2014 Community Reviews
Windham Mt
Sugarbush, VT
2014 Featured Review
Sugarbush, VT
2015 Community Reviews
Loon Mt, NH
OUR NAME WAS DERIVED FROM VO2 MAX, THE GOLD STANDARD FOR MEASURING CARDIOVASCULAR FITNESS AND AEROBIC ENDURANCE. OUR CULTURE WAS BUILT ON A PASSION FOR OUTDOOR ADVENTURE, HEALTHY LIVING, AND THE UNYIELDING PURSUIT OF PUSHING BEYOND YOUR LIMITS.
AND OUR MISSION IS VERY SIMPLE: TO MAXIMIZE HUMAN PERFORMANCE.
We launched our brand with base-to-peak mountain challenges in Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire, and New York. We utilized our military backgrounds to design courses with natural challenges through brutally rugged terrain. The raw, minimalist nature of these courses was a deviation from the norm and the response was tremendous. Participants and spectators alike were hooked.
This is one of the best races out there – it simply is that well run – I have written about it in the past, but I will leave a few bullets for any new folks considering this as a race on their calendar:
– Great festival area – festivities start the night before and continue through race day – there is something for everyone – stuff for kids, vendors with samples, food, beer, you name it!
– You can camp – onsite campaign is awesome, lots of hotels in the area too
– Great time of year – leave changing, nice weather, great venue
– SWAG – its unique you get a shirt, swag bag, and unique medal – as more and more races have gone away from personal swag bags, this one continues this – you are getting your monies worth
– Unique race – its an off trail, trail run with natural obstacles. Then you ride the gondola down. Its just a lot of fun.
– The people are awesome. There is no whining, complaining, etc – it is a positive family atmosphere.
YOU should do THIS race.
Featured Review right here: https://www.newenglandspahtens.com/featured-review-o2x-summit-challenge-loon-mountain/
O2X is one of my favorite races of the year. It’s just a race up Loon Mountain. No man-made obstacles. No water crossings. Just what the mountain has to offer. But, the race committee does a great job making use of the terrain. We went up, we went down, we went up again, and just before we reached the top when we could see the top of the gondola, we went down again so we could come back up through the glacial caves. It’s a really fun course and I’ll definitely be back next year.
Still my favorite trail run. Ever.
Dear Adam L, and the other RD’s, these very minor suggestions are for you. By first, thank you for an excellent family experience.
1) athletes should be able to drop a small bag at the start line and have it delivered to the top finish line.
2) start times and waves need to be enforced. Perhaps announce a competitive wave after elite.
3) everything else rocks!
Great race. Well run. Great lululemon shirt. My kids volunteered at the finish line last year giving out water, candy and medals while my wife and I did the race. I loved the course, great views, fun in the rock caves and even some mental torture when you see the gondola but have to descend a steep hill (sliding on your butt) then climb back up through rock caves. I loved it so much, last year I signed up for this year the day after the race. The “mountain lodge at loon” hotel is also convenient (walk to start) and has several hot tubs and indoor and outdoor pools. Great family event.
Great Race!
It starts the night before the race with a fireside session to enjoy friends and hear speakers that may be anyone from olympic or paralympic athletes to ceo’s who have all overcome obstacles and ‘risen above’. Great atmosphere to start the race off, and when the time comes to line up Saturday morning, the after effects are still there. Or that’s just the after effects of free guiness or wine…either way, its a great morning.
The race is a trail run, no man made obstacles, but plenty of trees, little streams, granite ledges, steeps and downhills to negotiate to make up for it. The course took advantage of the great steeps I know Loon offers from many years snowboarding there, weaving our way across both base areas and both faces of the mountain to the lower South Peak before traversing natural caverns and finally reaching the peak and finish line.
Swag was awesome, some of my favorite items from any race so far – a titanium spork as a finisher medal is just cool and different in a good way. If you visited for the fireside chat, you received an aluminum mug with the o2x logo that got your free drinks, and everyone received a lululemon shirt for the racer shirt – way cooler stuff that an average race.
Yes, I understand its a trail race and its expensive viewed that way, but the atmosphere is so much different than other races we get to experience. And if you think about it, I drank free guiness for a few hours the night prior in a aluminum mug that would cost $15 at REI plus the beer cost, got a shirt that would cost $40+ in store and a titanium spork that would be $20, so viewed that way, its almost a cheap race!
Do yourself a favor, sign up for this one before its too full – they are a race that caps registrations so the vibe is not ruined by way too many. Its a great thing. Join us this year!
What an awesome experience this race is – from the meet and greet/bonfire gathering with fireside talks, smores and drinks on Friday night to the rugged terrain and summit to the finish where we receive unique “bling” instead of a normal medal. From the Lululemon apparel to the extra free stuff given to you for showing up – this is a MUST race for everyone. They have a great atmosphere, awesome festival area and a kids race that any age will enjoy. Battle the natural terrain up the mountain – over rocks, into cave and straight up the slopes to the summit for an unique and awesome end to a great day. Please consider this if you want to feel the vibe of an awesome local race with great people, swag and community fun. I will not miss this race. period. Please join me!!!!
I have been a fan of this series since their inception. There was something about their tag lines of “OCR goes Au Naturel” and “Rise Higher” that immediately attracted me. I love how they find the worst sections of a mountain and run you up that. This is so much more than “a trail race” – this is a full experience!! The community feel, the intimate fireside chats, the camping so you can just walk to the start line, then the after party. There are always great vendors and food/drink. They have the BEST swag and medals going. The founders really care and are extremely accessible at the race.
I can’t recommend this series enough!! I’m already signed up next year!