A time for reflection

“Tri” not
I didn’t make the Tre-x race so I can’t boast about having competed in my first triathlon.

I promise you, I had just-cause in the shape of a very nasty and unsociable stomach bug which, according to all and sundry, “was going around”. A few days a cramps and weird murmurings crescendo’d on the Saturday night (during a rather disastrous blind date) and by 3am Sunday morning I was in a very bad place.

Just getting to the kitchen sink was a challenge, so Tre-x was never going to be.

I really am disappointed in not achieving the race, however I know that my swimming skills were pathetically lacking, and I really don’t know how I would have struggled through the first leg. There is another Tre-x race on at the end of January but I still haven’t decided whether I really am that keen to take up the challenge.

The bike commute
I started a new job at the start of November and have been commuting since. It’s not a long distance to travel, but the numerous hills make the ride a good training exercise, as does the extended long way home through the leafy Ashgrove.

Whilst I miss walking to work (which allowed for concerts, reflection and general daydreaming), cycling is certainly starting to squash my almost abject fear of all things hills and climbs – because they are unavoidable between home and work, and there are some doozies to contend with, depending on my route.

I’m also getting a little more comfortable riding on the roads and in traffic. In saying that, Brisbane is not well set up for cycling and there are a number of roads I just will not attempt, so in those instances I am getting to know the footpaths well.

It’s all about accessorising honey
Of course, the more I ride, the more of an interest I am taking in all things bikes. There is a fabulous new cycle centre at the Royal Brisbane Women’s Hospital (my new employer) which I have enthusiastically started using. Therefore I am parking my second-hand $50 bike (which I love) in a secure facility amongst some very flash and well accessorised pieces of kit.

There are a number of rather professional looking cyclists using the centre, so you can feel a little amateurish rocking up in the old t-shirt and shorts. Fortunately for me I have starting acquiring a cycling wardrobe, which includes cycling shirts with big pockets at the back, and – gasp – the sexy and sophisticated padded bike pants (aka nicks).

In a previous life I spent many a humorous hour with my cousin taking the piss out of padded bike pants, and any toss that chose to wear them. I now humbly eat my words. While it can feel like you are wearing an XXL sanitary pad, they really do help minimise or alleviate an unhappy butt.

After an initial period of embarrassment, I am now comfortable swanning around in them and have been seen in them at my local Woolies, adventure races and other public places.

I evolved my tyres for the 100km bike ride back in October and am now on MTB slicks most of the time when riding on bitumen. It takes me about 30 minutes to swap between them and my MTB tyres so it’s something I don’t like to do too often.

I have now added all the bells and whistles to my bike, including a trip computer, lights, water bottle holders, under seat bag and a cutesy little bell. These additions double the value of my asset!


Lock her in Eddie
Yes it’s official – I’m cleated in baby!

The biggest and most daring purchase of my cycling career happened just last week when my parents funded, as my xmas present, a brand spanking new pair of Shimano MTB shoes and pedals.

When I first learned about cleats I was dumbstruck. Locking yourself in seemed like a very risky and slightly stupid venture, particularly when evaluated alongside my rather abysmal level of cycling ability. I am now a little more confident in the saddle and have come to appreciate the benefits riding in cleats would bring.

They definitely assist you in getting much more power out of your spin and make cycling easier.

I gave the purchase a lot of thought and opted for pedals with dual purpose. Whilst I love getting out on to dirt, my skills are still in their infancy. I wasn’t comfortable with being locked in lest I need to try and save myself from stacking, which still happens often.

Therefore I purchased a pedal with the cleat on one side, and a flat pedal on the other so can be used with or without cleated shoes.

And so it goes..
I get excited by an Anaconda sale and quite regularly browse www.torpedo7.com.au for their constant specials. I’m discovering that the sport of cycling is addictive, and I am enjoying the ride so far (pardon the pun).

M

Bona fide mtb'r

The other kids won't laugh at me now-I took the kickstand off my bike.

I can hang my bike in transition with pride at tomorrow's Tre-X.

t

I suppose I’ve been consolidating the first few months of my adventure racing ‘adventure’, hence I haven’t written anything for a while.

The 100km bike ride from Brisbane to the Gold Coast was the last official event I participated in and since then I haven’t really been testing the limits of my skills and abilities. I have only really been coasting along with what I have learnt so far.

However my next new challenge is just around the corner and again I am being taken out of my comfort zone. This weekend I will be attempting my first triathlon, abet a fairly short off road course. The Tre-x short course for this weekend involves a 350m swim, 10km mtb course and 4km of trail running.

I’m looking forward to the mountain biking and the running, while at my usual rather pathetic standard, is sorted. The swim, however, is the next big fearful test. I haven’t attempted any proper swimming since that last horrid school training back in Grade 10, some 17 years ago (dear god - I’m getting on!). My focus back then was on what t-shirt to wear over my togs, and how to get dressed in the change rooms without flashing any private bits. Any swimming was very much secondary in the activity.

I can swim, no self respecting Edge Hill State School student would have gotten through the system without decent training in the school pool. However as with running I never took a shine to it and in proceeding years have used my learned ability for fun, rather than practical purposes. Therefore I would be a shue-in for pool handstand competitions, marco polo and bomb diving, but unfortunately those aren’t on offer in the upcoming tri.

Also, I am my father’s daughter, so unless the water temperature is a balmy 25 degrees or warmer I’m going to be reluctant to let a toe near the water. I doubt you would see me even contemplating Tre-x if it wasn’t summer and Queensland.

One saving grace of my upbringing is a lack of fear of entering all manor of watery environments. I grew up in a location where the local freshwater creek or dam was a more attractive option that that the some-what dangerous and boringly flat beaches or bath-like backyard pools. Therefore I don’t really have a fear of the Tre-x swim leg water courses.

As per usual, my preparation in the lead up to this event has been woefully inadequate, particularly when we look at the swimming training (or lack-there-of). I attempted my first, and so far only, laps a couple of weeks ago. I really had no idea about pool etiquette and was wrapped in fear as I approached the edge. Thankfully I was with a friend who gave me a quick 101 on the unwritten practices and procedures of swimming laps.

So off I went. In all honesty it was much more physically challenging then I anticipated. Two laps (of a 25 metre pool) in and I was on my first breather. Obviously I have some work ahead, and with Tre-x only a few days away it's going to be an interesting race start!

M

A tri with a twist

The next challenge for the Adventure Beyond team is Tre-X.

This race will be a little different for us, because it will be individual races, rather than a team event. But, I think we (being so bold as to speak for Mel and Candice) will find the variety a good challenge and will augment our adventure racing.

The off-road triathlons don't involve navigation, kayaking or challenges. Essentially, it's a tri with a twist. The swim legs are usually in dams or lakes, the bike legs are mtb courses and the runs are on trails.

(If you're interested in all the different sorts of racing available, check out the Phoenix Adventure newsletter, for an look at what's involved and upcoming events).

Tre-X prep

The first race of the Tre-X series is this weekend and some of our Intro2AR team mates are doing it. We're going to start with the second race, at the end of November, to give ourselves time to get injury-free and train.

I feel like I'll be up to the ride and considering the physio wants me to do the short course so I don't overdo it on the run, I feel like that will be fine too. That leaves the swim leg.

The swim leg is what I'm most concerned about at the moment. I haven't done any swimming since I lived in the UK, which is almost 9 years ago to the day. I think I've forgotten everything.

But, what I've learned the most over the last three months, is that you have to simply throw yourself in.

With that in mind, I set out today to get sorted with the right gear. The swimmers expedition turned out to be surprisingly quick and stress-free-although, Speedos and other brand names are made for people with no butt.

Even so, I now have a suitable costume, cap and goggles and will look the part walking toward the pool, though probably not once I'm in it.

t

Fairies in hell? Only in an adventure race

What an education this weekend has been!

We signed on to be event officials at this year's Hells Bells/Fairy Bells event, at Mooloolaba. It was a perfect opportunity to see how teams deal with overnight races.

The main thing I learned is that it's hard going. The second thing is that when you race, you get so focused that it takes a jackhammer to get through to you. But, what I was reminded of, was how addictive this whole sport is!

At the high ropes course, which was at the first transition area, I asked a lot of the competitors if they were enjoying the race, even though I know from my own experience that 'enjoyment' is isn't really a useful or accurate way to describe what you feel while you're in the race.

In past races, I remember asking myself why I had decided to do this crazy and exhausting thing. I felt alive and determined and happy, but enjoyment was not really the vibe while I was on the course. That came after I finished.

The rush of emotion at the end is some kind of crazy-it's that feeling that keeps me going back for more. The sheer thrill of it all.

So, to all the competitors who grimaced at me as I asked that inane question-I get it, really!

Anyhoo, here are some photos from the transition area we were at.


Fairy Bells competitors getting ready to start the high ropes course at control 9.

Candice with some of the volunteers who joined in the fun (l-r: Candice, Paul, Clint, Tom and Naomi).

Mel checking in a Hells Bells team at control 9.

Fairy Bells competitors on the high ropes course.

Teva - take 2

In any race someone has to come last.

And thankfully it wasn’t us.

The wooden spoon was however looking distinctly possible for a while.

Teva this time round
We didn’t go in to this race with quite the same enthusiasm. The first race had us jumping with nervous excitement, perhaps in part due to fear of the unknown (unknown if we would survive it). We had also recently completed the adventure racing training course which had us gee’d up for the challenge.

I think that second time round we knew we had the physical capability to finish, and were prepared to tackle anything that would be thrown at us. That anticipation was missing a little for me and I really hadn’t given the race too much thought. My training was rather lacklustre and that ability to come up with excuses to skip it was at its best.

Also, the following Sunday is the annual Brisbane to Gold Coast 100km fundraising bike ride, which roughly translates to 5 hrs straight on a bike saddle!! For some reason, perhaps being caught up in a moment of charitable compassion or just some stupid peer-pressure at the time, I registered for this event. Now I am a tad worried about my butt lasting the distance, and the concern with this challenge has overridden my Teva preparation.

The leadup to the starting hooter
I woke up Friday with a sore throat, achy joints and an unpleasant and uninvited cold. I wasn’t feeling too much better on Saturday but knew that Taryn and Candice were counting on me so took it very easy and dosed up on all of the required drugs.

I can’t say I was feeling that perky when the alarm at 4am on Sunday morning, however I think the thrill of the race masked some of my body’s misgivings. Whilst I physically survived the race quite well, I think the cold played havoc with my mental state. As Taryn, Candice, my flatmate Rod, and anyone else who knows me and saw me in form on the day can testify – I wasn’t quite there. I was saying wacky things and processing thought in a rather random and slightly disturbing manner.

The first, slightly disasterous leg
And it is to this state of mind that I blame a few of my navigation calls on the day, in particular the first control, which we’ll call ‘A’. I still can’t work out where I went wrong (which is killing me), but we ended up in going bush in a random spot for a while and it placed us at the bottom of the pack.

My brain was fuzzy, but to be truthful I also think I was a little cocky on my nav ability at the start of the race. Looking back I made stupid some fundamental decisions on which I should have known better. Anyhoo, let’s just hope I learn from mistakes.

Shortly after getting ourselves back on track we reached the kayaking leg which a twist. Three people, a two person kayak, an inflated tyre and 5 metres of rope in Taryn’s backpack (on instruction from the initial race notes). I’m sure you can work out the logistics, but I believe Candice enjoyed her leisurely tow across the lake.

On ya bike
After the longest running leg (well, not really, but for me it felt like an eternity) we finally reached the transistion area. My love for my bike and cycling is deepening. After the long and painful first couple of legs of the race, it was so good to be moving at speed with the wind through your hair (once it permeates your cap and helmet). I made another stupid navigation mistake, which I thankfully realised within a minute of calling, but otherwise all good.

bush bashing
Very soon we were off the bikes again for another trail leg. The word ‘orienteering’ had been bantered around a little at the start of the race, and it turns out they were referring to this leg. Whilst there were trails marked on the map, they were in effect non-existent and we had to navigate Rogaine-style around this part of the course.

We ran in to another team wondering aimlessly looking for control ‘C’. As we were also heading in that direction we teamed up for the search. The partnership lasted a couple of controls and definitely worked to both team’s advantage.

We provided the technical assistance and they provided the brawn by charging a path through the undergrowth of the pine forests. We came on to the challenging controls rather easily and it was on this leg that we caught up some time and overtook other teams.

It was back on the bikes again, this time back to HQ via a few controls. The riding so far had been fun, however it was on this leg that we really hit sand. Oh, and to my dismay a few hills. Ever tried riding up a moderate hill in loose sand? Challenge.

The sand got so bad a few times we had to walk our bikes through patches, as only the most experienced rider would be able to keep up the pace and control through it. We had to cross back over the highway, and as we were not allowed to physically cross the road, we were required to use ‘the tunnel’. The tunnel was only loosely described during the pre race briefing, they were definitely being cagey about it except to say that we would work it out.

Well the tunnel translates to a mankey boggy muddy lead-up to a dark scanky water-logged cement drain spanning the distance of Steve Irwin Way. There was a f’ing big feral spider manning the entrance (as a bit of an arachnephobic, I thank Candice for pointing this out), and we had to wade, crouched down, through knee length water to get through.

The final countdown
Back at HQ we had a couple of challenges, such as the ball catapult and those fun Segways again. The final leg was a run and swim and unfortunately Taryn and injured her knee back at the previous trail leg, and it was giving her too much grief to continue.

The run was pretty basic after another false start due to a very blonde nav decision. We finally reached the lake again only to find out that the final challenge involved rescuing a monkey.

We had to swim out, fully clothed and shoed, to a roving canoe, and yell in unison something about saving a monkey. This prompted a stuffed monkey to be thrown at us, which we then had to swim back to shore with and run back up to the finish line.

Finally, job done, in around 6 ¼ hours.

This race was definitely harder than the last, in part due to our lack of preparedness, and also a slightly tougher course. As it was the Teva ‘Champs’ race there were fewer challenges, less teams and a slightly more serious tone to the day.

In saying that, I still had a ball, it was so much fun.

Even if the jovialness wasn’t quite so prevalent this time, other teams were still friendly and helpful, the race incredibly well organised, and the overall sense of achievement still fantastic. My legs are again battered and bruised and my body is sore (there is a lot of moaning and groaning happening in the Happy House today). And I can’t wait to do it again!

M

'twas the night before Teva Champs

There are small piles of equipment and clothing in strategic places around my flat. It makes an obstacle course of the flat tonight, but at 4am tomorrow morning I think I'll appreciate the forward planning.

Getting my kit together was much simpler and less stressful this time around, though I've just realised that I forgot to pick up a rice snack for the morning. I'm attempting to make my own, but it could be a bad move-kind of like trying a new look with your make up on the night of the ball (never a good idea).

I tried to take the kick-stand off my bike tonight. Yes, I know I should have done it a long time ago-like the day I bought it-but I didn't and now I can't.

I thought I was in luck when I found the right sized alan key in my bag of Ikea disposables. But it seems my 'toolbox' is incomplete because I don't have a tool to hold the nut on one side while I unscrew the bolt on the other side with an alan key. Oh well, I'll just have to be uncool tomorrow.

On a more successful note, I have confidence in my tyre pressure this time around. Last week, I added to my kit with a really good tyre pump that has a gauge. It makes the job SO much easier.

Everything else seems to be in order for tomorrow. I just have to paint my toenails before I go to bed. When the shoes and socks come off at the end of the race, soggy from mud and water, it's nice to have a little varnish on your nails-to hide the water-logged blue underneath.

t

Navel gazing at its worst

I've been reading some of our past posts and it amazes me how far we have come since making the decision to have a go at adventure racing.

Reading our posts about the Phoenix Adventure race brought back the excitement and anxiety that pumped through me as I tackled things I could not have dreamed trying a month or so earlier.

I remarked to Mel today, that it will be fun to arrive at Teva Champs with some experience under our belts. There's also a little bit of nostalgia for the enthusiasm that accompanies naivety.

I'm hoping that this next race will show me what ultimately drives me to keep doing it-the thing that survives the initial enthusiasm and keeps every experience alive and new.

I know that I love it for the atmosphere, the people that I meet, the incredible sense of achievement and knowing that comes with learning a new skill and, of course, the addictiveness of mountain biking. But, I suspect there's something more to it.

t

Break's over, kids

Well, it’s been all quiet on the western front as far as this blog’s concerned. Work and the normal rhythm of life interrupted the flow for a bit (not to mention Mercury turning retrograde for most of September).

I have finally finished my post about Teva, though I broke online publishing rules and posted it below Mel’s because it’s quite out of date now–definitely not news.

But, we are gearing up for a more events–in fact, the next one is this Sunday. Teva Champs is a little more challenging than the previous Teva race, with more technical navigation, a paddling leg and fewer challenges (meaning fewer chances to catch our breath). I’ve been reading the joining instructions and this race is going to be messy–we’re being warned to make sure our valuables are in waterproof bags. There’ll be some dirty stories!

Candice is joining the team this time and we’re sure to have as much fun as last time!

t

What I have learnt from my first proper race

On Saturday I was nervous.

* Did I have the fitness required to do this?
* Was I going to stay on my mountain bike?
* How on earth do you read a map fixed to your handle bars whilst trying to stay on your bike as you cycle down at dirt track?
* Were we ever going to get off the start line if securing a starting position involved solving a logic puzzle? Let’s face it, our practice attempts so far at solving ‘very easy’ internet riddles hadn’t been going well.

The lead-up
As we approached the bustling transition area to drop our bikes off I could have sworn everybody looked really fit and confident. Having Senna there as familiar face was a relief and her encouraging words definitely helped calm the nerves. Her comment about it being a flat course probably did the trick.

There were people milling everywhere at HQ and as first timers it was a little daunting. However some familiar faces and a focus on our planning helped keep us calm.


Strategy
The challenge to sort out the starting packs was thankfully not a logic puzzle, however it involved a beep test. Kerry put up her hand as our team representative and she put in a valiant effort trying to score us a few minutes.

She pulled out early, which we were thankful for, as a physical challenge could really drain you before you even began. And at this point we can see a perfect example of how strategic thinking can work for you.

A number of teams chose not to participate in the beep test. We all started only 6 minutes after the leaders, yet were the only starting pack to be given the valuable and time saving hint that we could cross the creek very near control 13 (the only other obvious ford nearby was off limits). Whilst the crossing involved hoisting our bikes on our shoulders and balancing vicariously down a steep embankment and over logs, we probably gained 6 minutes. And the crossing was not obvious, so without the hint we probably wouldn’t have found it.


Navigation
I know I’m not bad with a map. Actually if I’m going to be honest, for the fact my flatmate calls them my pacifier (give her a map and she’ll shut up), I love maps and I know I am pretty good at reading them.

So it was with excitement (yes I am sad) that I sat down to get my first good look at the course. Most of my previous navigating has been done in a Rogaine situation, which involves the whole team is traipsing through the bush with a compass, map and general sense of direction.

In adventure racing there is only one map, which translates to one navigator, and it was natural that the job should fall to me. Without that backup of another teammate providing re-assurance on decisions I was feeling the pressure to ‘get it right’.

My first real test as lone navigator came within 30 seconds of the start. There were two tracks close together, and I knew from experience it was going to be very easy to hit the wrong one. I stated ‘if the track turns 90 degrees to the left as soon as we hit it, we’re off course’. Sure enough the track went left, however every team around us also confidently went left? So I doubted myself. Thankfully one other team faulted as I was having an internal discussion with myself about what decision to make, which prompted me to turn our team around.

I was right, and going with my intuition put us ahead of just about every other team in our starting group. It gave me the confidence to lead the team and to run our own race.

Thankfully the majority of my nav skills were right on the money, with the exception of control 9. But we won’t rehash those 5 minutes of aimless wandering today.

Nor will we talk much about my appalling display of nav skills on the way back to Brisbane. Needless to point out, when the sign says ‘Old Gateway Freeway, City’, and you are planning to head that way, it is best you turn off otherwise you may end up on an unnecessary trip in bumper-to-bumper traffic over the Gateway Bridge.


War wounds and being prepared
I was going to buy some form of gaiters (leg protectors) the day before the race, but forgot.

I am a bridesmaid, in a knee length dress, for a wedding next week and I don’t think the bride is going to be happy. Whilst on one of the foot legs I decided to take us on a shortcut which involved ‘bush bashing’ through the undergrowth. Needless to say that without protection my legs are not looking pretty at the moment and some serious product is going to be required to hide the wounds for the wedding photos.

We are getting pretty sorted with equipment, but this demonstrates that being prepared can definitely save some anguish (and vanity issues).

This can be demonstrated in an incident involving Taryn and her left ankle. There is a minimum mandatory requirement of first aid in each team, but on top of the list I also threw in strapping tape. Having ‘done’ a few limb parts before I knew how invaluable immobilising an injury is.

With the assistance of the strapping tape, and a passing physio, Taryn was back up and running like a trooper within minutes.

There was only one other notable incident during the race, which involved Kerry and a bike stack on the way to control 8. Unfortunately I was taking the lead, therefore missed it, however a team coming through from behind said it was worthy of a good show. She now has two beautiful bruises as living proof.


Nutrition
Just a quick note leading on from my previous blog, gels are an acquired taste and you do get use to them. A fact I am thankful for as they are definitely the most convenient way of refuelling.


Competition
I have never been a competitive type. My father, on the other hand, use to take it to the extreme so I have always figured it skipped a generation.

However I found myself getting a little keen to push our boundaries during the race, particularly when I knew the other female Phoenix team was not that far ahead. This wasn’t our game plan so I had to reel my competitive thoughts in.

Since then however I have analysed numerous times how and when we could have performed better during the race (let’s still not speak about control 9).

The problem with a race like TEVA is that no matter how fast your team is, your position in the race can tumble dramatically with just one bad nav call or a display of stupidity while trying to complete a challenge.

We came 5th out of 14 female teams, so our first effort is definitely not something to be scorned at. And we were within 30 minutes of a podium position so perhaps next time……..


The reward
I have known Senna for a while now, and she had been pushing me to try TEVA for some time. Her words were ‘it’s not that hard, you can do it!’ but I struggled to believe her. Well she was right, so Senna, thanks for your perseverance with me!

I had so much fun.

I spent the whole race pumped, perhaps even a tad over-excited. We didn’t stop for 5 ½ hours, yet I don’t actually recall suffering once (perhaps in part due to the absence of hills).

For a number of teams there was a competitive edge to the event, but this didn’t stop people being friendly and helpful. Random strangers helped each other at various checkpoints, jokes and good will was shared between passing teams, and overall there was such a positive vibe throughout the whole event.

During a challenge while transitioning through HQ a random stranger came up to see if he could offer us some guidance on instructions (we must have looked a tad perplexed). It wasn’t until later I found out he was part of the winning team who had completed the race in under 3 hours.

I can confidently speak on behalf of Taryn when I say that we would rank up there as one of the most enthusiastic teams on the course that day. And our self congratulatory words to each other on the last leg are best left for our ears only, lest people think we are a little strange.

While I was going to St Ives

Mel and I had tried, the week earlier, to prepare for the likelihood of mental challenges. I’d found some logic problems online and we tested ourselves on the way to and from the mini-rogaine. Our efforts had been pretty pathetic though, even with the ‘very easy’ category, so we weren’t sure what to expect from the challenges in Teva. Happily, they weren’t so tough and Kerry was always quick to take up the challenge.

Some of the challenges involved testing memory and recall of films and television shows from audio grabs, solving a Rubix cube in four minutes and recognising logos of race sponsors.

Others were physical, like manoeuvring a Segway around an obstacle course (these are amazing machines-they make less impact on the environment than an individual walking), racing against a too-energetic kid and constructing a shelter that could keep the three of us dry in rain and high winds.

Candice’s leaf blower

The shelter challenge was one of the major ones in the race and it was the challenge that had Candice powering-up. At the beginning of the race, we had been given a cryptic puzzle about a predicted storm from the east. It had me baffled throughout the race as well as a little concerned that my poor lateral thinking skills would hamper our efforts. But, all became clear as we came back HQ for the final legs of the race.

An orienteering challenge required us to plan a route that would allow us to collect enough points to buy equipment to build our shelter. We decided that a large tarp, polls, tent pegs and a mallet would build us a good shelter, along with the string we had brought along with us (the joining instructions had directed us to bring something we could use to build something with).

We set to building our shelter, which needed to be strong enough to withstand wind and rain from the east, and big enough to keep the three of us dry. Once we were in the shelter we had to keep a candle burning while Candice powered-up the leaf blower and another volunteer turned the hose on us, together assailing our shelter with the predicted storm.

It goes without saying that we stayed dry and kept the candle alight – so intrepid of us!

The finishing line

After the challenge sequence back at HQ, we had one final mountain bike leg to complete. Kerry had been keeping pace all day, but at this point she hit a wall. Mel and I were pleased that she spoke up and chose to sit out the last leg.

Mel and I took off toward the last few controls, on a buzz from the whole experience and how close we were to finishing. We crossed the line after about five and a half hours of racing and both felt the biggest sense of achievement.

t

Off and racing

At 8.36am on Sunday, we were officially off and racing in the Teva Adventure Series. Well, perhaps not racing, more like jogging in that staccato way you have when you're caught in a pack.

Mel was the navigator and Kerry and I were on lookout and support duty. The first leg of the race was on foot (ha - read that again, slowly) and although my memory is a little hazy, I know Mel's intuitive navigating saved us time from the outset.

I also know there was a lot of crashing through scrub. Ruddy lantana - grrr!

We picked up our bikes at the fourth control and set off at speed, welcoming the breeze. It was already hot and the day was still so young.

I love my bike

I had such a blast on the bike legs! There's something so liberating about cycling fast.

Even so, it was on the first bike leg that I came off, twisting my ankle. I ran on to the control, but on the way back made the decision to speak up and take time to strap it.

As we were sitting down to figure out where to start (switching your brain from race mode to first aid mode is not a quick thing), another competitor stopped and offered her help, explaining that she was a physio.

She held her whole team up to help me, but they didn't blink an eye. Just another reminder that adventure racing is really about people and team spirit.

So much, so fast, so fun

So much happened during the race that I find it difficult to remember the details and the order of things, but the flashbacks are vivid.

Sandy tracks, boggy trails, and fast, flat stretches.

Taking bearings, back tracking (not much, mind you), crashing through bush and splashing through creeks.

Red and white controls, the happy beep of the timing chip.

Clumps of other competitors, happy exchanges and well wishes from strangers.

More lantana, more sandy track and that hot, hot sun.

People, smiles, lots of water, electrolytes and gels!

The gels certainly kept us firing. It was easy to tell when they’d hit, because I suddenly needed to tell everyone how awesome the day was. It probably drove Mel and Kerry crazy, but it was only the truth – the day rocked!

In the next installment: brain teasers, Candice's leafblower and crossing the finish line.

Preparations and people

I've already said how awesome Teva was, but 24 hours before it, I was not feeling so confident.

A shaky start

The day before the race, I was very nervous. In fact, I'd been nervous since Monday. I was worried that I would hold the team back or, worse yet, not enjoy the experience.

But, there it was - that was the whole point - this journey was supposed to be fun and full of laughs.

An early dinner with family (big bowl of pasta!) helped me relax and I got home in time to organise my gear before going to bed. By the time I hit the sack, I definitely felt ready to have a good time.

The day dawns

The day started very early.

My alarm startled me awake at 4am. By 5am I was collecting Mel and Candice and, about an hour later, we were meeting up with Kerry at the services near the Bribie Island turn off. I was starting to get pretty excited.

The event was held at Beerwah, near Australia Zoo. A week earlier, In2Adventure had sent out joining instructions that explained we were to first drop our bikes and then head back to Race HQ to register and prepare.

For me, driving up to the bike drop-off zone was when it all felt real. There were so many teams arriving and so many cars, bikes and people that I was reminded of cities like Amsterdam and Hanoi.

Senna and Susan from Adventure Seekers were among the officials helping to herd bikes and people at the drop-off area. Grabbing a few minutes to chat with them added to my excitement.

Gear and more gear

Back at Race HQ, we found a patch of ground and dumped our gear. Hydration packs full of food, water, compasses, tyre tubes and repair kits. Esky and extra water. Map board and container full of essentials like pens, highlighters, suncream and a change of clothes - just in case.

With our signed indemnity waiver in hand, Mel, Kerry and I lined up at the registration tent, where we received our race packs, bibs, map, course instructions, control card and timing chip.

We read through the instructions, planning our route and noting controls that could prove tricky. We had just enough time to make a loo stop, apply more suncream and get our packs on our backs before heading over for the first challenge and race briefing.

The starting line

The first challenge was a beep test, designed to stagger the teams at the start. Kerry stepped up as our representative and kept pace with everyone, but Mel and I were pleased when she decided to stop before she used up much-needed energy. As it turned out, our group of teams started just six minutes after the first group - in our opinion, not worth exhausting yourself for.

The race briefing followed, including updates on the course information and track conditions, reminders about safety and race rules. Importantly, the briefing also included clues that would help us in upcoming challenges.

I was stoked to see the friendly faces of the Phoenix Adventure team, as we milled around the start line. In the short time we had to chat, it seemed everyone was pumped for the race.

It was awesome to know some of the other people on the course. In fact, the camaraderie among the competitors was something that kept coming back to me throughout the day.

To be continued...

Teva, teva, teva!!!

We had an absolute blast, today!

Teva was fun from beginning to end. There will be more stories on the blog in the next few days, but here are a few photos of us, before the race started.

I have to make a special mention of Candice, who joined Mel, Kerry and I at the event, as one of the much appreciated and necessary volunteers. She spent six hours in the sun, operating a leaf blower (will be explained in forthcoming blog - I promise) and still had a smile on her face at the end.

t

Mel, keeping us on the straight and narrow - navigator extraodinaire!!

Kerry slapping on the SPF30+. The temperature was about 30 degrees celsius - in winter!

Me. What a poser, huh.

First Flight of the Phoenix team photo

It's all about the carbs

Leading on from Taryn’s previous blog, I too have been spending some quality time checking out food labels.

Having recently exposed to the world of race nutrition, I am looking at food labels in a totally different light. Gone are the days of focusing on low fat & high protein options, instead, welcome back carbs!

I love that term ‘carb loading’, particularly when it involves a nice big plate of pasta (and washed down with a glass of red) the night prior to a race.

Again, the range and variety of products produced specifically for physical racing is impressive, not in the least my new discovery, the gel. I have seen these before and I now understand how beneficial they can be. Unfortunately no amount of prior knowledge could prepare me for the actual experience of having one though.

Everybody raves about gels, but no one has actually been that vocal about the rather unpleasant experience of digesting them. It was disgusting! It was like eating vaguely flavoured (try strawberry banana) goo that sticks in your throat and gives almost an involuntary gag reflex. Water is mandatory to help get it down.

I had my first gel during last week’s Rogaine, and while the overall experience was somewhat unpleasant, it was a great energy boost, so I am hoping that with perseverance it becomes an acquired taste.

Mel

Warning: hi-carb content may offend

I lost hours in the grocery store this morning, reading the nutritional information panels on almost everything I picked up.

This, in itself, is not unusual for me. What is strange is that I was looking for high carbohydrate content products. Suffice it to say, Tony Ferguson would have been having conniptions.

I've been thinking a lot about race nutrition this week because my digestive system struggled after Sunday's race - all because it wimps out with foods like bread and muesli.

Last week, I packed some of the food that I can eat - the kind with 'no dairy, no gluten, no point' emblazoned across the packaging. I'd also taken a risk and included some muesli bars. They didn't agree with me.

(Of course, I shouldn't have then had the bread roll at the bbq - but it was a bbq for pete's sake. You've got to have bread rolls).

Obviously, all the food you take has to have high energy value. Apparently you need to eat about 1 gram of carbohydrate for every kilogram of body weight, each hour of racing. Hence, my close attention this morning, to carbohydrate values.

Aside from taking the right stuff, the act of eating is not a simple thing during a race, for so many reasons. If you're eating properly then you're probably having something every 20 minutes and it has to be easy to eat and readily accessible.

Imagine trying to down a muesli bar while you're paddling a kayak (though Erin made it look easy), or scoff trail mix while you're peddling at 15 km per hour (or thereabouts - I was going to say 20 km per hour, but that would have been wildly ambitious of me). All the while you need to be keeping pace with your team and staying on course.

Thankfully, there are loads of products on the market that give you energy, protein, electrolytes and whatever else you need, in one quick snappy burst. I've picked up a few things to trial at tomorrow's rogaine, including some gels that are supposed to be easier to eat on the run. I'm hoping I can find the perfect potion!

t

The first test - I mean race

We had our first ever adventure race on Sunday morning as part of our intro training. 6km of kayaking, 3km on foot and 20km of cycling may not be the toughest challenge ever, but to the uninitiated it was a good effort.

Our teams were picked randomly (hello team Wayne, Alana and Mel) and it turned out to be a pretty even matching. We had Taryn and her team breathing down our necks for most of the race which is a pretty good motivator to keep going.

We started with a 3km paddle upstream with a couple of controls along the way. We didn’t know it at the time, but we were paddling with the current which helped speed our leg up.
My teammate, Alana, grew up around the area we were running in so we had some great local knowledge to guide us. We collected the foot controls backwards and this decision turned out to be a godsend in relation to the hills of the area.

We were first back to the canoes and set off at a cracking pace. Unfortunately it was only at this time we realised we were against the current on the way back – not good when your upper body strength is zilch and you have already exhausted your arms on the way there. Needless to say it was a very, very, very long way back.

Alana had a mishap kayaking close to a pontoon and ended up in the water. Whilst assisting her getting the kayak righted I gave thanks to the fact it wasn’t me swimming. Unfortunately I didn’t learn by her mistake and copied her style a short while later. Therefore, just like Taryn, I got a taste (literally) of the Brisbane River and its pungent qualities.

At this stage in the race I would like to send out a huge thanks to the makers of Tupperware for providing such airtight/water tight containers. When I heard my mobile ring some time later during the mountain biking leg I knew that beautiful piece of kitchen brilliance had come through the goods and kept my phone dry! Definitely something to add to any good equipment list.

We hit the bikes with a small lead but this alternated with Taryn’s team through the suburbs. My mountain biking confidence got a little shaky as the pressure to keep up speed sent me off track a few times. Obviously something I need work on in future.

Tiredness started to kick in and a wrong turn and unobserved map features lost us valuable time. We made it back to HQ shortly after Taryn and Co, only to be given a cryptic clue and sent out on foot for one last control.

Our saving grace came in the form of the other team forgetting their control card, and while they backtracked to get it we were able to sail past (ok, it was more like a groaning, moaning putt past) and keep our lead for the final leg.

We were victorious, even if only by small margin. But it really didn’t matter who won or lost as it was all about the journey. Our fellow course members were fabulous as everybody was so welcoming and friendly, and there was a real feeling of camaraderie by the end of the week.

Many thanks to Andy for running such a fun, inspirational and beneficial course. And bring on Teva next weekend!!

Mel

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

Getting in to gear

I have started researching adventure racing and related disciplines, and what exists blows me away. The more you research, read and talk to people, the more you realise that there is a massive culture of very fit people out there.

A prime example is this morning on the way to kayaking training. I’m not generally out on the streets at 5.15am, so was amazed by the number of cyclists on the road. And I’m not talking about the casual Saturday peddler, but the serious, hard core, fully kitted enthusiast.

And that’s just road cycling. The mountain biking scene is astounding. From what I can ascertain so far, there is downhill, long distance, relays, and cycle-gaining just to name some. I have an appreciation of the organisation involved in setting and organising any sort of event so the list of races I have stumbled on is astounding.

All of this investigation is not helping my fitness situation. I am struggling on the running and hate any sort of uphill riding with a passion.

I’m not at the stage (or discipline level) yet whereby I am willing to attack my aerobic levels myself. I am displaying that all too common skill of finding every plausible excuse to not take myself off for that jog or bike ride.

I am trying to tackle this challenge by obligating myself to as much physical activity as possible that involves others. I won’t let people down, unless completely unavoidable, so when I agree to get up early, catch up after work or meet at lunch to partake in exercise I will be there. I also practice this approach in my social endeavours, so if anyone wants to meet at the pub I won’t let you down unless completely unavoidable!

Taryn and I are currently midway through a week long adventure race training course, and I am loving everything we tackle. I am getting excited about our first real race on the 23rd of August, which is part of the Teva series.

Taryn and I had a discussion last night about our individual goals and what we hope to achieve out of racing, and as usual we were on a pretty similar page. As our skills improve we may take on a more competitive edge, but our initial goal is not to come in a specify place, but just to c…… finish.

M

Gently does it

I woke at 4am this morning, without the aid of an alarm - I think I subconsciously urged myself to wake up early so I wouldn't miss the kayaking session at Indooroopilly Canoe Club.

It was a beautiful time of the morning. The moon was still out (and mostly full, having only started to wane yesterday) when I left my flat an hour later. The sun was just rising as we carried our kayaks down to the river. It was such a lovely way to start the day.

Of course, the espresso I had at home before I left was an equally good way to start the day.

I've been kayaking a few times, but usually in two-person, ocean kayaks that are incredibly sturdy and sit much heavier in the water. The single-person craft we had today were really light and manoeuvrable, by comparison.

Even so, or maybe as a result, it surprised me how difficult it was to keep the kayak straight, or straight-ish. It took me half of the session to realise that subtlety was needed. The analogy I volunteered to Mel (who didn't really need the advice, by the way) was that it was like dating. You have to keep your paddling gentle and give each movement time to have effect before you take the next.

A bit of a clumsy analogy, perhaps, but keeping it in mind helped me get back to the pontoon with some kind of grace and rhythm.

t

Tips and tricks

I'm loving this course. The strength and agility session on Tuesday night was a useful reminder that the terrain won't be what I'm used to. We did an exercise that involved leaping in a zigzag between markers - a useful skill, we were told, for rock hopping.

Judging by my performance, I will spend a lot of the race in soggy shoes.

Trail running this morning, drove home a few things for me. The first is teamwork. Andy reminded us to keep an eye on our team mates' position and call out trail conditions to give them warning. My problem will be deciding quickly how to describe a thing so everyone else will understand it perfectly - is it a stick or a branch? A branch or a root?

The other lesson I took away from it was remembering to use my core - it becomes really important for balance on the downhill.

Tonight's session was one I had been looking forward to the most. We went abseiling at Kangaroo Point. It was fantastic!! I was a little fearful at the beginning of each descent, because as the cliff drops away out of sight your natural instinct is get back to level ground. But, deep breathing and not looking down got me over that initial feeling - and the edge.

The rest of the trip down the cliff was cruisy. It's amazing how much control you have of your speed just by tightening and loosening the grip of one hand. The session was run by Susan from Adventure Seekers. She made us feel safe and at ease very quickly. To my thinking, that's exactly what you need when you're about to fall backward off a cliff.

Navigation, kayaking, team building and mountain biking are all to come, then the race on Sunday.

t

Now it feels real

Life has been pretty busy for Melissa and I - so much so that the blog has been neglected. The brief update from me is that I am now the proud owner of a spunky mountain bike. When I figure out how to post photos, I'll show it off. I have to say a huge thank you to Jeff Smith for finding it for me and delivering it. Check out his cool podcasts at www.powerfit.net.au

We've taken the bikes out for a couple of rides around Gap Creek. They've been huge fun, with some small moments of fear (at least on my part) as I hit a corner too fast or focused too much on the rock I'd been trying to avoid, with the obvious consequences.

I have bruises and scrapes to show for my efforts. I'm kind of proud of them, though also quite grateful that it's winter and I can keep them covered - white skin bruises ugly.

But moving on to the news du jour (or whatever 'night' is in french). We went to the introductory session of our adventure racing course. It's run through Phoenix Adventure and it will introduce us to the skills and disciplines that are core to the sport, such as trail running, kayaking, abseiling, navigation and mountain biking.

The session tonight was really interesting. The trainer/facilitator Andy, took us through the gear we'll need and some basics of race nutrition. It all gets serious tomorrow night with a strength and agility session.

I'll try to keep a commentary running over the next week. There are going to be some excellent experiences and I'm so looking forward to putting it all into practice with the mini-race on Sunday. My only concern is the navigation session - Melissa, you might be wishing for a different team mate that day!!

t

Fears and doubts

I've had a reality check this morning. My brother-in-law has just had to withdraw from a long-distance trek because of exhaustion. If a fit guy has that experience, then I may well be punching above my weight.

Hearing the news has triggered more questions. How do you manage exhaustion when you're on the trail? Is food or water the key? Both? Is it something else? Clothing? Shoes? What makes the difference? What training is going to be best to prepare?

What do you do with wastes - I doubt they have conveniently placed port-a-loos along the way (all the really big questions, as you can see).

This has also come after realising yesterday that I have a long way to go to get my fitness up to peak. I did weights and boxing classes yesterday, back to back. I enjoyed them and got through them fine (incredibly sore today, mind), but what was most concerning was how shattered I was for the rest of the day. It completely wiped me out. And that was just an hour and a half. For the GeoQuest race, I will be working at that intensity in continuous intervals for two days!

Even so, I'm still stupidly keen on doing this. It's just that now I realise I have to work harder to get into condition. That's cool - fun even.

t

I shouldn't stare

Wherever I go now, I'm checking out other people's bikes. I was walking to work on Friday and a guy cycled passed on a mountain bike with custom handles, two drink bottle holders and peddle straps to hold his feet in - I have no idea of the correct term for these, though I do know they weren't cleats.

A stream of questions rolled through my mind. What racing would that set-up be best suited to? Why those handles? How would they change your seating position - how would that feel? Are the peddle straps sensible? Are they old-school? What are they really called?

So much to learn! With all of the events Melissa and I have planned for the next two months, I'm sure I'll have some of my questions answered.

This has really got me hooked.

t

The challenge

Some years ago I stumbled on to the notion of adventure racing. I didn’t know anyone involved and had never excelled in any of its disciplines, but for some reason it appealed to me. Having never been a great athlete, even less so a runner or participant in any sport requiring strong cardio, the challenge never really seemed achievable.

I moved to Perth a few years ago, and after finding my weekends a little empty I seeked out some activities. I stumbled firstly on to orienteering, then rogaining, both of which highlighted my love of maps and navigation.

These were both realistic goals to me, and I fell in love with rogaining for its strategic challenge, escapism into the bush and the bonfire and red wine finish.

I was fully intent on continuing to race once I moved back to the east coast, however I was unable to find anyone interested in joining me for a long hike through the bush for hours in search of little white and orange squares. When asking friends to join me I got the usual uninterested look and the occasional ‘isn’t that hair loss cream?’ comment.

One weekend I mentioned my little pipe dream in passing to Taryn and to my surprise she broached it with me the following week. It may have been the white wine, that Friday after work happiness buzz, or other great inspiration, but that night a mutual goal was reached, a project plan created (we do work in communications after all) and the challenge set.

We have started to train both as a team and individually and have set short term goals that we both feel are reachable. My big fear is my cardio letting the team down or holding it back when racing.

Like Taryn I feel a little overwhelmed by the challenge we have set ourselves, however reaching the ultimate goal of completing a GeoQuest race is really a strong motivating factor.

Mel

a decision

I've decided to train for an adventure race.

About a month ago I was checking my emails. A newsletter for an outdoor retailer came through and at the end was an ad for GeoQuest.

I can't say exactly why it caught my attention, but it did so I clicked through and had a look at the website. In a very bizarre/fateful/impulsive/dumb moment I decided that competing in next year's race was the challenge I needed.

Since April I had lost the drive to stick with my training, so I was looking for something that would inspire and motivate me to keep working harder. This was it.

Two nights later I was out for drinks with Melissa and I mentioned my plan. She was keen and we started making plans; we were so excited. Melissa has rogained in the past and had wanted to do something like this for some time.

GeoQuest has a half-distance race that involves two legs of mixed disciplines, like trekking, rogaining, mountain biking, kayaking, estuary swimming etc. You need a team of 4, plus a support driver.

I need to learn a few important things, like how to mountain-bike (in fact, I need to buy a mountain bike and get used to wearing a helmet and having scary hair every time I remove it!), but I'll get there.

We've set an interim goal of competing in some smaller events in August and have planned regular sessions to build fitness and skills.

I'm so excited about it, but kind of overwhelmed by the size of the goal. What keeps me excited is how amazing it will be to look back over the year, at all the new things I will have introduced to my life.

taryn