Running Mania

Anyone else around here partake?

I've done a bunch of the Storm Racing events, they're really awesome and well done.
Their website: http://www.stormevents.ca/

Did Rockstar on Saturday:
http://www.marshmallowman2ironman.com/2 ... nture.html

It's a great format especially for beginners to adventure racing - it's time based, so there's no falling behind. You will finish in 4 or 8 hours (depending which race you pick), how many checkpoints you get to determines your points and placing.

Some of the checkpoints were a little "zany" - floating on an inner tube out to a checkpoint, finding a CD on the bottom of the lake, etc.
Some were difficult from a navigation standpoint - have to read the map, take headings, follow creeks/marshes...
Some were difficult terrain (especially in the 8 hour) - going through dense forest, getting cuts and stuff... (I like these the least!).

This year we could use the canoe, bike or run at our discretion for the full time to reach the checkpoints - so there was some strategy involved in how you'd get to each one.

Thought I'd pass it along in case folks were thinking about it but tentative or looking for something to dip their toe in... this is the right event!

jono

A grand total of one such race that is within driving distance so something that has not really taken off around here. The closest is an off road tri and du but that would mean I would have to run and who in their right mind would want to do that? As a side note, lost two Fondos this year. 160 K Fondos $175 - 200 Fondos are being replaced by $45 90 - 105 K rides so not sure what appetite there is for an adventure race. Although oddly enough, raise at least $2,500 multi day rides seem to be very strong.

I have to admit that I would never think I would ever say this but I have really embraced the "ride" rather than "race" mentality. I am actually stopping at the aid stations and not using them as some sort of Nascar pit spot. I can still ride very hard but actually taking the time to look up and take in the surroundings. It was such a great feeling to look back and see that during one of these rides I was towing 20 guys up a small hill and was not sad or disappointed when I fell behind because of that effort.

Sounds like you are having a ton of fun.

I will be doing Bruce Peninsula Multi sport race this summer http://www.brucepeninsulamultisportrace.ca/ Doing the long course

Although it it a marked course and not check point. I am very much stressed about the unknown distance for the paddle, my ability to complete it with in cut off and my ability to paddle in open water. Terifed , I always stick to the shoreline.

Would love to try a adventure race, the people i know who do this are really intense and carbon fibre mtn bikes sooo a little worried about holding them back to join their team. We talked about it once and there was discussion about team practices and roping the bikes together and that was not for me. I just want to have fun. If you have any desire for a female on the team and want to have fun, oh and I know first aid please contact me.

Annelizabeth wrote:I will be doing Bruce Peninsula Multi sport race this summer http://www.brucepeninsulamultisportrace.ca/ Doing the long course

Although it it a marked course and not check point. I am very much stressed about the unknown distance for the paddle, my ability to complete it with in cut off and my ability to paddle in open water. Terifed , I always stick to the shoreline.

Would love to try a adventure race, the people i know who do this are really intense and carbon fibre mtn bikes sooo a little worried about holding them back to join their team. We talked about it once and there was discussion about team practices and roping the bikes together and that was not for me. I just want to have fun. If you have any desire for a female on the team and want to have fun, oh and I know first aid please contact me.

Nice! Bruce Penninsula looks amazing - we've avoided it mostly due to the kayak (instead of canoe, which is our thing). Maybe someday.

We're pretty intense ... Teams are tricky, you really want to be with people of similar ability, or it's frustrating for everyone. Canoe is the only time it doesn't matter (since the boat will go the same speed with one strong paddler and one weak one and nobody gets left behind!).
I've seen teams of 3 where one guy is dying and the other 3 are bombing ahead constantly... but ultimately you have to stay together, so there's no benefit to dropping your own teammate! My buddy and I are pretty closely matched, so it works.

Sean's races (Storm the Trent and Rockstar) are both really awesome though, very diverse crowds of all abilities. Much less intimidating than Bruce, that's for sure.

jono

Dstew wrote:A grand total of one such race that is within driving distance so something that has not really taken off around here.

That seems to be a problem everywhere... we have a handful in Ontario and we're lucky we have Storm Racing, otherwise it'd be similarly niche.

jono

So I was asked to be on a team for wilderness traverse.. we are completely unmatched.
Will I See you there?

Annelizabeth wrote:So I was asked to be on a team for wilderness traverse.. we are completely unmatched.
Will I See you there?

No. No you won't. I spoke with someone after Rockstar about it, he did it... sounds pretty wild (metaphorically and literally).

But make sure you tell us allll about it!

We did the Muskoka River X a couple weeks ago (the 80km) - it's paddling/portaging only, it's a wicked fun adventure. It's technically part of the Ontario Adventure Race points thing:
http://www.adventureracingontario.com/schedule/

... but you have to like paddling, and portaging. And a really sore butt. The "sprint" took just just under 10.5h (vs over 12h last year). At some point we'll have to step up to the 130k. Feels inevitable. But that means night paddling.

jono

My race report from that:
http://www.marshmallowman2ironman.com/2 ... canoe.html

jono

Annelizabeth wrote:So I was asked to be on a team for wilderness traverse.. we are completely unmatched.
Will I See you there?

Sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!? How'd it go?

jono

http://postdink.blogspot.ca/2017/10/wil ... verse.html

Thanks, you asking made me write this. It was hard, so so hard.

Nice report

Annelizabeth wrote:http://postdink.blogspot.ca/2017/10/wilderness-traverse.html

Thanks, you asking made me write this. It was hard, so so hard.

Awesome!

On the running being your strength - this is indeed the big challenge of team racing, you're only ever as fast as the slowest person, so it's less about people's strengths and more about their weaknesses. My racing partner is more technically sound of a MTB'er - but that just means he has to wait for me. The more mis-matched the racers, the more frustrating it is to either be "guy everyone is waiting for" or "waiting for that guy"!

See you at one of these things soon I'm guessing.

jono

I've been thinking about one of these events for a few years, this thread isn't helping me stay away. Thanks for the reports.

FishHog

Just committed to Storm the Trent! I might have to buy a new bike before then, and I am committed to getting strong. Our team caption is going hard core and expectation is to win the whole damn thing! So yah I need to up my game.

Annelizabeth wrote:Just committed to Storm the Trent! I might have to buy a new bike before then, and I am committed to getting strong. Our team caption is going hard core and expectation is to win the whole damn thing! So yah I need to up my game.

Which version? We're doing "just" the "Hike" again...

jono