Race Review: Mad Trapper Series Night Snowshoe Race

So this magical race happened again last weekend and I was actually in town for it so I was happy to take it all in with family and friends. Even my dog-brother Beau took part again!

Even if I’m not in top physical shape these days, I could still “enjoy” it by holding back a bit on the throttle, especially on the hills. It made for a slightly longer race but then my heart didn’t want to come out of my chest which is always fun.

The temperature was pretty ideal, with cold but not too cold air and almost no wind in the middle of the forest. There wasn’t much snow cover in some spots but only felt rocks and roots/trees a few times along the course.

It was one of the biggest turnouts at the Ark and even Mike said afterwards that it was getting close to capacity. It’s very nice to see the community starting to embrace snowshoe racing in a fun and family friendly atmosphere. The 3k option seemed ideal for newbies as I heard some positive feedback afterwards.

Everyone who comes out to the Ark leaves with a smile on their face as it’s hard not to with plenty of fresh air, fun folks and amazing homemade food including chili and the signature brownie!

I did get lapped at the very end by the top 10k finisher (who did two laps of the 5k course while I did one) but it made me feel better that it was the world champion. And yes, there is such a thing as this sport is catching on in a lot of Canadian major centres and rural areas. You can even check out this article I did for on the subject.

The MadTrapper Series continues with two more morning races in February and March. Check out the Mad Trapper site for all the details and I highly recommend these for a fun and furious workout!