Anyhow, the race. The track coach started this kayak/trek/mountain bike race in 2004. Usually 30 to 40 miles total -- 6-10 kayak on the lake behind Dworshak Dam, 6-10 trek, and 20-25 bike. Since there are ample hills around there (you could hardly find a route around there without), you can count on it being vertical. Hell, I think even the kayak route had a 500 ft hill in it. The route and order vary every year. They route you around to a series of checkpoints. You carry a "passport" on which you write each checkpoint's secret word. To give you an idea of this year's verticality, the secret words were all names of steep bike climbs on the Tour de France, past and present.
This year: 7.2 mile kayak, and in my cardboard kayak I did it in 1:36. I think that comes out near 5mph average. I think I was in the front third there. The trek started along the ridge to the south of the Dam, and the climb was only walkable. I passed a bunch of people just resting along the trail. Some of the downhill was also too steep to run. 6ish miles at 11:30s. The terrain was worse than the Hell's Canyon Adventure Run. But worst of all, by far, was the bike. This year's 20 had only 4 miles of gravel road, and the rest paved, but starting at the hospital (needed one of those about an hour into the bike) we went straight up Lower Wells Bench Road -- 2000 ft climb in 4.5 miles. That's about 8% or twice as steep as the Lewiston Spiral Hiway. In my mountain bike's granny gear, I was doing 5.5mph up the steepest part -- the beginning. I was passing people doing 3 mph, riding. I managed 2.66 miles before the heat and the effort (nearly 4 hours in and 80+ degrees) got my heart rate too high. I stopped and pushed the bike at 3mph for a mile. Nobody passed me. Eventually I arrived at the top, about 30 minutes later than I had planned. The last 9 miles of the ride was bombing down Grangemont Road back to Orofino. The winners topped out at 47mph (speed limit is 35mph). They did the entire race in under 4 hours. I was at 4:52.
60 entrants, but only 11 solos. You can enter as a team (two members stay within 100 yards of each other they entire race), or as a relay, if you're smart. Just don't do the bike.