We were BEAT. We were beat an hour ago. We were pretty tired 5 hours ago. In the past 20 hours we had wogged, (just learned that word from my cousin...walk / jogged) actually speed wogged for 18.5 miles with a 30 pound pack, completed a military obstacle course, climbed rocks, rappelled, crossed a Tyrolean Traverse, moved 400 - 500 pounds of cumbersome equipment 200 yards, discovered the joy and agony of Orienteering in a 30 pound pack, doubled our pleasure during nightime Orienteering, still in our packs. We'd swam across 2 alpine lakes, challenged our minds, eaten MRE's, and lastly but not leastly, spent :52 minutes testing our physical limits in an Optimum Physical Test at 3:00 in the morning. We were ready for a little down time.
The Race Operations Officer, Nate, directed us to the competitor rest area. We set up a quick leanto so the early morning breeze wouldn't chill us out. I unpacked my sleeping bag, Jack unfolded his couple of felt blankets as we each grabbed a quick drink before tucking ourselves in for a restless night on hard, bumpy ground. I heard Jack shivering. I heard a few of the other teams set up their sleeping arrangements, but didn't bother to look around. Laying down with feet slightly elevated was my position of choice. I think I heard a few quick snores from Jack around 0500, but I don't think I slept during that time. But then Jack didn't think he slept at all either....
At 0600 I started getting restless again. My legs wouldn't be still. They wanted to get up and get moving. I sort of rolled in to a sitting position and started looking throug my food stash for something nutritious to eat. Patriotic Sugar Cookies, Apple turnover, imitation cheese spread, Creamy cheddar potato soup, imitation beef stick, Clif bars, Power Bars, peanut butter in a tube, mixed fruit jam in a tube, tortillas... I made PB&J on tortillas, and opened a Clif Bar. Jack was just sitting up and had started heating his Spaghetti and Meatball MRE. I used the remains of his heat pouch to heat up the potato soup (more like cheese soup with a few potaoes...). As the soup was heating I walked over to use the Sanitary Facilities, washed up a bit, and then filled our water bottles. Time for a recovery drink mix and more electrolytes. I noticed the race directors rejoining us from where ever they had spent the night. In my mind they had a cozy bed in a warm hotel room. In actuallity they were back at Race Headquarters tabulating race results, confirming race grievences, making sure the course was set up for the Final Run, drinking warmed up leftover coffee.
At 0700 they announced, over a loudspeaker, that this was the :20 minute warning. the Final Run would commence at 0720. The teams that had fallen asleep woke up. The teams that chose to lay around until last minute were scrambling to eat and dress. We would not be carrying our packs for this Final Run. Yea! We did need to carry at least one water bottle each. I carried a water bottle, Jack opted for his shoulder strapped camel back. Mostly this was because they (The race directors) wanted one of us to continue to carry the SPOT 2 tracking device. ( I had a feeling we were in the running for a top 10 finish and they wanted to show off the technology to our fans...)
At 0715 Greg got back on the loudspeaker and began announcing the race results as of the end of Night Orienteering. "...in third place, team 7 (the 40 year olds), in second place, team 8 (us), in first place team 1 (young kids from Vermont or Palo Alto or New York or something...)... What? What? we were in second place. All we had to do was finish this run and we'd be happy campers...
As we headed to the start line for the run we were all handed a map of the Final Run course. We were told it was well marked by pink and yellow flags every 50 - 200 meters. I pocketed my map as I knew this trail and road. We had just 'wogged' up it last night during Night Orienteering. No problem. Just finish baby.
Three, Two, One, we were off. It seemed that nobody wanted to take the lead. Each of the top 4-5 teams were happy if one of the others took the lead, set the pace. I on the other hand was waiting for someone to show me where we were supposed to pick up the trail. I didn't want to be the one to check his map within sight of the start line... WE all crowded on to the trail at the correct spot, I could tell it was correct because it said EndeavorTeamChallenge ---> plus it had 5 pink and yellow marker flags.. No problem, if the trail was marked this well I had no worries.
We switched from the Bear Valley - Alpine Lake trail to Emigrant trail to Slick Rock road with no problems. Team 1, the runner kids, were still occasionally in sight on long straight aways. There were 3-4 other teams hanging around us in the follow group. When we got to the easy running, downhill, portion of Slick Rock trail we managed to put a little distance on most of them. Team 7 was hanging with us. Along the way we ate gu's, drank electrolytes, disrobed, (shed our long sleeve shirts..), and put more distance on all but team 7. Team 1 was no longer in sight. No sweat. We were chatting with our new friends and breathing easy. I knew where we were and where we were going. Or so I thought.
When we got to the bottom of the Slick Rock section of Slick Rock trail, we crossed the river right where we were supposed to. I immediately started looking for the route up the opposite rocks, the same as I always do. Jack and Team 7 were right with me. I was local, I knew my way. Once up the rocks, we headed through the make shift 4x4 camping area. I knew where to go. Jack even asked "Are you sure this is the way?" I was sure. We climbed a little more, and encountered my friend Lukas and aid station #1 right where the map said they would be. We said hello, They said we were in first place. I said "What?. Team 1 is ahead of us" They hadn't passed there yet. OH well. maybe they took a wrong turn. We set off at a jog up the hill. Within about a half mile here comes team 1, passing us like we were walking. We were. They must have been right behind us at the aid station. When they caught us I asked "What, you guys take a wrong turn?" although I couldn't imagine where as there were no turn offs that I knew about. . Their answer was "No. You did" My confused looked answered for me. "Ask the aid station guys, we checked".
I stopped, I felt my pocket. The map was still there. I opened it, I checked . Yep, we screwed up. I took full responsiblity. I screwed up. The others all said "no sweat" "we all messed up", "we didn't pay attention", "we all had maps of our own...." Little consolation, but they meant it. I screwed up. By rule we must return the way we came, re-join the trail where we left it. That was good because running back the 'correct' way was longer. We ran back to the creek, about a half a mile, found the turnoff right where the map said it would be, well marked in pink ribbons. Off we went on the correct trail. Another half mile up this trail we noticed an orange marked set on a stake. Marker #2 that we chose to not collect last night. Right on the trail. Dang. An easy peasy one. We shoulda come out for it. Another point or two gained. Oh well spilt milk. Ever onward and upward. Cross the creek, up more hill, back to the aid station We caught 2 teams at the creek crossing, another team walking up the hill. At the aid station they said we were 15 -20. I said "What? 15or 20 teams back? or people?"
"Oh, No. 15 or 20 minutes lost". I didn't care about time, I wanted to know how many teams were ahead of us.
He said "oh about 5 more teams"
"lets go then..."
We ran, no more wogging for us. Team 7 was still right with us. We couldn't understand why. They were nice guys but who were we? Nobodies..
We ran up hills we would have walked before, we only walked in oder to open and eat a chomp or two. Jack used the bathroom at Utica Lake. He would catch us up. He was getting tired again. I went back to a jog. We still had 4 or more miles ahead of us. It was all downhill, but it was also downhill for the teams ahead of us..
We finally saw Spicer Reservoir off in the distance. A Kayak crossing it. We hoped it was Team 1 just setting out across. We were greeted by cheers and yells. No Cowbells. Uh Oh were we that far back? Team 7, right beside us, admitted they had minimal paddling experience. Jack and I have been paddling for more than 35 years. We picked a kayak, we loaded up, we shoved off. Team 7 finally started arguing, still on shore. They got left behind. As we crossed the lake we noticed Team 1 on their return trip, paddling smoothly. I yelled a thank you to them for notifying us about our mistake. They acknowledged. Good guys. They didn't have to tell us. They could have petioned it later...
We continued on across the lake in our small tandem kayak. We hit shore, dismounted, and scrambled up to the 80 foot rappel sight. On our climb up we encountered the other 3-4 teams ahead of us. giving the same "we screwed up, missed a turn" answer to their questioning looks. We met my friend Mattley at the top of the rappel, he snapped a fantastic picture of us. Two teammates, brothers, friends. We felt happy. We were among the top 5-6 teams in the race, some of the best teams, (Navy SEAL teams, Ranger teams, Military and law enforcement teams...) in the country. Just two guys, fighting old age, two brothers competing with the best. Yes we felt good.
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