Located in wine country and near the beach, this was a beautiful setting for this annual event. Our team decided to tackle the relay marathon with each member taking 1/5th of the route. Race kit pick up was available the day before and we drove up to get an idea of the layout and pick up our great long sleeve tech shirts and bibs. Kit pick up had little to no lineups and was quite quick. Maps were available so we could get an idea of where to park, catch the shuttle bus and how the day would unfold for our relay team. The following day we managed to get on-site parking and waited for the shuttles to transport us along the route. There was hot drinks for those waiting and announcements were made regularly so everyone knew where and when to go for their leg of the race. The indoor centre was a great setting and offered a small vendor village, information and seating. The shuttle buses were quite quick but there was some confusion with the drivers as to where to go initially and some racers had to catch buses along the route or loop back around to their proper start point. The route winds back down along the beautiful waterfront and the sunny day made the course feel even more inviting. Volunteers were available at most start points and water stations excluding the 5th and final leg. We had to set up our own table for water and await our teammate, for the chip handover, with no support. The final leg had a slight incline and all relay teammates met up just prior to the finish line to cross together. It was a great race, well organized and the medal and tech tee are quite nice. The vendor village was well laid out with photo ops nearby and you could cheer on other racers easily. Recharge with Milk was there and they were handing out some great SWAG including hats and buffs. Lots of snacks were available for racers and silver warming blankets were given out at the finish line. We would do this event again without hesitation as it continues to grow and improve annually. Thanks for a great race!

Located at the west end of Kingston, Ontario, this was the first year for this event at this location. This is a fairly flat course and weaves racers in and out of fields and wooded forest areas. With 25 obstacles covering the 5KM course, racers got a good taste of a grassroots race that helped raise funds for the Canadian Cancer Society. This is a women's only event and racers could come dressed in costumes and 'let their hair down' for the day. There was a small vendor village, door prizes and prizes for the best costume. Each racer that raised 150.00 in donations received a nice tech tee and there were prizes for most donations raised and a VIP area for their teammates. The trail was fairly well marked and spectators could watch the race from a few vantage points. There were over/unders, crawls, climbs, walls and a nice conduit pipe creep. Volunteers were available to answer any questions and were clearly visible. Nominal fee for on-site parking, ample port-o-potties on site and a vendor for food was available. Change tents were available and the local fire department helped hose racers off at the start/finish line. Over 500 participants came out for this inaugural race. An Elite heat was available and the remaining heats were timed by the local Running Room. This event won the National award for the best committee-run fundraising event of 2015 and a date has been set for 2016 of September 17th.

Every year this race continues to increase in popularity. This year was no exception. Tens of thousands of people made the trek to Ottawa for this annual event. If you do not like crowds then this is not the venue for you. This year the tech long sleeve shirts were red with reflective trim. The Soldier On racers led the crowd and it took quite awhile to get the many corrals launched for the 5K event. This year had more spectator stations and included a salute from the firemen roadside which was a nice touch. A beautiful loop around the canal and back. The crowded route made it difficult to 'run' so a quick speed walk kept up nicely. At the finish line the lineup took over 7 minutes due to congestion to receive the traditional 'dog tag' medal all finishers receive. Parking is difficult unless you are staying at a local hotel or live nearby. Washrooms are available along the route. Flat course. Suggest public transit for quicker access. Massages available using a wait list approach for all racers and custom bibs are the race kit.

One of our favourite races! We decided to try the Ottawa venue this time at Commando Paintball and were not disappointed. Well organized, easy registration and kit pick up. Lot's to see and do with photo opportunities everywhere! Mud from start to finish and they added a 1 mile mud crawl that had to playing knee deep to waist deep in the most perfect mud! Slides, puddles, climbs and crawls kept us motivated and smiling for the 6K course. Fun from start to finish. The vendor village allows spectators to watch certain elements and keeps families engaged while cheering on their significant others. Food on site and beer tent. You can also purchase extra SWAG like headbands, tee shirts and buffs. Change rooms available on site with hose off stations. Parking was a bit brutal as they had us in fields that bottomed out some of our cars, but if you get there early you can park up top on the paved surface. Well marked with signage, great communications and excellent social media presence. Again, i am a bit bias on this one as I am a frequent flyer and recommend it to anyone wanting to come out and play for a day with friends and family and not take themselves too seriously, love the non-competitive atmosphere! Music, food, fitness and fun -what a great way to enjoy the great outdoors. Muddy madness and mayhem!

This is a fun event, with a far less competitive edge. Untimed and family friendly. Held at the local dirtbike track, racers wind over small hills and tackle a few sudsy obstacles every kilometer or so. Some of the best tall slides and foamy fun along the way. Good MC and lots of great professional photographs available for Facebook the next day! Nice medal and cotton v neck tee shirts. Fun merch available and costumes are recommended. The foam gets a bit gritty near the end of the day, so get there early. Well organized with no lineups for race kit pick up, medics clearly visible on site and change tents and ad hoc showers available on site. Ample parking for $5-10.00 per car and easily accessible from the race site. Great music and fun to get foamy at the start line with the giant suds generator. This course loops through the woods and back out again. Fairly flat course. Bring a change of clothes and extra water on hot days.