Team ARCfit in the Squaw parking lot before the race.
I signed up to do a 'race' with my Crossfit box 'American River Crossfit.' We had something like 24 people sign up, but most were using our team code to get a discount. There were about 10 of us from the box.
I took a sleeping pill at 8:30, went to bed at 9 and woke up at 3AM - it worked! I drowsed for 45 minutes and then got up to get ready. I'm big on being prepared for events like this so I had everything lined up, had a check list, etc. I'd packed the night before and put my bag in my car, had direction printed out and put on my carseat - well, you get the picture. I was very fortunate that I was able to catch a ride with the rest of the team. I got to Mel's house (our team captain) at 5AM - a full 1/2 hour early. The van arrived at 5:30 sharp, we piled in and away we went. After a quiet and uneventful ride up we stopped at McDonalds near Squaw for a pee break and were shocked when we stepped outside and it was 39 degrees! I threw on all the clothing I had and was fine, but was worried about the race.
The race (I keep using that word because 'event' or 'thing' is clumsy, and there is no clock and no prize other than the T-shirt (and glorious orange 80's headband) and knowing that you completed it)) went off at 9:11AM (saw a starter timer) after a great version of the National Anthem.
The first part is just a run/hike up maybe 500 feet or so where you come to the first real obstacle - a barbed wire water crawl. The wire is set 8 inches above the water, so you have to lay down and push yourself ahead with hands and feet (too low for knees). Of course you get completely soaked in the very cold water - which was the point. It wasn't too bad - I found it exhilarating.
(From Wisconsin - ours was like this, just a pool of water instead of mud)
There were some break ups and delays (there had been a big line and long wait at the obstacle) but the team caught up and we continued up. And up, and up. The first half of the course is mostly hiking up the peaks of Squaw valley. Anyway, there was a steep section called 'The death march" (they live for hyperbole) which was a steep-ish climb. I was well matched with Mel, Jason and Terry as we naturally moved at the same brisk pace. They a tad brisker than me. At the top of the death march was ‘the Chernobyl jacuzzi’ – this turned out to be my favorite obstacle. As we approached we could see a front loader dumping a full load of snow into the pool. Basically, it’s a pool, 20 feet long, full of ice water. The surface was literally covered in ice cubes. There is a wall in the middle so you HAVE to go under to traverse it. Because my legs were worked from the climb getting in basically felt okay, but going under and swimming was a new world of ‘wow.’ Under, you think your breath will explode – when you come to the surface you are still hyperventilating and your limbs are slow – you just can’t get out of there fast enough! Once out, it’s whooping and hollering and smiles and the pure joy of being alive! Try it sometime – it’ll wake you up baby!
After a few minutes for everyone to catch up, shake the water out and catch their breath, we ran up the rest of the way to High Camp.
The next obstacle was a ½ pipe from the snow park that took real teamwork to surmount. There was a huge crowd and we were making no progress so after 10-15 minutes we opted (tough decision – I wanted to go the hard way but wanted to be with the team more) to use the route on the side that had a couple pieces of wood nailed in to speed you along (they added these after Saturday – apparently the lines grew too long). Meanwhile there were spectators eating burgers and watching us.
So, then we run up the mountain more to another favorite, the monkey bars. These were across a 25 foot pool (again of cold water – wherever I mention water remember it’s wicked cold (39 degrees when I arrived…yikes!)). The monkey bars go up to a peak and then descend – not like at grammar school. So too, the bars aren’t fixed and actually rotate under your hand. I was comfortable on them and made it across – my long arms and Crossfit pullups helped me along. Sadly, the rest of my team wasn't so lucky - they all fell in. Two of the gals got very close to making it before slipping.
Across from that was a 15 foot rope climb (very easy), and a set of 12 foot walls. The walls were fun because they required real team work. Here I was able to be handy because I had long arms I could reach down and haul people up. It was fun.
Then more hiking and running. First to the top of Emigrant peak. Up there, they had a net that was very low to the ground (snow). You had to squirm under on hands and knees as it pushed you to the ground. But it turned out that it wasn’t so bad because a few folks inside helped hold it up for everyone. That was the spirit of the day - help each other out.
Then a descent down to an obstacle with a field of logs that you go over (5 feet high) and under (8 inches) like a boot camp obstacle course.
Next was a big climb to the top of Squaw Peak (8200 feet). Astonishing views all around. Because I had climbed Castle two weeks prior and enjoy mountaineering this was in my wheel house and I felt really comfortable and happy. At the peak I felt terrific and so at the next obstacle I dug in. It was a log carry. Basically, pick up a log carry it down 125 yard route and back up. I found the biggest log they had – 200 pounds at least, and carried it with Jason – my running partner for the day. The terrain was slippery but for some reason I loved it, eventually taking on more and more of the weight. He was beat from the climb and we had to drop it a few times but he never complained at my craziness.
Next there was a long downhill run. Maybe 1.5 miles to the lake, my next favorite obstacle. This was just great. You jump off a high platform (20 feet) into the cold water below, come up, swim over to a series of barrels that you have to go under, and then swim to shore. One of my water bottles popped up under water but I was able to snap it back on and swim away. I swam freestyle, head up and was solid, but still, wanted to jam through it to get out. It was cold enough that you sort of start hyperventilating the second you come up for air - kind of a scary feeling. So, I went straight to the barrels, straight under them, and swam and got out. Most people were hanging on the barrels, waiting to go under, cold, getting stuck, etc. The guys in Kayaks were fishing a lot of people out. It was crazy!
Jason came out of the lake (He lost his glasses on this obstacle yet, like the champ he is, ran the rest of the course basically blind (20/200 vision)) and after some water at the aid station said he wanted to run to warm up so I agreed and we ran down to the most unpleasant obstacle – the sewer pipes. They are small, so a guy my size had to inch along like a caterpillar using my elbow and stomach to pull my legs along. The bottom was full of very sharp rocks that cut my arms up pretty good and the end of the first pipe and beginning of the second required me to go under water and pull myself through (the pictures must be from the day before because my pipe ends were only one inch from being completely submerged). The second pipe was a bit scary as I pulled myself in , under water, but had a long way to go till I could raise my head to breath. But it worked out fine and was just painful/ annoying.
Running Partner Jason at the Start.
There were other obstacles and another peak to climb, but they were minor and mostly from this point on it was about mountain running. 6 miles, mostly downhill. The running itself felt pretty easy and comfortable, but it was still a challenge because almost no one was running, they were walking and thus were moving obstacles to go around. However, it was kind of a fun game and I enjoyed running the full distance.
At the end there were three final obstacles. A crawl (in my case) across a cargo net, then a walk on a balance beam over water, then the run through the electrical wires. Jason and I waited after the cargo net for the rest of our team (we were the first down) because we wanted to cross together with our entire team. About 10 minutes later some more of our team arrived. After another 20 minutes we all decided to just go on ahead and finish. I made it about ½ way across the balance beam (30 feet long, 3inches wide) but it was shaking and a guy next to me fell and I got distracted and fell in and got soaked again. The electrical thing, which had been a big topic of concern, strategizing, etcetera turned out to be no big deal. I didn’t get shocked. The wires were far apart. I think I touched one but still nothing. I’m a bit disappointed to tell you the truth.
At the end they give you the ‘totally 80's' Tough Mudder orange headband, and you collect your tshirt, some food stuff and a freshly poured Dos Equis beer (which was good). It was fun to cross with my team and I felt very good.
Even though there were some big delays, lines, etcetera, Jason and I finished in 4:30 - ( 12+ miles, 3000+ vertical feet, 20 obstacles).
The rest of the folks came down over the next ½ hour or so.
At the finish: Refugees from ONJ's 'Let's get Physical' video!
I purchased a hydration belt (with extra bottles) for the event. I had some Gu gels that I ate as well. It was annoying in that the belt kept sliding (once it got wet the belt worked loose) but I was never hungry or thirsty and had great energy through the entire race. Overall I think the annoyance was worth it.
Our team generally agreed that it was fun and we’re glad we did it but we wouldn’t pay to do it again as is. There weren’t enough obstacles. Many that they promised (like the wall of fire, mountain of mud, run through the mud pool, vertical cargo nets) weren’t there . Overall it wasn’t remotely as ‘tough’ as it was billed - just a nice run/hike with some fun obstacles. All in all a great day.
