Getting some rapid action

Has it really been two weeks since the Easter long weekend? Perhaps I've been having too much fun! More likely, it's that the weekend was so awesome that the memories are still so vivid - surely not already a fortnight old.

Andy and Miriam at Phoenix Adventure organised a fab camping trip for the Easter break, down at Nymboida Canoe Centre, which is south west of Grafton. Mel, Candice, Jenaya, Clarissa and I joined in the fun with the dozen or so other adventure racing fiends, for a weekend of rapids action on the Nymboida River.

The camp ground was gorgeous. We pitched our tents right beside the water, going to sleep each night to the burble of the river. Not everyone slept so peacefully. Some were kept awake by the 'burble' of a fitfully snoring neighbour.

During the day, people donned helmets, thermals, life vests and shoes before taking up their toy of choice - kayak or tyre tube - and trying their luck on the rapids. I could have spent all day watching the braver souls in the group hurtle down the rapids with nothing but air and rubber between their backsides and some enormous and very stubborn rocks.

On Sunday morning, I was coaxed and cajouled by the girls into having a go. Walking up to the top of rapids with my tube, the nerves had locked an awkward, rigid smile on my face. I should not have been so worried. If the past 10 months has taught me nothing else, it has taught me that the things we are afraid of are rarely so scary when we tackle them. I had a great time on the rapids and escaped mostly unharmed.

Even so, I am no natural on the tyre tube. I think the fact that the only photo of me on the rapids is one of my foot in the air (while the rest of me is most definitely submerged), is testament to my lack of grace.

I had one scary moment as I came off the tyre on a big rapid and lost my shoe. I felt myself caught between the two opposing surges of water, which were effectively forcing me down. The more I struggled, the more I was caught. The calm faces of Candice and Jenaya relaxed me enough to let the natural flow of the water push me out of the vortex and recover my shoe. I was so relieved. Mind you, I came so close to a waterborne Cinderella story...maybe I should have let the shoe go.

The kayakers in the group were, in my opinion, the most brave. I'll have to let the photos speak for it though, because I was not confident enough to get in one and test my bravery a second time. I think I'll stick to kayaking on flat water.

It wasn't just kayaking and tubing. Andy organised a bike ride and a trail run. The ride was dusty and hilly and great fun. And the run, well, as I explained when questioned about the run, I was only there to bring up the rear and make sure there were no stragglers (hehe). We also enjoyed dinner at Russell Crowe's place on Saturday night.

I had an absolute blast all weekend. The perfect camping trip, in my opinion.

t

Back in the saddle

The team got back together for the first race of the Mountain Designs Adventure Race Australia series on 28 March. Candice, Mel and I haven't raced together since Teva Champs and it was great to be back at it.

The event was held in the Noosa hinterland and the scenery was spectacular. In one section of the trail, we rode across a creek that was shaded by a full canopy of leaves and had the remains of an old wooden bridge. It looked like some forgotten glade from a fairytale - well, that was the fleeting thought I had for the all-of-three-seconds that it took to sail through on my bike after letting go of the brakes on the wicked downhill that lead to the creek.

We competed in the Raw course, out of respect for our various injuries (past and present). I was delighted to get through it uninjured and feeling like I could have done double the distance. The navigation was easy and we had a canoe leg that put Mel's dragonboating experience to good use.

At the beginning of the month I had done Phoenix Adventure's navigation workshop, to get a better handle on that aspect of adventure racing. It made a difference because just looking at the map I could make more sense of the terrain, more quickly than I had been able to before.

The race was great fun and we caught up with all the usual suspects, as well as meeting plenty of new faces, all just as keen on adventure racing as we are.

We finished the race in good spirits and good time, and took the opportunity to get away early. It wasn't until the middle of the next week that Candice excitedly emailed Mel and I to share the amazing news that team An Adventure Beyond had won the female Raw category. What a buzz!

t

When nobblies become slicks

Tre-X Endurance was two weeks ago now and that seems like a lifetime. But looking at images and video of the event brings it all back.

The day was wet, which we were told is typical of the endurance race. I'd never ridden in wet and muddy conditions, so I was wary about the conditions. Even so, I chose to not do a practice lap before the start of the race. Retrospectively, I think that was a good idea-it would have spooked me!


Going into the race I had a simple goal. I wanted to come out of the swim feeling stronger than last time. I certainly did that. In fact, I felt stronger through the whole race and took time off my run. I finished without feeling fatigued and knew that all the work I'd put in with my trainer had paid off. Thanks Dayna and well done on your race and result!

My swim was exactly the same time as the last race. I really need to do my swim sessions without breaking every 50 metres, though!

My bike leg was a lot slower than the first race because of the mud and rain. It was so muddy that I had to stop two or three times to clean muck out of my tyres and brackets so my wheels would turn!!

Riding in mud is so different and with our climate and conditions, it's not something we get much practice at. My tyres had a thick coating of sticky mud on them part way through first lap of the mtb course. There was no tread to speak of and the ground was incredibly slippery. Most riders around me were walking their bikes through bad parts of the track. A few times I attempted to jog through it, but my feet were slipping around as much as my bike.

The rain came and went throughout the race and by the time I was on my second lap of the mtb course it seemed to have diluted the top layer of mud enough that it was no longer so sticky. I was able to stay on my bike a lot more on that lap and did a quicker time.

I felt so good the whole race and remember smiling and laughing a lot. I couldn't have been much happier when I crossed the finish line.


The guys from Phoenix Adventure were there, always smiling, helping out with advice and race tips and letting me crash their tent-a blessing given the weather! Thanks Andy, Miriam, Katherine, Shane, Alannah, Clarissa and Co and congratulations on your results!

There are so many events coming up, it's hard to keep track. I'll post a list of them soon, with links to the websites.

t

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

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

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...

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

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