Mind Over Mountain Adventure Racing

THE MOMAR BLOG ARCHIVES
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Saturday, December 30, 2006
EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION ENDS TOMORROW
POSTING BY BRYAN TASAKA

Thursday, December 28, 2006
THE MOMAR BOXING WEEK SALE ENDS SOON
POSTING BY BRYAN TASAKA

SOS (Sistas on Speed) from Vancouver are all smiles after finishing the MOMAR Cumberland. SOS is Colleen McVeigh, Brenna Daloise, Lesia Burianyk, and Jenny Franks

I hope everyone had a great Christmas but still managed to burn off the extra holiday calories with some fun training. I managed to get out for a great ride on the MOMAR Berg which allowed me to have a big plate of seconds at our family dinner.

I would like to remind you that the Early Bird Special on MOMAR registration ends on Sunday, December 31st, 2006. Rates go up an extra $16/racer in the new year. REGISTER HERE.

Thursday, December 28, 2006
MOMAR IN THE NEWS: COWICHAN CITIZEN
POSTING BY BRYAN TASAKA

The MOMAR receieved some early season press from the Cowichan Valley Citzen. Check out Kevin Rothbauer's story about the Shawnigan Lake MOMAR by clicking here.

Friday, December 22, 2006
MORE PROOF THAT ADVENTURE RACERS ARE THE TOUGHEST IN THE WORLD
POSTING BY BRYAN TASAKA

While out on a trainng run, one of the world's top adventure racer survived a nasty 60 foot fall and spent two nights in the desert of Moab before being rescued. Danelle Ballengee broke her pelvis in four places and it was her dog who eventually helped lead rescuers to find her. Click here to read the news report from NBC.

Danelle has been on the winning teams at Primal Quest and the Adventure Racing World Championships. Her team also placed 2nd at the Eco-Challenge in Fuji.

Thursday, December 21, 2006
HAVE YOU HEARD OF SLEEPMONSTERS?
POSTING BY BRYAN TASAKA

Have you ever wondered if there's a website out there that is your 'one-stop-shop' for all things adventure racing? Well there is and it's called Sleepmonsters.ca. This is the 'go to' site if you're looking for training tips, race reports, calendar of international races, and much more. The site is run by two long time MOMAR racers, Chris Koch and Doug Doyle, of Team Spirit.

On the site right now, you can read a great interview with Jen Segger who is your course designer for the MOMAR Squamish. In it, Jen gives you a bit of a teaser into the Squamish course.

Check it out at http://www.sleepmonsters.ca/

Wednesday, December 20, 2006
NORONA SPEAKS. MAKE LIFE HAPPEN!
POSTING BY BRYAN TASAKA / DAVE NORONA

Almost every week, long time MOMAR racer and 8 time champ, Dave Norona sends out "THE NORONA FILES" that details his adventures whether it be mountain biking, surfing, dirt biking, or playing in the snow. It's always a great read and I always find it inspiring and motivating.

Today Dave sent out his most recent newsletter and in it he details one of his life philosophies "Make Life Happen." I thought I would share it with you...

Make Life Happen! by Dave Norona

The other day I was at my friends Ole’s house. He is a sports junkie like me and tries as hard as he can to get out there every day and do something awesome. I only met him this year from sledding but he and I are very similar and know that we are only here for such a short time and we should take a hold of our life and live it.

It is funny how I have grown up sort of defending my job and lifestyle to some that do not know me and that I work hard. Many think I am off on easy street all the time. It was not until I went to Ole’s house where I realized that it is hard living your dreams when everyone seems to want to know how you do it as if your dad dropped thousands of dollars into your bank account each month.

In Ole’s house he has notes everywhere reminding him what is important to him and to stay the course that he wants to go on. It was this one card pictured at the top of this norona file that struck me the most.

We have all heard of the famous quote that says “Let Life Happen”. Well here was this card in Ole’s house and over the “Let” part was the word “Make” in Jiffy marker.

We all have choices. Whatever you want out of life you will get if you work hard enough. Just remember that no one owes you a thing. Life is what you make of it. So if you find yourself in a rut or wishing you could do something that you have always wanted to do…. I say go for it.

You can sign up to receive Dave's Newsletter too. Or to learn more about Dave, go to his website www.davenorona.com.

Saturday, December 16, 2006
GET YOUR 2007 CALENDAR NOW
POSTING BY BRYAN TASAKA

Click on the image to download the PDF

Stay on top of the race scene and download the 2007 Race Calendar featuring all MOMEC events such as...

Frontrunners GutBuster Trail Running Series - A series of four trail running races all on the Island. The first three races in the series offer a 5km and 11km+ option, and the final race in Nanaimo features a spectacular 8km and Half Marathon course. Come out and Bust-A-Gut!

Edge to Edge Marathon, Half Marathon, and Ekiden Relay - Run from Tofino to Ucluelet and through Pacific Rim National Park. The marathon will even take runners on a 1.5km stretch of beach and the half marathon goes on the Wild Pacific Trail.

Mind Over Mountain Adventure Racing Series - Three races with the first two in completely new venues!

Click HERE to download the PDF file, print it off, and stick it to your fridge. Make it a goal to see how many you can do!

Thursday, December 14, 2006
THE RETURN OF THE STATIONARY BIKE
POSTING BY BRYAN TASAKA

Photo from Impact Magazine (photo by Bookstrucker)

We've had some pretty crazy weather these past few months. From the torrential rain and wind to the massive snow dumps it has made outdoor training difficult -- especially on the bike. In the current issue of Impact Magazine writer Cal Zaryski has a solution. Read all about indoor riding on the bike trainer in his article titled "Tuning Up With the Garage Gang."

Tuesday, December 12, 2006
THE MOMAR WILL MISS GAVIN FLETCHER
POSTING BY BRYAN TASAKA

Gavin Fletcher uses a broken paddle to lead his team to the shore at the MOMAR Cumberland.

Last night, Times Colonist's Sports Editor, Gavin Fletcher died in a tragic single vehicle accident. Gavin covered the MOMAR and GutBuster races for years and he participated in his first MOMAR this past September. Gavin wrote an inspiring and humorous post-race report that I encourage you all to read. It will make you laugh. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Gavin's wife and two children. He will be missed.

Monday, December 11, 2006
VIDEO: ADVENTURE XSTREAM FEATURING ONE COOL RAPPEL.
POSTING BY BRYAN TASAKA

This video from a race down in Moab has some really cool scenery and a pretty wicked rappel. I'm sure the rappel will be just as epic at the MOMAR Squamish.

Speaking of the MOMAR Squamish, registration has only been open for three days and already team entries are coming in steady. I'm sure at this pace, we may see an early sellout. Don't delay, get your entry in today.

Friday, December 8 , 2006
HELLY TV: RENATA CHLUMSKA AROUND AMERICA ADVENTURE
POSTING BY BRYAN TASAKA

New on Helly TV is the final segment of Renata Chlumska's amazing journey. Renata, a Helly Hansen sponsored adventurer, is the first ever to circumnavigate the US' 48 lower states powered only by her strong will and her arms and legs -- over 18,000km! Check out her video on Helly TV.

Thursday, December 7, 2006
MOMAR REGISTRATION NOW OPEN!
POSTING BY BRYAN TASAKA

Team Giddy Up starts the chilly crossing of Spring Cove at the Ucluelet MOMAR.

Registration for the 2007 MOMAR season is now open! We are offering Super Early Bird rates until December 31st, 2006, so sign up early and save. You can also sign up even if you haven't figured out who your racing with -- you can simply email me later with the details of your new teammates.

The first two races are in brand new venues. The first race is on May 12th in Squamish, BC, followed by Shawnigan Lake (30 minutes north of Victoria, BC) on July 7th. Of course, our season will end with ever popular MOMAR Cumberland on September 29th.

Click here to register.

Thursday, December 7, 2006
TAMING THE BEAST. TEAM MINDOVERMOUNTAIN.COM TAKES FIRST.
POSTING BY BRYAN TASAKA

Team MindOverMountain.com (Gary Robbins and Todd Nowack) took on the Beast Adventure Race in North Bend, WA, this past weekend and brought home first place overall. They blazed through the 37 checkpoints with a time of 4:09; over 30 minutes faster than the next team. Read Gary's post race report here.

Tuesday, November 28, 2006
BLOGGING THE MOMAR
POSTING BY BRYAN TASAKA

Team MindOverMountain.com (Gary Robbins, Aimee Dunn, Mark Fearman, and Doug Doyle) swimming the cold channel at the Ucluelet MOMAR. Photo by Sian Tasaka.

Just like an iPod, it seems that everyone these days has a BLOG. Did you know that the MOMAR BLOG is by far our most popular page of the website? Of course you did! Well, I just did a search on Google for people that have posted stories about the MOMAR and there were a few so I posted them to RACE RESULTS page. I found one for each race in 2006. Click here to check them out. Let me know if I missed any others and I'll be happy to add them to the site.

Sunday, November 26, 2006
SNOW! WHAT TO DO IN THE OFF-SEASON
POSTING BY BRYAN TASAKA

With the first weekend of snow covering most of southwestern BC, I was reminded of a great article that multiple MOMAR champ, Sean Lunny, wrote last year. It is titled "What To Do in the Off-Season" and it gives you some great tips and even encourages you sit on your ass for two weeks and eat everything you want (personally, I prefer two months...).

There are many other great articles on the Training section of the MOMAR website that I encourage you to check out.

The snow also gets me excited for the start of the Yeti Snowshoe Series in January. The first race is set for January 20th at Mt. Washington and offers both a 5km and 10km course options. It's the best feeling running amongst the snow covered trees with incredible views into Strathcona Park.

Krista Powell of Victoria glides down the final stretch of the Yeti at Mt. Washington 2006. This race was won by Neil Holm (M) and Carey Sather (F).

Saturday, November 25, 2006
BERG BIKES FEATURED IN TODAY'S VANCOUVER SUN NEWSPAPER.
POSTING BY BRYAN TASAKA

Check out today's Working section of the Vancouver Sun newspaper for a great article on Berg Bikes.

Berg Bikes is a sponsor of the MOMAR and at the last race of the season, the master bike builder himself, Al Bergman, gave away a custom built frame with paint job to first time MOMAR racer Anita Verdonk.

Friday, November 24, 2006
ADVENTURE RACING IN DECEMBER. DO THE BEAST IN WASHINGTON STATE.
POSTING BY BRYAN TASAKA

Navigating in the dark was a fun challenge (photo by Jerry Gamez)

Are you still looking for an AR fix during the 'off-season'? Next Sunday, the BEAST Adventure Race in Washington State will be hosting their final race of year. This is a 4-7 hour race and you can race solo or in teams of 2, 3, and 4. The race will be held on December 3 just outside of Seattle, WA, and includes mountain biking, trekking, orienteering, and mystery challenges.

They also host a series of week day evening races and Eileen Bistrisky (SAFARI Race Director) and I went down for their August race. The organizers put together a really great course and the fun part was that it started at 7pm and we raced half of it in the dark. The entire course required teams to navigate from one CP to the next, except for a really cool section of flagged single-track that was the highlight of our race. They also had a wicked post-race meal that included some home cooked stew and wonton soup!

For more information, go to www.beastrace.com.

Team MOMAR/SAFARI at the Beast. (Note: No, this bridge was not too technical a ride for us... It was mandatory that we walked this bridge). (photo by Jerry Gamez).

Nov 23, 2006
INTERVIEWING JEN SEGGER...

Jen Segger paddling the open ocean... "The tanker that you see in one of the pic was the scariest thing ever - we just about got smushed!"

MOMAR: It sounds so exotic to be racing down in Brazil. What is so special about the Ecomotion that made you want to do this race?
JEN SEGGER: This is my second time at Ecomotion. The Brazillian people and the amazing terrain are what makes me return each year. This race is really outside the box where you are fully dependant on your team mates - safety parameters like we see in lots of North American races are quite rare. This race brings a real international flavor with the best teams from around the world in attendance. You travel through the most remote villages and really get a sense of life in the country. It's a cultural experience with fierce competition. The race director really does a good job to make it easy for international teams to attend.

MOMAR: How long was the race and what were the disciplines?
JEN SEGGER: The race was 7 days with the winners finishing in about 4. Mountain biking, trail running and tons of paddling were the main disciplines. 4 different styles of boats were paddled from open ocean crossings to crazy rafting boats. We also did some really unique rope sections. All the stages were really long and the feet got trashed.

MOMAR: You guys were running in 4th or 5th place right up to the 22nd checkpoint, and then you guys dropped out. What happened?
JEN SEGGER: We were having the race of our life, really showing that DART-nuun can hang with the best teams in the world. The way we were racing was the best yet to day for the team. We were driving forward and rockin it! After CP22, my team mate had really bad tendanitis in his foot and decided that that was it. Very hard decision to make and its been a tough few days since then. We had given it everything. However, we are trying to see the positives in the situation and remember that this happens to all the best teams. We were very happy with our performance up until that point.

MOMAR: What was your highlight of the race?
JEN SEGGER: How do you pick just one. At the beginning of the race we were leading the way with SOLE, Merrell, Abarth, Mitsubushi and a few other teams. Everyone was riding hard and it was night. The feeling of moving as a team at full blast was awesome.

MOMAR: It’s been a long season of adventure racing for you. What was your favorite race of the year?
JEN SEGGER: Ya, its been a very long season but a really good one. I feel as though I have lived in airports this year. I've had one too may days on the road. This race, Ecomotion, takes the cake for sure. I race because it allows me to travel the world and being able to return a place that I have a passion for is very exciting. I'm already looking forward to next year.

MOMAR: What are your plans for 2007? Any big races planned or just some R&R?
JEN SEGGER: I just got home today so I am really looking forward to a month of down time with guilt free training. I will start to ramp up mid December and re-focus. Right now I am mentally drained and just want some sleep in days. I have lots of work to do with my business Challenge by Choice (www.challengebychoice.ca) and getting my athletes ready for their upcoming events. I've also got lots of work to do to get the MOMAR Squamish course ready. This is something that I am so excited about putting on and being able to showcase what an incredible area Squamish is - its the ultimate playground and I love living here. I think its going to be a great race course and I know lots of people are already getting really excited.

Nov 17, 2006
HELLY HANSEN NOW ON PODCASTS...
POSTING FROM HELLY HANSEN

Helly Hansen TV is now available in a new channel: PODCASTING. This means you get instant access to all the goods from our full range of summer and winter sports! Get subscribed now to automatically receive the latest trailers, rider clips and athlete feature-films straight to your computer.

Click here and select your podcast or you can go through iTunes and search for "Helly Hansen" and subscribe.

www.hellyhansen.com

Nov 15, 2006
TEAM DART-nuun IN 4TH PLACE...

The ropes sections from Ecomotion look amazing! You can expect something similar at this 2007 MOMAR Squamish where racers will be treated to a wicked rappel. Photo by Théo Ribeiro off the Ecomotion site.

Jen's team is currently in 4th place against the world's best with only ten checkpoints to go. They aren't far behind the top three teams so let's hope they catch up. You can continue to track their progress on the Ecomotion site.

Nov 14, 2006
JEN SEGGER IN RIO...

Cheer on Squamish's Jen Segger as she races with team DART-nuun at the Ecomotion Adventure Race in Brazil. Team DART-nuun is one of the top teams in the world, but they have some steep competition for this this seven day expedition race. Race reports can be found on www.sleepmonsters.ca (go to the Race Reports page).

We are also happy to welcome Jen's personal coaching company, Challenge By Choice, to our team of sponsors. Jen will provide you with online training programs to help you succeed in your next big goal. Jen is also the course designer for the inaugural MOMAR Squamish on May 12, 2007, and an instructor of the MOMAR 101 one day training clinics. Go Jen Go!

Nov 12, 2006
MOMAR'S NEWEST ADDITION...
POSTED BY BRYAN TASAKA, NEW DAD & RACE DIRECTOR

I'm very excited to announce the birth of my son, Alex Fisher Tasaka! This future adventure racer was born three weeks early and he and mom are all doing great! Look for little Alex to be volunteering at all of this year's MOMAR events!

Nov 6, 2006
GOOD TIMES AT THE WESTERN CANADIAN RACE DIRECTOR'S CONFERENCE
POSTED BY BRYAN TASAKA, RACE DIRECTOR

I just returned back from Kelowna where we had the 5th Annual Western Canadian Adventure Race Director's Conference. We had many excellent discussions on various topics pertaining to the current state of the sport and looking ahead to future years. All races were well represented including sea2summit, Raid the North, Suburban Rush, Race the Rockies, Full Moon in June, ARC, and Inner Limits. We also had representatives from the Canadian Adventure Racing Association (CARA). Adventure racers can look forward to another great selection of races in 2007.

Nov 6, 2006
COMING SOON... SLIDE SHOW IN WHISTLER

Gary Robbins and his team Mind Over Mountain (Mark Fearman, Aimee Dunn, Niels Torp Madsen) will share their adventures at this year’s Primal Quest Adventure Race in Utah. Along with racers from all over the world, team Mind Over Mountain ran, biked, paddled and traversed over 800 km in 9 days, with only guts, determination and the aid of a map and compass. Considered by many to be the toughest adventure race out there, Primal Quest provides the ultimate test of athletes’ teamwork, endurance and mental toughness.

Team Mind Over Mountain was one of five Canadian teams. They finished 41st out of 89 teams, an impressive accomplishment considering the team had never raced together prior to Primal Quest and none of the team members had ever raced longer than 36 hours. Three of four team members had met and bonded through the local “Mind Over Mountain Adventure Racing” series and their shared love of the outdoors.

Details of this evening of camaraderie and inspiration are as follows:

November 15th (Wednesday)
Myrtle Philip Community Centre, Whistler, BC
7pm – 9:30 pm, Admission by donation
Awesome spot prizes
More info: robbins_gary@yahoo.ca

In addition, Marie-Anne Prevost will share her journey at the Kona Ironman

Oct 19, 2006
WHAT'S UP FOR MOMAR 2007?

The dates for the 2007 MOMAR season are now set and we are finalizing our new venues now. As I announced at the MOMAR Cumberland, we are heading to Squamish for the first MOMAR on May 12th.

We're still in the permitting phase but everything is coming together really well. Elite adventure racer, Jen Segger, has designed a killer course and it's going to be one heck of a race. We'll be announcing all the details by mid November so stay tuned.

I'm also working on a completely new course for the July 7th MOMAR in the Cowichan Valley. Stay tuned for more details on that one too.

Registration will open sometime in November and we'll be offering the Super Early Bird Race Vouchers as well so sign up early to save $$$!

Oct 19, 2006
MOMAR ON YouTube!

I was just browsing on YouTube.com and found that someone has posted an old MOMAR video on the site! The Crash Bandits are the stars of this video taken from the 2004 MOMAR Ladysmith (short course). It brings back a lot of great memories from a fantastic venue. We would love to go back there one day but due to land access restrictions during the peak fire season, we are not allowed to use some of the great trails up at Heart Lake and near the infamous SWAMP!

Oct 13, 2006
NEW PHOTOS FROM MOMAR UCLUELET

I have just posted some new photo galleries from this year's MOMAR Ucluelet. There are some amazing shots along the bouldery shoreline looking out to the Pacific Ocean; racers swimming across Spring Cove; digging for treasure; and posing like a whale/sea lion. Go to the PHOTOS page to check them out. Sorry for the delay in posting these up!

Oct 5, 2006
FOLLOW JEN SEGGER AT THE ADVENTURE XSTREAM IN UTAH

MOMAR racer, Jen Segger, is down in Moab racing in the AdventureXstream, a 300 mile expedition race. The race begins tonight at 7pm and runs until the 8th. You can follow Jen's team, the GoLite/Timberland, on the race website. Go Jen Go!

October 3 , 2006
MOMAR IN THE TIMES COLONIST

Gavin Fletcher and Rumon Carter power the slick Seaward Passat back to shore using 1.5 paddles after one broke on the first paddle leg (photo by Tony Austin)

There's a great article from the MOMAR in today's Victoria Times Colonist newspaper written by the paper's sports editor, Gavin Fletcher (pictured above in the front of the kayak). Gavin accounts his journey through his first adventure race with partner Rumon Carter. The article is on news stands today or you can read it online.

Oct 3 , 2006
MORE PHOTOS NOW ONLINE

The photos from last weekend's CP#8's "Pose Like a Rockstar" are now online. Good to see (almost) everyone got into the spirit of the 80's. There are some pretty funny shots in there.

I have also posted another photo gallery of photos from the Afterparty... some of the 80's outfits are very amusing...

Check them out on the Photo and Video page.

October 2 , 2006
RETURN TO THE 80's -- MOMAR STYLE

What a weekend! It was non-stop 80's fun at the final Mind Over Mountain Adventure Race of the 2007 season. This was our third consecutive sellout with over 250 people registered making it the most popular race in Canada!

Here's how it all went down:

Friday Night - Registration at the Riding Fool Hostel. Setting the tone for the weekend, racers were given free beer (provided by Phillips Brewing Co.).
Race Day - 8am - Race Map #1 is handed out showing the kayak stages and the mountain bike section.
9am - Race starts in the water for a 8km kayak on Comox Lake
9:48 - John Markez is the first to the beach
Race Map #2 is given out showing the locations of CP 3-10. Racers are required to self-navigate in an order they like.
Jason Sandquist and Normon Thibault are the fastest two out of the trek. Many teams made navigational mistakes that proved costly.
At CP 8 teams were required to "Pose like an 80's Rockstar"
CP 6 and 10 were the most challenging CPs on the trek.
CP 11, back to the kayak for a short 1.5 km paddle to CP 12.
Mystery Challenge - teams had to enter the obstacle course featuring potato sack hopping, a long log walk, and a cardboard walk...
On the bikes to CP 13 via Buggard Pig
20 minute hike-a-bike to the top of Bucket of Blood and CP 14. Everyone loves the Bucket...
CP 14 - Mystery Challenge - 80's Quiz...
CP 15 - More great single track riding on Soggy Biscuit and Matt's Trail.
CP 16 - Mystery Challenge - riding the BMX dirt jumps (did anyone get air?)
CP 17 - 19 - self navigation on the bike
CP 20 - Off the bike with the finish line in sight. Racers had to swim out to the log boom to get CP 20. COLD and exhausting, but all part of the adventure!
FINISH!
It was Normon Thibault with his second win of the the season and third in his career. Sarah Seads from Courtenay was the first solo female. In the team of two category, it was Team Mind Over Mountain winning the all male, Giddy Up winning the all female, and Team Trios taking the coed. In the team of four, it was Controlled Implosion winning the all male, Dukes of Hazard winning the all female, and Team Clueless winning the Coed.
The Gong Show (pictured above) won for best 80's costume and team spirit.
SOS (Sistas on Speed) won the "Team in Most Need of a Beer" donated by Phillips Brewing Co.
Up to Mount Washington Alpine Resort for the banquet dinner, awards presentations, and after-party.
Eileen Bistrisky was the winner of the Seaward Prize Package for solving one side of the Rubix Cube the fastest.
Megalicious played at the afterparty! So wicked!
We brought in professional breakdancers from Vancouver to surprise the crowd.
Dancing to 80's all night long...

What a great weekend! BIG thanks for all the racers, volunteers, sponsors, and land holders for being part of a very successful MOMAR!

Results are now online and Tony Austin's photos are also posted. More photos from CP 8 and from the afterparty will be up later today.

Thanks!!!
Bryan Tasaka
Race Director

Sept 26, 2006
ONLY THREE SPOTS LEFT FOR THE MOMAR

Yes, that's right, only three spots are left until the MOMAR Cumberland is SOLD OUT! 247 racers have already signed up including past champs like Normon Thibault, Jason Sandquist, and Jeremy Grasby. Also, after having a few kids, Michelle Steel is back to lead the coed 4 team Where's My Sherpa to the finish line. And in their first race since Primal Quest, Gary Robbins and Mark Fearman will be racing as Team MindOverMountain.com. Team Helly Hansen (Denis Fontaine and Adam Smith) will be gunning for first in the team of two category -- maybe even the overall title. And Vancouver restaurateur, Mark James, has just entered a team of four for this weekend's race. Over 320 people will be at the banquet and after-party too! AND we have just confirmed a VERY special AND COOL 80's addition to the after-party!!! I hope you find something 80's to wear because it's going to be RADICAL!

Sept 25, 2006
DAVE NORONA RACING IN AUSTRALIA

The MOMAR's most accomplished adventure racer, Dave Norona will be missing the final race of the series because he's in Perth, Australia, for a 12 day mountain bike stage race called the Gunbarrel Challenge. The MOMAR is a proud sponsor of Dave's adventure as he tackles over 1200km from Laverton to Ayers Rock and pursues the $25,000 first place prize!

The race begins on October 2nd and you can follow Dave's journey on his blog at davenorona.blogspot.com or go to www.davenorona.com.

Dave will be putting on a slide show in Vancouver and on the Island when he returns. More details will be posted on the MOMAR site.

Good luck Dave!!!

Sept 24, 2006
GETTING MUDDY WITH MY BUDDY

Team MOMAR (Bryan Tasaka and Aimee Dunn) was at the Muddy Buddy Ride and Run this Sunday and it was a ton of fun as usual. The race is organized by Teri and Grey Taylor (they also run the XTC Off Road Triathlon) and requires teams to two to ride and run through a 10km course. The catch is that each team only has one bike so when one rides the other runs. You basically end up 'leap frogging' each other until the end where you join back and up finish through the MUD PIT (see photo). You also run into other obstacles and challenges at each transition like running through tires, a balance beam, and one where we had to eat a dog biscuit! It was good to see a few MOMAR racers there too including Astrid Bontar and Brady Fleguel (they won the Coed category), Thomas Howard, and Duncan Coo. I've done this race for the past four years and it's one of my favorites. Be sure to put it on your calendar next year! http://www.covecommunications.ca/muddybuddy.htm.

Sept 22, 2006
MOMAR IN A WEEK

235 racers have signed up for the final MOMAR of the season making it the most popular adventure race in Canada! Registration is still open until Wednesday or until we hit 250. If you are racing, the "List of Registered Racers" has been updated and the Detail Racer Information Package" is also on the site. Go there.

Sept 18, 2006
FUN AT THE SAFARI ADVENTURE RACE

The MOMAR is proud to sponsor the SAFARI Adventure Racing Series. Their final race took place on Saturday and I was there to take part once again along with 48 others. the race started with a 5km paddle, then it a run up to Quarry Rock. Next, we were on our bikes for a 12km ride on the North Shore trails. Total distance was just over 20km. The night finished off with a good salmon dinner and awards. Even if you're an experienced MOMAR racers, this race is a ton of fun and I recommend you add it to your race schedule for next year. Thanks to Derek Oelemann and Eileen Bistrisky for the great day! For more info go to www.shortandfun.com.

Sept 17, 2006
NAVIGATE THE STREETS

MOMAR regulars Kavie Toor and Duncan Barber (Team K-Dawg and D-Schizzle) were the winners of the 3rd Annual Navigate the Streets race in Downtown Vancouver. Teams of two were required to solve 10 clues that would reveal the location of each checkpoint. They were allowed travel on foot or by public transit. Check out the photos and results on the website www.navigatethestreets.com. The event was a team fundraiser for the CIBC Run for the Cure.

Sept 14, 2006
WHO'S RACING THE MOMAR?

I have posted the "List of Racers" to the website. If you are racing, please click here and check that we have all your information correct. If something is highlighted yellow by your name, then please email me the info ASAP. Over 210 racers have signed up so far! Less than 40 spots are left before it's all sold out.

Sept 10, 2006
TEAM MOMAR SLIDE SHOW FROM PRIMAL QUEST

This Wednesday, Gary Robbins and his team Mind Over Mountain (Mark Fearman, Aimee Dunn, Niels Torp Madsen) will share their adventures at this year’s Primal Quest Adventure Race in Utah. Along with racers from all over the world, team Mind Over Mountain ran, biked, paddled and traversed over 800 km in 9 days, with only guts, determination and the aid of a map and compass. Considered by many to be the toughest adventure race out there, Primal Quest provides the ultimate test of athletes’ teamwork, endurance and mental toughness.

Team Mind Over Mountain was one of five Canadian teams. They finished 41st out of 89 teams, an impressive accomplishment considering the team had never raced together prior to Primal Quest and none of the team members had ever raced longer than 36 hours. Three of four team members had met and bonded through the local “Mind Over Mountain Adventure Racing” series and their shared love of the outdoors.

Details of this evening of camaraderie and inspiration are as follows:

Wednesday 13 September 06 – starts promptly at 7:00 p.m.
North Shore Athletics,
1200 Lonsdale Avenue, North Vancouver, BC

Admission is free to both members and non-members of Club Fat Ass, but all guests must pre-register online to insure a seat.

The 90 minute presentation will be followed by a brief Q and A session, time permitting. Refreshments and special Club discounts on running gear provided thanks to North Shore Athletics.

Sept 10, 2006 - SAFARI ADVENTURE RACE - The MOMAR is a proud sponsor of the SAFARI Adventure Racing Series. Their final race of the season is this Saturday, September 16th, in Deep Cove (North Vancouver). This race series is not only a great introduction to the MOMAR, but it's also a great training for the experienced racer too. The Safari is approximately 20km with Kayaking, Trail Running, and Mountain Biking as the disciplines. The course is completely marked so no navigation is required. There's also a BBQ dinner after so it's good and social. The MOMAR's Race Director will be racing too. For more info, go to www.shortandfunracing.com.

Sept 10, 2006 - NAVIGATE THE STREETS - The organizers of the MOMAR are proud to host the 3rd Annual Navigate the Streets on Sunday, Sept 17th, in Downtown Vancouver. Teams of 2 must solve 10 clues in order to find the checkpoints. Travel on foot or by public transportation. Lots of prizes!!! Check out the website for more details. www.navigatethestreets.com.

Sept 10, 2006 - STILL LOOKING FOR DOUBLE KAYAKS? - Are you still looking to rent a double kayak for the MOMAR Cumberland? If so, please email me and I'll TRY my best to round up another supplier. However, you may have to rent single boats instead if none can be found. Please email info@mindovermountain.com asap.

Sept 8, 2006 - 80% SOLD OUT - I was away for a week's vacation and I came back to a mailbox full of registration forms. We are now 80% full and there are a mere 50 spots left before we hit the 250 max. Plus, there are only a few days left before late fees begin so we may see the final 50 spots go by Monday. If you're thinking of racing, then don't delay. Register today!

For the 200 of you that have registered for the Cumberland MOMAR, I will be posting the LIST OF CONFIRMED RACERS sometime next week. The Detail Racer Info Package will also be posted to the website next week.

TRAINING... You may be interested in the following event in preparation for the MOMAR: The Perseverance Trail Run is coming to Cumberland on September 17th, 2006! The race starts at 11:00am with registration taking place between 9:30-10:45am at Miners Park in Cumberland. Get ready for breathtaking scenery and unforgettable views. Be prepared for pristine single track, winding cross-country trails and twisting forest paths. You can be sure there will be a few ups and downs. The annual Perseverance Trail Run is coming to Cumberland on September 17th, 2006! The race starts at 11:00am with registration taking place between 9:30-10:45am at Miners Park in Cumberland. This years event, sponsored by Extreme Runners, Equilibrium Lifestyle Management and Brooks, will feature 3k cross-country and 10k mountain run courses with proceeds donated to the Cumberland Community Forest Society. The cost is $15 for adults, $10 for kids and $35 for a family. Racers can look forward to a fantastic trail run, delicious post race food and fabulous draw prizes. A great way to spend the day with the whole family! Pick up registration forms at Extreme Runners, 436 5th st, or go to www.elmhealth.com to download the brochure and entry form.

Aug 25, 2006 -ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A DOUBLE KAYAK? - Double kayaks are the preferred boat when racing in a team of two or four. As a result, these boats book up really fast. Word on the street is that not many are left on the Island. I have just arranged for Alpha Adventures from the Sunshine Coast to bring a fleet of boats over for the Cumberland race. They have 9 doubles (6 fibreglass and 3 plastic) and lots of singles. They even have one of the highly coveted Seaward Passat. Call them ASAP as the doubles will go really quick. 604-885-8838.

Aug 21, 2006 - SELLING OUT QUICK - We are now 50% SOLD OUT for the final MOMAR of the season. Over 125 racers have registered for the race, including racers from Alberta and the US states of Oregon, Idaho, and Maryland. All the regulars will be there too! We have also filled all 80 of our volunteer positions. We never have any trouble getting volunteers for this race because the after-party is so much fun. Be sure to check out the photos from last year's race to get a taste of what it's like. If you are thinking of registering, please note that LATE FEES begin on September 10th and with the current pace of registration we may even sell out before then. REGISTER NOW!

At the 2004 MOMAR Cumberland, racers had to come up with an EXTREME YOGA pose for the camera. Here's what Team Phat 'n' Dirty with Spirit came up with...

Aug 18, 2006 - TROOPER at MOMAR CUMBERLAND!!! - A live band has been secured for our all 80's after-party! Three members from the Canadian band Trooper (ie Raise A Little Hell and We're Here for a Good Time) along with another lead singer will be belting out all the best in 80's music. 80's attire is strongly encouraged all weekend long!

Aug 11, 2006 - MOMAR MATCHMAKERS - One of the defining elements to the MOMAR experience is the social and friendly aspect amongst the racers and volunteers. It is well known that the MOMAR after-party brings a lot of people together and many have gone on to dating and even marriage.

We would like to congratulate, long time MOMAR racers, Jamin Davis and Stephanie Masterman, on their engagement. Jamin and Stephanie met at the MOMAR Schelet in 2004 and started dating soon after. This past weekend, they were up at the Raid the North in Kamloops for a 36 hour expedition race that has always been a goal of Steph's. So, Jamin along with two other teammates raced will Steph and they finished! It was also Steph's birthday on the day they crossed the finish line. And to make it even more memorable, Jamin asked Steph to marry him to which she replied "of course!". Great story!

We would also like to congratulate Dan Kuchurka and Natasha Phelan who were married in July. Dan and Natasha met at the Ladysmith MOMAR back in 2003.

Aug 10, 2006 - TRAINING: With the MOMAR Cumberland less than two months away, it's time for you to get serious about your training! There are a few great training opportunities for you to consider. The first is the MOMAR 101 Clinics which take place in Victoria, Duncan, Squamish, Vancouver, Nanaimo, and Courtenay. Click here for more info.

For those of you in the Vancouver area, there are only three more weeks of the Thursday Night Paddle and Orienteering Training nights at Jericho. The night is great training, social, and fun.

WHEN: Every Thursday Night
TIME: 6:00-6:30pm check in; 7:00pm race start;
WHERE: Jericho Beach Park (by Ecomarine and the Jericho Sailing Centre)
COST: $4 to race + kayak rental. Kayaks may book up so call ahead and reserve your boat. Call Ecomarine Jericho at 604-222-3565 to book. Don’t be late. Ecomarine will not rent boats past 6:30pm.
DIRECTIONS: Click here for a Google map
BEER & NATCHOS: Yes, we’ll head up to the Galley’s patio for some refreshments after.
MORE INFO: Call Marc Campbell at 604-762-0773

July 31, 2006 - MOMAR CUMBERLAND: Registraiton for the final MOMAR of the season is coming in steady and I predict a sell out by early September. If you're thinking of racing, then please register asap. Book your accommodations now too. And as for kayak rentals, don't bother asking for a double Seaward Passat because they are most likely all rented. Remember, it's going to be a full on 80's theme so let's see your spirit for both during the race and at the afterparty!

July 28th, 2006 - PADDLE NIGHT FUN - It was a perfect evening of paddle training at Jericho Beach in Vancouver last night. Regular MOMAR racers like Eileen Bistrisky, Marshall House, Cam Towill, and Tim Logie were just a few who showed up for the 7km kayak race along the shores of Kits Beach. Prizes were given out including some gift certificates to the MOMAR. And then we all went up to the Galley's patio for beer and natchos. The Thursday Paddle Nights are a lot of fun and everyone is welcome. Ecomarine rents boats so you want to get there by 6pm before they sell out (or call for a reservation). The race starts at 7pm sharp from the Jerihco Sailing Centre. Cost is $4 for the race.

July 4, 2006: FINISHED!!!: Team MindOverMountain.com completes the Primal Quest Expedition Race! Aimee, Gary, Mark and Niels finished in 41st place against the world's best. They were one of five Canadian teams in the 92 team field. The race took them 8 DAYS of non-stop racing! Way to go guys! We are very proud of you! Go to www.ecoprimalquest.com to read race reports, view photos, and be sure to check out the very cool GPS tracking showing their course route.

July 4, 2006 -- MOMAR eNewsletter: The July issue of the MOMAR eNewsletter is now online! Click HERE to check it out.

June 30, 2006 -- PRIMAL QUEST UPDATE #2: Team MindOverMountain.com is now five days into the Primal Quest and they are doing great. They are currently sitting in 33rd place (not bad considering the best teams in the world are there). Only 44 of the 89 teams are currently on still active on the original course. Some teams missed cut off and are doing a shortened version of the race. Everyone is routing for the team to make it through the upcoming mountain stage. Team Nike-Powerblast is leading and should be finished the race by the end of the day. Team MOMAR may have a few more days to go. The GPS tracking of the teams is fantastic to watch. Go to www.ecoprimalquest.com to track the team. Be sure to sign their 'guestbook' because at CP 29, the team will get a printout of all the messages.

June 30, 2006 - UPCOMING RACES: The final race in the Frontrunners GutBuster Trail Running Series is on Sunday, July 16th in Nanaimo. The race features an 8km and a Half Marathon course. Both courses are incredibly scenic with tons of great single track. Go to www.gutbustertrailrun.com.

The SAFARI Adventure Race is on Saturday, July 22nd, in Ladysmith, BC. This 2-3 hour race is like a mini MOMAR with a well marked race course and lots of fun mystery events. This race is both competitive and fun. Check it out at www.shortandfun.com.

June 30, 2006 -- MORE PHOTOS FROM THE MOMAR:

Frontrunners Normon Thibault is all smiles upon crossing the finish line at the Duncan MOMAR this past weekend (photo by Sheri Cormie)

Michelle and Angela from The Panty Ho's won the Spirit Award and the Phillip's Team In Most Need of A Beer.

No, this wasn't a mystery event! The crowd was surprised by Fire Dancers at dusk. The performance was HOT!

The last of the MOMAR volunteers and racers at the wee hours of the after-party just before chowing down on the late night smokies.

June 25, 2006 -- PRIMAL QUEST UPDATE #1: Team MindOverMountain.com is battling through the Primal Quest Expedition Race in Utah. This 10 day, 800km, race is the toughest on earth! Go to www.ecoprimalquest.com and follow their progress. Each team is being tracked via GPS so it's pretty cool to watch their route choice. They are doing well so far and are currently in 42nd place. Go Aimee, Mark, Gary, and Niels!!!

June 25, 2006 -- MOMAR DUNCAN RESULTS (Photos by Tony Austin):

This was the 20th edition of the MOMAR in seven years and we had incredible weather to mark the milestone. Frontrunners Nanaimo co-owner, Normon Thibault, who won the race back in 2001 and has raced in 14 since, finally reclaimed the overall title on what was the fastest course to date. Finishing with a blistering time of 3:13:44, Thibault shot past Jason Sandquist in the final Orienteering Stage of the race. It was a tight pack of leaders with six teams all finishing within seven minutes of each other. Team Wild Rose was the top team of two and team Giddy Up from Whistler was the top team of four. Astrid Bontar was the fastest female solo of the day with a time of 5:03:10.

The race started with a 10km kayak in Maple Bay. After a short run, racers were on their bikes for a big climb gaining 500m of elevation. Halfway up at CP 5, The Playground, offered up encouragement and chocolate. Once at the top, racers had to cross The Swamp to pick up three mystery checkpoints before continuing on with the self navigation trek to CPs 9-13. At CP 11, racers were offered ice cold beer from the Cal Kaiser's Remax CP. It was a welcomed treat as was the spectacular view of the Cowichan Valley.

Back on the bike racers rode some of Tzouhalem's best single-track trails. CP 16 was sponsored by Valley Health and Fitness where racers had another great view, offered Coke and Gummy Bears, and had to do a mystery event on the exercise balls. From CP 16, it was FAST decent on the Church Road to CP 17. Carl Coger of the VictOrienteers mapped out an orienteering map of the trails in Providence Farm. Racers had to collect seven CPs and find the finish. It was challenging and required some serious bushwacking with many coming out with legs nice and bloody.

BLOODY… This is a photo of Jason Sanquist's legs after crashing through the brambleberry and salal bushes and tackling the barbed wire fence (photo by Alison Keple)

The finish line had a great vibe with the tunes playing, hot dogs and hamburgers on the BBQ, and a beer garden (we went through 2.5 kegs before the dinner even started!).

Then it was on to the PARTY. The band Emerson Avenue played all through dinner and were awesome. Dinner featured a delicious Spring Salmon and Baron of Beef buffet. At the awards ceremony we gave out tons of awards and draw prizes. The Panty Ho's took home the Spirit Award and the Phillip's Team in Most Need of a Beer. Doug Doyle was honoured for perseverance after dumping his kayak four times. I also forgot to mention that Ian Beverage from Team Dudes 42 (photo below) severely sprained his ankle at CP 12 yet still managed to complete the remaining 15 CPs. WOW!

After the awards ceremony, Fire Dancers surprised the crowd with a exciting performance and then it was on to the dance party that lasted until 3:30am. Oh and there were Smokies at midnight!

BIG thanks goes out to all the volunteers, land holders, sponsors, and racers for helping make our 20th race a big success!

Next race is in Cumberland on September 30th. This race has sold out for the past two years and it will again. Register early so you don't miss out on the 80's FUN.

For final results and photos click here.

Thank you!
Bryan Tasaka & the MOMEC crew

June 20, 2006 -- REGISTERED RACERS: Please go to the MOMAR 002 page for updated information.

June 13, 2006 -- REGISTERED RACERS: Are you racing the Duncan MOMAR on June 24th? A "List of Registered Racers" is now on the site for you to review. I have also added some new information about the race. Registration is still open and last day to register is Tuesday, June 20th. Don't miss the celebration of the 20th MOMAR! Extra special after-party and a very different course route. Challenging and fun!

THE BERG MOMAR: The new MOMAR mountain bike built by Berg Bikes was unveiled at the last MOMAR. It's the ultimate bike for adventure racing complete with top of the line components and a custom paint job! It's a work of art! Check it out at www.bergbikes.com.

PRIMAL QUEST: Team Mind Over Mountain leaves for Utah next week to prepare for the biggest expedition race in the world. Primal Quest will take teams up to 10 days to complete the 800km course. Aimee Dunn, Mark Fearman, Gary Robbins, and Niels Torp Madsen make up the team and the MOMAR will be following them daily. Check the starting on June 25th for complete play by play updates. www.ecoprimalquest.com. Good luck team!!!

May 20/06 -- TRAINING CLINICS RESCHEDULED: The MOMAR 101 clinics scheduled for Victoria and Courtenay have been rescheduled. The Victoria Clinic will now be held on Saturday, June 10th, and the Courtenay clinic will be held on Saturday, May 27th. Click here for more details.

May 20/06 -- VANCOUVER ADVENTURE RACING TRAINING NIGHTS: The MOMAR is proud to sponsor Adventure Racing Training Nights every Thursday at Jericho Beach in Vancouver. Based from Ecomarine at the Jericho Sailing Club, every night will feature a 4-6km paddle race and on special nights, we will also have a short running, orienteering, or mountain bike component as well. And, of course, it wouldn't be a MOMAR event without beer and food. So, once we're all done with our training, join us on the patio of The Gallery for beer and natchos. Fun and Social! You must reserve your boat by calling (604) 222-3565. Arrive by 6:30am. Race starts at 7:00pm. For more info, call Marc Campbell at (604) 762-0773 or email him at marc@mindovermountain.com.

May 20/06 -- MOMAR IN THE NEWS: Frontrunners' athlete Rumon Carter (below) has posted up a great post-race Ucluelet report on his BLOG. Read all about how Rumon ended up at CP 21 wearing only a towel. Other articles on the race can be found at www.westcoaster.ca and from The Westerly newspaper.

May 14/06 -- FINAL RESULTS NOW AVAILABLE: Congratulations to all of the racers for coming out and taking on the challenges of the first MOMAR of the season! The weather gods were amazing as can be seen from the great photos taken by Tony Austin. The overall winners were Tasha Dilay and Todd Nowak from "Hey, Where's Our Teammates?" with a time of 4:36:38. This is the first Co-ed team to ever win a MOMAR. Race results are now posted. A complete race report will be coming soon. Thanks to all the volunteers, sponsors, racers, and to everyone in the Village of Ucluelet for making this race a big success!

From Bubalus Bubalis (aka The Water Buffaloes) Marilene Pomerleau helps teammate Billy Adams across the surprise 50m swim across Spring Cove. The Water Buffaloes also won the award for most Team Spirit.

May 10/06 -- MOMAR UCLUELET MEDIA COVERAGE: Our sponsor, A-Channel will be up covering the event so tell your friends and family to watch Saturday's news (Channel 12 for most). Also, a local Tofino resident, Jacqueline Windh, will be racing solo and reporting on her first adventure race experience. Check out Jacqueline's first three preview reports on www.sleepmonsters.ca (go to race reports) and find out more about the area and her thoughts about racing. She will also be posting up reports on Friday and on Saturday immediately following the event so this is another great way for friends and family at home hear all about the race in (almost) real time.

May 10/06 -- TRAINING CLINICS: The next round of MOMAR 101 clinics begin on May 20th. Please register asap as we need at least four people per clinic to make them a go. Go to the Training Page for more information.

May 3/06 -- ATTENTION UCLUELET RACERS: The Detailed Racer Information Package and The List of Racers are now online. Go to the MOMAR_001 Ucluelet page to download the documents. By now, you should have all your logistics worked out and ready for a great weekend. Rain or shine, this race is going to be spectacular! Registration is still open for those of you last minute types, but you only have until Wednesday, May 10th, to register and you can only register online at this point.

We are also excited to have 3/4 of Team MindOverMountain.com racing at the MOMAR. They will be using this race as a warm up for the 10 day 800km Primal Quest Expedition Race that's taking place in Utah on June 25th. This is the biggest race in the world and will be televised on CBS. Check out their team page for more info.

May 1/06 -- It was wet and muddy day at this past weekend's Suburban Rush. It was a good test of our early season fitness as the 30km mountain bike and trail run had plenty of uphill. MOMAR's race director, Bryan Tasaka, raced with Amy Tabata and this was the debut of the new MOMAR bike jerseys!

April 17/06 -- A MESSAGE FROM THE RACE DIRECTOR: It's a wild experience being on the edge of the Pacific Ocean with the crashing waves, soaring eagles, barking sea lions, and friendly bears and wolves ;0). I'm up here staying in the Tauca Lea Resort and Spa (the official accommodation of the MOMAR) and I have finished the course design for the upcoming Ucluelet race! For those of you that have signed up for this race, you're in for a treat as I have discovered some really cool features, trails, and viewpoints and have worked them into the new and improved race route. The course will net out to 50km with 25km of biking, 15km on foot, and 10km of kayaking. You can also expect some great mystery challenges that will be both fun and educational.

We're also working on making the after-party bigger and better. We have a great dinner planned and a new indoor venue. We may even get a live band if we can find a good one.

And a reminder… be sure to show your SPIRIT at the Ucluelet MOMAR. The team with the best costume and spirit will win a weekend stay at the Tauca Lea Resort and Spa (Value of $500+)! Late registration fees begin on April 23rd so be sure to send in your entry early to save $$$.

April 11/06 -- The new website for Navigate the Streets is now online! The date for this exciting urban challenge is Sunday, September 17th, 2006. Registration is open! Sign up today as spots are limited and we expect to sell out quick. [+]

April 2/06 -- The second race in the Frontrunners GutBuster Trail Running Series wll be happening on Saturday, April 15th in Duncan. Two course 6km & 11km. Great views and wicked singl-track! If you are thinking about doing the Duncan MOMAR then this is a good chance to see what Mt. Tzouhalem is like. [+]

April 2/06 -- The first round of MOMAR 101 clinics are filling up fast. Only a few spots remain for the Vancouver, Victoria, and Duncan clinics. The April MOMAR 210 (Getting Faster on the Water) clinic filled up but another session may be added. Call Ocean River Sports for more details.

April 2/06 -- LATE FEES for the MOMAR Ucluelet begin on April 23rd. Please register early to save $$$.

March 26/06 -- Frontrunners and Ocean River Sports is proud to present "An Evening of Adventure Racing" featuring a inspiring slide show from eight time MOMAR champ Dave Norona. From the jungles of Borneo, to the ice fields of Alaska, to mountain tops of New Zealand, join Dave on this multimedia adventure as he takes you on an inspiring and exciting journey from his years of international adventure racing.

+ In Nanaimo on Wednesday, March 29th, 7-9pm @ Frontrunners
+ In Victoria on Thursday March 30th, 7-9pm @ Ocean River Sports

We will also be presenting a seminar on everything you need to know to do your first MOMAR. In this informative seminar, we will provide an overview of everything you'll need to know to get you to the start line of the MOMAR. We'll cover gear requirements, training tips, what to eat and drink during your race, and navigation. We'll even have sample maps from past MOMARs to show you what you can expect.

Click here for more info.

March 13/06 -- Our email server was down on Wed, March 8 and on Sunday, March 12th, if you emailed the MOMAR on either of those dates and did not receive a reply, please resend your message. Sorry for the inconvenience.

March 12/06 -- Team MOMAR was at the final race of the Yeti Snowshoe Series at Cypress Mountain this past weekend. It was another great race and lots of fun. Our team was made up of (l-r) Bryan Tasaka, Marshall House, Derek Oelmann, Tim Logie, Pat Weinmeyr, and Chelsea Greene. Derek, Pat and Tim were the top three males in the Male Open category of the 5km division and Team MOMAR was the top team (there were only two teams though). Click here for more photos from the day.

March 6/06 -- The brand new MOMAR custom bike jersey is now available for purchase! We expect these to go quick as only 35 jerseys will be sold. We will guarantee sizing if you order by March 31st. You will receive them in time for the first MOMAR in May. $85+tax. Click here to see what they look look like.

March 5/06 -- The 2006 MOMAR Training Clinics Schedule is now available. We are offering clinics in Vancouver, Victoria, Courtenay, Duncan, Nanaimo, and Squamish before every MOMAR. We have specific clinics to teach you how paddle faster as well as an intro to mountain biking. And the ever popular MOMAR 101 clinic is back. This is the one that will give you the knowledge and confidence to get to the start line of the MOMAR and navigate your way to success! Clinics start in April. Click here for more info.

March 1/06 -- Mind Over Mountain is proud to be sponsoring two teams that will be competing against the world's best racers at two of the biggest races in North America! We have one team going to Primal Quest on June 26 and another heading to National Adventure Racing Championships on May 28. Both teams feature many long time MOMAR racers like Aimee Dunn, Tasha Dilay, Carol Tickner, Roger McLeod and Gary Robbins. Look for both teams to be competing at the May 13th MOMAR as a tuneup before heading off for their big race. Click here to read more about the teams!

Feb 26/06 -- We would like to give a warm welcome to all of our NEW MOMAR sponsors for the 2006 season! Joining us at the Gold Level are A-Channel and Black Press (formerly the Newsgroup). And at the Silver Level we have Berg Bikes, Majestic Ocean Kayaking & B&B, Sandman Inn and Warmland Dental Centre! We would also like to welcome back all our previous sponsors for another exciting year of the MOMAR! Click here to find out more about all our sponsors.

Feb 26/06 -- Team MOMAR was at the Yeti Snowshoe Race at Mt. Seymour this past weekend. The course had tons of snow, plenty of great single-track trails and featured a challenging hill climb to the top of Dinky Peak where we had an incredible of the City. Our team raced in the 5km category and took home the Gold! Bonnie Wong and Bonnie Ervin were first in their category and Jeanne Kim placed third. The next Yeti is on March 11th at Cypress Mountain. I recommend it to all! For more info go to www.theyeti.ca.

L-R - Stephanie Masterman, Bryan Tasaka, Jeanne Kim, Bonny Ervin, Shawn Leclair, and the Yeti. (Missing, Bonnie Wong)

Feb 19/06 -- Here's a photo taken from Salt Spring Island looking across to Maple Bay and Mt. Tzouhalem which is once again the setting for the MOMAR in Duncan on June 24th. This race has it all--great single-track mountain biking, tricky navigation on the trek, fun bushwacking, slippery beach running, swamps, and lots of great scenery.

Feb 13/06 - One of the best ways to learn all about the MOMAR experience is to read previous Race Reports. Go to the Racer Info>Race Results page and browse through them all. Be sure to check out the party pix too while you're at it.

Feb 08/06 - Be sure to make the Frontrunners GutBuster Trail Running Series part of your training program this year! Each race features a short (5km - 10km) and long course (10km to Half Marathon). Tons of great prizes, spectacular terrain, and lots of fun. The series kicks off on March 25 in Victoria.

Feb 02/06 - The MOMAR 101 clinics will be offered 4-6 weeks before each MOMAR in Victoria, Duncan, Nanaimo, Vancouver and Squamish. More details to come so stay tuned!

Feb 02/06 - I found this analogous to adventure racing and especially the MOMAR because of our infamous after-parties… As explained by Cliff Clavin, of Cheers --- One afternoon at Cheers, Cliff Clavin was explaining the Buffalo Theory to his buddy Norm. Here's how it went: "Well ya see, Norm, it's like this... A herd of buffalo can only move as fast as the slowest buffalo. And when the herd is hunted, it is the slowest and weakest ones at the back that are killed first This natural selection is good for the herd as a whole, because the general speed and health of the whole group keeps improving by the regular killing of the weakest members. In much the same way, the human brain can only operate as fast as the slowest brain cells. Excessive intake of alcohol, as we know, kills brain cells. But naturally, it attacks the slowest and weakest brain cells first. In this way, regular consumption of beer eliminates the weaker brain cells, making the brain a faster and more efficient machine. That's why you always feel smarter after a few beers."

Jan 18/06 - I'm currently in Ucluelet, BC, meeting with the community and planning the first MOMAR of the season. After days and days of rain, I woke up to clear skies and a wicked view of Mt. Ozzard and Ucluelet harbour--two places racers can expect to travel on May 13th! I also went for a fantastic run on the Wild Pacific Trail where the waves of the Pacific Ocean were crashing on the rugged shoreline. Wow! I strongly encourage all of you to make the trip to the West Coast for the first race of the season! If we get the weather, it will be a race you'll never forget! -- Cheers, Bryan

A view from the Majestic B&B looking out onto Ucluelet harbour and Mt. Ozzard (right).

Jan 15/06 - The first race in the Yeti Snowshoe Series is this Saturday at Mt. Washington. Experience the fun of running on snow. Check it out at the www.theyeti.ca

Jan 6/06- Back in 2002 at the Cumberland MOMAR, one of the mystery events required racers to come up with 3 reasons why adventure racing is better than SEX. Well, I found those forms and though I would post the funniest 25 for you to read. Check them out at the Sleepmonsters website. www.sleepmonsters.ca

Jan 1/06 - Happy New Year! We bring in 2006 with the launch of the 7th season of the MOMAR and a brand new website. We have three exciting races planned with the adventure starting in Ucluelet in May, then Duncan in June, and finally we end it in Cumberland in September. Now is the time to start organizing your teammates and your training schedule. Registration is now open and we are featuring a discount for those teams that sign up for all three races at once. Stay tuned for lots of exciting MOMAR news in the coming months and be sure to sign up for the eNewsletter. All the best in 2006!

Dec 13/05 - The Super Early Bird Promotion ($99/voucher) ends on Friday, December 16th. All orders mailed and post-marked by Friday will be honoured.

Oct 28th - New photos taken by Normon Thibault from the Cumberland Post Race Party are now on the Frontrunners' website site. Check out the fun...

Oct 27th - Check out the new edition of the MOMAR eNewsletter. Click here.

Oct 25th - The Post Race Report for the Cumberland race is now up. Click here.

Oct 25th - Past MOMAR racer and now expedition racer, Jen Segger, will be in Duncan on November 8th, presenting a inspiring slides show on her race across the Sahara Desert.

Oct 25th - Need a winter AR fix? Check out the BEAST in Seattle on December 4th.

Oct 13th - If you raced the MOMAR Cumberland, then you received the exclusive flyer for a great promotional rate on the 2006 season. This promo is HOT and we expect to sell out soon. Send your order in today!

Oct 13th - The tentative schedule for 2006 MOMAR season has now been announced! The season begins with a return to the wild West Coast of Vancouver Island (Ucluelet) on May 13th. Next up is MOMAR Duncan on June 24th for the 7th year in a row! And finally the season wraps up in Cumberland on September 30th. More details will released in the coming weeks. Stay tuned and be sure to join our mailing list (see above) to receive your monthly MOMAR eNewsletter! Official Registration will open in January 2006.

Oct 13th - The 2006 Frontrunners GutBuster Trail Running Series schedule is now posted. Be sure to make the GutBuster part of your training program. Five races all on Vancouver Island!

Oct 13th - The Sleepmonsters.ca website has a few post-race reports from the Cumberland MOMAR. Click here to check them out.

Oct 2nd- Team 24 Hours (Ryan Ervin & Andrew Clarke) are the new champions of the MOMAR! Click here for full race results.

Sept 27th - SOLD OUT!!! If you would like to be put on a waiting list, please call 250-715-8933.

Sept 22nd - 246 racers are signed up for the final MOMAR on October 1st. We were able to increase our cap to 250 so that means only 4 spots are left before registration closes! If you are interested in racing, please register NOW or you'll have to wait until next year! To view the current list of racers, please click here.

Sept 14th - Get Inspired! MOMAR racer Jen Segger will share her amazing story of racing across the Sahara Desert in the Marathon des Sables. Wed, Sept 21st in Vancouver. Click here to view the event poster (PDF).

Sept 13th - SPECIAL PROMO #4. As an added incentive, the next two teams of 2 from the Lower Mainland that signs up ONLINE wins a free double kayak rentals (Seaward Passats!) from Deep Cove Canoe and Kayaks for the race! We all know how difficult double fiberglass kayaks (especially the Passats) are to come by so this promotion will go quick! Thanks to Bob for the great prize! Deep Cove Kayaks is also having their annual gear sale this weekend so be sure to check it out. Go to www.deepcovekayak.com for more details.

Sept 5th - Due to popular demand, another MOMAR 101 Clinic date has been added in Duncan on Sept 17th. More info.

Sept 5th - The final MOMAR of the season is now 80% full. Don't delay in registering for the best race of the series! We expect to sell out in the next week.

Sept 1st - SPECIAL PROMO #3 Free entry into the MOMAR 101 course this September 24th (Duncan ONLY) for the next rookie team of two, or rookie individual who signs up online for the MOMAR Cumberland.

Aug 30th - Sept 1st is the final day to register for the MOMAR Cumberland before late fees kick in.

Marshall House, Kirsten Lane, The Brown Stripes, and the Porn Stars were the winners of the a special edition MOMAR Helly Hansen tech top.

If anyone is having difficulty finding double kayaks to rent for the Oct 1 MOMAR, please email me as I may have some options.

Aug 13th - I NEED A FAVOUR... - Hey everyone! The Georgia Straight has added "Best Adventure Race" to the ballot for their Best of Vancouver list. If you think the MOMAR is the best race, please take a few minutes to fill out the form. It's quick and easy and you can also vote for the best bike shop (how about Reckless Cycles?) and best BC Microbrewry (Phillips Brewing Co) while you're at it. Voting is open until August 31st. Click here to vote!

Aug 10th - SPECIAL PROMO #2 - The first promo went so well that we are going to offer it again starting today. The first solo racer (male and female), team of 2, and team of 4 that signs up online will receive a free MOMAR Helly Hansen Lifa Versa Tech tops (valued at $50) for each member of the team! Don't delay, sign up today!

Aug 10th - UPDATE - Another MOMAR 101 Clinic has been added in Vancouver on Thursday, Sept 14th from 5-9pm. The other dates for the one-day MOMAR Training Clinics are Sept 24th (Duncan) and Vancouver (Sept 17th). Each clinic is only $25 and is limited to 8 people. Register Early! Click here for more info.

Aug 10th - Remember that late registration begins on Sept 2nd!

Aug 5th - Billy Adams, Russ Hay's, and Team Stinky were the first to register following the Helly Hansen promo. Each team member won a Sepcial Edition MOMAR HH LIfa Versa top.

July 27th - SPECIAL PROMO! The next solo racer, team of 2 AND team of 4 that signs up online for the MOMAR Cumberland will receive free MOMAR - Helly Hansen Lifa Versa tech top for the entire team. Value $50/shirt! First come first serve!

July 26th - The Post Race Report from the MOMAR Sechelt is now up along with photos from the after-party. Click here.

July 26th - Time to get ready for the final MOMAR of the season on October 1st in Cumberland. This one is the most popular of the series and will sell out soon! Only 200 spots available! Get organized! Register, book your kayak and accommodations, and sign up for a clinic! New info posted on the MOMAR_004 page.

July 18th - Sunny skies, tough course, and one great summer party... Jason Sandquist of Duncan wins his first MOMAR! Full results.

July 18th - Mind Over Mountain Event Co. Ltd. has been contracted to organize the Navigate the Streets race in Vancouver on Saturday, August 27th. Teams of two must solve clues to figure out the location of the 10 checkpoints. Travel on foot or public transportation. Over 200 teams expected. Super fun race! Go to www.navigatethestreets.com for more info.

May 30th - Check out Triathlete Magazine Online to read Frontrunners', Normon Thibault, racer report from the Ucluelet MOMAR. Click Here.

May 30th - The fourth race of the Frontrunners GutBuster Trail Running Series takes place on June 11th in Victoria on Mt. Douglas. Two great course (5 & 11km) complete with sweet trails and breathtaking panoramic views. Great training for the MOMAR! Click here for more details.

May 20th - Three post race reports are now up. Read Ina Ervin, Tom Jareki, and Race Director, Bryan Tasaka's report on the Ucluelet MOMAR. Click Here.

May 20th - Mind Over Mountain Event Co. Ltd. has been contracted to organize the Navigate the Streets race in Vancouver on Saturday, August 27th. Teams of two must solve clues to figure out the location of the 10 checkpoints. Travel on foot or public transportation. Over 200 teams expected. Super fun race! Go to www.navigatethestreets.com for more info.

May 16th - Helly Hansen athlete, Dave Norona, wins his 8th MOMAR title. This was the first adventure race on the West Coast of the Island and we had 157 racers start the longest MOMAR in history (53km) -- all but four teams finished. The results are now posted along with photos by Tony Austin. More photos and a complete post race report to follow by Wednesday. Thanks for everyone for making this all happen especially the Ucluelet community. Click here to view.

May 3rd - The third race of the Frontrunners GutBuster Trail Running Series takes place on May 7th in Duncan on Mt. Tzouhalem. Two great course (6 & 12km) on the most scenic course in the series. Great training for the MOMAR! Click here for more details.

May 3rd - FOR SALE! It's unfortunate but the time has come!!! The mighty RED BARON (a Necky kevlar / carbon NOOTKA race lay up double kayak) is up for sale This boat is 3 years old and has been seen in almost all MOMAR races finishing in the top 10 in most of them. She is light, fast, sleek and stable and a perfect double kayak for any adventure racer who competes in pairs or 4'S For more information and a price please email dave@aquaventuresales.com It is priced to sell so don¹t miss out on an amazing race boat that can be used for touring and day tripping as well. Click here to see the photo.

April 21st - New Navigation clinics will be offered in Vancouver and Duncan on April 30th and May 1st. Click here for more details.

April 6th - The Post Race Report for the MOMAR_001 is now up. Read all about the race! CLICK HERE.

April 6th - The new edition of the MOMAR eNewsletter is now available. Read the field report from Ucluelet, the ALS Challenge, and great listing of cool events coming soon. CLICK HERE.

April 6th - The second race of the Frontrunners GutBuster Trail Running Series takes place on April 9th at Royal Roads University. Two great course (5 & 11km) through the campus trails. Click here for more details.

March 31st - Shaw's "The Daily" was out filming the MOMAR in Maple Bay on the weekend. It will air this weekend starting at 6pm on Friday in Victoria and the Cowichan Valley and will repeat throughout the weekend. It may also air in Nanaimo and Vancouver.

March 29th - The following kayak companies have just announced that they are delivering boats for the Ucluelet MOMAR: Alberni Outpost, Cowichan Bay Kayaking, Comox Valley Kayaking, and Ocean River Sports. Click here for contact info. Remember that regular registration ends on April 14th so send in your entry before the fees go up!

March 27th - Race results are now posted on the results page. A full race report will follow soon. Thanks to all the racers, land holders, sponsors, and volunteer for being part of the first race of the season. All the amazing photos shot by Tony Austin are now on his website.

March 24th - Check out the Yeti Ascent on April 16th. This event will take you from Deep Cove through the beautiful trails of the North Shore up to Mount Seymour where you will grab your pack with snowshoes or tag your relay partner to continue through BC Parks trails up to the snowline. Once there you will transition into your snowshoes and head up to Pump Peak where you will not only reach the 4500' of elevation but you will also get to experience the amazing views! After you have reached the peak and checkpoint you will then make your way back down to the transition area and get out of your snowshoes and head back down the trails to finish at the parking lot level of Mount Seymour. www.theyeti.ca

March 9th - Join us at Ocean River Sports in Victoria for an informal and informative night of adventure racing. MOMAR will be there will maps from previous races and will answer all your questions on tackling your first adventure race. We will also be screening the Adventure Racing 101 DVD and the 2003 MOMAR Race Video. Draw prizes! Tuesday, March 15th at 7:00pm. For more info, 250-381-4233 or click here