2015 Beaumont O by Captain Ahab

2015 Beaumont O

The 2015 Beaumont O didn’t go so well for me this year.  I think this is the 3^rd or 4^th time I have run this event and it was my first navigating it on my own.  I don’t know if it was the nice weather or me trying some new techniques or me trying to keep up with Kevin, but whatever it was I couldn’t get it together.  The race is self-serve and on the honor system so Mickey and Van took off early on the Green Course and Kevin, Neil & Ella, Kyle and his buddy, Dave C and Dave B (Ninja), and I waited to start together on the Red Course.
 

Kevin and I reached CP#1 (cliff/rock face) on the same course at the same time, basically I was slightly behind him.  We took off for CP2 and Kyle was on our tail.  On the way to CP2 I took off in a different direction than Kevin and we met up again as I caught a glimpse of Mickey and Van.  I then went in a different direction than Kevin as I was trying to use a trail, but I could not make out the trails.  Kevin was nowhere in sight and I thought I had overshot, but saw Mickey and Ivan at a CP and headed in to investigate.  To my dismay it was CP#5, but I punched it and promised I wouldn’t cheat and come back to it.  So I headed to CP#2 (cliff/rock face) and knew I had some ground to make up.  I caught up with Kyle on the way to CP#3 (cliff/rock face), but started worrying we had overshot.  I backtracked just slightly to make sure I was on the right track and then advanced and found it quickly.  Kyle must have also thought he overshot and was backtracking and I yelled for him to turn around and showed him where the CP was.  As I was leaving, Neil and Ella were there making fun of me.  Then Dave and Ninja popped out of a rabbit hole.  I took off for CP#4.  I found CP#4 (reentrant) with ease and was trying to shake Kyle off my tail.  I thought I would find CP#5 (stream junction) fast since I was already there but it took me awhile because I was gun shy of overshooting it again.  I found it and tapped it to signal that I punched it and took off to CP#6.  Kyle was behind and I wanted to make up some ground to catch Kevin so I laid down the speed.  I bushwhacked and now looking back I should have taken the road, but I like bushwhacking so I went for it.  On a nasty hill climb I noticed Kyle caught me again, but the hill was getting the best of him as he stopped to rest.  I yelled at him to keep moving as I struggled to move on myself.   

So I totally forget about CP#6 and start heading to CP#7.  I find myself in the creek across the meadow and realize I skipped 6.  I read the clue and see that it is a spring so for some odd reason I start looking around for a spring in the completely wrong area.  I had already hit the barb wire between 5 and 6 and I hit barb wire again between 6 and 12 so I was moving fast but in the wrong direction.  I hit the wire so fast that I ripped my pants and tore myself up and ripped down the wire.  When I realized what I had done I returned and remembered to jump the wire the third time.  I made it back to the meadow and asked a guy if I was where I thought I was and he confirmed and I was on my way.  I realized now that I can’t run full speed and navigate.   I also stripped my hat and glasses off and was stuffing them in my pants as I was running and navigating, which is not a good idea.  I hit the road at the bend as Dave and Ninja and Neil and Ella where heading to CP#6 (spring).  They laughed some more as I passed them and Neil asked me how far I was planning on running for the day.  I hit the CP and went back to where I was previously.  I slowed down some, jumped the wire, and whacked to CP#7 (depression) where Kevin was wandering around complaining that he couldn’t find it.  I knew right where I was and showed him and he agreed.  We went to the CP and there were 8 other racers there looking confused.  It was in the correct position but had the wrong clue number.  I punched it and marked it as CP#7 and Kevin and I took off for CP#8 together passing Dave and Ninja on the way.  We hit CP#8 (spring) quickly and took the trail to CP#9 (depression).  Along the way to CP#10 (boulder) that brat Kyle caught us and gave us a run for our money to CP#11 (cliff/rock face).  Technically the punk beat me to CP#11.  We took the trail again as much as we could to CP#12 (depression).  Along the way to CP#13 (depression) I had Kevin overshoot the trail again as I again I couldn’t make out the trails.  He was doing so much better seeing the trails than me and navigating than me.  We back tracked slightly to CP#13 and saw Kyle overshoot also.  We high tailed it to the finish beating Kyle and his buddy.  We finished in about 2 hours and 19 minutes.  Kevin totally kicked my butt on this one.  Ella walked up to let me know she was beating me too.  Kevin, TeamKyle, and I cleared the course, but I was not happy at all with my performance.  Yes I was moving fast but while making many mistakes and running in circles.  After the race we gave Kyle his long overdue 8 hour ranking.  If he keeps racing he will be a force to be reckoned with.  Kevin is really getting good, but doesn’t like taking risky bushwhacking routes.  I on the other hand probably take too many risky bushwhacking routes.  I have to find a way to run at speed and still navigate correctly.  I was pretty upset with my antics but was happy with the nice weather.  Ahab.