I am Lucky

   Retrospect of the ARWS Kanas Xtrail Expedition.

  Zhengyu Peng

  6th to 9th June, I finished the most unforgettable team race of my whole life. Xtrail Adventure Racing World Series. Before that, I completed six full marathons all by myself. So I looked forward to Kanas.

  The Xtrail expedition involved cross country race, hiking, canoeing, mountain bike cycling, ziptrek, drift, and orienteering this time. We were not competing in our physic but competing in the level of training of all kinds of skills which include intelligence, insistence, judgment, and teamwork, etc.

  I experienced many first times during this competition. I rowed canoeing for the first; I camped for the first time; I finished a competition as a member of a team for the first time. I was lucky and super happy. Because my original purpose was just to enjoy the view, but I won the second place.

My teammates.

  Before the competition start, I was assigned to the Mingxuan Team randomly. Our team leader was Mingxuan Song who was called the CHO of Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business. He is smart, and his buttock shapes look like a peach. He has a high IQ and EQ. His principle is no-action, and he bound four people who are not familiar with each other together and won the silver medal with his principle.

  Brother Xiaojun was our team’s GPS and our guide. He is very confident and Speedy who let us see more beautiful views of Kanas. Sister QQ is very enthusiastic, careful, warm and a little nagging. She is a mother-like sister. She reminded me to bring equipment and helped me to separate the supply for the next day.

  Many competitors joined this competition to enjoy the beautiful view of Kanas. This unintentional attitude made this competition pleasant and relaxing. We did not fight every day, and we focused more on friendship and teamwork.

Day 1

  The first day of the competition was the most tiring day. We ran for 3 kilometers, then rowed canoeing for 12.5 kilometers, and cross country ran for 24 kilometers (we ran for 42 kilometers) with self-guide. It was tiring and fun. We were leading at the 3 kilometers long cross country race. During rowing-canoeing, my partner was our team leader. I was very exciting and rowed hard at first. But we were surpassed by other teams because I was exhausted later which I thought it probably because my gesture was wrong. I was just enjoying the gorgeous view of the lake and mountain at Kanas Lake leisurely while listening to the music played by the speakers which were brought by our team leader. The good news was that we stayed on the right course and we did not fall behind much. Before the competition, I thought that I could only get wet if the boat capsizes. But my underwear was wet even with the waterproof dress.

  The next part was the funny self-guide cross country race. The business school already lowered the difficulties and gave us a GPS. GPS can only tell you which is the shortest cut, no matter if there were mountains or barriers. Competitors need to decide to take which route. This was not testing our physic, but testing our judgment. Almost all the teams took detours or strayed from the right path. We were only competing who strayed less.

  Our team and Tianyi team was leading at the first four checkpoint, so we started to take pictures. Eight of us held hands and walked with ease until GPS checkpoint. Because we were leading a lot, so we used 20 minutes to do stretch ( we were carefree). That was the main reason why we won the second place in my memory. Even though we chased hard later but we could not see Tianyi team.

  Why could you leave our friendship behind? I thought we agreed to go ahead holding hands. You just left us behind heartlessly. We walked more than we should because we strayed in the middle and we had different opinions at the last two checkpoints. Because the road was rugged, I sprained the ankle for four or five times. I also found that our team leader was good at reading maps and finding directions during the competition. He did not need the GPS, and he could find the right path just by looking at the sun, the rivers, and the map. We took lesser detour thanks to him.

  The sunset time was late at Altay, and we arrived at the campsite before sunset around 22 o’clock luckily. We were second in the business school team and one hour later than Tianyi team.

  I started my first camp after we arrived. I should find a place, open my tent, build my tent and steady the tent. Thank brother Xinyu who helped me building the tent for two days. I was mainly responsible for being lazy, watching and checking. Our tent was built on a grassland full of cow dungs. I could not fell asleep that night, and I counted the sheep on the grassland. I was not comfortable with not sleeping on the bed. Probably because I was wet with sweat and mud and the bits bit by giant mosquito were itching.

  I had a new inspiration on love and marriage that night, If two people decided to live their lives together, they should join a team competition like this before they get married. Because money can solve most of the problems during travel, but this competition was about experiencing how to plan a route; how to communicate with teammates; how to work together during rowing; how to bring one's superiority into full play and how to make decisions at crucial moments. It also involved getting hurt even sickness, and the most important of all is you would get to see your loved one without makeup and shower. Your loved one would be full of sweat and mud and a little dirty and smelly.

Day 2

  The second day when the sun just started to rise, we ran towards the drifting point. We set off with Friendship team as a group of eight people. The committee lied to us and said that we would only get wet a little before drift. But when we arrived, we realize we would get wet from the top to the bottom and freezing. I was the one who screamed most loudly. My teammates did not think it was thrill enough and started a water fight with members of the other team.

  We changed our clothes and started the next programs which were 8 kilometers long-distance run, ziptreck and mountain bike cycling which was 25 kilometers long in total. We were very uniformed during running, and our decision was correct when we met a fork. We arrived the set-off point of the ziptreck half hour earlier than other teams. The committee decided to choose two people from every team as representatives to join the mountain bike cycling race, considering most of the competitors did not know how to ride the mountain bike. Brother Xiaojun and team leader Mingxuan performed excellently, and we were three minutes ahead of Tianyi team.

Day 3

  The rainstorm flooded the route of the competition, and the committee decided to do a 6 kilometers orienteering. Unfortunately, I had my period, and I did not have any strength, especially in the rain. If this were an individual competition, I would quit, but this was about team spirit and team honor. I insisted until the end with the encouragement of my teammates and arrived the finish line with the cold water of the wetland under my feet.

  My dearest Sister QQ was sad because of self-accusation. But the score was a small part of this competition, and the most precious and most valuable thing was our friendship.

  I met a lot of new friends and masters during this competition, and their story touched me. I miss you all and hope we can meet again.