Training Log Archive: wokitokiIn the 7 days ending Apr 11, 2015:
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Saturday Apr 11, 2015 #
Event: The Breakdown Adventure Race
6 AM
trekking 6:00:00 [3]
we were up early for half hour drive to start (6AM) after about 4 hours in bed (not sure I actually slept at all, too excited). didn't get maps until 9pm and had to UTM 50ish controls.
made one strategy call to skip control 1, as the organizer was certain nobody would clear it, and it looked like that could be the case, and it was an extra 7 or 8km on foot.
race started on trek. straight up to the ridge, just beautiful watching the sun come up. we jumped to an early lead spiking CP2. i screwed up CP5 as we went to top of cliff and CP description said base of cliff. that put us back with the top 5 teams. finding our way down the cliff, we found a hound dog pinned to the ledge, too weak to move. no idea how he got there, but he had obviously spent days there. vince picked him up and somehow rappelled him down a rope that was attached to the rock face. i stood and watched in awe with my GoPro not turned on. i could have made vince a YouTube star. the pooch wouldn't take water from our hands or eat or walk, so there wasn't much we could do for him. at the end of the section we told the East Kentucky Trackers (race medics) his whereabouts, hopefully they were able to get him.
the rest of the trek was some fun orienteering, reasonably challenging CPs. we were spiking them until CP14 - could not find it and knew we were in the right area. we wasted 40 minutes hunting and when REV3 came up the reentrant we knew it should be in and didn't find it, we took off. turns out it was on the forest floor under a branch, must have blown down. ultimately we got credit for it, which i think was the fair decision by the race organizer.
i was the first on the tyrolean traverse across the river. not sure it was set for my 215lbs b/c i immediately sagged into the underbrush, almost speared by a tree branch, then on the other side was heading ass first into the rocks (coming in too low). instinct did the one thing you're not supposed to and i reached up for the rope and got a bitch of a rope burn.
we trudged back up the ridge to the TA, tricky river crossing, helluva climb.
made one strategy call to skip control 1, as the organizer was certain nobody would clear it, and it looked like that could be the case, and it was an extra 7 or 8km on foot.
race started on trek. straight up to the ridge, just beautiful watching the sun come up. we jumped to an early lead spiking CP2. i screwed up CP5 as we went to top of cliff and CP description said base of cliff. that put us back with the top 5 teams. finding our way down the cliff, we found a hound dog pinned to the ledge, too weak to move. no idea how he got there, but he had obviously spent days there. vince picked him up and somehow rappelled him down a rope that was attached to the rock face. i stood and watched in awe with my GoPro not turned on. i could have made vince a YouTube star. the pooch wouldn't take water from our hands or eat or walk, so there wasn't much we could do for him. at the end of the section we told the East Kentucky Trackers (race medics) his whereabouts, hopefully they were able to get him.
the rest of the trek was some fun orienteering, reasonably challenging CPs. we were spiking them until CP14 - could not find it and knew we were in the right area. we wasted 40 minutes hunting and when REV3 came up the reentrant we knew it should be in and didn't find it, we took off. turns out it was on the forest floor under a branch, must have blown down. ultimately we got credit for it, which i think was the fair decision by the race organizer.
i was the first on the tyrolean traverse across the river. not sure it was set for my 215lbs b/c i immediately sagged into the underbrush, almost speared by a tree branch, then on the other side was heading ass first into the rocks (coming in too low). instinct did the one thing you're not supposed to and i reached up for the rope and got a bitch of a rope burn.
we trudged back up the ridge to the TA, tricky river crossing, helluva climb.
12 PM
mountain biking 6:00:00 [3]
into TA at noon. did a fun little swim out to canoe for CP coordinates. then fun little single track section for two CPs before road ride out to Haysi for urban orienteering.
as far as road riding in AR goes, this was actually pretty good, windy hilly roads with great scenery and you needed to be on top of the nav to catch the right turns with a few CPs along the way.
my gears started skipping, then a chain link snapped open and bent my front derailleur beyond repair. probably would have been a race ender for me if solo, i suck at bike maintenance. i held the bike as vince worked his magic, quick link and bent out the derailleur. so i was down to middle ring only, which was no big deal as i wasn't feeling energetic enough for any big ring pedalling.
by the end of the ride, i had lost all pressure in my right brake (gotta be a crack in line), so down to one brake.
as far as road riding in AR goes, this was actually pretty good, windy hilly roads with great scenery and you needed to be on top of the nav to catch the right turns with a few CPs along the way.
my gears started skipping, then a chain link snapped open and bent my front derailleur beyond repair. probably would have been a race ender for me if solo, i suck at bike maintenance. i held the bike as vince worked his magic, quick link and bent out the derailleur. so i was down to middle ring only, which was no big deal as i wasn't feeling energetic enough for any big ring pedalling.
by the end of the ride, i had lost all pressure in my right brake (gotta be a crack in line), so down to one brake.
5 PM
paddling 5:00:00 [3]
i was dreading this - still hadn't done any paddling yet this year. but we just plugged along and the teams chasing us didn't zoom by so we didn't feel like pushing.
a few CPs all along the out and back windy river. couldn't get over the amount of garbage on shore, gross. again, a missing CP that we spent long enough trying to find to let REV3 and Alpine Shop catch up. a bit more orienteering half way through was a nice way to get a break from paddling.
got into CP an hour after dark and it was getting cooler. i immediately started the shakes. hot chocolate and noodles in a cup was a nice touch by the race organizers.
a few CPs all along the out and back windy river. couldn't get over the amount of garbage on shore, gross. again, a missing CP that we spent long enough trying to find to let REV3 and Alpine Shop catch up. a bit more orienteering half way through was a nice way to get a break from paddling.
got into CP an hour after dark and it was getting cooler. i immediately started the shakes. hot chocolate and noodles in a cup was a nice touch by the race organizers.
10 PM
mountain biking 4:30:00 [3]
off on our bikes back up the ridge. we plugged along until we overshot a CP at the top. coming back we ran into REV3 and Alpine Shop. and from that point it was on as we figured it was a race for first. we worked hard but were suffering. Alpine Shop could bike hard and they kept gaining and would get a clear shot at the CPs as we were leaving them.
nasty little down and up hike to a cool waterfall.
another missing CP at the end of the ridge. after 20 minutes of searching (10 with Alpine Shop) we agreed to head down without it (it wasn't there as it turns out). we bombed it down, vince can downhill like crazy, and i was white knucklin' the whole way with one break down really sloppy single track. it gave us the break we needed to lose Alpine Shop, grab the last 3 CPs and get into the finish for the win.
vince was awesome as usual. i felt stronger than i was expecting. i've had a nagging hip injury all winter that disappeared during the race and is still gone - i would love if someone could explain that to me.
our girls did great - really tough race and they persevered for a solid finish.
the organizers and volunteers were great - really nice people!
nasty little down and up hike to a cool waterfall.
another missing CP at the end of the ridge. after 20 minutes of searching (10 with Alpine Shop) we agreed to head down without it (it wasn't there as it turns out). we bombed it down, vince can downhill like crazy, and i was white knucklin' the whole way with one break down really sloppy single track. it gave us the break we needed to lose Alpine Shop, grab the last 3 CPs and get into the finish for the win.
vince was awesome as usual. i felt stronger than i was expecting. i've had a nagging hip injury all winter that disappeared during the race and is still gone - i would love if someone could explain that to me.
our girls did great - really tough race and they persevered for a solid finish.
the organizers and volunteers were great - really nice people!