Reaction to First 24hr Adventure Race
Team Applied Vitals took on its first 24hr adventure race at the 2010 Atomic AR in north Georgia over May 15 & 16.
First, what a great experience! I’ve been anxious to compete at this level/distance since getting off the couch this time last year . . . and it didn’t disappoint. It was an incredible personal challenge and an encouragement to continue developing my skills in the sport.
I had heard that after your first adventure race, particularly at the 24hr and longer distances, you’ll know immediately if it’s right for you. And I understand reactions are generally polarized – loved it! or hated it! Me, I LOVED IT!!
I look forward to going back to the drawing board with both training and race strategy to improve performance in my next race.
One of the most noticeable areas needing improvement in my game is in the endurance department. My regiment of mid-distance runs and rides, mixed with high intensity cross-fit workouts did condition me well enough to push through the pain and finish. In truth, it actually gave me enough of a base to enjoy the race.
But lacking deep endurance training however, my overall pace and finishing power at the end of 110-120 miles was less than impressive.
I don’t think that my intention is to compete at the highest levels. (Maybe you’ve seen the super human performances of the elite athletes in adventure racing – I still haven’t wrapped my mind around what they’re able to do.) But I would like to reach a level of conditioning and skill that allows me to push continuously throughout the course.
In a sport that favors runners and bikers, I have a long ways to go in developing my lower body strength. My swimming background lends itself well to the canoe section of the race, but that portion accounts for less than one fifth of the overall race distance.
So the next step in my adventure racing pursuit is to build a solid endurance base in running and biking. Right now, I’m leaning towards taking on an IronMan training program to get myself there, and quickly. TBD…
Congrats and it’s cool that you’re hooked! I know some elite adventure racers and it’s amazing what they can do. One jokes that he’s waiting to do Ironman until he’s older, retired from adventure racing, and “out of shape.”
I think it’s important for people to know they can enjoy the sport without being super-human in terms of fitness, training, and ability. Us “mere mortals” may not finish on the podium, but just participating can still be such an uplifting experience.
Good luck with the training!
Grant – You’re absolutely right about the accessibility of adventure racing to the novice. I’m just entering the sport now and have found the community to be so supportive that it seems odd in the context of competition. But then as you point out, for us mere mortals, it’s about the experience and not your finishing position.
As for the distance and difficulty of these races, I’ve found that even the format of races as intense as the Atomic Adventure Race are geared to accommodate many skill levels. I should clarify that “accommodate” doesn’t mean handicap, but it does translate to appropriate support and exit points for those that may have reached their threshold shy of the finish line.
So for those that are interested in checking out adventure racing, go for it! I went from relative inactivity one year ago to a 4hr sprint in October, 12hr in February and 24hr in May. After each race I assessed my conditioning and built towards the next goal.
As concerned as I was about being in shape for each race, I was blown away by the different level of participants – tall, short, thin, wide . . . all hard charging to get out there and see what they could do. Like many things in life, it’s more often our fear of failing or even fear of hurting our pride that keeps us from doing things.
The adventure racing crew is very supportive, laughs a lot (a required trait for those intentionally putting themselves in discomfort) and welcomes newcomers with open arms. Try saying that about another sport.