Not getting fat this Fall

So how long has it been this time? I last blooged after the Wicked Ocean race in October. So less than two months, but not what you would call obsessive behavior.

Well I can come to some conclusions about blogging. The first being that after 40 plus emails and eight plus hours a day in front of a computer, I do not come home and really want to sit in font of mine at home and type some more. Plus I think I had writers block or something during the end of summer because it was hard to even write paragraph or two. I think that is gone now as you can tell by my ramblings. So now that that is out of the way I think I can start blogging again. But if I slack off there is always Matt from DART to pick up the slack as he is not only a racing machine, but a supper blogger as well. I guess when you race as much as DART does you always have something to talk about. Good job in Mexico.


So what has been up with me? First off I have not been sitting on my ass, playing Xbox and getting fat. Not that it has not crossed my mind, but I don’t have an Xbox, so that is not an option. Instead since the Wicked Ocean Race I have started to change my training for longer endurance since I am starting to train for PQ. (check out the opening trailer. I have all of 2.3 milliseconds of airtime from the 2004 race) Yes I got on a PQ team. I am racing under team WickedAR.com. Don’t tell Natasha or she will not let me use MountainZone.com as a team name any longer. For those of you that don’t know Natasha is the managing editor of the Mountainzone website. Plus my race partner, when she is not busy having a baby like she did this summer.

Ok since the last report what have I done? First I did the MAC race. Great price (Free) and some fun trekking. But I had to race solo as Juliana ended up having to work. O well I hung out with team Mergeo for a while, until we hit the smooth running trails and they quickly left me behind.

Next came my first attempt at an ultra run. I had hurt my foot on a Wednesday and the run was on Saturday, so after the first 15 miles I decided to call it a day. The fun part of climbing, bushwhacking and plowing through 6 inches of new snow was over. All that was left was a long downhill section on fire and paved roads. Not something a sore foot was looking forward to, so I hung out with the race volunteers and watched the race of the runners come through. I have decided to sign up for another ultra in January. I am not sure why. I don’t like running all that much and I am overly slow at it. Maybe I should look into this a little more.

The following weekend I did the Tour De Tucson bike ride. This is a fun 109 ride around Tucson, AZ. Since my family lives down there I got to go visit them and do some riding all while avoiding the dreaded Thanksgiving travel days. The ride was a week before turkey day, so I got the family visit out of the way, well at least until Christmas when I am going have to travel with the masses. There were over 7800 people doing this ride. Now that is a lot of people. It took me 15 minutes to even get by the starting line once the race began. It was quite different than an adventure race where you can find yourself completely alone in the middle of nowhere rather easily.

Finally there was the Fall BEAST race. Photo (if I get it to show up correclty) and race report below.




The Fall BEAST race...

Look at my fine hair.

We Won the Lottery (BEAST #5 race report)

By the time we finished the first biking section, we already had two tires that needed air, one crash on the ice, one messed up derailer, one lost pair of bike gloves, one bike helmet left behind and Yumay had just discovered that she was going to be doing the trail running section of the race in her bike shoes because her trekking shoes were still back at Marymoor Park and we were up in the Redmond Watershed.

This could be expected from a lottery team who had only met in person a few hours earlier at the pre-race check in. The semi random lottery of solo racers had teamed me up with Duncan Sailor (lead navigator of team Purefit/Missinglink.com), John Zobel and Yumay Chang. Prior to 8 am on the race day, I had never met John, only spoken to Yumay a few times but never trained with her, and trained and raced against Duncan, but never raced with him. With that in mind or early race miscues were nothing to be overly surprised about. What was surprising was that there were only enough bikes for two or three teams sitting around the transition area as we took off on the trail run.

The race had started with a twist. One teammate was to run a marked loop and collect poker chips along the way, while the rest of the team had the option of find letters scattered around the park however they deemed best. John, who is the fastest runner on the team, was the obvious choice to run the loop. Duncan and I who are both navigators each took a map and headed out to collect letters. Lucky for Yumay and the rest of us, she could use these few minutes to fix a problem she just noticed on her bike.

Once we had all returned and solved the word clue, it was on to the bikes. As we started riding, I noticed that my front tire was not a fan of the cold air (29 degrees when I had stepped out of the car a little over an hour earlier and not heating up real fast). Plus my bike gloves were nowhere to be seen. This meant I was in for a cold ride. We stopped, and I got out my pump and filled the tire with air. We were off again. O wait Yumay forgot her bike helmet. The beanie on her head felt close enough to be a helmet, but I am not sure it would help too much in a crash. So we were off again. Somehow we were not that far back. Plus we were all out to simply have a good time racing. We had no real idea how we were going to do, so there was no pressure to perform.

Thanks to nearly flawless navigation by Duncan, we moved through the rest of the first bike very efficiently. That is except one more tire fill (this time Duncan's) and a nice slide on the ice into a pole by Yumay. The French judge only gave her a 2.5, but I think they were on the take. This smooth navigation appeared not to be the case for all the teams, as a one point while we were crossing a road on one of the trails, I saw two teams riding down the road. This would not have been so unusual had they not been going opposite directions, plus we were crossing the road and heading back onto the trail.

The trail run went quickly for us as the navigation was straight forward and Yumay powered through the run/hike in her bike shoes. The best way to learn stuff in adventure racing is to make a mistake. I am fairly certain Yumay will never forget her running shoes again on a bike/hike/bike section of a race. We got back to the bike drop and had to answer a three question quiz. It turns out the few teams that had pulled away from us during the run had gotten an answer incorrect and had to do a little extra running. Since we got all the answer correct, we hopped on our bikes in second place and took off.

The eventual winners of the race passed us on the final bike leg. We had seen them earlier in the race working on a broken chain. Trea, an old teammate, looked like she was having fun as Aaron and Ruaraidh towered her as they flew by us. But hey they were not a lottery team, or even a four person coed, so we were still ahead in both those categories.

After hitting the final CPs on the way back to Marymoor Park, we were tied for third with a solo racer. We started the 14 CP orienteering section neck and neck. We hit the first three or four CP's pretty much at the same time. John (did I mention he is a fast and strong runner) took turns towing Yumay and Duncan while I did my best to navigate us to the next CP.

We ended up walking here and there and enjoyed the park, the weather (no rain and mid 30s, nice compared to what is could have been) and simply having fun while racing. At CP 11 we ran into the solo racer again. He was having an issue finding the CP in the bushes. After we found it, we made our way back out of some bushes. What was that??? Another racer was about to catch us. Where had he come from? He appeared to be looking strong. Time to start running again. We pushed it through the last three CPs and kept our lead by about two seconds at the finish line. We ended up taking forth (3rd thanks to some time penalties). First place in the four person category and in the lottery group. What a great way to race. Meeting people at the start and enjoy the day running around with them. Since we had no idea about how we were going to do and no one really took the race all that serious, the fact that we did so good was even more of a surprise to me. I am ready for the next BEAST, but I am going to have to wait a few months I guess. I hope they have the lottery again, as I think it is a great way to get to know your fellow racer better.

O, I almost forgot, we also won the free shoe raffle sponsored by MPGear.com, so I guess we really did win the lottery. Thanks to all the other sponsors, and Eric, Roger and the rest of team Mergeo.com for putting on such a fun race series.

As for racing under team Mountainzone.com, well that is what happens when I show up first to the pre-race check in and get to pick the name. Plus I figured Duncan would like to be under it since we had been racing against each other all summer long.

Wicked Ocean Race (racing with Mo)

A long rainy afternoon that dragged into Friday evening, was spent sitting more then driving in our cars. Juliana along with her dogs made the normal 2 plus hour drive up from Eugene to Manzanita in a little over 5 hours, while Carol and I made it down from Seattle in just under six. Nothing like time in the car to prepare one for racing. We made it to gear check with five minutes to spare. Talk about stretching the time cut offs even before the race starts.

The Wicked Ocean race started under ominous clouds after the previous day’s rain. The Pacific flexed it’s muscles as large choppy wave crashed out in the break. Twenty five teams sat on their bikes waiting for Shane to start the last race of the season. After a quick 3..2…1….go the race was off. The teams took off down hard sand of the beach. Saltwater and sand mixed then toasted with a hint of tire rubber actually makes a fine breakfast.

The first CP was a straight shot down the beach. We hit it with a multitude of other teams and started climbing the road towards Hwy 101. After warming up on the beach Juliana and I started to increase our speed and passed a few teams. That is when Mo showed up to race with us for a while. I first met Mo while playing football years ago. Mo would show up and hang out with one team for a while until something happened and then would go hang out with the other team. It made for more exciting games.

During an Adventure Racing Mo is not always the best one to hang out with. For one reason Mo likes to get things excited and make things happen faster. Mo likes to push and get ahead of other people. Mo always wants to be on the winning team, so if you’re not winning Mo likes to give you kick in the ass. So going up the hill on hwy 101 Mo gave us a kick in the butt and we started to pass a few more teams. We ended up at the TA along with several other teams, including Pure Fit and Peak Fitness. Together we all headed up a trail right next to the TA. Since Mo was with us, I did not take enough time to look at because Mo said “teams are getting away, speed your ass up”.

So running up the trail I was reading the map by trails and not really be topo lines and elevation. (Note to self, do not do in future as you always get lost when you do this.) So we took the first left at junction, then hit the next junction and turned left again. We were supposed to go down and cross a creek. Well we went down hill next to a creek, but did not cross it. So we kept going. Then we came out into an opening by the beach. Now that is not right. Hey why is Mo leaving? Trader.

The other teams that we were with had all disappeared. They had come to the realization that there was a road at the other end of the parking lot next to the TA we should have taken, not the trail. I figured this out a few hours later while staring at my map and confirmed it by driving by the parking lot out the way home the next day.

So without Mo and the rest of the teams that were around Juliana and I tried to find the trail that went up and around the creek. After looking for awhile and doing a good stint of bushwhacking we end up on a trail that appeared to go in the correct direction. We had crossed a creek during our bushwhacking stint. So we started jogging down it to make up for lost, I should say completely blown time.

After about five minutes it was obvious that we were not on the correct trail, but at least I knew where we were on the map and we were no longer bushwhacking through the impenetrable costal range underbrush. I figured if we stayed on the trail it will lead us to the next CP eventually, we would even get to go by and see CP 4 on the way.

We ended up taking a little detour. If the race was expedition length it would have made no difference. Had it been a 24 hour race we still would not have been that far behind. But this was a 8-10 hour sprint race, with a hard cut off time only 2.5 hours into the race. So even thou we jogged a good majority of the detour, the extra 5 plus miles pretty much ended any hope of doing good in the overall standing of the race. Plus since we were going to miss the cut off we would not be aloud to run around the point and back down the beach, but instead would have to back track which added an extra mile or so to the over trekking section.

As we continued on foot down the trail we saw the first few teams heading back the way we had come. Always a demoralizing sight. We hit the third CP in second to last place. Well at least one other team was also having a bad day. Then something happened. We started seeing other teams coming back that had also missed the cutoff. Also we started heading down hill and wouldn’t you know it, Mo showed back up again. So Mo said, “get your ass moving, you can catch some of these teams”. So I picked up the pace a little. Then I heard a team in front of me down the hill. This got Mo even more excited so I picked up the pace even more. We caught and passed the team before hitting the next CP.

After a quick hello to Shane at the CP we headed back up a little creek and onto the trail again. Look another team heading a different way. We passed them too. Hey now we were forth from last and moving up. Mo was happy about that. We reclimbed the hill and ended up seeing Mark and Austin from team Full of Bull heading down the trail. After few words with them we were off jogging again.

Soon we were back on the long detour trail again. Except this time we were suppose to be on it as we made our way out to Falcon Point, again. This is when Mo left again. The trail started to drag on as I began feeling the effects of over excursion during the big run to catch up and pass a few teams. We hit the CP and learned that next closest team had a least a 20 minute lead on us. The trek back to the TA was going to be long, but at least we would soon be back on the bikes. This is where I figured we would do well and make up some more time. Then it was into the kayaks where I know we would be very strong since both Juliana and I own and had brought our own kayaks.

What’s this? A surprise check point map. Ahh clever Shane added two extra CPs at the end of the trekking section. While refilling our water at the parking lot I studied the map. Both the CPs were going to be reached by bushwhacking with no trails in sight. So what does that mean? Well, I actually looked at my map and the topo lines during this section and what a surprise we hit the two CPs dead on.

Back to the TA and on to the bikes. I had originally selected a different way to reach CP 8, but at the TA Juliana and I decided to change routes. The new road we were going to turn onto off 101 was going to be easier to find this new way, and it was. Take the first left after the bridge. Up the fire road we peddled. We hit a clear cut and the road got steep. But up ahead was yet another team. Hey look Mo was back. We started pushing hard to reach the summit where there should be a trail junction that we had to simply turn right at. I looked at the map and it did appear that the hand drawn trails did not quite touch, but I figured that was just a slight misprint. Well at the top of the road, we hit kind of a dead end. Maybe the trail didn’t quite touch. But the navigation was going to be easy, just go up this last bit of hill, hit the road and turn right.

Well what ends up happening? Both teams end up near the top of the hill and we both drifted left. Didn’t I just say we were supposed to go right? Ahh what’s a little extra bikewhacking to complete a full day of racing? After some pushing of bushes and bitching, I reorientated myself and figured out we had to head downhill to hit the road. How far down hill? It ended up being a good 150 vertical feet. Which was nice because as soon as we hit the road, we would have to go back up 140 of those feet.

What do we notice when we hit the road, it is Mark and Austin pushing their bikes up the road that was our original route choice. How long were we bikewhackig? Well it turns out the Mark and Austin had not refilled their water at the parking lot and had been dry for quite a while. So Juliana and I feeling nice offered each of them some of ours. No big deal, we had plenty. Opps, turns out we had both drank a lot more then we had thought during the climb and bikewhack. So the four of us, now all out of water, reached the CP together, followed closely behind by our bikewhacking buddies who had made it to the road shortly after we had started up it. Should I point out that near the top of the hill there was a nice little trail that came out of the bushes and had all kinds of bike tracks on it. Maybe they had turned RIGHT?

But the downhill was fun. Mo was back because there was excitement and speed going downhill. Plus we were getting close to the end of the bike leg and there were other teams around. After heading through downtown Manzanita we reentered Nehalem Bay State Park and headed for the bike/kayak TA. This also happened to be the start/finish line and where post race barbeque were being held. It was close to five when we walked up to the TA to have them sign our passport and give us the kayak UTM’s. The barbeque was going and the lead teams had already finished. Did I add that those greasy burgers and dogs frying over the open flame smelled real good. Hey what is this? Mo said, “screw you guys I’m off to get some food and hang out”.

Juliana and I sat around debating what to do. Technically the kayak cut off was not until 5:15. Mark and Austin rolled in about five after five. They too were going to be allowed to do the kayak if they wanted, but since they had been out of water for the majority of the afternoon, they were ready to call it a day. I think Mo had left them a long time ago. Down at the TA, our bikewhacking buddies were messing with their gear and getting ready to head up to the sign in booth. I got down there and told them they still had five minutes to make it to the kayak put in, they quickly began to retire their shoes and adjust some straps and move some stuff around. They looked at their watch and then checked their shoes again. Maybe the bow was not quite centered because I agreed that it did need to be retired. Sadly they just barely missed the cut off after they had meandered they way up to Shane and the check in booth.

Juliana and I passed on the kayak leg and voted for some food. Plus Juliana had two dogs that had been locked up all day waiting for her back at her rental cabin. The post race party was a blast and I finally won something at the raffle, even if Todd tried to give it to someone else. About twenty minutes after we ended the race the sky that had been threatening all day finally opened up. As a 120 plus racers, support crews, volunteers, friends and family all gathered under the Next Adventure and other sponsors tents, I thought to myself, “I sure am glad I am not about half way across the bay in my kayak right now. I am sure Juliana would be hitting me in the head with her paddle just about as hard at these rain drops”.

What a great location for a race. The Oregon cost is awesome and I doubt I would have ever seen those places had it not been for Shane and Kathleen liking to hang out in Manzanita. I had a great time even if we were not always going the most direct way. Hey Juliana and I traveled fast, just not always smart. I guess ending the season on not a prefect race is a good thing because it leaves the bitter taste in your mouth that makes you train harder during the winter. Plus it will teach me how to race with Mo better.

For those of you who have not figured out who Mo is yet, watch a Monday Night Football game and I am sure John Madain will end up talking about and explaining it. He does so almost every other week.


See you at the next Wicked AR event.