Tuckerman’s Inferno

Now THIS is a race!  This is mine and my husband’s third time going up to Attitash for the Tuckerman’s Inferno Pentathalon race.  We had teams the first year, and this year.  Check it out at www.friendsoftuckerman.org

It is a crazy race where the first leg is an 8.3 mi run (2mi up/2mi down/ then rolling hills for 4.3 miles).  The runner tags the kayaker who kayaks 6miles down a pretty fast river with rapids, who then tags a biker who bikes 18 miles up to the AMC lodge at the base of Tuckerman’s Ravine (2000 ft elevation), who tags the hiker who hikes up to the bowl of Tuckerman’s Ravine and tags the skier who after already hiking up 4.5 miles with a 40lb pack on his/her back has to climb the bowl of the Ravine and ski down through gates to the finish.    You may think we’re nuts doing this as a team, there are people who do this ALL by themselves!  Can you imagine?  Each leg is pretty technical and not easy.  I can’t imagine doing all of it one after the other.

Anyways, this year there were a lot more teams and individuals participating.  The skill level also increased if you look at the times from the last two years to this year (for example the first runner ran the 8.3 miles in 45min, and the first biker biked in 59 min!)

I was thrilled this year, my biking has really come along and I was able to complete the climb in ~1hr 14min.  I guess I can no longer say that “I’m not a hill climber”.  It’s weird when this happens to you.  I used to say “I’m not a runner” because I wasn’t fast and it wasn’t natural or easy for me.  But now, I embrace what I am able to do and call myself a cyclist, runner, swimmer and triathlete, as should you.

Completing a crazy race like this really does put things in to perspective.  There are so many people that can not, or would not do what we do.  We should be proud!  Look back at all you have accomplished, and each year you get better and better.  This whole process is amazing to me.