The 2021 24 Hour MSAR would cover a lot of distance!!

Welp, after a few days of downtime to reflect on this year’s 24 hour Maine Summer Adventure Race (and a long delay getting this posted to Filthy Clean Living), here are a few deep thoughts.

10 things I learned from the 2021 MSAR

1) You can never check over your bicycle parts (and lighting systems) enough before a race. Never. Our tally is now at 3 bikes broken before reaching the first checkpoint in the last two races raced. Yup. Check the bikes again.

Our solution to Sam's broken frame- Riding Mac's small frame bike and putting her on the broken behemoth. 

2) You can never have the right parts with you to fix said problems, so bring lots of ski straps, zip ties, a US alpine downhiller, and praises to the bike gods.

3) Swimming mid-race should be a thing, because it is wicked fun. Really. If there isn’t a swim in the course already, make one and laugh the whole time.

Beautiful Range Pond- the site of both the kayak and swim of this summer's race.

4) It IS possible to actually lose a teammate who is standing just 20 feet away from you if the marsh is thick enough and the grass tall enough (thank you CP 33 for this one). Apparently, yelling “muffin” might help? While we were not one of the teams using pack rafts, I might note that having a fully inflated pack raft in this section was ill-advised.

5) Waist deep, muddy, swamp mank really is not as much fun as a mid race swim in a clean pond.

6) Shopping in the baby aisle prior to a race is really all you need (Desitin, baby food, baby wipes).

7) My kids are animals. Don’t tell them you don’t think they can do something.

Sometimes climbing up a mountain on your hands and knees is the best way to the top.

9) A positive, fun, supportive team dynamic can bring out awesome things in everyone. Adventure with people you like to spend time with when you aren’t lost in the woods.

While Dave had to abandon Noah on team Scrambled Legs and Aching this year- he was there volunteering, fixing bikes, and cheering on his favorite teams from the "other side".

10) Riding a mountain bike up several big hills in a record setting torrential downpour is kinda a fun way to end a race. It is also kinda miserable.

Noah taking on the 90 miles of biking, mostly singletrack, making it look easy

Thanks to Strong Machine Adventure Racing for another epic adventure. Also thanks to Noah, Charlie, Mac and Sam for sharing in the fun. Lastly, thanks to Dave for being a good sport and cheering us on from the sidelines with a broken arm.

Results: Charlie and I won the women's division overall! Mac and Sam were second overall for 2 person Co-Ed, and Noah took an overall win for the non-packraft division! Not to shabby for a motley crew!

Kate and Cliff know how to do great race swag. Thanks Strong Machine!