A couple of weeks ago I wrote about how I planned to fuel two back-to-back endurance events: the WA Seventy48 and Rainier Raid, a 36 hour adventure race. On paper, the schedule looked ambitious, but doable with the correct mindset. And now that it’s all said and done, I can confidently say that it turned into one of the most fun, and surprisingly successful two-week stretches of racing I’ve had in a long time, especially given that I have been doing mostly paddling and very intense short bike efforts! So what was the “secret” and how did it all go? Read on to find out.
Weekend One: Seventy48 on the Boogie Barge
There are a lot of ways to race Seventy48: a 3 person surfski, a 2 person kayak, a classic pedal boat, a row boat, an OC, and even a pedal and oar powered cateraman! The Boogie Barge however, it’s class of it’s own. Every year they ask, “so are you in the front facing or rear facing category?” Why we can’t say both is still beyond me, but so far Blake – our bad ass boat builder and captian just picks which one he feels like being in that year. In short, the Boogie Barge has never been one of the conventional ones and has always been a head turner.
For the second year in a row, I found myself pedaling through the night aboard a human-powered boat, watching the lights of Seattle drift by while wondering how this ridiculous idea somehow works so well. It remains one of the most unique endurance experiences I’ve ever had. It’s part suffering, part awesome and part super relaxing. It’s the craziest mix of sensations and feelings I’ve had in a 10-11 hour stint in a long time.
This year’s crew brought some new energy to the boat. We added a legitimate former collegiate rower who also happens to be our acupuncturist as well as our teammate, Mel, who proved to be an absolute powerhouse both on the bike and on the oars. One of my favorite parts of these events is bringing together people from different backgrounds and watching them figure out how to become a team in real time.
The conditions were a little spicier than last year. More chop. More wind. And for me, more time spent finding those “magic positions” that make endless hours of pedaling slightly more comfortable. But despite the extra challenge, the Boogie Barge kept moving steadily north and we all put in a solid effort to secure 2nd place, which was one place higher than last year!
As always, there were plenty of laughs, plenty of questionable ideas discussed in the middle of the night, and plenty of time to appreciate the absurdity of human-powered travel while on a boat.
When we finally crossed the finish line just as the sun was coming up, we’d once again proven that the Boogie Barge is every bit as fun as it is effective. Thanks for the repeat invite Blake, we absolutely loved it and crushed it in the process.
Weekend Two: Rainier Raid
A week later it was time to switch gears completely. This time was going to hurt a bit more.. and for a longer period of time. Gone were the oars and trainer bikes. In their place was a fast-moving team, maps, mountain bikes, trekking shoes, ropes, packrafts, rivers and 19 hours of heart pumping adventure racing at Rainier Raid.
I’ll be honest: my legs were not quite ready for it.
After Seventy48, they were still carrying a fair amount of fatigue, even after a week of light spins and hill hikes. Normally I would have preferred a little more recovery before asking them to perform at higher paced level, but unfortunately, my legs didn’t get a vote. Instead my mind would have to work a little bit harder to override and calmly answer the “WHY are you doing this!??” thoughts.
I was racing alongside three incredibly strong teammates: local Bend ultra running legend Max King, AR USARA National Champion Dusty Caseria and Yukon 1000 record holder Daniel Staudigel. From the moment the race started, the pace was on.
Knowing I wasn’t at my freshest, I focused on contributing where I could and letting the team carry a little more of the workload early. We settled into a rhythm almost immediately, and right out from the gates, we never let go of our lead. Then came the real challenge for me: keeping the pace while not falling apart.
Within the first hour my legs were already reminding me that they’d spent the previous weekend pushing a boat up Puget Sound. They were sore far earlier than I would have liked, but there wasn’t much to do except keep moving forward and eating a ton. In 2.5 hours I had already gone through one 4 Hour Fuel bottle, which was 800 calories. My body was CRAVING the sugar, so I just kept leaning in. By hour 8, I was feeling surprisingly better than ever so I just kept chugging away.
To keep my head in the game, I kept focusing on the next checkpoint and listened in to see what we were looking for. A bend in the road, a saddle, a long climb and then a descent, a local high point, etc. Whenever thoughts of the finish would sneak in, I just breathed, smiled and said “not yet”. I continued drinking 4HourFuel, stayed on top of calories and hydration, and dug deep into the happy thoughts bank when things started getting uncomfortable.
The course itself was absolutely phenomenal, fun orienteering courses along the big bike to break it up, that included an incredible canyoneering section where we got shot out of a natural waterslide into a deep pool. The navigation was flawless (thank you Dusty and Dan!), and views were also gorgeous despite it being a rainy day. Every time I adventure up there, I want more and more.
One of the biggest lessons from racing is that you don’t always show up feeling perfect. Sometimes your body feels incredible. Other times you’re carrying fatigue, soreness, or doubt. Success often comes down to managing what you have on that day rather than wishing for something different. Staying curious is always a recurring mantra for me, and for this one it helped a ton.
Our team never let go of the lead.
We kept moving efficiently, stayed consistent, worked together and eventually crossed the finish line after 19 hard-fought hours of racing, taking the overall win.
The Takeaway
Looking back, what stands out for me isn’t the podiums.
It’s the contrast between the two weekends and the mindsets I had going into each one.
One race was about camaraderie, creativity, and the joy of doing something slightly ridiculous with a great group of people. The other was about digging deep, trusting teammates, and finding a way to perform when my body wasn’t fully recovered.
Second place on the Boogie Barge. First place at Rainier Raid. Two very different races. Two very different challenges.
It was again a great reminder that endurance sports are rarely about feeling perfect. They’re about showing up, adapting to what the day gives you, and finding a way forward anyway.
Gear and Food Used that made the two weekends:
These five were the stand outs for the weekend!
4 Hour Fuel! : I used the entire line up of products. From the traditional flag ship 4 Hour Fuel to RedLine Ultra to the smoothies to the Daily, it was all amazing
Infinity Seats: With out this AX1 Seat, my butt would be VERY unhappy. NO chami needed! Use BENDRACING for discount
USWE Pace 14 Pack: I LOVE this pack. SO comfortable, it almost feels like I am not wearing anything!
Fenix Lighting- The HM65R: This light is both ultra comfy and extremely durable. Not to mention it is very bright and lightweight. I’m going on year 7 ? with this light and I don’t think there is one better for Adventure Racing out there! Email me for special code.
Blue Duck Packraft – the ReRe: This IS the ultimate best and fastest packraft for adventure racing. There, I said it. I also have special codes- email me for one. They are amazing!
