Mapping the Sheltowee

[PR]

Ky's classic adventure race goes off November 6, 2010. The race starts and ends near Beattyville, so I'm guessing that we will paddle on the river this year. And that it is a long way to the gorge from Beattyville (one way!). Check out the site @ racethefig.com.

[Bale]

Sounds cool...but the site didn't tell that much about the race...What are ball park distances for running, biking and canoing? Didn't find where that information was given. Is it actually in Beatyville or in the Gorge?

[PR]

Steph keeps the prerace info at the bare minimum. Usually it covers around 60 miles or so. Say 35-40 miles on mtbs, 10-15 miles on foot, and 6-8 miles in the boats.

[BSF-Hiker]

Stephanie did say this:

"I am not going to disclose distances in advance of
this year's race, but I will tell you that you should expect to be
paddling for 1.5 - 2 hours, biking for 5 - 7 hours and trekking for
3.5 - 5 hours. As it currently stands, I expect the winners to finish
in 10 hours. I may yet add another small O-course to keep them going
another hour or two. The biking this year is very rideable. You'll
have some steep climbs, but no hike-a-bike. If you're off your bike
this year, you're either out of shape or off-course."

[Bale]

Thanks...that is the kind of information I was trying to find out. Sounds like quite a race.

[PR]

Here's my current wild ass guess, based on the limited info. (This is why good adv race organizers don't give folks like me too much info beforehand!)

I'm thinking we will likely start near the river at Beattyville, maybe run a couple of miles to where are boats are. Then on the river before full daylight. After a couple of hours (and a few checks) we will reach our bikes and head to the gorge. We went west of NBSP last year, so this year Steph may shoot us going east. I'm guessing the road that CliffView resort is on, then maybe out the ridge towards Sky Bridge. Then ditching the bikes, and hitting the ridgelines. There will be a big rappell out here just for me somewhere. (I can freak just thinking about this.) After several hours o fun, we will stagger back to our bike check. It will be getting dark by then, and if we are (very) lucky, we might be able to use 11 to get back to Beattyville.

I just try to be standing upright by then!

[Traildust]

someday.... nope not likely.

[Bale]

The FIG was great this year. It was the first time I had run it, and it was a blast...finished 15th overall, 2nd in our division...would have been higher in the rankings had it not been for a missed turn that cost us 40 min. That was kind of a drag.

As the race began, you could see some flurries in the air, which gives you an idea of the temperature during race day. I got cold any time we stopped, which luckly was not too often. We started out riding for 5 miles or so, and got a little ahead with efficient checkpoint finds...but missed our turn for the transition point to running.

Finally figured it out, and got started on the 6-7 mile running/trekking section. It was in an old oilfield area between Beattyville and natural bridge. Run was up and down a little bit with a cool old ladder climb to get to the rapple. The rapple was fun with a nice view, I was a little bit rusty, but quickly regained my bearings.

Transitioned to the bikes again for a long bike section on a mixture of unimproved roads and highway...My favorite part of the race was a steep bouldery jeep path that you braked cautiously and hung on for dear life...it was a blast.

Transitioned to the kayaks for about a 6 mile paddle or so with easy check points.

Back on the bikes to head back to base camp on gravel and highway road sections. My race buddy's chain broke, his tire got low and he began to run out of energy, so we slowed on this section, but made it to home base.

Tried to do the bonus checkpoints, but it got dark quickly, and we returned defeated without finding any of the end bonus checkpoints...which also set us back 3 penalties for being late. Disheartending, but a learning experience. It was about 50 miles, and took us about 12.5 hours of total race time. Fastest guy did it in 10.5 hours i think, and got all the bonus check points...half man, half machine I am sure.

Sat in a post race stupor for about a half hour trying to determine if I was going to continue living or not...luckily I made it. Got some food, and felt refreshed enough to enjoy the awards ceremony.

Overall it was a great race...I could have done with a little less highway riding, but what we did was more or less necessary to connect the route and keep the pace fast enough for a reasonable race length time. This was my first long race and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I will be doing more of this type of activity.

Crashed at the North Point hostel...or something like that. Got a hot shower and passed out. It was a very nice, reasonably priced place to shower, sleep and break fast after a grueling race. Went hiking with some friends that Sunday...kind of serving as a guide b/c I know the gorge better than they....hiked the staircase (I know, I know) and cloud splitter, my favorite area of the gorge. A very memorable weekend.

[Traildust]

Fastest guy did it in 10.5 hours i think, and got all the bonus check points...half man, half machine I am sure.

That must have been PR - he is half machine half man

[PR]

Nope, I'm more like half man, and half band-aids! We finished 25th overall. We missed the two checks prior to the rappell, and wasted over an hour in that area. We were so far off that we found the rappell without coming up the ladder! Our map guy did a "correction" at the first TA prior to that section, and we think that he probably had it shot right the first time. That's my fault, I'm usually our map guy.

I'm hopefull that I can continue to adv race for the next few years. If I can hold on, I'm going to introduce my son to the Fig!