2007 Canadian Death
Race
The Canadian Death Race:
Are You Tough Enough?
Yup!
That’s our motto. We designed the Canadian Death Race to ask
one question and one question alone, "Are
you tough enough?" It's time to put up or
shut up. Park your ego at the door. The gloves are off, the training is
over, now its time to find out if you've got what it takes to complete
one of the toughest adventure races in the world. You must come totally
committed, fully prepared and well trained. It's
all or nothing, and we take no prisoners! If you finish under the cut
off time, you win! It's that simple. Upon finishing you gain the title
of "Death Racer" complete with all the bragging rights that anyone will
be able to stand, plus an ultra cool framed trophy display case
complete with scenic photo taken along the race course, a limited
edition death race coin, and your name and
time engraved within the case.
Under 16 but still want to be a Death
Racer? See Kid's Death Race.
What
the Hell is the Canadian Death Race Anyway?
Welcome to the wonderful world of extreme racing.
Death Racing is something a few of us from Grande Cache have been doing
for almost a decade, but we are now ready to share our extreme
playground with you. You must truly have the curiosity of a cat, the
constitution of an ox, and the spirit of adventure, although your
friends and loved ones may have a completely different description of
your mental health. The course consists of 125kms, three mountain
summits and over 17,000ft of elevation change as well as the crossing
of a major river at our spectacular Hell's Gates canyon at the
confluence of the Smoky
and Sulphur Rivers.
We further merge our adventure race with
the dark Greek myth of Charon, the ferryman of the dead. The myth
states that upon passing into the realm of the dead,
spirit travelers would have to pay for passage across the river Styx
into Haddes. The price was one gold coin per soul. Those not
possessing the fare were condemned to wander the banks of the Styx
for eternity. One very special coin will be given to each team and
solo racer as they traverse from this world into the next. Relay racers
must pass the coin from person to person, and summit to summit never
losing sight of the fact that only when presented to the ferryman
will you be provided safe passage across Hell’s Gates. And so it will
be with you. Your journey will be fraught with hardship and suffering.
Only the strongest among you will reign victorious. Good Luck.
Train Hard. Go like Hell.
Where is the Death Race?
Join us for an adventure holiday in
the beautiful Rocky Mountain foothills. Grande Cache, Alberta, Canada
is located 140 km North of Hinton, and 180 km South of Grande Prairie
on the Bighorn Highway 40. Grande Cache is nestled on top of a 4,200 ft
plateau and is surrounded by 6000 ft to 7000 ft mountains on all sides.
The scenery is as impressive as the challenge that lies ahead. Train
hard... train
very hard; we consider this to be the toughest race in Canada. But
don't take our word for it. Come experience the newest and baddest
extreme race on the block, and find out why we call it the Death Race.
When is the Death Race?
The Death Race is always held
during the August long weekend.
For the 2007 season that's August
3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th.
Death Racing Defined
An adventure is rarely
thrilling and exciting while it is happening, but rather a perilous
calamity often with life and death a distinct possibility. However,
after the experience, with the passage of time, these situations
ferment in our minds, the pain goes away but the memory
lives vividly on. It is these experiences that make the best
stories, which we call adventures. Therefore the definition of an
adventure can be said to be adversity recalled in times of
tranquility. The nature of Death Racing is at the core of this concept
.
The sport of extreme racing is growing
by leaps and bounds as individuals around the world challenge
themselves to complete physically exhausting races and test their
limits of endurance, mental toughness, and
human spirit. The term "death racing" was coined by racers exclaiming
they were "dead tired" or "looked like death" as they competed. Some
said racers were on a "death wish", and some even claimed that they had
"cheated death". The phrase caught on and now athletes
refer to extreme endurance sporting events, affectionately, as
"Death Racing".
Death Race Stories
In
the Death Run of 2002 two racers saw a bear and ran for cover. They
were
paralyzed with fear and didn't want to risk moving. By the time search
and
rescue caught up with them the bear had long since moved on but in
their
hysteria they still "saw a bear," cleverly disguised as a shadow. I
believe
the words, "come on out of the bushes guys, you're embarrassing
yourselves!"
had the appropriate calming effect. What was unpleasant was the
argument
that ensued where the two racers wanted more time to complete the race.
Sorry guys, racing in the mountains is a very unpredictable business
and
we have time cutoffs for a variety of safety and logistical reasons.
You
might time out because of weather, you might time out because of an
injury, and you may even time out because of a bear. It may break your
heart to
be taken off the course but lets not pull kick and scream over it.
Besides
we don't want you to embarrass yourself. Click here to
read the first hand bear account.
Here is a second
story "In the Dark of Night," by a first time
Death
Racer, who ran the last leg of the race through the night. Below is an
excerpt
from his story:
"Putting my training to the test, I started
checking
out brochures for upcoming races. Scanning the wall in the
running
store, I spotted several:
· 5km and 10km– too short
· Marathons – too long
· Calgary Stampede ½ marathon – too
urban
· Melissa’s 22km Road Race – hmmm…right
distance,
outdoors … oh wait, Already booked up!
What’s this one? - A human skull on the cover, with a Canadian
Maple
Leaf. Looks dangerous! Looks … COOL! The Canadian Death Race in Grande
Cache
- 125km in a 24-hour period in the mountains. You could run it
solo
(read ‘psycho runners of unimaginable strength and endurance … and
possible
mental deficiency’) or in relay teams of five. Hmmm – sounds like
an
awesome race and by hooking up with a team, I can meet other crazy
runners.
Sign me up!"
Click
here
to read it.
Sleeping Beauty
In the
2004 race, a runner
from out of country was set to finish the race and was 1/3 through the 5th
and final leg, but he was exhausted. He
felt he had lots of time to finish and, still being night, he thought
just a
short snooze would do the trick to “recharge” his body.
So about 5 hours later, in the streaming
daylight, around about 10am two hikers found him. Dehydrated,
and disoriented, like a crazed Vietnam vet lost in
the jungle for years, not knowing the war was ended, he bolted upright. His first words were, “How do I get out of
here?” The hikers led him back to town
where he ate for an hour (After a mandatory visit to the emergency
room of
course.) then continued on with his 100 year sleep in
the
sanctuary of his hotel bed.
Now don't
get me wrong it is
the "Death Race" but we aren't out to kill anyone.
Be warned this race is very unforgiving
to those that are not prepared. The
winner of the 2001 Race took me (Dr. Death) aside at the awards
presentation and said that,
"Every race organizer wants to bill their race as the toughest, and so
after a while you read race information with a grain of salt, but you
guys
weren't kidding. This is the hardest race I've ever done, and I've done
a
few. This is the first race I've done
that truly felt epic." Now I'm not
saying that this is the hardest race out there, it's probably not, but
it is
one tough race. Almost everyone that
does the race says it was harder than they thought.
Makes me laugh when people ask, "Come on, how hard can
it
be?" - The answer is HARD!
How bad can it be? - BAD! How tough can it
be? TOUGH! The
question really is, "How tough are you?"
Death Race
Advertisements
In
the Winter of 2003, an advertisement company in Europe contacted us and
asked
if we would be interested in having Adidas use our race as the theme
for
a magazine advertisement full page add. After much communication with
them,
this is the result.
Who Administers the Race and How Does it benefit the
town?
The Canadian Death Race is organized by the Canadian Institute of
Extreme Racing, a Non-Profit incorporated society of Alberta, Canada
that is dedicated to promoting the sport of extreme racing and tourism
initiatives. The Institute organizes and promotes events that
will help maximize the tourism potential of our community and is
involved in many ways within our community including:
- Passport to the Peaks Program administered by the
Institute.
- Grande Cache Wild River Kayak Rendezvous held here every
year on the first weekend in June.
- Tourism Awareness and attraction. (Largest single event
held in town bringing in well in excess of $1 million to our community
annually.)
- Many local companies have stated that Death Race weekend
is their single most profitable weekend of the year.
- Free Sponsored Swims during Death Race Weekend (Free
public swimming for all)
- Donations and gift baskets to the Don Shore memorial Golf
Tournament.
- Donations of raffle prizes to numerous community
organizations (GCTOA, Communities in Bloom, Otters etc.)
- Donations of entry fees as prizes to other competitions.
(Red Deer etc.)
- Free entry for team donated as raffle prize for Otters
raffle. (Valued at up to $1450)
- Free entry for team (Valued at up to $1450) donated as
incentive for local company's Death Race video and DVD sales promotion.
- Local Sororities benefit annually by running pasta
extravaganza pre-race meal and downtown concession during the Death
Race weekend. (All racers and volunteers receive free
hot meals paid for entirely by the Institute to the Sororities, which
in turn donate all proceeds to charity and non-profit groups)
- 100% of Prayer Flag donations donated to GC Firefighters
Association and associated charities.(Search and Rescue and hospital)
- Equipment donated to the Cadets wilderness challenge
annually.
- Equipment loaned to the Recreation Center's children's
triathlon program.
- Equipment loaned to Summitview School for sports days.
- Trail Development, grooming, marking, and maintenance on
local trails.
- Members of Grande Cache Chamber of Commerce.
- Members of Grande Cache Tourism Operator's Association
- Flags donated to town to be put up each year.
- Mail out of Grande Cache Tourism information
(promotion) included with Global Racer mailouts annually.
- Actively promote our area and our event via race
brochures/internet
website and through media coverage.
- Sponsors advertisements/coupons etc. included into
each racer's kit and volunteers's kit at no charge.
- Free Entry into race for Media personnel (Tourism
awareness and exposure incentive) and media packages.
- Subsidize Kids Death Race enabling each successful
runner to receive a cast Death Race medal as well as t-shirts and
assorted prizes.
- Each volunteer is given a free Death Race token
(t-shirt, hat, cheering bell etc.) for their valuable assistance.
- Volunteer appreciation banquet held annually with prize
draws.
- Promote "Shop Locally and Promote Globally." (Aid
station and concession foods, and Death Race equipment purchased
locally whenever possible)
- Local facilities rented for meetings and other race
purposes. (Akasaka Rec. Center, Curling Lounge, Royal Canadian Legion,
Grande Cache Hotel, Bighorn Golden Age Club)
- Hire Locally (Death Race prize plaques and engraving
completed locally as well as our graphic artist, necessary construction
projects (fence) vehicle maintenance, locksmithing, race prize
embroidery and race administration staff all hired locally.)
- Festival of Adventure fundraiser for Chamber of
Commerce.
- GC Curling club breakfast concession fundraiser
during Death Race.
- Licenses given to local merchants to produce and
sell Death Race Logo merchandise.
Town of Grande Cache Tent city
fundraiser. - Local billeting program during race benefits local
homeowners. We provide free internet billeting bulletin board
and 100% of rental proceeds are paid directly to homeowners.
Contact us: info@canadiandeathrace.com
Register for the Race: registration
Volunteer for the Race: volunteer
Billeting & Accommodations: accommodations
return to top
