Race Report: Collegiate Nationals Adventure Race
Reno, Nevada
April 15, 2007
Written by Laura Hanlon

Over the weekend I traveled to Reno, Nevada to compete in Collegiate Nationals for adventure racing. The race included running, whitewater kayaking on the Truckee River, mountain biking, and orienteering. I competed with a good friend from Virginia Tech, Michael Stratton. Michael and I have competed in local adventure races together including both 12- and 24-hour long races.

Our race really began last week. We had secured sponsorship to help pay for plane tickets, but last Monday found out that there was a miscommunication between the sponsorship and the travel agency making our arrangements, so as of Thursday night we were not going. I received a call at 11 pm on Thursday from our sponsor to pack our bags because the details had been worked out. Our final decision to go was made at noon on Friday, which made for a crazy night of packing and planning, got 3 hours of sleep before our 6 am flight to Reno. We got to Reno by 3 pm and had time to put the bikes together and check out what we thought might be the course. With adventure racing you don't know what the course will be until the pre race meeting in the hour before the race.

We also got to check out Reno a bit that night. Not sure if any one was been there, but it's a strange place. We stayed at the Circus Circus casino (thanks to United State Adventure Racing Association). The casino tried to market for a "family-friendly" atmosphere- family and casino just don't belong in the same sentence in my opinion! We did get a good night sleep though and were still on east coast time so getting up at 5 am was not a big deal.

The event was hosted by CSTV check out the website: http://www.cstv.com/thecollegiatenationals No pics yet but there should be a ton soon. There was a helicopter and motorbikes following us throughout the race. The race was very well run, one of the most organized races I have ever competed in.

The race ended up starting with a 3 mile run which felt more like a sprint to me to a checkpoint where we got into kayaks. Both Michael and I have experience whitewater kayaking, we actually met in West Virginia paddling the Gauley. We passed 6 teams on the 3 mile kayak. I guess I didn't mention that it was about 40 degrees out that morning so to say it was cold would be an understatement. After the kayak it was onto the mountain bike. The mountain biking out there is obviously very different from anything I have been riding back east but it was so fun, and fast. After the mountain biking it was more running then a river/rock scramble to the finish line. We ended up placing 1st in the co-ed division. We won an amazing amount of gear and other prizes. The whole weekend was a whirlwind with lots of great memories, happy to say that we brought home a NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP title.

We came back on a red eye just in time for me to make it to my 9 am class. Michael had been really stressed all weekend about making it back to Blacksburg for his 2 pm exam yesterday afternoon. He arrived in time only to find his class had been cancelled and that an unbelievable tragedy had occurred at Virginia Tech. Michael is an engineering major, I am so grateful he was not on campus yesterday morning. My thoughts and prayers go out to all of those who were there.