2005 SMAC 8 Hour Race

The SMAC 8 hour race was supposed to start at 6am. However, due to severe electrical storms and rain it was delayed by 30 minutes. So we sat in the truck unsure of what else to do. As race time approached, we grabbed our PFDs and paddles and headed to the starting line. We planned to run down the road to where the kayaks were staged. No problems with navigation. But, when the horn sounded, all the paddlers turned and headed in the other direction. Ed and I looked at each other and wondered what they knew that we didn’t. Rule number 1: Don’t blindly follow everyone else. So we didn’t. We knew the road would take us to where we needed to be so we stuck to our plan. It’s a long race so we can make up time later. We just don’t want to start the race by getting lost if there is some obscure turn we might miss by following the pack. We ran the mile or so to the boats, grabbed two, dumped the water and hauled them to the lake (swamp is more like it). We followed the other boats and found the controls quickly, one benefit to being in the back of the pack. We paddled hard but were slowed every so often by shallow water. We carried the kayaks back up to the staging area. 45 minutes into the race and we were already soaked and muddy. We run back to the transition area where we check in and grab our bikes. This being our first race, we are not entirely sure of how to attack the course. We ride around frantically looking for the controls. In the darkness and driving rain it is hard to read the maps. I now know why a magnifying glass was recommended. As we progress the map and topography start to come together. Things are starting to make sense. We transition to the O-course and hit the ropes. A muddy, mucky mess but a fun time. Good thing Ed remembered to punch the passport on the island, that control is worth 5 points. We drop our helmets and gloves and head into the woods. We plan to head for the farthest northeast controls and work our way back. We decide to hit a couple controls on the way to at least do something. We follow the trail to about where we would expect to hit the first control and break north, up hill. At the top of the hill is the orange and white flag waiting for us. We know now that this will not be too difficult as long as we pay attention to what is around us. The strategy to head to the farthest controls is revised and we loop south to pick up more controls before going back to the north. We are hitting these controls with uncanny accuracy. They seem to be jumping out at us. We happen upon another team while heading to one control. Even though they are moving faster than we are, we still beat them to the control. Both teams then head to the next control. They jog ahead but cannot find it. We head straight at it and beat them again. They again jog ahead of us breaking off the trail before we think we should. We head further up the trail taking a shorter off trail line to the control. At this point the other team heads off trail to the next control. We head back to the trail and road. From the road we head across a large open field and right to the next control. I hear the other team busting through the brush some distance off. We are gone before they appear. That is the last contact with them. After we clear the next couple control we head back to the road. We can head north to get three controls before gathering the controls while heading back to the transition area or we can skip the northern ones. There is plenty of time in the race and I want to get all the controls. We had not been tracking our time in terms of controls per hour, so we had no idea how long we should expect to take to get the three northern controls. We head north. It takes us longer than we hoped and now the race time was nearing the end. The shortest distance back to the transition area is bushwhacking straight south. I grab my compass and push forward. We bust our way to the road with scraped knees and shins. We are just glad to have a clean path to follow. We have about a half hour to get to the transition area before the cut-off. I do not want to be late after all this. We might not win, but I at least want to be considered ranked for finishing before the cut-off. Ed ponders hitting a couple controls on the way back, but I don’t want to be late. We are about 2 miles way so we need to move faster than a walk if we are going to make it. Jogging as best we can then walking some get us back shortly before the cut-off. We had accumulated 18 points out of a possible 27. Not bad for first timers. As it turns out, our points along with our time put us in third place. But the best part was the freshly grilled burgers waiting for us at the finish line.