2am, just going over the final checklist, ensuring that everything is ready for what should be a very fun and interesting race.  My new Salomon pack and shoes sit at the door waiting for the sun to rise while my four alarm clocks strategically placed in my bedroom get ready for a most important job.  […]

Since the Logs, Rock and Steel race started a couple years ago, I’ve always wanted to do the race.  Unfortunately, the timing has never worked out.  2011 was the first year it fit into the schedule. 
LRS is an adventure race, but doesn’t require navigation.  However, you still have to follow flagging tape through the […]

Event: Tough Mudder Indiana
Date: November 19th, 2011.
Location: Attica, Indiana
It all started innocently enough. One of my best friends had registered for the Tough Mudder Indiana race in Indiana and in a moment of curiosity, I said “why don’t you send me the information?” A few days later, I found myself on a plane to Chicago then driving to Indiana. […]

Last year, I amped up my running training for the Boston Marathon.  I hooked up with this great group of experienced runners and during one long run they started talking about the New York Marathon.  The way they spoke about it left me wondering, “is it better than Boston?”  So I asked.  “Well,” one guy […]

I shared an unforgettable Ironman experience with my fiancee Laura Banks, also a Team Running Free athlete. Here are some of the details of the race:
Pre Race Routine:
I actually got up at 2:15 am and downed two high-calorie meal replacement shakes, and went back to sleep until 4:00 am. I didn’t exactly want to have any more food […]

Fun!!!!
Did my first ever off road tri at the element Racing “Mine over matter” triathlon.
Basically went to support my buddy doing his first tri.  I have been intrigued by the Xterra race series for a while, but never participated in one.  It had been a while since I raced on a Mountain bike so I […]

A challenge like no other, the Canadian Death Race tests you to the very limit. Grand Cache is a remote town on the western most frontier of Alberta. Home to this epic event, it sits over 200km from the nearest Tim Hortons. In other words, it’s in the middle of nowhere nestled in the picturesque […]

I ran the Great Canadian Death Race - well most of the race - I was DQ’d at the 110 km mark (88% complete) and had to finished the last 15 km as a bandit runner. Here is my story.
The Great Canadian Death Race is a 125 km foot race with 17,000 feet of elevation […]

Ironman Lake Placid would be my 3rd Ironman in 3 years. My first 2 experiences going at this distance was far from ideal. I didn’t take enough nutrition throughout the day and / or had gone out too hard and things became a sufferfest during the run. I didn’t set up any time goals for […]

Race Preparation
I only officially signed up one week before race start.  It was my first adventure racing since the 2007 Keen Games.  The majority of my training consisted of road biking, a handful of road runs, and no paddling.  I spent the night before arranging the mountains of the gear, much of which I never […]

Name of Race: Alpine Expedition Switzerland
Website: http://www.theapexrace.com/
Date of Race: May 24-29, 2011
Location of Race: Bernese Oberland/Interlaken, Switzerland
Type of Event: Adventure Racing
Distance/Length of Event: 4-5 Days
It had been a rough spring leading up to the APEX race for me.  I’d been battling a back injury since February and my training had mainly consisted of swimming, yoga and lots of […]

Storm:
Verb / stôrm:  Move angrily or forcefully in a specified direction
Generally races are all the same.  Start at point A, and proceed to point B as fast as possible… What happens in between these points is what defines the race, and challenges the participants.  It’s where memories are made, bonds are developed and conclusions are […]

Event: Don’t Get Lost’s Raid the Rib
Date: April 9th, 2011
Location: Palgrave, Ontario
For lots of Ontario adventure racers, Don’t Get Lost’s Raid the Rib is a season kick-off.  I’ve been doing this event for 6 or 7 years and I always find it to be a great orienteering / navigation tune-up as well as a gauge of my fitness […]

Storm the Ten
Saturday September 18, 2010
www.stormevents.ca
 
“It was a cold and wet December day when we touched the ground at JFK…”  Lyrics from the U2 song kept dangling away in my head as I pushed through the painful 3 kilometer trail run.  The Concept was simple:  You run, Kayak and Mountain bike for 10 straight hours.  […]

Event: RockstAR (www.racetherockstar.com)
Location: Bark Lake Leadership Centre, near Irondale, Ontario
Date: July 24th, 2010
Format: 8-hour adventure race
RockstAR is always a highlight of my adventure racing season.  I love the location and being able to stay on site for a reasonable fee; I love that the later race start (11:00 am ) allows for a good night’s […]

Day 1 - Kayak 62k (34k down-river, 28k lake)
Day 2 – Trail Run 56k
Day 3 – Mountain Bike 100k 
Day 1
Pre-race was kinda exciting as people milled about scoping each-other’s boats trying to figure out who had the fastest vessel.  With a rule of only allowing plastic […]

Wow! What a perfect day for a race.  Unlike my previous experiences with Storm The Trent, the sun was out, it was warm, and weather was not going to be a factor.  All indications were that it was going to be a fantastic day.  
That all changed only minutes after we heard the word “Go”.  They don’t call […]

Name of Race: Wilderness Traverse
Website: http://www.wildernesstraverse.com/
Date of Race: June 5-6, 2010
Location of Race: Haliburton Highlands, Ontario
Type of Event: Adventure Racing
Distance/Length of Event: 24-30 hours

Bob Miller’s highly anticipated inaugural Wilderness Traverse was widely regarded as the most competitive adventure race this side of the Rockies in Canada in a long time and we were excited to be up against some stellar competition […]

Event: Frontier Adventure Challenge Deerhurst
Location: Huntsville, Ontario
Date: May 1st, 2010
Website: www.fastadventures.com
 This 5-8 hour sprint race based out of Deerhurst resort has been my “season opener” for the past four years.  It’s become one of my favorite adventure races of the season and a staple on my AR calendar. I love the contrast between going out […]

For those of you who have not heard of this race the following is a brief:
Distance: 250k (5.9 marathons)
Stages: 6 stages over 7 days 21.1k to 82 k
Support: Self supported except for water, about 10 litres/day and a tent
Terrain: Sahara Desert – sand dunes, rocks, steep hills, more stand dunes, more rocks
Weather: Temperatures range […]