WOW - not even sure where to start with this one.
First introduction to the BBCF team
Van 1
Ty
Aaron
George
Danielle
Luis
Van 2
Alena
Matt
Jason
Chandler
Chris
Mel
Great job to both vans we rocked this hard! Went deep within ourselves and scored BIG!
It is a long wandering. A relay run ideally suited for teams of 12 runners on a 178 mile course. Starting in Downtown Reno along the Truckee River. Traveling through the Sierra Nevada mountains and along the shores of Lake Tahoe. Circling back through the Northern Nevada high desert to where you began in Reno.
The race begins Friday. It is a staggered start, with waves of teams starting every 15 to 30 minutes. The slower seeded teams will begin around 9 a.m. and the faster seeded teams will begin in the afternoon.
We started 9:40am, with George taking the lead on the first leg. Van 1 packed up an headed out to get their 6 legs ran and meet van 2 at the Hirschdale exit, where van 2 takes over.
I know in van 2 we had some amazing experiences, the deadly sprinting dog, the snapping dragon, the $90.00 hotel room and 20 mins to shower. I am sure van 1 has some great ones to share as well.
After it was all said and done, we finished the race with 11 members, and under 28 hours. For a team of CrossFitters, and only one "runner" on the team I know we did not only make all the members of BattleBorn CrossFit proud, but proved CrossFit's theory of not specializing in specialties, but being able to come out into anything and succeeding at it, and not only doing it but not being to damn bad at it either!!!
Thank you to all the members of the Odyssey team, and to all the members of BattleBorn CrossFit - you all kick some serious ass on a daily basis!
11 comments:
OK, so that was an amazing experience. I am beat the hell up right now, but I am so proud of myself, my van and our entire team with this accomplishment.
A yesr ago this weekend, I was 2 weeks out from my last body building competition and thought I was in "great" shape. HA - was I wrong! If you would of said that in less than a year, I would be competiting in something like a 178 mile relay race, I would of laughed at you!
But here I am less than a year, and not only did I compete, I did it with the best group of people I could of EVER done something like this with.
It goes to show what a community like CrossFit brings to each and everyone of us who is lucky enough to become a part of it.
Our team went from the age of 40ish down to the early 20ies, everyone was supportive, hard working and dedicated to each person on the team. We have doctors to engineers, to vegan frisbee players, to neurotic moms on the team. We all clicked, and we all performed to the best we could!
Van 2 was my transport, and thank you to Matt's roommate for the use of the vehicle. Most teams have designated drivers, and I know next year we WILL! But, this year we made do with Matt pulling most of the driving while Jason took up the slack when Matt ran.
We laughed, we cheered, we ate, we took pictures, we marveled at the things we saw, and the things we were doing, we sat in slence, we slept on the asphalt in a parking lot at the Bucket of Blood Saloon in VC, we pushed one another along when it seemed like their 7.5 miles was lasting 75 miles tooooo many (thank you Mel), we overcame injuries, body aches, an fatigue, we took on a task of something that none of us in Van 2 had ever done - and WE DID IT!!!!
All and all, I have never put my body threw something as grueling, and felt like I should of died yesterday when we were done. I thought my insides were coming out in liquid form, then the tears started, and thank you to Chandler for explaining to me that both of these symptoms were common. You put your bod in such an acidic and oxidative state, then the come down off of the adreneline, and overall "high" of the race "marathon depression". I laughed yesterday at that thinking "well that will never happen again". But after 15 hours sleep, the worst fod I could put in my body and 15 hours sleep, I am already ready to think about the next event BBCF will compete in!
So, there is so much more but I really just want to say - THANK YOU - TY, GEORGE, DANIELLE, MATT, CHRIS, AARON, LUIS, MEL, CHANDLER, and JASON for a life moment I will never forget!
Also, thanks to Justin, and Jerad for coverng the classes while we were out pushing the team to its limits! You guys rock as well!
And of course my 10am class Sam, and Jay for being in the box and overing for m as well! :-)
Muah xoxoxoxo
Good job guys. I am sorry that I had already committed to another team & couldn't join you. Maybe next year.
Other than the loopiness from the lack of sleep, I feel great today which is a testament to the effectiveness of preparing for an event like this through Crossfit. Thanks to BBCF for everything!
Alena - I'm glad to hear that you had a great time. I chuckled at your liquid insides comment only because I can relate to it. I hope y'all had as good of an experience as I did. See you at the Box this week. Cheers. - TC
Alena,
Thanks for putting together a team! Every time I do something like this, I think to myself "what the heck am I doing this for!?!?!" And then my teammates drive by honking and screaming and I realize that I'm having the time of my life. The funny thing about any athletic endeavor where you find yourself hurting bad is that you realize that happiness and joy are not the same thing. When I'm on the road hurting badly, I'm full of joy... but not necessarily happy at the moment. You guys made this RTO as fun as ever. What an awesome group of runners!!
This was really a great experience I will never forget! This was not only a test of physical strength and endurance but most importantly your will, tenacity and perseverance are being challenged on a persistent and consistent basis. We have survived and succeeded as a whole. A superb accomplishement and a big congratulations to the BattleBorn CrossFit Team!!!
Some Van 2 snapshot moments were:
- Dozens of cans of Ensure drink and wipes that can supply a health care facility.
- Food stuff that is worth a week of Odyssey.
- Chandler while running leg 7 suddenly being chased by a non domesticated dog.
- Bunnies with cottontails
changing clothes in Tahoe's main thoroughfare.
- Eating dinner at the Harrah's buffet in Tahoe before a major run.
- Six people sleeping in one hotel room.
- Those six people from Van 2 actually only slept for approx. 15 minutes in the hotel since runners from Van 1 were just very efficient and fast runners.
- Running the deadly Kingsbury grade at 1:00 in the morning with only headlamps and reflectorized vests on.
- Sleeping on asphalt parking lot by the porta potties in our sleeping bags at the Bucket of Blood Saloon at Virginia City.
- Me, eating potato and bagels after 13 months of being off this food stuff.
- The pain we all shared and endured.
- The bond of friendship we all gained.
- The joy of success we all experienced!
Looking forward to next year's Odyssey!
Yeah, the run was great fun! Thanks van 1 for making our 20+ hours together enjoyable!
Personal highlights:
1) Starting off the relay and feeling like I was going to die in the hot, hot sun. Ohh pavement, you're so shiny and hot. I think Ty and Danielle had it worse though. Luckily it cooled off that day. Speaking of cooling off...
2) Bike support for Aaron coming down from stampede. It started to rain a little bit, and then it started to rain a lot. And then it hailed. I was waiting for Aaron, and I begged asylum from the Renown van that was parked a little ways away from where I was. It was funny timing though, because I got in their van, and then I almost immediately saw Aaron. That was the last stop, so I screamed down the mountain after that in the hail. It was a pretty great little ride.
3) A camper is the *only* way to run the odyssey. Having the crash bed in the back was so great. Also, the toilet. I love you, camper toilet.
4) Aaron running support on the bike when I was running around Tahoe. He tells me "I'll just be behind you and you signal me to come up and give water." Imagining him back there with a whip was a great incentive to keep me running.
5) Making a wrong turn in the middle of the night in Carson and having no clue where I was or if I was going in the right direction. Eventually finding the right road was the greatest. I definitely cut off part of the course though. Ohh well, I know someone behind me did the same thing. Also, a very sarcastic thank you to the random support van who saw me going the wrong way and didn't say anything!
6) Running up through Silver City to cover part of Drew's run. It was uphill, which destroys me. I felt great when I was done though.
Overall it was pretty awesome. Thanks everyone!
-George
Way to go everyone. I'm glad to hear all was well.
One question, 11 runners made it back? Who'd ya lose out there :P
A legendary experience, one for the record books! My body was completely torn down and beat up. The stories and experience of joyful laughing could not top other events.
I’m thoroughly amazed of what CrossFit can achieve. I basically only completed one long distance run, aside from a WOD that would have multiple 800meteres, before the Odyssey. The long distance run was the Monday before the Odyssey with Mel completing a 10k run in 56+- minutes. This is a true testimony that CrossFit specializes in not specializing!!
Their isn’t just one particular moment about the Odyssey that was exhilarating. The whole event compounded into a majestic adventure that involved: wild dogs, irrigating panties, motivational bouncing bunny tails, expensive buffet, and the shortage usage of a hotel in History – thirty+ minutes :-p.
The best eleven people I could have ask for to participate in this long journey! However, Van 1 could have been polite and slowed down your pace a little to allow us to use the hotel room! :-p. Awesome job though!!
Next year, I say BBCF shoots for UNDER 24hrs and when people ask if were Battle Born we just start saying Yes :-p. Until next year!!!
Wow what a great experience! 11 finishers who gave it their all. Van 2 you all were amazing I could not have asked for a better group to spend he Odyssey with.
Some highlights of our trip:
1)My first run I was thinking this hill is a moderate run?
2)seeing Jason jump and wondering what is about to eat me.
2)the pantieless bunnie
3)The amazing buffet with a potato that made me feel like a rocket.
4)The 15min power nap in our hotel. Too bad they didn't charge hourly.
5)Breaking Paleo with the whole team.
6)Explaining to Alena that post long run depression is normal.
This was a great experience and I will never forget the amazing people of BBCF. I just hope next year I can get time off to come down. (which is doubtful)
We were all tired and beatup but no one complained or faltered. Great jon everyone the team spirit is amazing!
All I know is this all started for me exactly 4 weeks before the RTO with a text from Mel and my first response being, something like, me run how far, are you nuts. And that's the G rated version. Anyhow, here it is about 36 hours post Odyssey and ready to get the next one on the books. Las Vegas better watch out!
Here is some of what I experienced as I reflect on the Adventure:
1) The excitement I felt to draw my legs that Saturday morning at the gym.
2) How terrified I was when I learned I was to run 5.5mi, 6.5mi and then 7.5mi. Heck, I had never even ran 7.5mi in my life let alone be it on the last leg, down 24 hrs or more of sleep and after completing 13 miles already in the last 18 hours. Holy crap!
3) Huge props to Jason for providing the comic relief and always keeping it real and in perspective. "I AINT SCARED" should be plastered all over the next support van for sure!
4) You can only experience the enormity of the wingspan of a Snapping Dragon from the driver's seat of a Tahoe while driving down Geiger Grade!
5) The disturbing realization that bunnies really had panties on under those bouncing tails. I know Matt was too cuz he didn't follow them as close after that.
6) Liquid insides. Hmmm, now I know how to describe what I was feeling. Thanks Alena.
7)The amazing sense of being a part of a team each and every time you guys were waiting for me and the sense of security that came with knowing you all would be there. WOW! What an awesome feeling. Sorry for being so sappy. It must be the post run swing in emotions Chandler was talking about.
8)Bringing Emma's (my newborn baby girl) lotion to put on my hands before each run. What a way to take away the pain. I just smelled my hands when I wanted to quit. Yeah, didn't share that til now.
Thank you all so very much. The RTO was the adventure, YOU ALL made it an experience.
Chris
First of all. I had a blast meeting all of you. Every body was great sports. Thus, my pleasure meeting you all.
I have to say, that this was my 3rd and i still had fun as the first time.
I guess i have to apologise, because i might have deprive some people of some sleep. But i don't think i should take all the credit for all the fast running. Danielle, Ty, Aron and George deserve some credit too.
Thigs i would like to note.
If you are going to take a sleeping bag for your 2-3hr nap, make sure you take a big enough blanket. Also a sing that says: "Don't disturb. Yes, i'm aware i'm trying to get some sleep in the middle of the parking luck. So, BUG OFF!"
Also, i was thinking that a baseball bat, pepper spray, taser gun or some kind of wepon wouldn be a bad idea while running in tahoe at night. Why? Simply, while running all alone in the dark in the middle of the woods the only thing i wondered was: Something is going to come out of the woods and take me away. And they won't find my body till morning. =)
Any how, it was fun.
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