HOW TO WIN ADVENTURE RACES

There is plenty of written and online information about our sport. 

This outline is intended to serve as a guide so that you do not waste any time going up the wrong mountain…

1. Definition/ Types:  Adventure Racing is a continuous sport requiring team travel in any outdoor environment.  Activities may include orienteering (map and compass), mountain biking, trail running/trekking, canoeing/kayaking/rafting, climbing and rappelling.  Races vary from 2-6 hour sprints to 8-14 hour races to 10-day expeditions throughout the world.

2. Race Preparation/ Training:    
1. Mentally:  Select an event using the online calendars.  Ask others about each event.  Set a reasonable personal goal, and team goal.  Focus on fun, select compatible teammates.   Read books and online articles (see lists below)  . 

2. Physically:  Do the distance beforehand, anywhere, in chunks of time.  Train at night and in inclement weather.  Taper well before the race.  Work on your weakest skill areas.  Find great mentors.  Avoid injury. 

3. Interpersonally:  Use GRPI- discuss Goals, Roles, Procedures, Interpersonal hot buttons.  Team roles include captain, lead navigator, second navigator, mule.  All are positive drivers/cheerleaders.

3. Pre-Race Days: 

a.       Mentally:  Focus on your strengths, the positives, goingpast the finish line.  Plan on not makingany mistakes.   Know that at some pointyou will leave base camp and get started…

b.      Physically.  Check and recheck all logistics and gearsystems.  Bring extra gear/ equipment tothe race site.  Recheck list of requiredequipment.  Have a professional tune-upyour bicycle at least 2 weeks pre-race. Sleep well 2 nights before the event. Overeat carbohydrates, protein, fruits and vegetables.  Avoid new/unusual foods.

c.       Interpersonally:  DWIT. Do Whatever It Takes to cheer and support your teammates.

d.      Quotes:  “We are at home in our games because it isthe only place we know just what we are supposed to do”  Albert Camus. “Yes, there will be a finish line. Yes, there will be a finish line,” former teammate.  “Is that Elvisor what?”  former teammate whenhallucinating.

4.  Racing: 

a.       Mentally:  Ignore the glitz/hoopla if it detracts fromplanning.  The adrenaline will kick inwhen needed.  Focus on systems andnavigation. Review the course over and again in your head so that you alwaysknow where you are. Keep thinking.  Alwaysplan ahead.  Talk about the nexttransition before you arrive there. Ignore all muscle and abdominal pains- they always pass.  Celebrate beauty and laughter and the moment.  Appreciate the wilderness.

b.      Physically:  Once given the maps/passport sit in a quiet,well lit area and take your time with your highlighter.  Carry all maps, even extras, just in case.  Gently quiz the navigators before the race, thensupport the navigators once race starts. Set a smart pace based upon your team’s goals.  Rotate positions so that the slowest person(at that time) sets the pace. Be so well organized that you know where youressential gear is, and your teammates’ essential gear is. Do not make anymistakes such as navigational errors, mechanicals on bike, accident orinjury.  Mistakes lead to mistakes.  Control heart rates.  Hydrate and eat as much as possible w/familiar foods. Set a watch alarm for hydration/food intake every 30minutes.  Plan the next water supplyarea. 

c.       Interpersonally:  The most important RULE:  DWIT.  DoWhatever  It Takes to help the teamcontinue moving forward. Avoid your teammates’ hot buttons. Support their energy changes throughout the days/nights.  Listen carefully.  Verbalize concerns without usingjudgments. 

5.  Post Race:

            Celebrateyour experience.  Stretch very well.  Hydrate, hydrate!  Schedule another race within days… especiallyif you DNF.  We all need external goals/motivators.

6.                 Navigation-maps:

There are many different types ofmaps.  Most race directors select USGS(United States Geological Services) topographical maps.  These usually have the same scale, 1:24,000and declination is not a significant factor in the eastern US.  Contour lines define elevation changes.  Practice selecting routes from A to B thatare the easiest and fastest.  The 1:3rule will help you win races.  This rulestates that if the easier route is less than 3 times the distance from theshortest route, take the easier route. When training, have each teammate create a course and follow as theothers navigate.

Many races are won or lost based onyour team’s navigation.   Tip: ALWAYSshare the navigation.  Have a leadnavigator and a second navigator. 

7.                 Navigation-UTMs (Universal Transverse Mercaturs/ aka U the Man/  aka Under the Meter):

This is a grid system, likelatitude and longitude, which enables you to locate any point within onemeter.  UTMs are commonly used forplotting and finding checkpoints (CPs) or Transition Areas (TAs).  All teammates should master the followingskills.  See tutorials on YouTube.

(At the NCARS clinic we willprovide topo maps and a plastic utm scale for you to practice these skills)

Practice Sheet for Finding UTMs

1. Locate the markers on the top and bottom of the map.  Draw a reference line between them.  That line defines an easting, such as 435 000 easting or 435 600 easting.

2. Locate the markers on the right and left sides of the map.  Draw a reference line between them.  That line defines a northing, such as 4001 000 northing or 3999 000 northing.

3. To find exact points, use your UTM finder.  Each mark represents 100 meters.  Always go from left to right, then bottom to top.  (A tip: Go in the house, then up the stairs to bed…)

4. To locate an easting:  If you are seeking the exact location of 435 500 easting, you would draw or locate your reference line to the left, such as 435 000. Then use the top side of the UTM finder and move 5 marks to the right.  You are moving from left to right. The upper right corner is now pointing at 435 500.

5. To locate a northing.  If you are seeking the exact location of a 4001 400 northing, you would use a similar process.  Start by drawing or locating the reference line below it, such as 4001 000.  Then use the right side of the UTM finder and move 4 marks up.  You are moving from bottom to top.  The upper right corner is now pointing at 4001 400.

6. To locate an exact point, combine steps 4 and 5.  The upper right corner is now pointing at UTM 435 500 easting, 4001 400 northing.  When you get there you will be within 100 meters of the checkpoint.

Practice by locating these points:

1. UTM  437 000 easting, 4001 000 northing
2. UTM  435 200 easting, 4000 120 northing
3. UTM  438 200 easting, 4000 330 northing
4. UTM  436 300 easting, 4000 980 northing
5. UTM  436 690 easting, 4001 060 northing, start/ finish

8.                 Food/Hydration:

Bring whatever you will eat.  Most racers supplement gels/bars withfamiliar foods that will stay down.  Keepit simple.  Consider cheese and crackers,gorp, sandwiches or wraps, fruit gummies. For any event more than 4 hours, you may want 2 bladders- one with waterand one with electrolytes.   Each personis a cheerleader/driver, so each person has a responsibility/task is to makenoise every 30 minutes using a timer/watch. Shout “Hydrate” and make certain each teammate does so.  Every hour shout “Eat up!” and assess how muchthey eat.  You may/will likely need toforce food into a teammate.  Without itthey cannot be as competitive.   Packfood on the outside of your packs, within easy reach, and provide it for yourteammates.  You must eat your way throughevents- never feel hungry!  At PQ (PrimalQuest) we consumed 15,000 calories/day and each lost weight.  At many ultra-marathons they measure bodyweight loss.  Take electrolyte pills likeecaps hourly.  You will likely spendhours discussing food and nutrition. Food fantasies can keep you racing fast for days…  Also, you will NEED less food than youthink.  Just keep racing.

9.                 RequiredGear:

Study whatever the race directoradvertises.  Then ask anyone who has donethe race about other recommended gear.  The most important gear is 1) your packand 2) your footwear.  Sample different packs,at retail stores or races, and run with it filled with bags of flour.  You will be living in/with your pack…  Trail shoes need to drain well.  Use a power drill and drill 8-10 holes abt1/16” in the soles of all AR shoes, including bike shoes.   Waterproofing is silly.  You will be soaked.  Therefore you want to drain the excesswater/weight as quickly as possible while moving forward.   If therace is longer than 24 hours your foot will swell 1+ size and you may needanother shoe for later sections.  (Forinstance, at PQ Montana I had to cut out my favorite Izumi AR shoes because Icould not fit my feet into them for the bike section.  Then I had our TA support team buy shoes 3sizes too large so that I could finish the final trek sections…)   Readthe books on foot care.  Train withdifferent sock systems.  Use hydropel orsportslick or bodyglide generously.  (Yourfeet will swell and blister and discolor and scare you… but they alwaysrecover.  Keep running.)

10.               On the bike: 

Much has been written about typesof bikes for AR.  If it works, useit.  You will abuse your bike in thissport, and you will need a great, lightweight, strong bike.  Most elite riders look to a Trek Fuel orGiant NRS or similar full suspension because they have up to 4” of travel andcan lock out for roads.  If you want a lessexpensive/lighter option consider a hard tail with a seat suspension.  Clipless pedals will improve your performanceand force you to ride smarter.  Technicalsingletrack is usually minimal in ARs. Most riding is on fire roads, uphill J.  Trail repairs are minimalistic and focused onkeeping the team moving.  Practice fixinga flat in less than 1 minute.  Considerriding tubeless with tire sealant (especially if you are not near the thorns inMoab, UT.)    As a team, bring extra CO2cartridges, a small tool w/ allen wrenches, a chain tool.  Designate a team bike mechanic.  You may need to shorten a broken chain into asingle-speed.  Remember the DWIT rule.  Your goal is to keep the team movingforward.  Practice towing each other whentraining.  Always get your bike serviced by a professional 2+ weeks prior to arace.  This is a team sport.  There is no excuse for not investing inneeded bike maintenance.  Alwaysclean your bike well after each race.  Itwill require it.

             Basic MountainBike Prep for Adventure Racing,

from Jeff Hazely, CharlotteTrek, Carolina Bicycle, Huntersville, NC

former mechanicfor Team Landis and professional teams

1. Nut and bolt check

Check the nuts and bolts on thebike looking for loose ones

Also check that your seat heighthasn’t changed

Run through the gears and check thebrakes

Make sure you have bar plugs in theends of your handlebars

2. Clean and lube

Basic maintenance includes cleaningthe chain with solvent if necessary and then lube the chain and let dry

Clean the shift and brake wires andthe lube the housing

3. Visual inspection of bike

What you are looking for are thingsthat have changed since your last check, like loose spokes or damage from aride or crash

You are looking for anything thatmight have damage like:

              Bent rim

              Damaged frame or fork

              Damaged grips that might be looseon handle bar

              Check the tires for wear or cuts

      4.   Accessory check

Check your spare tube or use afresh one on race day

Check your inflation system pump orCO2

If it is a night ride check yourlighting system for run time by actually charging it and then run the lightwith a timer to get accurate run time

Check your seat bag that it haswhat you need in  

         Spare tube

         Inflation system

         Tire levers

         Mini tool

5. Gear prep

Make sure your equipment that youwill need for the bike leg of the race is ready before you leave the house

Make a checklist so nothing getsleft behind

But all the gear into a smallduffle bag and mark the bag with your name and your team name and number

It’s also good to put extra food inthere just in case

11.               On the run: 

Or crawling, or on your feet, ortrekking forever L.  Thefastest teams run the downhills and flats. Those teams that are always within arms reach of one another out performthe others J. Towing is an essential team skill.  Train with a 10’ bungie/surgical cord or 6 mmclimbing rope.  Push the slowest persongently in the small of their back, or push their pack.  Thereis a myth that your team is as slow as the slowest member.  In fact, the best teams help the slowestmember travel faster on their feet than that person could otherwise travel.   Carrytheir weight.  Do whatever you can tokeep gravel/sand out of your shoes.  On10+ hour uphill treks consider using trekking poles.  Tell long stories/jokes/lies.  Sing long songs to keep the team moving… evenif you have to make up the words.

12.               On the water: 

You may be paddling in canoes, kayaksor rafts.  You may be swimming downriverwith fins and a boogie board.   Regardlessof the activity, the fastest teams practice the specific skill areas so thatthey can be competitive…  Too little hasbeen written about the importance of paddling technique.  However, many races have been lost as aresult of poor technique or training.  Ifyou have 2 boats you can draft one another in the rear (2’ back) or side (2’next to the stern paddler of the front boat.) If you tow, use a short 2’ rigid line. If you are paddling 3 in a canoe bring a portable or rigid center seatfor the center paddler.  Practice withkayak paddles because they are usually fastest. Yet consider the event.  Thefastest teams in the Florida swamps at USARA 2005 Nationals used canoepaddles.  Train with flat water racerswho have great technique.

13.               First aid:

You will be required to carry afirst aid kit.   Keep it minimal.  On expeditions you will be required to take afirst aid class, and it will be helpful. Especially if it is a wilderness first aid course.  But the best protection is prevention. 

14.                Future Races: 

One outcome from this clinic isthat we want you to select future teammates and training partners.  Your contact information will be emailed toyou.  The sport is new and growing.  There are hundreds of events, and surely manythat will interest you.  After most racesI write a race summary, and try to learn from it.  Then I commit to another race.  I urge you to commit with someone sittingnearby, right now!

15.               Online Resources/ calendars:

a.     www.ncars.info is our series near Charlotte, NC.  There are links to many events and calendarsthere.

b.     www.usara.com is the U.S. Adventure RacingAssociation.  A good calendar.  Join for $35 annually or $8 at eachevent. 

c.      www.checkpointzero.comalso has the best calendar, and team tracker, and network of over 3,000racers.  All online networking isfree.  Countless links to races. 

d.     www.trailblazerAR.comis based in Atlantaand has a growing chapter in Charlotte.   Themessage board/forum is a great way to connect with others.

e.      www.oarevents.comorganizes 1-3 day AR’s in VA, TN and WV.

16.               Written resources:

a.       The Complete Guide to Adventure Racing, TheInsider’s Guide to the Greatest Sport on Earth, 2001, Don Mann and KaraSchaad.  An excellent primer, with plentyof visuals and tips from the founder of Odyssey AR and PQ 2006 RaceDirector.  Don is a great person and the “Fatherof AR in the US”

b.      AdventureRacing, 2004, JacquesMarais and Lisa de Speville.  Evenmore glossy images from all over the world.

c.       Adventure Racing, The Ultimate Guide,2001, Liz Caldwell and Barry Siff.  Moretext than pictures, great history and chapter on the future of AR.

d.      Runner’s World Guide to Adventure Racing,2004, Ian Adamson. Witty insights into his successful approach to ARs.  As readable as he is personable.  Ian has won more races than anyone.

e.       A Canoeing & Kayaking Guide to the Carolinas, 8th edition, 2002, Bob &David Brenner.  An invaluable local guidefor training and when guessing race routes.

f.       Mountain Biking North Carolina,2nd edition,2003, Timm Muth.  An essential guide fortraining, or when guessing race routes.

g.      Ultra MarathonMan, Confessions of an All-night Runner, 2005, Dean Karnazes.  An inspiring glimpse into what drives us inthe wee hours…

  Another local contact:  Doug Gray, , 704.895.6479                

17.  Enough reading.  Now get out there and do some training!