By Colin McEwen

Record-Courier staff writer

With a cold wind at their backs Saturday, participants in the Brady's Leap Adventure Race proved they were as rugged and tough as frontiersman Capt. Samuel Brady.

Sponsored by Kent State University Recreational Services, the adventure race is the first of its kind in the area.

As the teams and individuals crossed the finish line at the KSU Student Recreation and Wellness Center -- where the 15-mile race began just hours before -- they were met with high fives and hugs from those waiting.

Although it was billed as a beginners race, participants needed the rest afterward.

The race was named for Capt. Brady, who is famous for his legendary leap across the Cuyahoga River while fleeing pursuing Native Americans.

Racers often crossed paths with the historic locations of his famous route, which at times was a tall and grueling order.

After leaving the Wellness Center, racers bicycled to Lake Brady, where they kayaked across the lake and back again, and then biked to Towner's Woods and navigated through nature to a Hopewell Indian burial mound. From there, racers grabbed their bikes and hit The Portage Hike and Bike Trail west along the Norfolk Southern Railroad line to the Cuyahoga River.

Racers got wet as they waded across the cold river to a checkpoint at Standing Rock. Then, they biked south to Fred Fuller Park where they strapped on a harness for the Tyrolean traverse. Suspended above the river, racers had to pull themselves across for the last leg of the adventure -- a bike ride back to the Wellness Center for a climb over a suspended high beam.

Dave Herpy, KSU's outdoor adventure and camp coordinator, said the area's abundant natural resources made it the ideal location for the race.

"There's really no other adventure races like this in Ohio," he said. "The participants really exceeded my expectations."

Matt Campana of Kent took first place out of 21 participants by finishing in two hours and 15 minutes. He represented his business, Corporate Motivation, which promotes socially responsible adventure-based retreats.

"It was a lot of fun," Campana said of his first adventure race. "When we started it was sunny, then it kind of went downhill."

Some racers traveled from as far away as Columbus and New York to participate

David Meadows traveled three hours from Dayton to race. He finished the race wet, cold and tired in 3 hours and 35 minutes.

"It was awesome," he said. "In the future we'll bring a (Global Positioning System)."

Sponsors Don Joseph Toyota and Eddy's Bike Shop held drawings for a snow tubing adventure and a new bicycle, which father and son duo John and Ben Plough won respectively.

Herpy said the event was made possible by the support of local agencies including the Village of Brady Lake, the Portage Park District, Kent Parks and Recreation, Standing Rock Cemetery and the Kent Historical Society.

Herpy said there are plans to host the race again next year.

"We want to make this an annual event," Herpy said. "Maybe earlier in the season next year."