Impromptu Hatteras!

A forecast of great weather and good wind was enough of a tease to entice a convergence of Raleigh NORSA members Alan Stewart, Adam D, and Taylor Hinson with Norfolk member Travis Dozier on Sunday.



Phone calls were made Friday evening and plans were quickly put in place for a Sunday day trip to Canadian Hole on Hatteras Island. Travis, an experienced kitesurfer, had acquired a new quiver of kites and Alan's Hobie 18 was in need of a good workout. Despite getting a later than anticipated start Sunday morning, the Raleigh crew still made it down in short time to view warm water, a beautiful sun, and winds a little greater than anticipated. Local anemometers measured steady 25 mph winds with gusts in the 30s. Windsurfers were cruising in their smallest 4.8 and 4.2 meter sails and kitesurfers were seen with their smallest gear likewise.

Travis' smallest kite is an 8 meter kite, and unfortunately his smallest working kite is a 12 meter. Being unprepared for such gnarly conditions, the entire crew focused on making the hobie 18 rip.



Unable to reef the sail, the crew decided to forgo use of the jib and use all four people to hold the overpowered boat down. The boat shot off the beach into the sound amongst a pack of windsurfers swirling about. Unfortunately, the benefits of Canadian Hole for windsurfing (waist-deep water for extremely long distances) proved to be too much for the sailboat. Upon hitting a shoal at high speed, one of the rudders failed to kick up and instead, placed a solid hole in the rear of one transom. The true nature of the damage was revealed after the limp back to shore with a sinking hull.



Despite only getting half a run in, a day in Hatteras is pleasure enough. The NORSA crew used the remaining time to tour lighthouses,



swim in the ocean near the point,


and even hold a photo-shoot for the newly inked EYE of the World apparel line (available at the newly re-designed www.eyeotw.org).

Shakori Hills!

From Friday April 17th to Sunday the 19th, NORSA members Alan, Adam, Taylor, and Jana, along with friends Matt, Brian, Cindi, Britt, and Andrew, were joined by fellow hashers Sponge, Gypsy, Slippery, Rover, Scrub, and Elickser for the Spring 2009 Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival of Music and Dance in central Chatham County, North Carolina. The event takes place on a farm designed specifically for the purpose of hosting the festival where participants camp out all weekend long. This was the second and third Shakori Hills for much of the NORSA crowd.

Featuring multiple stages, activity tents, a dance tent, local vendors, artisans, and thousands of North Carolina's finest hippies, the festival is a weekend-long celebration of bluegrass, zydeco, country-western, folk, and reggae music. Over fifty bands participate, including past staples Donna the Buffalo, Carolina Chocolate Drops, Del Mccoury, Scythian, Boulder Acoustic Society, Eileen Jewel, The Horse Flies, the Red Hots, Old Crow Medicine Show, and many more. This year's headliner was Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys, who won a Grammy award in 2002 for their work on the soundtrack for the motion picture "O Brother, Where Art Thou?"

Three days of the festival can get somewhat expensive, but fortunately there are opportunities to volunteer for free passes. A three hour shift gets you one free day pass. The NORSA crew (along with many others) worked parking shifts. Alan, Adam, Taylor also showed their appreciation for nature by working compost shifts both Saturday and Sunday. The festival seeks to minimize their impact on the environment by composting and recycling as much refuse as possible. All vendors use bio-degradable utensils, plates and cups. Compost volunteers get to drive a sweet Datsun truck around the festival and, besides collecting compost, educate festival goers about the benefits of composting.

The spring festival was a success. Special thanks to Jana for organizing and picking out a sweet and central campsite.

Shamrock Sportsfest 2009

On Sunday, March 22nd, six NORSA members traveled to Virginia Beach to participate in the Annual Shamrock Marathon and Half Marathon. This event, coupled with its flat course, strong organization, large cheering crowds, and great post race finish party featuring essentially unlimited Yuengling and all you can eat beef stew, was a hit with NORSA members last year, and so were joined by three additional competitors this year to make it one of NORSA's largest events (and without a doubt the highest female to male ratio).



Bethan repeated her performance from last year by running a strong full marathon. This year she brought along a contingent of fellow classmates to also participate in the full. Julia, Adam, Anna, Alan, and Taylor meanwhile settled for the half marathon. This was a NORSA-filled weekend for many of the competitors, as Julia, Alan, and Taylor participated in Sir Walter's HHH 800th R*n and Adam returned from the NORSA Ski Trip to Wyoming the day before.

The race conditions were perfect (if maybe a little warm by the end of the marathon) for strong finishes by all competitors.

Full Marathon:
Bethan 4:22:28

Half Marathon:
Julia 1:38:45
Adam 1:49:36
Anna 1:51:47
Alan 2:15:36
Taylor 2:49:23

After the race, all NORSA participants, as well as three of Bethan's classmates ate a celebratory meal at Olive Garden - the site of a similar celebratory meal after the 2007 Sandman Triathlon.

Legs and joints ached at the end of the day, but all members were satisfied with an excellent race and a successful challenge. Special thanks also to NORSA newcomer Jasmin and the Tidewater HHH for a motivational refreshment stop on the course.

Krispy Kreme Challenge 2009!

On Saturday, Team NORSA members Adam, Alan Stewart, Tim Josey, and Taylor Hinson were joined by newcomer Scott Hinson and over 5,000 other runners to compete in the 5th annual Krispy Kreme Challenge.

The official event involves running 2 miles from NC State University's belltower to the historic Krispy Kreme doughnut shop in downtown Raleigh, eating 12 Krispy Kreme doughnuts, and then running the two miles back in under an hour.



This was Adam's fourth year of participation and the size of the race has grown each year in number and stature. This year a commentator from ESPN participated in the race in a suit and tie with a camera crew in tow.

In the end, only 1,433 individuals successfully completed the challenge. Congratulations to Adam and Alan for their noteworthy finish times.

Participant    Run1(Rank)  Donut(Rank)  Run2(Rank)  Overall
ADAM   19:28(1062) 13:34(424)   19:09(684)  49:30(571)
ALAN   19:42(1105) 17:53(739)   18:33(573)  53:26(818)

The winner completed the entire race in 28:09 and the fastest doughnut time was 1:44.

McTrouser Gravy Bike Challenge a ... success!

Long ago, NORSA cycling veterans Tim Josey, Alan Stewart, and Adam gathered over drinks and hashed up a new type of competition. This would combine elements of Ironman, the Krispy Kreme Challenge, and the Virgilinia Twelvety. A sort of Mythbusters crossed with Fear Factor, the event would require stamina, endurance, and perseverance. After many months of rescheduled dates and school conflicts, the team gathered this past Sunday to complete the McTrouser Gravy Bike Challenge.

Everyone knows that endurance cycling, McDonald's Quarter Pounders, and prunes all have something in common - they all create a similar effect on your body. The heart of the McTrouser Gravy Bike Challenge was to combine all three elements and see who could hang on the longest.



The team gathered Sunday at 11:00 AM (along with NORSA member and race supporter Taylor Hinson) and started with the pre-bike portion of the event. Over the course of an hour the competitors consumed a Quarter Pounder with Cheese and three cups of prunes (roughly 1.25 lbs), with prune juice being the only beverage alternative. Keep in mind that most internet sources recommend a daily intake a 2-3 prunes, with 4-6 being a daily maximum.

After an hour had passed and the members had consumed the burgers and prunes, they straddled their bicycles and began a bike ride on their traditional Bonsal training route. This bike ride mostly travels through rural terrain with many uninhabited stretches which would provide ample opportunity for the competitors to abandon the race and sprint into the woods.

A rule was set which mandated the crew hold a 15 mph average, but throughout the ride actually held an average of over 17 mph. As the miles ticked by, the crew could feel the dense mass of prunes ravaging their innards. Beginning as severe stomach cramps, the feeling later transformed itself into a pressing need to stop cycling.

Adam was the first competitor out of the race, bailing at the 17.8 mile mark. After being picked up by Taylor in the chase vehicle, they caught up to the riders just in time to see Alan abandon the race just past Bonsal at the 22 mile mark.



Showing a feat of inhuman strength, Tim remained in competition long after he had to. "I couldn't s@#% even if I tried" Tim reported as Alan made a dash behind a set of railroad tracks. At this point, the team got into the chase vehicle and returned to Adam's house, where Tim continued to compete for approximately another hour.

The team learned a few things from this endeavor. 1) Prunes and prune juice in massive quantities do not taste good. 2) The cramping is the worst part of the competition. 3) The effects of the competition continue for many hours longer than you would like them to.

The challenge was formally completed and at the end of the day, win or lose, everyone was a loser.

A NORSAriffic New Years

NORSA members Steve, Alan Stewart, Julia Brockman, Taylor Hinson, and Adam spent New Years at Steve's beach house in North Litchfield, South Carolina. Just south of Myrtle Beach, the destination provided opportunities for a broad range of NORSA and non-NORSA activities, including New Year's Eve at Club Kryptonite along with trips to Brookgreen Gardens, Castle Atalaya, Georgetown, and Maze Mania.

Happy New Year!

From our family to yours ...

And a NORSAtastic New Year!

Team NORSA's EYE of the World 5K!

This past Sunday marked Team NORSA's first self-sponsored and organized competitive race, the EYE of the World 5k! Participants braved the cold and wind to race for bragging rights over this prestigious event.


NORSA regulars and Louisville Ironman participants/supporters Alan Stewart, Julia Brockman, Adam, Taylor Hinson, and Anna Blount, were joined by NORSA newcomer Reagan (Ian's 9 month old black lab).

Results:

1 - Reagan
2 - Adam
3 - Alan Stewart
4 - Julia Brockman
5 - Anna Blount (tie)
5 - Taylor Hinson (tie)

Special thanks to the ever-kind Newport News host Ian Harris, as well as the Mariners' Museum and the Riverside community for providing an excellent race venue.

140.6 Miles - Team NORSA Completes IRONMAN Louisville!

Team NORSA has reached new heights. On Sunday, August 31st, 2008, at 7:22 AM, tri-team members Alan Stewart and Adam hopped into the Ohio River in Louisville Kentucky to culminate a long year of training. Over 14 hours later, they were Ironmen.

They both signed up for this grueling day on September 13, 2007. Since that day, they swam, ran, and biked their way through training injuries, miles of pavement, and countless laps in pools and lakes. Training involved swimming in the NC State pool and nearby Lake Jordan, running half and full marathons, and spending hours on the bike - both in the frigid cold and the blistering sun. As of three weeks ago, they were as strong as they were going to be. The final long workouts were scheduled before beginning a two-week taper in timid anticipation of race day.

On Thursday at noon, the team departed Raleigh (along with supporters Taylor Hinson and EYE of the World member Anna Blount - they were later joined in Louisville by NORSA veteran Julie Brockman) in the decorated team car, and drove nine hours to northwest Kentucky.

Friday and Saturday were spent registering, prepping gear, checking in equipment, and previewing the bike and run courses by car. After a final carb-loaded dinner Saturday night, the racers went to catch a few hours of sleep. They awoke at 4:30 in the morning, made their way down to the transition area to do final preps to the bikes, and then headed to the swim start.

This race is unique in that the age groupers have an individual time-trial start. Instead of a mass start which features much unintentional grabbing, kicking, and fondling in the water, the racers stepped over a timing mat one by one before jumping in the water. The swim was a 2.4 mile up and back in the Ohio river. The water temperature was 83 degrees making it non-wetsuit legal (which are allowed up to 78 degrees and help with buoyancy).

Out of the swim and into the transition area, racers were handed a bag with their bike apparel and headed to a changing tent where helpful volunteers took their swim gear and sprayed the racers with sunscreen.

Leaving the transition area, bikers headed northeast for 112 miles in the rolling hills of Kentucky horse country. Temperatures were in the mid-90s with a triple-digit heat-index. Both the hills and heat took their toll on the racers, but were fortunately supported by 9 aid stations and 1 special needs bag hand-off. The two-lap course passed through a thick cheering crowd in the town of LaGrange twice before beginning the 30 mile descent back to Louisville.

Special note needs to be given to the Team NORSA IRONMAN support team featuring Alan's parents Dawn and Paul, Alan's sister Tana, Adam's parents Piotr and Maria, SWH3 member Doug/A.C., and of course, the 'That's What She Said" cheering squad of Julie, Taylor, and Anna. Seeing them at the transitions, in LaGrange, and throughout the run course was incredibly motivating.

This motivation came in greatest need on the run. After a beautiful and fast bike, the racers changed into running shoes and began the final portion of the event. They headed out to cheers of "You're almost done!" which were both appropriate and lies at the same time. The majority of the event had already been completed - both in time and mileage - but the thought of that didn't ease the fact that they still had to run a marathon - 26.2 miles.

Aid stations were positioned every mile. Sometimes, even that was too far. The greatest pain the racers felt wasn't in their legs or knees, but rather in their stomachs. Nutrition and hydration were the biggest challenges of the day, and it took every bit of effort to keep putting countless packs of PowerGel and Gatorade-Endurance down.

As night fell, the racers were given glowsticks, but as the night approached, so did the finish. The ultimate goal was to cross the finish line alive, standing, and ahead of the 17-hour limit. Alan and Adam both succeeded.

The Race

The Finish

Adam's stats. Alan's stats.
Adam's official race photos. Alan's official race photos.

Check out Alan's description and additional photos at http://sailnaway.blogspot.com/.

Thanks again to the support team at the race and everyone who followed online. Thanks to everyone who spent miles on the bike and pavement training with us. A super NORSA thank-you goes to the team host, David Wicks. David is a Watertribe member and three-time Everglades Challenge competitor who hosted the team at his wonderful house, took them kayaking late at night, and introduced them to the wonders of Kentucky.

And by the way, if you think an IRONMAN teeters on the brink of absurd, how about a double, triple, quadruple, or even 15X IRONMAN? That's right, a 36 mile swim, 1680 mile bike, and 393 mile run. The current world record is 312 hours and change.

What's the next grand feat for Team NORSA? Who knows, but we'll try and keep it interesting.