Great October Adventure Race
8 Hour AR

October 18, 2025

Preliminary Results
Preliminary Results – Splits

 

 

Race Date: Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025
Location:  VFW Post 2269, Proud Lake Recreation Area (Commerce Township, MI), includes an indoor venue available for race planning, post-race food and award ceremony.
Length: 8 hour (Many options to make the course shorter!)
Maps: Lidar based O-maps & Topo maps (per 2 people)
Disciplines: Trekking, Mountain Biking, Paddling & Orienteering.
Divisions: 3-4 Person Open*, 2 Person (Male / Female / Mixed), Solo (Male / Female)
Who: Beginner to Experienced Adventurers!

Non-Competitive Option: Teams / Solos can work together with other teams throughout the course, but will not be eligible for division awards.
*Open division may be expanded based on team registrations

Racer Check-In & Maps: 8:45am
Race Briefing: 9:45am
Race Start: 10:00am 
Race Cutoff: 6:00pm
Post Race Food: Ricotta cheese vegetarian roll-ups, Mostaccioli with meat sauce, Garden Fresh tossed salad, Fresh bread with butter
Swag: Shirt, Lost Arrow Buff, or No Swag (Discount on race fee). (Shirts not guaranteed after 9/28/2025)

Required Gear List 
Registered Teams List
Final Team List (Last updated Oct 12)
Racer Update #1 (Sent Oct 13)
Racer Update #2 (Sent Oct 15)

Event Cost:
Regular Registration: 5/15/25 to 9/14/25 = $115.00 per person (+ small online registration fee)
Late Registration: 9/15/25 to 10/5/25 = $130.00 per person (+ small online registration fee)
(Discount applied for personal boat usage)

Registration will open on 5/15/2025 and remain open until 10/5/2025, or until we reach capacity.
Entry Fees are non-refundable. Entry fees include boat rental, swag and post race food. Swag not guaranteed after 9/28/2025.

Note: Personal boats are permitted, 2 person/4 person teams should confirm with your full team whether you are renting or bringing personal boats prior to registration and ensure the same boat selections. You cannot mix personal and rental boats for the same team.

Supporting Sponsors:

Additional Race Details

Trekking / Trail Running / Orienteering:Teams will use provided maps, and their compasses, to find checkpoints (CP’s) scattered throughout the area.  Maps will be pre-marked with checkpoints.  Various styles of maps may be used during the race.  The total trekking will be approximately 6-8 miles – depending on a your selected route and number of CP’s achieved.   Teams can choose to trek on trails or bushwhack through the wilderness.  You will encounter terrain that will vary from open land to open forests, dense brush, hills and swampy lowlands.

Paddle:
Teams will be paddling approximately 4 miles.  Canoes/Kayaks are provided (Rented Kayaks are for Solo Racers only).  Paddles and PFDs will also be provided, rented kayak paddles are for Solo Racers only. You may bring your own boats (canoe, single or tandem kayak, or any combination, at a discounted rate), if you bring your own boats you must bring your own paddles and PFDs.  If renting boats, you may still bring your own paddles (any kind) and PFDs if preferred.

Mountain Bike:
The biking will total  35-50 miles and the course will include a mix of dirt/paved roads, multi-use trails, and single track mountain biking trails. No road bikes allowed, gravel bikes permitted however several single track trails are technical and not advised to use a gravel bike.

 

 

About the Race
This race is designed to be challenging enough for experienced adventure racers, but will also be a great race for beginner racers as well. Not all checkpoints will be required to finish as an officially ranked team; however, the more checkpoints a team obtains, the higher they will rank in the overall standings.

In an Adventure Race, all teammates work together to try and find the checkpoints and make it to the finish before the cut-off time. Teammates must stay within 100′ or eyesight of each other (whichever is closer). Teams must be back to the finish in the allotted time. Teams finishing late will be assessed a penalty!

When the race starts, teams will be required to navigate each stage of the race using the provided pre-marked maps. Navigation difficulty will vary by checkpoint. Make sure at least 1 person on your team understands how to read a map and a compass (GPSs are not allowed!).  The Southern Michigan Orienteering Club offers great events in the Spring and Fall to learn, practice, or race (smoc-runs.com).

Each team will be issued a ‘passport’ that will be punched (code recorded) at each checkpoint along the way, OR an electronic SI Card, depending on equipment availability. Make sure someone responsible on your team takes care of the passport/SI Card! It must be turned in at the finish to prove that you found the checkpoints. If you don’t have it, you won’t earn an official finish! Teams are required to carry certain gear for each section of the race. Race staff may do gear checks and assess time penalties as necessary during the race.

Sponsorship Opportunities:

For information about sponsorship opportunities, please visit our Sponsorship Opportunities Page or reach out to us by filling out the contact form on our Contact page.

Past Race Results

2022 Great October Adventure Race
2020 Great October Adventure Race