Page 6 - June_2014

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xt by Evan Johnson,
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photos by Evan
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Participants at Shale Hill Adventure Farm flip tires, swing from ropes and endure icy ponds on a tough 10k course. Photos by Paul and Christine Kipphut.

BENSON, VT. — At the Shale Hill Ad- tan Races and Tough Mudders all over What the sport needed, he says, something special,” he says. “And I re-
venture Farm in Benson, the weather on the United States in locales ranging from was a foundation, a place for athletes to ally wanted to get more people on board
a Saturday in early May is in the low Miami to Las Vegas, where runners take start. Now, a variety of courses, classes so I’d have more people to train and to

50s and threatening rain. Spanning a off from the starting line in heats of as and trainers offer expertise and resources race with.”
20-yard-wide pond, a group of weary many as 200. Thousands of people rou- to novices and veterans alike.
Today, Injury to Excellence oper-
runners attempt to cross the icy water us- tinely enter some of these races, meaning Butler says that unlike obstacle ates obstacle course training classes on a
ing thick ropes strung six feet above the that team members have to stay in top course races that vary by location, a local network of trails at Mount Mans-
water.
shape for a solid finish – and that re- fixed course standardizes the experience field Union High School and in an indoor
quires constant practice.
for athletes, giving them the ability to see
Some hang like monkeys, gripping gym with all the features normally found
with their hands and ankles; some drag “It’s all about repetition,” says improvement.
on a course, including rope climbs, cargo
themselves along the top of the rope and Leclerc. “When we come here, we’ll run “At races, you can’t gauge your nets, tunnels and more. Stawinski says
others prefer to just jump in and swim. the course and when we find something progress so you have no idea if you’re get- the indoor and outdoor exercises both
After making it onto the muddy bank – that gives us a hard time, we’ll stop and ting better,” he says. “Here, you know. It have advantages.
some soggier than others — they take off work on it.”
becomes a gauge and a good tool.”
“On the indoor course, it’s a tech-

toward the next obstacle along the six- “As you practice, it only gets bet- COURSE WORK
nical environment that we’re able to
mile course that is hailed as one of the ter,” adds Forkey. “Coming to work on control,” he says. “We’re able to develop
toughest in the Northeast.
a course as tough as this keeps us on Indoor training helps as well. Up in Es- techniques to bring outside. When you’re
Shale Hill is a training center for track.”
sex, Vermont, John and Sheila Stawinski outside, the challenge becomes hav-
obstacle course racing known among the Participation in obstacle racing has manage Injury to Excellence, which spe- ing the grit and determination to push
initiated simply as “OCR.” The course been on the rise, and as a new sport it has cializes in fitness classes geared toward through the mud and the natural condi-

is an important part of a fast-growing its own peculiarities. Rob Butler, founder obstacle course races.
tions you’re presented with.”
sport with hundreds of races held each and owner of Shale Hill, says the devel- A year after opening their gym in Stawinski trains some 30 to 50 peo-
year all around the world.
opment of OCR skipped a step.
2008, the couple competed in the inau- ple every year in his classes for races like
Michelle Forkey and John Leclerc “The whole phenomenon of obsta- gural Spartan Race at the Catamount the World Championship Spartan Beast,
are members of Team Burgh, an OCR cle racing started on the second floor,” he Outdoor Family Center in Williston. It which will be held in September at Kil-
team based in Plattsburgh, N.Y. and reg- says. “It started out as a weekend warrior was 2009 and Stawinski says he recog- lington Resort.

ularly train at Shale Hill. The team has type of race. People would blast through nized an opportunity.
“Most of these people will go up
experience in the world-renowned Spar-
it, go home and train on their own.”
“I thought it (the race) was really
and over a wall and see a figure of their

6 VTSPORTS.COM
JUNE 2014