Just like the MOMAR racer, I too have to make some tough choices.  The big one for me was the decision to forgo the Burnaby MOMAR and only offer the race in Cumberland.  The MOMAR has been in Cumberland for 12 of our 13 years and it’s always a big success.  The community and trails are first class all the way and the party never misses.  Saturday, September 21st, 2013, is the date — mark it in your calendar.

We had two great years in Burnaby with challenging courses, fantastic trails, and many amazing memories.  However, in the end, the numbers just didn’t add up and we had to make the difficult decision to let it go.  It was a tough call because Gary and I had a good plan for another course that would have used some cool new terrain.

I would like to extend a BIG thanks to Matthew Coyne at Tourism Burnaby for inviting us to Burnaby and making it all happen. Thanks to the City of Burnaby and Simon Fraser University for granting us permission to race on their trails. Thanks to Magnus Johansson and the GVOC for designing the awesome orienteering stage on the SFU campus!  And a big final thanks to my good buddy, Gary Robbins, for your awesome course design and management!

Now with all our adventure eggs in one basket, the Cumberland MOMAR will be capped at 350 racers and with only one MOMAR, I’m predicting an early sell out.  With the Cumberland race, you can count on another fun Friday night registration night at the Riding Fool Hostel complete with a free beer and a goodie laden swag bag.  We promise you another stellar course with lots of navigational choices,  sweet single-track riding, and non-stop adventure.  No, there won’t be any contrived obstacles, just you and the challenges of the wild Cumberland wilderness.  And we’ll celebrate your day in a big way at the award winning after-party!

We hope that you will make this MOMAR part of your adventurous plans for 2013!  We hope that you will rally your couch potato friends to join your team.

Registration is open. Be there or be square.

Yours in adventure,

Bryan Tasaka
Race Director

Wow! Wow! Wow!  What a year. 13 years in the bag and so many great moments to add to memory bank.  A big BIG thanks goes out to our talented team of photographers who came out and captured the MOMAR experience.

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#1 – CLASS PHOTO – photo by Mark Teasdale (top) and Dave Silver (bottom)

The racers and volunteers pose for the group shot minutes before the start of MOMAR Burnaby (top) and MOMAR Cumberland (bottom).  For many, this will be the last time them smile until they cross the finish line… :0)

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#2 – MERRELL TECH TOPS – photo by Mark Teasdale

Our sponsors are simply the BEST and Merrell led the way by stepping up and providing each of our racers and volunteers with a high quality tech top.  Team S&M2 from Courtenay model the new shirts during Friday Night check in at the Riding Fool Hostel.  This good looking team went on to finish 2nd in the 4C category.

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#3 – I WOULD CLIMB 500 STEPS – photo by Simon Whitefield

The City of Burnaby’s Parks Crew was busy over the past year building the new 500+ stair Velodome Trail up the backside of Burnaby Mountain.  The Space Cadets hammer up the steps like it’s another day on the Stairmaster 3000.

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#4 – X-FILES “O” – photo by John Crosby

Once again, one of the coolest parts of the Burnaby MOMAR was the Orienteering stage through the campus of Simon Fraser University.  Here, Geoff Langford leads his Raid the North team through the GVOC designed course.

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#5 – SHRINKAGE! – photo by David Murphy

Colin Rennie and Sandra Hardy punch the last CP in the waters of Burrard Inlet.  Everyone can thank Tom Jarecki for hanging the CP in this location.

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#6 – WITH THE MAVERICKS – photo by Mark Teasdale

For the first time, we added “Social Media Mavericks” to the team of volunteers.  Sarah and Casey-Jo stepped up and provided us with awsome live coverage on Twitter and Facebook and we also had some great tweets from competing teams too.

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#7 – LIKE ANTS ON THE WATER – photo by Dave Silver

This photo RULES!!!  The sight of seeing all of the kayaks lined up on Comox Lake for the start of the race is pretty amazing.

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#8 – MYSTERY PEAK – photo by Dave Silver

Cumberland’s terrain is truly phenomenal and filled with many hidden gems. While on a weekend of course scouting, we found a huge open bluff with an incredible view of the valley and we knew we had to make it a checkpoint.  Bushwhacking got you there the fasted, but you had to feel good about your compasss skills.  In this photo, Hailey Van Dyck and Jesse Crane clear the CP and venture off to the next.

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#9 – REFRESHING SWIM – photo by Mark Teasdale

The Mystery Checkpoint was a popular stage at this year’s MOMAR Cumberland.  It was a short swim with the aid of an air matress or pool noodle.

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#10 – CUMBY TRAILS – photo by Dave Silver

A big reason why people keep signing up for the MOMAR Cumberland is the amazing network of mountain biking trails.  The community of trail builders are a dedicated and phenomenal bunch of guys and continue to impress the hundreds of out-of-town participants.

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#11 – SEADS AT SEEDS! – photo by Mark Teasdale

Seeds Natural Food Market in Cumberland has been a sponsor of the MOMAR for many years now and it has become one of the racer’s favorite checkpoint.  Christina and her staff put out the treats as a mini-reward for the racers.  Sarah Seads (photo) would agree that this extra bit of sugar is the perfect kick needed to make the final push to the finish line.

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#12 – INTO THE WILD – photo by Dave Silver

Going off trail can be a very unnerving experience–you can save heaps of time or you can find yourself “off the map”.  This year at the Cumberland MOMAR, teams had many chances to use their compasses and venture in the woods and many felt it was the highlight of their race.

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#13 – SYCRO ADVENTURE RACERS! – photo by Dave Silver

We have to give another shout out to our sponsor over at Frontrunners who have been with us for the past 12 years.  Norm, Stefan, Nick and Mark are all first class dudes!!!

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#14 – WATCH OUT FOR BEES – photo by Dave Silver

The final stage of the MOMAR Cumberland course is a small technical romp through the giant bolder and cliff-laden forest behind the Cumberland Campground.  This stage puts the final stamp on an adventure filled day of racing and an we owe a big thanks to Carl Coger of the Victoria Orienteering Club for making it happen.

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#15 – THE CHAMP – photo by Mark Teasdale

It was another series sweep for Todd Nowack bringing his total overall win total to 12. Yes, 12.  Todd has moved to Australia though and unless he makes a special trip back for the MOMAR (and we hope he does), we’ll be crowning a new champ in 2013.

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#16 – ABSOLUTE KAOS – photo by Brett Wilson

We thought they were great last year, but this year Kootenay Kaos stepped it up in a big way with thier Red Men/Women outfits and wonky helmets.  Their speed walk across the finish line was a riot and their finish line shot is the bomb.

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#17 – THEY ARE THE BEST! – photo by Kimberly Kufaas

This card says it all.  Our volunteers are the absolute best.  Thanks Team Chels for making up these cards and handing them out to all of the volunteers along the course!

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#18 – THE CHAMPS – photo by Dave Silver

They train hard, they race hard, they make smart decisions, and they come out on top. These are just some of the podium finishers from this year’s MOMAR. Winners took home sunglassess from Ryders, Frontrunners gift cards, and a box of Clif bars!

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#19 – PARTY LIKE IT’S 1999! – photo by Mark Teasdale (top) & Dave Silver

Another year, another killer party at the MOMAR Cumberland.  The cover band was kick ass and the party was a blast.  Can’t wait for 2013!

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#20 – THE ULTIMATE BOTTLE OPENER – photo by David Murphy

This year’s finishers medal not only acknowledged the completion of your MOMAR experience, but was also functional as a bottle opener for the celebratory beer.  Thanks to Rod Tasaka at SurfaceCollective.com for the great design!

I think the best part about Adventure Racing has to be the ‘adventure’. This challenging sport takes you to amazing locations with ‘breath-taking’ scenery, pushes your body & mind to their outer limits and introduces you to excellent people along the way. Until you get your map, sometimes only minutes before the race start, you have no idea where you are going or what sort of adventures you will get up to.

Adventure Racing has a very steep learning curve. Since my first race in 2002 I am sure I have made every mistake in the book. Now I get to teach new racers how to train and complete Adventure Races so that they may benefit from all of my mistakes! Learning what to do to prepare and race well is important to race enjoyment and success. But learning what NOT to do seems to be more popular!

Here is my TOP 10 LIST of What NOT To Do in the MOMAR. And yes, I have done them all…more than once.

#10 Never Try Something New on Race Day
Practice the skills you need before the race to avoid going ass over tea-kettle! And, of course, never try new equipment or new food on race day! Your guts will thank you:)

#9 Don’t forget to Drink and Drive!
You have to learn to eat and drink on the move as an Adventure Racer. A steady flow of fluids will keep you hydrated, happy and cramp free throughout the day. 1-3 cups per hour of water minimum! Cramps can kill your buzz- I see wounded soldiers on the side of the trail during every race and I have been there too! Avoid this by following a strict hydration schedule and train to eat and drink on the bike, on foot and in the boat.

#8 Don’t Keep a Loose Kit
Not only do you have to make sure you get all of your mandatory gear to the race start (which could be 2 pages long). But you also have to ensure that you hold onto all your gear during the race itself. Lost passports, maps, water bottles, or any mandatory gear for that matter can cost you a race (and your pride:).

#7 Never Stop Moving
Adventure Racers learn to do things on the move. You eat on the move. You drink on the move. You navigate on the move. If one person on the team stops- you all stop. Group pee breaks are the norm to avoid multiple pit stops. By continuing to put one foot in front of the other you will get closer and closer to the finish line (hopefully:)

#6 Don’t Forget to Bring Your ‘Happy’ Food
After suffering for hours in the bush you are bound to experience periods of low motivation. Dig out your ‘happy food’ for an instant pick me up when you need a little boost. Everyone has their own feel good food and you will have to figure out what yours is. Salty boiled potatoes, licorice allsorts, homemade chocolate chip cookies…mine is an Eatmore bar!

#5 Never Follow Other Racers
Seriously! You need to have navigation and orienteering skills to complete an AR. Following other racers is not a good strategy. If you are lost – chances are they are WAY more lost than you! Do your homework, plan your route and stick to your course.

#4 Don’t Invite Your Friends ‘Bonk & Wall’
Fueling for endurance sports is a science. Getting the right mix worked out in training and sticking to your plan during the race are key. Check out my upcoming ‘Fueling’ articles for more info.

Bonk – not a good guy to have on the team. Low blood sugar leads to dizzyness, unco-ordination and poor decision making.

Wall – you don’t want him around. Lead legs means you are OUT of muscle glycogen and you must stop. Do not pass ‘go’. You are out of the game. Don’t skimp out on your fuel plan!

#3 Don’t Forget the First Word in ‘Teamwork’
The best teams work together seamlessly to reach their common goal. They are good communicators, supportive of each other and they share the same goals. This is KEY to a happy team and a great experience regardless of outcome!

#2 Please Don’t Take Yourself Too Seriously
AR is supposed to be FUN! Take in the scenery, including the unreal costumes that turn up in a race…Wonderwoman? I will never forget her… There I was trying to survive in my hi-tech streamline wicking gear…and Wonderwoman (AKA man wearing wig, knee high boots and a cape) is hauling through the bush beside me. These are the real athletes! Enjoy the experience, you will never have another one like it.

#1 Never, Ever, Ever, Give Up!
Anything can happen in an AR…and usually does. Chances are if you have had some bad luck (flat tire, mechanical, wrong turn, lost map, injury, cramping…you name it!) other teams have as well. Just keep on moving towards the finish line and you may be suprised at how things turn out in the end!

Sarah Seads B.A. Kinesiology, is the owner of Equilibrium Lifestyle Management, based in the Comox Valley. ELM provides fitness and recreational services including injury

We are very happy to announce that Merrell, internationally recognized leaders in performance outdoor and active lifestyle shoes and apparel, has signed on as the Presenting Sponsor of the Atmosphere Mind Over Mountain Adventure Racing Series (MOMAR) for a second year.

“We are very excited to renew our partnership with the MOMAR for 2012,” says Christian Triquet, President of Merrell Canada. “Our performance gear is inspired by active, adventurous, outdoor-loving people, which are inherent qualities of MOMAR racers. From beginner to professional, we encourage everyone to get outdoors. We create the gear to get you going faster and further, in comfort.”

The main part of this year’s agreement includes giving Merrell technical tops to every racer and volunteer. Of course, we’ll still design a great graphic to screen on the shirt that will make you look awesome on your future training runs. You can even wear it on race day if you like. We’ll even have female sizing too. This is a great benefit to all of our participants as the value is well over $40 per shirt.

Last year, Merrell gave away a ton of great prizes at the finish liine so expect more of the same with over $2000 worth of Merrell product to be given away at each race.

Check out Merrell product at any Atmosphere locations or online at www.merrell.ca

The MOMAR is happy to announce a partnership with one of the top fitness training companies in BC.  Innovative Fitness is a personal training company with a single focus: facilitate personal reinvention through physical challenge, adversity and victory.

With locations in Vancouver, West Vancouver, White Rock, Port Moody, Langley, Abbotsford, and Whistler, IF have been training people for over a decade and have build a reputation for helping people reach their goals.

Over the years, the Innovative Fitness have been spotted at past MOMAR’s in Squamish and Cumberland.   And we expect to see a few more this year too.

If you need help getting ready for the MOMAR season, give them a call and experience the IF difference.

www.innovativefitness.com

Big thanks to Paula Solanoy for creating this year’s poster design.  I love the concept and the photos by Erik Peterson, Jill Collins, and John Crosby really tell the story of the MOMAR.  Look at all those sponsor logos too!  What a great team we had last year and I’m hoping they all sign on for this year too!

The MOMAR has teamed up with FEAT Canada to bring you 9 dynamic speakers in an electric atmosphere.  You will experience 40 years of climbing, extreme skiing, mountain biking, canoeing, kayaking, freediving, cycling and hiking all in one action packed night of adventures and expeditions.  Join us on Sunday, February 12th, at Centennial Theatre in North Vancouver for one inspiring night of speakers.

Click on the link to get your tickets and use the discount code FEAT3G7 to get 25% off the door price.

Do you like BUFFs?  If so, click here for you chance to win one.

The Atmosphere Mind Over Mountain Adventure Race (MOMAR), Cumberland edition, was recently voted ‘Best Adventure Race in Western Canada’ by Get Out There Magazine for the fourth consecutive year.

Every year, Get Out There Magazine, a Canadian-based endurance sports and outdoor recreation publication, asks its readers to vote for the people, places and events that are the best at making active living in Canada so great. In addition to ‘Best Adventure Race’, MOMAR was also voted as having the “Best Post-race Party’ and ‘Best Race T-shirt, again for the fourth year in a row, and won  ‘Best Race Kit’ for the first time.

MOMAR Director, Bryan Tasaka is thrilled about this honour. “This is really a tribute to all the hard work that gets put into these races,” says Tasaka. “MOMAR staff, volunteers and sponsors are incredibly dedicated, having a genuine passion for creating top-notch events with a fun, relaxed vibe. We are honoured with these awards, and are beyond grateful for those who took the time to vote.”

Once again, there were so many great moments from the 2011 season of the Atmosphere Mind Over Mountain Adventure Racing Series.  We started the year off in a brand new venue, Burnaby, and ended in Cumberland for the 12 year in a row.  I had hundreds of photos to review and came up with 20 images and two videos.  Enjoy!!!

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1. WE WERE THE FIRST  – Photo by Mark Teasdale  —- A partial group shot just before the start of the inaugural race in Burnaby, BC.   The weather was ideal — cool in the morning and bright sunny skies in the afternoon.  The race started and finished at Barnett Marine Park, a bit of a hidden gem in the Lower Mainland.

2. WHAT A PADDLE LEG  – Photo by Mark Teasdale  —- Todd Nowack leads this group of paddlers on a 10km paddle in Burrard Inlet /Indian Arm and up to Jug Island and back.    Todd won this race and Cumberland (another series sweep!)  and adds two more to his overall win tally.

3. SWEET SINGLE TRACK ON BURNABY MOUNTAIN  – Photo by Matthew Beckett  —- Frontrunners’ Stefan Jakobson cruises down the trails during the MOMAR Burnaby.  Frontrunners is our longest running sponsor having been with us for the past 12 years. Love you guys!

4. COMPASSIONATE VOLUNTEER  – Photo by Andrea Beckett  —- The MOMAR has the BEST team of volunteers.  They are always so hardworking, enthusiastic, and ready to help a racer out when needed.  Here, longtime volunteer, Thomas Howard (and his chicken) takes the time to click a shot of a wiped out racer before helping him up (and asking if he’s ok).  What a guy!

5. CELEBRITY APPEARANCE   – Photo by John Crosby  —- Not only did we have one of the best female adventure racers (Jen Segger) on the start line of the MOMAR Burnaby but we also had Raid the North’s race director, Geoff Langford, too!

6. CHAMPAGNE WISHES – Photo by Mark Teasdale  —- Team Beer O’Clock (Nicole Gibbons, Beth Henschel, Alison Perras, and Jaimie Isaac) from Vancouver celebrates their first place finish (4F) with champagne and big smiles. They found all 36 checkpoints in 7h and 13m.  Great job!

7. HEART AND SOLE  – Photo by John Crosby  —- The Momamas were the winners of the Sole Spirit Award. Tons of spirit all day long.

8. VIDEO:  WATCH THE FOOTAGE   – Video by Erik Nachtrieb of 1iOpen Productions  —- Big thanks to Erik for coming out and shooting video and putting together this stellar video that captures the essence of our inaugural race in Burnaby. Click  here to watch.

9. WELCOME TO THE FOG – Photo by Erik Peterson —- Paddlers set out on Comox Lake for the start of the Cumberland MOMAR.  This was the foggiest morning that we ever had and it made for a really eerie but calm paddle stage.

10. NEW CHECKPOINT – Photo by Erik Peterson —- There has been 12 races in Cumberland and finding new terrain is always a treat.  Here, a new trail was cut allowing us access to a set of fantastic bluffs with a great view of the glaciers to the west.  Team Frontrunners Westshore (Nick Walker and Eric Findlay) look pro as they approach CP 3.  I predict a big year at the MOMAR for this duo in 2012.

11. A FAMILY AFFAIR – Photo by John Crosby  — It was great having Vernon’s Sheila Sovereign take on the 30km sport course with her niece Karly.  The Vernon Morning Star reported: “We did really well with the route finding, but we really had to take our time and think it through,” said Sheila. “I did the Squamish MOMAR and the trail finding was way easier. This was actually pretty tricky so we really had to pay attention.”

12. LOST AND CONFUSED – Photo by Erik Peterson —- We’ve all been there… you know… in the Orienteering Stage of the MOMAR… your navigator isn’t quite sure where to go as your teammate waits (im)patiently for a quick decision. Right?  Sarah Newman and Geoff Huenemann from Bike Over Teakettle figure things out in the final stage of the MOMAR Cumberland course.

13. SPIRIT OF TWO BODIES IN ONE – Photo by John Crosby —- In the most touching story in the history of the MOMAR, Steven Crerar from Campbell River races the MOMAR Cumberland in memory of his brother  Bryan Crerar, who was killed by a drunk driver in 2009.  Steven and Bryan had raced together for four previous MOMARs and this was now Steven’s first solo.  More on Steven’s story, click here.

14. FOUND IT! – Photo by Erik Peterson —- Aside from crossing the finish line, is there any better feeling than finding a Checkpoint?  Sometimes they can be found easily and sometimes they are hidden; either way, seeing the orange and white flag is a great feeling.  In this photo, ELM Fearless Leaders (Kathy Campbell and Lynn Swift) punch the CP at the top of DCDH.

15. OH THOSE CUMBY TRAILS – Photo by Erik Peterson —- A forest is sometimes just a forest but when you get a community of dedicated trail builders you can end up with a forest with it’s own very unique identity.  The trail network behind the Village of Cumberland is simply the best on the Vancouver Island.  In the first years of the MOMAR Cumberland, we took racers on the Crafty Butcher trail, but subsequent logging kept it out of future course routes. Last year, the trail was refurbished and a wicked double teeter todder was added making this the must ride trail of the race. Super fun, super fast, super buff.

16. OH THOSE CUMBY TRAILS – Photo by Erik Peterson —- Just south of the start/finish line for the MOMAR Cumberland sits a steep boulder filled forest and rugged cliffs.  The terrain here is super cool and is the home to a rock climbers, wasp nests, bears and our final orienteering stage. It’s one of my favorite places in Cumberland.

17. YOU’RE ONLY AS FAST AS YOUR SLOWEST TEAMMATE – Photo by John Crosby —- Last Year’s Losers (Irene and Neil Borecky) cross the line with almost all of their limbs attached…. Runner up for the Sole Spirit Award. What a riot.

18. ATMOSPHERE  – Photo by John Crosby —- A big BIG thanks goes out to our title sponsor Atmosphere who have been with us for the past three years.  Without their support and the support of all of our other sponsors, the MOMAR would not be possible (or at least you wouldn’t get a cool shirt, shiny medal, tasty dinner, rockin’ party, accurate maps, heaps of prizes, a crazy MC, etc… ).  And it was great to have a staff team from the Victoria store compete too! In this photo: Steven Craig, Hannah Mashon, William Rankine, and Nick Brame.

19. ROCK STAR – Photo by Erik Peterson —- What a great moment it was when MOMAR’s own event coordinator, Tamara Rhodes, took the stage and sang a few songs with Megalicious at the MOMAR Cumberland after-party.  This capped off another killer after-party!

20. THREE AMIGOS – Photo by ‘some dude with my camera’ —- Dave Norona, Normon Thibault, and me (Bryan Tasaka).  These guys were at the first MOMAR back in 2000 and they are still here today — 35 races later.  Wow. What a run.

21. THE REAL HEROS OF THE MOMAR – Photo by Erik Peterson —- The MOMAR is produced by a core group of hard working, organized, and dedicated event team.  Thank you Tamara Hung, Janine Tasaka, Sheron Chrysler, Elaine McHugh, Lisa Au, Liz Tribe and Gary Robbins!!!  (Note: Dave Norona represents Lisa, Liz, and Gary for the purposes of this team picture)

22. THE NASTYASS ADVENTURE RACER – Video by Kootenay Kaos —- Words cannot properly explain what the Kootenay Kaos are all about… it’s best if you just watch the video.

That’s it!  Nothing but great memories! Let us know what you think by posting a comment below.

I thought I would re-post a great interview that Gary Robbins (MOMAR Burnaby Course Director) featured on his blog last month.  www.gary-robbins.com.

Todd Nowack is a Victoria based, Mind Over Mountain Adventure Racing sponsored athlete. On July 23rd he’ll be captaining a co-ed team of four racers against the most challenging endurance event in North America in 2011, Raid The North Extreme.

GARY: Tell us a bit about your racing history. For those who don’t know, where did you get started with it all?
TODD: Like many other adventure athletes on the west coast, I got into adventure racing with the MOMAR and have kept going ever since.  I was an avid mountain biker and was just getting into trail running and various other outdoor pursuits when I was asked to team up with the infamous ‘Snot Sisters’ to be a ‘Booger Brother’ in the Cumberland 2005 event.  We ended up winning the team-of-4 co-ed category and that race got me hooked.

GARY:  How many MOMAR races have you done to date and how many of those have you won?
TODD: I have done all the races since the Cumberland 2005 MOMAR with the exception of 2009 when I was living in Norway. This makes it 12 total races with 7 overall wins: 2 solo, 4 with teammate extraordinaire Gary Robbins (Editors Note: I DID NOT add that but I will leave it in since it has a nice ring to it) and 1 with Natasha Dilay (only team-of-2 co-ed to ever take an overall title).

GARY: What was your favorite MOMAR experience and/or course to date?
TODD: ‘Three-peating’ in 2007 at the Cumberland MOMAR with yourself. We had won the previous two races of the year and had lots of pressure to win as no racers had ever won all MOMARs in one year. Winning that race was definitely a highlight but the feeling of being completely dialed in during that race still hangs with me.  I think that was the first time where we both really knew exactly how hard we could push, when to back off, and how to flow from control to control while being efficient. I still have memories of us ‘running’ through the town of Cumberland like scarecrows with cramps everywhere, our legs stiff like pencils, and our arms and back stuck like the Tin-Man from Wizard of Oz while Brian is yelling at us that we could sit down and have a coffee and still win.  Memorable times.  Favourite course would have to be one of the incarnations in Cumberland. The single-track riding is phenomenal, the area is beautiful and the community is fantastic! (Another Note: I swear I did not know that would be his answer, and I did not add it after the fact myself! PS Couldn’t agree more Todd)

GARY: Will we be seeing you lining up for our first ever Burnaby MOMAR race?
TODD: Yep. I will be there racing solo and looking to have yet another great time and experience.

GARY: Have you ever raced an expedition race like RTNX before?
TODD: I’ve done two other expedition races (RTNX 2007, and the Baja Travesia 2007).  I’ve also done some 24 hour and 36 hour races, and some orienteering ‘Rogaine’ events.  I have yet to have success in expeditions with brutal 20+ foot swell kayak conditions in Baja that wiped out several teams including leaving us unranked due to abandoning one of our kayaks and gear.  In RTNX 2007, we had some really bad luck with tearing our inflatable kayak open (even though we were being extremely careful and watched other teams literally drag their boats over sharp rocks) this situation delayed our paddle by many hours pushing it into the night where I ended up suffering from hypothermia after my body temperature had dropped by 3 degrees due to being exposed in our open cockpit kayaks.

GARY: What did you learn from these previous experiences that you feel you can apply towards your next shot at this format of race?
TODD: Eat lots of pizza and drink lots of beer to make sure that you have a good spare tire to keep you warm in times of need.  Seriously though, I think these races come down to fitness, experience and a bit of luck.  Had we been able to make it out of the swell and get to the checkpoint in Baja (which was literally right there) we would have continued ranked and placed close to the top.  RTNX would have been the same had it not been for a piece of rusted rebar that was sticking up out of the beach and virtually invisible.  Either way, luck would not have it.  For this coming race, I’m going to bring all the fitness and experience I have, stay out of trouble and race smart.  I’m done with this bad luck stuff

GARY: Tell us a bit about your teammates?
TODD: Pete Cameron and Leanne Mueller are a very strong and experienced adventure racing couple based out of Ontario that have partaken in numerous races over the years and are always contenders in any event that they enter.  I met them at Raid the North Extreme in 2007 and had the pleasure of racing head-to-head with them during the final stage of the race.  In 2009, we had teamed up to race the biggest race of the year, Explore Sweden, but due to some technical issues, were not able to race together.  So, it seems fitting that we are teamed up again.  While I have yet to have the pleasure of meeting our fourth member, James Galipeau, I have only heard good things about him, one of which being that he is a team strongman (able to take extra gear, pull others, put his head down and never stop).  The great thing about this team is that we have three solid navigators (Pete, Leanne, and myself) who all have proven race navigation experience and all of whom we can count on for pre-race mapping work, route choices, race time decisions, etc; this is an incredible advantage .  I have never been in this situation and cannot say how incredible this will be knowing that we can trade off navigating when the mind begins to crumble after countless hours of no sleep and physical hardship.

GARY: How is the rest of the field stacking up this year? Where would you place yourselves, and what are your racing goals for RTNX?
TODD: Being that Primal Quest is no longer and there are no other large events going on in North America, RTNX has virtually sold out with a great number of strong teams signing up which is awesome to see. Compared to 2007, the field will almost be double. In terms of our placement and goals, a great thing I learned from speaking with my teammates is that we all really have a similar approach to racing; we race against ourselves and where we end up at the finish is where we end up.  As long as we all put in our best possible effort during the entire race, I don’t think any of us would care what place we came in. That being said, of course were shooting for first. J

GARY: Rumor has it you were injured throughout the winter. How has your training been going lately, and describe for us what a typical week of training might look like right now?
TODD: I have been suffering with an ‘upper body injury’ (insert NHL pun here) that I am still recovering from. While I’m still not 100%, I keep in shape on my bike commuting long distances, rolling my kayak down to the beautiful waters off Brentwood Bay to partake in long paddles, and doing lots of walking and hiking off-trail through the forest to simulate expedition racing conditions. I’ve been playing it on the safe side and not running much so I’ll have to see how I fare on my legs on the new MOMAR Burnaby course.

GARY: What’s one piece of advice that you have received or learned over the years that you would pass on to new and aspiring adventure racers?
TODD: Learn how to navigate. Join a local orienteering club and get to the point where you can run while reading a map and navigate on and off trail; this is a very rewarding experience and will enhance your outdoor pursuits. Don’t train, just get out lots, compete here and there, and have fun! I’ve never trained a day in my life J

Great stuff Todd! Thanks for your time and best of luck at the race this summer. I know I’ll personally be glued to my computer looking for live updates and cheering you guys along.

The brand new edition of the MOMAR Bike Jersey is now available!  Designed by the boys at Suarez, we are offering a blue unisex version and a female pink version.  Classic in design and strong in quality, the 2011 MOMAR Bike Jersey will get you noticed when riding the trails. 

Be one of the first 25 to purchase the jersey and get it at a special price of $65 (regular $75).  Place your order by March 15th to guarantee your size.  Jerseys can be picked up at the MOMAR Burnaby (or by other arrangements).

To order, please visit the Retail page on the MOMAR site.

Time to go school, adventure racers.  The MOMAR Training Clinic Series is back! 

We have a great lineup of clinics this year that includes:

• MOMAR 101 – Navigating the MOMAR
• MOMAR 150 – Mountain Biking the MOMAR
• MOMAR 201 – Advanced AR Training for the MOMAR (2 Day)
• MOMAR 301 – Advanced Navigation for the MOMAR
• MOMAR 305 – Advanced Orienteering and Navigation Techniques

All of the instructors (Sarah Seads, Tom Jarecki, Doug Doyle, John Barron, and Todd Nowack) are long time MOMAR racers except for Magnus Johannson, but he is Canada’s National Orienteering Coach!  We have also partnered with Big Dog Biking in Cumberland who will be teaching the MOMAR 150 bike course. 

Click here for a full clinic description and to register.

The MOMAR is happy to announce a new partnership agreement with BC Ferries.  BC Ferries joins the MOMAR team as a Community Sponsor for the 2011 season. 

Where would the MOMAR be without BC Ferries?  With races on both Vancouver Island (Cumberland) and the Lower Mainland (Burnaby), the ferry is the first stage for many participants making the trek over Georgia Straight for the race.  Many pre-race meals of White Spot burgers and fries with gravy have been consumed by only the most serious of racers.

Be sure to make a reservation on the ferry for the MOMAR weekend and note that there isn’t an overheight charge anymore so you don’t have to worry about having your bikes and kayaks on the roof.

We’ll be giving away a ferry prize package very soon so stay tuned!

Thanks BC Ferries! Toot Toot!

We would like to welcome Skeet & Ike’s to the MOMAR team of sponsors!  They will be sponsoring the refreshment station at the Burnaby MOMAR so look for them when you cross the finish line.  Also, be sure to look for a sample treat in your goodie bag too. Here’s what they are all about:

Out here on the left coast, we look at life a little differently. We like to keep things really simple, focusing on what’s important and not getting too stressed about all of the “other stuff”.  We integrate that attitude into our products. Skeet & Ike’s snacks are made with integrity, using high quality organic and natural products that WOW customers. We are creating REAL food backed up with REAL values.

We take this same approach with our Hippie Chips™. We’ve put a unique spin on plain ol’ tortilla chips by adding simple whole food ingredients, and that’s it. No processed seasonings, flakes, fibers or flours, just the real stuff the way nature intended. You get a product that looks like real food and tastes even better.

So, go ahead and try our snacks – we think they’ll speak for themselves.

Look for them on the shelves of your favorite grocery store.

Trekking in Cumberland. Photo by Dave Silver Photography

The Atmosphere Mind Over Mountain Adventure Racing Series becomes only the third Canadian race series to join the US based Checkpoint Tracker Adventure Racing Series.