OHventures' Greatest Hits!

With over 500 posts over 6 years, OHventures has definitely showcased a plethora of ideas to spark adventure in your life. We've whittled it down to the BEST of the BEST in this special edition post of "Greatest Hits" from OHventures! 

1. BrewBoat Cleveland: Part bike, part boat, and part bar, the BrewBoat on the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland is a one-of-a-kind experience that will guarantee to be a hit for you and your adventure-and-beer-loving friends.

2. Escape Room Downtown: While I am usually posting about adventures that exercise the body, escape rooms exercise the mind. They bring people together to use their brains to accomplish the goal under the given time limit, which is a huge adrenaline rush! Join us as we head to the Escape Room Downtown in Canton to tackle "The Missing Detective's Office"!

3. Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad: ALL ABOARD! The CVSR can be found in Northeast Ohio, running through the heart of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park (the one and only national park in the state of Ohio). The main portion of the railway runs northbound from Akron in Summit County, all the way to Independence in Cuyahoga County.

4. SegAway Tours of Columbus: SegAway Tours of Columbus offers a series of tours for anyone interested in uncovering hidden secrets about the city while leisurely gliding through the parkways, riversides, and sidewalks of downtown, Arena District, Short North, and Victorian Village. It was a challenging experience, but one I will never forget. I am hooked on Segways!

5. Findlay Market Cincinnati: Even on a Sunday afternoon, the Findlay Market located in Cincinnati's Over-the-Rhine neighborhood is booming with activity. As Ohio's oldest public market, the Market shows no signs of slowing down. 

6. Spartan Race Ohio: The Spartan Race was one of the greatest challenges I have ever embarked on, and one that was unforgettable and incredibly fulfilling for the adventurous spirit within me. On May 8, OHventures traveled to Cumberland to tackle all of the mud, obstacles, and burpees that make up the grueling course.

7. VeloSano 100-Mile Bike Ride: This epic fundraising event was held in Cleveland, with over 2,000 cyclists signed up to raise money in the months leading up to their bike rides. I raised over $1,500 for cancer research, rode 100 miles, over 4,000 feet of elevation, in the 90 degree heat, which took about 9 hours!

8. Kalahari Indoor Waterpark & Resort: With the nation's largest indoor waterpark, a candy shop with seemingly endless amounts of treats and desserts, one of the best arcade and gaming areas around, world-class spa treatments, a fitness facility, and a fine selection of adult beverages (including a swim-up bar),Kalahari Resort in Sandusky is anyone's dream come true.

9. Escape To Kelley's Island: Located in Erie County in the western basin of Lake Erie about 4 miles north of the Marblehead peninsula and 10 miles from Sandusky Measuring more than 4 square miles, Kelley's Island is the largest American island located in Lake Erie. 

10. CryoTherapy Plus: I survived -293 degrees Fahrenheit with Cryotherapy! Cryotherapy is an anti-inflammatory treatment involving skin exposure to ultra-low temperatures for a brief, controlled time, in order to help enhance athletic performance and recovery. Join us as we check out this Akron area full-service cryotherapy spa!

11. Cooking Class at Gervasi Vineyard: Being a frequent flyer at all three of Gervasi Vineyard's amazing restaurants,  and being a budding chef in my own home kitchen, I had been wanting to attend a culinary class at The Cucina for quite some time. 

12. Go Ape Treetop Adventure:  The Go Ape Treetop Adventure Course in the Cleveland Metroparks' Mill Stream Run Reservation.challenges participants with an outdoor obstacle course over 3,000 feet in length and is suspended up to 40 feet above ground, traversing bridges, zooming on zip lines, and hanging on ropes.

13. Bodhi Tree Guest House & Studio: This Buddhist-inspired getaway can be found off the beaten path, hidden among the trees and on four acres of the Appalachian hillsides of Southeast Ohio - complete with a Thai massage and a 60-minute float in a state-of-the-art float tank!

14. Stand-Up Guys Paddle Boarding: In the Akron area, at the Portage Lakes, there is a great company aptly named The Stand Up Guys, who offer paddle boarding rentals along the PLX for very reasonable prices! 

15. Rhinegeist Brewery: Nothing beats the atmosphere at Rhinegeist in Cincinnati. The wide open interior is available to reserve for private events, or you can come anytime to play cornhole, ping pong, foosball, or watch a ball game - all while relaxing with some locally brewed booze. 

16. The Lodge At Geneva-On-The-Lake: The romanticism of Ohio's Lake Erie shoreline is encapsulated to perfection at the upscale yet affordable Lodge at GOTL. I stayed here for a weekend in June and saw for myself all the fantastic pleasures that can be unearthed while staying at this hot vacation spot.

17. Mohican Tree House Cabins: Halfway between Cleveland and Columbus is an adventurer's paradise, an outdoorsman's dream, and one of the most unique attractions found in all of Ohio: I stayed overnight like Swiss Family Robinson in these AWESOME accommodations!

18. Tree Frog Canopy Tours: The tallest, fastest, and longest zip line in all of Ohio! Pictures say 1,000 words.

19. Columbus Pedal Wagon: My family & friends hopped aboard this contraption that required us to use our man-power to wheel the wagon from bar to bar to bar in the streets of the Short North one football Saturday in October. 

20. Kayak The Bay at PIB: Between drinking wine and barhopping on 4th of July weekend in Put-In-Bay, a group of college friends decided to get a workout in and kayak the beautiful waters of Lake Erie surrounding South Bass Island. 

21. Open Air Safari at The Wilds: Seeing camels, giraffes, ostriches, and antelope within hands-reach was an experience I will never forget, thanks to my visit to The Wilds in Cumberland. Think of it as a zoo but 1,000 times cooler.

22. Columbus Brew Adventures: Being driven around in a van and taken to various breweries throughout Columbus for grub, fun facts, and of course booze? Can't get much better than that!

23. Horseback Riding at Faith Ranch: If I could go horseback riding every weekend, I would. The city boy in me became a little bit country when I ventured to the town of Jewett to embark on an hour-long horseback trail ride at Faith Ranch.

24. Monumental Workouts in Canton: The McKinley Monument in Canton is not only a massively historic landmark, serving as the resting place for President William McKinley, but it is also becoming a hotspot for fitness enthusiasts who run the stairs and attend boot camp classes here!

14 Runs In '14

Photos by OHventures

It wasn’t planned, but I ran 14 Races in 2014 (AKA “14 in ’14”) in Ohio. 
Most of the events had a fun element or theme added in, such as running in nothing but your underwear (Cupid’s Undie Run) or running to get delicious food at the finish line (Slavic Village Pierogi Dash)! Many were done to support a cause, such as the World Fit 5K or the Selfless Elf (to support the local Foodbank). Most were 5Ks, but some were longer, such as the Pro Football Hall of Fame Half Marathon. 

I also added two more runs that were not done in Ohio (both in Pennsylvania). I do feel a bit like a cheater for putting them on this site. Either way, I am happy to have successfully completed over 76 competitive miles in one year!

Below, you can find links to all 14 of these events from 2014 in chronological order! Hopefully these can give your ideas for races you can run in the New Year!


1. Cupid’s Undie Run (February 2014 - 1 mile, untimed – Cleveland)
2. Arnold Pump & Run 5K (March 2014 – 3.1 miles in 21:46 – Columbus)
3. Funny Bunny Run (April 2014 – 4 miles in 32:23 – Canton)
4. Pro Football Hall of Fame (Half) Marathon (April 2014 – 13.1 miles in 1:56:27 – Canton)
5. World Fit 5K (May 2014 – 3.1 miles, 24:00 – Warren)
6. Tough Mudder (May 2014 – 10.5 miles in approx. 3:30:00 – Mansfield)
7. Slavic Village Pierogi Dash (June 2014 – 3.1 miles in 23:38 – Cleveland)
8. Warrior Dash Ohio II (August 2014 – 3.1 miles in approx. 45:00 – North Lawrence)
9. Akron Gen. Birthday Bash Dash (August 2014 - 3.1 miles, untimed - Stow)
10. Akron Marathon Relay (September 2014 – 5.5 miles in 44:35 – Akron)
11. Spartan Race Ohio (October 2014 – 11.5 miles in approx. 3:30:00 – Cumberland)
12. A Christmas Story Run (December 2014 – 3.1 miles in 23:36 – Cleveland)
13. Selfless Elf 5K (December 2014 – 3.1 miles in TBA – Akron)
14. The Great New Years Eve Run (December 2014 - 3.1 miles in TBA - Stow)

Additionally, we ran in two races abroad in Pennsylvania, which deserve their own category:
1. Foxburg Nature Festival Run (May 2014 – 3.1 miles in 25:27 – Foxburg, PA)
2. Buhl Park Gobble Wobble (November 2014 – 3.1 miles in 29:35 – Hermitage, PA)
For kicks, you might also be interested in the 3 walking events I took part in for charity this fall:

1. Stark County Mutt Strut (September 2014 – 2 miles, untimed – North Canton)
2. Walk A Mile In Her Shoes (October 2014 – 1 mile, untimed – Canton)
3. Out Of The Darkness Walk (October 2014 – 2 miles, untimed – North Canton)
You can also now visit the NEW OHventures Running Archive Page – which has ALL runs we have completed to date in chronological order!

Spartan Race Ohio Recap

Photos by OHventures and Spartan Race

I must preface this post by saying: I am NOT a wimp!

I swear I am not! I have kicked butt in countless obstacle races, half marathons, stair climbs, and the list goes on.

But now, instead of kicking butt, my butt has been kicked. I’ve finally met my match: The Spartan Race.

Ah, yes, the Spartan Race. This nightmare of an experience took place on the dreadfully cold morning of October 4, 2014 in Cumberland (Zanesville) in Guernsey County.

The Spartan Race is a well-established obstacle race series designed to push your limits, test your strength, and challenge your endurance. There are dedicated followers both nationally and internationally who travel to compete in these epic events year-round.

There are several ways in which one can experience the Spartan Race. Three main events at most all Spartan Race functions are the Sprint, the Super, and the Beast.

• The Spartan Sprint is comprised of 15+ obstacles over 3+ miles and is a great way to get off the couch and onto the course! 
• The Spartan Super will test your physical strength and mental resolve. Tackle 20+ obstacles over 8+ miles, and show that you're Spartan tough! 
• The Spartan Beast is a true test of will. Tackle 25+ obstacles over 12+ miles, and prove you're the ultimate Spartan! 

Given the opportunity to participate in the Spartan Race when it came to Ohio this month, I jumped on the offer. My brother - who is just the most badass warrior I know (I may be a bit biased) - was up for the task as well. Together, we decided to go "middle of the road" and sign up for the Spartan Super. We had done so many Warrior Dash races in the past, so we thought this would be the perfect match to challenge us.

And challenge us, it did.

Making our way to Southeast Ohio, we knew we were in for it based solely on the frigid weather that was in the forecast that morning. Our run was to begin at 10:30 AM, and it was in the mid-40s at that time! 

When we arrived, the "parking lot" was MAYHEM! It was sloppy, unorganized, and and very frustrating. We were led by the volunteers through a muddy field and we had to literally park on the course itself!! The back-end of our car was sticking out onto the trail as dozens of runners sprinted by. 

So, we had to start a bit late bcause of the parking debacle. I was stressed out and failed to eat my protein bar or energy shots. But we eventually made it to the start line and without much preparation, we were off and running! 

One aspect of the Spartan Race that differs from most other obstacle races is that they did not provide a course map online ahead of time. So, essentially you had no idea what you were getting into. I couldn't decide if that's a good thing or a bad thing. They claim that the "surprise" aspect of the race is part of the whole "Spartan experience" but I personally feel that it's just something they say so that they don't have to take the time to make an official map and put it on the site. Either way, that's what we had to work with.

Here is where the main problem came. We signed up for the "Super" Race thinking it was going to be 8+ miles as advertised, but there was no way of knowing how long it really was going to be. In our heads, we thought perhaps it would be about 9 miles, maximum. But we were pretty far off.

Me taking on the "Bucket Brigade"!

The Super course ended up being close to 12 miles of HELL!

I love a good challenge, so in retrospect, this "hell" I refer to was something I am proud to have accomplished. But, at the time, I was struggling! Let's give a quick recap of some of the main aspects of the race (not all inclusive, and not necessarily in the proper order).

 

• Wall Traverse & Under/Overs: A series of walls you must jump/climb over.
• Muddy Water Pit: I don't know what it's really called, but it was just a pit of muddy water.
• Bucket Brigade: Fill a bucket with gravel and carry it through a winding, hilly trail.
• Tire Flip: Pick a monster truck-sized tire and flip it multiple times.
• Army Crawl: The classic crawl in mud under barbed wire - for a LONG time!
• Sand Bag Carry: Carry sand bags through a trail. Much like the gravel buckets before.
• Log Carry: Another carrying obstacle?! I was getting a bit bored with these - and drained of strength!
• Atlas Ball: A 100-pound perfectly spherical rock you had to carry about 30 feet.*
• Log Balance: Large logs you walked on over water (I scooted instead of walked).
• Stumps: Tiny stumps sticking out of the ground - you had to walk from stump to stump without touching the ground. We made out-of-state friends who helped us at this stop!
• Cargo Climb: A climb up a large cargo net - emphasis on LARGE!
• Rope Climb: Just like gym class, climbing a rope and ringing a bell (I failed at this).
• Spear Throw: A pretty unique aspect of the Spartan Race - throwing a javelin into a haystack!
• Herculean Hoist: Pulling a sandbag via a pulley system to the top, and slowly bringing it back down. Super HEAVY!
• 1nverse Wall: A wall traverse with a wall slanted at 45 degrees.
• Double Dirty: Jumping onto three long-felled ascending logs about 5-6 feet apart. This was one of the most difficult and most painful, because you had stand up, balance yourself, then jump from one log to the next (jumping both across and up). You'd basically have your stomach slam into the next log and bear hug it, then pull yourself up.
• Fire Jump: Like other mud races, a leap over burning logs.

Again, this was just a sample of what we experienced. The main challenge was the muddy, hilly, treacherous trails we ran on in between the obstacles. There was unfortunately a great deal of walking that took place as a result of how difficult the terrain was. 

My brother looking quite miserable.

Bothersome was the fact that we literally would run well over a mile in between some obstacles. And I was frankly underwhelmed with some of the obstacles. I guess what I learned is that the Spartan Race has many tests of your STRENGTH above all else, which is why there were so many items we had to "carry" and whatnot. 

Also - if you did not successfully complete an obstacle, you had to do X-amount of BURPEES! That's right, burpees. The jump/squat/pushup  combo move that everyone loves to hate. 

To add to the already miserable conditions, it HAILED midway through our run. Yes, hail! Ohio is so weird sometimes.

*But not all was horrible. The Atlas Ball, for instance, was one of my proudest moments. It was so very difficult and I wanted to give up. I almost did, but my brother encourged me to keep trying. I kept at it, and I found a spark within me to accomplish the task at hand. I managed to lift the atlas ball and complete the obstacle! You have the strength to do more than you imagine. And this was proof.

 

Eventually, we finished in one piece. It took us 3.5 hours, but we did it!

 

Here's the thing. This was the very first time Spartan Race came to Ohio. Because of this, I feel like they had a LOT of things that need improved upon. The parking situation was the worst, and I can not believe I actually had to pay $10 to park where I did. Also, there need to be far more water stops and perhaps some other fueling stations (protein bars, bananas, etc. like they have at the Tough Mudder). Lastly, if they are going to advertise an 8 mile race, it should be somewhat close to 8 miles. That was tough for me because I had not properly fueled.

When all is said and done, I did truly enjoy the Spartan Race, and I would recommend it to anyone who wants a REAL, advanced challenge (maybe I have been babied too much by the dinky Warrior Dash).

Call me a masochist, but after a lot of reflection, I was able to look back and appreciate the pain, suffering, and struggle I went through to tackle the Spartan Race. It made me feel like I really earned that medal at the end, and I am part of an elite group of individuals who call themselves Spartans! I almost feel bad to have complained on the course. I witnessed a lot of grit and determination, and even handicapped folks who overcame their adversities to take on this monster of a race.

One more in the bag, and it's one for the books. AROO!