Organization: 180 Adventure
Race: Stubborn Mule Adventure Race – 30-Hr
Race Director: Paula Waite
Tomahawk, Wisconsin – June 9, 2013 – What's tougher
than a Muddy Buddy and more fun than a Tough Mudder? How about 30 hours of
non-stop biking, running, and paddling with only a map, compass, and your
team's wits to guide you?!
The Stubborn Mule Adventure Race will test
competitors' mettle as they hunt for hidden checkpoints around the county.
“Teams will cover from 50 to over 100 miles, entirely under their own power,”
says Paula Waite, race director and course designer for 180 Adventure. Those competing
in the 30-hour expedition event will race through the night – fighting the
“sleep monsters” while navigating the north woods terrain in the dark. Racers
in the 12-hour event may not have to fight to stay awake through their race,
but it isn't a walk in the park either. “Success in adventure racing is not
just about being the fastest bikers, runners and paddlers. To win, teammates
must work well together and choose their routes carefully.” GPS devices are not
allowed; teams must rely on their own skills to find their way.
Stubborn Mule is expected to draw over 150
participants. “We have a great mix: many brand new, never-raced-before teams
all the way up to teams who've competed on the national level. We have folks coming
in from more than a dozen states and even have an international team flying
in”. The race begins at 6 a.m., Saturday, June 29 in a to-be-announced location
near Tomahawk. Why so secret? Part of the challenge of adventure racing is
route-finding and quick decision making. Teams won't know the starting location
until one week prior to race day, and they find out where they are headed until
they receive their maps at the starting line. At that point they must plan and
chart their routes all under the pressure of the ticking clock.
How did you get into adventure race production?
Midwest adventure racers lost two Wisconsin-based
race organizations about 5-6 years ago which meant 3-4 fewer races in the state
each year. I had been racing since 2000, loved the sport and the AR family, and
was always intrigued by the idea of hosting an adventure race. Ok, maybe I was
a little obsessed... The decline in races worried me and there were rumblings
in the local AR community that the sport was dying. To me, it meant somebody
needed to step up and keep the sport alive and well. That is when 180 Adventure
and Stubborn Mule were born. As we enter our 4th season of AR production,
I still am obsessed, though I like to call it passionate!
What are the biggest challenges you face as an RD in
your area?
The biggest challenge? Keeping the race course size
manageable! There are so many beautiful spots here that it is difficult not to
overextend by trying to fit them all into each event. When I'm struggling to
figure out how to incorporate a fantastic paddle section into the race, for
example, I have to keep telling myself, save some of it for next year!
On a more serious note, I think a challenge for our
sport as whole is awareness and involvement among the masses. Everyone knows
what a mud run is, but when I mention “adventure racing” to most people, I
receive a puzzled look. Muddy Buddy can generate so much revenue while
adventure races struggle to make ends meet, much less share some of those funds
with a charity as much as we'd like to. Why? One of the issues for me, and
maybe for all of us, is answering that question. Or maybe first, do we want to
be bigger?
What can participants expect...that you're willing
to share?
We do like to be secret about our courses don't we?
This year, I've seen more wildlife than ever when working on the course –
bears, porcupines, and eagles! We are really taking teams into some pristine
locations at Stubborn Mule. Expect challenging topography, scenic paddling,
epic mountain biking and the best volunteer crew around!
What is the biggest change from last year's race?
Every year we work to tune the race and our
operations to be the best they can be. We survey racers after every event and
take their feedback very seriously. Last year we heard from several teams that
the 2012 Mule was “the best race ever”. I'm not sure how much we want to change
from that!
Actually, one big change is around our series
involvement. We are VERY excited to partner with NAARS which means we are
bringing an incredibly generous prize package to the racers this year – there
will be far more on the prize table than ever before!
5. What advice do you have for training or just from
general experience in the AR world?
Adventure racing is a roller coaster. Enjoy the
ride!
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