Team SOLE Goes SOLO In Costa Rica - April 2006
Crew Report
The race started with a short adventure swim (meaning competitors carried all their gear, wore their shoes and pfd's and used a variety of blow up rafts to make the crossing). Paul finished 5th or 6th out of the water and headed to the kayaks to begin what would be a 5-7 hour paddle in some rough waters in boats that were slow and small. Paul's feet could barely fit in the boat. Once in the water all the kayakers headed East toward the famous Arenal volcano, everyone that is except Paul and a fellow California racer Morgan Dawson. I heard them talking on the beach "yeah it's really windy, let's do it." Hmmmm.... what did they have planned? We watched as they paddled the opposite way of every other racer....
Christian, the support crew for Costa Rica's top racer, looked at me and said, "that's not a good choice. It's gonna be muddy to their knees for miles and very steep." First I panicked a little and then I reassured myself that surely Paul wouldn't make a bad route choice like that, not this early in the race... I ran to the car to get my set of maps and see exactly where they were heading - it didn't look so bad, a short hike to a road where they would portage the boats and avoid the choppy waters. I passed Andres as I headed down to gather the rest of our gear and I asked him what he thought. He said, could be a good move. Okay, now just to wait and see...
So we hopped in our little 4x4 rental truck, all the gear secured with a tarp and we (Jordan, Tanya Murrietta, and I) along with Christian and two other girls in a third car to the next transition area. The organizers told us we should take the North route around the lake because our trucks wouldn't make it through the rivers. We took their advice and 3 hours later found ourselves near the base of the famous Arenal Volcano (a live volcano that is basically exploding all the time.) Waiting... oh yeah... the best part about being on the support crew... NOT. But that's what we did. Jordan loved it as he played in the mud and quicksand up to his hips. Is it okay Karen? Yeah sure Jordan, have fun! Soon he was belly flopping and rolling in the mud like a little piggy and he even convinced Tanya to follow him through some quicksand where she proceeded to sink up to her hips in mud and lose her flip flops (never to emerge from the mud again) with Jordan taunting her deeper and deeper.
With binoculars, finally we could see the kayakers. Three small figures off in the distance...one boat obviously having troubles as it wheelied through the waves - but all were making good progress toward us. As they approached closer I could see Paul's familiar stroke through the binoculars. He was in second place, but it was his boat that was wheelieing through the surf. Seemed VERY heavy in the back - probably full of water. We ran the shoreline to cheer him on and he explained to us that his boat was full of water. He wasn't too happy about it...and let us know how much he loved the boat. Once on shore and in second place, we emptied his boat, he plotted the next point and headed off on his bike, just minutes behind the leader.
From here we knew that Paul would bike for about an hour and then off on foot for a long hike. We could wait for him to come back through, we could take the 3 hour north route back or we could "go for it" and try our luck at 4x4ing the rivers and road on the south side of the lake and save a couple of hours. Christian and I talked to as many people as we could about the roads, some said it was fine, some said no way... we decided to go. The first river was quite wide and rocky but not too deep. We scouted it first and then decided it was okay... we made it no problem and we continue that way for a couple of hours. We were in some cool jungles and saw plenty of lizards and animals. Our next stop after finding the local market and planning for what Paul might want next was a little campground in a place called Monte Verde. Here we discovered we had no idea when they might arrive. The staff had hot food available so we only had to worry about getting Paul dialed for another 24 hours on the trail. Jordan was beat and found a nice bed in the back seat of the truck. Tanya and I prepared as best we could and waited. We walked toward where we thought they would be coming from and then worried that we might have missed them so we'd run back to the camp. Still no sign and no word from the organization. We sat on the curb at the edge of town and nodded off waking up as each car passed. Finally some cheering and here comes Paul and Rafael together. We jog with them to the transition area where we have everything ready. Paul is a bit tired but looks great and ready for more, a small blister but all else is okay, even his ankle which is taped and still healing from a previous injury. We get new socks, food, new batteries and he's off and in the lead with Rafael just behind.
Now to regroup and figure out where to go next. There aren't many people from the organization who know where to send us next and so after hours of waiting and estimating, we decide to sleep till 6 a.m. and head to the next transition at 7:00 a.m. The organizers tell us it should be a 1 and 1/2 hour drive and we should expect the racers there around 11 a.m. so we'll have plenty of time. We navigate our way through the dusty backroads of Costa Rica and arrive at a cute little ranch with a swimming pool to Jordan's delight. Ten minutes and Jordan is in the pool, the beginning of a LONG, leisurely day with nothing to do but swim. It's okay says Jordan.
So we WAIT and WAIT and WAIT. Chris and I jog down to the rappel, the next section of the course to check it out and to get some beta for when the guys come in. Then we WAIT and WAIT. We hear that Rafael is leading, Paul is second and Chava is way back (hours back) and then around 3:00 p.m. we hear it will be another 5 hours before they arrive. At 9:00 p.m. Rafael arrives with Paul no where to be seen. We learn he is probably an hour or so back so we WAIT..and try to prepare for his arrival and sending him out on a two to three hour hike. Finally about 45 minutes behind, he arrives, grabs some food, a new pack and heads out on the hike. Two to three hours gets longer and longer...at 3:00 a.m. still no word, they haven't made it to the top checkpoint yet. Andres tells us it will be at least 1 and 1/2 hours down once they reach the top. We decide to sleep for a little. At 5:00 a.m. I wake up. No one is awake. I find the checkpoint guy and learn that no one has come in yet. But, Paul was the first to reach the top, he gained at least an hour on this short section!... he and Rafael should be here anytime... Around 6:00 Rafael arrives, I try to help him with food and gear, but he tells me Paul is just behind. Tanya and I get things ready, the bike is clean and lubed, a new pack is packed and plenty of food on the bike.
We hear there will be a bike section, then an ascending section and then another bike and then a run to the finish...back to Monteverde. But the racers don't know this yet. They are just being given one point at a time. We let Paul lay down in the tent for 10 minutes as we feed him, new socks, new shoes and pack ready to go. Just 10-15 minutes behind Rafael now.
We now can drive the same road they are biking so we pack up everything and tag along. Jordan hanging out the back window yelling words of encouragement to his Daddy and telling a million kid jokes which make Paul smile now and then. Do you know what you get when you cross Albert Einstein with Spongebob Squarepants? Sponge Bob Smarty Pants.... Do you know where Polar Bears keep their money? In the snow bank. This goes on for hours...
We arrive at the ascent and hike with Paul to the bottom of the waterfall. Jordan thinks its pretty cool and takes a swim in the cold water by the falls. Meanwhile Paul starts the rope ascent up the waterfall where we can again meet him at the top. We are pretty sure the finish will now be a bike and a short run to Monte Verde, but the racers aren't told and Paul doesn't quite believe us. It's hard to measure how much energy to spend when you don't know where the finish line is.
We continue following Paul as he bikes up these horrendous loose rocky roads and we try to distract him from the pain. My favorite was when we turned on the local salsa music and Jordan hops out and dances in the road, encouring Paul up the steepest hill. It works and Paul keeps moving, never having to push his bike and finally to the last checkpoint and a 2 k run to the finish! We grab Paul's bike for the final time and drive ahead to meet him at the finish. Jordan jumps into his Daddy's arms, hugs him and tells him that he needs to shave.
Paul's Report
Paul took on all the team roles: captain, navigator, mule, rabbit, mother, father and set off on the first ever solo expedition race through the gruelling terrain of Costa Rica. Karen and Jordan and Tanya Murrietta from Chula Vista, CA followed along as support crew.
The race began with a short adventure swim to the kayaks. Paul was out of the water in the top half of the field and was quickly off on the kayak though with a classic Epinephrine Kayak Portage up his sleeve. Every team took off paddling East and Paul headed West to find a road and portage his kayak to the first checkpoint. This got the sweat pouring and heartrate skyrocketing straight away.This worked and he was first in the water at CP1 ready ready for the continued 25-30 mph head wind. With a rear hatch full of water, Paul struggled in for 2nd place by 3 minutes behind Brazilian Marco, after the kayak leg.
He quickly transitioned to the bike with just minutes between him and 1st place. Off for a one hour road time trial then the start of a huge hike, along site the molten lava spewing Volcano Arenal. THE ADVENTURE BEGINS. Paul suffered a heatstroke in the intense Costa Rican sun, but he managed to keep himself going strong after the sun lowered and after several lead changes was in the lead after the first 24 hours. Back on the bikes for some more intense heat, difficult hills and loose dirt and rocks.
Paul came to the next transition nearly 1 hour behind Rafael from Brazil. A second mid day heatstroke made map reading hard, and Paul found himself on the patio of a familiy living in the bush, pleading for help. Cool water/fruit/TLS, and once again he was 'seeing straight'. He made a quick transition to the next trekking section and headed off into the darkness. By the next morning he had again taken the lead and we awaited his return to start the final bike. By dawn he was just ten minutes behind the VERY strong and smart Rafael of Team Mitsubishi of Brazil, but feeling the effects of battling for the lead for 48 hours. After a ten minute rest, he was back on the bike for the final leg and a 100 ft ascent up the face of a waterfall. He made quick work of the ascent enjoying the cool showers from the waterfall before the final bike and 2k run to the finish. More than 80 hours on his own and Paul was at the finish. An awesome 2nd place finish. Read more detailed reports on our website, www.teamsole.com
