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