On the sweltering paved road between PC 27 and PC 28, 35-year-old attorney Dennis Charney walked deliberately and stiffly – a bit like a maimed C3PO turned loose in the tropics. His beard was unkempt, his clothes filthy. Leaning on his trekking poles, he let out an occasional moan. Yet this is exactly what Charney had traveled halfway around the world for, what he'd devoted a year of his life to.

"I came to Eco-Challenge knowing I was going to hurt and suffer," said Charney, limping along in 40th place. But the Boise, Idaho, native may have gotten a little more than he bargained for this year in Sabah.

Beyond the physical hardships, Team BAX Global has struggled with strenuous inter-team dynamics. The major cause: two of the team members – Veronica and Josh Williams – are married to each other.

"I'll never do it again with a married couple," said team captain Charney, with the Williams' out of earshot.

According to Charney, the dynamics of having a married couple on an Eco-Challenge team are complicated and frustrating. For example, when one of the married members gets upset with one of the non-married members, they naturally confide in their partner. With problems being discussed privately, tension builds and communication lines break down.

"There's no way we're sharing any hotel rooms when this is over," said Charney.

That's how it has happened with BAX Global, at least. Other couples, such as Keith and Andrea Murray, the Fairydown Fleet CookieTime [go to Team Bio] super-duo, have raced successfully together.

"Ironically, I had wanted a pre-existing male-female adventure racing relationship," said Charney, who brought the team together over the Internet at the last minute when his original three teammates all dropped out.

The tensions have lead to both bickering and breakdowns. "There's been a little bit of talk that we should throw in the towel," he said. "It's always in the back of our minds."

BAX Global has crumbled internally, but remarkably, they remain in the hunt for an official finish. "I certainly wish we were higher in the standings," said Charney. "We took some extended breaks – the little things add up. But we're just goddamn lucky to be in the race right now."