Category Archives: Uncategorized
Castlewood Race Report
I will have to admit that when I committed to doing this race, I was very skeptical about how things would go. Orienteering….nay, paddling….I don’t think so, Mt. Biking…..HELLZ YES! So 1 out of 3…..not the best odds.
Lucky for me I had Bob Jenkins as my teammate! Bob’s navigational skills were outstanding and I am still here today to tell this epic tale.
The night before the team headed up to the Alpine Shop to check in and get our maps, instructions, and packets. Each racer received a certificate for 30% off 1 item in the store. Unfortunately my budget did not allow me to purchase a new Specialized Epic or Specialized Tarmac, so I settled for some nice wool socks.
The team then headed to The Pasta House for some pre-race carb loading. After a plateful of pasta and a salad we headed to the wonderful amenities at the local Super 8. For those who are looking for a nice hotel to stay at, this one is not the one. But the price was right and it served its purpose.
The night was spent getting the pack ready and double checking our lists. Decisions were made about what to wear, what to pack, what to eat, and were the checkpoints would be. Beers were consumed and stories were told. The night flew by and before we knew it, it was after midnight. We were looking at 3 hours of sleep before the race day was upon us.
Morning came way to early. We scurried to get our S**T packed and get the bikes to the bike drop. Surprisingly that went off without a hitch and we arrived at the race headquarters. Adam ran up and signed in since we was a late arrival Friday night (another reason why he is fired from the team). Everyone else made there way to the start finish line to get the passport and rethink their opening moves of the race.
Everyone sang the National Anthem and they said “GO”. Bob I am took a different route from the “Real” team virtus. We made our way up the ridge and followed it around. Bob had his thumb compass and map in hand and directed me where to go. We seemed to sail to the first checkpoint without a hitch. Bob planned our route to #2.
We seemed to sail through the first 3 checkpoints with no problems and Bob was spot on with his navigation and checkpoint plotting. The 4th checkpoint was the bike transition. We headed out on a sweet downhill and headed into some sweet ass trails! Binder has nothing on the trails we were on. We were cruzing through checkpoints right and left.
As we came to checkpoint 15 we were given the option of finding about 4-5 more checkpoints for bonus at the end or continue on with no bonus. Bob and looked at each other and said “We got this”
The awesome volunteers gave us the clues and maps and we sped off. Bob was instantly energized and I almost had to tell him to slow down. I was struggling to keep up with him on his bike. Bob and I totally dominated the bonus checkpoints. We found them in what seemed to be lightning speed. We stopped at our last bonus checkpoint and reminisced on how great our day was going. We grabbed a drink and ate some power bars.
Next was the feared paddle. I was especially concerned about this portion of the race. I hadn’t been in a canoe in years…let alone paddled down a river with our bikes in the middle. Bob and I found a great way to get the bikes in. Unfortunately I can not disclose our secrets. But our canoe was balanced and we felt strong as we paddled downstream.
Things were going smoothly till Bob said “Hey Robby….our map is floating about 10 yards behind us”. I think my response was…”Are you serious?” But level heads prevailed and we slowed our blistering pace down the river and manuvered the boat enough to get the map back inside the canoe. Lucky for us Bob Jenkins is the man and sealed the map case correctly. We paddled hard for the finish and made landfall at the last paddling checkpoint. I successfully pulled our canoe (with Bob in it) out of the river. We unloaded and passed the mandatory gear check (though Bob had trouble finding his light). Turns out that Bob had his light in his pocket….not his pack.
We saddled up headed to what we thought were the last checkpoints of the day. Bob looked at the map and said “You better eat now because we have a lot of climbing coming up”. I pounded down a powerbar as we headed for the hill. This so called hill had never met ”Team Virtus” because Bob and I crushed this hill. Everyone else was walking their geared bikes and Bob and I crushed this on our single speeds!
Bob crushing "The Hill" on his SS
Bob reaching the checkpoint at the top of "The Hill"
Team Virtus dominates again
The whole Team Virtus
We had a great day! No real problems and a lot of fun.
A huge thanks to Bob Jenkins and Luke Lamb for accepting me into the team and getting me out there.
Luke telling us his adventure story
Bob relaxing after a hard day of racing
Round TWO of the ABC’s of Adventure Racing Gear – Part 2
Welcome back to all of you ravenous Virtusites! If you missed our last post, you can go back to Part 1 of this series to get caught up. You can also check out last year’s series for more adventure racing gear recommendations and reviews as well. Now it’s time for part 2. Enjoy, and let us know what you think.
*****************************************************************************************
F is for Foosh Mints
This was one of our best discoveries this year, and it’s one of our secret weapons (although it’s not so secret anymore, huh?). You may have read about Team Virtus using Foosh Mints at several races, and you may have been wondering what the heck they are. Well, I think they should be called Life Savers since they’ve saved me on more than one occasion, but I guess that name is probably trademarked. When I ran out of them at the Berryman 36 Hour AR, the Sleep Monster nearly destroyed me, and it got ugly in a hurry
So let me enlighten you to the ways of Foosh. These little mints are basically Altoids on Steroids. Maybe they should be called SterAltoids, but I understand the “Foosh” name, too. Each caffeinated mint is the equivalent of one cup of coffee, and you can feel the energy boost hit you in a hurry – FOOOOOOOSH! Not only does the caffeine kick in quickly, but the taste and the icy-hot burn in your mouth really perk you up as well. Delicous!
The mints come in handy little “blister packs” holding 6 mints in each sleeve. They’re the perfect size for tucking into a pocket of your pack or jacket. These things are mandatory gear for Team Virtus, especially on longer adventure races and rogaine races. I love these things so much that I keep a pack in my drawer at work and in each mini-van (yes, I own two mini-vans… With four kids it was either that or a short bus). If I need a little pick me up, I just pop a mint, and I’m good to go (with minty-fresh breath, I might add).
You can get 18 packs (108 mints) for 28 bucks and free shipping right here. That comes out to roughly 26 cents per mint which is actually cheaper than a cup of coffee. They’re a heck of a lot easier to carry in your pocket than coffee too. I flat-out love these mints, and I think you will too.
*****************************************************************************************
G is for Garmin 305 GPS Watch
Are you tired of driving your running/biking routes to see how far they are? Are you tired of planning your route using online services? Do you travel a lot and run/ride in different cities? Then you, my friend, need a Garmin 305.
This thing will track your route, distance, speed/pace, elevation gain/loss, and heart rate. You can customize the screens to display exactly what you want to see during your training (total time, lap time, heart rate, distance, pace, speed, calories, etc.). If you wanna use it as a watch to track your indoor workouts, you can even turn the GPS off to conserve the battery.You can also upload your workouts and routes to help you keep track of your training or to share them with friends.
Making the Forerunner 305 even more useful, there is also a bike-mount kit (which I use and love) and a bike speed/cadence kit (which I haven’t used, but it looks pretty sweet) that will allow you to seriously dial in on your training.
Yes, it’s a bit clunky for a watch, but it’s not bad at all. And yes, it’s a bit expensive, but the price has come down quite a bit recently. And I really do believe that it is worth the price. There are more expensive models like the waterproof 310XT (which Casey has and really likes) and the 405 (which Robby has and really likes). If you don’t want or need the heart rate feature, you can save 30 bucks by getting the 205. I think it’s worth the extra money for the heart rate monitor, though, since I use that feature all of the time for interval training.
In my opinion, you definitely get the most bang for your buck with the Garmin Forerunner 305.
*****************************************************************************************
H is for Hydration Bladder – The Camelbak Omega Hydrotanium Bladder
Camelbak pretty much revolutionized the way we stay hydrated in our outdoor endeavors. While many companies have caught up to and even surpassed Camelbak with regards to backpack design, they are still the leader when it comes to the hydration bladder.
There have been several improvements over the years, and the Omega Hydrotanium Reservoirs are simply the best. They come in a wide range of sizes to fit any of your backpacks. And even if your pack came with a different hydration bladder, then you’d be wise to switch to the Omega. Why? Just take a look at this video right here.
These bladders are seriously indestructible. I’ve witnessed Bob crash or trip (several times) and land completely on his backpack with one of these Omega reservoirs inside. The Omega was perfectly fine, and it has saved Bob from a few scrapes an bruises as well.
The wide-mouth opening with the easy-to-fill handle is a great feature. The bite-valve with the shutoff switch is the best I’ve ever used. And get this… There is a lifetime warranty on these babies! You just can’t beat that. I love these so much that I actually have two – one for my small pack, and one for my bigger pack. I won’t use anything else.
You can pick a bladder ranging from 35 oz to 100 oz by going right here.
*****************************************************************************************
I is for the Innovations Ultraflate Plus Tire Inlfator
I don’t go on a ride without my CO2 inflator. I always keep it tucked under my saddle with my Awesome Strap (reviewed in Part 1 of this series).
Yes, there are smaller inflators out there, but I really like this one. There is a locking switch to make sure you don’t accidentally release the CO2. It fits both Presta and Shrader valves easily. It’s durable, and it’s never let me down. It’s also compatible with both threaded and non-threaded CO2 cartridges, making it easy to find new cartridges. You can get the threaded cartridges or save some money and get the non-threaded variety at Walmart (which is what I do since I’m cheap).
The last thing you want to do in a race is waste time and energy by using a tiny hand pump, so be sure to grab the Ultraflate Inflator for your next ride or race.
*****************************************************************************************
J is for Journal
My actual training journals from 2007 through 2011
This might seem like an odd pick for a list of Adventure Racing Gear Recommendations, but stay with me. I’ve used journals to track my training and racing for the past several years, and they are invaluable. I can look back to see when I was at my fattest (246 pounds on 1/2/07 – Yikes!) or when I was at my strongest (December of ’08 – I won’t put up my numbers since they’re pretty pathetic compared to most people).
I can also look back and see what I wrote about regarding the first ride I ever did with the one and only Robert L. Jenkins III on 1/3/09:
“Lots of fun, lots of tough uphills & very fast downhills. I was slow. Had beer afterwards at the winery. Then ate a lot of pizza.” Bikes, beer, and pizza – that was the beginning of a beautiful relationship.
Or what I thought about our first race together on 2/7/09:
“Racing w/ Bob was great – Team Boats ‘N Hoes!!”
I can also look back and see how my training (or lack thereof) leading up to a race affected the outcome of the race. For instance, a cracked rib on Thanksgiving in ’09 led to very little training and a 31st-place finish at the Castlewood 8-Hour Adventure Race.
I also learned that I tend to sabotage myself by slacking off with my training in the 6 weeks leading up to a big race. I have no idea why I would completely drop the ball during the crucial month and a half before a race, but looking back through my journals allowed me to clearly see this pattern. Realizing my weaknesses led to me refocusing my efforts in the weeks leading up to the 2010 Berryman Adventure 36-Hour Race, and that turned out with a VERY unexpected win in our division.
I know there are many online tools and apps that allow you to track and plan your training. I guess I’m just old-fashioned. I love being able to actually flip back through the pages and see what was going on with my training and my life – Like this entry from 1/15/09:
“Found out we’re HAVING A BOY today! Great news on my birthday.”
So you can do the online thing, and I think it can be a great way to do it. Or you can rock it old-school style and pick up a journal at your local Walmart or office supply store, or you can go right here to get your training journal. It’ll be the best buck or two you’ve ever spent.
*****************************************************************************************
That wraps up Part 2 of our gear reviews and recommendations for adventure racing. Let us know what you think, and stay tuned for Part 3! (Part 3 can be found right here.)
A BAD CASE OF PSA (Passport Separation Anxiety)
I know you are probably getting sick of hearing about the “ass-kicking” we took at the 36 hour Berryman Adventure Race. However, there is one more point worth discussing that I wasn’t able to fit into the report…Passport Separation Anxiety.
Luke punching our passport during the Berryman 36 Hour Adventure Race
For those of you who don’t race, the passport is an official race form that you punch with a differently shaped hole punch at each CP. This proves that you were at the CP and ensures that you get credit for locating it. If you lose the passport you have no proof of getting any of the CP’s and cannot officially finish the race. The Berryman was the first time in a big race where I was in charge of the passport. Usually Luke handles most of the navigation, BLD is the passport guy, and I am the guy that reminds everybody to eat and drink and tells an occasional bad joke.
With just me and Luke on the team for this race I inherited the passport duties. First, I had to decide where to keep the passport. I needed a secure location that was easily accessible since you need to punch it at each and every CP. I decided that I’d put the passport in a Velcro sealed pants pocket on the outside of my right leg. It fit the criteria; it was safe and easy to get to. This worked great through the first night. I’d punch the CP, slip it in my pocket, and then push the Velcro flap down to seal it and not think about it until we needed to punch it again.
The pocket on the outside of my right leg was home for our passport this race
As the race went on and we collect more CP’s the inherent value of the Passport went up proportionately. If I lost it early in the race; in theory we could get another passport and then retrace our steps to collect the CP’s again. However, after about 12 hours I realized this was no longer an option. If I lost it now, our race was officially over. We’d have another “unofficial” finish under our belts this summer (I swear Luke’s almost done with the Lionheart Report). I became more aware of the passport and began to check the Velcro seal between CP’s. I’d reach down and pat the closure assuring myself that it was still sealed and that I hadn’t lost the passport.
By the time the sun went down on Saturday we had many CP’s collect and I was even more anxious about the passport. I could feel the weight of the passport in my pocket. It was as if I were Frodo and the passport was the ring that I was sneaking into the depths of Mordor.
- My precious…
I began to not only check the Velcro closure but I felt lower in the pocket to actually feel the passport through the pocket to confirm it was still there. Making sure the pocket was sealed was just no longer good enough. I had to physically locate my passport, to prove to myself that it was still there. I thought about changing the location of the passport. Maybe that pocket wasn’t secure enough. There had to be a better, safer place for the passport. I thought about where to move it to. I decided the pocket had served me this far and was probably the best place to keep it. Plus, I was afraid that I would forget where I moved it to and become frantic when I thought that it was lost.
As the race went on and I grew more sleep deprived I began to check for the passport more frequently. I would check it at least every 10 minutes. I was becoming obsessed. I would not lose the passport. During the night/fog paddle leg of the race I had a horrifying experience not mentioned in the race report. After climbing in and out of the canoe numerous times, after wading through the river and stumbling along gravel bars I finally remembered to check my pocket. I hoped I still had the passport. I put my hand down and felt through the pocket. There was no passport. My heart beat rapidly, my breath grew short, and I broke out in a cold sweat. I was panicking. Where was the passport? How could I have lost the passport? What could we do?
HOW COULD I HAVE LOST THE PASSPORT? LUKE IS GOING TO EFFING KILL ME!
I felt my pocket again, and it wasn’t there. The pocket was sealed but there was no passport. I began to fear it got washed out of my pocket when I was in the water at some point. I thought about telling Luke I didn’t know where our passport was and quickly decided against it. I was afraid that he would kill me. After all the effort we put into collecting all those CP’s, how could I have lost the passport? I mean we only had 3 CP’s left. I kept it safe for so long. I decided that it had to be in my pocket. I felt again through the pocket and didn’t feel it. Was there a hole in my pocket? I opened the Velcro flap and put my hand in the pocket. No hole. Nothing! I dug deeper and felt around.
I felt something, deep down in the corner of my pocket. It was kind of folded into the material of my pocket. I grabbed a hold of something. Was it our passport? I pulled my hand out of my pocket and I was holding onto our precious passport.
Phew!!!....So Happy!!!
I breathed a sigh of relief. My heart rate returned to normal and I felt so relieved. I was so happy; Luke wasn’t going to kill and our race wasn’t going to be “unofficial” (assuming I could keep track of it for just a little bit longer). It turns out that I didn’t lose the passport. It had been in my pocket all the time. I thought about finding a new home for the passport but figured it was safest in its previous location. I mean after all that we have been through and to have it still be there. I decided it was a safe location to keep it for the duration of the race.
For the duration of the race I found myself checking for the passport almost nonstop. I constantly was feeling down the outside of my pocket confirming its location. As I grew sleep deprived and became more delirious it grew worse. I kept a hand on my pocket almost the entire time for the rest of the race. I actually carried the passport in my hand from the final CP to the finish line. The only way I felt comfortable at this point was if I could actually feel and see the passport.
I have thought about this a lot since the race. I wonder why there isn’t a better way to keep track of your passport. Why hasn’t somebody invented a case to carry it in? Or why isn’t the passport made of laminated card-stock with holes punched in it so that you can put a string through it and carry around your neck? There has to a better solution for the passports than a piece of paper that you fold up and stick in a pocket. I will waste much time in the near future pondering a better passport solution.
Has anybody else ever experienced this type of anxiety over your passport? Does anybody know of a better way to carry your passport? Where do you carry you passports during a long race? What’s your worst PSA experience?
Wakarusa Challenge is this Weekend!!!
Team Virtus will be there en masse, minus a few. Where will you be?
Here’s the link
Sign up now and you’ll be entered to win an autographed photo of Luke from our Lionheart trip:
Woof.
Who ya gonna call?……Bob’s mom!!!!
Heading out on a 13 hour drive is a pretty big deal. Upon our departure from the Capital city, The Virtus Van was rolling 3-deep on our way to the Lionheart Adventure race in beautiful Ohiopyle, PA. Hoe-lee schnikeys.
Preparing for this 24 hour trial by fire found us logging countless hours on foot, saddle and canoe. We were as ready as we’ve ever been, and I think I speak for the entire squad when I say a reunion with our favorite New-Yorker was long overdue. But the question remained… how would we fuel ourselves for such a cross-country endeavour?
The answer was simple, we needed to call my mom.
When mom heard of our upcoming road trip, she asked if she could “bake the guys some cookies or something“. Of course I agreed to the cookies, but we never could have expected the bounty that would be bestowed upon us. The day before we left, she handed me two heavy bags, saying ” I got a few other things you guys might need.”
Mom has really strong biceps
My mom doesn’t screw around, we could’ve picked up half a dozen hitch-hikers and still had enough food for a round-trip venture to Pennsylvania. Look at all that stuff!!
Ya kinda have to wonder how much money she spent.
There was stuff in those bags we thought we’d never need, but by the end of the trip we had gone through about 80% of it. Who would have thought we were gonna need an extra pair of flip-flops or a bottle of antacid? I guess mom did:) Of course, this all in addition to a giant tupperware container full of homemade cookies. I can only hope there are more moms out there like mine.
