F3 Greenwood

Gentlemen, it’s time see how much #CSUAP you can handle once Marines have gone home, the course markings taken down, and your breakfast wore off 8 hours ago. The swamp is waiting to see how well you can handle being thrown in the woods with a map and compass and need to proceed the next 40-60 miles to get your team out.

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The 11th annual 12hr Swamp Fox Adventure Race is waiting to test both your physical and mental endurance this coming March in the SC low country. See www.kandoadventures.com for full details.

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When: Sat 03/19/16 07:00 – 19:00 Check in the night before required. Plan on being up pre-gloom that AM working out the details race morning.

Where: McClellanville, SC (30 min N of Charleston)

Who: Anyone who can bike, paddle, bushwhack, and mosey. Open to all PAX, teams of 2,3,4 required.

Gear: Mountain Bike, Helmet, Hydration Pack, Compass, Kayak/Canoe + equipment (available for rent with outfitters). See website for full gear list.

What: The Swamp Fox Adventure Race is essentially a 12-hour, giant Easter egg hunt through Francis Marion National Forest in coastal South Carolina. You will be required to navigate your way through the marshes, swamps, trails, fire roads, and highways using only a map and a compass while finding checkpoints you’ve plotted on your map. You’ll have to plan your route, manage your own nutrition, limp your own busted self out of the woods, manage your own time, and keep your team from mentally falling apart. Teams will gather points by finding checkpoints located over ~50 square miles. Get as many as you can in the time allotted and bag the rest.

The course is not known until 05:00 the day of the race but typically includes about 10 miles of paddling, 20-30 miles of biking, and 15-20 miles of trekking. Plan on being self sufficient for the entire race but there are often areas to fill up on water.

Investment: Team costs are $120 – $140 per person + $30 per boat you rent. Hour per hour that is about 1/3 the cost of the Leatherneck. Put it on your Christmas list. Costs go up on 1/1/16 and 2/1/16.

Registration: If you have a team together, you can register via the instructions on the website. Make sure to put F3-[teamname] in you teamname. If you need teammates, contact one or more of the event Q’s via twitter.

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Who are the Event Q’s: Beaker, Hoedown, and Hotwheelz out of F3GrandStrand. There are plans to hold training sessions face2face or online depending on the need.

What if I can’t read a map? Your gonna have to set Siri down and cut the cord eventually, son. This may be the most intimidating thing for many PAX but can be learned easily. The event Q’s are more than willing to train up as many navigators as needed. You will need to learn how to plot UTM coordinates and use a USGS topographical map to keep track of your location.

Are there penalties? Nope, no burpees, no merkins, just the walk of shame when you come rolling in 30 mins late loosing credit for all of your hard-earned checkpoints. (Typically you loose credit for 1 CP each 5-15 minutes you are late.)