Adventure Racing - Triathlon on Steroids


As my eldest son Matthew keeps reminding me, I haven't posted on this blog since March, so an update is well over due.  Yes I've still been riding and doing a few other things in between.  In October I ran my 9th Marathon and came home with a PB which was very satisfying.  My wife Paula also ran her first half marathon using a training plan I put together for her based on the Furman Institute of Running and Scientific Training (FIRST) program.  For the last 3 years I've been listening to a mate of mine Tamas talk about his annual trip to Lorne to join a few friends for an adventure race.  So about 8 weeks ago while tapering for our respective events I suggested that we enter as a team in the Lorne Anaconda Adventure Race a 50km unsupported event consisting of a 1.9km ocean swim, 13km ocean paddle, 15km trail run, 18km mountain bike (MTB) ride and a 1.2km beach run to finish off with. Both of us had done triathlons and team events before but nothing like this.  How many events do you know of which make it mandatory for competitors to carry orange flares (paddle) and first aid kits (run & ride)?  Anything can happen out there, so best be prepared.

Conditions were good for the swim start and Paula did herself proud with her longest ever continuous swim and it was over to me for the paddle, which I had spent all of 5 weeks preparing for.  What a blast. I only fell in 5 times! 

Paula delivered another great effort on the very tough trail run, rock scramble, beach run, river crossing experience. 
The MTB leg was going nicely to plan.  I made it up one of the rudest hills in town spinning out in my lowest gears and then off-road onto the fire trail.  It was about 2km into the ride when I snapped my chain mashing gears with a wrong gear change coming up from the creek crossing and did not have a master link or chain breaker. With a little mutual assistance, a fellow rider loaned me his chain breaker tool to try and fix my chain but the pin was flared beyond repair. He was stuck with a flat and a CO2 canister with the wrong size valve so my pump got him going. Disappointed with my lack of planning and inexperience, I decided to walk back to transition point 4 to meet Paula and inevitably a DNF result.  

 A few minutes later I was met by Margie the cyclist from team 376 who had suffered the same fate and decided she wasn't going to miss out on riding down a few hills. This was enough inspiration to turn me around and get back into the event. Got to hand it to the new Shimano MTB shoes on their first outing made for half decent trail running shoes. Fortunately with some decent running fitness under my belt I managed to pass a few people who had succumbed to the hilly course, which was great for my confidence.  The many offers of support from passing riders was sensational and I finally lucked in a few ks down the track when Adam Evans (156) offered assistance and had all the bits I needed. I managed to fix my chain and that of my fellow chain snapper. A big thanks to Margie, Adam and the guy who tried earlier to help me. There was such a great spirit of encouragement and selfless generosity out there on the course which epitomises adventure racing and really made my weekend.  

All in all team 417 The power of 2 had a great day out and are already talking about next year.

 My motto for future rides is now  prepare for the worst and hope for the best.


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