What started out as a conversation in a northern New Hampshire bike shop is now a reality.
Chatting with fellow locals at Jonathon Dodge’s Spoke n’ Word one day, Dodge, Bridget Freudenberger and E.H. Roy lamented the loss of Untamed New England, a qualifier for the world championships of adventure racing, from the area.
The race had its time around Dixville Notch, attracting sponsored international teams.
Eventually new organizers took over and renamed it the North Country Endurance Challenge with paddling, trail running and mountain biking. It faded away after 2014.
The trio wanted it back. Bringing in fellow Colebrook residents Rebecca Hodge and Kirsten Silfvenius, they formed the nonprofit C.O.R.E. (Coos Outdoors Recreation Events), and dove into the behind-the-scenes logistics important to events — volunteers, landowner permission, liability, marketing, etc. — while realizing the importance of having outdoor enthusiasts putting together the race.
They applied for and received a pair of $5,000 grants from the Tillotson North Country Fund and Coos Economic Development Corporation.
So the North Country Endurance Challenge, a U.S. Adventure Racing Association-sanctioned event, was resurrected and is on tap for Sept. 10.
“We want to give back to the town and not be a drain,” said Dodge, CORE secretary. “We want to fill rooms, have people be at restaurants and see what the area has to offer.”
There is much to see in the endurance race’s 65-plus miles of paddling, trail running and mountain biking, and a sprint duathlon of 30-plus miles for running and biking.
It’s an 8.5-mile paddle and 14-mile run followed by a 41-mile bicycling segment.
Endurance athletes paddle in the First Connecticut Lake in Pittsburg during a nine-leg journey through Clarksville, Dixville Notch and Colebrook.
Dixville Notch is where the sprint duathlon starts its four-leg competition (7-mile run, 23-mile bike), mirroring the endurance course. Both end up at the Colebrook Country Club for a post-race locally sourced meal.
“Everything is pretty challenging if you want it to be,” said Dodge. “There are plenty of hills and steeps for biking and running. The wind could be at your back or in your face on the open water paddle.”
But the last four miles are somewhat tamer, more spectator-friendly into Colebrook.
“At that part, you’re totally spent,” said Dodge. “Now people are watching you, causing you to dig deeper and give everything you have.”
Figure on about 4-5 hours for the duathlon, 8-9 hours for endurance. The field is limited to 125 (northcountryendurancechallenge.com to register).
Freudenberger, a bank vice president and C.O.R.E. president, has roots in running road races like 5Ks and half-marathons.
She’s competed in the sprint twice, first with a friend handling the biking and in 2014 as solo contestant, finishing as the top (and only) female.
Now, fueled by the Challenge, she’s running marathons. It also gave her an opportunity to see her home in a new light.
“I was an unaware resident and this provided me with an opportunity to explore and say, ‘Hey, I have a playground right in my backyard,’ ” she said.
Racers can compete solo or as a team (up to 9 for the endurance, 4 for the sprint).
In an area dominated with headlines of the development of the Balsams and the Northern Pass debate, the Great North Woods is a wild and rugged land. It may not have the vast hiking system of the White Mountains, but the Cohos Trail runs through it.
Racers run on the CT and by Lake Francis State Park and Coleman State Park, the closed Balsams Wilderness ski area, Lake Gloriette, Huntington Cascades, Diamond Peaks, glorious Table Rock and have decent odds for wildlife spotting. There’s mountain biking, and a growing health and wellness culture.
“We’re working with the ATV and snowmobile clubs because we need their help and experience. We need and appreciate them. We wouldn’t have bike trails without ATV trails in Colebrook,” said Dodge.
Freudenberger also hopes for a collaborative effort between motorized and non-motorized users of multi-use trails.
“They are multi-use trails more widely known as ATV trails but we would like to expand on that,” she said.
The event is an opportunity to showcase the area. Freudenberger spoke about how the Challenge has brought a positive energy to the area, connecting communities, local resources, volunteers and athletes.
“We’re very excited about the event and anxious to see the outcome,” she said. “The race connects so many great attributes.”
Marty Basch can be reached at mbasch@gmail.com.