Courtesy of campusrec.olemiss.edu
Ole Miss Campus Recreation is gearing up for its third annual Rebel Trail Challenge on Saturday.
Explained by Adam Livingston, a campus recreation office worker and former challenge volunteer, as a “Mini warrior dash,” the race hosts six obstacles over a 5-mile course. Teams of two are required for the race.
According to Alison Walker, a first year graduate student and co-director for the Rebel Trail Challenge, the event started in 2014 as a partnership.
“Shannon [co-director] and the Veteran and Military Affairs met up… to create an event pairing the two to get people outdoors,” Walker said.
The event succeeded, and the number of participants has grown each year. In addition to its goal of getting the community outdoors, the partnership event also uses its proceeds for student scholarships.
The Rebel Trail Challenge is open to the public, with an added youth category for ages 10-15 for the first time this year. The race is separated into seven divisions ranging from elite men to youth. Over the course, participants will cross a wooden scaling wall, low crawl, spider web, rope climb, tire traverse and water jug carry.
Along with a new age division, the challenge also upped its course from 4 to 5 miles and has improved its obstacles each year.
“Every year, it has gotten harder and harder,” Livingston said. “They’ve definitely bumped it up.”
Assistant Director Shannon Richardson, however, said that while the course is more difficult than its first two years, participants of any skill level are encouraged to attend. As the only partner race of its kind in Oxford, divisions are created among participants based on their expertise levels.
“We … offer the different divisions, so if you’re more of an elite athlete and you’ve done these types of things before, then you can choose that category, versus if you just want come out and kind of have fun, then you choose the rookie category,” Richardson said. “We try to offer those so we have all different types of participants come out.”
The race will be held on the South Campus Rail Trail off Chucky Mullins Drive. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m., and the first group begins the challenge at 8:30 a.m. On-site registration is also available the morning of the race for $35. Community members who do not want to participate in the race are welcome to register as volunteers.
The top team in each division will receive medals, and local sponsors will provide additional prizes. All participants will receive a dry-fit T-shirt and goody bag. Just remember the race is for partners only, so make sure to bring a friend!
For more information or to make a donation visit: campusrec.olemiss.edu/rebel-trail-challenge/ or contact Shannon Richardson at shannonb@olemiss.edu
