Start adventure racing
what makes AR cool?
The 'can-do' nature of adventure racing means that AR occurs throughout the year, in nearly all conditions.
It's a team sport so you would do well to start going to watch events in your area, networking with people there and getting yourself invited to AR meetings (yep, they're a sociable bunch). Once you find a group you connect with, you'll find motivation... and invaluable support is now yours!
equipment
Although international elite AR is arguably the biggest budget-breaker in endurance sport, there's no need to be intimidated at the entry level. You'll need a mountain bike, hydration pack and running gear to get into the sprint events.
It's only the bigger events that require some investment in better hiking gear, cold weather clothing, and possibly trekking poles and canoeing and climbing equipment. Racing the big international by-invite-only events could set each team member back more than R50,000, while a beginner's Sprint AR will cost you less than R100 if you already have the basic gear. There's something for everyone in between too.
training for novices
Be patient with your preparation. See it as a journey rather than a destination. Ease into your running by doing 2-3 weekly jogs of less than 3km at a time. Include walking in this mix. Joining a hiking club is a good idea to get offroad mileage, and meet new people at the same time.
Do some of your riding on the road (your long distance slow riding), with occasional MTB rides to keep your technical skills sharp. Weekly strength training will improve your core strength, either at a gym or using suitable weight repetitions, press-ups and pull-ups at home.
Should you progress further, the longer 250km+ events may require at least 10 hours a week of running, hiking, biking and strength preparation. Beginners will get by with little or no training for sprint events provided they have a reasonable base from individual sports like running or cycling.
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safety
Do some of your riding on the road (your long distance slow riding), with regular MTB rides to keep your technical skills sharp. Weekly strength training will improve your core strength, either at a gym or using suitable weight repetitions, press-ups and pull-ups at home.
Should you progress further, the longer 250km+ events may require at least 10 hours a week of running, hiking, biking and strength preparation. Beginners will get by with little or no training for sprint events provided they have a reasonable base from individual sports like running or cycling.
fuel yourself
What you eat during races all depends on a) the duration of the race and b) your personal preferences. The golden rule of race food is to pack food you like, can get down and keep down; and avoid too many sweeties and sweetened foods.
On a sprint race, which is usually 25-35km and will take you 2-4hrs to complete, bars and gels will see you through. A banana with your race stuff at the central transition will go down well too. A short course race of 50-75km will take the bulk of the day and it’s a good idea to bring in some real food like sandwiches and boiled baby potatoes with a sprinkle of salt - the latter are a personal favourite.
When it comes to hydration, always keep water in your reservoir and put your carbohydrate drink in your bottle. Sipping on sweet drinks for endless hours not only rots your teeth (over time – build up of carbonic acid) but will make you feel nauseous. And the problem is that ones the sweetness starts getting to you, you stop drinking and that creates its own problems.
Once races start going into 24hrs it is nice to have at least one decent meal, in addition to sandwiches and munchie bag containing dried fruit, nuts, seed bars, salty crackers, crisps and other palatable treats. Races over 24hrs usually have support crew – they’ll provide the meal.
pro tips
- Is a teammate lagging behind on a trekking stage? Encourage them to walk 'in your footsteps', right behind you. This keeps them close; they focus on placing their feet in your footsteps so their fatigue is mostly forgotten and; being back with the team, their pace will pick up. A tow rope or lanyard tied to your backpack will help to keep them close too - and you'll find that they probably won't pull much once they get into a rhythm.
- Before each race - yes, before you confirm your team members and entry - discuss your goals and objectives for that race. Is your objective to listen, learn, observe and experience or are you aiming to go as hard as possible to see where you end up. Make sure your objectives are common and agreed upon pre-race. Look at some events for learning and others for racing.
- If you find yourself paddling a sit-on-top kayak at night, in winter, when temperatures are near freezing (or sub-zero!), climb into a heavy duty black garbage bag to protect your legs from ice-cold splashes of water coming off your paddle.
For other useful tips on Adventure Racing, beginner and rabid enthusiast, go to www.ar.co.za
There are AR races through the year around the country. Log onto www.ar.co.za or www.ndorfin.co.za
Useful links:
www.ar.co.za
www.sleepmonsters.com
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