Great Adventure Challenge

 A Family Vacation with an Adventure Challenge

I have been wanting to participate is this event for several years but have been unable to make the trip up to the little town of Bridgton ME. This year my family decided we would make  Bridgton our destination getaway and I would be able to try out this race I have heard all about.

First, Bridgton ME is a cute, quaint town centered in the lakes region of Maine. My wife, 9 month old daughter and I spent a couple of days exploring the local trails, swimming in the lakes, crawling in the grass and eating food. We loved eating at Beth's Kitchen Cafe (a big shot out to their oatmeal dish) and spent our nights at the Pleasant Mountain Inn, a comfortable Inn with a restaurant attached (The Campfire Grill) which was a nice convenience having a baby.  On our next trip I would like to spend more time so we can explore Moose Pond and Highland Lake on the kayak, run the dirt roads and hike up some of the trails up to Pleasant Mountain with the family.

Chillin' in Bridgton

Parenting..Its the new Multisport!

Our trip concluded with the Great Adventure Challenge, an adventure style triathlon consisting of  2.5 miles of paddling, 16+ miles of mountain biking, then a run/fast walk up Shawnee Peak.  The organization of this race was superb.  A thrilling kayak start, very well marked  course, plenty of aid stations with water and Gatorade and bike support, photographers throughout the course, and a great finish with shaded canopies for racers and spectators. A full barbecue followed with burgers, dogs, macaroni and potato salad and ice cream. More than enough to eat after a hard day of work.  I also dig the purple race shirts.  What really blew me away though was the volunteer support.  From transporting kayaks to the finish, taking bikes at the transition, dishing out food and hydration and cheering racers from first place to last place, they made the day feel special.

View of Pleasant Mountain and Moose Pond

On Left. View of Pleasant Mountain and Moose Pond. Paddle the pond (though actually quite a large lake), mountain bike around the mountain, the run up and down the mountain.

Kayak Start and transition to bike. Photobombed by cute bab

The event began with a race meeting where director Rob Knowles, a friendly, charismatic man addressed the racers of course details and announced some sweet raffle giveaways that all participants were automatically entered into. These giveaways included a kayak from Saco Bound, 2 tickets for skydiving at Sky Dive New England, and 3 bike stands from Andy Stands. Given that this race cost $60.00 for  a soloist, this may be one of the best triathlon deals out there.

Though the kayak course may be shorter than others, the 2.5 mile course felt plenty challenging and my arms felt fatigued. Kayaks came in all sizes and shapes. Having a surf ski race boat definitely gave me an advantage. I like to describe the difference of a surf ski to a rec boat similar to that of a carbon 29er mnt bike and a hybrid mountain bike. Surf skis are fast, fun, and allow for a different sort of paddling, just as a higher end mountain bike would provide over a hybrid.  My Stellar SEL advantage performed nicely averaging 6.8 mph and coming in 4th overall in the kayak leg.  Kris Freeman, paddling a Stellar SES in the excel layup, won and broke the course record finishing about 1 minute ahead of me. Moose Pond is simply beautiful with Pleasant Mountain looming over the western coast.

This tri definitely sides on the biking portion. With 16+ miles, racers will most likely be on the bike longer than the paddle and hike/run combined. The bike is about 80% non technical double track, dirt roads, and grassy trails. The other 20% is moderately technical and only a few areas that some folks may want to walk.  Because of this, the course is suitable for all levels. I saw high end mountain bikes that ripped up the course and other beginner riders using rigid frames. The best riders are the ones having the most fun, and I saw plenty of fun! For me, I had some mechanical problems along the way causing 3 chain drops and a light crash. I later found out the I broke off some teeth on the pulley wheel of my rear derailleur.  I was able to pass one rider around mile 5 but then got passed by 2 bikers near the end of the course. 

The last portion was a hike up Shawnee Peak. A tough hike all the way up, but a spectacular view at the top. There really was not much running, only briefly on a few of the flatter spots.  I was able to pass the 2 cyclists that passed me earlier and built a lead on the hike. Uphill running is one of my stronger suits. With that said, the heat was getting to me, and it was a struggle to not let up my lead. As I got to the top I took a moment to enjoy the view before running down the very steep descent. The run down was harder on my legs then the hike up. Take your time and watch your line, no need to face plant in the home stretch. .

Doing the Bird as I finish up the downhill run. 

In the end Kris Freemen, Olympic Nordic skier, crushed the course surpassing Mike Galoob's prior course record by almost 10 minutes. Hey Mike, you reading this?.... I think you may need to come back next year. I ended up finishing 3rd overall, 2nd in the solo division and first in the old-ish man age group.

Placing 2nd as a soloist.

A great day at Pleasant Mountain and a great weekend in the town of Bridgton!! Do check out this race and if you have any questions about the race please ask below in the comment section. If you are looking for a similar adventure tri, check out the Great River Challenge on October 4th in Northfield, MA.

On Left:  Director Rob Knowles and I at the bast of Shawnee Peak. Rob does a tremendous job putting together a fun adventure style race with proceeds going towards supporting people with disabilities. We all hope to see him continue this race for years to come so please consider this event as a destination for 2016.

 On Left: First place team "The Old Guys" with a team record time of 1:57. This would also have been a course record if it was not for Kris Freeman's amazing time of 1:49. This shows you the level of competition this year!

The Family!

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Fun on the Mountain: The 2014 Great River Challenge

What is an "Off Road Triathlon"?

Well, start off by twisting, pushing, and pulling yourself as you propel a kayak or canoe through fog, current, and or wind as you gaze along mountains, woodlands, and farms . Then take your run and bike, turn the pavement into single track trails and add some rocks, roots, steep climbs and fast and technical descents. String it all this together and you have the Great River Challenge!

You will be working your heart and lungs just as much as any  'traditional tri', but now you have to add concentration, balance, and agility.  The endorphin you will get from this 'non traditional' race will only be heightened with the adrenaline of playing in the woods.

The Great River Challenge is situated in beautiful Northfield Mountain. Athletes of all abilities came to tackle the 5 mile paddle, 4 mile trail run, and 7 mile mt bike in teams and individuals.

For this race report,  I focused on the solo division as this was the division I was competing in. With that said, many athletes came to Northfield to just play and engage in the outdoors with other like minded people. Everyone I talked with could not have been happier with the atmosphere and community that a race like this creates.In one racers words, it was an "A+".

 Let's break down the segments.

The Paddle

The organization of this race was truly impressive. The paddle took us up the CT river around an island and back down to a dock. Volunteers supported paddlers into and out of their boats. (no boats had to be dragged!) Volunteers then took the boats and placed them into a holding area so racers could continue along with their race. The launch area itself was situated on a large picnic area with pavilion and bathrooms. The race did get started a bit late, but given this is their first year, I am not bothered by the delayed start.

As for weather this year, a calm, quiet fog hung over the waters at the start of the race creating a dreamy-like start  but then the sun broke through as boaters finished their leg.

Me in my Westside Exceed. 

Racers used an assortment of boats, kayaks, canoes, surf skis, k1s etc. Like other gear dependent sports, the right equipment will provide an advantage. In this case, surf skis and k1s will typically dominate. They are tippier than recreational boats, but the thrill and push of paddling at 6-7 mph adds to at least my enjoyment. Think of a high end mountain bike over a hybrid bike. Once in one of these boats, a whole new world of paddling technique and balance enters into the equation.  Much like swimming, there is much speed to be gained from good technique.

Here is a strava link to the course
http://www.strava.com/activities/209771062

On Left. Fastest female kayaker and third fastest overall, Kari Crowe, She is paddling an Epic V14. Notice her form..pulling with the torso, entering the recovery, preparing for the catch.










Below Left: Fastest kayaker and race organizer, David Thomas in a Stellar SEI.  Stellar is an amazing kayak and surf ski company that produces some of the fastest, most comfortable boats in the world (No, I am not sponsored by Stellar, nor did get paid for that comment) and David is the Brains behind the operation. Located in our backyard in Norhfield. If you are going to buy, buy local!
Below Right:  I finished 1 minute behind Dave and 2nd overall.

The Trail Run

I finished with the 3rd fasted run time...but who had the 1st ?
Pic would be nice too.

On Left: 

The run was essentially 1 hill, 678 feet up and then back down, all in 4 miles. Racers ran from the kayak transition up a short stretch of paved road, across a grassy field, and then into the Northfield Mountain trail system. The trails are just about all single track, very well marked, with the occasionally log to jump over and rocky/rooty section to negotiate.  I would rate the technicality of the trail as easy to moderate ( Advanced  for me is Seven Sisters). With that said, the hills were surprisingly challenging. I pre-ran the course 2 weeks prior with not too much difficulty. On race day though, I was having a hard time lowering my heart rate and breathing after the kayak segment. I ended up walking some of the steeper sections.

I was able to move into first place overall I knew there were some fast runners behind and pushed when I could to build a lead before entering the mountain bike section.


Link to trail run course
http://www.strava.com/activities/209773245/overview

The Mountain Bike

Matt Pomeroy destroyed the course in blazing time making him the fastest mountain biker of the day.
It's looking like he may be catching some air on this move!

The mountain bike course blended single track hiking trails and double track ski trails. The course, though only 7 miles, was indeed challenging. The climb to the top of Northfield Mountain was unrelentless, though not technical. Being in the front of the pack, I kept looking over my shoulder waiting for someone to overtake me.  Later, I heard a cyclist pulled this off in a single speed. Wow.

After making it to the top, the descent was pure single track fun. Not technical, but indeed a mountain bike decent. After what felt like a slog for the last hour, the ride down the mountain was pure bliss. At this point I forgot I was racing and just having fun. This was a GREAT way to finish!

Link to mountain bike course

http://www.strava.com/activities/209772485

Above Left: Mark Trahan with the money shot! Mark finished 3rd soloist and 4th overall! 

Above Right: Me coming down the final stretch to win soloist and overall!

Awards:

I finished first place overall and first place soloist!

Racing should not be about the awards, but I would be lying if I was to say if I have not enjoyed receiving recognition for a race performance. The Great River Challenge had some SWEET prizes for awards. Very unexpected especially given that it was their first year. With that said, if you are racing for prizes, my tip to you is to go for the "fastest" time per event. The fastest kayaker won themselves a high end fiberglass paddle from Stellar. Fastest runner grabbed a certificate for a new pair of running sneakers. The fastest biker took home a sweet pair of high end sunglasses (sorry..i forgot the brand).  There were also some nice raffle prizes that all were entered in including a really nice (and expensive) watch from Suunto (Suunto Ambit2) and a white water rafting trip and zip-lining from Zoar Outdoor.  

Here is a link to the 2014 results:
http://www.fasttrackcoaching.net/timing/Results/2014-THE-GREAT-RIVER-CHALLENGE-RESULTS-RR360.html#/results::14119933126190

Bellow are some of the sponsors that came out to support their races and share their love of the outdoors.  I really enjoyed talking with all of them and hope they come back next year.

Suunto!! Raffled an Ambit 2. A super generous
gift...I just wished i won it!

Stellar Kayaks! I love these boats!
http://www.stellarkayaks.com/

EMS Donated water bottles, gear, and raffled
a backpack. Thanks for coming out!

Friends of Schell Brdge
Read their story! Great Folk! Loved  talking with them!
http://www.schellbridge.org/

Great racing again with my buddy Mark Trahan.  By this time next year we may have some infants with us!  Any thoughts of including a day care tent?

I loved this race and love the potential this race has. Please consider it for your next fall event. I would love to see the Great River Challenge become a staple racing race in western MA for years to come!