FIT Challenge IV (EPIC FIT) 2015
* From: Stephen Rodericks
* Event Details
Parking is great, steps away from the start and reg. They have bathrooms on site, not perfect, but better than porta potty, and It was close enough to team tent that it was a short walk, but not so close that it is getting interrupted by the foot traffic. I saw several vendors there, but i cannot comment, i spent all day running the course, so i do not know what they were or what they gave out, or offered. I did see ocr championships had a table, they were selling shoes, A gym, awesome medal, sweet shirt. and the reg table was close to the start/finish line so getting another bib was painless. One problem i had is that my info was entered wrong into racewire, i do not know where, but my name was spellled wrong on every entry, (i had 5 laps) and have to go digging to find my times, i did not see my elite bib pop up, and i think that is the one that is missed on the racewire page. i think my name was spelled 2 or 3 different ways.
* Race Details
Always a good time at fit challenge, i went for most laps, did 5 got a placard for it, and noticed some things along the way. One that stands out the most, was the rig from another race (abf mud run?) was awesome! but those backups were really long, as were the other obstacle in that area. I can not say enough how much i love this venue. I like the idea of the obstacles being in the view of the spectators, it is a great thing to get cheers wile you are on course, when going through the obstacles. If there was another way to break up the obstacles so there is not as much of a back log. the team that set up the rig were awesome, they woke up at 5 am the day before, and drove up from NJ to be in RI for 3am to help set up, on no sleep. That is OCR UNITED! I am so happy that companies are working together, because we as the racers get a better experience! FIT Challenge really stepped up their game for this one, they added about a half mile, and a bunch of wall, the rig, and a double up. It was way more of a challenge, and the good thing is that it is run as a challenge, unless you ran elite, you can skip an obstacle, no problems. and brining back all that crossfit stuff at the end was awesome, and horrible. Such a challenge, but so much fun, the people at the rig and crossfit remembered me through my laps, It was a fun time, chatting about how many laps i was on, and they were very nice. There was a point at the wreck bag carry that they ran out of the 25lb bags. Bottom line, even with the back ups, and the hicccups with race times, this event is one that should be on everybody’s radar
* Rating
Above Average
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* From: Gary Miller
* Event Details
• Ice cream directly across the street from the park entrance. Brilliant!
• Free untimed extra laps! Cheap timed extra laps! I pushed hard the first time around, and then did a second with others at a more relaxed pace. Thank you Robb.
• Unfortunately, the multiple lap options may have had the unintended consequence of leading to timing issues. There’s no way my first lap took 4:00:07.
• Sorry to have to include this, but I think it’s useful information to pass on. Two of the three toilets in the men’s bathroom became unusable. If the third had also failed, things could have gotten ugly.
• Thanks to everyone who set up the team area; I met a few great new teammates while hanging out before the start.
* Race Details
• The course was really fun and had a little of everything. Hills, trails, climbing, walls, carrying heavy stuff, and obstacles I’d never seen before. The chilly, windy morning turned into the perfect racing afternoon. This was my first F.I.T. and Race Local Grand Prix event; I’ll definitely be back.
• The best obstacles were the multi-stage creations towards the end. Swinging rope climb to monkey bars to sliding rings to more monkey bars to a pole traverse. Monkey bars directly to a cargo net. Great stuff. Although there were backups, it was fun watching other people go through them.
• A few obstacles had side-by-side options of varying difficulty. I.e. two sets of monkey bars, one of which had wider spacing. Good idea. Wait times were considerably reduced if you chose and could complete the harder challenge.
• Bonus points for not having mud for the sake of mud.
• Wreck Bags are the real deal. Carrying 50 lbs. of sand up and down the hill was actually kind of comfortable. And none broke or started leaking at all.
* Rating
Excellent
FIT Challenge III 2014
* From: Stephen Rodericks
* Event Details
Typical swag, finishers shirt, medal. Parking was right on property steps from everything! I saw a few vendors like wreck bag giving a discount for the race, and other things i am sure ( i was busy cathing up with other spahtens and enjoying the day, even in the rain!) i heard people were having problems finding bag check, but i left my gear at the team tent in between laps, and had a friend hold my keys for the first lap
* Race Details
This course was awesome! I love this location, very challenging terrain and it started off pretty early with the loose rocks, uneven terrain. And i lived every step of it! All of the obstacles were doable (the teeter totter was slow and shaky for everybody, due to the rain) the wreck bag carry was insainly long and pretty steep, a bunch of trail running at the end, hills through the rest making it hard to go fast, i love the challenge that we get from F.I.T. They really do make improvements with each race! I look foreword to the next race in april, the only real issue for me was the rain, and that can not be dealt with from a race, so it was absolutely awesome!
* Rating
Excellent
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* From: Chris Meusel
* Event Details
Parking was easy and nicely close to the start line. I didn’t use any of the facilities or vendors. It was interesting getting a white tee, seems every other race I get a black or gray recently. I thought the start was tight, as did a bunch of others in the 10:30 wave. It thinned out into a single file very early, so it slowed to a walk for many people that could have easily run over the uneven flat trail. The wreck bags were awesome. My boy grabbed a 40, even though he could have grabbed a 25. When we were almost to the end of the carry he said, “I think I bit off more than I could chew with the 40.” I said, “No you didn’t, here you are, done with the obstacle.” The end came upon us pretty quick, but it’s been a while since I did a 5k OCR. Overall I thought it was spaced well and good time. I expected an hour and that’s where I came in. Fun day! I’ll be back, and so will my son(13), it was a terrific first OCR for him.
* Race Details
* Rating
Excellent
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* From: michael downey
* Event: F.I.T. force
* Date: 2014-10-11
* Event Details
couldn’t ask for better parking $10 and ONSITE , not many events have onsite parking so thats something to do the happy dance for , facilities were a actual proper bathroom building and not portajons so another plus, schwag was the typical event shirt and finisher medal
* Race Details
Robb somehow has a amazing nack for picking these never heard of locations but yet somehow finding some of the best locations and hills that make amesbury look like a flat course. great trails for running, hills with serious elevation and some nice steepness. obstacles are very well built and well laid out in a way were i never once hit a single back up and could get in and out. FIT is your more serious intense local race that will give your the challenge of one of the bigger national races but for half the price and a lot more perks. i have done all 3 FIT events to date and i will say each race they somehow find a way to get better and better.hands down this is a must do can not miss race. this race is exactly what #racelocal is about and stands for
* Rating
Excellent
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* Name: Jeanine Peirce
* Event: F.I.T. challenge
* Date: 2014-10-11
event details:
$10 parking cheaper and closer than most VIP parking at other races. Indoor plumbing is a huge bonus. Mother Nature was cold & raw with rain throughout the day so parking lot proximity proved a great bonus.
race details:
F.I.T. races are my absolute favorite OCRs because of the challenging obstacles and use of terrain. I know that I am going to work for my medal and be proud of earning it by the finish line. Today’s course proved once again, hill training is your friend. The hills were tough–loose rocks, unstable dirt, some steep angles all of which kept racers thinking and reacting. The course was very well marked, no guessing games as to which direction to go. Racers were helping each other out, offering an arm on slippery slopes, stopping to help someone over a wall or give tips on how to get up the rope etc. The community feel while out there is part of what puts F.I.T. on my don’t miss list.
Favorite obstacles: wreck bag carry because if you push yourself with the most weight it feels so good when you get to put it down, inverted wall and I love that I get to hammer the bell at the top of the rope–victory slam!
Least favorite: I’m not a big fan of crawling through tubes unless a challenge is added to it (slanted with rope, water/mud, dark, length & angles).
Potential changes: the under walls were confusing runners, many tried to go over. Add arrows to the wall or flip them upside down & make it a jump up and through. I volunteered at the 1st water station next to the walls and tried to get as many through as possible before they went vertical. The 1st water station was at a location that caused runners to break their flow coming through the wall section. They cleared the 1st wall, went through the 2nd and had to decide water or hit the next walls. Moving the table set up to the end of the wall section would make for better flow and catch racers as they came back down the hill to go into the tunnels and ropes.
Running with Spahtkins: My son, 11, and nephew, 9, ran the course with us before helping volunteer for the afternoon. My son’s medal is already hanging up in his room. They are more than proud to be able to run a tough race. Some of the higher walls proved too intimidating. They grabbed 25lb Wreck Bags and burned up the hill. While helping volunteer they shouted, “You’ve got this!!! You CAN DO THIS!” to many racers who were intimidated by the tall walls with ropes. They explained how to get over to people 20, 30, 40 years older then them and high-fived them when they accomplished it. These events, the volunteering, accomplishments, even failures are some of the best life experiences we can give our guys. I highly recommend getting your kids out on the course! If you had the opportunity to witness some of the faces of kids during the kids’ race, you will know exactly what I am talking about! Pride & confidence had them soaring over the course.
Volunteering: A great experience during the afternoon volunteer shift. Directions were clear and F.I.T. staff checked in frequently to make sure all was good. The F.I.T. tents were a bonus during the rain and were shared with many spectators while they waited to snap pics of friends and family.
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* From: jesica kirrane
* Event: FIT FOECE Challenge
* Date: 2014-10-11
* Event Details
Parking was easy and close. A+
Real bathrooms. A+
Schwag for runners…. nice A+
I was a spectator. If weather was better, it would’ve been fantastic… but I was cold, so I hid under tents.
* Race Details
Again, I was a spectator, but hubs and kids had a blast!!!
* Rating
Excellent
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* From: Nathan MacGregor
* Event: FIT Challenge
* Date: 2014-10-11
* Event Details
This review is written by Nathan, my 8 year old son. I am just typing it in for him. -Ian
On October 11, 2014 I ran the FIT challenge. It was a lot of work. The first thing I did was run up some hills. It was a lot of work going downhill, because I’m not that good at going down the hills. The second part of the Fit challenge was after the hills I went over some walls. After the first wall I climbed through the middle of a square in between a wall. The third thing I did was go onto a rope and climb over a wall. My friend Robb helped me get down from the other side of the wall. After that I went through a mini tunnel and another wall square. After that we climbed some more hills. My dad and me took a break going up the hill. After going up and down the hill we went through sort of like a maze, but it really wasn’t. We went through about three of those. Then we went up with a wreck bag and down a hill. After I went under a bus and went through another tunnel, but it was bigger. Then I went up the teeter-totter with some help from my dad. Then after I did the teet
er-totter I went up a big wall about 8 feet tall. It was a lot of work, even with my dad helping me get up. Rob was on the other side to help me get down. Then we went up into the woods again, and when we came down there was a sign that said be careful, steep and slippery. There was a rope railing to help us get down the hill. After that hill I was very exhausted, but I kept on going. After there were bear crawls, but I was too exhausted, so me and my dad cheered while Rob did it. After the bear crawls, there were mini hills about 2 feet tall and my dad and me went side by side going up and down those. Then there were tire lifting. I got the smallest one, and dad and Rob got the heaviest. After the tire lifting, there was some monkey bars. My hands were too cold, so Rob touched them and my dad asked “are they cold” and he said “yup, pretty cold”. So I skipped them while Rob did the hard set. After the monkey bars there was a net that we had to crawl under. Then my da
d helped me with the finishing wall, I got over that. It was kinda like a ladder, but instead of a guy holding it. Then I ran to the finish line and I got a medal.
After I got a medal I told my Dad and Rob that the hardest part about it was the cold and the rain. Then we got our stuff from the tent and hosed off the mud. I really wish there was a better place than a bathroom to change in. It was nice to get a free ticket for ice cream after the race. The people that were running the event were really nice. People were really nice during the race and after I finished. They said I did a good job and said nice things during the race to help me keep going. I liked where they set up the race especially the woods. I didn’t like, at all, the cold… And the rain… At all. I really like the medal.
I loved the race, and I hope I get to do it next year. Thank you for letting me run this year.
* Race Details
* Rating
Above Average
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* From: Nate DeMontigny
* Event: FIT Force Challenge
* Date: 2014-10-11
* Event Details
Parking: Hands down one of the best race set-ups for parking. My vehicle wasn’t far by at all and I could leave stuff in it, rather than out in the rain. Loved it being that close, WIN!
Facilities: There was on site restrooms as part of the park. Not that any of this is on the race, but when we hit the restrooms when we got their my two boys mentioned how dirty they were. Wondering if the park provides someone during events to keep things like that up? That was a minor inconvenience though when you consider the size of the building and the size of a portapotty, so that was a WIN!
Vendors: The spring race, hands down, had way more vendors. I know it’s not a major selling point, but its an opportunity for local vendors and or businesses to get their products out there to a large audience. Wreck Bags has become a staple, was good to see them there and of course the military tent was up and some of the soldiers ran the course. I heard some vendors backed out because of the weather, seems silly that they would do that though.
Schwag: Similar shirt to the spring event but with the new logo and Wreck Bags on the back. Same medal as the spring event as well, would have been cool to see the new logo for this event on it as it would differentiate it from the other medal now in my rack. That’s a small detail though, the course is really what matters and the race itself. Doing these races for the schwag is the wrong reason, it’s the accomplishment and sense of pride at the end. Which, is exactly how I felt running this event for the second time now!
* Race Details
Course: HOLY mini-beast!! Robb nailed it with this venue. This was not a runners course, at all. There were spots you could get some speed on and catch some time, but right out of the gate the technicality of the course was evident. Tons of up and downs and the rain played into making the course that much more difficult. If it were dry I think you would have been able to move faster but I honestly like the fact it was slippery as you had to be more methodical with your feet and always keep your eyes open. I love courses that make you think.
Worth mentioning… I heard a few people talk about getting lost and that the course markings were not good. No disrespect, but were they running the same race I was? I had no issue with marking and knew where I was going at all times. A couple times I saw markings that had fallen, but they were still there and you could see them.
Obstacles: Nothing super out of the ordinary. A F.I.T. staple, the teeter totter, was there again and this is a fun one. It was quite slippery because of the weather, but again, you had to think about it and I appreciate that. The bus was a fun thing to roll under and I loved the Wreck Bag carry. My 10 year old, Alex, was running the course with me. He grabbed a 25lb bag as it’s good for his size. My wife noticed one of the army guys was carrying a 25lb bag too, this made Alex smirk and feel good that he was crushing it! One quick point, I felt like the Crossfit508 folks had a much more challenging field at the last race. The bear crawls were pretty simple and we’ve all seen tire flips. Would have been great to see some of the originality they had last time.
This was a somewhat difficult course, I credit those that made this their first race as it was not entry level. I am super proud of my son for killing the course with me. It would have been better if my wife was able to run, but somehow she was volunteered to watch a woman 3 children while she raced. By the time she was done it was nearly 2 and there was no way for my wife to get a lap in.
Overall, Robb killed it again and I can’t wait to hit this place up again in the Spring!!
* Rating
Excellent
FIT Challenge II 2014
* From: michael downey
* Event: F.I.T.
* Date: 2014-04-05
* Event Details
the parking was at a local high school and easy enough to find off the highway and there were busses sitting there waiting for us. the bus ride was a different story our bus driver apprently dropped us of in the wrong area and we ended up walking quiet a bit then turned around figuring we were lost and after turning around SUPER amazing R.D. Robb Mccoy found us on his ATV and help guide us back to the proper area. for a local race were were tons of great vendors my personal fav was ORTC shale hill selling the icebug shoes and them offering a AMAZING deal for race attendes. the swag was nice and as a NE spahten we got a nice lil extra team gift of a spahten – F.I.T. headband ( thank you robb )
* Race Details
the course WOW what can i say i dont know how robb found it but it was a hell of a course nice trails and hills going up and down. the obstacles were all well built and sturdy my only bit of ciritizem would be starting the race off with the 8ft wall created a log jam both times around. the obstacle of the day award goes to the most sadistic sand bag carry i have ever seen, the sand bags uses were amazing with two hand holds and that long steep hill was a leg burner, then when you finished it and were back at the bottom you had to go up a even steeper path well played. for the course difficulty i would place this as a harder course than amesbury but a ton of fun. i cant wait for F.I.T. III i am sure Robb and the F.I.T. crew will somehow find a way to take it to a whole new level again
* Rating
Excellent
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* From: Kristine Dreher
* Event: FIT challenge
* Date: 2014-04-05
* Event Details
Parking and shuttle service was great and easy to find. Vendor booths were easy to get to and organized. Changing areas were ok, I managed but due to location and wind doors kept blowing open while people were inside.
* Race Details
This was my first race and the course challenged me and I was able to get through it without a problem. Some obstacles were bottleneck ed but I attribute that to large Spartan wave. I really enjoyed meeting new people of NES and had a great day. Appreciate all the planning, hard work, volunteers and RD for this…looking forward to more races and local races as well.
* Rating
Excellent
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* From: Nele
* Event: FIT challenge
* Date: 2014-04-05
* Event Details
Parking was offsite. It cost $10 which i wasn’t aware of. The bus ride was short, but no signs when I got off the bus. There appeared to be lots of vendors. That was great. No schwag until finishing the race, and the usual medal and tshirt.
* Race Details
A lot of running. 1 mile until the first obstacle. The obstacles were mainly in the last mile. Good use of the terrain. The obstacles were standard obstacles seen at most races. The crossfit style workout at the end was awesome. No penalties for failed/skipping obstacles. Some of the obstacles had backlogs after the first heat. Having walls as the first obstacle is a but of a problem. I had a great day!
* Rating
Above Average
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* From: Nate DeMontigny
* Event: F.I.T. Challenge
* Date: 2014-04-05
* Event Details
Parking: Super, super simple. Get out of your vehicle, get on a shuttle and BAM you’re there. The wait for it to go wasn’t bad, but with so many racers, and three alternating buses, they kept them moving along.
Facilities: This is where Robb and a lot of the locals race directors separate themselves from the bigger OCR races. Being local and only putting on one or two races a season, a guy like Robb can really polish his course and fine-tune all the details. Being a Spahten had major perks. We had our own spot, our own firepit… Robb took GREAT care of us!!
Vendors: Absolutely perfect group of vendors. There was coconut waters from Zico, a wonderful sports drink called NuAquos which I am a huge fan or, Icebug shoes…. There was a great amount of vendors, even Wreck Bags which were the bags Robb brutalized us with on the bag carry. Love these bags and will be reviewing them for the site soon.
Schwag: Again, here’s where Robb and some of the other locals cats stand out. Being a Spahten he made up cool FIT/ Spahten headbands for the team. You don’t get that kind of treatment at too many events!! And, with the great vendors, there was a lot of stuff to take home!!
* Race Details
Having had the opportunity to pre-run the course a short time back with Robb and my son Alex, I knew the terrain was going to be the biggest obstacle at a faster pace than our jaunt through the snow and ice that day.
The terrain was a lot more rocky than I remembered. With all the rain we’ve had lately it made everything nice and muddy which was awesome. I loved the obstacles, some pretty standard like your 6 and 8 foot walls, over and unders, etc. I really loved the teeter totter though, was unsure of it at first but there was a nice spot in the middle to get balance then land the beam and take off.
It was difficult, and was a great start to my OCR season. I can’t wait for what he has in store for the next one!!
* Rating
Excellent
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* From: Michelle Lombardi
* Event Details
I have never done this event before, and heard great reviews before racing. The reviews did not do it justice, I can not say enough of how of an easy process it was to : find the venue, park, sign in, locate information booths, and there was ample volunteers, the Race coordinators did an Awesome Job.
The Parking was more than ample, and the shuttle busses ran frequently. The Vendors were ample and there was no shortage of fun or schwag!
* Race Details
The course was very unique, challenging, but enough to push the average racer such as myself! Bonfire was an awesome idea, the kids looked like they had a fun time! And lots of space!
* Rating
Excellent
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* From: Dennis Michaud
* Event Details
Thanks to awesome race director Robb McCoy we were able to park onsite which allowed me to better surprise my wife, as the event coincidentally was being held on our anniversary. The venue itself was very easy to get to, a short hop from I-495. I can’t say I watched over it, but I never saw a line for the porta-potties, so must have been plenty. Some great vendors were invited, a special shout out to NUAQUOS and Shale Hill. I’m also going to be interested to see what changes Wreck Bag will make based based on feedback from all the participants. I almost pulled the trigger on a purchase, but I want to see what V2.0 will bring. Schwag for everyone was nothing out of the ordinary, but the headband was a nice touch for the NE Spahtens.
* Race Details
When I first saw the map of the course, well, that’s a good idea, no obstacles for the first mile or so, should be able to spread the field so no backup. Great idea, but wrong obstacle for the first. I think the 8 foot walls should have been side by side after the other walls. I’d also suggest that if the 8 footers are side by side, one of them could be stepped, for those of us who are just aren’t Spiderman types.Personally, I’d rather struggle with a “scaled” 8 foot wall and complete on my own, rather than having my fat a$$ lifted up and over. The team is there to encourage and coach, not do it for you, IMHO.The only other obstacle I’d suggest a change in would be the teeter totter, a little to steep and narrow for my taste, especially with legs that are a little tired. That might have been a great first obstacle when legs were a little fresher. The 50 lb Wreck Bag kicked my butt, about 1/2 halfway up I thought to myself, “I should have taken a 25 lb’er”, but just as quickly
, I came to my senses. I do these things to get my butt kicked. Speaking of getting my butt kicked, the tire push was DASTARDLY EVIL. I’d have preferred lifting the atlas stone and placing it on top of a pedestal, in a way similar to strongman competition as opposed to a carry, but I know that just isn’t going to happen, for any number of reasons.
Overall, a great event, Robb promised it was going to better than the first and he certainly delivered. I’m looking forward to the next.
* Rating
Above Average
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* From: Michelle
* Event: FIT Challenge
* Date: 2014-04-05
* Event Details
Event dets were great. Easy to find, well organized, easy to navigate, and not overwhelming. The swag was awesome! Loved the headband that NES received, kept my ears warm.
* Race Details
I wasn’t sure what to expect from an OCR so I did go into it with a very open mind. I knew it was going to be challenging, and I liked that aspect of it. I felt the distance between obstacles was too great, then the obstacles were right on top each other. If they were a little bit more spread out there might not have been a bottle neck at some of them. I did enjoy the crossfit portion, however the push-press was extremely difficult because they only had the one weight. If someone who doesn’t do crossfit or is just starting can’t lift a 25+ lb bar you have a high risk of injury. All in all, I had a great time, I’m terrified of height and I still went over the last wall. So I definitely push myself to my limits. Thank you for an amazing race.
* Rating
Above Average
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* From: Christine Castro
* Event: F.I.T. Challenge II
* Date: 2014-04-05
* Event Details
The parking was very easy to find, even for a directionally-challenged person such as myself. (I even get lost with GPS!). $10 is no big deal, especially since I came down with four people in my car. The distance to the venue from the parking lot was was very short.
Once we were at the World War One Memorial Park, all four of us had our bibs in minutes, no backup in the lines. We popped over the the NES tent to say hi to people and drop our stuff. Love the perks of being on the biggest team, and that Robb is a team member too! I can honestly say I have no qualms about leaving my bag while I run, and not worrying about getting it to bag check. It was great to see everyone, share food and drinks, and get ready to hit the course.
I didn’t spend too much time in the vendor area, as I had my eight year old with me, and she just wanted to hang out, check out the CrossFit field, and get pumped for her race!
* Race Details
I personally liked having nearly a mile without obstacles, as it thins out the pack to reduce bottleneck. I’m not the fastest, but I typically am right in the middle as far as times go. By the time I got to the walls, there was enough breaks in the pack that I didn’t wait more than a minute at any way. As far as waiting at other obstacles, I also never got stuck waiting for a Wreck Bag, Atlas Ball, tire, bar, etc. While no penalties on this course, being stuck on obstacles at other races has made me willing to take a penalty, just to get the time I was looking for.
Favorite obstacle was the teeter-totter. Proper footwear will definitely be your friend on that one! I enjoyed the CrossFit Field too, as I thought it was a great way to mesh the sports. My arms were jelly after that section, wow.
For me and my 8 year old daughter, the best part was that she was able to be involved too. She’s done a few road races with me, but it wasn’t until her first OCR last year that she started begging to go to every race. I often don’t take her, because I think there are many events that aren’t as kid-friendly. I almost didn’t bring her to this one, but Robb, since he works so closely with NES and our group, made sure I knew that my kiddo would be welcome, and there would definitely be someone there to get her to the starting line if I didn’t make it back from my wave in time. I HUGELY appreciate that. We ended up having another friend come with us, so no one needed to get my daughter to the start, but going out of the way like that is something I’ll remember.
My daughter had a blast on her course. She did wear a tutu made by another NES member (thanks Mercedes!), and she said it helped her run faster 😉 But her smiling little face when she crossed the finish line, and got another medal to hang up on our medal rack was the icing on the cake of a great day.
So thanks Robb and everyone involved in F.I.T. Challenge, as well as all the NES folks, for a great day. We’ll be back for the next one!
* Rating
Excellent
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* From: Mary Bowen
* Event: FIT Challenge II
* Event Details
-Parking was easy and accessible. For the short distance from the parking lot to the grounds, I think 3 buses worked perfectly. Seemed like no one had to wait for more than a few minutes.
-Check in was easy and smooth.
-Never saw a line for the port-a-pottys. Always a plus.
-I thought there was a great selection of vendors. I actually picked up a wreck bag myself! What better way to entice someone than having the product actually used on the course. Nice to get full samples of both sport and coconut water. I wish there had been food and beverage, but I know it was a pricing/permit issue from speaking with one of the RD’s. Personally, I would be happy to pay an additional $5-10 in my registration if there was food and beverage available.
-However, being the biggest team and having our very own Spahten Tent City alleviated the worry or no food and drink- for me at least, as I came prepared. Knowing there would be no F&B, I brought my own food and cooler of the mandatory post race beer. I’m not sure if everyone else read up and knew to bring their own, but I figure as long as we’re not hassled about bringing our own stuff, the lack of outside food options is fine. I hung out for a good hour or two after the race since there was such great hospitality!
* Race Details
If I’m being honest, rocky terrain is not my favorite. I don’t feel confident in my off road running enough to move too quickly, as I am always fearful of rolling an ankle. That being said, the extended amount of just running was a bit disappointing for me, mostly due to my comfort level with the terrain. I loved the steep uphills, and running through the zoo! How cool was that?
As many people mentioned the first obstacle being the walls was an error in flow judgement. Especially when running with the largest team. I think I waited 5-10 minutes to get over the first wall. The teeter-totter scared the crap out of me. When I went into the race I was 90% convinced I was just going to skip it. In reality it was quite fun! One of my favorites, and certainly most unusual part of the course. The sandbag carry was great and always a good personal struggle. Like I said I purchased that Wreck Bag, so apparently that 1/4 of mile wasn’t enough torture! The tiered skill options for the monkey bars was a cool addition. I thought the Cargo Net was a bit precarious as it wasn’t really secured, which at one point, caused my fingers to get pinched between the nets and the board it was hanging from. Once someone got on the opposite side, it weighed the cargo net which caused it to rise up about 5 inches and smoosh my fingers. Not a huge flaw, but especially with minis
going up and down, it might be advisable to secure it more, or have runners go one at a time or something to avoid a serious finger smash! The cross fit field was really fun to me although I’m not sure if I’m 100% convinced Atlas Balls were a good choice for inexperienced folks like myself, especially towards the end of the race when everyone is a bit fatigued. I know there was a major injury involving the Atlas so maybe it won’t be in next time anyways, but as someone who’s never done Crossfit, I didn’t really know how to properly carry it or put it down. The volunteers did help with it, but they were also navigating about a dozen people either picking them up or putting them down, so I imagine at even busier times it may have been difficult to make sure everyone was doing it with correct form to avoid injury.
Lastly, I wish the finish line had been a bit further away from the final obstacle. I love that triumphant run to the finish line, and it was just a bit stunted as the finish line was about 10 feet away from the last obstacle. I think if the final walls were just pushed back 20 feet more it would have been great. I was, however, surprised by the amount of awesome finish line photos I got, despite the short “run in” distance. And FREE photos, can’t beat that.
Overall, I really enjoyed the event. I wouldn’t mind seeing more obstacles dividing up the running, or ideally a smoother terrain if there’s going to be a mile+ of running sans obstacles, but again, that has a lot to do with my comfort (or lack thereof) running on uneven surfaces. Great job Robb and the entire FIT Staff!
* Rating
Above Average
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* From: Stephanie
* Event: FIT Challenge
* Date: 2014-04-05
* Event Details
The event was very well organized, I didn’t get lost finding the tent I was looking for and registration was VERY simple which is nice when you have a toddler tugging at you. There were a diverse sampling of vendors at the event which gave you something to do after you race. I liked the new water tent that gave out fruity waters after you were done the race. When you finish you also get a pretty bright green medal and a snazzy tee shirt.
* Race Details
The course was VERY fun. It started off like any other 5k race but then it starts giving you a little taste of more obstacles which is my thing. My favorite was carrying the “wreck bag” up the hill, I prefer those over the sandbags at the Spartan races. I also REALLY enjoyed the crossfit section at the end of the race, shoulder pressing was awesome and as always dragging a tire through the wettest mud ever was a blast. The difficulty wasn’t too hard and wasn’t too easy so it’s perfect for people just starting out and for experienced racers who want to go out for some challenge.
* Rating
Excellent
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* From: Jessica Wohlen
* Event: F.I.T. Challenge II
* Date: 2014-04-05
* Event Details
Parking: Having been involved with some of the planning and execution of this race, I was afforded the opportunity to park on site. The catch: I had to be there early. No big deal! As a result, parking was super easy. Thanks Robb!
Facilities: The standard Port-a-Potty village worked nicely. There were also changing tents and a fire hydrant to clean off with. I didn’t actually use the hydrant as it was a bit chilly when I was ready to get changed, but I did see many people were utilizing it.
Vendors: SO MANY. Our friends from Shale Hill where there selling Icebugs. Core Power. NUAQUOS. Hint Water. Army National Guard. WreckBags. (I’m sure I’ve missed some…)
Schwag: In addition to our finisher’s t-shirts and fabulous bling – and being the largest team by leaps and bounds – we received fancy sweatbands!
* Race Details
Race Details:
At just a hair over a 5k, with a nice trail run and some hills larger than Amesbury, but smaller than Killington, this was a super fun course. I’d say this one had challenging aspects for all. It started out as a runners race and ended as a strength test. The trail wasn’t super technical, but it offered a little bit of everything.
F.I.T. takes a page out of the Tuff Scramblers book (though he hasn’t been able to lay claim to a plot of land…yet) and tries to add a little something each time around. This go-round… teeter-totters! I’m not going to lie, this obstacle was both fun and nerve-wracking. I scurried up one side like a bear and then as the leverage tipped the other direction I recall going “EEEEEEEEEEEP” down the other side.
Many of us know the RD, Robb McCoy. As such, you can tell his heart and soul goes into the course itself. The obstacles are just the cherry on top. We had walls, we had a hill climb with weight, we had a straight-up hill climb – all standards in your typical challenging OCR. There were your over-unders, and even a cargo net climb – nicely executed! A F.I.T. Challenge is not complete without the Crossfit 508 Pit, and this was stellar (and muddy!) – Atlas Carry, Push Presses w/ a Shuttle Run, Tire Push (through mud!!!) – yes please! The end comprised of: Ladder Wall (does this look straight?), Dumpster Dive, Taller Ladder Wall – great obstacles too!
I always have trouble writing reviews for the really awesome races – the words just don’t do it justice when my internal dialogue is pretty much *SQUEEEE!* This is one of those races. I’ll keep coming back as long as they keep happening.
* Rating
Excellent
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* From: Ally Pike
* Event: F.I.T. Challenge II – 2014
* Date: 2014-04-05
* Event Details
Parking was easy and no wait for the busses, loved all the beverage vendors, glad we had a heads up that there was no food vendors so well prepared, my first OCR metal (my other local OCRs didn’t give out a metal, just tees) Was nice having it timed without having to pay an additional fee, vendors were super friendly and clearly were having as much fun as the participants! Registration well organized! Loved the NES tent and how friendly everyone was! Best decision to stay and help with the sweeper wave, will forever change how I view future OCRs!
* Race Details
Loved the open trails to get a good run in, the obstacles were amazing, hard but doable (sometimes with help), It was great having help from so many and getting to return the favor to help others. Got a little crazy mixing in with the kids but added to the fun, would love to see one with parents and kids running together on that course! Hope it is at that location again in the future as it would be great to see how much better I could do! Staff on the course and fellow participants in wave really helped keep you going and made it fun!
* Rating
Excellent
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* From: Stephanie Santucci
* Event: Fit Challenge April 2014
* Date: 2014-04-05
* Event Details
– I never like paying to park, but I did pay the fee and quickly jumped a bus for drop off to the venue. Bus transportation was good.
– Check in was ok, but would have preferred to not have to wait to fill out a waiver right when walking in. Having a waiver in advance would have been nice since there was a bus load of people asking for bib numbers and only one volunteer. Poor guy. Also wish I got my shirt before I got dirty, not while crossing the finish line.
– Good amount of porta potties! This is important!
– Semi private changing area was a nice touch and much appreciated.
– Beautiful grounds.
– Good entertainment at the starting line.
– Vendor setup was perfect and allowed for high visibility for all vendors.
– Unfortunately I can’t wear my race shirt because it’s too tight : ( Wish I got a bigger size, but I was tired and muddy when it was given to me, so I didn’t notice. Plus, I’m not too excited about it being white anyways. I saw some green ones that looked cool.
– Water availability on the course was good.
– Wish there was something to drink and munch on after the race. Although I had packed stuff with me knowing it would be lacking.
– The lack of food purchase availability was a bummer, but I was prepared for it. Just before I left though, I saw someone with a hotdog. There was food way up the “street” and I didn’t even realize.
– Free racewire pics.
* Race Details
I ran the NES/Unleashed wave! Here are my findings, the good and not so good.
Good
– Great terrain and I really enjoyed running the muddy trails.
– Wreck bag carry was hard in a good way.
– Large walls appeared to be well built.
– Teeter totter was pretty cool.
– Muddy tire push. Original and fun.
– I got to dumpster dive!
– Really high ladder climbs at the end.
– Monkey bars! Sturdy and nice to have hay underneath. Plus it was the first time I made it all the way across monkey bars. . . first time ever in my life!
Not so good
– Ran 1 mile without man made obstacles, but looking at the course map I thought there were walls pretty close to the beginning.
– Huge backups with the first wall obstacles. I think it was 3 walls with a line at each. I was middle of the pack. i felt really bad for the people way in back.
– Backup at the cargo net too, but not as long of a wait.
– Backup with the tire push, but only a few minutes.
– There was only a wall option and no ladder or secondary option. Obviously we could walk around, but what’s the point.
– Overall the obstacles were ok. Some were well built, others were not that sturdy – particularly the over/unders. These were more like saw horses put in our way.
– The cross pit field was poorly marked. I’m not sure if it was marked at all actually. I had not idea where I was going when I got there. I had to yell out “where do I go next?” after each obstacle.
– Please no more atlas ball!
– More obstacles needed!
I still had a ton of fun, but I’d love a little more challenge. Ramp up the quality/originality of the obstacles and you have yourself something really awesome. I would recommend this race to a friend.
* Rating
Average
FIT Challenge I 2013
* From: Beth Jones
* Event Details
Parking was a breeze for us. We were able to park right behind the Biggest Team tent, where we had a KICKIN location right by the finish line. That was much better than where we usually get put which is in a far corner somewhere. There could’ve been more porta-potties, as there seemed to be about 8 or 9, so for a larger event a few more would’ve been great.
I have to give HUGE props for the family friendliness of the event. We took our 4 year old son with us and he had a blast. The kids area was fantastic. There was also shaved ice and ice cream for the kids. Every kid got a medal for running in the kids area. I thought that was really fantastic. They were proper medals – the same nice medal ones the adults got. They were not cheap plastic ones. Our son was thrilled to have a medal just like Mom and Dad’s.
Also all the staff and volunteers were tremendous. They were really encouraging and very helpful out on the course, parking areas, and in the festival area. Great job volunteers and staff!!
The only minor issues I could see came up with the T-shirts. They did run out, unfortunately. However, it did seem that most of the kids got one, and they offered to send finisher shirts to anyone that didn’t get one.
I did like that a plan was set up to deal with the lack of alcohol permit on the festival site. The pub across the road offered to honor the beer tickets. That was a really nice touch and showed some great support for the Race Director.
* Race Details
This was a really fun race. It had a few minor hiccups on the course, but overall it was really a fast course. The course was well thought out with only a few places with bottlenecks. One suggestion would be to space out the walls a bit more, as that was the main source of the bottlenecks.
There really was something to challenge everyone. Personally I really enjoyed some of the more unusual elements like the tire slams with the sledgehammer and the atlas stone carries. I really enjoyed the length of the sandbag carry – that was a good challenge. There was a bit of an issue with some of the bags splitting, but overall the obstacle was smooth and flowed well. Also the tire drags with the weights was a great obstacle. I was also a big fan of the slatted wall. There was also tube crawls, monkey bars and several other obstacles that were challenging, yet fun. All of the obstacles seemed well built and held up really well. The only other small downside was that the hay bales started breaking down quickly, making some of the obstacles like the dumpsters tough to get out of.
The course was reasonably well marked but there were a lot of volunteers to help point you in the right direction if there was any question. The water stops seemed to be well stocked when I went through the course.
I really like the fact that a local race wasn’t trying to bill themselves and the biggest, baddest or toughest, but as a really fun, family friendly event. It lived up to all those expectations and I am really looking forward to future F.I.T. Challenge events.
* Rating
Excellent
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* From: Jenn Taddeo
* Event Details
Parking was close and inexpensive for all, but amazing for Spahtens who arrived early enough.
The Spahtens were lucky enough to have a dedicated area where we could meet, set up tents, tables, chairs, let the Spahtkins play, park, and cheer on our teammates as they crossed the finish line. Next year (when I assume we’ll again be the largest team), it would be great to be a bit closer to the main festival and to have closer access to bathrooms.
There seemed to be enough port-a-potties, but despite the RD ordering them with hand sanitizer, they were delivered without. There was a sink available, however.
The medals and Tshirts are great, top quality.
I did not spend much time in the festival area, but people seemed to be pleased with it. I also was not able to make the after party, but saw a steady stream of people moving between the after party and festival.
* Race Details
When you register for a first time race, you run the risk that it may not happen or that there may be major problems in pulling it off. The First Annual FIT Challenge was a great time all around!
This course was a full 5k, which is often not the case in smaller races. The RD made great use of the terrain available – the paths through the woods, scrambling up and down the hill of loose rocks, running up the hill just before the monkey bars.
The obstacles were well-built and held up well to the 1,200 or so people who came through, many multiple times. I liked the longer stretch of running at the start to help spread the crowd out a bit before the walls. The CF area was an interesting change, and a great way to involve a strong local box.
This race wasn’t – and didn’t set out to be – a Spartan race. But it was a nice, solid OCR that was fun for regulars, and accessible for newcomers. Not having penalties, setting up on line of the monkey bars with higher steps and closer rungs – great touches that can only serve to bring more people into the fold.
Can’t wait for the April race!
* Rating
Above Average
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* From: holyhell
* Event Details
Parking was great and cheap. There was food on hand at good prices and plenty of water. The medal for finishing was awesome.
* Race Details
Fun race. Obstacles ranged in difficulty. I am a beginner and was able to do all obstacles with minor adjustments etc. This year was a first so small problems are expected. Sadly there was no mud but honestly that would be my biggest nitpick comment and I am sure that is a problem that will be remedied next year.
* Rating
Excellent
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* From: michael downey
* Event Details
you couldent have asked for a better set up parking, nice and cheep ( $5 ) and right next to the main festival area. for the vendors you had the froller selling there product and reebok brought a nice truck loaded with workout clothing and shoes that had quiet a few nice options.
* Race Details
check in for this race was a breeze and was as good as you could ask for and i like the idea of picking up the tee shirt before you run just makes it easier in my eyes.the course was one of the more basic flat courses in the O.C.R world but that was a nice change of pace and FIT made great use of the plot of land and the obstacles were spread out nicely. the only time i experienced any back up om the course was at the wall climbs but when that happen that just really helped people use team work to help people get over the walls and clear the backlogs . I was a little bummed at the lack of mud but i know that was not FIT fault as the location would not allow them to dig up and make mud pits. also the dumpster dive at the end left a bit to be desired but if i were the R.D. i would change it up by getting longer dumpsters and filling them up to the top and either put ice ( like tough mudder ) or hay ( like CMC did in amesbury) and put like 3 or 4 dumpsters one after another. i d
ont think it was overall difficult to the point it would scare first timers away but i think they also gave people who have done OCR a run for there money and gave them a good time. if someone would ask me if i had to pay full price for there next event would i do it? HELL YES
* Rating
Excellent
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* From: Sara Norman
* Event Details
Parking-AWESOME
Facilities-Greatly organized for bib pick up, t-shirts etc
Vendors-Hint water is my favorite I was psyched to see them there.
Schwag-Medals were good quality, Some of my friends running the later heats (2pm) were unable to get the tshirt sizes they registered for. Only larges were left. They were upset by this. Everyone in my heat (11:30) got correct shirt sizes.
* Race Details
Course was great. Well marked. Easy to follow. Just hard enough to be a little challenging to new OCR’ers but a bit easy with the over/under stuff. Also, for a “mud run” there was NO MUD, and there were NO ZOMBIES in the “zombie area”. And obstacles listed on the website (ie balance beam) were not in race either. I don’t think things should be advertised for what they are not. There were six in my team and everyone said that same statement… it was fun but it wasn’t what was advertised. Loved the ice water dumpsters at the end. Perfect way to end a race like that! Would prefer beer on premises none of us were about to go to a bar soaking wet lol LOVED that you had a shuttle to the bar if people wanted to go though!
* Rating
Above Average
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* From: Hannah Hawley
* Event Details
Parking was close, cheap ($5), and well organized. There were plenty of volunteers directing us and we ended up only a minute walk from the festival area.
There were plenty of port-o-lets, I never had to wait in line. There was no hand sanitizer though. Would be absolutely fantastic to include one near the largest team tent!
The only vendor I visited was the food vendor. The sausage with peppers and onions were tasty and service was quick.
The schwag was excellent. The bling was high quality and loved the date was written on the lanyard. The t-shirt was soft and comfortable and one I might actually wear again. This says a lot as I don’t often wear unisex cut shirts.
The announcer and DJ were easy to hear and did a great job of letting people know how long till the next heat was up.
* Race Details
The course was relatively flat which made it feel a whole lot speedier than I was expecting. It was clearly marked with plenty of volunteers to provide direction and guidance. I never felt unsafe on any of the obstacles. They were stable and well constructed. There was plenty of variety in the style of obstacles. I felt challenged on the majority of the obstacles but with the help of team mates, I was able to conquer each and every one. Surprisingly, I didn’t miss the mud. Where I find the mud can be a challenge on its own, this course offered its own challenges with the Crossfit elements.
If I was not aware going into the event that it was a first time event, I never would have known.
* Rating
Excellent
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* From: Dennis Michaud
* Event Details
Parking was awesome, I can’t add anything to what has been said.
We enjoyed the fact that not only was it family friendly, it was dog friendly as well, wish a few more races would be like this. I have no problem being responsible for the behavior of the dog that owns me.
The porta-pottie I used actually had hand sanitizer and we never had to wait.
I know a few people who didn’t get a t-shirt because it wasn’t all that clear you needed to pickup at a different window, but they went back and were able to get one.
Louise and Mya both enjoyed the food, I’m not one for going to a bar so missed out on the free beer, but not having one less beer is going to affect my life.
* Race Details
Liked the course, need to spread out the field before the walls. I’ve got an idea I’ll share once I flesh it out. Would have like a least one mud crawl, but not being allowed to dig one out at the last minute was not the fault of the event. I’m not a cross-fitter but sledge hammer, tire drags, atlas carry, and even box jumps or steps step ups, give me more. No burpees though, please and thank you. Course was well marked if the volunteers pointed out the way. Did have to ask a few times, no big deal. Saw a potential hazard with the cargo net between the dumpsters, but as far as I know, no injuries so all’s well for now.
* Rating
Above Average
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* From: Jessica Wohlen
* Event Details
Parking – The early arriving NES members were afforded VIP parking near our biggest team tent. General parking was visible from VIP parking and cost $5, which was all donated.
Facilities – Portapotties located near registration and food.
Vendors – Hint water, Reebok, Crossfit 508, and Air National Guard.
Schwag – really awesome bling, a non-traditional “beast green” Tshirt, and (for a small donation) eye black and bracelets.
* Race Details
From the first time I spoke with Robb about this race idea he had, it was clear he was excited and passionate about this brainchild of his. I had expectations. I wanted for this to fall into the “not super challenging and yet not so easy it was lame” place on the spectrum. I think Robb nailed this right on the head.
First, this was billed as a 5k and we were not cheated on distance. Several pre-runs actually had the distance at slightly more than a 5k. Second, the obstacles were well built and challenging for OCR veterans and newbs alike. We had a variety of climbing walls, starting at 5 feet and ending at 8 feet. We had a 10 foot ladder wall, made out of wood – a first time I’ve seen this executed. There were Crossfit elements – sledge swings, atlas carry, box jumps, tire drags – all scalable for each person based on what they thought they could handle. The monkey bars were awesome (and word on the street is they can be visited at Crossfit 508, if anyone misses them!) and were set up to challenge with their height off the ground, quantity of swings, and/or reach. And the very last obstacle rattled my brain all day until I was able to execute it – dumpster of water to a low cargo traverse to another dumpster of water – never seen this one in a race either.
I was definitely challenged by some of these obstacles, simply by opting to take heavier options. I tackled (and owned) the 8 foot walls, and then later helped 2 amazing women over them.
I think this race has filled a void in the OCR world, being local, being challenging, and yet not too much so, and being fun! For an inaugural race, this was amazing, organized, and honestly it is hard to find anything serious to point out as negatives.
None of the following are deal breakers for me, and I’d hope the same for others as well.
*The potties ran out of toilet paper -not a big deal considering the number of attendees EXPLODED days before the race happened. Napkins were a reasonable solution, and this I view as a failure of the potty company anyway!
*Some potties had no hand sanitizer – again not a big deal since they were located right next to sinks with running water. Also a failure of the potty company.
*Lack of mud – sometimes Mother Nature has different plans (see Blizzard Blast). I actually was ok with being reasonably wet and not muddy at the end for a change – and my washing machine was pleased to not have to be abused!
I am definitely signing up for Robb’s next creation! #racelocal
* Rating
Above Average
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* From: Steve SirDropaLot Nicander
* Event Details
Parking was easy and convenient.
Facility was great, clean, friendly and fun.
Vendors were good, DJ was cool and great family friendly event!
T’s & bracelets were nice. Reebok truck was wicked cool. Loved seeing the National Guard too!
I think military representation is always a very inspirational and awesome thing to have at events.
* Race Details
Course was very beginner friendly and not too difficult. It being my first event I was happy to see that with more training I could possibly tackle the obstacles and officially call myself a NE Spahten. Just a couple yrs ago being over 600 pounds I never dreamed I’d ever even be able to attend an event like this, much less participate. NE Spahtens cheered me on as I crossed the finish line and congratulated me for the attempt as well as the finish. It made me feel welcome and special thanks to Mercedes for inviting me plus Dennis & Erin for joining me for conversation and my first trek at an OCR event. Looking forward to better training, fitness and by next year knocking walls down and tearing up obstacles. What an awesome way to start!! AROOO
* Rating
Above Average
