HAMMER TIME — New Thor’s Trials Race will provide epic test for athletes

POCATELLO — In true Viking fashion, the participants who complete the Thor’s Trials Race this weekend will end their journey by picking up a giant hammer and hitting a gong.

The Thor’s Trials Race is a new competition that will be held on Saturday at the East Fork Mink Creek Nordic Center south of Pocatello.

The 10K mountain obstacle race will utilize the area’s existing ski trails to test the competitors’ balance, strength, endurance and agility. As participants make there way along the rugged 6.2-mile course, they will be tested with 20 obstacles, such as a boulder carry and a spear toss.

All of the obstacles will take on a nordic aesthetic. For example, the ropes used in the tight rope obstacle are made from natural fibers. Instead of steel, the balance beams will be made of logs.

At one obstacle that would make Thor proud, competitors will smash a cinderblock using a large hammer.

According to Lance Clark, the outdoor supervisor for the Pocatello Parks and Recreation Department, the Thor’s Trials Race is a new type of event for athletes looking for another box to check off.

“A lot of the participants have already checked off the triathlon, the trail race, the marathon and the half marathon, and they are looking for a new challenge,” Clark said.

Though this is the first time the Thor’s Trials Race has been hosted by Pocatello Parks and Rec, it has already attracted attention in the region. Two hundred people have already registered for the event, with some of the competitors traveling into the Gate City from Boise and Utah.

In the end, the winners will go home with epic bragging rights — and a giant hammer as a trophy, of course.

For additional information, visit the event’s website at www.pocatello.us/679/Thors-Trials-Race. A link to register is available on the website. For a solo competitor, the registration fee is $100, while the fee for a team of four is $360.

Post Author: David Ashby

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