07/14/2015:
S
o much time has passed and so many things happened and I still did NOT finish this. Bad bad bad. Let me see what I can do...
So these guys do things a little different. If you want to be timed then you MUST pay an extra $ 10.00 for a chip and you MUST be in the first 4 waves that go which are 9:00, 9:15, 9:30 and 9:45. This year to make it more popular for people they made the start time an hour later. Not so good for me but my crew was happy. In my opinion, if you are going to try to race it, you MUST(!!!) be in the first wave. You don't need slow people slowing you down at obstacles. Also, some of the obstacles are water obstacles. Later in the day, they become muddy water obstacles. So with a 10 am start and a race requested arrival of an hour before and a half-hour drive, we left the house at 8:30. We got there perfectly at 9 and parked. Checked in and hit the indoor plumbing. Yes - This place has porta-potties and indoor plumbing.
As far as the nickel and diming thing, they also charge $ 10 per spectator if over 12. Last year, Elizabeth paid it. This year she decided not to. When Jeremy and I checked in, he got a red bracelot, while I got a "Over 21" bracelot and a "1 beer free bracelot". I took off my beer bracelot and she put it on. Usuallu, I just give it to someone for free but this time we all had bracelots and no one was bothered.
We went around the start looking at stuff. Last year, Jeremy needed a little help with the warped wall. He was a little worried about it. I told him to try it now. He got it right away. His comment was "maybe I did grow a little" which drew a p'shaw from Elizabeth and me and of course a "You think?". Jessie tried a few times but failed so I went up there and grabbed her hands last minute so she can climb up. Cool - she was happy and liked it.
They are calling our wave. We walk over. The first thing to do to get in the corral is to climb over a wooden barrier. I always liked that. To me, it means if you can't do this then what exactly are you doing here...
I immediatly go to the front. Jeremy likes starting in the back. Ok - different strokes for different folks. He's not really racing it, he just wants a timed result. I am racing it.
First obstacle is the "UP AND OVER" which are basically sand dunes with vegetation on them. Their purpose is to thin the herd. They do. From there we go to a mud pit ("SPEED TRAP") that you need to run through. I don't. Instead I run the edge of it. Got a little muddy but didn't really slow down because of it.
As I write this, I don't really remember all the obstacles anymore even with the map in front of me. The names don't always completly say it all. The names are CHAPTER 37 CRUCIBLE, BARRICADES, NINJA ESCAPE, JACOBS LADDER, COMMAND CRAWL. I believe they were barricades to climb over, a net on the ground to crawl through, a tube to go through, stepping stones like in Ninja Warrior etc.
I'm in the top 20 I think. Losing ground some but passing some people back. Notables to mention: There's this asian girl, young, who is running fast. She loses time on the obstacles but makes it up whenever there's a run. I keep catching her at the obstacles because they are so close together. After the TIPPING POINT obstacle, I never do since there's a long stretch of running. Also, there's a skinny black guy and he's good. He runs fast and when we get to the barricades, he just puts both hands down and clears them. I used to be able to do that in my youth but no more (haha).
TIPPING POINT is next and you run to a see-saw and walk on it. The other side (up) eventually goes down and you continue your run.
BEAM ME UP is next followed by PACK MULE. I grab a sand bag and run back and forth. From there to WATERWORKS, a big tub of water that you need to run through.
CLAUSTROPHOBIA was a tunnel to crawl through I believe and NAPOLEON COMPLEX was another barricade to climb. BURNT RUBBER I don't remember right now but LET'S CARGO is pretty obvious. Around this time, 2nd overall female comes up and I cheer her up and tell her 1st female is literaly right there. She takes off in chase mode. She looks good. She can do this.
Right around here, I hear my name. Elizabeth and Jessie are on the course and they wave and take pictures. Awesome. I point out 2nd female. Very exciting to see it play out in front of me.
THE GAUNTLET is walking on a metal wide beam while punching bags are being flung at you. There's water on either side. No biggie.
I get to SIDESWIPE right after 2nd female. It's a slanted wall with a rope and I thought it was just an easy over thing even if greased. They tell me to go to the other side and I'm confused but then the guy there explains. Grab a rope. Get on. Walk sideways from rope to rope. Don't touch the ground. Oh... Easy. Done. Unfortunatly 2nd female is still there. She is having trouble and is getting frustrated.
BALANCE OR BUST is also easy for me. Another wooden beam to cross. This time it's over water. I get my bearings and I run right over. I hear a volunteer say "That was the fastest I've seen anyone do that.". Cool...
THE RINGER is like monkey bars except rings on a chain as you would see in a park. Last year, my hands were so wet, I didn't even try. Walked right through the water. This time, did it. Cool.
HEADSCRATCHER is a mud pit with a chain rope over head so you really need to get in there. THE BLOBSTACLE was a little annoying. It's this big air blown up thing that you need to go over. There's a rope on it as well. I expected it to be really filled with air. I jumped up and my weight almost deflated the whole thing momentarily. I grabbed the rope while it re-inflated but then it was easy. Knowledge is power for the boy tho when it's his turn.
ANTIGRAVITY is next. Climb up and jump on a trampoline to the next climb and again repeat. That was fun.
WARPED WALL is fun. I went there but made sure to slow down and drag my shoes in the sand. They were still wet from the mud and I wanted them dry. Took a big breath and launched myself. Run run step step jump and I guess I overshot since instead of my hands catching on the top, I landed with my chest on top of it. Volunteer was heard saying "he almost cleared the whole thing in 1 shot". This leads right to MT MANIAC which was another cargo net climb but my leg slipped through and I got a little rug burn. Walk it off...Climb it off actually to the top. Up there is the ACCELERATOR which is a water slide that looks vertical. I immediatly launched myself and landed in the water. This always led into a small run to the finish but not this year. Get up and do some more sand dunes and then the finish. Got my medal and water and some orange slices.
Now for the big surprise...It seems that 2nd female was passed by 3rd female. She really lost a LOT of time on that obstacle. I eventually saw her and she wasn't happy. Oh well. I wouldn't be happy either.
Now all I have to do is figure out where Elizabeth and Jessie are or really where Jeremy is. Found them. They were still in the same position when I saw them and Jeremy was approaching the GAUNTLET. I stayed with him.
Led him through the obstacles giving him hints and cheer. My job. Made sure he took the mud pit on the inside as it turns. The guy who kept kicking him in the rings was passed by Jeremy in the mud. Nice.
At the warped wall, he made it up no problem but the volunteers helped him up even though he caught it by himself. Glad he tried it first without them before the race.
He finished...
Jessie and Elizabeth were convinced I placed in my age group. I was pretty fast. Looked for results but nothing. Elizabeth dragged Jeremy and me to medical to get some spray band-aid on some cuts. I didn't fight it as I still had the Ironman the next day and who knows what my immune system will be like after it. Jeremy wasn't happy but I told him it's easier to submit to this one.
The kids wanted to stay as they were sure I got an award. I wanted to leave as we still had so many things to do. Problem was that you MUST be present for award. I knew Johnaton was going to be there the next day so I just left my number with the timer. Whatever happens, happens.
We left and here it gets crazy as usual. Try to keep up...
Drove home and let Jeremy out so he can shower. Drove to car rental to make sure Elizabeth can get the rental in time. Left the girls there and back to house. They were going to Chipotle to get food. Got home. Hoped to take a shower first but no time so took Jeremy to tennis. Back home to shower and eat something and to load car up. Girls showed up. Jeremy will have to eat later. Packed car and left. Started raining on me and then it got bad.
Noah could have used his arc here as it was really bad. I mean scary bad. Still found the dump, wish I knew, I was staying at. had issue with parking but that's the next race report issue.
Results: I beat my time from last year and came in 19th overall. These cheepos those have a huge a group, something like 21-49. Oh well...Would have been 2nd for age.
