MR 340 - Ground Crew

Start of the race in Kansas City.

My boyfriend Michael Maples participated in the Missouri River 340 this year. (MR340) This was his second time competing in it. And it is quite a feat! For those of you that don't know, it is the longest non-stop river race in the world. They go 340 miles- from one side of Missouri to the other. (Kansas City to St Louis)

My make-shift bed in the back of my
car.

The team leaving Jefferson City. 

Michael was a on a team of 12 that were racing in a beautiful wood dragon boat. (And it was a small boat for that many people!) They sit side by side and paddle day in and day out. They never stop to sleep or anything. It took them 53 hours and 7 minutes. And they got 1st in their division, and they were I think 10th or 15th overall. Amazing!!

There were 8 official checkpoints along the way. And I was a part of the ground crew, so I met them at all those stops. They wouldn't get out for long, sometimes, they didn't stop at all! But when they go there we needed to have their new food and drinks ready for them to take. There were 4 other girls on ground crew, and we made up every body's stuff. (Most people had shakes and things we needed to mix up, etc...)

My set up for my workout in the
parking lot.

It was a crazy and wild ride! I made a bed in the back of my car, and I slept there for 3 hours the first overnight (between two of their checkpoints) and then got an hour and a half the next night (again between two of their checkpoints). I was running a bit ragged myself, but at least I wasn't paddling! But I definitely was exhausted.

At the finish line with Michael!

I was very smart about the situation food wise though. I had a cooler for myself, and I brought plenty of water, and then a couple bags of cherries, some blue berries, some chicken salad and some little apple sauce cups. So I snacked on all that all day. I did have one meal a day though- there were BBQ's going on at the checkpoints, so I did manage to get that twice throughout the whole thing. But I have to say I was very proud of my eating. It would have been so easy to just sit in my car and eat junk ALL 53 hours... But I didn't. I made healthy choices.

Also, the last day, a few hours before they arrived at the finish line, I even did my workout! I had a workout video- so I pulled over to a shady part of the parking lot and I just did the video right there. I will admit I got some weird looks. But I was committed to fitting it in! (I'll have a blog about the workout videos I've been doing soon!)

I can also say that there was plenty of drama ON the boat. They got stuck on a jetty for 2 hours in the middle of the first night, and also one of their teammates lost his mind. (Which isn't unusual after that much missed sleep, and stuff. Normal to hallucinate. But this guy wasn't keeping up with his nutrition either, and so he really just lost it.) So the team ended up crossing the finish line with 11 people.

First place in their division!

However, after the race ended and Michael and I stayed in that town a couple days. Obviously Michael needed to refuel his body, so he ate quite a bit, but I also found myself feeling very hungry and wanting lots of food! My body went into a bit of a panic! I also bloated up quite a bit! I don't know what happened- except to say that my body was probably confused by the lack of sleep and routine.

But after the good, bad and ugly... (And all that time without a shower is definitely ugly!) I have to say it was an amazing experience. And watching Michael compete in that- and even just completing what I needed to as a part of the ground crew, really inspired me to get out there and do some kind of event. I don't know what it will be or when it will be, but my eyes and ears are open. I am ready to participate!