Wow
For the whole week prior all I could think of was the race what to do how it was going to be done and such. Matt, Mike and I left St. Pete the night before to spend a night in Vero at Matts crib. Having never ridden at all on the east coast I was bugging out over the thought of 10-foot waves. I didn't get to sleep until 2:30/3:00 so three hours was all the sleep I was going to get that morning. Once I was up it was on with one banana for breakfast I was ready to race. We got to the start and started setting up all the gear. The waves looked like they were going to eat me but I was so stoked I didn't really matter. When Neil was going over the start prep I remember thinking twice about doing the race and that was it the third time I thought about it we were in the water. I was getting worked hard trying to get past the shore break but once I got through it things got better for a while. After passing the second pier I lost my board switching to toeside and spent the next 10 mins trying to retrieve it. The current was pulling the board out to sea while I was being sent down wind I thought this was going to be it but after being pumbled by a wave from God I looked up to see my board less than five feet from where I was! Putting on the board I remember thinking all right so if this is the first five or so miles what else am I in for, for the next 55 or so.
My 12m Switchblade was the perfect kite for the race there was hardly a time where I felt too powered up and even when the wind died down a bit it was still enough for me to cruse right by a bunch of people. I was cruising the first half with flying colors. Really bombing and soaring huge transfers over the waves. Being goofy I rode most of the race regular trying to get accustomed to traveling long distances switch. Probably 70% of the time. I could not believe how many man-o-war jellyfish there were every time I fell which was quite a bit in the second half I thought I was going to get one to the face. Right before I saw the best flag I looked over to see a five-foot tarpon, shoot out of the water with another smaller fish in its mouth. My thoughts were there must be much bigger fish under me that I could not see.
As I was nearing the checkpoint sipping on some water from my camel back I started getting really dizzy and lightheaded. I waved to the woman that was catching the kites and as she was grabbing my kite I was booting to my left. Probably because I didn't eat anything more than a banana or the fact that I was swilling the night before but after that I just sat down on the bench and tried to regain my composure. I ate some powerbars trying o put something in my stomach for the rest of the race.
After about 15 mins of waiting I saw matt coming down the coast. When he got in I asked him if he was prepared for the rest because I was not feeling good at all yet. We got back out in the water with the idea of keeping close and making sure we both would finish. The more we worked our way down the coast the better the seas got. I knew I needed to ride the east coast before the race but we never got the chance with finals week being the week after the race. I had rigged a leash to my board but as I was around 20 miles from the finish it broke off and I ditched it in the ocean.
This made me work on trying to keep the board on my foot much more than I had wile I had the leash. I remember coming in at ft. Lauderdale beach because I thought it was the finish, after I spoke to one of the kiters I was told we were only 6-7 miles from the finish. This was music to my ears. I told matt and we were off for our last couple of miles. I was anxious to get there so I was pushing myself hard looping and switching fast. As I saw the finish line get closer and closer I looped the kite more and more when I was about 300 yards away from the buoy I caught an edge and ate it. I got my board and worked my way to round the buoy. As I was I saw that matt was trying to work the inside lane and take the lead at the last sec so I cut in fast and felt him ride right over my tail! We were that close. I came in and just sat on the sand trying to fathom the fact that I had actually finished the race. Decently not in the time I had wanted but I finished what I had set out to accomplish. We finished in 4:35 mins this was the longest and most challenging event I have ever ridden in but it will certainly not be the last.
I want to thank Neil, all of the Best Crew, Rick and anyone else who helped make this an amazing event. The rest of the night was a blurr and rightfully so having the intent on killing the pain with suds and bubbles. We ended up in St. Pete somehow, due to a Peter But I had a blast and Blasting down the east coast was something I will never forget.
There were allot of things I learned doing and by doing this race. One don’t drink the night before a 60 mile race. Two eat more than one banana. Three ride big surf and be confident in it. Four work out more I didn't really do much to get myself prepared for the tremendous toll it would take on my body. Five wear a board leash. Until the next... and Happy Holidays to all.
-Oli B
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