Anyone in good physical condition and aged 16 or over with a strong spirit of adventure can compete in the Raid the North Series. Although the course will be very challenging for anyone, it is not designed to be only for the elite athletes. As with most adventure races, the lead teams will set a very demanding and physically trying pace. The race at the front of the pack is expected to be hot and the winners will probably be decided by who makes the fewest mistakes, as strategy and tactics are just as critical as physical condition. Behind the lead pack, though, there will be many teams competing, not with each other, but with the clock, the course and their own mental demons that tell them to quit. These teams will consist of men and women of very different ages, backgrounds, physical conditioning and wilderness experience. Each of these teams, although all in the same race, will be tackling their own individual challenges and many teams will end up helping each other reach the finish line. Adventure racing is just as much about this type of challenge, as it is about the lead teams battling it out for first place. In fact, when all is said and done, it is usually the teams behind the lead pack that end up getting the most out of the race.

Not all teams will complete the entire course. If finishing the race were a given, we think many people would miss the point of adventure racing - to test your limits. The courses are far from impossible, but it will take true commitment and perseverance to make it through as a complete team. That's what makes adventure racing so intoxicating. You don't have to win the race to feel you accomplished something big. You just have to finish it.

In many ways, the Raid the North Series is set up with first-timers in mind. The courses are as tough as any 36-hour race out there, but we provide a thorough safety net - an ideal environment for learning. As well, we provide training and preparation tips to all registered teams in the months leading up to the race. We work to ensure that all teams arrive well prepared and in tune with what they are about to take on. As a first-time team you may not finish the race (less than 20% of first-time teams reach the finish line), but you will definitely learn all you need to get hooked on adventure racing.