Adaptive Athletes Information
ADAPTIVE ATHLETE INFORMATION
The Gaylord Gauntlet is a 5K obstacle race to benefit adaptive athletes and the Gaylord Sports Association. The event features 24 obstacles and is designed to be a fun challenge for everyone. The course is not built to be "accessible," and all racers utilize the same obstacles. We are excited that so many adaptive athletes would like to challenge themselves on this course and we encourage participation from athletes of all abilities. We hope this information helps you to decide if this race is for you and if so, how to best prepare for the race and what to expect.
WHAT TO EXPECT
It’s going to be a challenge! All teams and individuals are responsible for completing the course on their own. Assistance is not provided at any obstacle and obstacles are not modified for wheelchair accessibility. If you think you will need assistance, we recommend forming a team that can do the race with you. Plus, it’s more fun with friends! And remember, this race is rain or shine. The more it rains, the muddier the course gets!
THE COURSE
The race course is 3.3 miles and features obstacles such as walls to climb, cargo net to climb, logs to cross, logs to climb over, obstacles that require crawling, rope swing obstacles, waterslide obstacles, ladders, steep inclines and declines, rock walls, sand, mud, water, fire and more. The race course surface varies from grass in an open field to dirt trails in the woods with sections that may include roots, mud, and rocks. There are alternate routes around most of the obstacles, however, some obstacles are part of the trail and cannot be avoided. This includes sections with a stone wall, rock garden, steep uphill and long downhill rock garden, and steep uphill and long downhill grades.
HOW TO PREPARE FOR THE RACE
Every adaptive athlete has unique needs and may need different types of modifications. If you have questions or would like suggestions regarding modifications, please contact the Gaylord Sports Association at sports@gaylord.org or 203-284-2772.
HERE ARE SOME SUGGESTIONS TO CONSIDER:
We recommend getting a team together or a guide to go through the course with you. If you will be completing the course using a wheelchair, we recommend off-road tires and ideally an all-terrain chair. The chair will get muddy, and wet and will be going over rough terrain, so we do not recommend using your everyday chair or cushion. You may also want to bring some webbing to attach to your chair so that helpers can pull you if needed. We also recommend bringing a repair kit with a spare tube, pump, and toolset for the chair.
Some athletes will benefit from using protective gear such as knee pads, elbow pads, gloves, chin pads, and skin protection for crawling obstacles. Please note that the Sports Association utilizes climbing equipment, including harnesses and ropes on some of the obstacles for the safety of the adaptive athlete on their team. This is done by trained and experienced team members. Set ropes or belay points are not provided, all teams are responsible for bringing any equipment that they will need throughout the race.
TIMES
Adaptive runner (non-wheelchair) times range from about 1-2 hours. Wheelchair athlete times have ranged from 2-3 hours or longer to complete the course. The average able-bodied runner takes about 45 minutes to finish the course. Overall race winner times range from 25-30 minutes.
SAFETY
Know your limits and stay within them. If an obstacle looks too difficult or not safe for you to complete, it’s okay to go around. The goal is to have fun and getting injured is not fun! Course volunteers are located at every obstacle and should be notified in case of an emergency so that they can contact race staff. Medical personnel are on standby and can respond on course if needed. Sections of the course are further from the road and are not able to be accessed immediately in the event of an emergency. There is also a first-aid tent located in the festival area.
RACE PARKING
Please inform the parking attendant if you need handicapped parking. There is reserved handicapped parking available for athletes near registration.
DIVISIONS & AWARDS
There will be an option to choose an adaptive division during the online registration process. There are three divisions for adaptive athletes, please choose the most appropriate selection.
- Adaptive Athlete – Mobility Impaired
- Adaptive Athlete – Visually Impaired
- Adaptive Athlete – Wheelchair Division
- OR Adaptive Athlete – Guide/Team Member (non-disabled member of your team)
Custom Gauntlet Medals are given as awards to the top 3 male and female finishers in each division.
Questions? Please contact the Gaylord Sports Association at 203-284-2772 if you have questions, we are here to help!
