Run the Gauntlet 2015

The second race that Denali New Haven put on this year for charity was Run the Gauntlet at Hammonasett Beach in Madison, Ct. All proceeds from the race goes directly to charity, this race supporting the local YMCA.

Finding Hammonasett Beach was a breeze. Right off of I-95, and clearly signed. There was not a lot of signs for the race once you got into the park, but when you made it to the first rotary, signs were clear and plentiful. Parking was free! It was also within walking distance to the start line. There was no bag check, however, the race director was willing to stash bags for the Spahtens, and with reasonable time management, you could easily go drop off extra gear back at the car.

From the parking lot, you head to a pavilion where you had check-in. This was a bit messy as there was not any signage or a simple move-through process. A bunch of picnic tables made an L to make the registration. As you walk in, the conjunction of the L was in front of you, and that was where you could look up your bib number. Then you had to proceed to your left to check-in table to get your bib. From there you were to go get your timing chip, so you had to go back to your right, past the bib number table to the other side of the L to get your timing chip. You were given the chip only, told how to put it on, and then sent to a table behind you to get the straps for the chips. However, next to the chip table, on the opposite end of the L from the bib table, is the table to pick up your race shirt. I got a little side tracked here and headed to get my strap for my timing chip and almost forgot my shirt. There were no long lines at any table, but it could have been more streamlined.

From the pavilion, you headed to the beach where the festival was, as well as the start/finish line. The festival was hopping. A live (and good) band playing all day. An emcee getting runners excited. Plenty of vendors for the size of the race. It was a very well done festival. Spectators were free and were enjoying all the festival had to offer. The pizza truck started their wood ovens early and it smelled amazing!

This timing company is a bit different than what you’re used to. There is no clear starting line, and you lined up next to the finish line (which had mats), and I wasn’t really sure where exactly the start line was. The emcee counts down and when he sounded the starting horn, that is when they turn the heat’s time on. It is not a very competitive event (although there are prizes for placing), so the exact time of when you cross this start line is not important, but I’m not used to the system and I’m not sure I like it. Even if they’re going to start the clock with the horn, I would still like a clear starting line.

From the start line, we headed straight down the beach for just over 1 mile. Running on the sand is hands down the hardest part of this race. The sand was loose, the wet sand became loose, the sand in the water ate your feet. There was no easy place to run, but with a race like this, the challenge of the sand makes the race worth it to a veteran like me. For all the challenge the sand gave, the obstacles were the exact opposite. This is a family friendly race, and meant to have obstacles that can be completed by kids as young as 8. There was not a single man-made obstacle that I found to be even mildly difficult. It is also very obstacle light. For this reason, I’ll give a quick recap of the obstacles present:

-Charlottes’ Web aka a low net crawl (about 15′ long with thick netting keeping you down)
-The Black Hole aka a wide hole in the sand lined and covered with a black liner and partially filled with water, which is to be crawled through
-Alligator Alley aka a balance beam over a hole filled with water with blow-up alligator floats in the water (I found this obstacle incredibly amusing)
-Hammonesett Hurdles aka 3 plastic (road) water-filled barrier walls
-Into the Drink aka go into the ocean to about hip/waste level for 15-20′
-(Not listed) roped slip wall, but with climbing kick boards
– The First Ascent aka cargo A-frame
– (Not listed) Tire jump, which was simply jump onto a large truck tire and jump off the other side
– Prairie Dog aka crawl through plastic sewer tube
– Tired? aka run through tires (football style), with a need to climb over a stack of tires in the middle
– (Not listed) a lifted 4′ wall with kickboards
– Get Over Yourself aka 2 5′ ladder walls to a 4′ platform, and a jump down.
– Dodging Ramen aka another balance beam with a frame above holding tied-on pool noodles, which you have to move through
– Trek to Base Camp aka grab a ruck and do a 50′ ruck
– (Not listed) A 50ft log hop

Just before 1.5mi we came off the beach to our one and only water stop (between the slip wall and the A-frame) to a packed dirt bike path. Around 2.25mi we crossed a driveway, to a sidewalk, crossed the road, jumped a guard rail, which put us on a short dirt trail that brought us to a very shelly beach where the ruck was. Just after the completion of the ruck, you go back to dirt trail, which was much like the typical OCR trail, rocky and a little hilly. We hit up another foot path, where we climbed some stairs, headed back down to the beach to the log hop, and then the finish line was back on the sandy beach within a 100′ of the last log.

This race does not offer a finishers medal in lieu of donating that money to charity. We do, however, get 3 well sized slices of some amazing pizza from Old World Pizza, and 2 beers, a red ale, from a local brewery. There is also a wine sampling table for those who don’t care for beer. The pizza is phenomenal and the beer was good. Also at the finish line was plenty of water and a free baguette of olive oil ciabatta bread from a local bakery. A free bottle of a protein water was also available to all finishers by visiting their tent.

Overall, I enjoyed this race. The obstacles are all as beginner as you can get, but the terrain will challenge even the most hardy racer. The t-shirt is a nice light blue tech t-shirt, but it is as far from my style as it can get, being a sleeved men’s style shirt. It fits my small frame incredibly poorly. It’s easily an above average race, and I recommend it for all fitness levels. Plus, the pizza is amazing! And it’s all for charity.