Race Recap: Terrain Racing West Virginia

While arriving at the Terrain Race on June 23rd, 2018 in West Virginia few indicators stood out about how this race was going to go down. Mud was the theme of the day. From participants covered in mud to a festival that looked like a war movie set in some remote jungle. For OCR standards, it was awesome! After seeing countless participants continuing to file into the Terrain Racing starting pools, it was apparent; I was with my kind of people. The type of people that on weekends, prefer to get muddy because they want to.

Location: Tomahawk Motocross

Getting to Tomahawk Motocross in Hedgesville, West Virginia, was easy at first on the highway. But, once you got off the main road, there were numerous winding roads that had me questioning, “Am I there yet?” This race was in a location without strong cell service so future racers shouldn't rely on GPS alone to guide them to the venue. Upon arrival to Tomahawk, there was no question this was a motocross destination. OCR companies such as Terrain Racing are turning bonafide outdoor motocross venues such as Tomahawk into legitimate obstacle racing destinations. Giving you an experience you will never forget.

Terrain/Obstacles

It's been a while since I used the word muddy. In the classic movie “Jurrasic Park” the moment it started raining, that's when everything went wrong. Yeah, sure, most of us knew it was going to rain, but what it did to the race is a different story altogether. The most notable parts of the race were the muddy hills. It didn't matter if you were going up or down the steep hills, each step could potentially lead to you taking an unforgettable tumble.

There were also moments running on the actual track that were just ridiculous. The Tomahawk track's ground was so soggy and soft due to the rain shoes were quickly eaten by the mud.

Lastly, the tire flip. The tire flip location was extremely muddy, which made the footing to plant and hoist it nearly impossible. If a person was lucky enough to pick the right tire not encased in mud, there was a slim yet difficult chance the tire could be flipped.

Dang…Really?!?

My only issue was towards the end of the race. The Monkey Bars obstacle suffered a severe setback, two rows were blocked off due to being damaged, which meant participants could only use three of the remaining rows. It sucked. I enjoy the Monkey Bars obstacle, so I decided to stay in the line. But, by waiting in line with only three rows, it made the waiting time roughly 15 to 20 minutes. I understood why people were skipping this obstacle. A 20-minute wait for any obstacle can feel like an eternity. But, to shut down a few rows due to the safety of an obstacle is fine with me. Safety first is the OCR way, and Terrain Racing did the right thing in looking out for its participants.

Lastly, after a muddy race, one of the most glorious moments a participant can ask for was the wash off station. Unfortunately, the station at the West Virginia Terrain Race came in the form of a water truck with one large hose spewing water from multiple angles. That was pretty much it. Since there were so many people covered in mud, it made for a long wait to get rinsed off. Quite honestly, that's just how it is sometimes in the world of OCR. I don't think anyone was expecting such muddy terrain, so to have water with some pressure was helpful.

Conclusion

Overall, I enjoyed myself at this race. While many may read this and think it must not have been a fun race, my experience was terrific. I had been yearning for a purely muddy race. Through the fate of the OCR Gods and Mother Nature, my obstacle course racing wishes were answered. With so many obstacle races moving away from the mud, having a really muddy race was a treat.

The West Virginia Terrain Race took what nature gave them and delivered one of the dirtiest races I have witnessed thus far. I would rerun this race, under the same circumstances. Next time, I will bring more trash bags to cover my car seats.

Rating: 4 out 5

 

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Rating: 4/5

 

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