Oh look, another hill

For those of you who don't know Brisbane well, our western suburbs are very hilly. It was over those hills that we had to run and cycle as part of the urban adventure race that marked the end of the Introduction to Adventure Racing, run by Phoenix Adventure.

In teams of three, we completed course legs of kayaking, trail running and mountain biking, interspersed with team challenges.

I kicked things off well for my team by taking a dip in the Brisbane River on my way into the kayak. I'm sure my soggy shoes were what slowed me down on the run leg (hehe).

I thought things would improve with the mountain biking leg because I had mostly dried out by then and I'd had such a successful session on the bike the previous day. But, no. The gears on my bike did I-don't-know-what so that I couldn't get into the lowest gear for the hills, of which there are a lot in Brisbane's western suburbs, as I may have mentioned.

Even so, we finished without injury and placed third - podium position, as they say. It's just unfortunate that there were only three teams in the race.

It goes without saying that I absolutely loved every second of it!!

I got through the five hours with a smile on my face and am still keen for the Teva Adventure Series in two weeks.

All of the advice we were given during the course made sense on the day. For instance, on the return kayak leg I found myself getting really irritable and had resorted to swearing at the wind or the current when I couldn't keep my kayak straight. It was at that point that I realised I probably needed to eat and my shirtiness could be in part explained by low sugar. Eating at regular intervals, especially if you're not hungry, is so important. If you wait until you're hungry, it's too late.

Another thing I learned during the race is how much your mental attitude can affect your performance. The swim I took in the river at the start of the race took some of my confidence and enthusiasm, and later, when I didn't live up to my own expectactions of being able to keep up with my team, I had to take time to refocus by reminding myself of what I had achieved in a short space of time and how I had tackled the challenges.

You know, I'm so bloody proud of myself. I woke up early this morning and my first thought was 'I can't believe I've done it'. During the race there were times when I grimaced at the sight of another hill, but once I reached the top I recovered quickly and could tackle the next one. I would make every downhill ride count, coasting it at top speed to get momentum for the inevitable uphill, but also for the sheer thrill of the speed. To be fair, the hills of Brisbane's western suburbs are good for that.

Now, I must congratulate Mel and her team, who came first and nailed every control along the way. It was a sterling effort! I'm sure she'll share her story soon.

In the meantime, I'm going to start prepping for the mini-rogaine we are doing this weekend - another chance to improve my map reading and navigation skills.

t