What a "comeback" season!
After 3.5 years away from the sport, I came back to adventure racing this year with all the pieces in place for success. Little did I know that my team would go undefeated, with 8 consecutive victories, including two expeditions (Baja Travesia and Moab Adventure Xstream). The 8th victory was the sweetest: the 2008 USA Adventure Racing National Championship.
Years of adventure racing experience, lifetime-best fitness, and nearly telepathic communication made Team DART-nuun the most dominant team in the United States in 2008. However, the National Championship victory in the Blue Ridge mountains of NE Georgia did not come easily. We overcame injury, mechanical issues, nonstop bushwacking through rhododendron and branches, and of course foul weather. Adversity just makes victory so much sweeter, don't you think? It feels better to EARN it.
A few quotes came to mind while bush-wacking in 37 degree temperatures, wind and rain:
"Can't quit. Not dead!"
&
"Think clearly and make the necessary adjustments to take your task to completion..." -Mark Allen
Over the weekend of November 15th I will support my miraculously majestic girlfriend Lisa at the 12 hours of Temecula mountain bike race near Vail Lake. I had intended on racing, and perhaps contending for the series title, but alas my bike will be in the Intensive Care Unit at Rock n Road Cyclery. I will leave the dream crushing to my training partners Slater Fletcher and Keevin Blue.
It is definitely time for me to pay back Lisa for all her selfless support during this epic race season. I will be Lisa's mechanic, chef, and ER doc while she completes the 12 hour race with her friends Monique and Melissa.
I told Lisa back in early March that this would be the best year of my life, that I just had a hunch...It has been a comeback in many ways...
Cheers to my friends, teammates, sponsors and competitors. My race schedule for 2009 is evolving and is posted on the right. I will do much more bike racing in 2009, both road and mountain. I will return to some Half Ironman races, perhaps one full Ironman. Xterra is in the mix. Cal Multisports (surfski/bike/run) is in the mix.
I look forward to doing one or two international adventure races, such as WuLong Challenge in China, Abu Dhabi in United Arab Emirates, Medellin AR in Colombia, Salomon Mountain Games in France/Switzerland or XPD Portugal (World Championships). I can only take so much vacation time, unfortunately! These are the main races on our radar right now, in addition to Primal Quest which will be in the Badlands area of South Dakota...600 miles of pain!
The team is working out our schedule over the next few weeks so I will update the schedule whenever we reach a consensus.
Thanks for tuning in. See you in 2009!
Sean
Official Results and hundreds of photos here:
http://www.usaranationals.com/race_hq.aspx
Sean's 2008 Season Results with Team DART-nuun:
1st Adventure Racing 24 Hour National Champs, Blue Ridge, Georgia
1st Adventure Xstream Expedition (72 Hours), Moab, Utah
1st Kit Carson 24 Hour Adventure Race, Lake Tahoe, Nevada
1st Gorge Games 24 Hour Adventure Race, Hood River, Oregon
1st Desert Winds 26 Hour Adventure Race, Lake Mead, Arizona
1st Baja Travesia Expedition (70 hours), San Felipe, Baja, Mexico
1st Scout Adventure Race, Santa Monica Mountains, California
1st Desert Rage Adventure Race: Vail Lake, Temecula, California
