With a history of competing in triathlons, Foristell resident Ray Smith decided to venture outside of his comfort zone recently.He was partially driven by curiosity but mostly by the desire to honor a friend, who was no longer physically capable of competing.Smith, who had never before operated a kayak, decided to enter the Missouri River 340 with the encouragement of Wayne Broeker. He began training a mere eight weeks prior to the rigorous event, paddling four to five hours each night on the lake near his home.Despite his unfamiliarity with the sport, Smith was certain he possessed the physical fitness and mental fortitude to complete the 340-mile journey from Kansas City to St. Charles.“I just assumed physically and mentally when it came to paddling a boat, I felt like I had a pretty good chance,” acknowledged Smith.He proved himself correct on July 26, becoming one of around 160 competitors to reach the finish line. He and friend, Gary Sanson, of Kansas City, were among an elite field, with over 200 kayakers bowing out for one reason or another.The typical rigors of maneuvering a lightweight boat down a power, intimidating river were amplified by the fact they had just 88 hours to complete the course.Smith says preparation and strategy were the most crucial elements in successfully completing the race.A support crew met them at each of the nine checkpoints, providing fresh water and food. By road, the route was 790 miles.“The real key is the ground crew you have was huge,” said Smith. “When you get out, your brain just does not work right when you’re sleep deprived, so it’s good to have help.”Proper hydration and keenly timed stops kept he and Swanson on pace and in sound enough physical condition to press forward.“The first day I was concerned with being dehydrated, so I was chugging down water,” said Smith.They began to realize stopping frequently was taking a toll on their legs, which fell asleep after dozens of idle hours in the boat.“The next two days we had to hardly ever to stop, because we really controlled our eating,” said Smith. “Once my feet went to sleep and were numb, wanted to leave them there.”In fact, as they began to surpass incremental personal goals, they pushed themselves to finish in a faster time than originally planned.“You have to break it down into increments,” said Smith. “The mental aspect will wear you out.”They began to reduce stops during the final day, paddling aggressively from the checkpoint in Washington to the finish line in St. Charles, where they arrived at 2:30 a.m.“At first we were shooting for the 70-hour mark,” explained Smith. “We realized we were making killer time, so we decided to try finishing in under 65 hours.”Smith says there are numerous obstacles, some expected and others unforeseen, that can slow down or eliminate a competitor.The river presents sudden swirls and debris barriers that can easily capsize a kayak and send its operator overboard.“I talked to several people at the finish line who said they’d never seen such an angry river,” said Smith. “Some people wanted off during the first 30 minutes.”Smith says a couple of practice runs on the Missouri River from Washington to St. Charles had prepared him for the intensity of the waters.But a lack of sleep began to take its toll on the fatigued by the midway point of the race.Smith says he and Swanson began hallucinating, often struggling to judge objects during the night.“You’d see some illusions,” confessed Smith. “Some of the trees on the cliffs looked like dinosaurs.”Smith says it was a challenging, yet rewarding accomplishment and would entertain the thought of competing again.“If I have time to train properly again, absolutely,” said Smith.He says Swanson is already making equipment upgrades in an effort to finish among the Top 10 during next year’s race.

Foristell resident Ray Smith recently completed the Missouri River 340 race by kayak.

Submitted Photo.