Hard to believe the winter is here and I'm already fighting the urge to sit on my butt and eat Reese's cups all the time. Time to recap last summer and look forward to next year!
This summer I did 5 races and made it my goal to do new races I had never done before.
Akron Portage Paddle - It was the first time they had this event and it was in May. This was a kayak race (4 miles or so) that followed the Erie Canal from Lake Nesmeth to downtown Akron. You then exited the water and carried your kayak a ways (more than half a mile but less than a mile I would estimate). I ended up in 4th place and 1st female (I beat Nick!).
Headwaters Adventure Race - We have been doing this race since 2011 and it is one of our highlights of the summer. Held in July, it is a 2 mile run, 10 mile bike, and 5 mile kayak. This year I managed NOT to make a wrong turn haha. I got 2nd place female at 1:43:20. Nick beat me with a 1:43:14. I can't believe how close we finished to each other!
Camp Tuscazoar Adventure Race - This was the first year for this race, it was a 5 mile run, 5 mile kayak, and 7 mile mountain bike down in Zoar at a boyscout camp. I have been wanting to try mountain biking for years and Nick finally let me so I could do this race. Unfortunately it was the weekend Nick was taking Blaine to Wyoming for the solar eclipse (August) so I had to go alone to the race but I had SOOO MUCH FUN! Probably the most fun I've ever had in a race. I got 1st place female with a 2:40:54.
Lakes to Ledges Adventure Race - First year I've ever done this race, but the 5th year they've had it in September. It was at Hinckley Reservation which is a beautiful park up near Cleveland with ledges to climb on and a lake. It started with a 3.5 mile run, then a 1.5 mile kayak, followed by a 9 mile bike. I got 7th overall and first female with a 1:18:18.9. Nick did awesome and got 4th overall (and won his age group) with a 1:16:19.7.
Canal Fulton Adventure Race - We have done this race every year since it began (with me sitting out the year I had Maela but Nick still participated). It's in early October. Normally racing as a team is the only option but this year they opened it up to solo racers. We both went solo. Nick got 3rd overall with a 1:11:36.72 and I got 4th overall (first female) with a 1:13:17.68.
Looking ahead: We got a new (to us) kayak! A super fast kayak! We are excited to give it a go in some of the races next year.