(See previous entry, The MOMAR Journey for all the events leading up to race day!)
Here we are, on September 26th 2009. My first Mind Over Mountain Adventure Race, in Cumberland!
The alarm went off at 6 something and it was time to get ready! Indigo had the bikerack on her car so she picked me up and we headed out to find Bike Drop. Luckily, it was another BEAUTIFUL day! It had been dry for a while, so that meant the trails would be dry. Thank goodness, I needed all the help I could get! We dropped the bike at the No 6 Mine Site and then headed out to Comox Lake. The Enduro course started at 9 am so all those racers were getting their kayaks ready before the 8:30 am Captains Meeting at the Start/Finish line. They got their maps at 8 am but we had to wait until 9:05 to get ours. There were 280 racers in the Enduro course and the Start line was quite the sight! All those kayaks lined up, luckily the water was calm for them!
We registered and got our map. We were pleased to see a few things! First, the kayak was only 5 kms. We expected that to be our slowest leg compared to the other racers, so we were happy it wasn't 7 or 10 kms. Second, we were familiar with some of the mountain bike trails on the 3rd leg of the race. It was flagged and we had to collect all of these checkpoints in order. There were 16 checkpoints on our Racers Passport that needed to be checked. Not all of them were on our first map. At this point, we were confident that we could complete the race!
After checking out the map, we headed back to the car to get ready. We had to eat breakfast, stretch, decide on outfits (based on temperature), and attach our race bibs to said shirts. That all went quite well, so we headed down to the start line to find our kayak! The rules with adventure racing don't allow you to leave any items behind (except kayaking gear), so we had to take our backpacks and shoes into our boat with us.
I decided to wear flipflops, Indigo went in barefeet. We paddled out onto the lake only to find that the wind had picked up considerably. It was super choppy and we weren't wearing skirts on the boat! The seats were already soaked from the Enduro racers who used the boat before us. We had to accept that we were starting the day soaked, which wasn't my favourite thing, but at least it was sunny!
We got off to an Okay start with the paddling! Our race started about 5 minutes late. Indigo was having rutter problems, but other than that and the amount of wind, things were good. We were at the back of the pack, but we weren't last and we weren't really getting too far behind! Considering my paddle experience, that was pretty much what I expected. We ended up passing the yellow boat in front of us near the end. My calves were a bit tight getting out of the boat, from pushing on the pedals...but everything else was good. We dried our feet, put our shoes on, and ran up to checkpoint one!
By the time we were all set and running on Trek #1, it was 11:25. Not bad! It was only a little ways on the road before we ran into the woods and started on the trails. There was certainly some hiking, but we were hitting the checkpoints and thankfully, Indigo is good with maps and direction ;)
We got up to one of the checkpoints only to find that we were coming down the same trail we had come down the Saturday before while out wandering! We were running to the bike site when I saw my moms vehicle and my niece inside cheering us on! That was awesome to have support during the race! It put a smile on my face and kept me going through the tough parts! I didn't have a watch but we knew we were about an hour on the trek.
The bike transition was a bit of rest time for us before a long uphill climb! I don't mind the uphills, especially when they are gradual. It was fun. We had to do the whole climb before we hit the checkpoint at the top, and then the way down started :O
The first part of the trail down was okay, I only had to walk at a few points. The trail was quite crowded because the sport course and Enduro racers were on it. The 2nd part of the trail was quite technical. I was slow on it, but remained riding cautiously most of the time, lol. We were on Steam Donkey extension, then the more technical trail itself called Steam Donkey. It was very technical and I was slow as usual!
The last part of that leg was where we cut onto another trail which was loose, steep downhill. I walked the whole way and regularly got out of the way for some of the people riding their way down. I was starting to tire at this point and get frustrated.
Once we got out of the downhill stuff, we were back on the road to another checkpoint. Luckily, we were sent into a trail called Buggered Pig, and then into Mama Bears! These were the exact trails my brother had taken me on earlier in the week, and I did reasonably well on them. I was soooo happy to know what obstacles were coming up!
After we got back to the No 6 mine site, we got a new map for our urban checkpoints. We had to run around Cumberland. Again, my partner was very good with maps and I just ran along with her. My chest was starting to tighten up and restrict my breathing. My left hip was sore, going from kayaking to running, to biking and back to running. I shuffled through the urban part and then we got back on the bikes.
There was an unflagged checkpoint, so we could choose our route. We rode up next to a bunch of other people and Indigo said we should make a left when everyone else went right. I followed. We made a right only 50 m's down the road and it ended up being the shortest route. Good job teammate! That was our 2nd last checkpoint on the passport so we biked back towards the finish line.
We dropped our bikes at the bike drop there and I ran up to get our last checkpoint and grab the map for our orienteering section. Indigo was changing out of her bike shoes back to her runners, and I set down the 2 pieces of paper next to her. We studied the map together then took off. Just down the road she asked me where our passport was...and I told her I gave it to her. We both checked our bags and neither of us had it....... so we turn around and ran back to where we dropped our bikes. I saw a folded piece of paper waving in the wind on someones bikespoke! Woo, that was it. Close call!
Indigo was great with the orienteering map so we snagged those pretty quick! I had lost all track of time at this point and couldn't think straight. We ended up running back along the beach to the finish line!!! I had lots of fans there which was awesome.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
The MOMAR Journey
So while I was in Spain, I chatted with my friend Indigo Eve. She asked if I'd like to participate in an event happening on Sept 26th called Mind Over Mountain Adventure Race. There are 2 courses, the 50 km Enduro and the 30 km Sport Course. The race is made up of Kayaking, Trekking, Trail Running, Mountain Biking & Orienteering. We decided on doing the Sport Course and I started some running and biking right away, while I was still in Spain.
I had very little experience on a mountain bike and in a kayak. I didn't know how to use a compass or read a proper Orienteering map. I had only done a couple hikes up steep hills, which leaves only trail running that I have a bit of experience in.
Luckily I had a very patient, fit, bright teammate! We paddled together 3 times in preparation for the race, only to find that I am incredibly inefficient at paddling. Indigo has experience in a Dragon Boat more than a Kayak, but remains a much better paddler. She sat in the back and took care of the steering and power, hehe.
After fighting four days of jet lag, I went for my first trail run in Victoria. I went RIGHT over on my left ankle 8 minutes into the run. A bad start to my training! This happened September 5th, only a few weeks to go until Race Day!
Now on the subject of Mountain Biking... I am scared of downhills! I don't know why I can ride a sportbike but panic on a mountain bike. My first experience in Cumberland (where the race was taking place) was a wet wednesday night with the Uroc girls. They go out every week in 5 different groups based on skill level. I joined the Beginner Group and told the leader that I was scared of hills lol. When they found out I had never ridden in the trails, they all raised their eyes. I was about to find out why! We went into a VERY rooty trail called Two & a Juice. My bike was sliding everywhere, I kept having to put my foot down and then try to keep going. There were drops, rocks, roots, stumps, trees, and a wood bridge that I had to navigate over. All this, before the big downhills! Once we got to the hills, we all jumped off our bikes (4 of us) to find out the best way to go down. It was steep and rocky at first, and then there were 2 drops at the bottom. One off a rock and the other off a root. Since it was wet, there was a big mud puddle right at the bottom.
The leader went down, then the other 2 made it down without problems. I tried to go but kept stopping at the top. I was about to give up and then I somehow convinced myself that I "have to learn sometime" (this is 3 weeks before the race), so I ran my bike back up and started again. As I am coming down a bit too slow, my leader is yelling "Commit! Commit!" because of the rocks at the top. If you go too slow, those rocks will turn out handlebars. Anyway, when I heard commit, I pretty much let go of my brakes. I picked up speed, flew off the first drop, flew off the second drop, and then my tires hit the soft mud at the bottom and turned my bike sideways. I flew off onto my left ankle, hip and shoulder. My racepack was full of clothes so I think they softened the blow on my back. It was not a successful day. At least I got an idea about what kind of obstacles I would be facing for the race!
After that, I think training got better. My brother took me out on the bikes to help me, and tell me how to go over drops, roots, logs etc. That was really helpful and I am grateful for all of his help! We discovered that I had problems with my chain, my back tire had no traction, and I needed new front and back brakes. While in the bike shop, we also got a Bash Guard put on instead of the biggest ring on my gearing. This helped BIG TIME so that I could slide over obstacles instead of the teeth grabbing the wood and throwing me into my handlebars.
Kayaking never really got any better. I should have gone out to Royston to get help from Mr. Craig. I was taking my training seriously, but also really enjoying being back at home.
Here is a digression to tell you everything else going on in September, while also training for the race!
I made it home just in time for my niece Hannah's 8th Birthday! Judi and I got some decorations and made a surprise birthday party for her. It was so great! She was very thankful and appreciative of everything. We stopped by Bradens first hockey school experience as well. It was great to see him and see how much he has improved!
I insured my motorcycle and had an AMAZING day at the track and a great weekend on the mainland with Teresa. We hungout on Friday, did the trackday on Saturday, then I did the Grouse Grind with my cousin Crystl and friend John on the Sunday. The weather this September has been awesome!!!
My parents fixed up a room for me at their new house, which is spectacular. The view and location were great, my room was awesome! It was SO quiet everyday, I was able to get as much sleep as I wanted. I got to go on a few bike rides with my niece and nephew, and spend days with my family around the Valley.
Okay! Back to the MOMAR!
The Saturday before the race, Indigo and I went out with her friend Brian and the MOMAR maps from last year! We took the compass but ended up just wandering around Cumberland, climbing up for 2 hours, then taking different trails back to the cars. It was good to get familiar with the trails. Later we did an hour bikeride in the NorthEast woods. I was frustrated but it ended up being pretty fun.
By the time the race week rolled around, we had kayaked a few times and I had biked in the trails about 6 times. I was acquiring some skills and becoming less scared of what might be around the next corner! Indigo was much more faithful with her running and had far better endurance than myself. I hoped she wouldn't be disappointed in my endurance during the race!
We registered on the Friday night and it was all getting exciting at that point. The atmosphere was great, and despite our conversations "what have we gotten ourselves into", we were looking forward to it. I went home on Friday night and prepped. I made the mistake of never using any powergels or electrolyte replacing drinks during my training. The rule is "don't try anything new on race day" but I scrapped that. I bought some Chomps at the running store, filled my 2L camelpak with Accelerade, and hoped for the best!
Leading up to the race had lots of ups and downs. We had a few goals for the race, and they were:
1. Complete the race in one piece.
2. Meet all of the time cutoffs.
3. Not finish last in our category!
See "Race Day" to see how it all went! All in all, what a fantastic September. I am soooo happy that I came home a month early from Europe. I have always wanted to enjoy the Coast and I really feel like I took advantage of a lot of things the Valley has to offer.
I had very little experience on a mountain bike and in a kayak. I didn't know how to use a compass or read a proper Orienteering map. I had only done a couple hikes up steep hills, which leaves only trail running that I have a bit of experience in.
Luckily I had a very patient, fit, bright teammate! We paddled together 3 times in preparation for the race, only to find that I am incredibly inefficient at paddling. Indigo has experience in a Dragon Boat more than a Kayak, but remains a much better paddler. She sat in the back and took care of the steering and power, hehe.
After fighting four days of jet lag, I went for my first trail run in Victoria. I went RIGHT over on my left ankle 8 minutes into the run. A bad start to my training! This happened September 5th, only a few weeks to go until Race Day!
Now on the subject of Mountain Biking... I am scared of downhills! I don't know why I can ride a sportbike but panic on a mountain bike. My first experience in Cumberland (where the race was taking place) was a wet wednesday night with the Uroc girls. They go out every week in 5 different groups based on skill level. I joined the Beginner Group and told the leader that I was scared of hills lol. When they found out I had never ridden in the trails, they all raised their eyes. I was about to find out why! We went into a VERY rooty trail called Two & a Juice. My bike was sliding everywhere, I kept having to put my foot down and then try to keep going. There were drops, rocks, roots, stumps, trees, and a wood bridge that I had to navigate over. All this, before the big downhills! Once we got to the hills, we all jumped off our bikes (4 of us) to find out the best way to go down. It was steep and rocky at first, and then there were 2 drops at the bottom. One off a rock and the other off a root. Since it was wet, there was a big mud puddle right at the bottom.
The leader went down, then the other 2 made it down without problems. I tried to go but kept stopping at the top. I was about to give up and then I somehow convinced myself that I "have to learn sometime" (this is 3 weeks before the race), so I ran my bike back up and started again. As I am coming down a bit too slow, my leader is yelling "Commit! Commit!" because of the rocks at the top. If you go too slow, those rocks will turn out handlebars. Anyway, when I heard commit, I pretty much let go of my brakes. I picked up speed, flew off the first drop, flew off the second drop, and then my tires hit the soft mud at the bottom and turned my bike sideways. I flew off onto my left ankle, hip and shoulder. My racepack was full of clothes so I think they softened the blow on my back. It was not a successful day. At least I got an idea about what kind of obstacles I would be facing for the race!
After that, I think training got better. My brother took me out on the bikes to help me, and tell me how to go over drops, roots, logs etc. That was really helpful and I am grateful for all of his help! We discovered that I had problems with my chain, my back tire had no traction, and I needed new front and back brakes. While in the bike shop, we also got a Bash Guard put on instead of the biggest ring on my gearing. This helped BIG TIME so that I could slide over obstacles instead of the teeth grabbing the wood and throwing me into my handlebars.
Kayaking never really got any better. I should have gone out to Royston to get help from Mr. Craig. I was taking my training seriously, but also really enjoying being back at home.
Here is a digression to tell you everything else going on in September, while also training for the race!
I made it home just in time for my niece Hannah's 8th Birthday! Judi and I got some decorations and made a surprise birthday party for her. It was so great! She was very thankful and appreciative of everything. We stopped by Bradens first hockey school experience as well. It was great to see him and see how much he has improved!
I insured my motorcycle and had an AMAZING day at the track and a great weekend on the mainland with Teresa. We hungout on Friday, did the trackday on Saturday, then I did the Grouse Grind with my cousin Crystl and friend John on the Sunday. The weather this September has been awesome!!!
My parents fixed up a room for me at their new house, which is spectacular. The view and location were great, my room was awesome! It was SO quiet everyday, I was able to get as much sleep as I wanted. I got to go on a few bike rides with my niece and nephew, and spend days with my family around the Valley.
Okay! Back to the MOMAR!
The Saturday before the race, Indigo and I went out with her friend Brian and the MOMAR maps from last year! We took the compass but ended up just wandering around Cumberland, climbing up for 2 hours, then taking different trails back to the cars. It was good to get familiar with the trails. Later we did an hour bikeride in the NorthEast woods. I was frustrated but it ended up being pretty fun.
By the time the race week rolled around, we had kayaked a few times and I had biked in the trails about 6 times. I was acquiring some skills and becoming less scared of what might be around the next corner! Indigo was much more faithful with her running and had far better endurance than myself. I hoped she wouldn't be disappointed in my endurance during the race!
We registered on the Friday night and it was all getting exciting at that point. The atmosphere was great, and despite our conversations "what have we gotten ourselves into", we were looking forward to it. I went home on Friday night and prepped. I made the mistake of never using any powergels or electrolyte replacing drinks during my training. The rule is "don't try anything new on race day" but I scrapped that. I bought some Chomps at the running store, filled my 2L camelpak with Accelerade, and hoped for the best!
Leading up to the race had lots of ups and downs. We had a few goals for the race, and they were:
1. Complete the race in one piece.
2. Meet all of the time cutoffs.
3. Not finish last in our category!
See "Race Day" to see how it all went! All in all, what a fantastic September. I am soooo happy that I came home a month early from Europe. I have always wanted to enjoy the Coast and I really feel like I took advantage of a lot of things the Valley has to offer.
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