For the past three years I have been trying to get to a Rugged Maniac and finally, this year, I was able to make that a reality. The race was held at the Chicopee Ski Resort in Kitchener, Ontario. This resort is steeped in history dating back to 1805. With multiple ski runs available, it provided racers with a variety of elevations that were well marked and evenly cleared.
Years ago, Warrior Dash was my first dip into OCR, I felt obliged to try it again four years and 92 races later. It was a super-hot day and in hindsight, perhaps, I should have postponed participating but as we continue to race our obsession sometimes takes over our better judgement. The race was held at the Mohawk Racetrack outside of Toronto, Canada and provided a flat, fast course.
Any of you who follow my race reviews know that I am always open to try new things and we gals love an adventure. Last weekend we were pleasantly surprised by a new event that just launched in our own neck of the woods; it was a great short drive to the race site and there was an element of intrigue as we were only given snippets of information prior to race day.
Participants were immediately faced with a deep and slippery mud pit that had people laughing and taking melfies (mud selfies). The trails were well marked and the terrain was fantastic with streams, hills and trails cutting in and out the conservation area. With over 1200 acres of woodlands, there was a lot to choose from.
It’s a beautiful sunny day and the breeze is gently cooling us as it sweeps across Lake Ontario and down the hill to meet us. Nervous racers are gathered at the base of the Fort Henry hill awaiting the final instructions before the first annual military Cannonball Rush 5K begins.
The race itself is a 5K trek looping through woods and fields and back to the main event area. This race is for those who like to run. It weaves through a variety of terrains but the obstacles are few and far between. Racers kept asking whether the fallen trees were obstacles or just the trail itself. The wooded section was the best part with hill climbs, ropes, mud pits and some over unders.
This race was located at the Christie Lake Conservation area in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The race itself is an 8KM trek looping through woods and fields and back to the main event area. From the very start of the race, racers are dunked into the lake for a swim and then right into a variety of obstacles (16) including river back crawls, walls, over/unders, monkey bars and mud pits.
