Day-2 Women - KMH Takes the Stage!

Aquarius 21, 2077, m249

Elaine NGuyen of KMH final approach to the Stage 1 finish line.

The rugged and unforgiving terrain of Noctis Labyrinthus is a daunting, high difficultly stage.  The landscape is heavily fractured with variable elevations, rubble, and steep-walled valleys that force runners to stay alert at all times.  Another challenge is the course has no pre-determined routes; the rules forbid navigational assist from all forms of mGPS, auto-compass, or aerial feed from drones, so runners are left to their own devices to make their way out of the labyrinth.

The Women's race resumed on schedule at 7:30 to a sluggish group.  Runners' sleep was disrupted by strong, howling winds that lasted much of the night.  This was harder on  those with soft inflatable habs versus those with integrated sleeping capsules in support vehicles, but either way, it took a tool on all of them.

Though it was a slower morning, the pace picked up by afternoon as competitors step up to push for the finish line.  Clearly, no one wanted to spend another night on the course.

Philips who fought her way to #1 position yesterday, was unable to maintain her lead slowly fell back as a new leading pack formed including Nguyen (KMH), Pande (Europa), Fan (Europa), and Gardner (Mareotis).

By Checkpoint 13, the leading pack was off the Men's pace by only 16 minutes.

Unlike the Men's run, where the track was untouched, many of the racers took advantage of the tracks left behind by prior runners, allowing the the trailing pack to close the gap with the leaders.  this resulted in a log jam at the final ascension and an exciting foot race to the finish line.

In a neck-and-neck running race at the final stretch, Elaine Nguyen of KMH and the two Europa runners, Anya Pande and Gui Ying Fan battled fatigue as they sprinted toward the finish line.

Nguyen crossed the line at 17:24 with an combined elapse time of 19:22:02.  This was 37 minutes behind Pachehra's time of 18:45:45.

Nguyen embraced her husband/coach, Gabriel Ilionescu, who was waiting with KMH flag in-hand.

"I want to thank all of my supporters," Nguyen said, "My family and KMH for making it possible for me to get the training hours in between work.  I know this is only the first course, but it is such a huge personal victory for me to win a stage.  Thank you so much."

Unlike the Men's race, there were no voluntary drop-outs, however, Hannah Chao (Haucheng) did not complete after an knee injury on Day-1 and the 10 hour Countdown disqualified Noor Panghal (Amrita) and Tanya Buchalska (San Olympus).

After the race, a disappointed Buchalska said, "I only had less than 7% of the course to go.  I'm not a strong climber, but I think what really cost me was lack of sleep."

Women's Stage 2 takes place on Aquarius 23rd where the remaining 37 will tackle the Calydon Fossa challenge, a 250 km running race.

Day-1 Women

Aquarius 20, 2077, m249

With the start lights and broadcast of the starting gun, the first official Women’s program began for the Pathfinder Marathon.

In the prior years with only 4 nomadic settlements participating, there were never more than 25 runners in the mixed gender race; and even then, the contest was dominantly men.

Though there has been controversy over the decision to have separate races, it was welcome news to many would-be runners.

“I’m proud to be running in the first Women’s challenge.”, Elaine Nguyen of KMH said, “I’ve raced in the last two Pathfinders and I don’t get the problem.  The rules are quite open for non-binary too; Adriana Wojick would have easily decided to compete in the Men’s program if she wanted.”

Pathfinder Officials have stated that there could be mixed challenges in the future, so this year is a bit of an experiment with respect to the mainstream promotion and Mars-Earth sponsorships.

“Our vision of Pathfinder is to branch out,” said Dr. Whyll Hokosan, chairman of the Pathfinder Marathon Organization (PMO), “Building on the tradition of Pathfinders of the past, we aim to showcase survival, track and field in an inclusive manner.  This is a new chapter for the sporting event and we will make this as big as significant as the MAFL or the Earth Olympics”

Based on the data, the start of the Women’s race had lower engagement than the Men’s, but by late afternoon, there was twice the audience; consistent for both Mars and Earth.

Day-1 Women's Stage 1

Sara Hampton (San Olympus) took an early lead straight out of the gate, but 40 minutes into the race, she took a terrible spill.  She lost the lead, but after calling in her drone for supplies and  taping up her left ankle, she pressed on.

Unlike the Men’s race, where the pack broke apart very early, the Women stayed together far longer.  It wasn’t until after the 3rd checkpoint when the terrain forced the group to split.

Hannah Chao (Huacheng) was the first casualty to Noctis Labryinthus.  Misjudging the distance of a chasm, her jump was shy and she clipped her leg sending her tumbling.  In addition to a badly bruised knee, her suit suffered enough damage to disqualify her.

Europa made another strong display in today's race.  Gui Ying Fan and Anya Pande stayed in close proximity to each other, often swapping between 3rd and 4th position.  

Elaine Nguyen  (KMH) was in good form and held 1st position through the late afternoon.  It wasn’t until she started to show signs of fatigue that Yasmina Philips (Marineris) made her move.  In the final two hours of race-time, Phillips had worked a 5 km lead.

By the ‘stand down’ announcement at 19:30, Phillips was just 18 km behind Marshall Shannon’s (HDX) position just two day before in the Men's run.

There are 74 km ahead of Phillips to the finish and 55 km between her and the last position runner, Jasinder Lutsenko (Novymir).  

The day closes with a strong pack ready to conquer Stage 1.

Men's Stage 1 Concludes

Aquarius 20, 2077, m249

Ben Obalambo of Amrita suffer concussion with only 17 km left in the course.  Obalambo withdrew and was transported to Marineris for medical attention.

9 hours after Europa’s Pachehra crossed the finish line, the final runners completed Stage 1.

It was a gruelling finish that took a toll, claiming 6 of the 53 runners.  

Wei De Cheung was the first to tap out at the 80% mark.  Cheung was rated highly after pre-testing, but the course got the better of him and he called in his support vehicle shortly after 18:45.

“I’m disappointed,” Cheung said after returning to the mobile village, “I was too far behind.  The idea of tracking through the course in the dark was too daunting for me.  I hate to blame my gear, but I it wouldn’t have been safe to make the journey with what I had.”

At 21, Cheung vows to return next year, however, unless he is able to independently finance, he will find it difficult to find sponsors after dropping out so early from this race.

Man down

Ben Obalambo was the only runner to drop out due to injury.  After what appeared to be a harmless fall, Obalambo called in medic support shortly after complaining of dizziness.  He was transported back to Marineris for observation.  With Obalambo out, Amrita has only one remaining racer, Rafeeq Afzal, who cut it tight to beat the clock before disqualification.

Last but not least

Afzal  was the last to cross the finish line at 24:49, officially completing on day 2 and with barely an hour remaining on the countdown clock.   He came in with hands in the air, to applause from the support staff.  You would never have known he was in last position.

“This is huge moment for me,” the 20 year old exclaimed, “There were moments I didn’t think my equipment would hold up, but I promised myself I was not going to be eliminated tonight.”

With the Men’s course cleared, Stage 1 was prepped for the Women’s program by ground crews.  Three locations were flagged out of safety concerns identified from the Men’s run.  The Women’s run begins tomorrow morning at 9:30 until mandatory rest period at 19:30.

For the Men, Stage 2 begins in the afternoon of Saturni.

Day 2 - Pachehra Takes Stage

Aquarius 20, 2077, m249

Pachehra of Europa takes Noctis Labyrinthus beating 52 runners in Stage 1.

This afternoon, Gunvir Pachehra was the first cross the Stage 1 finish line.

From 5th position this morning, more than 3 km behind HDX’s Marshall Shannon, Pachehra was able to make his move over the ascension leg of the course.  His strength in climbing helped him closed the gap, passing Jarmal Carter (Columbia Hills), Marshall Shannon (HDX), and Owen Dubad (Marineris).  When he emerged from the valley, he was 6 minutes behind the leader, Raihaan El-Morad (Al’amal). 

El-Morad’s fate, however was sealed in the early morning hours when he decided to forego his running blades and leave them behind in his support vehicle. 

Once Pachehra strapped on his  blades, he was easily able to overtake El-Morad, beating him to the finish line by 3 minutes and 45 seconds.

This was a tremendous feat by the 40 year old Europa resident.  For the first half day, Pachehra was in the top 20 group, but by the end of yesterday he had edged up to 5th position.  

Pachehra’s actual path measured 185 km against the optimal computer model of 150 km.  His total elapse time was 18 hours, 45 minutes, and 45 seconds with an average speed was 9.9 kph. 

Once Pachehra cross the line,  the race automatically switched to the Countdown mode. This means all remaining runners have 10 hours to cross the finish line or face disqualification.  In this mode, the mandatory down-period is lifted, racers are expected to race through the night and do whatever it takes complete the stage.

At the time of this report, 18 racers remained on the course.  More than half a dozen with 70 km or more to reach the checkpoint.

Day 2 - Pre-race

Aquarius 19, 2077, m249

The sun has only begun to rise, but in the valleys of Noctis Labryinthus, it is dark.  It is still hours away from the race resuming for Day 2 competition, but most of the runners are already awake.

For most of these athletes, last night was the first time they had experienced sleeping in the great and dangerous outdoors.  After an intensive first day of navigating through and over the punishing terrain , we wanted to get a snapshot of what was going through some of their minds.

Rafeeq Afzal - 3rd position

• Age: 30
• Resident of Al'amal
• Birthplace: Earth
• Occupation: Engineer

What did you think of your first day?

It was absolutely exhilarating and terrifying.  It is familiar from the simulations, but at the same time, you can know and feel the difference.  When you fall, the way the dirt moves and you can sense the coldness.  I am acutely aware of the danger and I used this yesterday to stay focused.  I feel confident this morning and am going to use the same strategy.

How was your post race? 

Honestly, I was so exhausted.  Once my support vehicle arrived, I couldn't wait to set up the mobile hab just to get out of the EV suit and collapse.  That is why this morning is a busy one to go through all my checklists and inspect all of my equipment.

What is your objective for the day?

I plan on crossing that finish early afternoon.  At the end of each stage, we get to stay in a mobile facility until the next stage.  The sooner I can get this stage completed, the more time I have to reset for the next stage.  A shower would be nice.  A decent meal would be nicer.

Jonathan Himona - 28th position

• Age: 21
• Resident of Wendland
• Birthplace: Mars
• Occupation: Student

How do you feel the race is going for you?

I am in a tough spot.  I'm definitely in the middle of the pack, so a good 12km behind Shannon at this point.  I had a lot of difficulty with picking my routes yesterday, so I lost a lot of time doubling back.

You're one of the few contestants to have included exo-training.  Did your training include camping outdoors over night?

Yes, I did. I interviewed former runners and learned that sleep deprivation was a serious factor, so I did apply for permits to train and actually get used spending time in my support vehicle.  I think it paid off.  I was out like a light last night and now I'm ready to run.

Mathias Steinback - 19th position

• Age: 53
• Resident of Europa
• Birthplace: Earth
• Occupation: Education Programmer

How do you feel after your first day of racing?

It was more intense than what I was expecting.  about 2 hours in, I actually started to have doubts, but I eased off and found a pace that worked well for me.  I also think getting to higher ground helped me quite a bit.   Back on Earth, I enjoyed rock climbing, but doing it here is unbelievable.  I feel like I'm doing the impossible.

You are the oldest challenger in this year's Men's group.  How do you feel you are doing?

I don't think my age is a negative.  There are a lot of wealthy kids out here with fancy equipment and full-time coaches.  I would like to think that life experience and wisdom will play a part in getting me through this.  I set a goal for myself to complete all 5 stages... this is truly the most intimate Mars tourism experience anyone can have, so I plan to enjoy it.

Race Day - Men's Stage 1

Aquarius 18, 2077, m249

Men's Day 1 - Stage 1 - Noctis Labryinthus

Pathfinder Marathon officially began this morning with the men’s stage 1 challenge.

Over 200 spectators composed of friends, family, and media braved the journey from Mariners to the remote starting line at the western edge of Noctis Labyrinthus to cheer on the runners. 

53 men representing the top contenders from the 278 original hopefuls that sought the opportunity to pit themselves against Mars.  Having undergone 4 intensive rounds of screening and performance evaluations, today was when all the preparation suddenly became real. It was time to run.

Surprisingly, only a handful of Pathfinder alumni made it to this year’s race.  The marathon was born on the fringe, an exclusive sport to the nomadic settlements of VEX, HDX, RSX, and KMH. Yet this year, many of their hopefuls washed out in screening. VEX, who has produced the most champions in the sport's history, has only one representative, David Atieno.   Nicholas Buruk of KMH is the most experienced racer overall, having taken 3rd place in 2076 (m248).

Though runners like Buruk may have some advantage over other competitors, Pathfinder is far from a predictable sport. 

Officials estimate this 150km stage to take anywhere from 1 to 2 sols to complete.  The rough terrain and variable elevations present extensive options for  “finding the path” to the stage’s finish line.

From the starting line, it was clear that most runners were anticipating a lot of climbing.  The few that dawned their racing blades took the early lead, knowing that they would eventually need to dismount and carry the equipment for the remainder of the day.

According to Garin Papaviny, “The rough terrain increases the chances of breaking a blade.  Damaging running equipment this early would spells disaster as there is no way to compete in the running stages that come later.”

By mid afternoon, the pack had dispersed into numerous paths, but the leading pack consistent of Antony Wahlgren (Novyimir), Marshall Shannon, Hugo Kopperud (Novyimir) and Owen Dubad (Mariners).

Wahlgren later lost ground after making a poor decision that left him at a dead end.  Similarly, Kopperud required an extended break that saw him drop to 13th.

By 20:30, after 10 hours of competition, racers were instructed to rendezvous with their support vehicle to set camp as race-day 1 officially closed.  Runners made camp to take on calories and recuperate for the race to recommence at 7:30.

Top 3

•  Marshall Shannon (HDX)
• Owen Dubad (Marineris)
•  Raihaan El-Morad (Al'amal) 

Shannon leads the pack with only 56 km remaining between himself and the stage finish line.  There is more then 40 km between him and the last place runners, Mitchell (Marineris) and Samaan (Tiangong).

Marineris favorite, Dubad, is in number 2 position less than 1 km behind Shannon.  Dubad had taken the gamble to run with blades from the start of the race, a strategy that didn’t work  for others who failed to maintain the early lead.

“All things considered, I feel pretty strong,” Dubad said, “If we were allowed to keep racing, I would, but I’ve got a good 2 hours of work to get my gear ready for tomorrow.  I’m going to descend to a lower elevation in the morning and try to close the gap with Marshall.”

All 53 runners are still in the race.  It only take a wrong turn in the labyrinth to change the game, so it is still anyone’s race.

Coverage will continue tomorrow!