We're gonna test you to see if you're a challenger or a wannabe!
If you enter the race and don't survive, don't expect us to come looking for you.
We've heard about a lone telephone booth in the desert someplace.
Find it and call your mommy to come get you!
Heck, if you go out in some spectacular fashion you might get an honourable mention here on the web page...... maybe.
Warning!
Cramps, Needles, IV's, Ambulance rides, Helicopters rides and BIG Medical bills,
More Bills, Bruised egos, Terrible records time and even Death!!!!
These can be yours if you do not drink enough WATER. The desert is as magnificent as it is brutal. Each person should be drinking water hours before you participate. Drink 1 quart of water each 1/2 hour, 5 hours before you receive tap-off. Any less and you might be drinking it through a needle!
This is not a nice friendly 5K or 10K early some Sunday morning at 8:00 o'clock. Also the idea that you are not competing until late in the evening or early morning at 2:30 am doesn't exempt anyone. The desert doesn't care. The air is dry 24 hours a day. Ever heard of freeze dried bodies laying along a lonely desert road?!
_________________________________________________________________
Despite a recent, near disastrous run across Vietnam, the urge for an adrenalin fix was again upon me. Knowing the problems I have with the cold, I was searching for a race that could be run in a warm climate. The above ad for the Mojave Deathrace seemed like it might fit the bill!
This unique adventure race is the brain-child of a California Federal Marshall named Ron Cooke. With his twisted sense of humor, he has devised a race consisting of 12 person teams, for a tortuous run & bike relay across the Mojave Desert in the middle of summer. In fact, this race used to be 250 miles, but just for fun, Ron decided to add another 33 miles this year - making the total distance 283 miles - or 460 kilometers. Perhaps he is trying to get the race to live up to its name!
The course starts in Primm Nevada and then crosses over into Southern California. Ours is a mixed team, one of 27 teams entered in the race. Most of our team members are accomplished endurance athletes - Ironman Triathalon finishers, marathon and ultra marathon runners, ex-pro cycling champion, mountain climber, etc.
We have three vehicles - a motor-home, station wagon, and 4-wheel drive vehicle for the off-road sections. This is necessary to help sort out the logistics of this demanding race.
At 5 am, shortly before daybreak, the gun sounds to start the race and runners head out into the desert for this exercise in sado-masochism. Onlookers are shaking their heads, probably thinking the whole bunch is a few sandwiches short of a picnic!
The second stage of the race is run by Ivan Steber, a National Disabled Cycling champion, marathoner, and Ironman finisher - not bad when you consider that he only has one leg! Half way through his run his prosthetic is bothering him so he stops, whips off his leg, and throws it to me, while another team-mate finds his replacement leg in the van. A strange feeling holding onto somebody else's leg while he runs off into the distance to finish his run. An amazing athlete.
During stage four our rider Carl has a wipeout on his bike but fortunately is not hurt as he bounces off the dirt, with everything except his pride intact. He powers his way to the end riding his guts out to make up for lost time. At the end he treats us to a show of projectile vomiting - good ride buddy!
On another stage Dave Molinaro, another Ironman, is riding at break neck speed over the dirt road but hits a sandy patch and launches himself into the air over the handlebars. He picks himself up and while he is starting up again, a lizard is up on his hind legs running in front of him. The lizard, I'm sure is scared to death, having never had anything like this happen to him in his barren and desolate surroundings.
The time is now 12:35 pm, and it is now my turn to run. This 17 km section is acknowledged to be one of the most formidable stages of the race. The difficulty is not only the intense heat, but also the inhospitable soft sandy terrain which makes for tough footing. I am the only Canadian on the team, which I'm convinced had something to do with getting assigned this stage of the race!
The temperature is now over 100 degrees, and as I sucked in a lungful of the dry desert air, my mouth is uncomfortably dry. The ferocious sun bears down with blast furnace intensity. This is race may be classed as cruel and unusual punishment - if not outright torture.
During my run with sand aplenty, a 4-wheel drive medical ambulance comes by with sirens wailing - somewhere up ahead the Mighty Mojave has claimed another victim. My foot has blistered from the heat, and I'm trying to conjure up visions of different runs, to take my mind off it, and make it to the end of the stage. As much of a sun-vulture as I am, the oppressive heat is a 'shade' too hot and has me suffering. About this point I think I would have given my left testicle for an ice cold beer!
Mercifully, in the distance is the welcome sight of the motor-home and the transition area. It was a strong run and we have moved up a couple of places in the standings. I am delighted to have my first part of this formidable challenge over.
Our team raced hard through the day and climbed from last place after stage one, up to the middle of the field. At 8 pm the temperature is 101 degrees, but starting to fall quickly. Can't be too soon for us!
In the dark Carlos, another of our riders, has an interesting experience. He has a strong light on his helmet which is attracting many bugs. The bugs in turn are providing dinner for several bats which are dive bombing him as he screams along the darkened roads.
At one point in the race we met up with race director Ron, who informs us there were at least 4 competitors who have been taken to hospital (Is that a smile I see on his face?). Three from heat exhaustion and one with a broken collar bone. Many competitors are suffering from the Mojave's Mugging! This sun-blasted desert is indeed, one desolate and harsh challenge!
My second run of the day is a 10 km run all slightly uphill. Fatigued and sore from the days activities and the brutal heat, I throw up just before the start of my run. On the run, the SAG vehicle is following along side to illuminate the road so I can see where I am going, as it is pitch black.
All is well until we get about 30 meters from the transition area. Rob, in the SAG vehicle screams "SNAKE"! At that exact moment, I also see it writhing it's way across the road right in front of me. I jump over the snake(a rosy boa) and sprint to the end, like a cheetah on steroids! Everybody gets quite a chuckle out of my interesting reptilian encounter!
Shortly after, Dave, who crashed earlier, gets a flat tire on his second ride. While doing the repair he hears a strange sound and looks behind him to see a rattlesnake warning him off! He quickly finds another place to change his tire, away from the cantankerous creature. Apparently the snakes here burrow down during the day to escape the extreme heat, but venture out after dark in search of food.
Things seem to be under control for the team with no major problems until we get within two stages of the end of the race. The driver (don't worry Dave, I won't mention any names) of the motor-home makes a wrong turn on one of the dirt roads. Eventually the road fizzles out, leaving us no choice but to try and go back. In trying to turn around the 29 foot rig, it gets badly stuck in some soft sand.
The six of us in the vehicle scoop out some sand and put rocks under the tires. This is to no avail as the next attempt only buries it further down into the sand.
Tom "Tominator" Reid, a hulking California Sheriff, knows his way around cars. He suggests that we try a blanket under the wheels for traction. Sounds like a good idea, but we have no blankets, so we grab all the sheets of the beds of the rented motor-home, and wedge them under the tires. This attempt also fails as the sheets are too thin to do the job.
We spread out to look for wood we can use, since we don't know when and if anybody else will ventures down this lonesome road. Someone spots some old 6'x6' fence posts we may be able to use. We use rocks to dislodge the barb-wire from the posts and carry them back to the vehicle. More digging, then we lay the posts down. Tom suggests grabbing all the rubber floor mats from the vehicle for more traction for the tires.
Tom jumps in, revs up the engine, and manages to get out of the huge hole we have been in. He then absolutely floors the gas. Incredible, it sounded like a jet engine. Shattered wood and clouds of sand are flying through the air, as the big rig fishtailed through the sand swaying dangerously back and forth almost rolling over. When he hit the dirt road, we were all yelling with delight and giving each other the high five's. The "Tominator" is undoubtedly the hero of the day!
Unfortunately, we missed the end of the race because of our escapade with the motor-home, but a couple of hours later we made it back for a reunion with the rest of our team mates. We had all raced to the end of our strength, but were thrilled to learn that our time for the race was 25 hours 2 minutes - placing our team second in our category.
The physical and mental challenge of traversing several hundred kilometers of scrub strewn, inhospitable terrain is balanced by the satisfaction of personal achievement. The ravenous hunger for personal challenge, adventure, and adrenaline production has again been soothed - at least for a time!
Mark Colegrave
