6 days before we were to head to St. Sauveur, Quebec, we received an email from the Dead End Race saying they were changing the date of the race and more details would follow. We were devastated but decided to do some research and find another race if we could. I was fortunate enough to have contacted Tinker from the Sunnyhill Resort in Greenville, NY, USA and she not only managed to register us, she gave us an awesome deal with accommodations, golf and meals included with our racing fees.
We packed our bags and headed off to Greenville, NY on Friday morning excited that we would be on a new adventure to places unknown. We managed to get to the resort within about 6 hours and were welcomed by friendly staff and told that dinner was being served in the main dining hall. The dinners are family style and we enjoyed a full turkey supper with all the trimmings including dessert. The owner reminded us that there would be pizza later and some bingo to end the evening if we were interested. We returned to our rooms and unfortunately fell asleep -missing the evening’s activities completely.
Early the next day, breakfast was being served and we headed down for a complete breakfast and then made our way over to the main start line to see the ‘Elite’ heat take off. The setting is beautiful with lakes, mountains and forest surrounding you throughout the trails. The race was well-marked and each obstacle provided a challenge for all levels, if an obstacle was too much you were to complete 25 burpees with volunteers there to monitor your progress. In total -33 obstacles that were well-built and extreme dotted the 5+ MILE course.
2 volunteers monitored each station and you were never left wondering where to head next. Registration was quick and easy and you could purchase extra SWAG if you desired. We opted for the Viking sweat shirt and wear it often as it is warm and super comfortable -a bargain at $25.00! Throughout the course there was staff on ATVs monitoring participants and transporting any that required medical attention. Photographers lined various locations and you were provided with FREE downloads after the race.
Elite racers were given the opportunity to win $1000.00 and Thor’s Hammer, which is an awesome carved wooden mallet, and of course bragging rights!
With over 100+ participants, the resort was well-organized and you rarely waited to conquer the next obstacle (unless it was someone overcoming their fear of heights) as you progressed through the varied terrain.
Parking was FREE and the rooms were comfortable with a great view of the mountains, playgrounds and golf course. At the end of the race, music and a fabulous BBQ awaited us, buffet-style and then it was off for a quick shower and change of clothes. The resort had set up excellent change and shower stations near the race site, we had the advantage of a late checkout so we could head back to the room for a long hot shower before our drive back north.
A few quick tips: wear full finger gloves to prevent rope burns, avoid highway #12 as it takes you through Watertown, NY and adds an extra 30-40 minutes of driving time, keep to main highways as much as possible and follow the detailed directions the race sends you prior to the event. Water stations were well-situated and provided ample breaks throughout the course. Some racers wore elbow protection and this would have been nice for some of the crawling sections.
Overall, an excellent location, super-friendly staff/volunteers and a fantastic and challenging course! The weekend went from what would have been a ‘Dead End’ to us becoming decreed ‘Vikings’ – it was a blast! Thanks to Sunnyhill Resort, Tinker, and Bob Mulholland – for the great photo ops and everyone who made the event fun and family friendly! We Canadians will be back one day for sure!
