Cobb County YMCA Sandmann Adventure Race
Mighty Dog's Day in Cobb County
Sherry Olson / 24.01.2006
Cobb County YMCA put on a great Race. Race Director, Aaron Zerkle, had some surprises for the racers at the pre-race meeting. First, the overall race format was rogaine-style, allowing teams to choose which order to do each discipline: bike, run or paddle. Secondly, the run/orienteering leg of the race was rogaine also, allowing teams to choose the order to visit the checkpoints. Third, each team would be awarded special points for displaying the YMCA’s goals of Respect, Caring, Responsibility and Honesty on the course. Fourth, out of his control, it was a rainy, overcast day with the potential for lightning.
Team Mighty Dog decided to do their race in the order of: run, bike, & paddle. The race started with a sprint across a field by all teams to pick up their maps and instructions hanging on a fence. The team plotted their checkpoints on the two maps provided. One was 1:24,000 and the second was 1:10,000 for the ‘O’ Course. Thanks to team Branch Rabbits for lending out a 1:10,000 plotting tool.
The first checkpoint (CP) which the Team chose also included a ropes course on which each member had to complete a separate task. Chip scaled a wet log suspended about 15 feet in the air. Ardie climbed a cargo net and Patricia performed a balancing high wire act. Next, they were off to collect the remaining 5 CPs in this leg. (CPs 1-6)
Retuning to Transition Area 1, the team checked-in then quickly changed into their bike shoes for the next leg. After checking out of TA1, they headed out for several miles of hard road and sweet single track on the YMCA property and park owned by City of Cartersville. The team had 4 checkpoints in the bike leg to pick up and there was a time trail at the City of Cartersville loop trail. Congratulations to Enduraventure for smoking the course and winning the bike time trial. (CPs 12-15)
Back at TA1, the team transitioned into their paddling gear, grabbed their paddles and ran to TA2, the boat location. After a short carry to the water, they were on Lake Allatoona for the next leg. The passport indicated that canoe/foot only could be used.
They paddled about a half-mile and decided to cut off about 2 1/2 miles of paddling in favor of a 3/4 mile portage with their boat on the way to the first paddling CP. The lake level was so low that they had to beach their boat and run through the mud to several of the checkpoints.
Half-way through the paddle, the fog had moved in and visibility was very low. Hoping not to get ran over by the bass boats (which they could hear but not see), the teams set a bearing across open water to the last two checkpoints. The paddle was the longest leg of the course, being almost 12 miles. (CPs 7-11)
It was a gruelling paddle back to TA2 where the team dropped their boat. Not knowing where other teams were on the course or their ranking at the time, they sprinted to the finish hoping for the best, and learned they’d won placed first with a time of 4 hours and 37 minutes.
All of the checkpoints were in the right place. Detailed maps and instructions were provided and there was a BBQ dinner to greet hungry racers at the finish. All of the volunteers were friendly and encouraging on the course and this was a great race to shake off the cobwebs and start the 2006 Adventure Racing Season.
[Representing Mighty Dog were Patricia Williams, Chip Whitworth and Ardie Olson.]See All Event Posts
