COURSE OF FIRE
Please be advised that participants may not beg, borrow, steal or buy ammo once they start the race. At the last race, several people underestimated their ammo needs and were forced to DNF some stages, so be sure to bring enough. Participants who run out of ammo will receive DNFs on the rest of the course. Skilled shooters should double the round count and then carry a little extra, at a minimum.
The COF below is preliminary and subject to change. Please check back a few days before the race for updates.
Due to construction on Chisholm Trail Road and also to avoid some residential areas, we will be changing the route from Start to the first stage. All runners will start from the Community Center and head East on 4th Street, across the bridge over the Falls, then make a left on Jewell Patton Drive to head toward the cemetery. Saturday Biathlon runners will enter the grave yard and go around the track inside to the gate on the northwest corner, then take Peaceful Lane up to Chisholm Trail, make a right on Chisholm and proceed to Stage 1. This will all be very well marked with signs and tape. Sunday runners will make a right through the gate to the right of the cemetery entrance (same gate as last time), then proceed to Stage 2. All runners will take that concrete trail through the woods to return to the Finish Line (just like in past events). This trail begins just before and to the left of the cemetery as you are coming in from Stage 7. Please refer to the maps at the bottom of this page for more info.
Stage 1: Mozambique Mania - pistol
On the "fire" command, climb the chain-link fence and drop down to the other side. Once there, draw your pistol and hit each target twice in the body and once in the head, through the hole in the nearest barricade. Move to the next barricade and repeat the process on the same targets. Then move to forward to the third shooting position and repeat the targets again, from a standing position. Finally, move to the last shooting position and make one hit on the long-range target to end the stage. 19 Pistol. Sunday Sprint will skip this stage.
Stage 2: Flip it good! – pistol
When a tire comes along, you must flip it... On the fire command, shooters must flip the tire over one time, then advance to the first firing position. Draw your pistol and hit each of the visible single targets twice, and hit two to the body and one to the head on any Mozambique-style targets. Move to the next shooting box and repeat on the next set of targets, only this time the shooter must hold a weight in the left hand. Drop the weight, move to the third box and repeat, holding the next weight in the right hand. There will be 8 targets total; 16 Pistol. Sunday Sprint: Same.
Stage 3: Rescue – rifle
Your buddy is wounded and the enemy forces are closing in on him. On the "fire" command, load your rifle and make 2 hits on each of the close-range targets in front of you (just past the middle barricade). TURN YOUR SAFETY ON and move to the barricade with the drag dummy. Make 2 hits on each of the medium-range targets through the hole in the barricade. TURN YOUR SAFETY ON and HAND RIFLE TO THE RO, then carry/drag your wounded man to the middle barricade. At the middle barricade, put two rounds on the long-range target directly in front of your position. TURN YOUR SAFETY ON and HAND RIFLE TO THE RO, and carry/drag your wounded man to the last barricade, where you will make 2 hits on each of the medium-range targets through the hole in the barricade. 14 Rifle. Sunday Sprint: 1 rifle hit per target. 7 Rifle.
Stage 4: Tower – rifle
Competitors will make their way up and into the tower. At the top, they will be given the "fire" command, at which time the clock starts. Load your rifle and engage the targets, which will be at medium to long range. The distance to each target will vary (time to find out if you know how to use your ranging reticle) and some of the targets are smart enough to have taken positions behind cover, allowing only a small part to be visible. Use the high ground to your advantage to pick these guys off. There will be 5 targets, with 2 hits per target required. 10 Rifle. Sunday Sprint: One hit per target, and we may go to 4 targets. 4-5 Rifle. Note: We are moving the Tower back a little bit this time...
Major Obstacle: THE WALL
THE WALL is a non-shooting obstacle located between Stages 4 and 5. Participants may choose whether to climb over or take the time penalty. We encourage everybody to at least give it a try, as it is a serious gut-check and an opportunity to find out whether it would be possible to scale an 8' obstacle in a situation in which that is the only way to evade hostile forces. This is a test of physical strength and is designed to allow participants to prove whether they can drag themselves and their equipment over the top without any ladders, tools or assistance. The rules are simple: Runners must have all of their equipment on. (Anything thrown over the wall is considered a donation to ISIS.) The 2x4 supports on either side of THE WALL may not be touched or used in any way. Participants must start from the ground (no bringing anything to stand on) and use only their bodies to get over. Just jump up, grab the top, do a pull-up and swing a leg over. If we're feeling charitable, we may set up a rope that participants may use for a partial time penalty on the Sunday Sprint course. Time penalty for non-completion is 15 minutes. Sunday Sprint: 7 minutes.
Stage 5: Timothy Murphy – rifle
On the "fire" command, climb the tree and get into a comfortable position. Then, load your rifle and make 2 hits on each of the 2 medium to long-range targets. This will lead to victory in the Battle of Saratoga and secure French support for the Revolution! An RO will be on a ladder beside the tree and will observe as you unload and clear your rifle before climbing down. 4 Rifle. Sunday Sprint: Same.
Major Obstacle: Monkey Bars
This is a non-shooting obstacle located between Stages 5 and 6. Participants may choose whether to complete the obstacle or take the time penalty. The object is to walk up the balance beam, then start on the low end of the bars and climb to the higher end. Once there, ring the cow bell to signal victory. All equipment must stay on. Participants MAY NOT walk or crawl on top of the monkey bars. Due to a number of injuries and close-calls, participants may only use their hands to move across the monkey bars. You must go hand over hand with your feet swinging free underneath you, so that if you fall you will land on your feet. We can't have people taking the Nestea Plunge from 11' off the ground! Time penalty for non-completion is 15 minutes. Sunday Sprint: 7 minutes.
Stage 6: Road Rage – pistol and rifle
There's a riot and somebody just threw a brick through your windshield. The way forward is blocked by armed assailants and it's time to fight your way to safety. Participants will start the stage seated in the driver's seat with hands on the wheel at 10 and 2, just like they taught us in Driver's Ed. On the "fire" command, draw your pistol and fire through the hole in your windshield in order to neutralize the two targets directly in front of you, with two body and one head shot each. Exit the vehicle and leave your pistol in the driver's seat with the muzzle pointing downrange. Run to the rear of the vehicle and retrieve and load your rifle. Using the car as cover and being careful to stay inside the marked shooting area, make two hits each on the various targets downrange. The targets on the left side of the car must be shot from that side, and likewise with the right (you may not shoot over / across the roof). The far targets in the middle of the field must be engaged from underneath the vehicle, with your muzzle underneath the rear bumper. 6 Pistol, 12 Rifle. Sunday Sprint may have fewer targets.
Stage 7: The Trench
On the "fire" command, load your rifle, put it on Safe, and begin crawling through the passageway, being careful to stay below the barbed wire overhead and keeping the muzzle oriented straight ahead or to the right (down-range). Mobility may be somewhat compromised inside the passageway. On the shooter's right, there will be holes through which participants must engage the targets, making one hit on each of two targets before putting the rifle on Safe and moving forward to the next hole. At the end of the passageway, there will be a roof-top. Climb up and put one hits on each of the previous two targets, plus one on the long-range target. 9 Rifle. Sunday Sprint: 1 target, 5 Rifle.
Bonus Stage:
Somewhere on the course, we plan to have a bonus stage. All we will say at this point is that it will require a minimum of 6 rifle and 6 pistol rounds and will have a very short time limit. Those who are able to complete the bonus stage will win a ticket for the special prize drawing.
* Note on Ranging Targets: Target stands will be set up with the cross-bars approximately 5'8" to 6' off the ground. The far targets on Stages 4 and 5 are approximately 28" wide and 38" tall.