“No plan survives the realities of an Adventure Race” With the Shenandoah Tenderfoot done and in the record books, the only thing left to do is write up the race report. Despite winter returning again and again like a bad Friday the 13th movie, the weather on race day could not have been more pleasant. It was a beautiful 72 degrees, overcast with a gentle breeze. We arrived at the ‘check in’ a little after 8 am. We did an equipment check, staged our bikes, and discussed our race strategy. The plan was to then take a nap until the

“Re-entrant” – A small valley appearing as a small U or V shape in the conture lines of an orienteering map. A “road test” does not equal a “trail test” Wormholes can randomly appear during Adventure Races July 16 the Adrenaline Rush 6 hour in the beautiful James River State Park. Before I begin the race report I want to take a moment to give a shout out to the staff at both Bear Creek Lake State Park and James River State Park. They were very welcoming and friendly and couldn’t wait to share their wonderful park with us. I

We knew going in that the day would end with us wet and muddy. We figured it would make for some challenging racing. We were determined to have fun along the way. All three conditions were met! Four members of the club competed in the three-hour version of The Edge AR hosted by GOALS Adventure Racing Association at Core Creek Park in Langhorne, Pa. Three of us on a co-ed masters team – Kofi, Safiya and Monette – and one as a solo, Chas. We also met a racer named Sean who was participating in his very first Adventure Race.

Three club members participated in the Buff Betty Women’s Adventure Race hosted by Adventure Addicts Racing in Boyds, Maryland, racing as WDQ Triple 7s. The night before the race, teammates Dana, Shanay, and Safiya met for the first time. That’s right, they were about to embark on a 6-hour adventure race and they had never all been in the same room before. Shanay and Safiya, lived in the DMV area, but Dana lived in San Diego and could only participate in club activities over the phone or online. They met, carb-loaded, and strategized. Dana, the team mechanic, had taken an

What do you call a doctor who finishes last in his class? A doctor. –Gretchen Evans, a 27-year Army veteran and member of Team Unbroken Gretchen’s quote stayed with me as I binge watched the relaunched Eco-Challenge, also known as “the world’s toughest race” and as I began to prepare for the upcoming Seagull Century bike race. I completed Seagull 15 years ago after 10 hours, 100 miles and coming in almost last. But I did finish and that’s what stood out for me as I remembered that race and as I watched teams spelunk, climb, swim, bike and paddle