Good morning!
Three weeks from today upward of 150 people will arrive at Northfield Mountain from Boston and central New York to embark on the 9th annual Great River Challenge Off-Road Triathlon.

The race will begin near the Quinnetukut boat launch with a 5.5-mile paddle up the Connecticut River and around Clarke’s Island, alternately called Kidd Island after privateer Captain William Kidd who may or may not have left a buried treasure on the island centuries ago.

The race transitions to a four-mile trail run over hill and dale followed by a seven-mile mountain bike race on the Northfield Mountain trail system. There is a shorter version over the same layout.

The event is hosted by FirstLight and overseen by the Northfield Police, EMS and Northfield Dive/Rescue.

“FirstLight’s recreation director Brett Young is incredibly helpful,” said race director David Thomas. “They provide the venue at no cost as long as we provide the insurance. We get terrific feedback about how well organized it is.”

A Northfield resident for 20 years, Thomas owns and warehouses Stellar Kayaks, high-end watercraft that cost upward of $5,000 with showrooms in Orange, Lenox and Waltham.

Registration fees range from $55 for the short course to $75 for the long course and up to $220 for teams. The net proceeds will go to Northfield Kiwanis to fund summer camps and scholarships. “This is an environmentally amazing area,” said Thomas. “It’s hard to beat the autumn scenery. It’s dramatic with the fog lifting off the river in the mornings.”

Anyone seeking more info or to register or volunteer can go to greatriverchallenge.com. “We’re looking for more volunteers,” said Thomas. “That’s always the struggle around here.”

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The old saying there’s three kinds of lies — lies, damned lies and statistics — came to mind after the UMass football team’s 38-23 loss at Toledo. The Minutemen controlled the ball for almost 45 minutes and outgained the Rockets 384 to 258 yards before 21,668 at the Glass Bowl, but they were doomed by TD passes of 40 and 73 yards and a 98-yard touchdown return by Toledo’s Jacquez Stuart.

UMass quarterback Taisun Phommachanh threw and ran for 303 yards and UMass trailed by only a point 16-15 in the third quarter when he was intercepted by Braden Awls and the Rockets scored on their first play after the turnover.

Dubious Achievements: UMass is challenging for the FBS lead in flags (19) and yards penalized (196). … Maybe they should award a yellow flag after each game. Last week’s would’ve gone to linebacker Gerrell Johnson who on the same play was flagged for trash talking and ejected for targeting. …  UMass picked a good opponent for next week’s Homecoming. Central Connecticut State is rated 251st by USA Today’s Jeff Sagarin. … Reader Jimmy Recore asks, “Why do I keep waiting for the Dr Pepper Fansville commercial to show State’s worst players get sucked into the transfer portal and wind up at UMass?”

More Notes: UMass transfer Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams had 10 carries for 46 yards for undefeated Michigan State (2-0) last week against Maryland, and 101 yards against Florida Atlantic including a 63-yard touchdown run. Lynch-Adams was mostly a short yardage guy at UMass who’d hit the occasional home run. … Starting next year the Mid-American Conference will have no divisions, just 13 teams with the top two playing for the MAC championship.

SCOUTING BUFFALO: The Buffalo Bulls — not to be confused with the Bills — are 4 1/2-point favorites against UMass this afternoon (1 p.m. kickoff). The Bulls are coming off a 38-0 loss to Missouri. Quarterback C.J. Ogbonna was 6-for-20 for 55 yards passing but teamed up with Al-Jay Henderson and Messiah Burch for 128 rushing yards. This is a winnable game for UMass, barring any Lucy moments.

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Asked what they’re saying in Providence about the recently announced charity hoops game against UMass at Amica Mutual Pavilion on Oct. 26, hoops loving Friars fan Paul White texted: “It’s a warmup before playing powerhouse Central Ct. State.”

UMass opens against UNH the night before the presidential election. The Minutemen have made one NCAA tournament in 26 years, and that was a blowout loss to Tennessee. The Friars have made nine appearances over the same span but have never made it past the regional finals.

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SQUIBBERS: Amherst College kicks off its football season today at home against Bates at 1 p.m. Admission is free and so is the parking. … Chris Russo railed against the Jets defense after it gave up 32 points in San Francisco on Monday night. “Go out there and stop somebody who’s halfway decent for once in your life, please!” … Ten different Bills caught at least one pass in Josh Allen’s MVP performance against the Cardinals last week. … License plate spotted on a white Toyota Tundra: “Milk Cows, Not Taxpayers.” … WFAN’s Greg Giannotti wasn’t impressed by Tom Brady’s broadcasting debut. “His voice wasn’t cutting through, he didn’t say anything that wasn’t obvious, he had a real tough time completing sentences without stopping in the middle. He sounded like a kid at a college station.” … Mike Francesa on the ‘Century Red’ uniforms the New York Giants wore on Sunday: “I don’t care if it was an homage. That was an homage to ugliness. Throw ’em away, that’s the worst uniform I’ve ever seen.” … Francesa apparently hasn’t seen the City Connect uniforms worn by the Red Sox. … How’s that again ESPN headline: “Cubs Closer Hodge has heart scare but gets save.” … Northern Illinois went home with a $1.4 million payday after it shocked Notre Dame on Saturday. Next week Miami-Ohio gets $1.25 million for playing the Fighting Irish, according to NBCChicago. …NYC police officer Brianna Fernandez got a rousing ovation from the melting pot that’s Pinstripe Nation after her stirring rendition of God Bless America at the Stadium on 9/11. … Baltimore radio voice Geoff Arnold on broadcasting at Fenway Park: “Whenever you walk in here it smells the way a ballpark’s supposed to smell. They’ve been making hot dogs and sausages here for 100 years.”

Chip Ainsworth is an award-winning columnist who has penned his observations about sports for decades in the Pioneer Valley. He can be reached at chipjet715@icloud.com