But Mike! What in the world is "a Rogaine?" - Click here.
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I was asked by Gailanne to join her in the Sleepy Hollow 12 Hour Rogaine at Scioto Trails State Forest near Chillicothe, OH. I have never done an "adventure" race before, but man was it fun! I tried to get us another team member or two, but Josh and Kim (the first two I called) weren't biting, and I got busy with other stuff so it ended up being just Gailanne and I.
We showed up to the race HQ (a pavillion in the park) at 10 pm and after getting our gear in order for the race, went down to HQ to sign in and get our instructions and maps. We received two maps, one waterproof (and very waterproof at that!) and one not. Also, our scorecard which was waterproof and before the race there was a bonus checkpoint announced which was unmarked but you got grid coordinates and had to mark it using a UTM tool yourselves.
This is what a UTM tool looks like.
The waterproof map, compass, and our scorecard.
The UTM tool helps you mark maps on the 1:240000 UTM Grid scale. These are laid out in 100 meter blocks instead of LAT/LONG coordinates like some maps. Luckily, I have a background just varied enough to know how to work with both...ain't I weird?
So after plotting our bonus checkpoint onto the map, we waited around for the pre-race briefing with me getting little tidbits of information about how to go about this from everyone who would talk.
Pre-race photo
They gave away the door prizes BEFORE the race, I think because some people would leave before the 12 hours was up. I didn't get anything, same as I always don't. :) I complained about that plenty to Gailanne too. The race started at midnight precisely and would run until noon Saturday.
Anyways, we formulated some strategy for how to start off the race and when it began we headed straight for the bonus checkpoint which was close to the HQ and we wanted to get it out of the way quick. We went up the small valley where we thought it would be and looked and looked for about 30 minutes before giving up and heading for one of the regular checkpoints. We figured we would come back for the bonus in the daylight.
On the way to the first regular checkpoint is where the night's FIRST nemesis reared it's ugly head. Prickers, thorns, brambles, whatever term you like (Gailanne called them "sharpies" ... like the marker I guess) they were all over when you were off-piste (off trail) and they nicked the hell out of my legs ALL night.
We figured out our orginal mistake on the way to the first CP and got back on course. We reached and punched the first CP in just about an hour. Next we headed down the trail and road, vowing to stay out of the underbrush as much as possible, to search out the next closest CP. As it turns out this one was way off trail too and we had to hike into and out of a small valley. We bagged CP #2 (for us - not the actual #) in about two hours and by now the rain had really started to come down. We were getting soaked and it was getting colder. We decided to go for two easy checkpoints via a route back to the HQ (where the warming tent was) and made our way back in just after 3 am with 4 CPs punched and soaked to the bone and shivering.
Punching the scorecard at CP #1 in the rain
My turn! CP #2
The warming tent had a propane heater which would warm you and dry your clothes somewhat if you stayed near it. We both did. As we warmed, the rain kept coming down harder and harder, and we both did not want to go back out, so I found a foam sleeping mat and tried to get a little sleep while warming/drying. I had been up at 330 am the day before for work, with only a 1.5 hour nap during the day, so I was reasonably exhausted. I slept in fits and starts as I was cold, shivering and laying on the ground on a mat. I think I perhaps got 30 minutes total shuteye but we were in that tent and at the HQ for almost 3 hours debating whether to go back out or quit and head for civilization and warmth.
I honestly was ready to just go home and try this again on a reasonable night, but neither one of us was willing to proclaim we were done so we just kind of stuck around till around 6 am, the rain abated somewhat and we both just kind of said screw it, let's go look for more. So we headed back out looking for the missed bonus CP with daylight creeping into the park still filtered by grey rain clouds.
Carefully I studied the map, and the terrain features where the bonus CP should be and directed us up a little valley with a stream in it, that I thought HAD to have the CP along it's length. We explored this valley with me on the far left and Gailanne on the far right, slowly and carefully seeking the CP. I saw Gailanne peak at a little shack on her side and procede....I found NOTHING on my side....on we went.
Eventually we gave up and decided to head for a run to the far side of the park for some easy looking CP's that I wanted to get, partially because they were near the airfield which drew my interest. Before we started out that way, the Race Director talked us into giving the bonus CP one more try with a little hint, as he knew this was my first Rogaine and we went back into the woods with much more daylight now. We made our way back to the SAME valley and this time (WITH the hint) I headed up the right side and right for that little shack.
Sure enough as I approached, I saw the CP INSIDE with a little plastic skull hanging below it. I got out our scorecard and reached in to punch it, and all of a sudden the skull descends down it's string and starts talking (Halloween toy) and startled me quite a bit. I punched the card (and gave Gailanne a good teasing for missing the CP) and then we headed out for the run and airfield.
The State Park Airfield
We ran quite a bit of the road out to the airfield area and quickly found those checkpoints where we expected them. Just before the last checkpoint we were going to hit before heading in, a man and woman team was catching up to us from behind. They came into the CP right after us and on our way out I whispered to Gailanne that we had to run hard to the HQ and not let this team pass us, just for fun. We both knew they undoubtedly had many more CPs marked than us because we took the long drying off/warming up break, but it gave us a mini-goal.
We lit off down the road and they were right on our tails, but I just kept us running pretty fast WITHOUT looking back. When I finally did look back after a few miles, they were way back there and headed up into the woods. As it turns out they were going for one more CP on top of a ridge (that we should have went to, but didn't think to...we were concerned about running out of time.)
Also, a side note - Josh, guess who I talked with and saw here? Ingrid! Our Another Dam 50k friend. She said hi.
Sandwiched by two foreign chicks. I think Ingrid is German, and Gailanne is from Canada eh.
We finished in the last hour with 330 points and I don't know where that puts us (but not too high...) The winners had 1240 and the next two were over 1100. I liked the fact that the park and course were so big that is was essentially impossible to get all the CPs and teams had to find their own strategy for the night. I LOVED the event and will do more of these, but hopefully in better weather, with more rest, AND with a little more appropriate gear, like some shin guards and tough leggings or pants. Check out my legs AFTER the event below...compare with the starting picture at the top of this post to see what that damn forest did to me! :)
IF you click on this you will see how bad these scratches really are.
Click the logo to see their site and see the results page there.I was asked by Gailanne to join her in the Sleepy Hollow 12 Hour Rogaine at Scioto Trails State Forest near Chillicothe, OH. I have never done an "adventure" race before, but man was it fun! I tried to get us another team member or two, but Josh and Kim (the first two I called) weren't biting, and I got busy with other stuff so it ended up being just Gailanne and I.
We showed up to the race HQ (a pavillion in the park) at 10 pm and after getting our gear in order for the race, went down to HQ to sign in and get our instructions and maps. We received two maps, one waterproof (and very waterproof at that!) and one not. Also, our scorecard which was waterproof and before the race there was a bonus checkpoint announced which was unmarked but you got grid coordinates and had to mark it using a UTM tool yourselves.
This is what a UTM tool looks like.
The waterproof map, compass, and our scorecard.The UTM tool helps you mark maps on the 1:240000 UTM Grid scale. These are laid out in 100 meter blocks instead of LAT/LONG coordinates like some maps. Luckily, I have a background just varied enough to know how to work with both...ain't I weird?
So after plotting our bonus checkpoint onto the map, we waited around for the pre-race briefing with me getting little tidbits of information about how to go about this from everyone who would talk.
Pre-race photoThey gave away the door prizes BEFORE the race, I think because some people would leave before the 12 hours was up. I didn't get anything, same as I always don't. :) I complained about that plenty to Gailanne too. The race started at midnight precisely and would run until noon Saturday.
Anyways, we formulated some strategy for how to start off the race and when it began we headed straight for the bonus checkpoint which was close to the HQ and we wanted to get it out of the way quick. We went up the small valley where we thought it would be and looked and looked for about 30 minutes before giving up and heading for one of the regular checkpoints. We figured we would come back for the bonus in the daylight.
On the way to the first regular checkpoint is where the night's FIRST nemesis reared it's ugly head. Prickers, thorns, brambles, whatever term you like (Gailanne called them "sharpies" ... like the marker I guess) they were all over when you were off-piste (off trail) and they nicked the hell out of my legs ALL night.
We figured out our orginal mistake on the way to the first CP and got back on course. We reached and punched the first CP in just about an hour. Next we headed down the trail and road, vowing to stay out of the underbrush as much as possible, to search out the next closest CP. As it turns out this one was way off trail too and we had to hike into and out of a small valley. We bagged CP #2 (for us - not the actual #) in about two hours and by now the rain had really started to come down. We were getting soaked and it was getting colder. We decided to go for two easy checkpoints via a route back to the HQ (where the warming tent was) and made our way back in just after 3 am with 4 CPs punched and soaked to the bone and shivering.
Punching the scorecard at CP #1 in the rain
My turn! CP #2
The warming tent had a propane heater which would warm you and dry your clothes somewhat if you stayed near it. We both did. As we warmed, the rain kept coming down harder and harder, and we both did not want to go back out, so I found a foam sleeping mat and tried to get a little sleep while warming/drying. I had been up at 330 am the day before for work, with only a 1.5 hour nap during the day, so I was reasonably exhausted. I slept in fits and starts as I was cold, shivering and laying on the ground on a mat. I think I perhaps got 30 minutes total shuteye but we were in that tent and at the HQ for almost 3 hours debating whether to go back out or quit and head for civilization and warmth.
I honestly was ready to just go home and try this again on a reasonable night, but neither one of us was willing to proclaim we were done so we just kind of stuck around till around 6 am, the rain abated somewhat and we both just kind of said screw it, let's go look for more. So we headed back out looking for the missed bonus CP with daylight creeping into the park still filtered by grey rain clouds.
Carefully I studied the map, and the terrain features where the bonus CP should be and directed us up a little valley with a stream in it, that I thought HAD to have the CP along it's length. We explored this valley with me on the far left and Gailanne on the far right, slowly and carefully seeking the CP. I saw Gailanne peak at a little shack on her side and procede....I found NOTHING on my side....on we went.
Eventually we gave up and decided to head for a run to the far side of the park for some easy looking CP's that I wanted to get, partially because they were near the airfield which drew my interest. Before we started out that way, the Race Director talked us into giving the bonus CP one more try with a little hint, as he knew this was my first Rogaine and we went back into the woods with much more daylight now. We made our way back to the SAME valley and this time (WITH the hint) I headed up the right side and right for that little shack.
Sure enough as I approached, I saw the CP INSIDE with a little plastic skull hanging below it. I got out our scorecard and reached in to punch it, and all of a sudden the skull descends down it's string and starts talking (Halloween toy) and startled me quite a bit. I punched the card (and gave Gailanne a good teasing for missing the CP) and then we headed out for the run and airfield.
The State Park AirfieldWe ran quite a bit of the road out to the airfield area and quickly found those checkpoints where we expected them. Just before the last checkpoint we were going to hit before heading in, a man and woman team was catching up to us from behind. They came into the CP right after us and on our way out I whispered to Gailanne that we had to run hard to the HQ and not let this team pass us, just for fun. We both knew they undoubtedly had many more CPs marked than us because we took the long drying off/warming up break, but it gave us a mini-goal.
We lit off down the road and they were right on our tails, but I just kept us running pretty fast WITHOUT looking back. When I finally did look back after a few miles, they were way back there and headed up into the woods. As it turns out they were going for one more CP on top of a ridge (that we should have went to, but didn't think to...we were concerned about running out of time.)
Also, a side note - Josh, guess who I talked with and saw here? Ingrid! Our Another Dam 50k friend. She said hi.
Sandwiched by two foreign chicks. I think Ingrid is German, and Gailanne is from Canada eh.We finished in the last hour with 330 points and I don't know where that puts us (but not too high...) The winners had 1240 and the next two were over 1100. I liked the fact that the park and course were so big that is was essentially impossible to get all the CPs and teams had to find their own strategy for the night. I LOVED the event and will do more of these, but hopefully in better weather, with more rest, AND with a little more appropriate gear, like some shin guards and tough leggings or pants. Check out my legs AFTER the event below...compare with the starting picture at the top of this post to see what that damn forest did to me! :)
IF you click on this you will see how bad these scratches really are.