FROG Race

FROG stands for Front Range Outdoor Groupies. This is a neat little crowd of folks who put on "training" adventure races for each other. Because these events are low key, they are also low cost (a big reason why I haven't done much adventure racing is the multiple hundred dollar entry fees typical to the sport). But this race was just twelve bucks. Who doesn't want to pay $12 to wreck themselves on a nice, sunny Saturday? So my newest riding buddy, Tim, and I teamed up to do last weekend's (week-end's, for those of you who like to rip on how I talk) race in Monument, CO, the next town north of the Springs.
Let me explain the race format: We were given an instruction sheet with sets of coordinates that we plotted on a topographic map, each set corresponding to a checkpoint (CP). Most checkpoints had a question that we had to answer to verify that we were there, i.e. "How many feathers are on the arrow on the USGS benchmark at CP5?" Our mode of transportation was also dictated; "Bike from CP 7 to 8" or "Hike to CP12". But route was completely up to us.
Well, first thing we did was plot CP1 wrong. Doh! Thankfully we realized our mistake before we got too far, but still lost about an hour to our folly. We were able to redeem ourselves in the orienteering course, haring about a regional park chasing pink ribbons tied to trees. Then we began the long slog up Mount Herman road. After about five miles of continual climbing we ditched the bikes and ran to the top of Mount Herman at 9063'. This was not our highest point of the day, as we ran back to the bikes and continued further up the fire road to CP10. Here, at about 9,500', we took stock and realized it would be dark before we reached anymore checkpoints. And we were tired. So, we made the screaming descent back into Monument, knowing that burgers and beers awaited. All told, we spent about 6 hours on the bike and three hours running/orienteering. Not a bad little day.
And yeah, only four teams finished the whole course. Most turned around at CP10 or before. A nice ego boost.