Mind Over Mountain Adventure Race returns to Burnaby
Have you ever wanted to race in a 50 km trek with only your wits to find the way?
Now you can, when the Atmosphere Mind Over Mountain Adventure Race (MOMAR) comes to Burnaby Mountain June 2.
MOMAR is an extreme mountain biking, trail running, kayaking and orienteering adventure that’s not for the faint of heart.
The event is a novelty in Burnaby, where most outsiders expect to find an urban hub not an outdoor wilderness experience. Event organizer Bryan Tasaka said this year’s race will be lots of fun.
“People can expect another adventure-filled course with lots of new and challenging terrain,” Tasaka said.
The race, which debuted last year in Burnaby, has some new trails added to the course this time around.
Those competing in the race will find checkpoints along the way to help them make the eight-hour time limit, allowing racers who are lagging behind to skip sections to catch up. Adventurers who complete the most checkpoints with the quickest time win the race.
“They can definitely expect to be pushed to their physical and mental limits,” Tasaka said.
People may come for the race, but MOMAR is also known for its spectacular after party.
“Definitely people can expect a great time,” Tasaka said. “The MOMAR is really a social weekend.”
The after-party will include a banquet, awards, prizes and musical guest David Blair.
According to Tasaka the party usually goes into the wee morning hours with attendees still dancing.
The race itself offers a challenging trek through the mountainside that promises to test your skills.
“I’ve been competing in these events for 10 years now,” said Gary Robbins, the endurance athlete who designed the adventure race course. “So it’s kind of fun to have competed in them for quite awhile and then step on the other side and create these events for other people to enjoy.”
Robbins hopes the race will provide a fun experience for all.
“We designed it so that everybody can make the finish line and everybody has a little bit of fun out there,” Robbins said.
Event sponsor Tourism Burnaby hopes the race will help Burnaby’s profile as a destination.
“This particular race is a great opportunity to showcase the variety of recreational pursuits that are available in Burnaby,” said Tourism Burnaby’s Matthew Coyne.
The exact location of the race will not be revealed until registration at 6:30 p.m. on June 1. For more info check out www.mindovermountain.com.
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