Race report by Greg Palardy.
This was my first solo adventure race. I've had six 10-12 hour races previously and one 24 hour race. The race took place in Green Ridge State Forest near Cumberland, MD. I got the maps around 7:00am so had an hour to plot the Prologue O-course and 1st O-course and get a pretty good idea how to proceed in canoe and on bike for the next sections. The 2nd O-course and bike back to the start/finish would have to be planned on the fly. Bringing a flat board to write on really helped. The race started at 8:00am with a cut-off of 8:00pm. One CP penalty for every 5 minutes late. The course started off with a 350ft steep climb up the ridge to hit a CP then back down a valley and up another 200ft climb. It was all flat and downhill after that to get another 2 CPs then back to Town Creek near the start. Maybe 4 miles and cleared in about an hour. Not super fast but so far so good.
Got in my solo canoe and started making good time. I went with my wide-bladed bent shaft canoe paddle since I knew it well. Kept up with the two lead 2 person canoes in my wave and left a few behind though the 3 person canoe got away from me. Later I had some kudos from the canoeing group for my speed and technique. Wrapped up the paddling section in about an hour and impressed a few folks at the take-out with an adroit lift onto the shoulders and a quick one trip portage to the transition area. Picked up both paddling CPs without a hitch. Got on the bike after perhaps a slow-ish transition due to some gastrointestinal distress.
Biked through the Paw Paw tunnel to the next TA(only 15 minutes) and didn't adequately assess my position. After a few minutes of thought and seeing everyone heading in one direction along a trail, I proceeded. Made the next CP/TA and topped off my water. Got headed in the wrong direction initially but came to my senses and got on course losing about 10 minutes. Ran the flats and downhill and trekked the hills with a few other racers to make it to the next CP and then another. We all had the wrong expectation of what CP we were actually at when we got there. I made the adjustments and headed back to the CPs I had missed. Found one of them and searched for another for entirely too long. Lost about 45 minutes. Saw some racers later and they too just couldn't find it. Others did. After the lost time and energy, I was somewhat disheartened. I was running through some open woods and rolled my left ankle. I had taped them but ...ouch....SOB! 6 hours into the race, I hobbled on towards the next CP and started running again. Ouch....SOB! as I heard the bones in my left ankle rub and pop against each other in another roll. I thought the race was over as I was limping hard. I kept going thinking to just drop out. No way I could run any more. I was getting way behind. Saw a short asian woman running solo in the opposite direction along the trail. She was at least 2 hours behind the leaders and 45 minutes behind me but she was smiling and somehow I knew she would finish. I resolved to get this race done. Picked up a CP, missed another and made it back to the TA to pick up my bike.
The ankle only bothered me on the steep uphill walks with the bike. I had a good route and knew where I was. Made 2 CPS then turned off the main gravel road for a CP. I thought I was on one gravel road which turned out to be another. Went down a big hill and then finally realized something was amiss. Saw some other racers who had "HAD IT" and were heading back to the start. They confirmed I was not where I thought I was and so I walked back up the steep hill. Another 30 minutes lost. Got determined at this point and figured out a close CP to hit on my way back to where I was supposed to be. Walked the bike up another steep rocky road and then down a bumpy, bumpy ATV road. Shook me and my hardtail to hell.
Got to the 2nd O-course with 2:15 left in the race. It was about 1:30 back to the start. Another soloist showed up and he decided to just head back to the start. Asked the race director at the TA if it was okay if I road my bike to the 2nd O-course CPs. He said, "you have to get the O-course CPs on foot but I could ride down the hill". Good enough for me. I rode to a trailhead and footed it to pick up another CP with a bit of a run. Tried for another on foot but realized I missed and headed back to the bike only losing 10 minutes. With 1:30 left in the race, I had a long uphill to walk and 10 miles to go on gravel road.
I rode hard letting the brakes open on the downhill and gritting my teeth as it felt way too fast. Picked up another CP and came to the turn-off onto a grassy trail with 15 minutes left. Let it fly again down the hill. Hit one tight dip and held, 2nd tight dip and held. The third was too deep. The front fork bottomed out and sent me flipping over the handlebars with the bike attached to my feet. I landed on my back with the bike on top. My back ached but no painful stabs as I gingerly got up. I gathered my wits and maps which were scattered and got back on the bike. Picked up a CP and headed down a leafy slope only to wipe-out again. 4 minutes left, I hit the road and put everything into it. I paused as I came to the realization that I was not going to make the cut-off. Still I had to try. I turned the corner by the clubhouse , dropped the bike and ran the last 50 meters to the clubhouse porch and finish. I looked at my watch...12 hours and 30 seconds. I asked the woman taking the passports if I had made it. She said yes. Later when they called my name for 1st place, solo division, I thought to myself, "Never have I had a worse race to finish so proudly".
The grilled sausage was great and the homeade mac and cheese spectacular if the prizes were only typical. The comraderie that night was excellent and my only wish was that I didn't have to drive 2.5 hours home as Fat Tire Ale looked very tasty.
Sorry no pictures but I did get this fine race placard (see below) to hang on my refrigerator.
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