The Sunshine Coast will soon be home to a major new racing event.
In the spring of 2015, Pender Harbour will join the obstacle race trend with the inaugural Mountain Grind — a race focused on participation and family fun.
The Mountain Grind is a nine-kilometre, cross-country obstacle course showcasing the Suncoaster Trail. The obstacles, which include a mud pit, climbing wall and log carry, are influenced by the natural terrain and will be fun and challenging for participants of any fitness level ages 13 and up.
The event will be held at Lions Park on April 25 and 26, 2015. The two-day event will begin with a registration kick-off party on Saturday, where the racers can mingle, relax in the beautiful surroundings and pick up their registration packages. The event will be open to the public so everyone can enjoy the festive atmosphere, music, beer garden, food vendors and kids’ games (for ages 12 and under). Sunday is race day, and after the final participants have finished the course, there will be an awards ceremony, which will recognize the top finishers in a number of categories and give all participants a chance to celebrate their achievements.
Race directors Amanda Peterson and Silke Linnmann are both trained and certified fitness professionals who came up with the idea to bring an active, annual event to their community.
“I have always wanted to take my Boot Camp class on an outdoor circuit,” Peterson said.
The more Linnmann and Peterson talked about the idea, the bigger it became and the idea of a local obstacle race was born. These types of races are gaining popularity across the world, with participants having to prove their strength and overcome physical and mental challenges as they traverse a course. While many competitors approach these types of races with specific training goals, for some it is a badge of honour simply to complete the event.
“I wanted to bring something exciting and different to the Sunshine Coast that will not only highlight the natural beauty of the area, but also motivate people to lead an active lifestyle,” Linnmann said. “I’m excited to see just how far we can all push ourselves.”
Partial proceeds will be donated to the Pender Harbour Event Society.
Racers can register as solo participants or as part of a team. The early bird rate of $59 per participant is available until Dec. 31. The fee will increase to $69 for those registering from Jan. 1 to March 31. For more information or to register, go to www.mountaingrind.ca.
