My CD Debut...

Nope, I'm not musically gifted, but I am embarking into the realm of course design for adventure racing. Considering where I was a few years ago, I absolutely cannot believe that I'm currently preparing to help run an event, especially an event such as an adventure race...

Well, the weekend of The Savage is upon me, and while I can't say I'm that nervous, I am definitely eager to see how the race unfolds. Teammate Chris Bartges and I have been working hard over the past two months to design our first Adventure Race for our sponsor-organization, namesake and friends, GOALS ARA. It's the first race of the season for GOALS ARA, and as usual we're kicking things off with a 6 hour sprint AR, with all teams competing against the clock, themselves and the wilds at Brandywine State Park. We've been sneaking away for days at a time to furtively explore the woods and hills of Brandywine, searching for the perfect spots to place checkpoints and the most enjoyable routes for the competitors to traverse. You can only do so much with a short adventure race as you have to squeeze in paddling, running and biking, but we THINK we have designed a course that will be somewhat unique. At least by GOALS standards. And hopefully racers who have done a sprint AR in Brandywine before will find this to be an almost entirely new beast!

And so, I pack maps, gear and everything else I'll need for the weekend as I get ready to head across the border for Delaware. I know Chris Young (our fearless guinea pig), Chris and I really loved running the course after designing it, and I am more than a bit sad not to be racing it on Sunday myself:( But I have a feeling, I will have my hands full and will get in a decent workout myself as I bike around setting the course and following the racers when Sunday arrives. Here's hoping for a successful first race from the other side! And more importantly, I'm REALLY hoping someone out there other than this course's creators likes it...