The proper slogan is “It’s a killer,” but for participating Moose Javians, their first entrance into the Canadian Death Race was in fact a killer time.
Seven locals entered the race held at the end of July in Grand Cache, Alta., running anywhere from 19 to 68 kilometres through mountains and on trails that put the adventure in adventure race.
“Running under these conditions is so much different than running on pavement,” explained Teresa Donley, “Your eyes must be focused on the trail at all times. One missed step on a rock, root, or hole could send you face first onto the trail.”
Donley was part of the five-person ‘Ten Feet from Moose Jaw’ team that ran the 125 kilometre course as a relay. The team, also including Dave Fox, Jim Forbes, Joe Jackson, and Richard Mawson, finished 68th out of 256 teams in its first attempt at the race which featured 17,000 feet of elevation change.
Quinton Johb also took up the challenge, but undertook the 125 km course on his own.
“It was a really awesome experience. It was a true adventure,” he said.
Unfortunately for him, though, the whole race could not be run, as he fell just short of the cutoff time between the third and fourth phases, and race organizers did not allow him to continue. Still, he ran 68 kilometres in 11 hours.
Fox’s wife and daughter also participated in the race, running with a Regina-based team that finished 89th.
For more on this story, read Wednesday's Times-Herald.
