Saturday: beautiful. Sunday: socked in. Monday: Bluebird. So obviously race day was Sunday. This is the first year of the Summit to Sound Challenge. There are 4 legs:
- Rando race at Thompson Pass (Little Odyssey) or nordic race at the pass
- Road bike 28 miles from the pass to the ocean
- Kayak 3 miles across Valdez Narrows into town
- 5K run through town
At race time the fog was thick at the pass. After a one hour delay, the rando portion was cancelled. It would be a triathlon for the teams (or individuals) that had registered in this division. The nordic portion would still take place. This was bull shit; I had come to race and I was going to race. It was billed as an adventure race, and what better way to have an adventure, then to engage in an activity without the proper training or equipment. Four stubborn / dim alpinists defected into the nordic division. Again my Valdez alpine dreams were transformed into a nordic junk show.
Not Ideal Equipment for a 3K Skate
Nordic skiers were released in groups of four and I quickly saw the folly in my critical thinking path, but I finished strong. The Team Head Mistress / flair coordinator was up. Celina hopped on a borrowed bike and disappeared into the fog. The course descends 2,500' feet in about 18 miles. The next 10 are flat. The Head Mistress had a few tricks in her back pocket. She had made friends on the course and formed a team of 3 to improve efficiency.
Wet Roads and Flat Light
The hand off at the put-in went flawlessly. Dean hopped into his borrowed equipment and set off into a cold grey Pacific.
Dean arrived on the Coast Guard beach and John was ready to go. He was our best hope, but he admitted his running shoes came from Wal-Mart. Despite this fact, he made excellent time, advancing the team several positions.
It was now time for the portion of the race our team was best equipped for: salmon fillets and beer. Our grit and skill really shown through and other teams were clearly intimidated. Despite our aggressive nature, new friends were everywhere. The hospitality of Valdez was evident.
A Sharp Looking Team
New friend, Kitty, put us up for the weekend stumbling distance from the finish line. The warm dry house was secondary to the trampoline in the back yard. The next day she brought us out to the local crag out by the airport where she promptly led a 5.9+ sport route.
"Look at me! I'm on the top rope!"
Even though this was the 1st Summit to Sea, it went off without a hitch. It is a testament to the hard work of the race organizers and volunteers. Our team finished 4th out of 9 in the Nordic division; pretty good considering 3 of us did not own the proper equipment for our chosen disciplines.
Check APRN for an alternative account.
-Drew Peacock
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