Updates from the Funderstorm

Both SnackyPants and Toots-in-Tights are hoping that 2008 is a big year for racing. In fact, T/T has dubbed 2008, "two thousand and race." The girls are currently choosing their races for the year and working on a race calendar. While it may be slim pickins for adventure races right now, the girls have found lots of other ways to stay in shape and get ready for the 2008 race season.

On January 19th, SP headed down to Michigan (she's thinking about asking for dual citizenship, since this was the 4th trip down in six months) for the Witchy Wolf Run - a 15 mile night trail race run under a full moon in the middle of nowhere, Michigan. Alerted to this race by a fellow Michigan adventure racer, she thought it would be a good and crazy way to start off 2008.

As it turned out, January 19th was the coldest night of the winter thus far, with the thermometer reading -17 without the windchill. There were about 100 other crazies out there with nothing better do do on a Saturday night than run around in the cold. Standing at the start line waiting to the race to begin, the reality, and the cold, began to sink in. With the race starting 25 minutes late, there was lots of time to question the sanity of this decision, as well as to wonder why the hell there was a guy wearing shorts. Once the wolf howled however (the official start to the race), SP began to warm up and the race turned out to be a rather pleasant jaunt through snow-covered backroads with the occasional bushwhack and river crossing. The race was pretty low-key, with no mile markers, four aid stations that had only water, and 1 aid station that had beer. Had the beer station not been only 1.5 miles from the finish, SP would loved to have partaken. Much to her surprise, SP won her age group and was awarded with a unique prize - a big ol' chunk of wood painted with a wolf on it. All in all, it was definitely a unique and worthwhile race. For just a $28 entry fee, competitors got a long sleeve technical shirt, a personalized 2008 Witchy Wolf dog tag, and lots of yummy homemade chicken noodle soup at the end of the race. So next January, if you are looking for something crazy to do, consider a drive up to Omer, Michigan (smallest city in the state) for the Witchy Wolf Run. A 2-person relay option exists for those not keen on racing the full 15 miles.

Funderstorm's next big adventure is a mere 45 days away! Both girls are incredibly excited to get out of the cold when they head to Jalcomulco, Mexico for FAR's expedition training camp from March 15-22. Stay tuned for more details!

Adieu to 2007 and Welcome 2008!

With less races to choose from at the end of the year, Funderstorm was itching for something fun to do to cap off 2007. Something that they could say, "that was the craziest thing I've done all year" about. Enter Crazy JF, whose identity has been protected, who the girls met skiing at the beginning of December. Apparently, JF's idea of fun is go hiking on the Bruce Trail, all night long. So, despite their apprehensions, SP and T/T joined JF and three other equally crazy people for an all night hike on a very rainy and slushy December evening. The girls thought it would be great training for their upcoming trip to Mexico and a great way to get rid of some of the cookies they ate over the holidays. As it turned out, it was also a great way to get rid of some pesky toenails too.

The group met in Kilbride with the goal of hiking through the night. Departing just before 9:00pm under a steady drizzle, the girls immediately discerned that this was not going to be a walk in the park. Now, we're not going to bore you with all the details of the 7 hours spent hiking through the slushy Bruce Trail. Needless to say, it was fun, in that crazy kind of wanting to punish your body way. In true form, SP brought along many a tasty treat to enjoy out on the trail, while T/T instructed no one to laugh while she was trying to climb hills. Both girls thought it was a great experience to log some good miles on foot and practice their sleep deprivation. They also feel fortunate to have found some training partners crazier than they are and look forward to more all night treks in the upcoming months. It was, as they had hoped, a great way to round off a fun-filled and adventurous 2007.

Here's to an even funner 2008!

Our Wish Lists...

Now that we've given you some suggestions for the adventure racer on your Christmas list, here's a rundown of the cool gear that we hope Santa stuffs in his sack for us!

First up on Toots-in-Tights' list is a pair of Salomon Nordic Pro Training Gloves. New to Salomon's line-up for Winter '08, these gloves would be great for all the winter training that T/T plans to do in order to get ready for Mexico in March.

To complement the gloves, T/T, who has been both naughty and nice this year, most certainly deserves a pair of Montbell Thermawrap Pants. After all, there is no use having warm hands if your butt is freezing. Not only would these pants keep her warm at the Snowshoe Raid later this winter, but the sleek black colour will be easy to complement with any jacket.

In her stocking, Toots-in-Tights hopes to find a pair of Pearl Izumi Calien Toes. What the heck is that you ask? Well, if you've ever tried to mountain bike in subzero temperatures, you will know that most bike shoes are not meant for snow. Slip a pair of these on overtop of your bike shoes, and you'll be good to go. They'll match nicely with the gloves and pants.

The item that SnackyPants is probably hankering after the most is a pair of CW-X Insulator Expert Tights. Everyone she has talked to about these pants give them rave reviews. Although she loves the navy colour, she realizes that this would necessitate the buying of new jackets, so to keep things simple, she'll stick with black.

Second, since she is the only person in her running group without one, SP has finally given in to wanting a Garmin Forerunner. Not wanting to suffer from information overload, she's going to stick to the 201 model, which can calculate both pace and distance, making it a useful training tool.

Although perhaps unrealistic unless Santa works for Salomon, SP is chomping at the bit waiting to get her hands on a pair of the new Salomon XT Wings shoes. She is admittedly a sucker for anything that Salomon slaps their name on. Don't they sound fast?

Lastly, in order to combat winter boredom, SP is thinking of taking up snowshoe racing. To to this, she'll certainly need a pair of Atlas Racing Snowshoes. She's not yet put this on her list officially however. The last time she did a race that involved snowshoes, she ended up flinging them into the woods in a fit of rage. She blames this on the particular pair of snowshoes, however, not the sport itself. Some snowshoe training is scheduled for this weekend though, which SP hopes will give her a better idea of whether or not this sport is for her.

So that's what we want? How about you? What gear items are on your list?

Funderstorm Christmas Ideas

Are you stumped about what to get your favorite adventure racer for the holidays? Funderstorm has come up with a few ideas that will solve your gifting dilemmas.

First up, The Thrill of Victory, The Agony of My Feet. This book, published in 2005 and full of adventure racing stories from the sports' top athletes, is sure to please any racer. At $13.00 CAD at Chapters, you really can't go wrong. Funderstorm highly reccomends.

If your favorite racer is too busy training to read an entire book, how about a magazine subscription? Although the only publication dedicated entirely to adventure racing is now defunct (RIP Adventure Sports), Trail Runner is now the official publication of the USARA. In addition to several pages devoted to AR each month, the magazine also has a great race calendar and tons of tips for adventure racing training. Our only warning is that since this magazine is only published bi-monthly, the recipient may spend days waiting at the mailbox for it to arrive.

Reading not their thing? Not too many racers wouldn't be happy with a gift pack of their favorite gels and energy bars. Thanks to an ad in Trail Runner, SnackyPants recently discovered Zombie Runner, a great site with an excellent selection of nutrition and running-related products. Canadians will marvel at the selection of training, racing and recovery products that we are being denied north of the border. Check out the cool new Clif Shot Hot Chocolate and Apple Cider recovery drinks. Mmmmm!

If cross-border or online shopping isn't your thing, check out Running Free in Markham. Owned by adventure racers and featuring a wide selection of related products, you are sure to find something there that will please your racing pals. You can't go wrong with a pair of Salomon XA Pro shoes or a Simon River Sports paddle. Believe me, it doesn't matter if they already have one of these items - most racers horde gear like fat kids horde chocolate.

Got a bigger budget? Well if you live in an area where winter puts a damper on the racing season, why not consider a bike trainer? The CycleOps Fluid 2 Trainer is one of top-selling trainers and for good reason. Featuring a smooth, quiet ride and easy attachment to your existing bike tire, this trainer will let the racer on your list be prepared for the 2008 season. This puppy will cost you about $400 CAD or slightly less in USD, but is definitely money well spent.

Does that racer on your list have difficulty figuring out which way is North? Aside from being able to tell time (duh), the Suunto Vector has a digital compass, an altimeter, a barometer, about five different alarms and comes in many cool colours, like pink and baby blue. We're not sure what the barometer is for, but if knowing barometric pressure will ever help you through that nasty bushwhack, then you are all set. SnackyPants has this watch in black, but Toots-in-Tights calls the colour "stealth," which sounds way cooler. The large face takes a little getting used to, but it's worth the size not to get lost in the woods anymore. Buy it from Moosejaw, because they are hilarious.

Lastly, if you don't find anything on this list that appeals to you, check out the following sites, where great adventure racing gear can be had for reasonable prices:

http://www.pricepoint.com/
http://www.argear.com/
http://www.moosejaw.com/
http://www.altrec.com/
http://www.backcountry.com/

Funderstorm loves to talk gear, so drop us a line if you have any questions, and until then, happy shopping!

What We've Been Up To...

While the summer racing season might be winding down, Funderstorm is lucky that Ontario is home to a full calendar of fall and winter races. The girls have been as busy as ever getting lost in the woods and testing out their cold weather gear.

The last week of October, both girls ran the Trek or Treat night trail run. They were supposed to run the 10km course, but inadvertently ended up on the 8km course instead. There wasn't supposed to be an 8km course, but when an earlier runner ran through the tape designed to indicate which way NOT to go, things got a little confusing. Discussing boys, future races, and how they could do their part towards achieving world peace, the girls did not notice that they were going the wrong way, until they started wondering why they hadn't seen any kilometre markers. Fortunately, they weren't the only ones to do this, minimizing their embarassment slightly. As it turned out, they did exceptionally well in the 8km course, but could not accept their prizes without blushing slightly at their mistake. It's pretty funny when adventure racers get lost on a marked trail. The girls really enjoyed the course however, and it will definitely be on the calendar for next year.

This past weekend, Funderstorm Raided the Hammer in Burlington. Along with Jo Anne, a seasoned runner but newbie bushwhacker, the girls ran around the woods for nearly 4 hours searching for checkpoints and scrambling up and down hills. The weather cooperated entirely and while there were 2 CPs that proved a little more tricky to locate than others, most of the controls were found with cooperation and eagle-like sight for orange and white flags. Kudos go out to the organizers from Don't Get Lost who clearly understand the value of pizza after a race. Mmmmmm pizza.

This weekend, the girls are attending the Tree Huggers annual AR Wrap Up party, where they will attempt to better the wilderness at Albion Hills before swapping stories about the season with other racers.

We're kind of a big deal....in Michigan

Proving that their American performance in July wasn't just a fluke, last weekend Funderstorm showed Michigan how to adventure race Canadian style with another win in the all-female category and an impressive 15th/77 overall placing at the GRAAR Fall Adventure Challenge. Although both girls felt ready to puke by the end of the race, they felt that this was well worth the sacrifice for their prize of another pair of Salomon XA pros. SnackyPants in particular was thrilled to add another member to her ever-growing Salomon family. Now if only someone could convince her to wear them instead of lining them up in order of prettiness and making them pose for pictures...

The 4-6 hour sprint race was held at the Fort Custer State Recreation Area near Augusta, Michigan. A popular event, the race actually sold out twice: once when it was capped at 50 teams, then again when it was capped at 75. Those Michiganers really like their adventure racing. Due to the large number of teams, the race featured a wave start, with the open teams, who were competing for cash, and the all male teams starting an hour before the coed and all-female teams.

The race began with a 4-6 mile paddle lake paddle with two CPs, which were relatively easy to locate given the fact that there were many other boats on the water. The paddle section proved yet again to be the Funderstorm's weakness, and was their lowest overall split (54/77). After the paddle, teams hopped onto their bikes for the first of three biking sections along a marked trail that had CPs on it at undisclosed locations. The all singletrack riding was fun and fast, and Funderstorm quickly made up for time lost on the water by passing many teams. Toots-in-Tights was particularly aggressive, shouting "on your left" with growling confidence, and not being afraid to tailgate anyone who wouldn't comply.

At the bike drop, teams were given an orienteering map with 7 CPs, which could be collected in any order. Although only 3 CPs were mandatory in order to finish the race ranked, the girls were confident that they could locate them all. With the exception of one particularly tricky CP which saw the Funderstorm team dynamic tested a little bit, the girls found most of the CPs with ease, and began to lap all male teams who had started the course an hour earlier. Many other teams expressed surprise at the fact that the girls were running the Orienteering course; apparently, a brisk walk is often the preferred method of travel in Michigan.

As the first female team to complete the O-section, the girls wanted to keep their lead but were followed closely by "The Janes." The second bike section saw an exciting chase between the two teams, one that left Funderstorm thoroughly out of breath, but also which gave them a 6/77 ranking in this section. When they realized at the next TA that their passport had flown out of its case in their haste, they were devastated. But, with the Universe always on their side, an all male team appeared with passport in hand. Starting this second O section at the same time as the second place all female team, the girls were ready to hustle, racing in their bike helmets and shoes. Since both girls tend to fall quite a bit on foot, they feel that bike helmets are a necessary and useful precaution to take. They found all three CPs quickly then hopped back onto their bikes to the finish. Racing with an all male team, the girls used these guys to set a fast pace to the finish line, where the last challenge of the race was for each team member to climb a portable climbing wall, ring a bell at the top, and rappel back down. Although T/T tried to use scare tactics to motivate SP on the last bike section, remarking that "I think the Janes are right behind us," these fears were unsubstantiated, as the girls beat their nearest competitors by 34 minutes, finishing the race in 4:21. Full race results can be viewed at:

http://www.graar.org/fallrace2007.html

Both girls were pleasantly surprised by the congenial atmosphere of the Michigan racing scene. Many teams recognized the girls (in their pink shirts) from the SMAC XL race in July, and The Janes offered their congratulations in the form of a shot of tequila. Although there was one shout of "Go back to Canada," during the race awards, it was genuinely in jest and the girls felt very welcomed by this group of enthusiastic and supportive racers. The girls hope to complete their 2007 Michigan trifecta with a trip down to Dexter, Michigan for Infiterra Sports December Chill 8 hour sprint race.

Can you say mud? ARC Barrie race report

After a balmy start to the fall that has seen Ontario recording all time temperature highs, it appears that Mother Nature finally ran out of sunshine and warm weather, just in time for the last ARC race of the season. Weather conditions were less than ideal for Funderstorm as they initiated a new teammate, Wanda, into the FS fold. It was a bad sign that it started raining about 2 hours before the race start, and even more smarting that it didn't stop raining until just after the race ended. During the race - rain - all day. Now rain during an adventure race isn't such a bad thing if it is nice and warm; in fact, rain can be a welcome reprieve during summer races. But when it is oh, around 6c, rain is less appreciated. In fact, this combination of precipitation and less than ideal temperatures caused around half of the teams entered into the Enduro race to drop out of the race midway through the course. Was Funderstorm one of these fairweather groups of racers? I don't think so...

The race started on foot from the homebase location at Horseshoe Valley Resort. After a short run to a marshalling point (to ensure racers didn't trample the golf course) all teams had to collect five trekking CPs scattered throughout Copeland Forest before returning to the base/TA for a biking section. Funderstorm found themselves off to a rough start when they realized that Copeland Forest is full of ridges, making CP1, located on a ridge, trickier to locate than expected. After searching many, many ridges, the elusive CP was finally located (and punched in the head for being difficult) and the next few CPs proved less sneaky to find. That was until CP4, located on the west shore of a small lake. While searching for this CP, SnackyPants unwittingly made her team trudge through an unnecessary kilometre of swamp in the wrong direction. Sorry guys. She hopes that at the very least the temper tantrum that ensued provided good entertainment.

The girls were soaked about 10 minutes into the race, and realized that changing into anything dry was futile, so they opted for a quick transition for what could be best described as a push a bike / slip 'n slide section. For around 8km, the girls slipped and slid up and down the singletrack trails in Copeland Forest. By about the third kilometre, there was far more pushing than riding, as the day long deluge had turned the trails into inches of muck. Many laughs were had as tumble after tumble ocurred trying to stay upright. Toots-in-Tights took the prize with a record 17 falls, all entirely graceful and one managing to score a 9.8 from the Russian judge. This section could only be described as humorous.

Since ARC wisely decided against a paddle section in this race, after the bike, teams ran across the road to the main location of Horseshoe Valley Resort and into the forest for a 1000 ft zipline. Although muddy, wet, and a little less lithe at this point, the girls thoroughly enjoyed this special section of the race. A quick run back to the finish followed where the girls were greeted with pizza and a refreshing (albeit cold) shower.

Unaware that many of their competitors had opted not to complete the race, Funderstorm had pushed (relatively) hard throughout the course in an attempt to stay ahead of the other all female teams. It was a nice surprise to find out that not only had they won the all-female category but that they had been one of few teams to suck it up and finish the race.

Both SP and T/T were very impressed with Wanda, who joined the girls at the last minute and who was promised that the biking "wouldn't be technical." Wanda showed great tenacity throughout the race and was officially awarded the Funderstorm spirit award, an honour likened in street cred to an Emmy.

Next week: Funderstorm goes international at the GRAAR Fall Adventure Challenge. This race, which sold out weeks before event, features the largest all-female category that the girls have yet to contend with. Will Funderstorm race to victory two weeks in a row? With a lineup of excellent prizes, they are sure to be bringing their "A" game to Augusta, Michigan.