Interview with Les Stroud on Beyond Survival

*all pictures courtesy of Laura Bombier

I was delighted to have the privileged opportunity to speak with Les Stroud, better known as Survivor Man, regarding his upcoming show on Discovery Channel; Beyond Survival. Les was genuine and great pleasure to speak with.  The longer you chat with him the more you feel his passion exude through the conversation. Here is what Les had to say about his experience filming, what’s next and his favorite past times.

NR: What inspired you to do the show, Beyond Survival? Was it a natural evolution from Survivor Man?

Les: I believe it was, yes. With Survivor Man I was very concerned with the physical survival and what I was going through and the environment. With Beyond Survival I am able to go to the next level and deal with cultural survival, spiritual survival and physical survival again as well. I am out there surviving with these remote indigenous tribes around the world and doing these crazy ceremonies and rituals, it does take it all to a whole new level.

NR: How did you determine which tribes were best suited to this project?

Les: I researched, and checked around. It’s tough to find people now that are still living just past the stone-age but they are out there. They are in these remote corners and jungles and deserts. It is bizarre to think they are there as everything is so accessible these days. A lot research, connecting with anthropologist until I could find these isolated groups of people.

NR: How long did you typically stay with each group?

Les: I would say about two and half weeks was the average.

NR: What was the most unique thing you learned the most inspiring experience?

Les: Wow. There is so much. I was in Madagascar doing a seed ceremony with the Antanosy, doing a trance dance with the San Bushman in Kalahari. I did an all night devil dance exorcism with the Sri Lanka Vedda, but I think the craziest one was doing a ceremony where you unearth the bones of an ancestor with the Papuan in New Guinea. I watched it yesterday and I thought to myself I was there doing it and it still gave me the creeps watching it.

NR: That leads into my next question, what was the scariest situation you encountered given you have such a vast wilderness experience?

Les: I think I rolled with it all fairly good and fairly strong, I certainly have the survival skills down when we went off and did those types of things in the jungle, but doing the ceremonies in Peru with the Quechua, the Inca descendants, that stuff, was a little bit strange and a little over the top for sure in a metaphysical way, not just death defying but it goes to a different place.

NR: How did you communicate with the group members? Did have a translator or you adapted as you spent more time with them?

Les: It was a little bit of both, I had a translator at first then there was always a time when I would want to be left alone with the people and I would go off and do a hunt in the jungle,  then I would just rely on sign language and facial expressions.

NR: How many people were there with you at each location (referring to crew accompaniment), or did you do a lot of the filming yourself?

Les: I definitely kept my Survivor Man signature style in how I filmed myself, but I did have a crew there that could film the rest of the people as well which was a great help for certain. The look of the show is very gripping very beautiful.

NR: How was the adjustment process to the diet? Did you find the transition easy? I would image you were eating some interesting things.

Les: They eat some crazy stuff. Then they offer me something and it’s almost like an honorary thing and I have to eat it in front of them and look like I am enjoying it and I didn’t always enjoy it. They naturally eat some crazy things. I know the worst thing for me was in Indonesia, I have eaten grubs before, but this was a big fat slimy grub. It was disgusting and these little kids who were sitting beside me eating the grub and it was hanging out of their mouth and they were playing with it while it was still alive and they would hand me one, and it tasted terrible.

NR: Having lived remotely for such long periods of time what was your biggest adjustment when you came back to city life? How have you as a person grown through the experience?

Les: I have grown. I was always passionate about the wilderness and adventure and getting out there, but really through all these experiences with these people I learned to get back in touch with the energy of the land and the wilderness. I really have come to a different place because of spending so much time with these people where I have an appreciation of earth energy and I feel much more connected to it now then, I ever did before.

NR: How many tribes do you see in total throughout the duration of the show?

Les: Tribes is probably not the right word to use, as the Inuit for example are in the high arctic, but probably about 12 groups of people overall. We do visit multiple groups in some of the show episodes.

NR: What would you like your viewers to take away from watching the show? What message would you like to see come across?

Les: Well, I hope two things. One is what I took away from it and this is remembering to get connected back with the land. The land is just this big globe we live on and there is a lot going on and to it and we really need to reconnect because of what’s going down. I also think number two is to recognize that there are people out there that have these incredibly fascinating cultures who are on the brink of assimilation and somehow they have to come into the modern world without losing the culture they have now and that is not going to be easy. I saw people that did it, and some that did not do it well and others that are on the brink.

NR: Now did you find that eco-tourism was very prevalent when you were with these groups of people, has the western influence begun to seep in noticeably?

Les: No the influences are creeping in everywhere. They creep insidiously in the form of plastic garbage. They creep in by way of a bunch of miners may come through and leave t-shirts and shoes. One kid in New Guinea for example had gotten cotton clothing. You can’t wear cotton clothing in a wet jungle but the missionaries gave him cotton clothing. So now they wear the cotton clothing and they end up with all of these skin infections and problems because they wear them until they rot off of their bodies, literary. The influences are there, yet the positive side is that a lot the culture still remains intact.

NR: Just one last question about you personally, what are your favorite non-survivor activities? I know you have a band and a book coming out shortly, outside of that do you surf? What do you enjoy?

Les: Aside from music which is huge, and I do have a concert tour coming up, and do I have another book coming out in the fall called Survive! Outside of those passions, I have to say hockey. I love hockey, I play it when I can and also canoeing. I am a canoehead as we call ourselves. I can’t wait to get back at it and start paddling again. I am a versatile person too, I went and saw Tom Petty last week. I love just getting out, good evenings out, I love sushi I like all that life has to offer.

NR: Now would you ever do an adventure race?

Les: I have done one actually, the Canadian Championship. I think I still have an injury from it (laughs). I love adventure racing. I am doing Muay thai kick boxing right now and I would love to get myself trained back up now that I am off the road from doing Beyond Survival and get into adventure racing again, it’s one of my favorite activities.

A big thanks to Les, I am a huge fan and am looking forward to the premier of the show on OLN.

Find Les online at: Les Stroud

Beyond Survival Premiers in Canada on OLN September 5th at 8PMEST.

Outdoor Week Continues with – The Death Race

The Death Race. The name alone conjures images of a cheesy Stephen King movie or some odd cult activity. You can’t say “I competed in the Death Race” without SOME kind of reaction. So, what is the Death Race? It’s 125km of the most grueling terrain you will ever meet and it’s 100% Canadian. Considered one of the toughest races in the world, it takes you up and down through the swampiest and the steepest terrain. With 17,000 feet, yes you read that correctly, 17,000 feet of elevation change it is not for the feint of heart.

Some details:

It’s a five stage race, which can be done solo or relay.

125 km long, the fastest time to complete was by a solo competitor in 2009 which, took him approximately 13 hours.

It takes place every August long weekend and is located in Grande Cache, Alberta.

It’s entirely a run, but an all terrain run.

You can quit at anytime and there are medics throughout the course.

Its entirely marked you can’t “get lost”.

No one has ever died racing.

I had the opportunity to chat with one of this years competitors, Willis Kolody.  Here is his amazing take on the experience.

NR: How did you get involved with this race? Have you been an adventure racer for awhile now?

WK: We live close to Cypress Hill provincial park and I do a lot of camping and hiking, but for this race in particular I work with a lot of police officers (Willis works with the power lines) and I also do this training called Cross Fit (also see Nad’s experience with Cross Fit here) where a lot of the cops do their training. I am friends with one of the cops who was doing it and one thing lead to another and he asked if I wanted to try it out and I said for sure.

NR: Now was this your first adventure race ever? The Death Race?

WK: Yup, I figured you just go big or go home.

NR: How did you prepare for it?  Did you have any idea what you were getting into?

WK: Absolutely not!  He warned me a little bit, he said its tough. We used Cross Fit and police dummies and we would run the stairs and jump the stairs. There are two tiers of stairs to Medicine Hat; there are the stairs that go from downtown Medicine Hat up to the north side and we would jump them one at a time to get the burn. He warned me that when we actually get to the race you will hurt. It will burn. I am not sugar coating anything. Your feet are going to be bruised; it’s just the way it is.  For example, you run through 6km of pure mud.  It’s called the “Slugfest” (see race stages below) and it’s by far the hardest part of the race.  It’s all mud and it’s very wet.  If you get stuck in mud, suction prevents you from trying to get your foot out and you yank it out and your other foot is already buried; now you have two legs buried. It’s a challenge like running downhill: downhill is harder than uphill.

NR: I guess because you have to control yourself so you don’t go flying.

WK: Yea, I broke my trekking pole. I broke about a foot off it. So I had to finish the race with a shorter trekking pole which wasn’t a big deal I still had the majority of it. I slipped on a rock and put all my weight on my right side and I snapped my pole off. Its all part of it.

NR: How many team members did you have? Did you do all 125km?

WK: There were 5 team members,  I did the second leg and assisted with the fifth 5. Leg two is 27km (the Slugfest and also the most difficult leg)

NR: Is it a straight run? Or are you canoeing and biking as well?

WK: There is no swimming or anything. Its just strictly running and the word running is not the right word. There is very little actual running its more jogging and walking and trekking up the mountain side. Leg two for example was 6,530 feet up and it works out to more coming down.

NR: How long did it take your team to complete it?

WK: We completed it in 17 hours, and a guy from Edmonton set the record last year. One guy, 13 hours and 43 minutes. He was mad as he had to walk 5,000 meters. He said he wasn’t at his best as his back was hurting. Its absolutely crazy, but the rush of the whole race is just absolutely phenomenal. It is the greatest feeling I have ever felt. I am no Olympian but when you actually finish the race it is just wild. We were also doing it for a cause not just personal satisfaction. We also wanted to get the name out there too, get The Death Race out there.

NR: What was your favorite part?

WK: Finishing it. My wife wanted to do it too but we just had a baby 9 months ago so she couldn’t train with me. But she does want to do it, next year as a duo.  She will do leg one to start it then I will leg two then she will do leg three and I will do leg four and five.

NR: So how does transportation work?  If the person who is doing leg one is also doing leg 3, do they have someone transport you to the next part of the race?

WK: You have to get yourself to the second leg, you  have to drive there. When you start the race you get a timing chip and a silver coin. You have to transport that wherever you go, if you lose that little chip even by accident you are finished. Some people will just toss it in their pocket and as you are running you will see silver coins sitting on the path, but you are told not to pick them up. All the coins have special numbers on them.

NR: How many competitors where there this year?

WK: There were about 100 soloist, and only about 20% actually finish the race in the time allowed. There are cut off times and you have to make it to the ferry point by 6:15pm if you don’t then you’re disqualified. You can still finish the race but it will be outside of the organizers responsibility. They won’t be looking for you. You sign a waiver ahead of time stating exactly that.

NR: Now would you ever do this race solo?

WK: Yes, that is what I am actually  training to do. I want to do it solo, I may do it solo next year. My wife may do a couple of legs with another team. We are going to see what happens but that’s my goal to do it solo!

NR: Were there a lot of women in the race?

WK: There were a lot of women in the race, I would guess maybe 30%.

NR: And the age demographic? Mid 30′s early 40′s?

WK: Yes, I would say that is fair and there were even some men in their 70′s. There was a guy in front of me and he was 70.

NR: What was the hardest component? What it the mental? Was it the physical? A combination of both?

WK: When I was in leg two, you get to the top of the mountain and they tell you, you’re not even half way yet. You are beat, you don’t know what to expect. They call it the Death Race,  but until you actually do it you have no idea what to expect when you get to the top. I think they do it to mess with your mind a little – sorry man you’re not even half way yet – you’re 600 feet to half way then you get up there and it’s all down hill.  Its through a power line cut line and you’re walking sideways so you don’t slip and fall and then you start going through the Slugfest and the fun has just begun. When you start the mud, your legs hurt by the time you are done your legs are just absolutely burning. You got to finish otherwise your team could be disqualified, you have to look at the big picture.

NR: What would you advice to people who are interested in doing it? What would your best piece of advice be for anyone going into this race?

WK: Don’t think you can’t do it. The people you train with will say that it’s hard but when you actually finish the race its just a wonderful feeling, totally uplifting.  Don’t think you can’t do it. When you see 125km it actually goes by fast, if you think about it,  it’s only 17 hours it does not even take a full day to do it. Don’t be scared, your feet will get sore and toes a little bit bruised but in the end you go home and you have a shirt to prove it that you actually raced it, such a wonderful feeling.

NR: Recovery?

WK: 3 – 5 days I didn’t want to do to much just kinda hang out.

NR: What about equipment? What would be the best footwear to use for example?

WK: Don’t wear runners. There is no flat place on this whole race course. It’s all mountain, it’s all rock, and that’s another thing the balls of your feet just kill by the time you are done. We wore Salomon shoes, had hydration packs. I wore a waist pack too with four water bottles around my waist and then snacks. Trail mix and boiled baby potatoes and stuff like that. As you’re going pop little bits at a time.

NR: Once you have satisfied yourself with the Death Race, do you want to try another challenge like a 24 hour race? Would you go elsewhere to do them or would you stay in Alberta?

WK: I would definitely want to try other races. I would go elsewhere to do a couple of these races. People may think I am a little crazy but its good. I enjoy doing it, I love doing it. From a personal standpoint its a good feeling to say that you did it. Whether it’s one time or ten times to actually say you completed one of the hardest races in the world is an accomplishment. Additionally, the way it’s organized is phenomenal. There are no kinks  there are people hiding in the trees with camera’s and video camera’s and you get to certain points and they have Gatorade booths set up it’s insane how well it’s planned.

Willis started training for his next shot at the Death race on August 16th. He is back at Cross Fit and also working with police and fire members to step up his game for next year. His passion and drive for the sport could be felt throughout the conversation, I think it’s safe to say he is a changed man after his experience on the Death Race Course. Willis was delightful to speak with and I hope to touch base with again next year to see how it went and if he met his goal of going solo. Wishing him all the best!

For information on the Death Race please see DEATH RACE.

First But Not Last Adventure Race – Angry Seagull

Physically beaten, mentally broken and looking to do it again.

On August 7th and 8th, two of my friends and myself attempted the Angry Seagull 24 hour adventure race. The race was five legs and the legs were estimated to be roughly (1)15km of mountain biking, (2)40km of canoeing, (3)12km of trekking, (4)16km to 30km of trekking or biking depending on how you were doing and the choices you made and finally (5)40km of biking. Details can be found at Angry Seagull.

I am going to start this story with the ending. After 18 hours of the race, with just a mountain biking leg left, my team pulled out. It was the first time in my life I have failed to finished a race and I have had some opportunities to pull out of races. I’ve run two ½ marathons on bad shin splints, I have crashed my bike twice in Olympic distance triathlons and I did a ½ ironman in a thunder and lightening storm but this race was the most physically and mentally demanding race I have ever done. Pulling out of the race was the right decision given the state of my teammates but it has left me with a burning desire for redemption.
The night before the race I was too nervous to sleep. I had the expectation that over the course of a 24-hr race there would be some difficult times with those time most likely occurring during the night when darkness would be combine with physical and mental fatigue. With these thoughts floating through my head I decided to try to sleep a little longer than I had originally planned and got to the check-in around 10am for a 2pm start.
At the check-in our inexperience began to show. This was mine and everyone on my team’s first adventure race. Showing up an hour after the check-in started meant that we would get one hour less of looking at the map, which would come back to haunt us later. In addition we had spent zero time before check-in packing our bag or even thinking strategically about what gear we would want with us on different legs. This again would come back to haunt us or at least me.

Once we received our map we began the process of getting for the start. Plot coordinates, go through gear check, go through navigation check, sign waivers and finally pack bag and organize gear. The problem for my team was that this was more of a scramble than a process. Our gear was not organized and I even had to make a run to the store to pick up some extra water and a highlighter to mark on the map. The result was that we never had time to look at the map beyond the plotting of the coordinates before we got to the start line. This wouldn’t be an issue until we hit the orienteering section at 9pm after having already spent 7 hours mountain biking and canoeing. And the fact that we were doing well for the first 7 hours gave us a false confidence.

The first leg was a short mountain biking leg that took about an hour. It was pretty straight forward but it did create a little bit of separation between the teams. The next leg was a long canoe. If I had of put a little more thought into what gear I actually need for this leg I would have been better off. For some reason I decided to pack my warm clothes and my headlight I would need for the night in a bag without waterproofing them.
There was a very strong headwind for the canoe which results in a significant amount of water splashing into the boat. In addition I decided, as an experienced whitewater kayaker, to run a rapid that no other teams did and found our boat with pool of water about 6-inches deep. By the end of the canoe section my team had made up significant ground on the leading teams and had past 5 or 6 teams in the process. But it came at a cost as my best headlamp was ruin and my warm clothes were soaking wet. One other lesion I learned from the canoe section was the importance of the paddle. I already knew that a kayak paddle was more efficient than a canoe paddle but I also learned how important the type of kayak paddle is. My team was using whitewater kayaking paddles which are shorter and have a shorter and fatter blade than a touring or a race paddle. If I had to do it again I would rent at least a touring kayak paddle but preferably I would rent a carbon fiber racing paddle with a scoop blade.

I think we were in third place when we left transition from canoe to orienteering. The sun was setting and we were feeling very confident. We proceeded to run/walk behind another team until they disappeared and one of my teammates said it was time to head into the woods. We bushed whacked our way north until we unexspectingly found ourselves on a point of land overlooking the largest swamp/marshland I have ever seen. At least point we had no idea where we were but we knew that we had no option but to back track. I can’t help but feel, with hindsight, that if we spent more time looking at the map before the race we might have chosen a better point to enter the woods. We would not know where we were again for the next 6 or 7 hours. Those 6 or 7 hours were spent trying to find our way around swamp after swamp while trying to generally head north. It would be over this period of time that my teammates would crack mentally and physically. At a number of different points through the night my teammates would stare at the map hoping to find the swamp we just wondering onto. Hoping that somehow after wondering hours on end they would be able to determine where we were.
At one point, after coming face to face with a coyote and encountering yet another large swamp, my teammates just lay down on a rock. I knew they were on the brink of collapse and wanted to quit but I wanted nothing more than to get out of the woods on our own. I could think of nothing more embarrassing than have to call to be rescued. After about an hour of just sitting I managed to convince them to go on. Those were truly the worst moments of the race but dealing with mental demons is a major part of the challenge.

Shortly after we found a path that took us in the general direction we wanted to head and shortly after that I heard the sound of moving water that could only be made by the waterfall we were looking for. My spirits lifted and so did my energy level. With my sudden increase in energy I had to be careful not to run away from my teammates. Finally we found the checkpoint.
But again my teammates just sat and had to be convinced to continue to get ourselves out of the woods.

The next step was to swim across the river below the waterfall. This was my favourite part of the whole experience. The sun was just rising creating a pastel blue and pink sky. The moon, just a few hours ahead of the sun, was just a sliver in the eastern sky sitting just above the waterfall and there were still a few starts dotting the western sky. It was all very surreal as we swam across the river with our packs in garbage bags. While we were changing on the other side of the river I looked up and saw a bright light moving across the heavens which I believe could only be the space station mirror.

The next few hours we spend bushing whacking our way to the last transition area. But these few hours were agonizing as I set a slow pace that one of my teammates could not keep up with and forcing me to stop every couple of hundred meters. We were also too tired to talk so we only had the thoughts in our heads to keep us company. Mine ranged from anger at my teammate for being unable to keep up, to the desire to finish the race on my own even if it wouldn’t count and finally to acceptance that we were done and that at least I would be able to get home at a decent time.
In the end I was beaten by the event. I was exhausted for days. My body was sore beyond expectation. But I loved. I loved the setting. I loved the physical and mental challenge. It truly was an exceptional test, one which I failed but vow to pass.

Sherpa Nad Experience: Paddleboarding

Paddleboarding. The best way to describe the experience is surfing meeting canoeing.  Its a strange marriage of techniques and equipment and its quite challenging while being highly relaxing at the same time. Its a new sport that has received a lot of attention and is growing quickly across North America. Originating in Hawaii  “The sport is an ancient form of surfing, and reemerged as a way for surfing instructors to manage their large groups of learner surfers, as standing on the board gave them a higher viewpoint, increasing visibility of what was going on around them – such as incoming swell . To begin with, this started with using a one-bladed paddle, whilst standing on a normal length surfboard.” *Courtesy of Wikipedia

For my lesson, I was on a “beginner board” its a little heavier and not as tippy as the more sophisticated boards. The paddle itself that you use is huge, I am about 5’6 in height, my paddle was probably close to 6′ foot. My instructor for the hour was the lovely and free spirited Alex.  After a run down on basic steering on land it was time to get on the board. When I watched Alex get on his board, I was a little unnerved. But, it’s actually not that bad. You just have to take your time and not jump on the board.You essentially kneel on it then use the paddle to help yourself stand.

Once you’re up it all about balance. I spotted a green buoy about 15 meters from where we got on the boards so I set that as my initial goal. Once I got out in the lake, it was natural.  I found the technique to be very similar to canoeing, but I did end up going in a full circles at times despite my best efforts,  it’s hard to actually stay straight consistently. As I got more comfortable, it was time to race.  Once you get the speed of the board up its actually easier to remain straight and its a ton of fun. The only fear I had was wake from passing boats but even that was manageable.  You just had to remember to try and cut through the waves vs being sideways when they hit otherwise you get thrown off balance.

From an exercise standpoint its tough. You use a lot of core strength, and a lot of legs to keep control of the board.

Things to remember if you opt to try it out:

Keep you legs bent and loose, you will absorb waves better this way.

You can kneel and paddle or lay flat on the board and just relax (its quite comfortable for napping on apparently).

If you fall in, (I didn’t this time) it appears to be easy to get back on the board.

Parking or dismounting the board was the only major challenge I found there to be. Just trying to maneuver close enough to the dock to get off the board was tricky.

All in, I loved it. Its relaxing and highly enjoyable. Alex is a great  instructor, I recommend you ask for him when you book.  He is also an avid windsurfer – so I may have windsurfing lessons in my near future, will keep you posted on that.

Paddle Toronto does have lockers for valuables  (locks included) and all kinds of tours and lessons available.

I found out they have full moon canoe tours and social BBQ day trips which I plan to check out next.

Check them out: Paddle Toronto – Queens Quay

For more info: PaddleBoarding

Upcoming Orienteering Events

In these hot summer days, running in the trails and wooded areas of the parks of Toronto can be quite a refreshing experience. The Toronto Orienteering Club continues to host orienteering runs every Wednesday starting at 6:15pm. For a full schedule of the runs in different parks visit http://www.toronto-orienteering.com/wednesday.html

Also, the Club will be hosting the 3rd race of the “Why Just Run?” series on August 14th at the Toronto Islands. If you have never done orienteering or adventure running before, this is a great opportunity to get started. The race basically works like this: you will receive a detailed topographical map with control locations identified and you’ll decide on the best course to visit all of the control points. You’ll carry an electronic timing chip that will capture the time it took for you to get to each control. You will have the choice to run the beginner course where only minimal map reading abilities are required. Early bird registration rates are valid until August 3rd, so hurry to enjoy the discounts.

If you have any questions on how to get started at orienteering please get in touch with me at guilherme.barboneATgmail.com

Cheers!

Gui

Old car show at the Big M

The old cars are lined up in the parking lot before Pickering’s favourite burger joint, The Big M (Photo by Caitlin S.M. Sabean).

The Big M, a burger joint in Pickering, Ontario, has been around for generations. It’s a family owned restaurant with a hand in the community. And every Friday this summer, you can drop in and check out the old car show.

Owners of historic vehicles fill the parking lot at 711 Krosno Boulevard and open their hoods so you can admire the pristine restoration of their engines. Some have original paint jobs and interiors.

It’s a fundraiser. After having a burger at the small take-out restaurant, a bucket is walked around and the car owners pay for 50-50 tickets. The funds go to support Big Brother Big Sister.

But the car show, although a huge attraction, can’t distract form the incredible quality of the restaurant. The original Big M was located across the street, where there is now Massey’s. It’s now taken up residence beside a gas station, a five-minute walk from the boardwalk and park along the lake.

As any typical family joint, you can expect the owners and employees to be friendly and funny. They love what they do. And the food, which they’ve been pumping out for decades, is top dog in this city.

The burgers are huge and freshly made, and their menu includes the Banquet Burger, topped with bacon; or the Canadian, which includes a couple slices of peameal bacon.

And their decadent chocolate shakes and amazing meaty onion rings can complete any of your meals. 

Menu items also include kids versions of their classics and more worldly burgers, inspired by countries such as Greece.

Both the exteriors and the interior are of superb quality and well restored (Photo by Caitlin S.M. Sabean).

Some owners care deeply about the condition of their engine bay (Photo by Caitlin S.M. Sabean).

As if the car show wasn’t enough to draw you in, the big juicy burgers and the meaty onion rings will win your heart, and you’ll never go back to other fast food joints again (Photo by Caitlin S.M. Sabean).

The St. Lawrence Market – a visit in photos

The St. Lawrence Market, almost everything under the sun is available here (Photo by Caitlin S.M. Sabean).

An abundance of homemade and unique items, such as this collection of mustards, are available at various stands (Photo by Caitlin S.M. Sabean).

A trip to the market can easily be the family event. Exposing children to a variety of foods at a very young age can mean a vast palette when they are older (Photo by Caitlin S.M. Sabean).

Although there are a lot of well-priced items, there are a variety of high-priced food options in the market as well, such as these king crab legs. A delicious meal, but it might break your wallet! (Photo by Caitlin S.M. Sabean)

There are restaurants in the market as well, if you care to stop for a bite to eat while doing your shopping. You can get sushi, dumplings, peameal on a bun. This particular stop, the Carousel Bakery, makes delicious crepes that will make you feel like you’re in Paris (Photo by Caitlin S.M. Sabean).

You can get things other than food here as well: clothing, hats, souvenirs. This particular jewelry stand features pieces made from a shell only found in New Zealand (Photo by Caitlin S.M. Sabean).

The market continues outside and into the north building as well, offering fresh produce and craft items (Photo by Caitlin S.M. Sabean).

Sherpa Nad Experience: Treetop Trekking in Barrie

On July 3rd, 14 brave souls decided to spend the afternoon in Barrie at Horseshoe Resort – up in the trees!

Treetop trekking was quite an experience and NOT for individuals with height issues. I cannot stress that enough. We had a couple of people in our party who thought they would be ok, but once you are up in the air on a wobbly bridge with only a couple of clips as your safety net it does play games with your mind.

What I can say is the courses are well organized and well thought out.

When you arrive, you go through the standard waiver signing process, get geared up and it’s off to training. The guide does an intro course on how to use the clips, how to zip line safely without getting your fingers cut (apparently it has happened and I can see why) and what the rules are for maneuvering in the courses.  There is then a short course about 2 feet off the ground that you go through with the guide watching to make certain you fully understand procedure. Once that’s done, its off to the trees.

The courses are divided up starting with easy (green) to advance (red and mauve) and there is the BIG ZIP at the end of the day which is very fun. The green courses do give you a good idea of what you are getting into, and has a short zip at the end. The blue course was definitely more challenging and it weeds out the nervous trekkers. The red and mauve courses are definitely hard. The last picture above featuring logs with horseshoes was probably the most difficult course. You really had to focus going across and you are probably about 30+ feet in the air on the advance courses.

All in, it was a fantastic day. The guides are throughout the courses keeping an eye on traffic. I did hit a tree once on the zip line as I got going to fast and did not stop in time. However, I am  happy to report the trees are padded where zip lines are involved so if you do whack into something its somewhat soft. A couple of my troop of trekkers did fall off on some courses and had no problem getting back on the course and continuing.

The BIG ZIP is a lot of fun. I am not sure how long it is off hand (900 feet I think?) but you fly next to the registration area so you hear people screaming all day. It is also a kid friendly park with easier courses for the young ones!

If you’re good with heights, I would recommend it to anyone.

www.trythat.ca or http://www.horseshoeresort.com/

Top 9′s – Hardest CANADIAN Races

With my unending fascination with ultra racing and pushing the body to the extreme, I thought I should pay tribute to my country and profile the toughest Canadian races. Here is what I was able to unearth. Not surprisingly we are a tough bunch of mother fu**ers.

1. The North Face Canadian Death Race

Its pretty obvious from the title of this race, that, just maybe it’s a little challenging. Celebrating it’s 10th year, this race takes place in Alberta from July 30 to August 2nd, 2010. From the website:

Since the start of the millennium, elite racers have come to the Canadian Rockies to cheat Death in one of the world’s toughest adventure races. The 125 km course begins and ends on a 4200 foot plateau, passes over three mountain summits and includes 17,000 feet of elevation change and a major river crossing at the spectacular Hell’s Gate canyon at the confluence of the Smoky and Sulphur Rivers. During the August long weekend each year, extreme athletes, individually and in relays, push themselves to the limits of their endurance against the breathtaking background of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Each year, well-trained and totally committed, they battle heat, cold, altitude and themselves. There are no big prizes for winning: finishing is hard enough. And the bragging rights are priceless…

http://canadiandeathrace.com/what-is-the-canadian-death-race

2. Run with the Sun

I came across this little known  race in the Toronto Star the other day and decided to check them out. Take the longest day of the year, make it the first day of summer, and add 30 degree heat and 100km run for fun. Here you will find the Run with the Sun team. Inspired racing, you have to give them some serious credit.

From the website: http://www.runwiththesun.ca/

Imagine running close to 100 km on the longest day of the year along the longest street in Canada! On Monday, June 21st, a dedicated group of runners will be doing just that by participating in the sixth annual RUN WITH THE SUNWomen’s College Hospital Melanoma and Pigmented Lesion Clinic.

Paul Bredin and Sean McSweeney launched RUN WITH THE SUN in 2005 when they both had family members touched by cancer. As avid runners, they decided to do something extraordinary to support research activities in Canada. All proceeds will go to Women’s College Hospital Melanoma and Pigmented Lesion Clinic.

3. Cain’s Quest – Canada’s Longest Snow Mobile Endurance Race

Taking place in Newfoundland, the race course covers 25ookm of territory. Riding day and night, the race has now expanded to hold a Woman’s only division in addition to the existing race. With a top prize of $65,000, that’s motivation alone.

From the website: http://www.cainsquest.com/english.php?page=about_us

Cain’s Quest Snowmobile Endurance Race has been described as the ULTIMATE in extreme racing. At more than 2500 km of high energy racing, this race is the longest race of its kind in the country and promises to keep race fans on the edge of their seat. Cain’s Quest is a true northern adventure that gives racers the experience of a life time.  Racers push body and machine to the limits in an all out race to the finish for a shot at a whopping $65,000 prize purse! Teams of two leave the start line pumped with adrenaline and an eye on the prize.  Some, with a “take no prisoners” attitude may quickly learn that when the tough get going…sportsmanship and help from a competing team is often what it takes to make it through. The race runs day and night guided by GPS and gut instinct to get teams from checkpoint to checkpoint. This event requires a solid strategy, top gun riding skills, the will to keep going, a tough, dependable snowmobile and a whole lot of luck!

4. The Yukon River Quest

You take 89 teams, representing 8 different countries an drop them in the stunning back drop of the Yukon and make them paddle 740 km’s.  If prize money of over $36k isn’t enough of a motivation then patriotic pride certainly is. Having been run over a decade this is the most difficult flat water race in the world.

http://www.yukonriverquest.com/

5.The Canadian Challenge Sled Dog Race

A world class event attracting racers from all over the world, the Canadian Challenge has  been active since the groups inception in 1994.  It may sound easy, racing with a dog team of beautiful huskies, but if you have ever seen the episode of Survivorman when he took a sled team out in Labrador it’s far from a picnic.

From the website: The Canadian Challenge sled dog race for the Cameco Cup is a 12 dog continuous mid distance race held in Saskatchewan. The race follows a route similar to that of the old sled dog trail used for years by trappers, the North West Mounted Police and the First Nations community to travel between Prince Albert and La Ronge. The total distance of the race is approx. 600 kilometers.

http://www.canadianchallenge.com

6. The Tour Divide

Nothing like a nice leisurely ride through the woods. Starting Alberta, this race course tracks straight down to Antelope, New Mexico. 2,745 miles of off road terrain.  With no designated race spots, it’s everyman for themselves. Not entirely a Canadian based race, I thought it fitting to add for the Canadian component is part of the more difficult part of the race.

From the website: Tour Divide is an ultra-cycling challenge to race self-supported along all 2,745 miles of Adventure Cycling Association’s Great Divide Mountain Bike Route. Tour Divide has no designated rest periods or set distances a racer must travel daily. The clock runs non-stop. She or he who can ride the fastest while making fewer, shorter stops usually wins. With an average time-to-completion of three weeks in the saddle, TD is the longest–arguably most challenging–mountain bike race on the planet. It is a contest for the ultra-fit but only if ultra-prepared for myriad contingencies of back-country biking.

http://tourdivide.org/blog

7. The Rock and Ice Ultra

Truly, a one of kind adventure. Separated into three separate races (Cold Foot Classic, K-Rock Ultra and Diamond Ultra) the Diamond is the most demanding of the three. Entirely solo, this race is for the serious snowshoer/skier. With 6 days and no support crew this is one incredible feat.

From the website.

A 225 km foot and snowshoe or XC ski race. Runners must carry snowshoes and skiers must use classic or back country skis on an ungroomed trail. Open to solo competitors only; no teams or relays. The Diamond Ultra is a self-supported, 6-day / 6-stage race following a well marked trail. Racers may re-supply at MATRIX Village on day 3. Racers are required to pack a kit including all the necessary food and equipment to survive for the duration of the race. Racers must also possess basic navigational and map reading skills.

http://www.rockandiceultra.com/

8. Ultraman Canada

A three stage ultra triathlon, athletes have a lot of distance to cover. Ironically the swim portion is the shortest and likely easiest part.  Stage one is a 10km swim followed by a 144.8 km ride. Stage 2 is only a ride covering 273.5 km, with a stage 3 finish of a double marathon of 83.4km.

http://www.ultramancanada.com/

9. Lost Soul Ultra

The name is pretty self explanatory, for anyone looking for a way to pass sometime out West, here is your destination. Broken down into smaller races of 50km for the beginner, the ultra is either a 100km or 100 mile version dependent on how ambitious you are. When I looked at the race booklet, they had in red, animals warnings of what wildlife you could expect to encounter on your journey. Definitely, one for the books.

http://www.lostsoulultra.com/

North of Superior

I have been thinking a lot about one of my favorite places. Recently, I was helping my dad sort through old books in his basement and I came across a large map (four feet by three feet) of Thunder Bay District, mounted on thin foam board and filed away behind a bookcase. It was published in 1974 by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and covers a vast area from Lake Superior to north of the Albany River and from Pukaskwa National Park to Quetico Provincial Park. The endless network of waterways winding through boreal forest captured in great detail on this map offers perhaps the best wilderness canoeing in the world. The map now hangs on the wall in my sleeping cabin in Muskoka and I know that I will spend countless hours examining it in the coming years. It includes an area I have traveled through extensively and many others I hope to explore.

Wabikimi Provincial Park is a vast boreal forest reserve north and west of Lake Nipigon. The southern boundary and gateway town, Armstrong, is a three hour drive north of Thunder Bay. The park was created in 1983 and was increased in size seven fold in 1997. It is remote, rugged and difficult to access as no roads enter the park. I have done three trips there in the last 5 years and I will be returning again soon. The 1974 map shows most of the major waterways I have traveled and the perspective of seeing these lakes and rivers projected on a large map covering a very large area is endlessly fascinating. I usually see them from the perspective of a 50,000:1 topographical map.

Wabakimi is a long way from Toronto but well worth the journey. We make the 18 hour drive part of our vacation as we camp at provincial parks along the way. All you need is a couple of weeks and a reliable vehicle. From Sault Ste. Marie, highway 17 follows the east shore of Lake Superior through the beautiful sands of Batchawana Bay and Pancake Bay to the steep hills and cliffs of Lake Superior Provincial Park to Wawa where everyone buys gas and takes photos of the famous giant Canada Goose. The road turns inland and runs west of Pukaskwa National Park to Marathon.

The north shore of Lake Superior, from Marathon to Thunder Bay is something to behold. Stunning views of the lake, steep cliffs and vast green valleys surely make this one of the most spectacular drives in the world. The drive straight north to Armstrong is not as interesting with much evidence of clear-cutting. I have never driven this road without seeing at least a couple of black bears along the way. From Armstrong, the choices for entry to Wabakimi are limited. A float plane can drop paddlers almost anywhere for about $500. The Via train schedule changed a couple of years ago and it, unfortunately, travels westbound only in the middle of the night. I usually fly and I justify the cost by comparing the overall expense of a canoe trip to most other vacations. The luxury of being dropped by plane into the middle of nowhere is well worth it. I carry a satellite telephone too because a badly sprained ankle can turn a Wabakimi trip into an epic struggle while one call can have you on your way out by plane in an hour or so.

When Ontario Place opened in 1971, it featured the world’s first permanent Imax theater, the Cinesphere , and I remember seeing the film North of Superior there as a kid. It is a film experience I will never forget. Much of the footage was shot from a low flying plane and I loved the feeling of turning from side to side in my seat as the plane banked its way around islands and over rock outcroppings. The vastness of this part of Ontario is hard to imagine for those of us who live in southern Ontario. This film is a great place to start if you can’t take the time to visit this area which represents Canada so well.

Welcome Gui! Sherpa in: Orienteering

Sherpa In: Orienteering

About me in four Sentences: I’m an adventure sports enthusiast in general and can’t get away from the thrill and
excitement of racing and competing. I’m always trying to find more time to go training, whether it be orienteering, paddling, biking and the list goes on.

Passion in Life: The great outdoors

Worst/Funniest Sherpa Experience: The Toronto Orienteering Club has a training series that takes place in a
different Toronto park each Wednesday during the Spring/Summer months. Given that orienteering is still a growing
sport and not yet widely known, I always get very amusing questions from regular park goers. Here’s my top three:

#1  “Are you lost?”
#2 “Are you guys on a scavenger hunt?”
#3 “Are you from Toronto Parks and Recreation?”

One unexpected fact about you: while I can do an okay job at orienteering and navigating in wilderness, I can’t seem to figure out Toronto’s underground PATH system.

Contact Information:
Guilherme.BarboneATGmail.com

http://www.toronto-orienteering.com/index.html

A Spectacle of Ribs

Photo 1) For “Ribfest”
“People line-up for the famous ribs, or sit in the shade enjoying the day. (Photo by Caitlin Sabean)”

Photo 2) For “Ribfest”
“A child paints a communal canvas at the Durham West Arts Centre booth. (Photo by Caitlin Sabean)”

Photo 3) “Ribfest”
“The carnival attracts the young, and those with a young heart. (Photo by Caitlin Sabean)”

Rotary Clubs of Canada holds, in several cities, an amazing event known as Ribfest. Last weekend, my hometown of Pickering hosted the Ribfest for the Pickering and Ajax Rotary Clubs.

Rotary Ribfest features award winning ribbers who are connoisseurs from around North America including Boss Hogs BBQ, Camp 31 BBQ and Hawgs Gone Wild. They line up and cook their meat – not just ribs, but there is pulled pork and chicken too – while displaying their numerous awards and trophies to help draw the crowds in.

They all like to claim best ribs, best sauce and best chicken.

Camp 31 offered a quarter rack of ribs and chicken combo for $15, which gives you an idea of the prices. A full rack is usually over $20. You can get dry rub or saucy ribs and at every station you can get some napkins.

Although the ribs are the main attraction – and easily the best part – it’s not to say that’s the only thing there. Ribfest hosts many other foods, including Caribbean food, Blooming Onions, Tiny Tom’s Donuts and funnel cakes. You can also go to Pappy’s for a traditional style pop. Pay $7 for a souvenir mug and $3 refills all weekend long.

You can even drop on by the licensed beer tent for a drink on the hot summer afternoons.

Ribfest also hosts a carnival, with rides and games for the kids. There are booths for local businesses and a small market with jewelry and other goodies. There was even a rock wall set up for daring souls to climb.

The Durham West Arts Centre had artist Geordie Lishman there on Saturday, building a driftwood sculpture of a man, later to be painted by the visiting kids.

Bands and dance troops played all weekend long on the stage, offering varied styles of music and a cool show to sit and watch as you eat. Clowns and other entertainers walked around playing with the kids, and even the bird control stopped and showed off their hawks to those who asked the skilled trainers about their job.

The event is annual, but if you can’t wait – don’t fear. Toronto has it’s own Ribfest coming on Canada Day Weekend, June 30^th to July 4^th. See their site at torontoribfest.com for details.

“Carspotting” – Times you REALLY wish you carried around a camera

“The amazing Pagani Zonda Roadster (photo courtesy of http://www.paganiautomobili.it/).”

As a traveler and adventurer, you’re going to run into something pretty often – roads. You’ll encounter major highways and tiny dirt paths, roads through mountains and jungles, clogged traffic systems through city streets, roads with ten-foot high walls on either side and paths that end spontaneously.

But if you’re like me, you’ll find long winding roads that’ll just make you long to drive a raging fast, several-hundred-thousand-dollar super car down them at enormous speeds.

My boyfriend, Edward, and I are both gearheads. We love cars. We both work full-time day jobs during the summer, have full-time school for the rest of the year and don’t have the budget to travel around driving a spectacular piece of engineering and art.

So we play this game every so often that we call “carspotting.” And I’m here to tell you how fun it is when you get that rare find that just sends your heart a flutter.

When Edward and I go to work, we keep our eyes open during the day for super cars, the ones you need to be rich to afford and skillful to drive. When we’ve spotted something good, we let the other know.

Originally I just did car counts. But in Toronto, there are some supercars or smaller cousins that are commonly seen. I’d estimate I see at the very least a half dozen Porsche Carerras of various years every day. So I got bored counting them and just waited until I saw something more rare. Like the day I got a baby blue Ferrari 458 in a parking lot. Or when an Aston Martin DB9 pulled up beside me in my hometown of Pickering.

As soon as Edward started working, he won easily. His job means seeing the wheels of millionaires and often got some crazy rides. Sightings include Audi’s R8 and Maseratis, all in the same day.

But downtown Toronto still held some crazy surprises. Including one that roared past me a couple days ago.

I had my music on at nearly top volume and had my head down after a long day of work when I heard a car go by. I knew it must have been something big to hear it over the Kinks’ song All Day and All of the Night. I turned around and got a rear view of and incredibly styled car and a four-barreled exhaust that looked like a rocket.

It was a Pagani Zonda.

There are just over 10o in existence after 10 years of crafting. They sell for over $300 000 US and can reach top speeds of over 220 mph. They also look like aliens. (See their website at http://www.paganiautomobili.it/)

My jaw dropped and I muttered profanities in excitement and shock as it roared off with the green light. There’s something about a car like that that makes you giddy to get in and drive forever.

I got home and told Edward about my sighting. “I got an R8, two Maseratis, an old Skyline, a 70′s Dodge Charger R/T, and I’m pretty sure a new SLS AMG today,” he tells me, “but you’ve just won car-spotting forever.”

Edward and I are such car fans, we’d like to share our game with you. I’d like to hear back from anyone who is a gearhead themselves and your stories of spotting amazing cars wherever you go!

What’s going on in the city this weekend?

With summer in full swing and events cropping up everywhere – where do you start!

Here is a taste of what’s happening in the city this weekend:

Luminato – Toronto Festival of Arts

June 10th – June 20th

Where: All over downtown – best to check the website for times and locations.

http://www.luminato.com/2010/

From the website:

Now in its fourth year, Luminato is an annual ten-day celebration where Toronto’s stages, streets, and public spaces are illuminated with arts and creativity. Luminato is a multi-disciplinary festival of theatre, dance, classical and contemporary music, film, literature, visual arts, design and more.

Luminato embraces three key programming principles: collaboration, accessibility, and diversity.

* Luminato embraces artistic collaboration – creating unforgettable moments by bringing together artists from different cultures and genres. The festival encourages local, national, and international artists to discover unprecedented creative expressions through unexpected partnerships. The Luminato staff, led by CEO Janice Price, partners with the Luminato Artistic Committee, as well as the arts leadership of the City of Toronto, to shape the programming offered at the Festival.

* Luminato’s hallmarks include free widely accessible events, and “accidental encounters with art.” Festival-goers are invited to participate, explore, and celebrate their own creative spirit.

* Luminato embraces and celebrates Toronto’s cultural diversity, and recognizes that creativity flourishes when cultures join together in a spirit of tolerance and respect.

Luminato is a charitable, not-for-profit, cultural organization whose vision is to commission and present significant local, national and international programming that reflects the city of Toronto as a diverse and accessible city that engages domestic and international audiences. Luminato brings Toronto’s light to the world, and the world’s light to Toronto.

WOOFSTOCK!

June 12th and 13th

From the website:

http://www.woofstock.ca/ini.html

When Woofstock launched in 2003, the Toronto Star called it “the summer of canine love”.  What else can you call 300,000 dog lovers and their four-footed friends coming together each year for this wildly popular doggie love-in!

Woofstock is the largest outdoor festival for dogs in all of North America. One year it was beamed around the world on CNN for the entire weekend.

The Heel ‘n’ Wheel-a-Thon

June 13th

From the website:

http://www.heelnwheelathon.ca/EN/about/index.html

The Heel ‘n’ Wheel-a-Thon is the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of Canada’s (CCFC’s) most energetic and fun fundraising events. Strap on your skates, hop on your bike, or lace up your walking shoes and join the thousands of Canadians  at almost 80 locations across the country who will be using their heels or wheels to raise money to find a cure for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). Every year, thousands of Canadians in almost 80 locations across the country walk, run, ride, in-line skate, skip… anything that uses their heels or wheels to raise money to find a cure for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).

CCFC funded IBD research has confirmed what we have suspected for years – Canada has one of the highest rates for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis in the world and those rates are increasing. In fact, one in 160 Canadians is affected by Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). The Heel ‘n’ Wheel-a-Thon is a great way to spread awareness of IBD and raise much needed funds to continue essential CCFC funded research programs.

HOPE Volleyball Tournament Toronto

June 12th

From the web:

http://www.hopevolleyball.ca/tournament-info/general-info.html

How To Get There
The Queen’s Quay ferry terminal is located at the foot of Bay Street, behind the Harbour Castle Westin Hotel. Be sure to take the Centre Island ferry or you’ll have a long walk to the tournament.

Centre Island Ferry
Departure times: 8:00 a.m. and every 30 minutes thereafter Ferry tickets can be purchased in advance or arrive 15 minutes before departure. We recommend that your team depart from the ferry docks at least 1 hour before your scheduled game time.  Please note, it is very busy in the morning at the docks, so you may likely need to catch a subsequent ferry due to congestion.

Prices (prices subject to change by City of Toronto)

Food
The island is a perfect place for a picnic and there will be lots of picnic tables available for your use during the day. For those of you who prefer, the island food vendor (not affiliated with HOPE) will also be on site serving up hamburgers, veggie burgers, hot dogs and salads.

The TRAILBLAZER’S Annual “Blaze-a-Thon” Ride and Picnic

June 12th

From the web:

http://www.torontotrailblazers.org/blaze-a-thon.html

Join the TRAILBLAZERS’ Tandem Cycling Club for our biggest event of the year! This year, we will be combining our annual picnic and fundraiser together on one special day! Support us by joining the “Blaze-a-Thon” fundraiser ride or come out and enjoy some food, fun and games at our annual picnic.
Both single riders and tandem teams are welcome on the ride, and two different ride options are available to suit various skill and endurance levels. You can choose to attend the 50 km morning ride at 8:00 am, 25 km afternoon ride at 1:00pm or just come for our picnic lunch at 12:00 pm

MEC PaddleFest

June 12th and 13th

From the web:

http://www.mec.ca/Main/content_text.jsp?bmLocale=en&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302887491&bmUID=1275923140733

MEC Paddlefest is a celebration of Paddlesports in a variety of forms. The festival features over 120 water and land workshops suitable for people who have never been in a boat before, right through to expert paddlers wanting to fine tune their skills.

Port Union Waterfront Festival

June 12th

From the web:

http://www.waterfrontpark.ca/events.html

Events and Activities

• Ferris Wheel
• Scrambler
• Firefighter’s Bouncer, and other bouncers and games
• Face Painting by Storefront
• Entertainment at the amphitheatre
• BBQ with Enbridge with large hot dogs and pop, popcorn and snow cones
• 5KM Walk/Run, 10KM run. Register through the Running Room.
• Fire truck, Energy Martial Arts, Hawkshadow (Teepee)
• East Scarborough Boys and Girls Club Mobility Unit
• Community Information Tables
• Interactive tables from Waste Diversion and Toronto & Region Conservation Authority
• Passport for children with prizes
• East Enders Car Club display

The Ride to Conquer Cancer

June 12th – June 13th

From the web:

http://to10.conquercancer.ca/site/PageServer?pagename=to10_homepage

Think of it as a history-making opportunity for you to do something big about cancer, something epic. Like cycling from Toronto to Niagara Falls in two days – June 12-13, 2010. Sure, it sounds like a lot… and it’s meant to be. The conquest of cancer is a monumental task and won’t be easy. But make no mistake, this event isn’t just for athletes or cycling enthusiasts. The Ride to Conquer Cancer^® is for anyone who wants to challenge themselves for a great cause. Even people who haven’t ridden since they were twelve. All you need is motivation, a bike, and a helmet. The rest is history. Be part of it.

TELUS Walk for Diabetes

June 13th

From the web:

http://www.jdrf.ca/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.viewPage&page_id=AE81CBCB-CF1C-2465-1B09A2A6D4A3AB28

Streetsville Memorial Park, Mississauga
Enjoy a leisurely 5km walk along the scenic Credit River

Registration & Start
Registration: 8:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
TELUS Walk: 10:00 a.m.

Rain or Shine!
Join participants from family and corporate teams on this fun-filled day in support of diabetes research. With fantastic entertainment, great music, sponsor booths, a delicious lunch and giveaways, you don’t want to miss out!

Top 9′s – Hardest Endurance Races in the World

A good friend of mine and Sherpa, Ian Thomson is an Ultra Endurance Cyclist and has been preparing for the Race Across America for about a year. The race takes place on Wednesday June 9th 2010 and I am excited to see him ride. Given my unending curiosity, and watching Ian’s progress I thought a good Top 9′s would be the Top 9′s Hardest Races in the world. Here we go!

1. Ride Across America

Courtesy of http://www.raceacrossamerica.org/raam/raam2.php?N_webcat_id=21

The Race Across America is one of the most respected and longest running annual endurance events holding legendary stature the world over. It is one of the pinnacles of sporting accomplishment, globally seen as the highest rung of the endurance sports ladder. Since 1982, RAAM has a rich and storied history standing as a monument to human endeavors.

The Race Across America is an event so staggering that merely to finish is, for most, the accomplishment of a lifetime. RAAM inspires everyone that it touches. A monumental race contested with the utmost of sportsmanship  and zeal. Truly, RAAM is larger than life. A breeding ground for champions, a testing ground for elite riders and a shining example of the strength of human spirit.

When: Women June 8th, Men June 9th, Teams June 12th
Length: More than 3,000 miles across the United States

2. Badwater – Ultramarathon

Courtesy of: http://www.badwater.com/

AdventureCORPS, Inc., an event production firm specializing in ultra-endurance and extreme sports events, hosts the Badwater Ultramarathon annually in July of each year. Recognized globally as “the world’s toughest foot race,” this legendary event pits up to 90 of the world’s toughest athletes—runners, triathletes, adventure racers, and mountaineers—against one another and the elements. Covering 135 miles (217km) non-stop from Death Valley to Mt. Whitney, CA in temperatures up to 130F (55c), it is the most demanding and extreme running race offered anywhere on the planet. The 33rd anniversary edition will be held July 12-14, 2010.

3. The Norseman Triathalon

Courtesy of: http://www.nxtri.com/

Quoted as being one of the most demanding triathalon’s in the world, the terrain alone makes one shake their head.
Through scenic mountain’s, glacial waterways, this race is only marginally longer than an Iron Man but the temperatures and elevation changes alone create havoc for the racers.

From the website:
“Norseman is the world’s toughest Long-distance distance triathlon. It is also the most northern, taking place at the same latitude as Anchorage in Alaska. The race is a travel through some of the most beautiful parts of Norway. It is not a normal circuit-race as it starts in a fjord and finishes at mountain Gaustatoppen at 1,850  meters above sea level. Total ascent is 5,000 meters. The water temperature is normally about 15.5 degrees C, and the air temperature normally ranges from 6 to 28 degrees C through the race day. About 75 percent of the participants are expected to make the cut off and finish at the top of the mountain. The others are allowed to finish at the mountain plateau. The race is limited to only 200 competitors. The competitors need to bring their own support. Normally about 40% of the participants are non-Norwegians and about 15% are female. The prize to the winner is the same as to the last to finish at the top of the mountain; a fabulous black t-shirt. Norseman is the race any hard core triathlete should do once in a lifetime.”

4. Primal Quest – Badlands

Courtesy of: http://www.ecoprimalquest.com/wp-primal/about/the-race/

Held in August, this is a 10 day, no stop expedition style race. The course is 600 miles with discplines including:
*  Trekking/Off-road running
* Mountain biking
* Caving
* Flat-water swimming
* Kayaking
* Fixed-line ropes course

As is standard in AR races, teams must pass mandatory check points travel day and night and face numerous
transitional challenges, sleep deprivation and the completely unexpected.

5.  The Jungle Marathon

http://www.junglemarathon.com/

Well, we have been up in mountains, in death valley, why not have a marathon in the Jungle!  It’s hot, its buggy and did I mention snakes? Or other various predators?

From the site “Our competitors will have the choice of two distances: 222km or 100km, which will be completed in stages throughout the week. The longer distance will include six stages and the shorter will include four. Runners will once again be self-sufficient. They will be required to carry their foods and provisions during the race and we will provide them with bottled water at designated checkpoints.Nights will be spent sleeping in hammocks at campsites along the shores of the river. Competitors will be required to provide their own hammocks which should include a mosquito net and rain fly sheet.The total distance to be covered is either 100km in 4 stages over 4 days, or 200km in 6 stages over 7 days. Difficulty on the Jungle Marathon is not measured by distance,but by terrain.”

6. Yukon Arctic Ultra

http://www.arcticultra.de/en.php

Ice anyone? We’ve seen hot now how about cold?

From the site: The Yukon Arctic Ultra will follow the Yukon Quest trail, the trail of the world’s toughest Sled Dog Race. The marathon finishes just off the Takhini River. The 100 mile racers will go from Whitehorse to Braeburn. The 300 mile racers will keep on going all the way to Pelly Farm. There they will leave the river to turn around and go back to Pelly Crossing on the farm road. The 430 mile athletes will not return to Pelly Crossing. Instead they  will continue on the Quest trail to Dawson City.

Due to the very difficult conditions caused by:

• the extreme coldness in the Yukon in February
• the nature of the trail and
• the distance which will have to be covered by the athletes

the Yukon Arctic Ultra is toughest ultra race in the world.

7. Sahara Race

http://www.4deserts.com/sahararace/rtpsrtp.php?SID=2&SBID=RD1

From extreme cold and altitude to time to play in the sandbox, the Sahara Race is nothing short of grueling. Statistics from the website for this year’s race:

• Roughly 130 competitors from 30 countries will be competing in the Sahara Race 2009

• Roughly 80% of the competitors are male and twenty percent are female

• One competitor is blind, Ron J. Hackett, of Canada

• The youngest is a 19 year old from Korea, Jye Seung Lee, and the oldest is Jack Denness, 74, from Wales,
  

• The Sahara Desert is the largest non-polar desert in the world

The race itself is 250 kilometers including the following stages: Stage 1 – 40 kilometers, Stage 2 – 40 kilometers, Stage 3 – 40 kilometers, Stage 4 – 40 kilometers, Stage 5 – 90 kilometers, and Stage 6 – 10 kilometers.

8. The Barley Marathons

http://www.mattmahoney.net/barkley/

The Barkley is considered one of the toughest 100 mile races in the world. It has 59,100 feet of climb (and 59,100 feet of descent), more than any other 100 mile race, more than the 33,000 ft. of climb at Hardrock, and more than the 45,000 ft. at Nolan’s 14.

If that’s not enough to get you interested “Since the race began in 1986, only 9 runners out of about 700 have finished within the 60 hour cutoff”.

9.  The Everest Challenge

http://www.everestchallenge.com/

According the the website:  The undisputed, hardest 2-day USA Cycling Race & Ride!

Taking Le Tour de France to another level, this race is all about climbing. Modeled on Le Tour’s rating for
climb’s, cyclist can expect 29,035 feet in 206 miles of riding. Of course what is any race without a Death
Stage, this one has it!

All in, for those brave enough, there is certainly no shortage of ultra endurance challenges out there. I think I will stick to my 40km AR’s for now.

Welcome Sean Roper! Sherpa in: Adventure Racing

Sherpa In: Adventure Racing

About me in four Sentences: Bitten by the AR-bug in 1998 when I first volunteered at a race, and have absolutely no hope of finding a cure. Race Director of the Storm Multi-Sport Adventure Series, and participant in numerous sprint, overnight and multi-day adventure races across the country and around the globe.  Recently started dabbling in ultra-running – a natural extension of being addicted to suffering over long distances.  Truly, completely, and hopelessly hooked on this sport!

Passion in Life: Outdoor spaces

Worst/Funniest Sherpa Experience: Raid the North Extreme 2007 in Prince Rupert, BC; Day 4 of a stage-format expedition race.  An 8km long portage with 60-pound inflatable tandem kayaks along what appeared to be a “trail” on the map turned out to be a 6-hour long paddle-whack across a deadfall-laden and completely overgrown footpath.  I’ve never cursed so much or so loudly in all my life…

One unexpected fact about you: I’m a huge wuss when it comes to being cold!

Contact Information:  info@stormevents.ca

www.stormthetrent.com