Vivian Bliss
Volunteer - the things you learn, the places you go.
2004 was the year. The year I decided I wanted to adventure race and began by volunteering for the TRIOBA Adventure Race Series in Washington State. My first assignment was Checkpoint 2 high on a foothill on the eastside of the Cascades. It was the sprint race to kick off the TRIOBA series that year. I was barely in position before the first team appeared as if by magic, the middle of the packers gave a bit more warning and the back of the packers arrived all smiles. My favorite was a team doing their first adventure race and inquiring if they were last. After I informed them that they were not the last team, they broke out in big grins excited that their motto was intact -- "Not first, not last and not lost".
Nearly every race that summer I was at a Checkpoint, a Transition Area, or at Headquarters checking in racers, signing passports, answering questions or handing out UTMs. I got to know the racers, the Yeager brothers, Lance the sadistic bike course designer, Amber the calm one at HQ, Mom and Dad Yeager, the other volunteers and at least three reasons to hate inflatable boats. What a great opportunity to check out everyone's gear -- how bikes were rigged, towing systems, map cases, hydration systems, transition processes and so much more. Beyond my own personal edification I had a fantastic time interacting with all the racers.
2005 arrived and I was ready to run my first TRIOBA Adventure Race - the sprint race at St. Ed's State Park in the rain, the mud and the eventual sunshine. My team of four newbies loved every exhausting minute as we took our place at the back of the pack. The rest of the season I volunteered for the remaining TRIOBA races and the new BEAST races. I was at the finish line of the final TRIOBA race to see Team mergeo.com cross just minutes before Team DART. A season-long rivalry that will no doubt continue.
2006 started with a bang. I headed to Costa Rica as a volunteer for The Coastal Challenge, a 7 day staged expedition run down the southwestern coast. A handful of the runners were adventure racers, including one from the Seattle. Many of the volunteers were also adventure racers and are on the volunteer roster for this year's Primal Quest. There I was in beautiful Costa Rica talking about adventure racing and hearing interesting stories from past Primal Quest races.
What will the rest of the year bring? Look for me out on the course either as a volunteer or a racer. Either way I will be learning more and going to interesting places.