Training Log Archive: crazyclark

Event: Wilderness Traverse
 

I've wanted to try a 24 hr race for a while now. But never really got up the nerve until this year. I had done a few 8 and 12 hr races which were tonnes of fun and challenging. All of my races up to this point had been purely personal challenges, not expecting to place and just hoping to finish.

This 24hr would be no different. I was very fortunate to be hooked up with 3 other individuals that had similar goals. Chief, (Chetan Mishra), escondido (Paul Heuts), double_downon11 (Chris Laughren). When i first met them through e-mail I didn't know what to expect. When they introduced me to the Attackpoint AR community it became very clear. These guys are hardcore. Chiefs training hours per week were up around 18-20 with races booked every weekend (unfortunately Chief crashed Hard in the multisport up in Tobermory and was unable to race with us), DD's were around 10-12hrs with races almost each weekend, and Paul's were around 6-9 hrs with races booked. I was doing 45 min crossfit workouts and playing volleyball. Hadn't ridden my bike yet, and had not ran a running race longer then 5km. Ever. My only lengthy races being the 8-12 hr ARs last one being 2 years ago. Their logs where both motivating and daunting.

We got out 6-7 times together and i tried to find time to increase my numbers. Fortunately my beautiful wife, Tracy, and baby boy, Kaden, understood that during the week I may not be around as much for the next 2 months and every weekend was booked with family stuff or volleyball tourneys.

Going into the race I knew my trekking was very weak, my body was just not used to moving quickly through the bush for long periods of time. I was hoping to at least help out with the paddle as much as I could and hold my own with the biking.

Come race weekend we had strategized over e-mail and beers multiple times. We were as ready as we were going to be.

Maps were handed out about 9pm Friday night. We were up until 12am planning routes and headed to bed for an early 5:30am wake up Saturday. An excellent full pancake breakfast by the local legion and off to the bus for the ride to the start.
I was not looking forward to the 2km "sprint" to start the paddling section, but it was critical for our team. We are all over 6'2" and just about 200lbs average. So getting the limited 17' kevlar canoes would be key. I already had in my head that I would do all the portaging i could because i knew they'd need to drag my ass around the Trek. And i wanted to do something for them to appreciate me before this happened. ;)
DD and Paul were strong in the run, but had to slow up for me back in the middle of the pack as we had to stay within 100m. We succeeded in getting one of the 17' kevlars even with my mediocre run. We started off the paddle mid pack after we forgot the bailing kit and had to run up quickly to get it. The paddling section included a busted seat (chris is too fat obv), which we fixed temporarily by stuffing a bag under it mid paddle and more permanently with a bungy chord after the second portage. We worked really well together paddling in sinc, taking turns to eat and drink. I could not eat during the paddle because i was steering. But at the portages those guys went ahead with my pack and had food and salt pills ready for me at the end of the portage, total awesome teamwork. There was a large group ahead of us, that we just couldn't catch, there were so many boats it look like we where in almost last place with just a few behind us. When the beaver dams and river section hit, we where a bit awkward the first few and lost a few places. I think Chris lost count after 32 beaver dam pull overs and about 6-7 rock blockages. I was pleasantly surprised after the 30km paddle that we where mid pack in 15th spot out of 28 teams, because we where the last of that group with no-one behind us. I realized afterwards that there looked like so many teams because all the boats, but most of the front running teams had 2 boats.
We had a quickish transition (17 minutes) from the paddle to the 30km trek, the fastest Team in the TA was 3mins. The trek started with a 5km trail run/jog/walk to the CP4. We found it without to much trouble, and were back and forth with AngrySeagull, and team New Balance. The trek to CP5 was the most difficult. We had a plan, and Paul and Chris executed it perfectly, while i was trying to keep up. We hit the railroad bridge almost exactly where we "aimed off" and at exactly 50 minutes. Which was our estimated time from the point on the south end of the trail. This trek included a stop for me to mend some hotspots on my feet, multiple bog crossings stopping to filter water for our camelbacks, which I had run out of and my team mates again took care of me by sharing theirs. We also ran into/past about 5-6 different teams. Crazy to see that many teams on a trek that long and had a many different options. Nice to know that we picked a popular/smart route. With all the bog crossings we where constantly wet from our chest down. Walking in wet clothes/shoes for 8hrs does not do well for blisters and chaffing!! Lesson learned! The route to CP6 was also executed perfectly by Paul and Chris while I again had trouble keeping up. They carried my pack for the 4-5km trail run/walk at the end but I still couldn't keep up. I had the beginnings of cramps in both legs hamstrings, quads and calves. The end of the Trek included a river crossing just before the bike TA. Nothing like a 50-75m swim up north at about 8pm, very refreshing. Cept for the leg cramps.
We were ahead of our estimated time to make the full course cut off by about 8 minutes. (yes we figured it all out meticulously).

That Transition was about 25min according to Chief and Squirt who were volunteering at that TA for the night. I took the time to eat and drink as much as I could and have some salt pills. Hoping that the bike would use some different muscles and give my body a break from the cramping, the break really helped.

We where off on the bikes in the dark passing a team using our newly acquired drafting techniques. As we ducked into the trails I kept asking myself if my new serfas lights would last the 4-6 estimated hours I'd need them for. Things where smooth for the first hour, hitting CP8 with no problems as Chris Nav'd perfectly. A few km ahead at the bottom of a downhill I ran over a simple stick about 1 inch in Diameter, I remember it very clearly, my mirco thoughts went something like "hey there's a little stick, im gonna run over it, my front shocks will absorb the...........WTF...this is gonna hurt!!!" Epic Endo, head over heels, in the dark, yard sale. Thank goodness there was no rock garden or trees to run into, as i flew about 10-15 feet. Landing on the ground with my arms, chest and knees. I caught myself with my arms i thought because my chest felt like i ripped every chest muscle apart and had a tough time breathing. It now feels like a cracked a few ribs in the upper area of my chest and am still having a tough time taking deep breathes. The adrenalin was flowing and I continued to ride. Knowing we had a cutoff to try and make. Once I started riding I realized my gears where not working properly. Paul tried to fix it. But with the cut off in the back of our heads we moved along riding with one gear for a while, the only way i could keep my one gear was to hold the big ring gear shifter with my thumb. This cause some epic wrist pain and cramping in my triceps. Once I got comfortable doing this I slowly tested out other gears and figured out I could use 3 on the middle ring. Awesome. I was unable to climb most hills and really slowed the team down. I felt really really bad that we may not make the cut off because of me. Paul and Chris stayed positive though. I felt for them as they where wearing clip in bike shoes that are not comfortable for hike a bikes at all especially when wet. I felt even worse when my head lamp turned off, I did not tell them and just forged on, until my bar lights went out as well. At that point we rode super slowly with me in the middle riding with only bounce light from there bars and them trying there best with there new ay-up lights to illuminate the path for me. Once we realized that there was no way we would make the cut off, things eased up a little we took a bit of a breather to grab some salt pills and Paul remembered he had his Princeton tech head lamp on him!! Sweet i had my own light again. At this point i was exhausted, walking up most hills cramping in legs and arms from holding the gear shifter, and my chest was throbbing. We finally made it to CP9 where we were short coursed (removed the 2nd 25km trek from the path to the finish). I told the guys they should go on without me as i didn't want to slow them down anymore. They were very positive and wanted to finish as a team. So i got up, put on dry clothing and shoes ready for a nice simple road ride back to the final 6km paddle. Little did I know that the 2nd short course bike was all trails as well, and a good 5km was totally un-rideable. And about 4-5 km in it started pouring rain. So much for clean and dry shoes. I could feel massive blisters on my feet and chaffing in very bad parts. But as Chris said i was pretty much a Zoombie at this point and my body was just going through the motions, ride what you can, walk up hills, get on bike feel sore ass and feet, ride what you can......We manged to make it to the final paddle just as the sun was rising at about 6am. It was an amazing site, and I was soooo happy to be off the bike. I love misty morning flat water paddling. We crossed the finish line at 7:15am exactly 23.5hrs of racing in 11th place, later finding out we place 10th due to a missed CP by an earlier team.
I learned a lot from this race, it was very very difficult for me. I really want thank my teammates for being patient and helping me out in times of need. They both did an amazing job of navigating and pushing the pace, without making me feel like i should quite.
I also need to thank my loving family for allowing me to take time away from them to train and do this crazy thing.
Here are a few rough stats. 12-14 bog crossings, 6km of portages, 32+ beaver dam pull overs, 6-7 rock crossings, 3-4 swims, 12 blisters, 2 infected, very swollen ankles (still), possible cracked ribs, 30km trek, 55km, bike, 36km paddle, 2km run.
While i sat in my car right after the race was completed, in large amounts of pain, I wondered to myself why I was doing this. And if I'd ever do it again. A few days later, feeling a little better I am sure I will! It is exhilarating thinking back on what we accomplished, and how much better i can be from what i have learned.

Nice and easy Walk/Run with a buddy from work. Nothing major just getting something in. My naked log for 7 days is not sexy. But work in LA was fun.

Nice run full pack to Canoersize tonight from work and back again. 1.9km each way.

Got a chance to practice with Escondido for WT in a Canoe with kayak paddles. Was great to get out on the choppy water to talk strategy and check pacing.