It's a race that aims to test one's mental and physical limits.
Participants paddle, pedal and trek their way through the wilderness with only the aid of a map and their wits.
Garibaldi Highlands athlete Pip Parr is one of them. Since 2011, the mother of two has slogged her through numerous Atmosphere Mind Over Mountain Adventure Races (MOMAR). This Saturday (Sept. 26), she's headed to Cumberland for the latest 50-kilometre event. Competitors in the off-road multisport adventure race have to navigate their way through a series of checkpoints in the hopes of crossing the finish line within the eight-hour time limit.
鈥淎 group of friends got chatting one night and decided we wanted to do an adventure race, preferably a local one, so we decided on MOMAR as it was held in Squamish,鈥� Parr stated. 鈥淯nfortunately, that was the year the race was changed to Simon Fraser University (SFU), but we went anyway and had a blast.鈥�
Parr is among 13 Sea to Sky athletes competing in the sold-out race taking place in the historic mining town of Cumberland. This year alone, Parr has taken on the JABR cross-country mountain bike race in Squamish, one the 5 Peaks trail run races and the Canuck Place Adventure Race. But the upcoming MOMAR marks Parr鈥檚 first solo adventure race challenge.
She will be up against 600 participants, which makes MOMAR the largest adventure race in North America, according to race director Bryan Tasaka. Racers will be heading to the Comox Valley from Quebec, Ontario, Whitehorse, Oregon, Washington State, Alberta and across B.C.
Parr has squeezed her training schedule in between looking after children and a full-time job. Leading up to the big day, she's been using an online program to get her ready for the enduro course.
鈥淚 have to modify [the program] to some degree, doing some of the biking on a trainer whilst the kids play around me,鈥� Parr said.
For more information on the races visit www.mindovermountain.com.
