Yeeeee….ahhhhhh! A blizzard at the top of the 13,500 foot pass!!
Marsh often comments that, the worse the conditions, the better for him and the Stray Dogs. Why? Are they crazy? Well, some people may think so. But, Team Stray Dogs GoLite are, I would venture to say, the most experienced racers out there and have earned a reputation for persisting, no matter what. You would be surprised to learn the things that these guys have suffered through during adventure races:
- Days without food in British Columbia
- Altitude sickness in the Himalayas in Tibet
- Being lost for 12 hours in Patagonia
- A capsized boat in the South China Sea in Borneo
- Hypothermia on the top of the Atlas Mountains in Morocco
- Five days without getting to their gear boxes in Fiji
This may sound strange to some of you – yet make perfect sense to others – but Marsh says that “to appreciate the profoundness of life, we have to live it to its fullest, both the joy and the suffering.” Oh… and “humor is the antidote to misery.” With Mace there (and maybe Alex and Frank are nearby?) I would guess that there’s been a good bit of laughter… along with a bit swearing too. Because, don’t get me wrong… they are human!
Anyway, what I know about Stage 3 so far is that the competitors set off from Langer Village at 7.47 a.m. on June 19th. This Stairway to Heaven stage is reported to be the most technically difficult, taking them over the 13,500 foot pass. At 25 miles, race organizers thought that may take some of the field up to 15 hours to finish Stage 3. Then, at 6.57 p.m., reported from “circa Camp 4” the breaking news was that all the competitors had made it to the top of the pass, where there was a blizzard. Further, the support convoy is having difficulty reaching camp due to flooded roads. Remember… before the race started, organizers said that the race stages were “anticipated” to be as they set out, although the course may be modified daily depending on expected levels of the rivers or poor weather conditions.
I have gathered some more information about Stage 2 on June 18th from the race Web site, including the fact that it was actualy almost 24 miles long, which the Stray Dogs finished in 5:32.
The runners started that stage at 9:01 am under clear skies. The weather stayed clear throughout the day, cooling off into a light drizzle by late afternoon. The lead runners reached the first checkpoint, 6.2 miles away, just over an hour later, and proceeded to blow through the third and fourth checkpoints, finishing in 3:26. The last runner, John Beall, crossed the finish line at 7:39 pm, almost 11 hours after he started.
The course followed the Tiznap River gorge for 12 miles straight through the first checkpoint. Continuing downstream, runners enjoyed stunning vistas around nearly every bend, where they were dwarfed by sheer rock faces hundreds of meters high. Just before the second checkpoint, at the fork of the Tiznap and Zerapxen Rivers, an unexpected course turnoff under a bridge and along a rushing irrigation canal caught many competitors off guard. The hairy section behind them, runners turned upstream along the Zerapxen for a tough second half in the afternoon heat, following the bank 11 miles to the Tajik village of Langer, their home for the night.
The entire town came out in traditional dress to greet the competitors as they staggered up the last hill to the finish line. Tajik dancers in traditional costumes greeted the first to finish. The women wore elaborate headdresses and bright, ankle-length dresses. The party at the finish line continued all afternoon, with karaoke performances interspersed with the dancing. The local children added to the atmosphere, keeping watch over the road and drumming enthusiastically whenever they saw runners approaching.
The Tajiks are of Persian descent and look markedly different to the Uyghurs the racers met in Kashgar. Their eyes and faces give a fascinating glimpse into their mixed Mediterranean and Mongolian ancestry. The finish line festivities gave everyone a good chance to get to know them a little better.
While the racers expecting to sleep in the usual army-style tents, instead they were billeted with local families for a one-night home-stay. The families came to the tea-tent house to meet their racers, with names written on scraps of paper. It didn’t take long for all the racers to settle into their new accommodation. The traditional houses all have a large communal living room with a raised platform for sleeping, with light filtering in from a skylight highlighting gold embroidery in the blankets covering the sleeping platforms, and brightly patterned rugs drape the walls. The families kept the racers supplied with hot water, attention, and in some cases Jackie Chan films. Although the racers are self-supporting could not take full advantage of the villagers’ hospitality, the volunteer crew happily accepted tea, bread and fresh apricots all day. The tranquility and kindness of the people they met this remote area have had a huge impact on the racers and crew.
Good thing the runners had nice homes to rest in before facing the technical, and weather-related, demands of Stage 3!!
More later…
Here are a couple of pictures from the Racing the Planet Web site. Photos by Simon Narramore. What beautiful kids and young women!
