tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14400332738806171322024-03-14T01:32:05.044-07:00Adventure Racing Basics Adventure Racing Basicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14658174948276738516noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1440033273880617132.post-87491672214441221842016-04-12T04:22:00.004-07:002016-04-12T04:22:59.333-07:00SPIRITED WOMEN 2016 - Team Expedio GOT race report
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">SPIRITED WOMEN 2016 - Team Expedio GOT<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">How many people can say they got to stand-up paddle-board
(SUP), kayak, trek, mountain bike orienteer, tree top walk, rogaine, rifle
shoot and rock climb all in one day? We can because that’s what we got to
experience at the inaugural Spirited Women Adventure race in Rotorua on April 2.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It all started for us (Team Expedio GOT Debbie Chambers,
Emma McCosh, Jill Westenra and Leigh Cockerill) at 7.15 am on the shores of
Lake Okareka in Rotorua. Even though it was just on sunrise, the atmosphere was
buzzing with the excited chatter of teams of four, who had put their hand up
for either the long distance course (9 hours) or the veteran and corporate mid
distance course (6 hours). It gave us goose bumps to see so many women giving
adventure racing a go for the first time in their life !! What an awesome event
to be part of.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Before we knew it the countdown was on. Whoop whoop …..The
race started with a run around the shoreline and parks of Lake Okareka to where
the SUPs that were provided by the race organiser were waiting for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To our relief the lake was calm as a mill
pond and the boards were sleek and fast looking. We grabbed some flash looking
lite weight paddles and headed out onto the water to collect the various
checkpoints (CPs) on the lake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What a
stunning way to start the day although we were doing something physical it was
oddly therapeutic. We found ourselves paddling in and out of caves and
searching amongst the reeds and wildlife whilst trying not to crash into each
other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The predicted rain hadn’t arrived
and although we knew it would come later, it was nice to be dry while on the
water. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">For the next leg, we exchanged our SUP’s for double kayaks
and headed back onto the lake. It was great to see the other teams paddling
towards us on their SUPs cheering and laughing in good spirits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once again the CPs were all in cool places:
Up on rocks, in caves, tunnels and in beautiful bush.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were happy with our kayak configurations
but found the boats somewhat heavier than our multisport boats. It was like
paddling bath tubs but at least there was no chance of falling out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">After the kayak we arrived into transition in first place
and laced up our shoes to set off on the rough trek over to the Blue Lake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The narrow, rooty and slippery track suited
us fine as we pushed on to the various CPs on this leg.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jill provided us all with a bit of
entertainment with an impromptu sit down thanks to a particularly slippery
piece of track.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After a bit of a fumble
finding the final checkpoint in a glow worm cave we headed into
transition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only problem was our support
crew was nowhere to be found. He was expecting us to arrive from a different
direction so had locked the car and headed off to see where we were. Let’s just
say a few people were yelling out his name and he got a bit of stick from us
and the other support crews when he realised it was us waiting at the locked
car. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">After some food and drink we jumped on our mountain bikes
and headed out onto the course. We were pretty excited about this leg as Leigh
had just ridden the Pioneer Mountain Bike stage race in the South Island, and
Emma and Debbie had just cycled the length of New Zealand in just over 14 days
on the Tour Aotearoa and Jill, as many people know, is just always a machine on
the bike!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We set off down the lovely new
single track around the edge of the Blue Lake in high spirits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not long into the leg the team behind us
caught us up and we knew there and then we had a battle on our hands. After
riding with them for a bit we were sure we could match them for pace. However,
not long after that the wheels fell off when our failing eye sight and lack of
detail on the map lead to our demise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
made a couple of silly errors of judgement on this leg and never recovered our
lead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although we spent far too much
time running up and down tracks looking for the CPs, not once did anyone come
close to throwing their toys out of the cot. We enjoyed every second of the
ride taking in the awesome scenery and tracks and enjoying the wet and muddy
conditions. We arrived into transition covered in mud but with big smiles on
our faces.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our support crew had
certainly redeemed himself and had our shoes and caps lined up perfectly as
well as a smorgasbord of food waiting in the back of the car.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The next leg was a mystery activity which saw us complete
the new tourist treewalk at the Redwoods visitors centre.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had quite a wait in a queue here but used
it to catch up with supporters and other teams.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was a beautiful walk across a series of 21 suspension bridges 6-12
metres off the ground, through huge 110 year old Redwood trees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We then made our way to a marshal in the bush
who gave us a new and detailed orienteering map for our foot rogaine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even with our poor eyesight we made light
work of the navigation on this section as every bump and dip was well
represented on the orienteering map. It was wonderful running through the soft
trails and we were mostly protected from the heavy rain that fell at this
time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were extremely thankful to have
waterproof maps… the race organisers had thought of everything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was one of our favourite legs as we were
constantly seeing other team in the forest with us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone was having such a great time and
everywhere we looked teams were smiling and laughing and egging each other on.
Once again the CPs were in interesting places.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We visited an old kumara pit, an old bunker, caves, rocks, cliffs and a
little shelter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even though we were in
the middle of a race, once again we felt a sense of calm in these beautiful
surrounds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">After a quick transition, we were off to town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a complete environmental change as we
entered the geothermal wonderland of Rotorua.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Bubbling water, mud and steam surrounded us as we wove our way around
the cycle trails on the edge of Lake Rotorua.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We had another mystery activity here – this time was air rifle
shooting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had to serve out a 30
second penalty for a miss but we were soon on our bikes and back to transition.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The last leg was a short run around the bottom end of town and
to our last mystery activity on an indoor rock climbing wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The instructor commented that we smelt like
lake-weed, but was very good about all of the mud we traipsed inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We each enjoyed the climb and quickly ran
through the centre of town and the many tourists who must have been wondering
what on earth we were doing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">After the final CP at the mighty Waka on the lake-front, we
held hands and ran across the finish line, on Rotorua’s Eat Street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What an atmosphere!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were treated to huge cheers, whistles and
claps from the many support crews and teams who had already finished and the
odd local. It was an incredible feeling. We have done hundreds of races between
us all and none of us had ever had a reception as moving as that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were each given a wine glass with the
Spirited Women logo engraved on it as well as a bottle of champagne to
celebrate our success.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What a nice
touch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So if you are a group of women interested in getting into
adventure racing then check this event out and give it a go next year. So many
women who did this race had never done anything like this before and felt
completely out of their depth, yet on the finishline when we asked them what
they thought of the course they loved every minute of it and said it was the
best thing they had ever done. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One woman
who was petrified of mountain biking before the event said she would do it all
again in a heartbeat. One team learnt to read a map the day before the event
and had never ridden on mountain bike tracks before yet they got through with
team work, grit, determination and humour. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As it says on the Spirited Women website -
www.spiritedwomen.co.nz “This event defines the spirit of a kiwi woman – her
give-it-a-go attitude, sense of adventure, a strong belief in her girlfriends
and a desire to help them through difficult times and celebrate the good
times”. That is what adventure racing is all about. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">A huge thanks goes out to Neil Gellatly and his team for
putting on an awesome event and for inspiring so many women to get out of their
comfort zones. We also want to thank Expedio Industrial Properties for their
support and for taking care of our every need on the day. It will be held in
Taupo in 2017. Get your team together NOW. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Adventure Racing Basicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14658174948276738516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1440033273880617132.post-13867240270384441712016-01-18T14:29:00.000-08:002016-01-18T14:29:09.503-08:00A Question and Answer session with Debbie Chambers from the Girls on Top Adventure racing team<div id="yiv9856343049yui_3_16_0_1_1450048492976_3835">
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">1. <em> In your blog you mention that your first race was a 24 hour race in 2000. Most of us would be scared to even think about entering a race of that magnitude, what made you think “I can do this”?</em></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I have been pretty active all my life and have done lots of tramping and cycle touring, so I had a reasonable idea about what it takes to keep going for long periods of time. I never questioned whether I could do it or not as I know that the body will pretty much do what the mind tells it to do, as long as it is given food and water. My advice to those doing their first adventure race is to break it down into stages. Just tackle one leg at a time - Do the cycle then worry about the kayak or paddle board, do the paddle board or kayak, then worry about the trek. As my old teammate Ally Davey always used to say "Inch by inch it is a cinch". Don't think ahead and get bogged down with the entire race, just focus on what you are doing at the time and keep drinking and eating. Support your teammates and remain positive. Make sure that noone in the team is over stretched at any one time and that everyone is communicating and involved in what the team is doing.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">2. <em>Which three things would you change in your preparation for the race in 2000 if you could do that one again?</em></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">- Have lightweight gear. All our equipment back in 2000 was heavy duty. In my opinion is it better to pay a little more for top quality lightweight gear. It makes everything easier. Not only will you feel more comfortable in adverse conditions but it will also make the whole event easier as you won't be lugging so much weight around. Make sure you pack enough gear in order to be safe in any conditions but don't over pack and carry a lot of extra unnecessary stuff. For longer races we use a carrier on our bikes in order to get the bulk of weight out of our backpacks and off our backs.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">- Get more navigation practice in training - spend time going off track and using a map and compass. I can't emphasize this aspect enough. Going in the right direction and hitting checkpoints efficiently is the key to a stress free race. Wasting time going in the wrong direction makes it hard for everyone. Set up scenarios and then go out and practice. Learn from mistakes in training rather than on the day. Make sure everyone is involve in navigation and scouting to find checkpoints. One person can be on the map but the other three should also be totally focused on the terrain and scouting for features, tracks and checkpoints. A navigation error is a team error a not solely the responsibility of the designated navigator. Take things slowly and make sure you know where you are on the map at ALL times. In some races it is easy to follow others - however if you are following a team and then you lose them you will have NO idea where you are. NEVER follow, USE your compass and map and KNOW where you are at ALL times.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">- Be prepared to let go of mistakes. During the race whenever we made a navigation error we got extremely frustrated and demotivated as we thought we were in last place. We spent a lot of time and energy during the race saying things like; "I bet other teams took a much faster route", "we wasted so much time on that" , "we must be last", "people will laugh at us". In fact we ended up doing quite well. Support each other, be positive and work together to make a wrong right. Use mistakes to build team moral not tear it apart. You are a team of four out in the wilderness working together to overcome the challenges the course throws at you, embrace this philosophy and your experience will be so much richer. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><em>3. What training do you normally do to keep your fitness levels up for competing in adventure racing?<o:p></o:p></em></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I try to get a balance in my training of all disciplines. I do what I can to fit around life and work. I train for enjoyment and relaxation more than anything else. For people building up to their first race my advice is to get time on your feet with a pack on your back, and time on your bike with a pack on. During an adventure race you have to carry compulsory gear and food and water to get you through a stage so training with a pack on is essential. Remember to work on your weaknesses as much as you build on your strengths. Get a balance between working on your fitness and working on your team dynamics, thinking about your food, preparing your support crew, etc is essential. Adventure racing is about so much more than physical fitness. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">4. <em>You have done quite a bit of these races in the past decade, can you tell us about a race where the team has worked well? What made the team work well together?<o:p></o:p></em></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Teams work well together when everyone has the same goal. A team that is focused on efficiency and helping each other at all times will always perform better than a team made up of individuals trying to race each other. Good communication is essential in an adventure racing team. Of course you can't prepare for what a race may throw at you in terms of course difficulty, weather conditions, gear failure etc, however it is how the team pulls together to manage situations that makes the difference. It is pretty rare to have the perfect adventure race but striving to achieve it is certainly addictive and can lead to some of the most incredible experiences of your life. Respect others, respect the course, respect the environment and you WILL have the time of your lives. :) </span></div>
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Adventure Racing Basicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14658174948276738516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1440033273880617132.post-89107797463360874332015-12-07T12:09:00.003-08:002015-12-07T12:09:34.843-08:00NAVIGATION FOR BEGINNERS<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">So what do you need to focus on in order to prepare for your first adventure race?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">In this blog I am going to talk a little bit about navigation.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"> All real adventure
races require you to navigate from checkpoint to checkpoint with a topographical map or an orienteering map, a compass and a set of instructions.
Navigation is the most important skill for adventure racing, as if you are not
going in the right direction, then you are wasting your time and more
importantly your energy. Navigation is a hard skill to learn so
it does deserve a bit of attention and practice. Don’t get too hung up on being
a kick arse navigator, but do ensure someone in the team understands the basics
of map work. In most cases in a beginners adventure race you will get by and be able to bumble your way around the course okay without much navigation expertise, but if you want to do well or ensure you are always aware of where you are and which direction you are going in then there are a few things you can do.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">First up, g</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">et
a topographical map and study it. As a starter for ten:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Spend some time familiarizing yourself with the legend and the symbols. </span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Make sure you </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">understand
what contour lines are and what they represent. They are the brown squiggly
lines you see on the map. They represent elevation in the landscape. As a
beginner, it is essential to know you that the closer the lines are together
the steeper the landscape. If you understand contour lines you can avoid danger areas of steep landscape as well as minimize the amount of climbing your team does between checkpoints.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial";">Know how to use a compass. Learning how to orientate your map using your compass to fit the land will help you ensure you are always travelling in the right direction. Also, particularly if you are racing in dense bush or at night, you will need to </span><span style="font-family: "arial";">learn how to take a bearing off a map and then be able to follow your compass in order to reach the next checkpoint. Get someone who knows what they are doing to teach you and practice whenever you can</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Make sure you understand
the scale and what this means. Scale refers to the relationship between the
size of the map and the actual size of land or relative
distance. Knowing how far it is to the next checkpoint can significantly help you work out how long it will take you to the next checkpoint. This way you can let your team know what to expect. for example the navigator will be able to say ... the next checkpoint is about 5km away .. but our next thing to look for is a road off to the left in about 500 meters.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">As much as
possible before the event try to get out with a map in hand and follow your
route on the map. You'll learn a lot in
your first adventure race and over time your skills will evolve and develop. It is a real buzz when things all come together and
the map and compass guide you and your team smoothly around the course. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><o:p>Join your local orienteering club and get some help. Also check out your local area as a few places have orienteering maps and courses permanently set up and available for public use.</o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><o:p>Duder's regional park in Auckland has a great orienteering course all set for anyone to try. </o:p></span><br />
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Adventure Racing Basicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14658174948276738516noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1440033273880617132.post-91866012332137414792015-11-10T10:48:00.000-08:002015-11-10T10:48:15.737-08:00Preparing your headspace is as important as preparing your body<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The best advice I can give newcomers to adventure
racing is to plan and prepare. Planning, preparation and practice are the
three P’s of adventure racing. So many people put all their time into training
their body that they forget about the mindset that you need when tackling an
adventure race. In adventure racing the fittest most talented athletes may not
even make it past the first hurdle if they haven’t spent time thinking about
team work and their mindset prior to the race.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Adventure racing is a sport full of
surprises. Firstly the course is always a surprise – teams don’t find out
where they are going or the distance of each leg of the race until the night
before the start. Secondly, the terrain and weather are always a surprise. The
weather can always throw a curve ball no matter how long your race is. Thirdly,
your teammates and your equipment can throw in surprises from major gear
failure to spectacular individual meltdowns. My advice is as a team you need to
spend some time thinking, talking and planning for different scenarios. Expect
the unexpected and have strategies to cope. What if someone gets a flat tyre?
What if someone gets dehydrated? What if you get lost? What if someone gets a
hot spot on their feet? What if someone is slow and holding the team up or if
someone is always out in front putting pressure on others to go faster than
they are comfortable with? What if you end up taking longer on the course than
you planned? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">During an adventure race it is pretty much a given that you
will be bush-bashing through thick bush, you will probably push or carry your
bike at some point, you will get lost, some piece of equipment will break and
you will want to sit down and cry somewhere along the way. However, it is how
you deal with these challenges and how your team pulls together to overcome the
lows that makes the sport of adventure racing so appealing. Overcoming the
challenges thrown at you and dealing with physical and emotional pressure
empowers you, and when you cross the finish line you will experience an
incredible feeling of self- confidence and happiness </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The trick with adventure racing is to enjoy the journey and the environment rather than focussing too much on the destination. Take what is thrown at you, embrace the highs and the lows </span><span style="font-family: calibri;">and keep moving. Break the race up into stages and just focus on one thing at a time. </span><span style="font-family: calibri;">I suggest you read a few blogs of adventure racing teams and get an insight into what they go through during a race. </span></div>
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Adventure Racing Basicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14658174948276738516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1440033273880617132.post-52406165837416826472015-11-10T10:43:00.000-08:002015-11-10T10:43:14.057-08:00Food, food and food - What to eat during a race<br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;">Thinking about what
you are going to eat is essential. Food is so important. Our bodies are like
cars, if you stop putting fuel in you will come to a grinding halt. If you put
poor quality fuel in you’ll get poor performance. Make sure you have trained on
the food you are going to race with.</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;">More often than not if your teammate is lagging behind or having a meltdown - they NEED food. </span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;">In shorter races try and eat every 30mins
to an hour and have a sip of drink every 15 mins. Don’t wait until you feel
hungry or thirsty to eat or drink as by then it is too late. A general rule is 1 gram of
carbohydrate per body weight per hour. For shorter races I use a combination of
Gels, bars, cookies, cake, nuts and sandwiches– peanut
butter and jam or marmite and cheese sandwiches cut in quarters on white bread. DO NOT try anything new on race day.
Having something solid in longer races is essential - your body cant handle 6 hours of gels. Also have some kind of electrolyte supplement to add to your water bottle or
bladder. I use NUUN tablets as they are easy to carry and drop into
your bottle. </span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;">Once again plan and prepare your food the day before and pack it
into bags for each stage of the race. Always take a little extra in case it
takes you longer than you expect. I usually have two spare GU gels tucked away
in my pack for emergencies. Lollies are always a great team pick me up. Jet planes are my favourite. </span>Adventure Racing Basicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14658174948276738516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1440033273880617132.post-19367222902505965322015-11-10T10:40:00.000-08:002015-11-10T10:40:46.872-08:00Gear and Clothing<br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-NZ;">It is so
important to have good clothing for adventure racing. Make sure your gear is
lightweight but high performing. You can find most essential gear at your local
outdoor store. Never compromise your safety in a race by taking poor quality
flimsy equipment but also don’t add to your workload by carrying extra bulky
heavy gear. Buy quality as not only will it last longer but it will enhance
your experiences whilst training and racing. I always say there is no such
thing as bad weather just bad clothing choices. Always put your gear in a good
quality dry bag in your pack. Compulsory gear is no good to you if it is
soaking wet. Make sure you understand the climate, terrain and weather for the
location of your race. If you will be bush bashing wear leg protection, if you
will be in river beds or scree slopes wear gaiters to stop stones getting in
your shoes. Never underestimate the weather and always plan and prepare for the
worst case scenario.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></span>Adventure Racing Basicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14658174948276738516noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1440033273880617132.post-81367703990762112042015-11-01T00:15:00.003-07:002015-11-01T00:49:17.421-07:00What is adventure racing ?<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; position: relative;">
<a href="http://girlsontopconz.blogspot.co.nz/2013/04/a-beginners-guide-to-adventure-racing.html" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;">A beginners guide to adventure racing</span></a></h3>
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Adventure racing is a sport that requires teams of four (or three) to travel together on foot, by bike and kayak ( or tube, raft or Stand up paddle board) using only a map and compass to navigate their way through the course. Adventure races can range from 3 hours to 10 days in length and take place all over the world. If getting out into the outdoors and challenging yourself with a group of friends sounds like you, then adventure racing is your sport.<br />
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I discovered adventure racing in 2000 with a 24 hour race based in Auckland. Thinking back to this race makes me laugh. We had bulky heavy gear, 12 volt battery packs and homemade lights and bikes that weighed a ton. We had no idea what we were getting ourselves in for but we had an absolute blast and I was hooked. This sport brought together all my past experiences and my passion for people and the outdoors. I had found the sport for me. Over the past 13 years I have raced in multiple events in numerous locations with varying levels of success. I am no elite athlete, I'm never likely to be on the podium yet this sport has kept my interest all these years and I am still learning new things every time I race.<br />
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Where to start? If this sport tickles your fancy then there are a few things you can do to make your first foray into the sport as enjoyable as possible.</div>
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Firstly, find an event that is right for your level. If you have never done an adventure race then choose a race aimed at beginners. Next, find some friends who you enjoy spending time with and who are up for a bit of fun and a challenge. Make sure that everyone on your team has the same goals and aspirations for the team - if one team member is out to win and another is simply there to enjoy the experience - there will be trouble !!<br />
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In my opinion navigation is key. Make sure someone in the team can read a map and understands the basics of navigation. It is ideal if all the team can make sense of a map but at the least you need one person who is happy to take the lead on the navigation. If no one in your team can read a map to save themselves then I suggest some of you sign up to your local orienteering club and get as much practice reading a map as possible. Also make sure you have a map with you on training sessions even if you know where to go. Plan training missions with your team that involve navigation challenges. Make sure you know how to orientate a map to fit the terrain.<br />
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The next thing to do is to kit yourselves out with reasonable bikes and a pair of offroad running shoes. If the event has rafting, standup paddle boarding, kayaking, caving or rope work in it, make sure you get a few training sessions in that discipline prior to the race. If your muscles know what to expect during the event they will be much happier on race day.<br />
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The rest is simple pay the entry fee and start training for it. You won't regret it. Adventure racing is addictive and as soon as your first race is over you'll be looking for your next :)<br />
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Over the next few weeks I will post some more insights into the sport of adventure racing. I will cover off gear, nutrition, training and team work. Watch this space. If you have any questions about adventure racing please leave a comment on this blog or message us on Facebook and we will do our best to answer.<br />
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Happy adventuring<br />
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Adventure Racing Basicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14658174948276738516noreply@blogger.com2