Much like every Worlds Toughest, the race started with a sprint lap (no obstacles).  Growing accustom to trying to get 1 lap in within 1 hour to avoid obstacles; i settled into my comfortable pace.  Previous years in Vegas we typically had at least 1 swim on the sprint lap; and this one was no exception having to swim across the bay near the end of the course right after Kong Infinity.   Lake Las Vegas is Cold; and quickly takes your breath away as you start to paddle.  Not a strong swimmer myself; i would blow air into my camel bak to create a makeshift flotation device to make my life a bit easier.

Going into lap two, heat of the afternoon everything seemed to be working well.  My nutrition was on, i was hydrated; and for the most part i was completing what obstacles were open.  Some new ones we had not seen before included; 'Pandoras Box' which was a shock obstacle where you crawled through a blacked-out box attempting to avoid chains/wires and tires.  Another was Turdunkin which was a combination of sewage outlet (tube crawl to ejecting yourself into a water pit); continuing on was a slide into water where you had to then dunk under a log before climbing a cargo net out.  A few things about Turkdunkin.  One....the water was disgusting as it had sat in the sun for an entire 2 weeks growing whatever so it smelt awful; and secondly; if you slid down the wrong spot on the slide portion; there was a rock that would destroy your booty in the most awful of ways.   

The first 25 miles went quick; I was having a good race.

With all obstacles now open; my pace slowed exponentially.  I had made Kong infinity the first time it opened; to than realize the swim after Kong could be avoided by just taking the obstacle penalty (which was actually easier).  

One thing about this course, the obstacles were not very 'fun' and the penalties for failed obstacles were LONG.  The longest being the penalty for Funky Monkey, which upon a failure of the obstacle; the penalty consisted of a 3/4 mile run plus having to do Arctic Enema.  This penalty was every lap after lap 3; my grip just wasn't there to complete the obstacle.  

After 9PM this OCR course felt more like a grind than any race I've done before; with each lap being almost 7 miles in length with penalties.  At least i felt good, mentally i was good, physically tired; but staying warm.  The night hours seemed to just disintegrate away with each lap.

One other notable item:  I remember that although it wasn't 'too cold' ; the water in Augustus Gloop spraying down on us as we climbed the tube was by far the coldest water on course.  It must have been because the pumps cycling/spaying the water through the dry desert air was causing it to get super-cooled by comparison to other obstacles that had pits of water.  At least after this obstacle there was another immediate water obstacle followed by a long hill climb to warm a person back up.

I also remember kiss-of mud 2.0 was nick-named kiss-of-rocks.  Small, sharp, hard, pointing gravel that just chewed up elbows and knees at each passing.  It was a test of how much 'uncomfortable' you could tolerate as each lap progressed.

Night time is a lonely time at any WTM.  The course thins out; you're physically exhausted; and worst of all, your mind starts to question what you're doing and why you are there.

As the night gave up its cold grasp on the world; dawn arrived.  This is the most welcoming side of any 24 hour race.  Especially in the Desert where the Hot/Cold differential messes with your body.  Just before dawn i was walking the Funky Monkey Penalty which was a long/ out and back along Lake Las Vegas.  The wind coming across the lake cut right through everything i was wearing to where even arctic enema now felt warm; this would be the coldest i would get during this event.

As the sun broke the horizon i thought back to my first WTM; where i was laying, shivering on my tent floor as the sun came up.  The event crew played the Beatles, "Here Comes the Sun".  I remember hearing that song as a sign of hope i wasn't going to die of hypothermia that night.  In this event, i was no where near that cold; but yet a spot of orange on the horizon always makes me think back to that moment, and that song.  With the rise of the sun; energy comes back into my bones; as i continue to move; ever so slowly.

Around mile 40, the 'easy' Kong obstacle got re-routed through some gnarly desert terrain,  to make it more difficult.  People figured out it was easy and were taking it.  I was taking it because i had no choice; as all my remaining upper body was being conserved for walls.

As i pitted after my 8th or 9th lap, Jake (who's race didn't go so well) brought Mc Donald's in.  It was the best McGriddle of my life.