Here is a brief version of a race report for the Odyssey Adventure Racings race called the One Day Adventure Race for 26-27 July 2009. I usually enjoy writing race reports and maybe in a couple of days I’ll feel like writing something more elaborate, but right now not much strikes me as funny. I was a solo racer. See the web page for the other team structures.
“Fatigue makes cowards of us all.” Did Lombardi say that? I don’t know. I think so. I know I reminded myself that 452 times last night. It almost didn’t work.
I decided I’ve give this race a try as a solo, which in my opinion made it a bit harder. I might not do it again. I had no one to talk to about route choices, no one to confirm map checks, no one to split the mandatory gear with, and had to use a kayak. It is, above all, a mind game and I am underequipped. But, my usual partners were not available, and at the time I signed up, solo sounded like a good idea. I estimate my pack was 35 lbs. It felt heavier – a lot heavier – but that’s my guess. I had to say a bad word every time I put it on.
The start was at Camp Bethel , in Fincastle, VA. 1230. We ran a 20 minute hilly trail run prologue with all gear and then got on bikes. Up into the hills we rode on fire roads, and then on some pretty nice single track, for a couple of hours. I turned my bike into the race staff and ran about 15-20 minutes to the paddling put it. It was exactly 1600. I paddled a long 3.5 hours (about 15 miles) on the James River. Hit the take out right at about 1930 and transitioned to foot.
On foot, I moved up into the Blue Ridge Mountains, and was moving with a couple of teams, on and off. I climbed and shuffled as fast as I could as long as there was daylight. It got dark around 2030. I bagged 3 mandatory and all 3 optional checkpoints on 6 different hilltops (which meant I climbed 6 different mountains/hills) moving mostly on trails. I reached the bike sometime after 0100 Sunday morning. Race staff had transported bikes.
Then I rode paved roads for a while. I found an open convenience store and wept giant tears of joy as I had a fabulous cold Red Bull and bought water. I had been drinking river and stream water since 1600 (water resupply was a big, big challenge. I worried about it) and was glad to give my GI tract a break for the rest of the race.
Motivation buoyed by Red Bull, still on the bike, I went back in the mountains and up the single-track for another couple of hours. Pushed the big climbs. There were big climbs. Then, moved by paved roads for a while. I returned to the Start/Finish area around 0530 and checked in. I was about in 4th or 5th place overall at this time. That is, for those scoring at home, damn good as far as I’m concerned. I was not far behind the #5 nationally ranked team, for instance.
Then, they handed me an orienteering map with 20 points on it. I took a 20 minute break and then went out on the O-course around 0600. I managed to roll up 10 points on foot. The other 10 would require more energy than I could muster, or getting back on the bike. Two words: baboon butt. Enough said. Sorry, Coach Lombardi, but that’s nothing but my mental weakness. I know it, and I revel in my suckitude. I turned in my score card and passport at 0903 with all optional trekking points and 10 of 20 O-course points. It will take them a couple of days to figure out the scoring based on points and time - but for me, any result will be satisfactory, and I expect that I did better than most, but not as well as some.
I’ll figure out the mileage at some point, but my altimeter tells me 10,335 feet of climbing. I paid for every foot. It hurt. I hurt. I’m a mess. But tomorrow, I’ll feel better.
Mark.
