---

Inside E-Fix

Rob Howell, Team Mighty Dog / 01.05.2006

It’s 3:30 am Sunday, April 23rd and less than 12 miles from the finish line; Rob and Patricia are sleep- walking along a muddy and rocky trail. Chip and Ardie search thru the fog for the last Checkpoint hidden in the high woods of West Virginia. Daylight is near and no one knows how far behind the chasing teams might be or even if Team Mighty Dog’s lead is waning. Pressure is mounting but so is exhaustion after 25 hours of non-stop running, kayaking, mountain-biking, and climbing that comprised the 2006 Endorphin Fix Adventure Race.

So how did we get here? It all started at 11pm on Friday evening with a 40 team sprint up the slopes Canaan Valley Ski Resort to recover 2 Checkpoints hidden along the moonless ski trails. From the outset, Team Mighty Dog laid down a brisk pace, testing the field looking for the true competitors.

Next came a tough 66 mile mountain-bike section along forest service and farm roads up and over what seemed like countless WV mountains. The ride included an ascent of WV’s highest point, Spruce Knob at 4800ft. What would normally have been a screaming-fast downhill to the next CP became a slow, cold and wet ride in the dense fog and heavy rain. Many teams flirted with hypothermia.

See All Stories On This Race