The parking lot at Ada Hayden Heritage Park, 5205 Grand Ave., overflowed early Sunday morning as people gathered for the local American Red Cross’s inaugural Great Ames Adventure Race.

The race kicked off just after 7:30 a.m. with a three-mile canoe race, followed by a 15-mile bike ride and concluding with a 3.1-mile (5K) run.

A total of 136 people participated in the race, many in teams of three or four consisting of one or two paddlers, one biker and one runner, although some completed the entire race on their own.

After the initial start in the canoes, which were staggered to avoid congestion, the teammates tagged off relay-style to jump-start the next event.

The winning team had four members – Jason Schmidt and Jason Nielson in the canoe, Jesse Bargman on the bike, and Neil Wilson in the 5K.

The team members said they have competed in adventure races in states across the country, including Florida, California, Montana, Indiana and Minnesota, and that this was not their first race together.

“We won the SOAR adventure race in Indianola last year,” Schmidt said.

He said that although this race was a little less adventurous than some others, which usually include additional events, such as orienteering, it was a lot of fun.

“It’s a good course. Each one is different; you have to expect them to be different,” Schmidt said.

Although there were some serious competitors in the race, many said they were doing it “just for fun.”

“It was a great time, but a long way around [the lake],” said Nate Hansen, who paddled in the race. “There was a lot of camaraderie out there, a lot of talking.”

Terri Hansen, Nate Hansen’s partner in the canoe, said they did the race “more for fun than competition” and it was their first time in a race like this.

Doug Yetman, executive director of the American Red Cross Lincoln Way chapter, said that after participating in an adventure race a few years back, he thought it would be a great opportunity to bring it to Ames.

“We [the Red Cross], like many organizations, are always looking for a great event to highlight our work in the community,” Yetmen said. “Ada Hayden is such a beautiful park and we wanted to find a way to utilize it in some event.”

Although this was just the first GAAR, Yetman said he’s seen a lot of support in the community and thinks the race has the potential to become an annual event.