At long last, documentation that this event did indeed occur...
Last year 6 of us took on the 3P Challenge, an adventure race up in Denton comprised of 3.8 miles canoeing (paddle), 2.5 miles running (pound), and 12 miles biking (pedal). We camped the night before the race and enjoyed it so much that we had to return this year for another round. Some noteworthy mentionings:
My friend Chad and I entered the 2 person co-ed division, wanting to attempt to race the entire course. Forget that 6-man stuff... The 'Green Banditos' came in 6th out of 20 teams in our division, finishing right at 3 hours, and we had the fastest running split. Not too shabby, all things considered. Much fun was had; I couldn't have asked for a more encouraging, patient, and optimistic teammate.
A bit of insanity entered the picture by way of Friday night's cold front. Wind, freezing temperatures, and more wind. Certainly one of the coldest nights I've ever spent camping – I'm firmly convinced that Amber's box of handwarmers was the only thing that saved us from frostbite. We slept only a few hours before heading to the race check-in by 6 AM... and then it started snowing. That's right, snow. From 6:00-7:30, we weathered the blizzard conditions as we set up our transition area and then rode a bus up to the canoe launch start. By 7:45, the Green Banditos were headed downriver, dodging logs and overhead branches, low spots, and a screaming lady that turned her canoe over. I might've been screaming too...
We actually warmed up pretty quickly, but upon completion of the canoe leg, we had to disembark in knee-deep icy water. Swapped shoes in the transition area and took off on the short running leg. Let me tell ya, it's a really weird feeling trying to run on gravel with completely numb legs from the knee down. Neither one of us could feel our legs at all! I think that's about the time we heard other racers commenting on the people sitting in the ambulance with hypothermia...
But we endured and hit our transition point one last time to pick up our bikes and helmets. The bike trail was certainly my weakest point, as I knew it would be. But Chad graciously put up with my lagging behind, and we made it through at last. Yet another testament that crossing a finish line is one of the best feelings in the world...
Though I admit it was a completely miserable night/morning, I also must confess that it was a lot of fun once we started racing. The physical challenge of going from one leg to the next was quite different than I'm used to, but one I would certainly attempt again. And to top it all off... we received a package of Morrison's Corn Bread Mix in our race packets... which I cooked with dinner tonight. Tasty!
Getting ready to go...
Snow!
Pick a canoe, any canoe...
And we're off! (That would be us on the right.)
Down the river...
Canoe finish area...
Transition #1...
Out for a jog...
Smile as if it were 75º outside!
Face of the day...
Bike time...
Finish line!
Two tired Green Banditos.
(A special thanks goes out to Amber & Kathleen - our weather-braving friends and photographers, Travis - camper extraordinaire and bearer of the Twinkies at the finish line, and Matt & Hans - fellow racers and firewood kings.)
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