Beast of the East
Tues Aug 12th - The Slaying of the BEAST of the East
Beast staff / 12.08.2003
The last bike leg added insult to the competitor's current injuries. Mid-way through the last bike leg, racers were challenged by the 175' jumar ascent, which was made all the more difficult by the slippery moss and non-vertical angle of Cedar Rock. Creeks and streams rose up and water fell from newly emerged cascades along the trail, causing Odyssey to cancel a remote, technical section of this leg.
Four teams had started this section, including Team New Balance/Odyssey, so another category was added to the list. "It would be a lot easier to just follow the passport and not make changes during a race, but we want to provide the safest, most rewarding experience for as many teams as possible," said director Don Mann, explaining the changes to the course and deadlines during the race.
While all the racers completing any of the course lengths in the BEAST demonstrated the highest levels of physical endurance, teamwork, perseverance, strategy and determination, the overall winners in the PRO course demonstrated the perfect combination of all. Following Kinami/Leatherman's lead, second place overall finisher Eric Turk finished the race with the same quiet demeanor and strength that he showed at the beginning of the race.
Eric's determination was evident even before the race started when he decided to race solo for the first time after his teammates decided not to compete. Team V-Max, made up of Jeff Burton and Brian Ellis, blazed through this race as if they did not have a care in the world. They looked as confident and steady at the last CP as they did at the starting Line.
Team Litespeed, the USARA National Champions, gave another command performance at the BEAST. Jay Curwin, Dan Miller, and Lee & Brenda Simril raced as a finely tuned machine in what was their longest race to date. Despite the length of the BEAST they showed that their name is aptly assigned as they sprinted through this 275-mile course.
At the awards banquet where the athletes were lauded for their performances, 58-year-old Lee Torbett, who finished the race unofficially gave advice to the younger competitors. "You don't get too old to do these kinds of things, it's when you stop doing them that you get old." Many of the competitors, looking older than just a week ago, nodded their understanding.
[A full results spreadsheet is on the race web site - follow the link top right.]
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