Training Log Archive: Wildsky

Event: Fall BEAST
 

Race recap:
Mother Load 3-4 day expedition
raced with Kyle Peter, Leslie Reuter (Moat), and Charlie Kharsia (Technue) as team technu. Since only Kyle and Leslie have raced together before, flexibilty was the plan for the race. It is hard to get into such a big race without knowing who has your back. I have raced against Leslie and know that she is at about the same place and i have seen Kyle has trioba and norcal and he raced with Mari so I know where he is at. What is also difficult is that with a new team, it is hard for any individual to assume leadership and make hard decisions.

We started with the paddle where I was with Kyle. I hindsite I probably should have been paired with leslie as we were on tow right from the get go. We paddled 11 miles and then drag a boat up a river for the last mile. Many teams passed us during the paddle but we got it all back on the drag a boat.

next was an uber long bike mostly on roads. Charlie wasn't riding too well so we began towing him. Most of the climbs were low grade FS roads so the towing wasn't very hard. I fact, I was at a lower intensity towing than i usually am being towed by Hayes. I didn't want to blow myself up. Kyle and I switched towing duties. We eventually shortened to 5 minute fulls as the tow group would fall behind into towing pergatory. during the bike there was a ropes section that wasn't an integral part of the course.

At the end of the bike we were probably an hour behind mari and kent's teams. We began great 25k trek down a river trail at midnight moving well and trying to keep the sleepmonsters away. we cautgh up with mari's team at the end of the flat before the big climbs. Up up with Mari just ahead towing her boys. We dropped them at the top and we caught/drop kent's team as well. We had a fun climb up another mtn and a run to the TA. The last trail back to the TA didn't exist so we bushwacked and Leslie lost her helmut out of her pack. While Kyle and nCharlie slept, Leslie and I spent 1-2 hour looking for it. During that time the other teams caught us up..

Off on the bike again the second night. riding was easy except for the sleppmonsters I took caffiene but didn't want to overdo it as we were going to sleep at the end of the section. Kyle did a great job of naving us through. some towing on this section but our arse's were real sore. we were very slow here and I was sure that Mari was going to catch us.

We decide to take a nap at the TA. i voted for 2hrs, leslie 1, kyle 0, We settled on 1.5 but when I gave the wake up time i didn't add correctly and we ended up with less the 1. We set off on another trek and this was part of a race I did a few years ago so the nav wasn't too hard. We moved well. I was real cold as the sun rose onSaturday.

Back on bikes for more climbing and we were moving better now as a team. Then a short treking loop. After the first CP we were running down a trail, I tripped, supermanned and put my hands out to break my fall. nothing unusual that hasn't happened a thousand times before. When I lifted my hand out of the sticks/rocks, the last digit of my right middle finger was bent backward 90degrees and the inside bend was split open like a smile. This is when you need you teammates. charlie popped it back and we used our First Aid kits to control the bleeding. I think that Kyle was a bit surprised to see that I had a kit as well as his. Since the race where Julie got seriously injured, I always carry a large kit. We ran out of gauze with Julie and I didn't want it to happen again. I usually carry the kit with DART and I don't relinquish my kit to a new team.

We hit the spot help, called 911, and then Kyle and Leslie ran ahead to meet the assistance while Charlie and I walked out. Game over. If I had just been dislocated without being open we could have continued but i needed to get it closed, cleaned and stiched. It wasn't worth losing my finger over a race.

C • Solid... 9

Just another note. Leslie was the first team mate I have raced with who has older kids. It was great hanging with her and swapping stories. Usually I am the odd/old man out but we were like two peas in a pod.

nice trek. I did this section in the last gold rush so the nav wasn't too difficult

last bike section more roads up and down

right before the injury - race over after this

nice run down tuolomie river and then up/down ridge on either side. nav was good not too technical. one small bobble. lost Leslie's helmut on a bushwack just outside the TA.

searching for leslie's shoes

night ride. needed to focus and get it done. real slow and tired. tried to keep awake but I was drifting. Kyle did a great job at nav while I was basically checked out.

start of Gold Rush GR. Paddled some kind of banana boats we were first off the line but we were soon passed by many teams.

boat drag up river to TA. We closed the distance with all teams except yoga guys

First bike leg. lots of low grade fire road climbing. some towing god time. nav was spot on

second bike with climbing gear. ride up to climb and then on to trek

hike up to and back from ropes. Ropes were nice but not necessary

Event: Gold Rush Mother Lode