Sheltowee Extreme

Thanks so much to all of the great volunteers who came out and helped make the first annual Sheltowee Extreme a great success.  They not only performed their race duties admirably, but also took the time to capture photos of the event.  In addition to these, you can view a Kodak gallery of photos by Karen Clark by clicking here.  There's also a YouTube video of the start here.

Race Review

by John Harris

Move over E-fix (Odyssey long race) there's a new extreme race in town!!.  The Sheltowee Extreme (SXT) 36-hour race brought back the “adventure” to adventure racing.

With a great mixture of mountain biking both single track and on road, trekking, rappelling, kayaking and even a little swim run swim, the SXT was both an exciting and challenging 36-hour race.  The key aspect that separated this race from most other adventure races was during the SXT you had to plan your race, think on your feet, and make changes to stay competitive. In my mind, thinking and strategy is what separates an adventure race from a glorified triathlon and Stephanie made sure there was plenty of planning and strategy for everyone’s taste, from the seasoned racer to those still new to the sport.

Another unique aspect of this race is it started at 6:00 pm.  This allowed racers to enjoy 2 nights of racing and still be finished by Sunday morning. It was also this unique start time I believe that threw a curve ball into some racers strategy. By starting at night, you had to plan for two nights and mentally it was tougher going into the second night but for me that’s racing and that’s why we race.

There was one cut off in the race that determined whether you did a second orienteering course or skipped it. The rules also stated that you had to do the CPs in order, but you could skip a CP.

From my experience, it was a fantastic race. No, I did not get all the CPs.  I chose to skip some here and there so I could do every section of the race, except the orienteering - I missed the cut off.  I never knew if I was racing in the back, the middle of the pack or the front. All you could do was keep planning and racing and to me that made the race much more exciting. If I had to pick a favorite portion it would be a close coin toss between the beautiful trekking and the kayaking - both were fun times.

If you missed the SXT this year, I challenge you to sign up early and run this race next year. I promise you that Stephanie has one of the best races in the country and you will not be disappointed!!

Race Reflection

by Justin Schmal

Although sleep deprivation, orienteering, and bodily discomfort made admiration of the surroundings difficult at the time, I'd like to reflect on two moments of the race where I was taken aback by the beautiful scenery that unfolded itself before my eyes and the sheer exhilaration of racing the SXT.

The first occurred on the ridge-line of the Sheltowee Trace Trail. During the fading daylight in the early hours of the race my admiration of the view to the west with the setting sun and mountains was getting the better of me and I welcomely slowed my pace for a few moments. I realized that although the sun was setting, myself and fellow racers were embarking on what was going to be a long race. In the twilight I wasn't sure what the terrain or Stephanie had in store, but one thing was clear as I looked down the dark trail, we were embracing the act of stepping into the unknown by embarking on this SXT journey and wouldn't have it any other way.

The second moment occurred during the paddle. As we slid off the dock into the still lake in the late hours of the night the lack of sleep, air currents, stars, and sweeping fog amounted to one of the most surreal and placid moments of my life. I recall feeling very vulnerable on those dark waters, especially when the tops of submerged trees would flash into view before my prow, but I also got this very primordial sense of a purpose. Although the body was fatigued and the hours long, this primordial instinct to find the remaining CP's skirting this dark lake fed my determination to see this race through.

Apart from the lessons learned, friendships fostered, sense of accomplishment and adventure, and explorations into the capabilities of the human body; the SXT gave me more, I felt ALIVE, I felt tied to this strange land and to a purpose beyond me or the race. It is feelings and experiences like this that the SXT had a wealth of and that keep me coming back to the sport that is Adventure Racing.

Stephanie I'd like to thank you for a great race and I hope to return again.
  

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Send us your story/review

Whether you loved it, hated it or - more likely - experienced a full range of emotions over the course of the course, we'd love to hear your stories, race reviews, suggestions . . . whatever you'd like to share.  We'll publish all racer comments, for better or for worse, on this page.