The forth annual Mountain Warfare Training Challenge was held on 17 May 2008 at the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center in the Toiyabe National Forest.  `

    Fellow Los Angeles Adventurers Club member David Yamada #969 informed me of this event, and as such was directly responsible for all the aches and pains  I experienced both during the event and for the next few days following the event.  Thank you David.  (This is  one of the benefits of the Adventurers Club.)

    Not being one to selfishly covet the pleasures of  participating in interesting activities alone, I contacted my friend Erick, and immediately convinced him to join me on a road trip up t the Toiyabe National Forest.

    The adventure began at 1300 in Crestline, CA.  We arrived in time to register for the event and eat the spaghetti dinner.  As usual it was adequate in both "quantity and quality".

    Feeling hyperglycemic after ingesting complex carbohydrates under a red pasta sauce, it was now time to find lodging.  A few miles from the base we found a Picnic area that was suitable for field expedient lodging.  We camped at the Sonora Picnic Area of the Toiyabe National Forest.

 (Great facilities by the way, complete with head, running water, trash collection and a mountain stream filled with fish.  All the comforts of home to say the least.)  What a beautiful view.  It was a great night for camping under the stars.

    The 6.2 mile run was not your everyday 10K; this one came complete with entertainment.  First off, it started at 6800 feet and went up to 7800 feet.  (The first two miles went straight up 800 feet.)  The temperature was 88 degrees.  Needless to say,  neither Erick nor I was acclimated to the altitude.  The first two miles was what the "Challenge" in the Mountain Warfare Training Challenge was all about.

     Erick and I made it to the summit intact using a combination of teamwork, common sense and grit.

    The other entertainment involved some "obstacles" thrown in for fun. Scattered throughout the course  was a "wall climb", a "tire run", a couple of "tunnel crawls", a "hay bale" climb, a "low crawl", some exploding porta-potties to evade, and an ambulance or two just to tempt you with fresh Oxygen and a free ride, before you would make it through to the cheering crowds at the finish.

    It took me a couple of miles to get my wind.  About half way through the race my body finally kicked into it's racing pace of a "sub-15 minute mile".  I finished the event with a dazzling time of 1:26:26, easily securing 13th place in my age category.

    Though competing with a foot injury, Erick was a bit disappointed in his results. He finished the event a little behind me with a time of 1:28:40, which placed him 26th in his age group.

    If anyone is interested,  the results can be found at  http://www.y-events.com/08mwtcindiv.htm.

   (And just for the record, first place came in at 0:45:13. )

    After the awards ceremony we packed up and headed south. 

 

    The trip back home included some mini adventures including a little swim in Convict Lake.
            [  Yes, thank you, the water was cold.  ]

    And a little foray in a snow pack. [ Pictures of ensuing snowball fight excluded due to the violent nature of the images.]

    In all it was a wonderful adventure.  See you next year.

Semper fi,                 

Bob Iannello, #1100
 Major,  USMC  {Ret.}

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Event Page    http://y-events.com/mwtc/

Results          http://www.y-events.com/08mwtcindiv.htm

My Home Page   http://cedu-diver.com/CCO2.htm

pub 19 May 2008