshine a year.
• Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort, ranked 23rd overall, is a local favorite, and with a “terrific” new village, its reputation is growing in the larger ski community. The resort recently added expert terrain at Lookout Mountain, and the Ritz Carlton Club under development at mid-mountain will add a touch of class when it is finalized in a year.
• Alpine Meadows, earning a ranking of 29th overall, looks like a hometown mountain at first peek, but the 2,400 acres of awesome terrain and snowfall that tops 500 inches some years tells a different story. Alpine is a good fit for skiers of every ability, but still exudes that Old Tahoe charm.

Other notable Ski Magazine rankings:

• Family Programs: 8. Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort
• Best Terrain Park: 3. Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort
• Best Scenery: 2. Heavenly Mountain Resort
• Best Terrain/Variety: 5. Squaw Valley USA
• Best Terrain/Challenge: 6. Squaw Valley USA
• Best Lifts: 9. Squaw Valley USA
• Best Apres Ski: 4. Heavenly Mountain Resort
• Best Off-Hill Activities: 5. Heavenly Mountain Resort

In other news, Squaw Valley USA received high marks in Outside Magazine’s November listing of the 15 Best Ski Resorts in North America, coming in at a respectable number nine.

What is your favorite Reno-Tahoe resort (and why)?