The Mountain Grind is back for its third year on April 22.
Things got off to a bumpy start this season that left many wondering if the popular obstacle race in Pender Harbour would make it, but a new board of directors has stepped up and is now in the process of taking over responsibilities from race co-founders Amanda Peterson and Silke Linnmann.
“I put my heart into it for two years,” Peterson said. “To see it totally die would have been really hard. I was super, super happy that people wanted to carry it on. It’s really rewarding that all that hard work is still going to pay off – that it all doesn’t amount to nothing. It made me really happy that people stepped up to take it on.”
Robyn Kelly is taking on the role of marketing director for the Mountain Grind. She helped out with the race in its first two years but decided to step up when it looked like the event might not happen.
“I’m really good friends with the past organizers,” Kelly said. “I just really like the organization and I love the event. I think it’s really good for our community. It brings a different type of people to the Sunshine Coast – Pender Harbour especially – and it starts our summer season a little bit earlier. It’s still sort of in the off-season, but we get to bring all the tourists up here, which is good for the businesses around here.”
This year got off to a bit of a late start due to the change in the board of directors. Kelly said the obstacle course is going to be more or less the same as last year, but the new board has big plans for 2018, including a Mountain Grind Ultra option that would extend the track.
Peterson said she decided to step down as an organizer because the responsibilities of putting on the race were cutting too much into her personal life.
“Even last year, I had mentioned that it would be good to get some more people on board with this because then you have more access to resources, other people to help – things like that. The more people you have helping, the easier it all gets,” Peterson said. “So I’m really excited. I’m happy that there are five of them and I think they’re a really good mix of people. We have a business type, there are a couple young girls – even younger than me. There’s a triathlon runner who has been in a bunch of races, so she has good knowledge. There are long-time community members who are also business oriented and who know the trails really well. Everybody is Pender Harbour based, they know the area – I think it’s a really good group of people.”
The new board of directors is made up of Robyn Kelly – marketing, Merideth Frost – park/vendor coordinator, Lyle Isaak – finance, Val Hood – registration, Brittnay Sheppard – obstacle coordinator, Sabine Tamm – obstacle coordinator, and Gwen Stuthers – track design.
Find out more about the Mountain Grind and register to run at www.mountaingrind.ca
