Alright guys, after a truck load of peer pressure over a nice sushi dinner last night, I am finally gonna blog about our most recent Adventure Race. I am going to break it down into weekly parts and hopefully be consistent til the end! Haha.
So this is it........
This first blog will basically just give you an overview of what the race is all about. I did the two person male team with Ben Kongesor.
Hiking/Trail Running: Single track and Fire Road
Paddling: White Water (Class III-V)
Navigation with map & compass: You will navigate using a combination of map and compass and by plotting the checkpoints using UTM's.
Ok......something to take note of.....they were not bullshitting about the below statement. On one of our previous races we got seriously lost and wound up about 4-6 hours away from the nearest checkpoint. Somewhere around 28 hours into the race we came across an old farmhouse where someone let us use their phone to call in. This is what we got......glad you guys are ok, now find your way back!!!! hahaha!!! This is an unsupported race, if you are lost.....so sad!!! You can't just quit and hop in the car and go home. You are out in the middle of the mountains!!
Please note *** If for any reason a team member is unable to finish the race, you must inform the race management AT ONE OF THE MANNED CPs. Unless you are seriously injured, you will most likely have to ride YOUR BIKES/HIKE OR FIND AN ALTERNATE WAY back to the start/finish line. The nature of this adventure race does not permit us to promise to pick up racers who have decided not to finish.
Ok, the below is a list of everything that Ben and I had to carry during the entire race. Once again, there were no water stations or friendly people with snacks and gatorade waiting for us!! We carried all food and water the entire race.
Emergency First Aid Kit (to be carried by each team/soloist at all times)
* 4 doses of pain/fever medication (Ibuprofen/Tylenol)
* (4) Betadine, iodine or alcohol swabs
* (4) standard Band-aids
* Iodine tablets for water purification
* (1) 3" ACE Bandage
* (4) 4"x4" gauze pads
* Medical tape or duct tape
* Antibiotic Cream: i.e. Neosporin* (1) pair of surgical gloves
* Epi pens are strongly recommended for individuals with allergies to insect stings, etc.
So this is it........
This first blog will basically just give you an overview of what the race is all about. I did the two person male team with Ben Kongesor.
Odyssey Wild, Wonderful 24 Hour AR
Teams of 1, 2, 3 & 4 will trek with map and compass, ride mountain bikes up, over, and whitewater raft through the New River Gorge!!! Racers will get to have a bit of class V fun as part of the Wild Wonderful 24. This year's race will offer sweet single track, challenging navigation, and some wild WHITEWATER!!Distance
70-80 miles
Duration
24 Hours
Disciplines
Mountain Biking: Single track, Fire Road and PavementHiking/Trail Running: Single track and Fire Road
Paddling: White Water (Class III-V)
Navigation with map & compass: You will navigate using a combination of map and compass and by plotting the checkpoints using UTM's.
Ok......something to take note of.....they were not bullshitting about the below statement. On one of our previous races we got seriously lost and wound up about 4-6 hours away from the nearest checkpoint. Somewhere around 28 hours into the race we came across an old farmhouse where someone let us use their phone to call in. This is what we got......glad you guys are ok, now find your way back!!!! hahaha!!! This is an unsupported race, if you are lost.....so sad!!! You can't just quit and hop in the car and go home. You are out in the middle of the mountains!!
Please note *** If for any reason a team member is unable to finish the race, you must inform the race management AT ONE OF THE MANNED CPs. Unless you are seriously injured, you will most likely have to ride YOUR BIKES/HIKE OR FIND AN ALTERNATE WAY back to the start/finish line. The nature of this adventure race does not permit us to promise to pick up racers who have decided not to finish.
Ok, the below is a list of everything that Ben and I had to carry during the entire race. Once again, there were no water stations or friendly people with snacks and gatorade waiting for us!! We carried all food and water the entire race.
PERSONAL - To be carried by each competitor during the entire event.
* Competitors are responsible for their own food, drinks, and electrolyte replacement.
* Lighter
* Compass (1 per every 2 competitors on a team)
* Knife, within easy reach, minimum blade of 2.5", folding OK
* Whistle
* Cell Phone (1 per every 2 competitors on a team) - Fully Charged
* Synthetic, moisture-wicking top (i.e. Underarmour, Capeliene)
* Waterproof shell/jacket MUST have taped or sealed seams
* Fleece or wool top
* Fleece or wool hat
* Space blanket
* Head lamp with extra batteries for minimum of 8 hrs
* Competitors are responsible for their own food, drinks, and electrolyte replacement.
* Lighter
* Compass (1 per every 2 competitors on a team)
* Knife, within easy reach, minimum blade of 2.5", folding OK
* Whistle
* Cell Phone (1 per every 2 competitors on a team) - Fully Charged
* Synthetic, moisture-wicking top (i.e. Underarmour, Capeliene)
* Waterproof shell/jacket MUST have taped or sealed seams
* Fleece or wool top
* Fleece or wool hat
* Space blanket
* Head lamp with extra batteries for minimum of 8 hrs
Each TEAM/soloist competitor must possess permanently throughout the event:
* Trowel (For burying human waste in catholes 6-8 inches deep at least 200 ft from water, camp, or trails)
* (1) First aid kit as indicated below
* (1) Emergency strobe light (not a bike light or headlamp). The emergency strobe light must emit a bright white light that can be seen at least 2 miles or more. Example- Princeton Tec Aqua Strobe
* (1) Small dry bag (or more than one is even better) for the safe-keeping of your cell phone. These bags MUST BE WATERPROOF. It is to your benefit to make sure you have the best waterproofing system you can find.
* Passport, which must be carried and signed at each CP (given pre-race)
* List of the RULES
* Complete set of legible maps (given pre-race)
* (1) First aid kit as indicated below
* (1) Emergency strobe light (not a bike light or headlamp). The emergency strobe light must emit a bright white light that can be seen at least 2 miles or more. Example- Princeton Tec Aqua Strobe
* (1) Small dry bag (or more than one is even better) for the safe-keeping of your cell phone. These bags MUST BE WATERPROOF. It is to your benefit to make sure you have the best waterproofing system you can find.
* Passport, which must be carried and signed at each CP (given pre-race)
* List of the RULES
* Complete set of legible maps (given pre-race)
Emergency First Aid Kit (to be carried by each team/soloist at all times)
* 4 doses of pain/fever medication (Ibuprofen/Tylenol)
* (4) Betadine, iodine or alcohol swabs
* (4) standard Band-aids
* Iodine tablets for water purification
* (1) 3" ACE Bandage
* (4) 4"x4" gauze pads
* Medical tape or duct tape
* Antibiotic Cream: i.e. Neosporin
* Epi pens are strongly recommended for individuals with allergies to insect stings, etc.
Below is a quick video of just my gear the night before we left......not including the food that I brought. I go through a process every race that takes a couple hours to complete. The idea is to narrow the equipment down and be as light as possible and still have everythting you need....getting as many uses out of each item as possible. You never know what you may need in that 24-30 hours of racing!!
ALL PACKED UP AND READY TO HIT THE ROAD.........WEST VIRGINIA HERE WE COME!!!
ALRIGHT NEXT WEEK WE GET INTO THE GOOD STUFF...........STAY TUNED!!!!
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