No Pain No Gain on the Podium (again)

The race began with a mad dash for the kayaks. It was only 20 or 30 yards from the starting line, but it was absolute chaos!. Of course, we had our strategy and it was executed perfectly with only a few significant exceptions. As the crowd of racers left the starting line our team was scattered and I got lost in the crowd. I stood at the top of the boat ramp in a bewildered stupor wondering how I lost my team mates and where was the kayak I needed to carry down to the water. When I finally came to my senses, I couldn't help but notice some guy standing waste deep in the river. It only took me a second longer to realize that it was my own team mate. Craig had apparently noticed I was missing and decided to carry the back end of two boats down to the water. My entire team was down at the waters edge with two kayaks, one missing team mate and Jason had accidently left the boat ramp with the kayak Craig needed to ride in. I quickly scrambled down the boat ramp picked up the back end of the kayak Luke was now sitting on and shoved it into the water. I jumped into my position in the back of the boat and can only wonder how Craig was able to board the raft he waded into the water to board. In the midst of the chaos I also dropped my paddle in the river and, it appeared to be sinking fast. My arm dove beyond the elbow deep in the river to retrieve it and the race was on.

No doubt Craig was freezing cold from his river experience and it didn't help matters that the air temperature was a balmy 35 degrees. We were all cold, but none as much as Craig. Still we paddled on down the river. Luke and I were very encouraged by our paddling skills, which appeared to be several hundred times better than the miserable paddling experience from the 2009 race. For the first several miles we were in 3rd or 4th place and within about 1 minute of the leaders. We did very well, despite the fact that our kayaks were missing back supports (one of the challenges of using a race mandatory vehicle and not one of your own choosing). Still we exited the water just a few minutes behind the head of the pack.

After a very rapid transition from kayak to bikes, Team No Pain No Gain was headed off for a long ride up Long Canyon and down to Gemini Bridges. As we dismounted our bikes at the repel transition we heard the sick sound of a tire deflating. Fortunately for us, it was not one of our own bikds, so we threw on our harnesses and ran to the top of the 300 foot cliff we were all prepared to jump off. It was only a few minutes later that all four of us found ourselves at the base of an incredible redrock cliff we had just descended by rope. We soon realized we had caught the only 4 person racing team that had managed to outpace us to that point and we realized we could pass them if our running legs were strong. It was Luke who decided to lead out and he chose a fast running pace and one that was sufficient to take over the 1st place spot very rapidly, a spot we held on to all the way back to our bikes, some 6 miles away.

When we reached our bikes and loaded our repelling gear back in our backpacks, we learned that the team that was right on our heels was the same team that had a flat tire. We quickly mounted our bikes and took off. Surprisingly, so did the team with the flat tire. They had inflated the tire with CO2 and were also already back on the trail and slightly ahead of us now. Though all of our legs felt a little more like lead than muscle, we all dug deep and pushed a bit harder to overtake the leader once again. But, each time we attacked, the leaders pushed harder as well. We were soon separated by a turn in the road and as we came around the bend we could no longer see our foes. They had found a new gear and pushed further ahead. Team No Pain No Gain pushed on. The balance of the race was a wind swept furious pace of asphalt and dirt. We barreled down Long Canyon and flew up Potash Road to the finish line.

We crossed the finish line in team record time and claimed a first place spot on the podium in our division and a second place spot overall. It was exhausting and it was fun! Another incredible year... And, another podium finish!

For those of you who missed it, don't miss it again! For those of you who have not attempted an adventure race, its time you give it a try!

I would be remiss if I failed to mention that Team Stretchy Pants (Rich & Brooke Coles, Jeff Morgan, and Brandon Nelson) set a team course record and loved every minute of it. I look forward to reading your race descriptions as well... Till next time. Game ON!!