Well lets get this out of the way first. WHAT A GREAT
WEEKEND!
Dirt Wars Survivor Heat Wave was held at Loveday 4x4
adventure park which is about a 15-20min drive from the town of Barmera in
South Australia.
I wouln’t have heard about this event had I not been
involved in the SA Obs Racers facbook group and I am so glad that I had the
opportunity to get to this. There didn’t seem to be much commentary around the
place that I could research and the website didn’t give a lot away so I was
really flying blind, which was a little disconcerting to say the least as I am
one that likes to know what is coming!
As we approached Loveday from our just over 3hour drive from
home I was amazed at the set up that was there. The property is MASSIVE with
mounds upon mound upon MOUNDS of dirt tracks, jumps, moguls, manmade creek beds
etc etc. Some of the ramps were massive! Scattered amongst the 4x4 track I
spied a cargo net a-frame, a small vertical
wall and some monkey bars...what else was out there that I couldn’t see?!!??
We set up our camp site then decided to go for a wander
around and see what was out there!
There is an old hay shed (I think) that has been converted
into the “Loveday Tavern” which seemed to be a meeting point for the locals and
racers together. What stuck us immediately was the fact that there were
4...that’s right 4 jumping castles! Sweet kids are sorted! BUT wait there’s
more. Dirst Wars offered a “Tacker Attack” course which is an obstacle course
specifically deigned for kids! for a nominal $15 per child they were able to
access the jumping castles and the approx 800m kiddie course which was amazing!
A fantastic initiative and one that I would like to see more events
incorporate. The kids loved jumping, climbing, crawling and swinging but by far
their own “mud mile” was the highlight for kids big and small.
Dirt Wars Survivor also offered a “glow stick” night run.
This included a 5km obstacle run, leaving at sun down, with the course marked
by glow sticks! A head torch was almost a must for this but I did hear of
people completing it without it but it would have been VERY difficult to do!
Last Christmas I scored a LED Lenser 7.2 head torch in preparation for True
Grit Enduro so it was awesome to give this a good hit out and it sure
performed.
The course, at night, was amazing. Such a different feel out
there and the artificial light makes it so much more challenging. The 2
highlights of the night course were the 100m water slide and the maze that had
been built, in the dirt! I started the night run strongly and found my way to
the front part of the group which was a little surprising. I did find that the
crisp night air played havoc with my breathing which I hadn’t encountered
before. When we got to the waterslide we were instructed to take our shoes off
in order to preserve the plastic for the run in the morning. Trouble was I
couldn’t get mine back on easily and being that I was in the top 3 I elected
not to waste time and decided carrying them was the best option. Throwing them
over verticle cargo nets and crawling through piping with them was not ideal!
Somehow coming out of the maze I found myself in 2nd place which I
managed to hold through to the finish! decent result!
After a less than ideal sleep (damn campers making noise!)
*shakes fist angrily* I rocked up for the elite race rave at 0630 only to be
told our start had been delayed due to repairs on the slide. Apparently the
dogs had been running on it. At 7:05 Tony yelled “GO” and we were off, dodging
the swags scattered on the grass which I can only assume were the after effects
of the bar closing at 2am, we hit the start and over a dirt hill and BANG
straight in to the mud (think mud mile at TM but not as difficult) The first
section of the course was up and down the previously mentioned mud hills
A-Frames and cargo nets. These obstacles didn’t prove difficult per say but
were taxing on the legs. Couldn’t imagine taking a 4x4 up there!
After the conclusion of the front course I was comfortably
running in the top 4 and had a decent gap on those behind. I managed to pace
myself along the bloody annoying sand run then took 3rd through some
of the vertical nets and pipe crawls. The back half of the course is more
obstacle based with softer sand and gravel running. Luckily doing the maze in the night run I was
able to navigate this with little trouble. The “worst” and I mean worst in an
OCR sense of being a taxing but necessary obstacle was the 100+m of 2-3m high
soft sand dirt moguls. These blew my legs to pieces! By this stage 2nd
place was in the distance as this guy was a 13 year old whippet! I had him on
the obs but he gapped me comfortably on the runs. ohhh to be young! Coming in
to the final 1.5km there were some tyre runs, a hay bale climb and balance
beams before making your way to the monkey bars. Somehow my young friend in 2nd
took a wrong turn so I caught back up to him. I put him back on track and
allowed him to take the front position which he earned, until the next obstacle
which was monkey bars. I blitzed this and entered the last obstacle which was a
cargo net climb up on to the back of a flat bed truck, across a balance beam on
a wall then DING DING DING! Ring the bell and your done! 8.89kms in 1:07 for 2nd
place in the race wave! Another guy, Robbie, did a 57min lap to claim overall,
relegating me to 3rd, but he didn't run in the official race wave so I’m
claiming 2nd! Robbie, who claimed the quickest course time is an absolute machine and has been smashing the training and you can see it really paid off at the event.
Absolutely stoked with my runs especially with the fact I am
yet to own a dedicated pair of OCR shoes so I am constantly scrounging for
something and I have also been battling some painful tendonitis in my left foot
from Tough Mudder in December.
After I completed the course I was able to spend some time
talking to Tony Whately who owns Loveday 4x4 and stages Dirt Wars. He is
extremely passionate about improving this event and building the profile of it
up. This is a “no frills” event. If you want massive headlining obstacles,
marshalls at every ob, medals etc you won’t get that here! If you want to push
yourself in a fantastic course that boasts 55 obstacles across an 8km course
which will test you physically and mentally then this is for you! Tony’s team
are laid back and encouraging, always willing to yell support, and heckle at
times. Loveday have the potential to expand the course and diversify it at each
event so it becomes a little like Forrest Gump, “you never know what you’re
gonna get”. For me, I rated this course
as harder and more enjoyable than Tough Mudder....oOOOOOO controversial! Big
call I know but there were many others that I spoke to who had the same
opinion! OCR events can no longer rely on 2-4 headline obstacles and the fact that they feel they have the market
cornered due to their global size. This will force all events to continually
evolve in order to not just grow but primarily maintain their market share.
It was great for me, being a new comer on the OCR scene, to
meet so many wonderful and passionate athletes who are always willing to give
hints and tips and most of all support to anyone who needs it! Egos are pushed
to one side.
I really didn’t want to rub it in to Beast as I know that he
was extremely disappointed in not being able to attend but this was a brilliant
event with a well thought out, tough, enjoyable and testing course. Overall I
give this is 8.5/10. Cant wait for the next one!!!
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