Sunday, May 15, 2011

A Bike, A Frisbee, A Rock, Running Shoes, and A Birthday...THIS is Adventure Racing

The power of Facebook is at it again.  Just this past week I participated in the first Spring/Summer Trail Series Race #1, of the season.  This is a race series based largely on the power of Facebook.  AWESOME!!!
 
The race itself was an adventure on so many levels and just goes to show what happens when one guy has a dream, a love of trail running and being outdoors, a computer and a helluva lot of friends. 
 
Meet Steve...the creator of the series.  What you really need to know about him is that he is one impressive crazy mofo!  The dude snowshoed in the winter for 24 hours in the worst blizzard we have seen in who knows how long...and this being Iowa, that's saying A LOT!!!  (If I can get his permission, maybe I'll post some pic's for proof on here.)  He also ran across the state of Iowa to raise money for cancer and was sponsored by Livestrong.  Safe to say the dude is as hardcore as it comes. 
 
So Steve apparently had this idea for a race series in the summer where like minded peeps get together on Tuesdays for fun trail runs and then every once in a while, he would throw an adventure type race in there for the hell of it...he created a group and posted it out on FB and within days the group membership swelled to over 200 people.  He set the date for the first race as Saturday, May 7th, and from there the only information we were given was the meeting location and that we needed to bring a bike, running shoes, a frisbee, and practice our rock throwing skills...interesting...(you all know I'm a sucker for any new outdoor adventure, especially one involving my mountain bike and running, and at $10 and the promise of a good time, how could I pass it up?!?!)
 
When we arrived at Orlondo's on Park in DSM last Saturday morning we learned two things, 1) it was Steve's birthday (happy birthday dude!!), and 2) we were going to be going out on a course that would include a two loop mountain bike ride on a horse trail, followed by a frisbee golf type competition, followed by an almost 5 mile run (more than 3 of it being on the most beautiful trail I've ever experienced in my life!!!), followed by throwing rocks at a dummy (we got 3 tries and momma hit the dummy on the first try...I gots MAD rock throwing skillz!!), followed by a finish back on our bikes back to the bar...where the cold beer and shots were waiting (thanks JR!!!)...along with some rum and Kahlua infused cupcakes (thanks Kaiti!!!...you're a monster on the course and in the kitchen!). 
 
More than 20 people participated in the fun.  And for once, I didn't wear a watch and I didn't really keep track of anything...the race was super casual, and the finish times were way unofficial, but in the end it really didn't matter, because I had a blast out there!!!!  I said the trail run was georgous...and it was, I had no idea that such beauty existed that close to my home (trail running and biking brings the fun factor)!!  But most of all, it was the people that made the day so wonderful, and the event so successful.  I met some really really (did I say really??) cool ass biker dude's and chic's.  (Somehow during this event I even got talked into trying my very first bicycle race next week...that's right, NEXT WEEK!...I think it was the beer and the shots talking, or maybe someone dared me, but for whatever reason it seemed like a good idea and I'm gonna go with it...I'm always up for a new adventure or two. :))   

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