Just a sprint in the sunshine (Tuesday morning)

Rob / 16.04.2002

Team Total Adventure ran into the finish, happy and smiling at 8.26 on a bright, sunny Tuesday morning - the 5th team home. They were the 4th and final ranked team to finish, as earlier in the night Bridgedale Ireland came in, closely followed by Total Avengers, who were in good shape and even managed to run in from Loch Morlich.

With no other ranked teams on the course behind them Total Adventure had stopped and camped in the night so they could enjoy the final part of the course and the finish in daylight. “I may not win any races� said Keith Byrne, “but I’m an expert at stealing the limelight and we’re just in time for breakfast!�

All the team were on a high, (3 of them had just finished their first race) and like all the other finishers were excited about the scenery on the Rothiemurchas Estate at the end of the race. “The biking in the forest this morning was fantastic�, said Sam Dring, “and the final paddle across Loch Morlich – stunning. We got a great welcome home too.� All of them had enjoyed the mountains, particularly the rope ascent, which they did in a blizzard. “I think it’s the first time anything like that has been done in a U.K. race�, said Keith. “Hypothermia was a big risk throughout the race as you got wet, then if froze and we were all so tired. There were 3 times we had to assess ourselves, and we decided to stop and sleep. We’re the sleepmonsters!�

For the final part of the race they’d been competing against Team Canonball, but found them stopped on the track into Braeriach with Paul McCarty huddled into a sleeping bag. Like Goretex Golite he’d suffered severe sickness and then dehydration, which the medics think was the result of drinking contaminated water. Despite his condition he stuck his head of the sleeping bag as they left and said, “We’re still going to beat you!�

It wasn’t to be. He was too badly dehydrated and was pulled him off the course and put on a drip in the mountain rescue HQ, which is an old church. “I was quite out of it for much of the night�, Paul said, “then I woke up in a church with someone looking over me – it was all very weird.� Naturally he was devastated at having to pull out so far into the race.

The rest of his team are still on the course, as are the remaining unranked teams who are not expected in until this afternoon. Team Boogie Knights, who had withdrawn, are going to join in again for the final stages so they can see as much of the course as possible.

The teams in so far have crossed the line at:

• Parrot Lythgoe – 19.41 (Mon)
• Goretex Golite – 23.02 (Mon)
• Bridgedale Ireland – 2.02 (Tues)
• Total Avengers – 2.32 (Tues)
• Total Adventure – 8.26 (Tues)

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