Balance Bar Adventure Sprint

The author of the actual blog is none other than my teammate, the racing guru: Mary Gines.  here ---> Mary's Balance Bar Adventure Blog

I did it!

http://www.balancebaradventure.com/sprints/ev_losangeles.cfm

Now I'm hooked!

This past weekend I competed at the Balance Bar Adventure Sprint in So Cal. My team consisted of my brother Randy and the infamous Gabe Cera Represent...Team Run RMG!

Gabe and I drove down to so cali thursday morning and hung out with his friend Eric. We ate at a Hawaiian place and then took a long bike ride along the beach. That night we went to Saddle Ranch on Sunset where Gabe decides to ride the mechanical bull! Friday we met up with my brother and some of my cousins to have dinner at Yamashiro's, a really nice and expensive Japanese restaurant with a beautiful view. After dinner, my bro Gabe and I all went back to the hotel room to make sure we got enough rest for the big race.

The hours before the race on saturday were spent trying to get all our gear. All our bikes needed new tires, Randy and Gabe needed shoes and we tried to get everything we thought we might need for the race the same day of the race! Being our first adventure race we didn't know what to expect. We probably tired ourselves out just going everywhere to get our gear. We didn't even eat a full meal that day.

So we get to Frank Bonelli park in San Dimas and get our entire gear ready and packed. There were 200 teams total. The weather was overcast but not too cold. At the pre-meeting, the race director explained the course to us. There were many first - timers and during the description of the course, there were many gasps and groans...what did we get ourselves into?? We were also told that we were to wear our helmets throughout the entire race.

RMG got all our gear ready in the transition area. Made sure our headlamps were securely fastened onto our helmets, we had adequate food and water and tied on all our glow-sticks and other devices to make ourselves distinguishable from the other races. It was important that we knew where each other were at for the most part of the race.

At the starting line all you could see was a sea of baby blue. 600 participants with 5 different divisions, from amateur to elite athletes. After the national anthem and the sound of the gun going off (6:00 pm sharp), the first leg of racers descend onto the trail with our bikes. No one was allowed to ride their bikes on the grass so for the first few meters we were all running with our bikes until we hit the dirt trail. The Mt. bike trail was a bitch. Hard climbs and fast descends. Gabe has never ridden a mt. bike on a trial before but he kicked ass! I was too afraid to jam thru the loose downhills because of the fear of flipping over the handlebars and/or rolling off the cliff. So that allowed many bikers to pass us. The mt. bike trail was about 4 miles.

As soon as we get back to the transition area, we were handed our special test booklet. Our first test was called the circle of love. This test consists of all three team members holding onto a ring during the entire duration of the 2-mile trail run. It was somewhat difficult because it was pretty dark and if anyone were to let go of the ring, you'd have to start where the special test began.

At the end of the special test, we all had to traverse on our stomachs across a mud pit still holding onto the ring. Gabe decides to let go and dives right. He was yelled at and told to start over with us. It was very difficult to maneuver thru the mud and at that point we knew why a waterproof map case was important and that a ziplock bag was insufficient. Our ziplock was never fully closed and it picked up a lot of mud. Climbing out of the mud pit, we drop the ring into a bin and run off to the lake with mud all over, in our shoes and camelbaks...we were now running with more weight on us and wet.

We came up to a channel of water where it gave us a chance to wash off the mud. I have a fear of dark waters and my bro doesnt know how to swim so we both panicked for a quick second and I said, "fuck it" and swam across. My bro had to hang onto the ropes and practically walk his way to the other side. We get out of the water soaking wet but mud-free and run over to the kayaks. We were still in front of the majority of the racers.

As we picked our paddles, Randy accidentally whacks Gabe in the head! lol...In this special test, we had to have 2 in one kayak, the 3rd person in a single kayak and switch kayaks at the first buoy which was about 1/2 mile away. Since Gabe is a strong paddler and I have some experience in paddling, Gabe took the single kayak and my bro and I got into the other kayak. Little did we know that my bro had never kayaked before. First we got in the kayak too early so gabe had to pull us out into the water. He had trouble getting into his own kayak but luckily succeeded. My bro and I start paddling...Our mistake was putting him in the back to steer the boat. I tried to explain that he had to follow my timing...we just went in circles. I was already experiencing calf and foot cramps. During this time the majority of the other racers passed us. We struggled to reach the first buoy and it took us a long time to get there. As soon as we did, Gabe and I switched kayaks. I was now paddling alone and Gabe helping out my brother. Looking back there was maybe about 20 kayaks. We were amongst the last...As soon as we get to shore, we dump our kayaks and life vests and run back to the transition area.

We grabbed some bread and headed off to the next segment which was another special test that consist of 2 bikes and 1 runner. Randy volunteered to run while Gabe and I biked the same trial as before. My brother did great. It might’ve benefited us more if I ran and they biked because I was too slow going thru the downhills. Gabe had to help me climb most of the uphills and as soon as we reached the paved position of the track, he switched with my bro and ran the rest of the trail to the transition area.

We dropped off our bikes and had to endure another 4 mile run. Poor randy and gabe...The trail run, set up by Nike ACG, was a combination of trail, single trail and off trail marks. It was pretty exciting trying to catch up to the other teams and not letting anyone pass us up. We walked and jogged the trail. We were tired and hungry. There was a part of the trail that was muddy and we had to step in ankle deep puddles and had to avoid tree branches and bushes. It was like blair witch on some parts of the run.  

At the end of the 4-mile run, we encountered another special test called the teeter-totter. We had to all reach a platform without letting the teeter totter touch the ground. We performed this test slowly but surely and finished it quickly...we run back tot he transition area to grab our bikes and go for one last bike ride. By this time we were all having cramps especially in our calves. My brother was getting really bad cramps and had to stop on the trail and stretch out. Gabe stayed with him while I went ahead because I knew it would take me longer to finish.

I was actually doing better that I did the first 2 times thru the bike trail. I think I was on my 2nd wind. I was climbing thru the uphills and riding the downhills a lil faster. Man, my ass, thighs and calves were burning!! At one point my headlamp started to grow dimmer and no other bikers were really around me. So I stopped and waited for Gabe. We both ride for awhile and stopped to stretch our calves and wait for Randy. We finished the last bike portion making sure again that no one passed us up.

After dropping our bikes off at the transition area, we had 2 more special tests to go. We had to climb across 3 large pieces of wood that were suspended on a rope. My bro got across with no problem but when I got on it, my foot cramped. Gabe tried to carry me across while I hung onto the top. I couldnt take the pain so I hung on and tried to stretch my foot. It took at least 3 times before it stopped hurting. Gabe finished this test with no problems at all.

Our final test was the 12 foot military wall. The goal was to get all 3 team members over. I was the first to go since Randy and Gabe could hoist me up to reach the top. I almost fell on the 1st attempt but was able to succeed the 2nd time. When I got over the top they thru me the rope and I tied it around my waist and I became the anchor. My brother climbs up next with a lil assistance from Gabe. This was a very dramatic ending for Gabe because he struggled thru this last test. He couldn't get himself up! Lol...at one point he was upside down with both feet in the air. Everyone was worried he might fall off. We were all cheering him on as he struggled up the ropes...then he finally kicked his right leg up and I grab it...hoping that he wouldn’t pull me over since i was also the anchor. I hold on for dear life..lol and tell randy to help...Gabe finally climbs over and the crowd cheers..lol

We cross the finish line almost 5 hours since we started...it wasnt the time we were expecting but we finished and we know that we'll definitely do better next time.