U of C Mathletes survive Canadian Death Race
Grad students accomplish what many before them could not
Duck Pond, Ambler and Hell's Gate sound like the names of Hollywood films, but instead are some legs of a grueling death race. There was nothing glamorous about the 125-kilometre race five math grad students participated in this summer during the August long weekend.
The team of Colin Weir, Karin Arikushi, Cameron Hodgins, Doug Maclean, and Stacey Lamont conquered all odds and finished the 24-hour Canadian Death Race near Grande Cache, Alberta, placing 57th in the mixed division, 95th overall, with a total time just over 18 hours.
Approximately 1200 adults participated in this year's event, which experienced warm, sunny weather with the high reaching 27 degrees.
"The feeling of accomplishment is indescribable," says Colin Weir, 26. "Most people racing were experienced athletes. We met guys from the British Armed Forces who tried it solo and didn't even make it past leg three."
Through the dehydrating weather, extreme terrain and almost never flat ground, all five members managed to walk away from the competition in one piece.
"It was definitely the hardest thing I've ever done, even harder than doing my master's thesis," says Weir. "None of us could walk the next day. At all."
Click here to view Death Race photo album
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