The Dirt - Adventure Racing according to Robyn Benincasa
presented by Merrell - Wigwam

The team had a good 2 hour lead through the first half of the day. A navigational mistake on Poison Spider mesa cost them an hour, but they still looked good and were in good spirits after coming down from the mesa to CP28.

They stopped at Denny's in Moab for a quick bite and then moved on quickly. Team Nike took the lead as Merrell/Wigwam slept somewhere between CP28 and CP29/TA 9. As night descended and the leaders were closing in on TA9. Golite/Timberlna, Spyder and Nike Beaver Creek were catching up.

Thus begins the Mountain Trekking stage which is shaping up to be a battle between Merrell/Wigwam and Nike PowerBlast with three other teams pushing hard from behind. They're now travelling in the La Salle range surrounded by 5 peaks all in excess of 10,000 feet. They have about 30 miles of trekking before returning to their mtn bikes.

Yesterday was huge for Merrell/Wigwam. They took the lead and held it in strong fashion. I saw them come off the water and then again several hours later at the rope climb in Hell Roaring Canyon. They said they were cruising...just going at their own pace such as it is.

Nike showed up at the climb sight exactly 2 hours behind Merrell/Wigwam and took exactly the same amount of time to get up the ropes. Both Nike and Merrell/Wigwam were in good spirits and for the most part so were the rest of the lead teams.

Danelle Ballangee of Team Spyder is having a blister problem. She required a little field surgery at cp 17. She may be feeling pain but you wouldn't know it to look at her, she's very tough.

Now the lead teams are on bikes, this is Nikes' forte...they are arguably the best bikers in the race. Neil Jones and Ian Edmond are sharing navigation duties and it looks as though this technique is really paying off. The team has made some great navigational decisions over the past few days.

All in all it's a good situation but the race is still far from over, and they probably haven't picked up the sense of urgency that comes when the end of the race is near. Staying calm and cool when in the lead is key to staying in the lead.

The team is holding a 1:09 lead over Nike PowerBlast as of CP22. This is half way through one of the most challenging sections of the course.

The 29 mile canyoneering leg between TA7 and TA8 goes right through Hell Roaring Canyon. This aptly named wasteland will challenge racers with numerous short ropes sections and a jaw dropping 400' rappel into an inverted bowl-shaped abyss. There is no water, and abundance of insects and no shelter from the blazing sun.

I was in the Media Center earlier tonight when CEO Rich Brazeau came in. He was at the long rappel in Hell Roaring Canyon when Merrell/Wigwam arrived. He said Nike arrived just 15 minutes or so behind them and were looking strong. Clearly Merrell/Wigwam has managed to put some space between then and Ian's crew since the ropes. Hopefully they'll be able to extend that lead as they race towards TA8.

I'm heading out in the morning to try and get in front of the leaders, Yak.

photo by Corey Rich

Merrell/Wigwam and Spyder came in off the paddle together at 1:15 followed 15 minutes later by Nike then a few minutes later by Nike Beaver Creek, Bjurfors and Sole. Go-lite and Buff were a few minutes behind them.

Merrell/Wigwam were the first in the water for a short river crossing with Spyder right behind them. They're into the canyoneering section now. It should take them about 8 hours to get through it.

The team is in good spirits and happy to have yesterdays misery behind them.

"Just call us the pet cemetary team" said Robyn, as she started the swim.

This little swim should help lower their body temperatures a bit and it'll be good for the mind as well. They had to take their fins and PFD's with them, but are allowed to leave them on the beach during the canyoneering section.

Jeff Akens

The lead teams entered the water for the 35 mile paddle at TA5 at 8:30 this morning with Merrell leading the way. The river is flowing at a pretty good clip so we're expecting the first teams within the next hour.

The team seems to have recovered from the pain of yesterdays survival march in the desert and is displaying a renewed competitive spirit.

Jeff Akens

Team Merrell/Wigwam is suffering, Jeff had some heat troubles on his way from CP 7 to TA 2, throwing up and what not. So that slowed'em way down. Once they arrived Jeff rested while the others prepared the bikes for the next leg.

Robyn came in looking very strong actually being a crutch for Jeff, but started to feel poorly in the TA. Things really looked up for her once she threw up...YA!

Right now they are finishing the bike prep and are secveral minutes from leaving. They like everyone else will be be required to wait until light for the white water swimming leg, if they make good time on the bikes that rest will help the team immensely.

Jeff Akens

Everything's going well. I just saw the team run by. They were in a cluster of 5 teams with Nike leading at a trot. All of the teams were looking very thirsty and it'll be a couple of hours before they'll make it to a water point.

Robyn was in good spirits...she looks good.

This is only day one and there is going to be a HUGE attrition rate. The race director said he would be happy if 20 teams finished.

I haven't been able to get messages out as often as I'd hoped, but once in a while I get a signal and can pump one out.

This is kinda like sending messages in an electronic bottle, here goes nothing...

Jeff Akens

And they're off, with a few thrills and spills, the 2006 Primal Quest Utah has begun.

A couple of riders were thrown, but no body was injured. Team Merrell/Wigwam intends on maintaining an easy pace through the first couple of days.

It could be that they're embracing that easy strategy right out of the gate...someone said that they saw Team Merrell/Wigwam in the back of the pack, but I think that might've been a mistake.

Jeff Akens

All the teams loaded up on yellow school busses at 11:30 last night and drove 4 hours to the Cleveland Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry National Landmark. We're about 20 miles east of Huntington Utah, pretty much out in the middle of nowhere.

The teams are now picking up their GPS tracking systems and getting their horses assigned for Stage 1. It'll be a couple of hours before the start.

Team Merrell/Wigwam is relaxed and ready. In fact, they were so relaxed they were almost late for the busses. Neil, Jeff and Ian were almost 12 minutes late. Not a big deal unless you factor in the "manditory disqualification for being 15 minutes late to the busses" rule. They took it in typical Kiwi stride and said "she'll be alright" as they shuffled out of the room and off to start the "toughest race in the world".

Jeff Akens

Hello Friends and Family!

Just a final note before we're off on our big adventure at Primal Quest! The pre-race meeting is in 3 hours and then we put our boxes of mountaineering, biking and paddling gear onto trucks and board busses for the start line at midnight. Always nice to start a race sleep deprived.

Thanks to all of you who have helped us get here. Getting to this point is an extended team effort on every level. We're psyched to be racing with you by our side every step of the way. Thanks for sending all the good juju you can!

There are some great teams out here, but we're going in feeling pretty confident that this will be a race of attrition...110 degree heat and hopefully a looooong race...our specialty!

Ian and I attended a VIP party yesterday with some of the event sponsors and saw photos of the course. It looks EPIC!! 8 miles of ropes to climb and ascend...they're saying it's going to be the biggest ropes course in the history of the sport. Sweet! Lots of mtn biking, canyoneering, and whitewater swimming, too. The course designer says this course will compare quite positively to Eco-Challenge 1995...WOW. I really hope that's true.

Ok, I'm off to finish packing. Love and other mushiness to you all...and THANK YOU SO MUCH for all you've done for us. See you on the other side!

XOXOXO Robyn

Hello friends!

Welcome to my blog! Who knew when I started this crazy sport 12 years ago that I would someday have a "blog" (and have it not be some jungle parasite). My goal with this space is to give you some great post race scoop (aka "the dirt") about what really happened out there at some of the big expedition length races (the reporters sometimes miss the good stuff), as well as to bloviate about the state of AR and anything else you guys would like to hear from a salty AR chick :). Let me know what's of interest to you, and I'll get on the case--have thumbs, will blackberry. (For an extra challenge, try thumbing from the back of a fire engine while going code 3 with latex gloves on. Good times!)

As we speak, Jeff Akens (the Hunny Bunny and Team Merrell/Wigwam ground crew/assistant blogger) and I are driving through Mesquite, Nevada on our way to Primal Quest. I'm scared but excited, as usual. Mostly, I'm happy that I'm going to be seeing my boys (Neil Jones, Jeff Mitchell and Ian Edmond) in just a few hours. We really have a great time both on and off the race course. Imagine racing with the cast of Monty Python for 7 days, and you're pretty close. Lots of dry humor. But what else can you expect from the Kiwis? I'm also excited because the PQ this year feels like a new beginning to the sport, a potential filling in of the void left behind by Eco-Challenge, and a bright hope for a "real" expedition race once again. Rich Brazaeu brings a great business mind to the operation, and bringing in Don Mann and John Howard as course setters was a smart move (not to mention hiring Chris Rumor, who has been an exceptional competitor liason). I think that we expedition length racers are all holding our breath on this one hoping for the fair, fun, and truly adventurous courses that the Eco-Challenge and Raid Gauloises once produced. I have to imagine I speak for most of us when I say that we are "over" the race directors that are simply trying to break the spirit of the teams and revel in the fact that so few teams finish their races. What possible good can that bring to our sport? Bragging rights that your course is the "hardest, most grueling"? Like that's a big selling point? We all have lives and families and jobs and sponsors and people that love us out there in the world--nobody wins when you come home utterly destroyed and disappointed like 90 percent of the field did at the 2005 ARWC. We give our hearts and souls (and those of our families/friends) to this sport. And we go to a race hoping that the race director has the wisdom and the courage to not wrap his ego around how many teams he can eliminate, but how many teams he can elevate (went a little Jessie Jackson on ya there. :).

Can Primal Quest bring back the feeling that expedition races, win or lose, are positive, life affirming, teambuilding, spirit-soaring experiences versus an endless, painful, emotionally crushing slog with little hope of being one of the chosen few to cross the finish line? Can Rich and his team fill the gaping hole that Mark Burnett left behind? I know that many of us are crossing our fingers and saying our prayers for that. The future of the sport depends on it. No pressure, Rich! :).

I really do feel like I'm on the precipice of something amazing and wonderful as we speed our way through the desert (120 degrees--yikes!). Can't wait to see many old and new friends at the Red Cliffs Lodge and to get this long awaited party started. I'm still in love with AR after all these years, and have all the scars to prove it. I'm sure I always will be. There's such a wonderful simplicity and peace to being out there with your best pals, lying side by side in the dirt smelling like a well-used catbox and staring up at the stars. It just doesn't get any better than that. PQ here we come!!! Xoxoxox robyn

Moab is a long way from New Zealand both in terms of distance and weather. Neil Jones and Jeff mitchell have made it to Moab and are experiencing 100+ degree temps, that's a far cry from the 40 degree temps of their homeland.

Robyn Benincasa and Ian Edmund have yet to arrive in Utah, but will be there shortly.

This weather is nothing new to them, team Merrell/Wigwam has multiple Eco-Challenge, Raid Gauloises and Southern Traverse wins among others and top 5 placement in virtually every expedition length adventure race on the planet. They would be considered the veterans in any field.

Right now her "boys" are sussing out the town of moab and finding the best places to eat, the mayhem will begin soon enough.

Jeff Akens

Both Yak and AR reporter Jeff Akens will be shadowing the team on the course as they fight the elements and try to out-smart the best adventure racing teams in the world to take 1st place and the $100,000 prize purse that goes with it. We'll be bringing you regular updates around the clock from the desert, rivers and mountains that make up this epic course.

Robyn Benincasa is an accomplished professional adventure racer and business owner. On her new Checkpoint Zero blog, The Dirt, Robyn will offer an unrivaled glimpse into the world of professional racing as she shares her thoughts the current state of the sport, where it's been and where it's going (or should be going).

Look for her reviews after each event Merrell-Wigwam attends and as often as her busy schedule will allow in between. I happen to know she's got a Blackberry. I'm gonna set her up so that she can post via email. That ought to make sure we all get as much pontificating as possible :-)

Cheers, Yak.