2014 - The Year in Retrospect....

It's been another amazing year here at Tri Adventure!  Here's a month-by-month look at how it all unfolded.

Tuesday Twilight run view!

JANUARY
We kick-started the year with a Mtb ride out in the Pt Glorious area.....and the beautiful canyon trek in the Kiamba.  On Australia Day we had another great adventure on and around the Maroochy River - Paddle, Mtb, Trek, Navigate...

The canyon trek

FEBRUARY
Starting with an AR clinic, February was going to be a busy month.  A twin-peaks adventure followed, then the Upside Down rogaine (starting at mid-night) .  The next weekend we rode out along the Western Ridge of the Kin Kin valley and took a climb up Mt Boulder.

MARCH
The Mini-Rogue (6 hours, so not really 'mini') was first up.  Lots of Tri Adventure teams there.  Gina & I had our first win together :)  Then the races were coming thick and fast - The Kick-off, Kathmandu, and the 6 hour rogaine....It was a very busy month of racing!

APRIL
Kim and MDs went off to compete in the Wenzhou Outdoor Quest in China then we all raced at the Rogue 24hr adventuregaine.....It was an awesome event put on by Liam St Pierre.

MAY
Once again races on nearly every weekend.  The Step-up brought back some of the old AR disciplines like 'ride and tie'.....and rally notes....it was a brilliant event put on bike Gary at Ridegline! The 8 hour rogaine in Gatton was in there somewhere as well...

JUNE
June is Geoquest month.....and it was another great event staged at the beautiful Crescent Head.  MDs placed 4th overall with some hot competition from local and international teams. The Cowgirls were on fire and we had such a great crew as well....

Cowgirls coming into South-West Rocks

 JULY
The 3rd edition of Wild Women AR......and it was a lovley day out.  Kim & Gina won the day....and everyone went home with a prize and a smile :)  We Aunties also took a 2 week break for adventure up in the Whitsundays :)  Oh....and Kim managed to win Pomona King of the Mountain for the fourth time.....Woo-hooooo!

Our little home for 2 days on South Molle Island

AUGUST
The annual Cyclgaine was in the Glasshouse Mountains.  It was the wettest day I can remember.  We rode for 6 hours in the pouring rain.....if it wasn't for event we would have spent all day indoors I'm sure.  Great day out and great results for Tri Adventure! We also made the trip to the Straddie Salute, an off-road triathlon on Nth Stradbroke Island.  It was another fantastic weekend.....and Kim brought home the whale trophy!

We have this in our house for a year!

SEPTEMBER
Hells Bells lived up to it's name......and we all enjoyed this challenging event put on by Sloshy and Gary.  Kim & Leo came home with the win....out-racing some slick all-male teams from interstate! We also went out to the Epic after a 10 year hiatus.....and had an awesome weekend camping, riding and trail running :)

Girls run podium at the Epic...Shan's first medal!

OCTOBER
We staged the inaugural Hairy Mary - Qld's first all-female Mtb event.  70 excited women lined up for 3 hours of exciting riding on the Victory Heights trails.  It was a huge success thanks to Venture Cycles and the Cooloola Trail Care Alliance

Sister Mary & Hairy Mary

NOVEMBER
We zipped across the ditch to NZ and raced the Kawerau King of the Mountain.  Kim placed 2nd to a younger, faster Kiwi girl......we all had a lovely time hosted by the country people of Kawerau.

DECEMBER
Road trip to Victoria for Lorne Adventurefest and X-Marathon.  Also a sideline up to Mt Buller to ride the new Alpine Epic Trail.  It was a lovely few weeks racing, hiking, riding and adventuring!  We finished off the year just how we started it....with an amazing Mtb/Trek in the Point Glorious area.  A lovely day out with 12 of our Tri Adventure friends :)

Erskine Falls track - Lorne

So.....that's it in a nutshell.  I am a bit tired just reading about what we have accomplished in 2014....but glad we managed to fit in so many exciting adventures. Let's hope 2015 brings more of the same :)

Ten reasons why Geoquest is Australia’s Premier Adventure Race

Cowgirls on hike-a-bike

1.     Geoquest is run by the two most experienced Race Directors in the country. Craig and Louise have been the leaders in this field for many years and are passionate about bringing the world of Adventure Racing to Australia.

2.      Geoquest has maintained its same major sponsor – Mountain Designs since its inception in 2002. Mountain Designs’ commitment to the sport of Adventure Racing in Australia has been second to none through their development of quality products to support a niche market.

3.      The Geoquest Half provides an opportunity for new teams or individuals to experience a shorter version of the full course, as well as allowing older AR athletes to continue to participate in the event. The Geo Half was introduced in 2003 and has now become an official part of the event for Mixed, Men’s and Women’s teams.

4.      Geoquest continues to support the 4 person mixed team as the ‘Premier’ category and offers equal prize value and equal event length to both men and women in both the FULL Course and the HALF.

5.      The location of Geoquest changes every year, not only providing variety for the adventure racers but also stimulating the economy of small coastal towns.

6.      Geoquest is navigationally challenging throughout the entire course. The event directors always find a way of challenging even the most experienced teams every single year, which promotes the art of navigation and sparks an interest to become more adept at this necessary adventure racing skill.

7.      A support crew is an integral part of Geoquest and are in fact a part of ‘the team’. This allows for family and friends who might never consider themselves as competitors to come along and see some pretty awesome sights and be a part of a team. They also add value by being able to provide fresh or hot food on course which in some events is not possible.

8.      Geoquest has an ocean paddle where you can bring your own craft, which ensures that the paddling section of the event required the same amount of skill development and attention as the other major legs of mountain biking and trekking.

9.      Geoquest always has some sort of Mystery Leg that is only revealed a few weeks before the event. This has included the use of rafts or tubes and other permitted accessories to get the team and equipment across a body of water. This certainly adds to the challenge of the event and sets the scene for some creative thinking and ingenuity.

10.   Geoquest promotes the Spirit of Adventure Racing where an environmental ‘less is more’ philosophy is a major part of the experience. Only the privileged ones who sign up for the physical and mental challenge that we call Geoquest would really understand what this is all about! It’s not about money and it’s not about masses!

Geoquest Australia’s Premier Adventure Race……..

Janie & Kim fix a broken chain

Written by Kim Beckinsale and Jan Leverton for ‘Team Mountain Designs’ and ‘Tri Adventure’ Blogs

Kim & Jan first raced Geoquest in 2005 and since then have been at the event as racing or support crew every year except 2010 when we raced in Vanuatu.

Wild Women AR Skills Clinic

Noosa Heads   

14th & 15^th June 2014

Day 1   Saturday          Paddle Navigation + Mtb skills + Social

7.00am            Paddle Navigation Session on Noosa River…Learn the art of paddle navigation as you make your way around the beautiful Noosa River.  We will also give you helpful hints on steering and paddle co-ordination. Plastic sit-on-top boats, PFD’s and paddles provided...but BYO if you wish.

10.30am           Coffee/snacks at Café le Monde…Enjoy coffee and snacks whilst chatting with us about all aspects of the sport….Gear suggestions, nutrition requirements, training techniques…..we are there to answer all of your questions.

12 noon            Mtb Skills …Get on your mountain bikes and take a scenic ride along Noosa’s brilliant bike-path network out to our local forestry trails.  Here we will take you through some basic mtb skills and put them to the test on some of the technical trails…. Then ride back to Noosa to refresh for dinner.

5.00pm             Drinks and Dinner at the Reef Hotel…  Relax and unwind after a big day at the Reef Hotel for dinner and drinks J

Day 2   Sunday            Map Preparation and Planning + Bike and Foot Navigation Session + Lunch

7.00am            Map Preparation and Planning…Sit down at a local Café for a coffee and some serious map work.  We will take you through the procedures of planning your route for the event….tips on which ways are better, and why…..and of course, the all-important art of contacting J

9.00am             Bike & Foot Navigation Session… Now it’s your turn.  After driving out to the start location, you will set off on your bikes finding check-points and making your way on the trails..  Just like a real AR, you will have pre-marked your route…. On arrival at the ‘TA’, you will leave the bikes and embark on a foot navigation session finding the pre-marked checkpoints before meeting back at the bikes….and navigating your way back to the start. Then it will be time for a well-earned rest and debrief. J

           

1.00pm             Lunch and De-brief

Cost

Non Tri Adventure Members $100 per person - Tri Adventure Members $50 per person - This includes all activities + use of kayak and gear for paddle sessions (NB: food & drinks not included)

Join Tri Adventure and save 50% on clinics, attend social sessions for free, and get our weekly newsletter update, receive special discounts from our supporters including Area 51, Ay-Up Lights, Endura, RACV Resort, Go Ride a Wave, Ridgeline Adventures, Skirts Sports Australia, and Venture Cycles.

BYO all your adventure Gear (Including mini first aid kit)

MTB & MTB Equipment incl. compass (map board would be beneficial if you have one) Pack sufficient to carry shoes for foot nav and food/drink during sessions

Hydration/nutrition for all sessions

Paddle Craft & Paddling Equipment will be provided if you don’t wish to bring your own

Bookings Essential – Register your interest by Monday 2^nd June 2014

Email triadventure@optusnet.com.au for registration & further details

Forms & payment due Tuesday 10^th June 2014 

Part 2 - Skill Related Fitness and Adventure Racing

To follow on form Part 1....As mentioned during training, many athletes just tend to focus on the traditional disciplines of adventure racing, so why not consider incorporating some of these additional activities into your sessions just for a bit of fun or use these in recovery sessions from time to time throughout the season. You just never know when you might need these skills along with your navigation practice!

There are 11 Components of fitness which can be divided into two areas:- Part 1 outlined Health Related Fitness  including Body Composition, Cardio-respiratory Fitness, Flexibility, Muscular Endurance, Muscular Strength.

This section focuses on  and Skill Related Fitness - Agility, Balance, Co-ordination, Power, Reaction Time, Speed) 

Skill Related Fitness 

Skill related fitness components are the components of fitness that we can use to get that edge over our competitors, or when combined with health related fitness components improve our performance or enable us to be efficient at the disciplines and skills of adventure racing.  Most of these can complement functional strength activities and can be incorporated into existing sessions.

Speed 

This can be developed through HITT training (High Intensity Interval Training) and has its place in adventure racing. You should try to include at least one speed session per week, but this does not have to be across each discipline. Speed work can be included when doing drills technique work and should have long periods of rest in between intervals to allow for optimal recovery. Participating in short adventure races are also great for developing speed as you only spend a small amount of time on each discipline, thus maximizing your speed.

Power 

Explosive strength, a combination of strength and speed. Incorporating activities that are dynamic and explosive helps to improve power.  You develop this naturally when mountain biking (as when you need that little bust of energy to get through a technical short, sharp climb) , running (coasteering/rock hopping is a form of plyometrics) and  paddling (paddling out through a breaking wave, explosive starts from a stationary position) and can be incorporated into skills /technique sessions (jumping, skipping, hopping, bounding using body weight / extra resistance)

Balance 

The key to good technique in all disciplines – running, mountain biking and paddling and is achieved through developing good core strength and functional strength. Resistance activities that use your own body weight and require your body to move through a range of motions whilst moving from conditions of more stability to less stability help you to recruit your core first and then secondary stability muscles, improving technique and balance. 

Co-ordination 

Another key to good form and technique in the disciplines of Adventure Racing, as without this you will lose power, and momentum and end up using far more energy than you really need to. Drills can be practiced on the bike, paddling as well as running, and should be incorporated into your weekly sessions, whether they be during a warm up or at the end of a session. Vision has a lot to do with co-ordination as well, so making sure you are looking in the right place at the right time is always a handy tip!

Agility & Reaction Time

In adventure racing this is the ability to change direction quickly and make quick decisions fast and take evasive action. We develop these skills naturally running off track, mountain biking  technical single track, and paddling in moving water, climbing and  rock hopping . We learn to react and adapt to the conditions we are faced with, so breaking the skills down and testing yourself in challenging environments is a great way to improve agility and reaction time and will ultimately improve performance.

So the bottom line is you don’t have to spend hours in a gym getting fit for adventure racing. By getting out and being adventurous with your training you can develop all areas of fitness, and be prepared for anything that may be thrown at you. So if you don’t do adventure racing already, what a great way to develop your fitness and the bonus is that you are in fresh air, using your own energy to power equipment you are using, you experience beautiful locations and your training becomes a journey and not a chore!

Training for Adventure Racing

  Fitness & Functional Strength - Part 1

Wild Women AR -  Stand Up Paddle 

Adventure racing for most Australians involves traditionally 3 sports combined with navigation. These include Trekking, Mountain Biking, and Kayaking. If you look at Adventure Races all over the world it's not uncommon to find that other activities are often embedded in events, some of these may replace traditional disciplines, or become additional disciplines. So don’t be surprised if you find yourself signing up for an event which include one or some of the following:- white water rafting, canoeing, abseiling, climbing / ascending / rappelling, canyoning, shooting, horse-riding, inline skating/roller-skating, snow shoeing, surfing , stand up paddle boarding, or anything that the race director can dream up that will challenge athletes both physically and mentally.

In line Skating - common in European AR Events

During training many athletes just tend to focus on the traditional disciplines of adventure racing so why not consider incorporating some of these additional activities into your sessions just for a bit of fun or use these in recovery sessions from time to time throughout the season. You just never know when you might need these skills along with your navigation practice!

Physical Challenge - Mark Webber Challenge

Another way to ensure that you are in a position to handle whatever may be thrown at you in adventure racing is to be physically fit. So what are the physical requirements of our sport and what is functional strength training for adventure racing? There are 11 Components of Fitness which can be divided into two areas:- Health Related Fitness (Body Composition,  Fitness, Flexibility, Muscular Endurance, Muscular Strength) and Skill Related Fitness (Agility, Balance, Co-ordination, Power, Reaction Time, Speed)

Health Related Fitness

So talking, adventure racing, these are the health related fitness components and some information about why they are important for us to incorporate into our training:-

Body composition 

Basically you need to work towards having a strong muscular body. You don’t want to be too lean as your body often can’t get enough fuel from what you eat in a long race, so having a bit in reserve does not hurt. Therefore you need to eat a well-balanced natural diet, and don’t skimp on good fats and protein, as you will need it for racing and recovery.

Godzone:- Pre-Event Meal - Girls on Top NZ

Cardiorespiratory Fitness

We develop this through aerobic and anaerobic training. It is important to balance your sessions and include variety in intensities and duration, so you are developing /maintaining an aerobic base, increasing /maintaining your aerobic threshold, and including some HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) to push your anaerobic threshold higher. We develop cardiorespiratory fitness through biking, paddling, and running/trekking and swimming, or any prolonged low-moderate intensity activity.   

Long aerobic paddle - great for cardiorespiratory fitness

Flexibility

This is vital for injury prevention and joint mobility, which will ultimately enhance your performance. There is a lot of debate as to when is best to incorporate stretching into your session, but basically you are better off to stretch after there is some blood in the muscles, so after an aerobic warm up. There is a place for both static and dynamic stretches, so don’t be afraid to use both them, however know your strengths/weaknesses, tight/supple areas and be aware of imbalances. Stretching, post training/post race, can be very beneficial as well, so when you are standing around chatting after a session, have a little stretch.

Stretching before a run drills session at the beach!

Muscular Endurance

This is probably one of the most important components of fitness required for Adventure Racing as everything we do is repetitive and ongoing and our muscles just need to keep going. We develop muscular endurance when we are doing or cardiorespiratory training, so we don’t really need to have a specific session for this in our training. However be aware that muscular endurance is developed through aerobic training sessions, such as long bike rides, paddles, treks/run and  because these movements are repetitive and ongoing,  being flexible , having the correct technique and holding good form is an important factor to consider, so you always should have a focus for your sessions.

Middle Lookout - Muscular endurance helps get you to the top!

 Muscular Strength

In adventure racing we need to be strong to enable us to get through an event, we need this muscular strength to run up and down hills, climb and scale the side of a steep mountain, ride up hills, hike a bike, paddle into a strong head wind or against a strong current, carry our boats, bikes, packs and anything else that a race director decides. Basically we need to be strong through a variety of activities or ranges of motion which is referred to as functional strength. So incorporating functional strength activities into your sessions can really pay off as there is a focus on the development of core strength through range of motion.

Hike a bike - great for strength development!

Part 2 Skill Related Fitness and Adventure Racing - coming soon!

(Agility, Balance, Co-ordination, Power, Reaction Time, Speed)

Adventure Racing - be prepared for anything!

By getting out and being adventurous with your training you can develop not only health related fitness, but you will be prepared for anything that may be thrown at you. 

AR Skills Clinic 1st & 2nd Feb 2014

DAY 1   SATURDAY          

 7.00am            AR Paddle Clinic .… This is a session to help you with paddling techniques on boats similar to those you would usually paddle in an Adventure Race.  Things covered will include steering, paddle co-ordination and paddle navigation.  Plastic sit-on-top boats, PFD’s and paddles provided...but BYO if you wish.

9.30am             Navigation & Gear Clinic at the Lions Park…. Listen and learn while we highlight many aspects of the sport including - gear suggestions, nutrition requirements followed by a navigation session…...here you will also receive maps for your afternoon MTB/Foot Nav session.

10.30-12 noon  Brunch at Café le Monde… 

12.30pm           Mtb Skills then Mtb & Foot Nav Session…… We plan to take you through some simple mtb skills before heading out to some of our local forestry trails.  Then it’s time to put some real navigation into practice….with some hands-on map-work….technical riding….some bush-bashing….all the good stuff…. When we’ve ‘nailed it all’ we can ride back to refresh for dinner. 

6.00-6.30pm                 Dinner at the RACV Resort Noosa Heads… Relax and unwind after a big day of adventure at RACV Resort for dinner and drinks J

DAY 2   SUNDAY

 7.00am            Paddle/MTB/Foot Navigation … Putting it all together!  Embark on a mini AR course around the local area. You will have 3 hours to navigate your way via kayak, mtb and foot…..finding CP’s or answering questions to complete the ‘event’.  This is only a training & skills session, but we will make it as realistic as possible for you….

12 noon           Lunch and de-brief at Café le Monde

Bookings Essential – Registration and payments by Friday 24^th January 2014

Email triadventure@optusnet.com.au for registration, fees & further details.

Numbers are strictly limited – so GET IN EARLY!