LIVE ADVENTURE
Get set for your first adventure race
Are you ready for a challenge? Do you want a reason
to get fit? Do you love fun adventures with friends?
Adventure racing could be just what you need!
Adventure races are multi-discipline events, usually in
a team, where you navigate through the bush to find
checkpoints. Most races include trekking (or running
for the faster teams), mountain biking and kayaking.
Some races include extra ‘mystery’ disciplines like canoeing or a mini-obstacle course.
Adventure races are gaining popularity, and for good
reason. The events are well organised with safety in
mind, but there is still the thrill of doing something exciting in the great outdoors. An integral part of adventure racing is the camaraderie with team-mates as
you support and push each other to be your best. Not
many colleagues will come to work on Monday having ridden, trekked, paddled and navigated through
the wilderness the day before!
Embarking on your very first adventure race can be
daunting. You probably have many questions and
there may seem like a lot to organise, but don’t be
overwhelmed. Anyone can do it. Following this stepby-step process and you’ll cross that finish line in no
time!
1) Find a Race
Pick a race in advance to give yourself time to train. Depending on your current fitness level, this
could be anywhere between one and three months. Six weeks is enough time for most people to
get in shape to complete an adventure race.
If you are not confident about completing the full course, many races have a novice option which
is a shortened course, often avoiding the more difficult sections. Check out http://adventurerace.
com.au/ for a calendar of off-road and multisport events in Australia.
2) How fit do I need to be?
Even if the course description sounds challenging, there is no pressure to ‘race’ (despite being
called adventure ‘races’). Whilst the top teams are highly competitive, for a large part of the field,
the challenge is to finish, learn and enjoy the experience. Starting at a steady pace is a good tactical move. Many teams charge off from the start line, but tire out and struggle towards to the end.
I’m sure we’ve all done that once or twice before!
For the shortest events, if you’re generally active you could even just turn up and finish if you pace
yourself well. For events taking 3-6hrs, I suggest being able to ride for an hour, walk for an hour (or
run for half an hour), and having a practice kayak or two. Strength or interval training in the leadup
will allow you to ‘race’ instead of ‘survive’, and make it much more enjoyable.
3) Team
Now that you’ve chosen a race, the next most important thing to do is find a racing buddy. Most
shorter events are done in a team of two. Preparing, training and racing with a partner is much
more fun. It’s also very motivating when you have to keep training ‘appointments’ on cold, winter
mornings! Don’t worry if you can’t twist your friend’s arm, many race organisers have forums or can
put you in touch with other people who are looking for a team.
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