Blizzard Blast 2014

* From: Chuck Maurice

* Event Details
Parking was easy. They had dedicated parking for only $5 and a bus to bring us forth/back. It was awesome to get a Spahtens scarf along with our Blizzard Blast shirts.

* Race Details
This was a fun race. it was a little longer than a 5K, my app tracked 4.47 miles. The course was around and through a golf course and a little through some woods. The snow made it a little challenging, but overall not that difficult to run through.

The obstacles were fun, especially the sledding. None of them were too difficult. I think the most challenging was the keg monkey bars (I forget the actual name).

* Rating
Excellent

——————–

* From: Stephanie O’Keefe

* Event Details
Okay so event was in Dracut MA so it wasn’t a terrible drive from Dover. The parking was VERY easy to get to. Only pay 5 dollars which I like. The facility was awesome. Very nice resort, warm, good vibes inside then go outside and race. I didn’t expect to get a shirt and then a Spahten scarf so that was nice 🙂 Also, the stuff they give you after you finish is great; the medal, banana, granola bar, water, and …..FREE BEER!

* Race Details
The race was definitely challenging. I heard last year it was a little easier, but I honestly couldn’t believe that. There were hills, surprise zombies in the woods, sledding, climbing tree obstacles. It was great, most of the obstacles were about average, minus the sledding (that’s different for me) but the hardest one was the keg swinging monkey bars hot mess of an obstacle. I waited in line for about 10 mins and then tried to get to the first bar and swung a few times and wasn’t even close. Also cutting my finger and not realizing until blood was dripping in my gloves. But certainly running in snow is challenging enough. Overall REALLY fun course.

* Rating
Above Average

————–

* From: Jeanine Peirce

* Event Details
Parking: $5 off site with bus to event. Easy.
Facilities: warm & wonderful, great food, good drinks
Schwag: The coolest scarf ever with our team logo and Panic in the Dark and Blizzard Blast patches on it. Well done, Fred, well done! The race shirt & medal were great too.

* Race Details
I believe that Fred Smith has the market on Fun ocrs. Panic in the Dark left me wanting more. This was my 2nd Blizzard Blast and it exceeded the first immensely. Mother Nature’s cooperation with snow made it everything it should be on the ground. Running in the snow was a challenge. Thankfully proper gear (Icebugs, Darn Tough socks & Under Armor) kept me warm & dry.

My new nemesis is the keg barrel swing. The mental challenge of waiting, getting colder by the minute, watching fellow teammates crash & burn one after another. Trying to outwit the swing, the balance, the grab. There was a lot of bare ground around this obstacle from the many snow angel penalties. Next year, that last barrel is mine!

Kudos for throwing some zombies into the deep freeze for us! Between the shrills of those scared off their course & the squeals of sledders zipping down the hills at great speeds, the laughter on the course was constant. Special thanks for not having a zombie on the bus. I would have dropped dead.

2 obstacles were unmanned leaving runners to make their own decisions: a maze of kegs and rope-strung bridges.

Was it difficult? Parts yes, but overall it is doable by anyone. That said, I have some very sore muscles today and am wearing that pain with pride.

* Rating
Excellent

—————–

* From: mike downey

* Event Details
parking for this event was as easy as could be right off the highway and only $5.00 . check in was easy and fast and i like how they have you get the shirt as you check in and one less thing to worry about,also loved the fact when getting the shirt they saw i was registerd as a spahten and handed me the amazing scarf with the team logo stitched in and patches for blizard blast and panic in the dark on it also. it is amazing touches like that the bigger races just dont do and make racing local #racelocal that much better. we were then directed to our private area set aside just for the team and shortly after we got settled in the race directors mom came in to check in on us and make sure everything was good and we were happy with the set up they gave us and let us know they were going to be bring out a fruit spread for us in a few mins. ( also something your not going to get from SR TM or the other big races) . i dident see any vendors but thats ok because i really cant say i really get much time to visit them anyways on race day.

* Race Details
this was a great trail course that was very well marked. nice and hilly that was approachable to beginners and enough that a OCR vet could enjoy also. the obstacles were very well built and thought out and the only line i experienced was at the traverse wall / net climb but only a min or two at best. this was my first ever winter race so the weather alone was a new obstacle i was trying to figure out how deal with. this was my second ever local race and though they may not give you the flash or insane obstacle count but you have as much fun if not more fun at local races and these are also great races to help bring along new friends into the fold. Fred Smith and his crew put on a amazing 5 star event and i look forward to doing panic in the dark later this year and blizard blast again next year.

* Rating
Excellent

——————–

* From: Charlie Walsh

* Event Details
After a quick drive up I-93, the parking location in Methuen was easy to find, thanks to a hand-dandy Blizzard Blast sign on the corner of the street leading to the parking area. After that, it was a short school bus ride to the race venue at the Four Oaks Country Club in Dracut.

There was a good energy going around. People were clearly excited about what they were about to undertake.

Check-in was a breeze. Packet pickup was in alphabetical order by last name. I grabbed my envelope and headed right to the t-shirt pickup. I gave them my bib number and was curious when the lady who checked me off on their sheet said, “Large. Spahten.” Didn’t take long to find out it was because I got a nifty fleece scarf to go along with the long-sleeve Blizzard Blast t-shirt. The scarf had SmithFest’s two obstacle race logo patches ironed on one end (I hear Mrs. Smith was the one who did all the ironing. Considering the number of Spahtens who signed up, that’s a ton of ironing. THANKS!!!). On the other end, the Spahtens’ logo was embroidered on it. Very cool! I can only assume this was due to the Spahtens being the largest team, and this was one of the benefits.

After that, I walked into the main “festival” area. There was some live acoustic music playing. I could smell the chili above the chowder and soup. There was a TON of people milling about, chit-chatting, getting mentally ready, etc. Then I searched out the Spahtens’ area.

Another benefit to being the biggest team is that we got our own room to prep in. There was a fruit and melon plate with a sign that I believe was basically a giant chocolate bar. It’s nice to be recognized!

After we miraculously squeezed most of the 100+ registered Spahtens into a room for a picture, we filtered out towards the starting line.

* Race Details
I’m writing this from the perspective of someone who has never run a trail before. This is my third obstacle event, having done the 5K Foam Fest and Spartan Sprint Fenway last year. I didn’t exert myself much at the 5KFF and while I certainly did at the Spartan, it was on concrete for the most part, save for the end. So this was my first foray into what I believe a true OCR is: outside in the elements, earth beneath my feet.

After a brief countdown we were off! Snow was everywhere and I was excited for it. After hearing that the RD had to have snow trucked in last year, I’m glad Mother Nature cooperated this time around. We were told there would be obstacle both natural and man-made and it certainly was true. The snowy terrain made footing slippery in parts and that’s to be expected.

Balancing on rock or cement walls, jumping over bundles of sticks, logs or Christmas trees, two sledding hills, go over, under and through some walls, and a marshmallow toss immediately stick out. One of my favorite parts came after the first sledding hill. The track led towards the woods. I noticed just before I entered the woods, there was some red in the snow. I thought, at first, there was some runner shenanigans that I missed with silly string or something. Then I saw some more once I was in the woods. then I found out what the red stuff was.

Blood. There were a handful of zombies in the woods. Brilliant. The RD let a little bit of their other race, Panic In The Dark, “bleed” into the Blizzard Blast. While the woods was largely obstacle-free, save for whatever nature put in our way, the presence of zombies was a fantastic way of breaking up the monotony and I thought was very clever. There was, however, one nice, non-violent and helpful zombie. There was a frozen creek that the trail took us across that was a few feet wide and he lent a hand to anyone that passed, if they needed it.

Another portion that stood out was the hanging kegs. There was a structure with about 4 rows of 6 empty kegs each. You had to somehow swing from one to another to get to the other side. I presume that the success rate for this obstacle was slim. Others had the same idea, because they went and did their 5 snow angel penalty and then they got in line to try it, just to get the penalty out of the way!

And finally, the last thing that jumps out at me is the Christmas tree carry. It was introduced to us runners with a pair of signs: “Good News – 1/4 mile to go!” and “Bad News – Christmas Tree Carry.” It was time to suck it up and heave one of those bad Larrys over your head or shoulders and trudge on. Once you got about halfway and turned to head back to drop the tree off, the wind kicked in and your tree became a sail, adding to the difficulty.

Then it was a few trips over some snow mounds and you’re done!

Overall, I’d say that this was a great race. Nothing was impossible, but there wasn’t anything that was too easy (sledding portions aside).

Well done! I can’t wait to see what’s in store for next year.

* Rating
Excellent