Training Log Archive: Work4justice

Leg 7, Kayak, 21 miles
Then we were off in the kayaks to the finish. The ocean has some crazy currents! At one point I turned into a current and my boat flipped, but got back into it in good order.
We finished 13th! I learned a lot with this race. I would definitely do one again. Great teammates, great result.

C • Despite MIA maps, poles and... 1

Leg 4, Trek, 17 miles
We started to TA, and then decided to take a nap. Brenda and I did not sleep, and the guys were able to, so I think I was the only one who had not slept yet. We headed off, and I realized that I had left my trekking poles in the uhaul. Ugh. Eric was quite kind and shared his poles with me. We did a few quick points near the TA, and swung back to drop off our control card. There were new Uhauls there and my trekking poles were there! I felt SO RELIEVED. I really knew I needed them! Then, back out to cross the ridgelines, and get to 5 where are bikes were staged. We had to carry food and supplies for both of these legs, which in the end lasted 24 hours. The trek was beautiful, and met up a kind stranger who took our photo and sent it along to some of our family members:

I was really feeling good at the end of this trek, we TA’d a bit better despite needing to roll maps, completely fill bottles and change into bike clothes. We were off again. My legs felt heavy for about 10 minutes, but they came around. We were really moving through this section, and for a few hours just flying it seemed. I started to have terrible tummy, but took many many many tums and pepto tabs which kept it at bay. We stopped at a gas station and I got some other food, which helped A LOT. It had started to rain, again. As we were going down an ATV trail, I remember asking Brenda why we are doing this. She thought it was strange, but said cause it’s fun. This was the beginning of an about 5 hour episode of sleep deprivation disorientation. I thought we were in Michigan. Brenda tried to tell me numerous times we are in Maine. They knew I needed sleep, but couldn’t stop because we had a 6a cutoff to make. I started to come around a bit, and was able to start to run hard to the TA. We didn’t make the cutoff. In the end, it wouldn’t have changed our placement, but was disappointing. Since we had a bit of time, I rested a bit. I did some looking up on this type of sleep dep, and turns out it’s pretty normal.

Leg 2b, Canoe 30 miles
Then we rolled into our next TA, the canoe. We launched onto the Saco River and the fog reminded me of the fog we experienced at WT. Eric was mentioning that he needed a break from navigating, so Brenda navigated the next 2 points. We had hoped for a current, but there really wasn’t one which led to a bit of a slow paddle.

Leg 3, Bike, 70 miles
Landed at TA 3, which was the beginning of a 70 mile MTB split by the MTB-O and a pancake paradise. During this section, it was discovered that we left one of the maps behind to TA 4. Team members started talking to other teams to look at maps, and eventually located one to trace on a “mapkin”. Each team member went on to the MTB O, and I got my first points quickly, but struggled with my last one because I couldn’t see the distinction in the trail. Fortunately we fixed that. During this time, my bike light completely broke off and was lost. Yep, super duper super duper low point #1. I wanted to quit, I was feeling behind the team, frustrated that I didn’t have a light, and frustrated that while I tried to sleep I couldn’t. (The others were able to nod off a bit.) But bucked it up and went around asking for a light I could just duct tape to my bar. We were off again with great ambitions of making the first cutoff. I struggled on the ATV trails with my makeshift light system. Eventually Eric put his bike lights on my bar and I was travelling much faster. As we got closer to the TA, we had to rely a lot on tire tracks without the map. And we made it! PHEW.

Untamed New England 2018 as Midwest Mayhem with Brenda Carlson-Brown, Eric Olsen and Richard Sparks.



The Untamed New England Race actual start location was kept a secret until we arrived at the race start on July 24 in the evening at the Sunday River ski resort. No wonder the first elevation gains were so high! Received maps around 8pish and set straight to work.

It was definitely a big course, and quickly realized that while there are preferred routes, using those would even be a challenge. We focused on highlighting all of the routes and wheeled as many as we could.

Leg 1, Trek, 17 miles
After about 4 hours of sleep, we got up, did our final bin and paddle bag check in and waited for the start. The first 4 check points through the ski “hills” only required minimal gear, I opted to go without poles, which was a mistake. Rain started almost immediately, and never really let up until Friday. Got through those points in good order and then moved on to 5-9 which we had learned would be quite a trek, and it certainly was. Through this section, we divided navigation duties among all of us, Eric as lead, Brenda carried the bearing, Richard caught features and I pace counted. Our route to 6 was non-traditional because we wondered if we stayed lower and climbed less that maybe the veg would be less thick. Then on to 7, and when we got to about the last step of the pace, we didn’t see the flag, looked around a bit and it was right there, just hard to see because the vegetation was so thick. Then down the “hill” to 8, which we aimed high for, then followed the roaring creek to the point. Then, down the path/two track to TA2.

Leg 2a, Bike 30 miles
Got there, and hopped into a uhaul just as it started pouring again. Got on our bikes and Brenda and I realized our bike computers weren’t working at all! And, Eric’s was spotty, fortunately Richards was working. Off we went! It was a combination of steep ascents and descents, sand, gravel, rough ATV, just about it all.

C • You guys were amazing!!!!! 5

Event: Untamed New England Expedition Race 2018
 

Skills clinic. Went over wet exits, bracing, turns and water rescue.