Chris recently gave a SOG AR class at the Goochland YMCA.  This was a great chance for him to teach a lot of new racers about the sport and also spread the word about Adventure Racing and SOG’s commitment to the sport and it’s racers.

Chris is an extremely knowledgeable racer and I am sure anyone who attended, young or old, experienced or beginner, learned a lot.

Members of TeamSOG traveled over the mountains and through the woods to get to Ohiopyle, PA this past weekend to come together as a team and get psyched for the upcoming season.

Of course, you can’t expect a group of athletes to come together to just talk about things like adventure racing, kayaking, climbing, running and playing outdoors. One of the greatest parts of being a member of such a diverse team is enjoying multiple sports throughout the day.

Team members rolled into town on Friday to find chilly weather around the Youghiogheny River in Ohiopyle.  No matter though.  TeamSOG finds ways to enjoy any type of weather.  Julie and Jennie ventured into the woods with Doug’s American Adventure Sports mountain biking clinic.  No doubt the girls were able to provide helpful insights into biking techniques for the clients, as well as serve as an obvious inspiration for the future adventure racers.  Susan grabbed her kayak and hit the loop section of the Yough with some old friends, enjoying familiar waves, eddies and rock slides

We woke to beautiful blue skies and a warm sun rising on Saturday, a true sign of a day packed with adventure.

Saturday morning the ladies headed out for a morning run before Team Media festivities began.  Julie, Jenny, Susan, Alisa and Ellen traversed the Great Gorge and Beech Trails through the Ohiopyle State Park.  Susan led the girls on these two trails, some of her personal favorites from days of living and guiding in this small river town.

The entire group then came together for an intense Yoga class with Katie.  Moving through sun salutations, balance and strengthening poses, the group gave some much needed oxygen to their muscles while sweating out toxins (most of which were received at the pub the night before).  Katie provided a challenging class while also reminding us about the key element of mental awareness we need for our races.  Thanks Katie!

Then the cameras arrived!

We all suited up in our awesome TeamSOG apparel, gathered our gear and had a great photo shoot by the truck and trailer.  Sitting in the back of that truck and smiling at the camera, I couldn’t help think about how amazing it was to be around such an amazing group of athletes.  Our diverse backgrounds all seem to overlap somehow, providing supportive connections for the participation in every sport.

The afternoon was spent maneuvering through the currents of the Youghiogheny River.  Susan, Julie and Doug provided key safety information for the AAS participants, as well as valuable information about paddling techniques.  The river gave us plenty of opportunities to practice paddling, as well as bask under the warm sunlight, breathe fresh air and smile with gratitude for the opportunity to be a member of TeamSOG.

With still several hours of daylight remaining, Brian and Maggie grabbed their bikes and headed out to the trails.  No reason to waste such precious sunlight!

That night our sponsors, SOG Knives & Specialty Tools, topped off the evening with food and drinks at the local Pub…a proper celebration for such an awesome day.  Busy times at the pub even forced Susan to relive her days as a server and serve the whole group as well as some other diners.  She was an excellent Waitress!

Sunday the group headed back out into the woods for work with ropes.  Doug again gave the Academy group some necessary instruction on safety and general rules around ropes and climbing while the team setup two rappels and a climb.  JD, Doug, and Brian led the rappels getting some academy participants over their fears and allowing others to build up valuable experience.

Next the group split between ascending and climbing.  Our expert climber Maggie led the climbing instruction teaching essential climbing knots as well as belaying and climbing techniques.  This also allowed for some climbing practice on the crag.  Back on the rappel lines Doug was teaching the very unique skill of ascending.  This is not typically a skill that most people learn but these lucky adventure racers got to learn from some of the best as Doug spent years in the military as a paratrooper and teaching rope work.

While out in the beautiful weather and scenery the team was also able to shoot some more video footage to help express what TeamSOG is all about, our Mission Statement.

After another successful day Doug wrapped the weekend up, we took some pictures, and everyone said there goodbyes and grabbed one last bite to eat in the park before heading out in our seperate ways.

These are some of the best weekends and we are lucky to have a sponsor that supports us and Doug who is able to bring us all together to share some great experiences in one of the greatest outdoor adventure areas in the region.  We are all looking forward to a great competition season, already underway.  Thanks again to our awesome sponsor, SOG Knives; our team manager Doug and everyone else who came out to make the weekend such a success.

Keep an eye out for TeamSOG this season!

TeamSOG training in the southeast on the Nantahala River

How often do you get to genuinely feel like a true beginner again, after practicing a sport for nearly a decade? Almost never.

You can fake it, like letting a 6 year old catch you in a game of tag, or…

You can fudge it, like using only one arm to shoot hoops.

But rarely do you get to feel the excitement and anticipation of square one again.

If you have been kayaking for as long as I have try sitting in a wildwater boat and you’ll know exactly what I mean.  Throw everything you know about the forward stroke, torso rotation and edge control out with the trash.  Get the slate as blank as possible, you’re going to need it.

Perhaps this doesn’t sound like a very good idea?  You spend years developing skills and techniques and reach a fairly advanced level within a sport.  Why would you want to throw it all out the window.

To get better.

It also makes class III really REALLY exciting again.

The boat is going to teach me a lot about kayaking that I might have assumed I already knew. Just trying to get a proper forward stroke is sometimes too much for me to think about. I find myself returning to taking it in pieces, just like how I recommend my students approach learning to paddle.

I continue to struggle finding a sufficient level of comfort in the boat so that I’m not just using correctional strokes the whole way down. A little padding here, a new seat from the Czech Republic and many, many more days on the water should help out a lot. I can only imagine what this is going to feel like when I have my ducks in a row and can work on paddling as hard as I possibly can.

My sister did comment that the boat looked like a torpedo. I answered “that’s because it is.”

In the end of February it was time to start getting ready for the season.  A local guy was putting on a grassroots Rogaine and the team saw it as a great training race and good practice.

Baker, Brian and JD (and his wife) all planned to race.  Brian was trying to recover from his torn hamstring in time but wasn’t quite back to health and certainly wasn’t going to try and come back early from an injury like that.  Instead he left the racing to the other two boys this weekend.

There was a decent AR crowd there mostly including racers from VA like Trakkers, IMONPoint, Calleva, and others.  The course was broken into three parts.  Everyone started on a foot section then had to return by the cutoff to get onto their bikes for a Bike-O.  After returning from the bikes there was one more foot section.  Those with the most points win.

The competition was great and they even had food.  There are some pictures as well.

Its 30-some degrees, spitting rain and you scheduled yourself for mileage on the bike today.  Today’s ride, along with the rest of the weeks’ training however, was carefully planned and written as you sat warm, dry and comfortable at your desk on Sunday evening.  Now, you find yourself faced with the same decision that everyone who does not live in San Diego has asked themselves more than a few times – Ride the mileage outside amidst these elements, or inside on the trainer.  There is no cut & dried answer.  On this particular day, there is very little that is dry at all – that being part of the beauty.  Naturally, it all comes down to what you are looking to gain from your training, but as a general rule of thumb – Get Outside.

I will not hesitate to sing the praises of hours spent sweating on a spinning bike or trainer with the likes of Troy Jacobsen taking you through seemingly endless drills, ladders, tempo and sprint sets.  If you have never subjected yourself to such things, try it – it’s not only addictive, but also requires less bike maintenance and less sink-washing of nasty clothing.  There will be plenty of days when icy roads or nights spent working late will relegate you to the indoors.  Today like most of our fall and spring, it is just unpredictable weather and the chance to learn some lessons from Mother Nature.

So much is gained by making the choice to slog it out.  Obviously, you will have completed the mileage – the very thing that you had written into your schedule that will bring you one step closer to reaching your goal.  But the same time, you’ll be completing that mileage in the very same (or worse) conditions you’ll inevitably face on a race course somewhere, someday (some night).    We invest so much of our time and energy in trying to prepare ourselves specifically for X event.  We tailor training to the disciplines, duration, intensity and terrain that we project we’ll face on race day.  Why then, pass up this great opportunity to subject yourself to adverse weather conditions?

You gain the knowledge of exactly what clothing provides you with the best protection from the elements while still enabling you to perform.  Layering up and staying as dry as possible is key.  Wicking layers, worn close to the body and a breathable gore-tex style shell on the outside allows sweat to get out while keeping the rain from getting in.  How can you not love technology?  Zippers on both the outer and inner layers will further help you to regulate your body’s temperature during long climbs and descents.  Adding a piece of folded duct tape to the handle on the zippers will make it easier to find and use with cold, gloved hands.  The challenge of keeping warm often lies with your extremities.  A good set of gloves with water-repellant properties can be found in more places than just bike stores.  As for your feet, layer them up as well.  The combination of wool socks and a basic $30 set of shoe covers provide an economical and generally effective system that can take a two hour ride in cold temperatures from potentially dangerous to just painful or uncomfortable.

The true benefit however, lies with the Conan and John Stamstad philosophy: That which does not kill you will make you stronger.  It just makes sense – the simple premise that the more often you operate in that environment, the better you and your body will be able to perform when faced with it.  Dealing with a little bit of suck is healthy.  As you spend the miles in religious solitude, the sweat and rain will cleanse you in places that soap will never reach.  We’ve all been there and we know that the both the feeling and growth that takes place is priceless.  So why pass up the opportunity to experience that all over again?  The time to ride is now.  It is Pennsylvania – don’t like the weather, wait 30 minutes.

-Toby

During my week long cruise in the Caribbean I got to create for myself a mini adventure.  Our last stop on the cruise was a small island called Grand Turk.  It is only about 6 miles long and 2 miles wide.  Since our boat docked at the southern tip of the island I decided to go explore the rest of the island.  My girlfriend Katie had planned to come along but had gotten a stomach flu the night before and decided it would be  a much smarter decision to stay home and get some more sleep.

I left the boat with a small pack with water, a towel, and a camera.  As I walked through the port I was able to find a small map with a few details.  I noticed there was a lighthouse on the north end of the island so I set off to find it.  The island was very windy as it was very flat and narrow.  I could see the ocean all around me at certain times.  Right after I left the port.  I passed by the airport and a unique object.  It was the pod from a space mission, Friendship VII.

Running along the island I passed through mainly one small town.  Along the road I saw many loose cattle and donkeys.  This contributed to an occasional smell of manure.

I also came across another interesting site that baffled me at first.  It was a car driving on water.  As it turned out there was a small paved road that it was actually driving on.  The island is very flat.  There were ditches for flooding along the main road and a bunch of these small lakes that probably weren’t more than 10 ft deep.

I continued to make my way toward the lighthouse and after a slight detour I got a great view of some beautiful water.  All the beaches were very beautiful here and the island is also known for its scuba diving.  I reached the lighthouse in about 1 hour.  It was about a 7 mile trip.  I stopped to enjoy the view and take a few pictures and then headed towards the channel on the north end of the island.

There was a small channel that flowed between two peninsulas.  On the map it looked close enough that I might be able to cross somehow.  When I got there it was about 50 feet across.  Only problem was it was clearly very deep and I did not have a waterproof bag for my camera.  I thought of some ideas and then some kayakers came to my rescue.  I asked if they would transport my things to the other side as I swam.  They agreed and I thanked them for their help.

Once I got to the other side I quickly took off back to the port, barefoot in the sand.  When I reached the road I put my shoes back on and continued along.  As I ran back to the ship I could tell I was losing energy.  I had no water left and hadn’t brought food.  I stopped in a local pizzeria where the owner was nice enough to give me a free bottle of water to help me finish my run.  I told her if I ever came back I would be sure to stop in for some pizza.

I made it back to the port in about 2 hours and 30 minutes.  I quickly jumped in the water to cool off and grabbed some food.  It was a neat experience to see the whole island and to say I ran across the whole thing.  Final mileage was just under 14 miles.

-Brian

Taking a break amongst Sedona’s red rock formations

With Denver in the rearview mirror I headed south into the desert.  I’ve biked, hiked, kayaked and climbed through the wilderness in every region of the continental United States, except for the southwest.  Decision made and I’m on way way to Flagstaf, Arizona.  Naturally, all my toys are with me: 4 kayaks and a road bike on the roof, my snowboard and even a longboard.

I expected a bleak landscape.  I expected scorching hot sun rays.  I expected tumbleweed.

I didn’t expect to see the snowcapped San Fransisco peaks out my window as I ate breakfast.  I didn’t expect to be 45 minutes from the mountain biker’s heaven, Sedona.  And I didn’t expect that there would be more colors and life than many other ecosystems.

At an altitude of nearly 8,000 ft, Flagstaff Arizona is a hot destination for the training adventure athlete.  The Northern Arizona University even boasted a “high altitude training center” that attracted olympic athletes from all over the world.  In these economic times, they were forced to shut down the facility yet the athletes still seem to come.

For the outdoor adventure athlete, like the members of TeamSOG, it is one of the best places to get out and push your limits.  I found a mountain bike to borrow and headed down to Sedona for a couple days of amazing, technical riding.

Riding on Sedona’s technical single-track

I also found myself in Pheonix, looking desperately into the surrounding peaks.  I grabbed my road bike and headed toward South Mountain Park, the country’s largest urban park.  After averting an accident on the congested streets of the city, always a scary venture, I wound my way to the top of the park.  This 6 mile climb was filled with scenic vistas of the city and even more colorful desert wildlife.  An urban park for the rural folk.

A few days of snowboarding gave me some speed I had been craving.  Arching huge turns always brings smiles.  I also strapped on some snowshoes to explore a little more of the snowy backcountry with family.

A View of the Grand Canyon from the South Rim

A Full Moon to Light the Way

Yet, the most intense day was by far, the Grand Hike Day.  My boyfriend and I began descending into the canyon before the sun came up, using the moon and our headlamps to guide us and crampons to steady our feet.  We made it down to the river with enough time to hang out before the longer hike back out.  We pushed ourselves the whole day, completeing the 18 mile loop faster than expected.  Visit my blog for more of a description of the day and enjoy some of the photos!

-Susan

First off I just want to say sorry that this is the first you have heard from me. I have been traveling all over Chile and sometimes it is hard to get this all done in the short amount of time we have on the computer. To start my adventure we arrived in Chile around the 25th of October, we had a few flight issues that landed us in Bogota, Colombia for a few days which was very interesting to say the least. The first day on the river was a great run we ended up doing the run on the Rio Claro , From pool to pool roughly 40 feet ( 13-14 meters) the drop twists halfway down in a spiral formation and free-falls the remaining 20+ feet. Hence the name Caracol, which in Spanish means “snail”.Usually when kayakers come to run the Caracol it is in early spring and late summer and the pool is much more calm. But, we were in the heart of the spring season with high water and what do you think they did….thats right…. we ran it!!!  The scary thing about this drop is once you drop in there is no way of getting out, except via kayak for another 5 rapids deep inside the dangerously committing gorge. The river was running at what we think was the highest flow anyone has ever attempted the Caracol and the gorge following known as “el Gargante de el Diablo” which means “throat of the Devil.”

This is just day one , stay connected to catch more action from Chile!!

-Susan

The team got together in Ohiopyle, PA on the weekend of October 9-11 for some media shots and to get to know our new sponsor SOG!!!

We also welcomed a new teammate, Toby Angove.  Toby returned not too long ago from finishing a tour overseas with the military.

Adventure World Magazine was also there as one of the team’s sponsors.  We got to talk with them about our team as well as our new partnership with SOG and why we are so glad to have them as a sponsor (isn’t it obvious).

We had a great time and had some great non-race bonding.  It is really nice to relax with the team and get to know each other better (even though I think spending 24 hours straight is some good bonding).

Above are pictures from the weekend.  These pictures are courtesy of Sarah Averill who was there to photograph the team.

This past weekend Baker and I vetted the Calleva Race Course.

First off, if you aren’t racing LIONHEART you should do this race.  This is the second year I have vetted the course and both years have been great courses.  The race is on August 9th (the same weekend as LIONHEART).  This is a good race if you are a beginner but also there is an expert category that will provide some challenges specifically in the navigation.

The course was challenging.  We made a few navigational errors early on but got on track after that.  The weather was perfect for racing.  The course is very heavily weighted towards trekking.  Although, there was some excellent single track riding.  We got to do some of the famous Calleva challenges as well.

We did run through A LOT of stinging nettle and poison ivy.  I have not reacted too much yet.  Maybe because Baker and I practically bathed in Zanfel after the race.  Dima warned us to wear pants but we figured we would deal with the briars.  Unfortunately stinging nettle is NOT briars.  After the fact I realized that gaiters would have been perfect.  Knee highs would have provided enough protection but also kept me from sweating profusely.  I personally just don’t like to wear pants unless they are keeping me warm.  I am in the process of testing out tights though.

One highlight was at one point while we were following a mostly dried up creekbed Baker decided (don’t ask me why) to hop off a log into a “puddle”.  This “puddle” ended up being deeper than he thought.  It was actually about 5 feet deep.  When I looked up I see Baker almost neck deep and am thinking to myself what the heck is he doing.  He was quite upset as it was stagnant water and smelled like dead fish.  He was happy to get to the paddle so he could wash himself off.  I only wish I had gotten a picture.

We cleared the course in 9 hours exactly.  It is billed as a 10 hour race.  I expect that some fast racers could post a faster time due to the few errors and I just felt we could have pushed more.  We will see.

Another note is that I had to borrow a bike because my fork is being worked on.  It was a 29er.  I definitely liked it and felt bigger on it but I also noticed it was a little harder to maneuver around turns.

Anyway, here is the website for the race, so sign-up.

http://callevarace.blogspot.com/