adventure racing

[BIG SEXY]

anyone ever heard of adventure racing australia? i guess it could be compared to a triathlon, except in a much more rural setting, run is more orienteering/rogaining, ride is mountain biking and the other leg is called "adventure leg" which can be kayaking, rock climbing, abseiling etc etc.
there is a race in august at wirrina cove my wife and i havce entered as a team.
i was just wondering if anyone else has heard of it or been involved in one that can give us some pointers to help prepare.
cheers

[Dogwatcher]

Is there enough water in that cove for,mate?

[BIG SEXY]

no, but if i get in the level will rise enough

[Q.]

Sounds like fun BS. What distance is the run and ride?

[Dogwatcher]

Q, I misread that then. I thought you'd written, "the run and hide".

BS - what has inspired this, mate? Ain't you got enough on your plate?

[BIG SEXY]

Q, noone knows until they send out the paper work, can be up to 8km run/rogain, 18km mountain bike. thats for the "raw" competitors like myself. website says for raw competitors if you can read a street directory you will get through the navigation side of the race. other thing i should mention is it sounds like legs arent continuous like in a triathlon. so you may do 1 km run followed by 2 on the bike then 1 run again...if that makes sense.

DW, i may very well be running and hiding yet, might get into it and say bugger this then find a cosy shrub somewhere!
my mrs has always done long distance running, the challenge of a triathlon interests us both and weve done a couple as a team, the more rural setting and legs of the adventure race really appeal to me so we said bugger it. yeah ive got heaps on my plate this winter, footy, off road racing and now this race to train for! all good fun though, ive been doing 3-4 runs a week plus footy so im getting there. the fitness helps for the enduro races also so i guess you could say they are all connected in a way?

RANT OVER

[BIG SEXY]

if anyones interested, www.adventureraceaustralia.com.au is the site to look at

[whufc]

if anyones interested, http://www.adventureraceaustralia.com.au is the site to look at

Sounds Awesome,

Good Luck Mate.

Keep us updated with how you go.

[Dogwatcher]

Yup, good luck big fella.
Look forward to hearing how you and Mrs Sexy go.

[BIG SEXY]

hit a bit of a snag with training for it with a pinched sciatic nerve....DW you might notice i kicked 2 goals on saturday, thats what happens whenyou slut off in the square!

[BIG SEXY]

the link i posted earlier now has some videos, photos etc of the races held in other states. worth looking at for a bit of an idea what its about.

[Get_The_Pellet]

BS.
i can give you some pointers, i have completed in a number of these races. ranging from 8hrs - 32hrs. and a couple of 5 day races. they are a lot of fun and its amazing to see what you can get your body to do when you are pushing yourself to the limits.
be careful you will get hooked on these things, and if you end up trying to do one of the multi day or even longer distances you will get to encounter "sleep monsters". you start to hullicinate from no sleep and physical exhaustion and start "seeing things" - and it is possible to fall asleep while running or riding and waking up on the ground having no idea what happened for the last 10 mins

biggest TIP in the race, DO NOT FOLLOW OTHER PEOPLE.. trust yourself and the route you have chosen, and try and keep a pace that is comfortable for you, i have many times got caught up at the start of a race and gone out to quickly first up because of the competitve spirit that comes out..

depending on the one you are doing.
the day time 8hr ones are a nice starter and you are right if you can read a basic map you will be ok, BUT if you can read a topographic map you will do very well. they usualy give you the checkpoint locations a couple of hours before and then you can work out what route you want to take, here is where reading a topographic map helps (can save you heaps of time).
finding some of the checkpoints can be tough in the rural settings, usually just a sign on a tree with a hole punch or stamp so you can stamp your card to show you found the checkpoint. the shorts ones i have done will probably have to do about 50km in total. and have included legs, running, cycling, kayaking, abseiling, caving, canyoning,


training - biggest thing i have found is get a lot of kms into your legs running and cycling, try to work your cycling into pulling each other along by drafting, e.g one ride at the ront for 5mins then swap around. i have found you can make up quite a bit of time on the cycle legs if you work together. Kayaking is another area to train in if you dont paddle lots (this is my weak area) its hard to know if you will have a paddle leg but if you do paddling for 5 kms is pretty tough if you dont do it often or at all. try and train with a run and a ride one after the other so you get used to transitions.
eat well and drink lots, take a heap of energy gels and quick foods you can eat on the run, you want to minimize your time in transition areas.
check out this website for more inf o heaps of stuff on there from other rcompetitors that can help you out

good luck and have fun..

[Get_The_Pellet]

whoops forgot to post the website
http://www.sleepmonsters.com.au/index.php

[Dancing in the rain]

Sounds like a great idea, was into orienteering when i was in my twenties so i might give it a go

[BIG SEXY]

thanks GTP, ill have a squizz at sleep monsters tonight ireckon.

[Dogwatcher]

hit a bit of a snag with training for it with a pinched sciatic nerve....DW you might notice i kicked 2 goals on saturday, thats what happens whenyou slut off in the square!

Ha ha, just noticed this post.
Why would you refer to me in this?

[BIG SEXY]

dont you check local footy results? you know where i play!
back on track at the momnent thoiugh
even ran 6 extra laps after training last night

GTP, wife and i are doing the raw course for beginners and fatties, me being both. this can include "up to 16 km mountain bike ride, up to 8 km running and an advenmture leg"

[Jase]

I'm trying to convice a mate of mine to do the Raw course as well... Will my our first venture into adventure racing as well...

I've been training pretty hard for the City to Bay (never run that before either) so would like to give the legs a fair test before that...

[BIG SEXY]

as i said never done one before but i reckon it will be more than just leg work personally. alot in your head. checking results from qld nearly every team missed checkpoints, 1 team missed 6 from memory.
if you can keep your head and stay focussed youll go a long way

[BIG SEXY]

quick update 2 weeks out, trainings going ok....probably a bit behind where i need to be, doing a 12 km ride and 5 k run tomorrow then spewing my guts up.
not too nervous just yet
ill try and get some photos/video of the event to post up here