Monday, December 30, 2013

Adventure Racing - Your next step towards a lifestyle with rewards - Fitness, Health & Positive Well Being

Happy bunch of Adventure Racers!

In order to be happy healthy and able to function well in society we all need to have a sense of positive well-being.  When we participate in adventure racing we develop social, emotional, intellectual, and physical skills which assist us and help us cope with all that our modern ever changing world throws at us.


Lifestyle with rewards 
Social:- We mix with people who love the outdoors, the environment and have a passion for maintain a healthy active lifestyle, in a natural environment. We learn the importance of team work, and how team dynamics, teamwork, and communication plays an important role in achieving goals.


Paddling is a very social outdoor activity

Emotional:- In training and races we test ourselves and  as a team we go through highs and lows and learn how we cope and be resilient in these situations. More importantly we learn how to work together to help and support each other and how we can to lift each other up high when we are down.

Towing a team mate on the bike
Intellectual:- In training and racing we develop skills in navigation, planning, strategy, decision making, and we use these skills to get ourselves through courses in challenging situations. Through reading and analysing maps, map data, course notes and instructions we are always critically analysing and thinking. Following an event we find ourselves evaluating performance, comparing and contrasting, routes, strategy and decisions keeping our brains active.


Navigation planning and strategy
Physical:- We get to develop physical skills in the outdoors where we can breathe in fresh air and get the opportunity to visit some of the most spectacular places that mother nature has created on this earth, in our local area and throughout Australia and the world. Through the basic skills of trekking/mountain biking and paddling and the associated training the 11 components of fitness for health and sport can be trained and maintained.


Learning new physical skills in the outdoors
So when someone asks you ……What is the point of adventure racing? – or Why do you love adventure racing? or Why should our company put a team in an adventure race? Well you have some pretty good reasons right here!

Unexpected challenge
For me personally:- I just love the variety that nature provides, the sense of satisfaction and achievement you get through racing as a team as opposed to solo, and I believe that the challenges that I have faced and overcome have helped me in all aspects of my life. 

So if you are looking for a healthier happier lifestyle with less stress and more leisure, or if you are searching for a new set of goals or challenges for 2014, why not consider entering an adventure race. Tri Adventure will be conducting an Adventure Racing Skills Clinic early in the new year, as well as regular sessions with our Tri Adventure group, to help you prepare for your next adventure......maybe we will see you out there!


Kim Beckinsale – Tri Adventure Coach 
30 December 2013 

Saturday, December 7, 2013

Mark Webber Challenge 2013

Aunty Jan & Erin at Cradle Mountain

Déjà vu……we were back in Launceston for the 2013 edition of the Webber Challenge….same hotel, different year!  The Launceston Country Club hosted the racers, once again, but this year for the first night only.
We gathered for race briefing on Monday afternoon…..so much to take in…..so many maps….such remote locations.  I had teamed up with the lovely Erin Donaldson this year…..hoping our mutual respect would bode well in the following 5 days…..and we would have a fun time out there in the wilds of Tassie.  Kim had been asked to race with Hiro Nataka…..and guide him through the event… and Luke had teamed up with old friend, fellow doctor, and lapsed triathlete, Craig Maskiell.

We were a happy group…..and happy to be there amongst some great adventure racers….and non-adventure racers who were all ready to take on what the John Jacoby and Sam Maffet had devised as the best way to see all good bits of Tasmania from Launceston to Hobart via the rugged west coast.

We had the maps….and it was down to business.

Day 1 – Mole Creek….at a glance
MYSTERY DISCIPLINE:  This ended up being a stint on a cross-cut saw…..what fun…..we were lumberjacks! 
Aunty Kim on the cross-cut saw...


MTB: Away on the bikes next for a little ride around Mole Creek including a CP in one of the famous caves!  We made good time on this leg and landed at the TA for a quick change into run shoes.

RUN: (questionable) This ‘run’ was 10.5km….for some that would take about 40mins…..not this baby, we were out there trekking for a good 3 ¼ hours on this one.  Yes, we could see it went up a big hill, and then up some more….with some tricky track navigation…..which we nailed…..but then it went up some more……right to the top of the Mt Parmeener in the Great Western Tiers Conservation Area. We found ourselves high on the plateau…..now without a track…..on our way to CP9 which was the most navigationally challenging CP of the entire event!  Bonding with the other all-girls team at this point, we made our way south towards the ‘scrubby knoll’……It was hard going, rocky and tussock grass…..and lots of wombat tracks that we were tempted to follow…..but they weren’t going to the check-point!  In the distance we could see a distinct knoll with little figures up the top….yay!  We made a b-line for this….only to find the CP was not there!  Down we go and over to some more little knolls…..they were just everywhere…..and on a 1:50,000 map it was very had to define where the right scrubby knoll might be as nothing was distinctly marked as a nice little knoll on the map!  We went up every knoll on that little ridgeline…..almost gave up, but as a team (two teams..) we decided on one last look…..and bingo….there it was…..just like that!  We were quite relieved and were quite over knolls…..but were happy to be making our way to the TA that we could see far down in the distance….

MTB: A nice little ride with some great hills….up and down….a crossing of the famous Mersey River…then through a pass in those big hills and down to CP 13 at the power-lines.  Then it was a big downhill ride to the paddle……wooo-hoooooo…..we were loving it!

PADDLE: Last leg of the day…..a 14km paddle down the River Forth…..through Lake Cethuna….and onto the finish line…… Day one, done and dusted – 10 hours!  We passed Kim and Hiro on the paddle…..Hiro had not got his paddle arms on yet……Kim worked very, very hard to keep them going J

Day 2: Cradle Mountain – Place of beauty ….and wombats J
MTB: Short mtb ride from our accommodation…..straight to the shores of Dove Lake. 

RUN: (questionable..) We took off for a run/trek which circumnavigated Dove Lake….. First CP at the top of Marion’s Lookout…..of course it was…..but a lovely view rewarded us there!  Then it was on to the Overland Track on the way to the junction.  Running was possible on a few sections….mainly the duck-board.  We decided to miss the optional CP at the top of Cradle…..and continued on along the side of said mountain to Hansens Peak on the eastern side via some beautiful perched lakes along the way.  The views were spectacular as we traversed the hillside….and we could see boats on Dove Lake below…..already……we wouldn’t get there for quite a while…..and there was a cut-off.  John Jacoby was sitting on Hansens Peak when we arrived….but he soon passed us on the rocky descent on his way back – I think we were going at grandma’s pace!

PADDLE: Short 5km paddle around Dove Lake…..we spotted all the CPs from the trek….so no problems with this one!

RUN: A fantastic run back around the Cradle Mountain area……on the beautiful duck-board…..yes, we were running…..and made it back to the TA just as Kim & Hiro were heading off on the bikes…

ORIENTEERING:  Short section of orienteering where we spotted our first wombat….and braved a river crossing and cliff-climb to nail a CP at a visible lookout…..we were having fun on this one!
Cradle Mountain wombat!

MTB: Road ride out to the trails…..which seemed to be non-existent….but luckily I was able to get into John’s head…..yep, there was a flattened area over there…..that will be it! I’m sure Erin was disbelieving at that point…..we crossed a very rickety bridge….quite precariously…..and rode up this very dodgy track, but hey…..what was at the track-junction?…..that lovely CP!!  We were on a roll, and got through this section really well……and it was great to have the Lonely Planet team travelling with us towards the finish of Day 2….. We did it in 7.5 hours!
This was on the bike course.....a Jacoby bridge!


Day 3 – Strahan
This day had some very big lows for us……the first one being the ‘swim’ leg to shore from the cruise boat.  In retrospect, it was the anticipation of this activity that was worse…..the actual water, once we were in it, was not too bad!

So…….freezing, and dressed for the swim…..no shoes, no wetsuits….we made our way down to the dock and embarked the cruise boat for a little ride to HELL….. The weather outside was appalling….strong gusty wind, squally rain…..not pleasant at all…..especially for us who had to jump of this freaking boat……into that horrible looking water!!

We made our way out to the gunwales…..all hanging on…...shivering with cold…..quivering with fear!  What on earth was John thinking putting us through this torture…????  Before I knew it, people were diving in…..oh no…..when I found a clear spot I finally jumped….(we were thinking we would try not to get our hair wet…….stupid thought…..I went straight under and nearly hit the bottom….but soon bobbed up on the surface…..and, in shock, swam to shore)

PADDLE: We had put dry thermals and jackets ready for the paddle, so we quickly got dry and dressed and off we went…. The weather hadn’t improved…..but we were now quite warm and enjoyed this little paddle around the bays of Strahan….

MTB: Back to the TA…..and onto the bikes.  It was still exceptionally cold….and luckily we had a climb to the first CP.  On our way to the CP at Ocean Beach we were passed by a bunch of the top teams who had been to 2 optional CPs on their way……these guys moved so fast…..we couldn’t believe it!  It was a boring dirt road down to the TA at Macquarie Heads where we would get in the kayaks for a paddle over to South West Island…..

OCEAN PADDLE: We had been warned about this paddle that it could be quite treacherous with fast-moving tides, eddies and standing waves.  We were quite nervous…..but it seemed to be ok as we were going with the tide……and we even managed to cut through the rock groyne and take a short cut to the TA. 

RUN: We had a series of CPs on this little island….the weather was still horrendous…..so we didn’t waste any time getting going on the run.  We found all the CPs here, had a bit of trouble with a rocky knoll…..very over knolls after Day one…..met up with our friends Luke and Craig….and also ran into Kim and Hiro on this trek.  We decided to miss the optional CP 15 and head straight back to the boats.

PADDLE: This paddle was one of the hardest I have ever done.  We, stupidly, paddled all the way around the rock groyne this time…..only to turn, smack-bang into that famous outgoing tide as we hit the other side.  We were barely moving and had to muster up all our strength to keep going.  I’m sure Erin was cursing me and wondering why she was here in this god-forsaken place…..but she kept on paddling….that’s all we could do!  To make things worse, as we were struggling with the high winds and gushing tide against us, we witnessed a series of teams portage their boats through the rock wall and then get 100 metres ahead of us in about 5 minutes….. Why didn't we (I) think of that?….I said a thousand apologies to Erin…..and I hope she will forgive me for making her paddle this section of treacherous water…..against the massive out-going tide….. Wow…..I would have to redeem myself somehow!!!  The only positive is that we got a lot more paddle training in than those other teams….

But…it wasn't over yet.  This was a massive paddle…..and most of it was in the headwind and against the tide…..there was just no other option than to put your paddle in the water and keep moving.  We were freezing cold and our hands were numb on the paddle…..Finally after the last CP, we turned for home and had a nice little tail wind back to Macquarie Heads….

MTB:  A final mtb ride back to the finish line took us over some sand-tracks (fun for me…) and we nailed the CP that everyone couldn't find……yay!….then it was onto the dirt road and we were hammering home…..We were excited to pass a series of male teams along this ride…..and finished strongly, just behind Kim and Hiro…. 8 ½ hours!

Day 4 – Mt Field
After a 3 hour drive to our accommodation at Tarraleah, we settled into our rooms for the night after a very nice dinner in the great hall.  Despite a power outage while we were contacting our maps, we managed to get everything packed and sorted for the next morning.  It was very cold!
MTB: The start was a 16km uphill ride to the Mt Field ski area……John just loves these things…..like Jacob’s Ladder last year to the top of Ben Lomond…. Off we went, and Erin and I found ourselves near the back of the pack as everyone shot off quickly….. Maybe they didn't understand it was 16 km uphill……I don’t know, but we were about second last as we rounded the turns in the first 500m.  We rode steadily, and strangely enough started catching up to people.  I learnt a long time ago to pace myself on these long climbs…..and it paid off as we ticked by many teams who had gone out too fast.  Kim had Hiro on the tow-line for this section…..and at one point she was also towing Layne Beachley who had let go of Emma Snowsill’s pack and was drifting backwards!

TREK: At Dobson’s Lake car-park we left the bikes and took off in an anti-clockwise direction on the beautiful trek where we had to pick up 3 CPs.  It took us about 3 hours on this trek…..but the scenery was spectacular…..and being a sunny day, it was even more beautiful than Cradle Mountain.  The only downside was that we got very badly sunburnt at this high altitude…..closer to the sun! 
Aunty Jan looking frazzled.....Erin looking great!


MTB: The big downhill…..We really enjoyed our long ride downhill back to the TA where we started that morning and wasted no time getting out on foot for another little orienteering section.

ORIENTEERING:  At one point on this leg I handed Erin the map…..we were looking for a very indistinct track on another 1:50,000 map…..and my eyes, even with enhancement, could not see those tiny little things that were tracks.  Anyway, the young eyes nailed it…..and we were off down the hill for the final 3 CPs.
 
MTB: On arriving back at TA, we were told we had about 20 minutes to ride 14km to make the paddle cut-off…..and it was a fast-flowing river which joined into the upper Derwent…..so we were keen to get there.  This was the time-trial of all time-trials on the mtb.  We absolutely hammered, and I managed to turn the map over in full flight……so as not to miss the turn-off to the paddle start.  We were being followed by the other girls team at this time…..so that spurred us on to ride even harder……I’m not sure how we stayed ahead of an Olympic Gold Medallist in triathlon (Emma)…..but we did… even when I had a most spectacular crash on a gravelly corner going down the hill to the TA.  However…it was all in vain, as when we hit the TA we were told we had missed the cut-off by 5 minutes…..oh no….and we had tried sooooo hard!!! We weren't the only ones, however, a total of 13 teams missed out…..and this made us feel a little bit better…..sort of……  So….that was it, we were ferried to the finish line and awaited the finish of Craig & Luke and Kim & Hiro who had a fun time on the down river paddle……with some small rapids thrown it…..what a pity we missed it!

Day 5 – Hobart – all downhill to the finish!
As with last year, we would start our last day on the top of Mt Wellington…..This year we would start with a ‘run’.

TREK: Once again I would call this a trek as we didn't do that much running at all…..and for those who ran too fast and missed the only CP…..maybe going slower was the better way…..as many were struggling back up the hill……which wasn't the best scenario!

MTB: Once down at the bikes, we had some tricky riding on Radford’s track, before getting on the lovely smooth Pipeline Track heading out to CP 6.  This was a small foot-section, so we changed into our run shoes for the little stint down to the track-creek junction.  I had my claim to fame passing Olympic triathlete Courtney Atkinson on this downhill run…..it will never happen again!  Courtney was patiently waiting for his team-mate Kenny Wallace who had a dodgy knee…..and we had a lot of fun going by…… They smashed us on the uphill though….and were out of sight on their mtb’s before we arrived back!
Still on the Pipeline Track, we were sailing along really well…..and ran into Kim and Hiro when we hit the big downhill single-track.  We travelled together through a maze of tricky tracks…..and found our way to the paddle TA at Blackman’s Bay without any fuss.

PADDLE: We had a 12km paddle north to Sandy Bay Point…..picking up 2 CPs along the way.  It was a very pleasant paddle and we were around lots of the top teams here as they had done some optional CPs up on Mt Wellington.  We were very excited to land at the TA……and have only one short run leg to go J

RUN: A little coasteer to finish the event.  We ran north up the beach and picked up 2 CPs before heading around some adjoining streets to get to Wrest Point, Battery Point…..and that amazing finish line…..
We were a little bit emotional running in……it had been a long hard 5 days……but we had made it and were the first all-girls team to finish…. I congratulated my fantastic partner, Erin, for toughing it and never complaining……not once……and I know she was way out of her comfort zone on many occasions…..
We spent some time at the finish line watching teams come through…..Day 5 had been our best day and we managed 11th place……and 15th overall for the full event.  It was the best we could do, and we were happy…..Kim and Hiro came in not long after us…..we had been waiting for them to fly past on the final run, but we held them off……it was our little victory….

So…..that was the Mark Webber Challenge for another year.  We thank Mark himself for creating and facilitating this wonderful event.  The camaraderie between the teams is second to none and everyone extends themselves to their absolute limits…..whether you’re Richard Ussher…or Aunty Jan…..it’s still a very long, but rewarding, journey….. J
Craig, Hiro, Aunty Jan, Erin & Luke...pic by Kim :)






Wednesday, November 6, 2013

The Road to Maui - Xterra World Championships 2013

Maui Sunset....
The qualifying process…..
In order to get a spot in the X-Terra World Championships in Maui, you need to qualify, which usually means you have to win your age group at a qualifying event. There are qualifying races all over the world, but only one race in Australia. This was the first time an Xterra race had been held in Anglesea, so I decided to do it, just to support the event, as the previous Xterra event in Australia had clashed with the Keen 5-day Adventure Race. I had not planned on going to the World Champs at all as I had a pretty big year lined up already for Adventure Racing, but when I won my age category at Anglesea, somehow I caught the Xterra bug, so I convinced Jan to come too as she won her age as well.

Jan and I had visited Maui before and competed at Xterra World Champs 8 years ago after qualifying through an event in Rotorua NZ. Xterra is an off-road triathlon, and anything off-road is usually a lot tougher and more challenging than on road, as it’s a challenge against you and the elements, and that is definitely why I moved into more multisport events and AR following Maui Xterra in 2005. So, anyway, we knew the course would be tough, but two years ago the event moved from Makena Beach in the South West to DT Flemming Beach in the North West, so a good opportunity for a new challenge. I was also inspired by Xterra Legend Peter Wood, as I remembered he had said the course would suit me after he returned from the 2011 event. The fact that Peter was going to be racing again and trying to claim an 8th World Championship Title this year after suffering horrific injuries from a bike accident training for Coast to Coast played a big part in my decision to go back to Maui.

So fast forward 6 months and here we were in Maui again….
I had certainly not done the specific triathlon style training I had intended, as I had had been focussing on some major adventure races, including Geoquest and Hells Bells then somehow XPD got thrown in there as well. So this meant that the preparation for Xterra kept getting put off, however I did manage to get in some ocean swimming and a few swim/runs before we left. Peter took us over the bike course on the Thursday before the event, you sort of need to do it so you are prepared, but I would definitely not have liked to have ridden it any later than that, as it was hot, hilly and hard. I had certainly not anticipated just how much climbing was involved, and how hot it would be up there on the side of a mountain which happened to be an old pineapple plantation, turned old overgrown golf course.  I think it took 4 hrs to ride the course, which did have some awesome descents, and challenging undulating windy single-track for the final 10 k, but left us a bit tired and exhausted.  We jumped off the bikes and headed for the beach;  we jumped in and swam out to the close buoy. There were a few dumping waves on the beach and the water was quite rough, but buoyancy was great, so the swim felt very refreshing. The next day I decided to check out the run course, which meant a 20min cycle to and from the start from our accom. So I just decided to run the 5k course and leave the rest for race day as it was something like 40 degree in the sun that day, so again enjoyed a little swim afterwards.  The day before the race we had haircuts! Yes, haircuts…. this was a part of a charity fundraising initiative that is a part of the Xterra tradition…..and as I have so much hair a trim would make me much lighter!
Trek Superfly checks out Maui cliffs...
Race Day October 27th 2013
The race was due to start at 9am, so we set out on our bike for the start at about 7am, and arrived to find that the Transition area was almost full. We thought we had numbered racks, but that only meant that about 40 bikes were to fit between a certain area. I tried to find a spot for my bike in my area but did not have much luck, and just copped lots of death stares when I walked anywhere near a spot that had a bit of a space. Anyway I managed to slide into a small space and set up my gear, I felt like I must have forgotten something as everyone else seemed to have so much stuff and take up so much space. Jan and I wandered to the beach and waited for the start. It was hot…..so hot, so I jumped in the water, got wet and then sat in the shade waiting to start. We were the third wave – first was all Pro Men & Women, then was all men. We did not see Peter at all!
Kim eventually finds a spot for her bike and gear...

The cannon fired and we were off, and it was rough and choppy, but I was catching up to the green caps – the men, and by the time I got to the first turn I felt like a washing machine full of green caps, but not many white – women. We exited on the beach and re-entered for a shorter second half and before long I was running up to the TA, I could not believe how many men I had passed, so thought I must have had a reasonably OK swim. The run to the TA was all uphill, so getting sorted with Camelbak, socks, bike shoes, helmet, sunnies, gloves took a bit longer than I wanted, but best I have everything I thought! I ran out and jumped on my bike and began the climb, bitumen, grass and then trail. I passed a few younger girls right away and then a woman 50+ went powering past me, I chose to go at my pace. I managed to keep riding most of the way up, somehow passing lots of men as I went. I was so glad I had the new Trek P1 Superfly as it did exactly that…..’fly’up those hills. I passed one 45+ female competitor just before we got to the top of the first climb and did the rest of the bike ride surrounded by guys. Some went speeding past me on the downhills which I took what I would say cautiously……I don’t think I could actually see much through my sunnies because of the dust….so better to be safe than sorry! The last 10k was really tricky as there were lots of challenging tight turns, but still some nasty long steep climbs and short pinches, but this is where good technical riders were advantaged. I felt like my legs were now recovering ready for the run….and I was looking forward to it….even though it was very hot. After a flying downhill finish through a tunnel I was soon at the TA, and off my bike…..somehow I got out of my shoes with clip straps…..so a triathlon dismount it was, run to my rack, shoes on, belt on and on with the hat as I ran out. The start of the run was bitumen at first, and then onto the start of the bike course, I knew I would be near the top of the run course as we had already been near there. So I just ran as strongly as I could, I loved the technical single track bits as they were in the shade, before I knew it I was at the 2 mile mark and had passed 2 of the 5 water stations, where I poured water over my head, and sipped down some water with a gel. I felt great because I was continuously passing people all the way…and before I knew it I was on the descent! I just tried to run as fast as I could until I got to the part where I knew. I passed 2 pro females which gave me a lift as I had started 4 minuted behind. There were a few little logs to jump over, and a few sharp turns….not very technical at all really but most of it was downhill and in the shade. I knew I was nearing the end as I had the final climb up a bitumen road, and got passed by a 25 yrs girl. I tried to get in front on the final descent but the track was too narrow , but managed to get in front when we crossed the creek before the beach, only to be passed again on the sand….I had no more speed…..anyway I ran strongly all the way to the line.

I was greeted by the lovely Xterra Officials and a survivors badge and lei were placed over my head, along with a nice cool wet towel as I wandered up to the refreshments tent. I was pretty excited as I had raced hard and done well, I had no idea where I had placed, but there were not too many girls around at all…so I thought that was a good sign. I wandered back down to the beach, jumped in the water and cooled off……went and got my bike and gear from the TA and waited for Jan. I then saw Peter’s wife Carol who was waiting for Jan and Peter to finish. She told me she knew they were not far away, but Jan was in front of Peter. She congratulated me on my race and told me that I had won! “Really” I said. “Yes come and see” said Carol.  So we went to the results table where you could pick up a copy of your time and place…..and there it was Kim Beckinsale Number 812... 45-49 yrs Women 1st Place.

I was stoked! But we raced back to the finish to watch Jan come in, but no sign of Peter yet. Jan was glad to have finished as she had bike trouble, so that was disappointing, but she was pretty excited when I told her I had won. I went to back to watch Peter finish, Carol knew he was in the lead as she had been getting text updates throughout the race, and saw none of his competitors come through. So when he crossed the line, we were all so excited…..as Peter was now an 8 time World Xterra Champion!
Xterra survivors!
We celebrated that night at the Awards Ceremony, and received a hug and beer from The Big Kahuna Dave (CEO of Xterra) …..before heading up on stage to receive our World Champion Awards…..a special night with special people!  A special thanks to Jan for being a part of my Xterra experience, as I would not have taken up the opportunity to race without you there too..... Kim J

Monday, July 1, 2013

So you are thinking about Mountain Designs GEOQUEST next year???

Did you have a go at the half and want to step it up to the full??? 
Have you been to and done a few longer AR events and think Geoquest is for you??
Well here are a few tips to help get you to the start and finish of Australia’s Premier Adventure Race - Geoquest!

Kim Beckinsale is one of the coaches at Tri Adventure and a member of Team Mountain Designs.  Kim has competed at 8 Geoquest events and has been on the podium in the Premier Mixed category 4 times - 1st 2007, 2nd 2008, 3rd 2012 and 3rd 2013.  Kim, in her first Geoquest, raced in the Cowgirls who were an all-female team which won the Geo Half outright....defeating all the mixed and male teams!

PADDLING

  • Ocean paddling requires practice……so get out into the ocean and get paddling….being proficient in a surf ski or ocean ski as a solo is best. These are better than kayaks as if you tip in you just get back in again….no bailing or pumping required! 

  • Learn to know your limits….but be safe out there…..don’t paddle alone……and always wear PFD (and practice getting in and out of your ski wearing this). Practice in a double ocean ski with your race partner….don’t rely on having a good paddler to get you through…as if you are unstable and not confident in the back….you both will end up swimming. 
  • Practice getting in and out of the surf…….Ocean ski’s are not big wave chasers….so treat your craft kindly…learn how to time your entries and exits so you are not having waves crashing over you…..coming in on the back of a wave may not be quite as quick….but you might stay in the craft! 
  • Navigation – like bike & foot navigation, you need to practice this skill in the water….. have somewhere for your maps so you don’t lose them (map case bungee on deck) and compass….practise paddling at night……and learn how to read the map features….as it’s a totally different concept in the dark


MOUNTAIN BIKING

  • Ride on the trails at least once a week, and learn how to ride single tracks……ride with a group of experienced riders to improve your skills and fitness.
  • Be prepared to be on the bike for 6-8 hours, learn how to keep going for this long by doing some big days……as MTB riding uses a lot of energy and if you just do all you long miles on the road bike….you will suffer after a couple of hours. 
  • Night Riding – get yourself some AY-UP’s….they are the best on the market….get a handlebar & head mount and you’ll feel like it’s daylight! Then go out and ride at night…..in Geo you could be out for 8 hrs or more in the dark…so be prepared. 
  • Map Boards – you must have one if navigating. The Area 51 (Velcro mounting one) is fantastic, as if you need to swap navigators for any reason it is a 30 second job! 
  • Navigation – do some MTBO events….these help you to get the feel for reading the map on the go…and as you can’t use a bike computer you have to use the natural features on the map to get you to the CP’s

TREKKING
  • Practice running and walking, as after a while you will be too tired to run, and learning how to switch it up is a great strategy for moving forward in long events……walk the entire way….and you’ll be out a long time! 
  • Strap your ankles when you race….practice wearing this in training…..then you will reduce the risk rolling your ankles in the big events. 
  • Navigation – be prepared for maps that are not ‘perfect’. Yes - by all means go out a do orienteering and & rogaine events to speed up you navigation and decision making….but be aware that in a big AR like Geoquest…the maps will not be perfect…..there will be unmarked trails…..marked trails that are not always perfect……there will map variation between N on your compass and N on the map……so it helps to redraw the ‘N’ lines on the map….at the correct degrees! Sometimes sticking to the main trails is faster than bush bashing through thick steep vegetation! 
  • Night Navigation – Night rogaines are the best for this…..and then move on to AR events such as ARA Darkside. Practice Navigation in a safe forest or place you are familiar with, but do it at night….and you’ll be surprised how different everything looks in the dark!

GENERAL

  • Get some coaching - in all disciplines, so you are not wasting energy using a poor technique - and to help to ensure you are getting the right balance…..so you are not racing tired. 
  • Gear – get the good stuff….Lightweight Gore-tex rain jacket with hood, Merino/poly-pro thermals, Buff, strapping tape, Compass (spend over $100  or it will not settle fast), off-road shoes with good grip on wet rocks, gaiters/shin protectors or long tights to protect legs from nasty prickly vines! 
  • Nutrition - practice eating normal food…..as you can’t survive on Gels & Electrolyte drinks for 48 hrs.
  • Watch this Video from Mountain Designs Geoquest – Harrington 2013 and get some real race insights from some of the racers on course  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHFf6GYHNHY 
  • Finally remember - Adventure Racing is a way of life……make you training a part of your daily routine…and what you love to do…..experience nature at its best……with some like-minded team mates

Good luck in your preparation for Geoquest 2014. If you would like further tips/coaching advice contact us at triadventure@optusnet.com.au     
    
See you out there!

Thursday, May 30, 2013

Wild Women Adventure Race Skills Clinic 2013


Coming soon to the beautiful Sunshine Coast 

Australia's only all-female adventure race 

 To help you prepare for this exciting event, Tri Adventure are staging a 2-day skills clinic for women only 

 22nd and 23rd June 2013

 We will be covering all the basics to get you started in AR  
Paddle navigation, mtb skills, map planning and preparation, mtb and foot navigation.
and some social time as well...

Numbers are strictly limited so contact us here for more details
and to secure your place for a weekend of fun and adventure

See you out there!
Jan & Kim

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

The Year so far....

Another spectacular Noosa Sunset on our Tuesday Twilight Run

Well, it is mid April already...the year is positively flying by.....events are coming thick and fast.  Here's a recap on what we've been up to....

UPSIDE DOWN ROGAINE...Kim & Gary (aka Team Mountain Designs) convincingly won this event which began at 11.00pm and finished 8 hours later... They raced around a hilly and technical course through masses of lantana-choked creeks to come in almost 200 points ahead of their nearest rivals....... Paddy & Howie had a great night out and finished 1st Veteran Male team....

THE KICK-OFF....Ridgeline Adventures staged their very first event in and around the sleepy little town of Donnybrook on the Pumicestone Passage.  It was mud from go to whoa....We boogie boarded up a fast-flowing flooded creek....Ran around a soggy pine forest....then rode our bikes around another soggy pine forest....The 3 hour event was fast and furious....and with 8 Tri Adventure teams competing, we had a lot of friends out on the course.  Kim & Leo won their category....as did Tri Adventure Vintage, Isodopes and Gina &  The Earle.... It was a great start to what is shaping up to be a fantastic series thanks to the expertise of Gary & Ray who are long time experienced adventure racers themselves...
Vintage gals on their boogie boards..

KATHMANDU.... Wild Horse Mountain, once again, staged this entry-level event....and it was close to a sell-out.  Many Tri Adventure Teams competed....might as well, it's right in our back yard!  Team MD's won the day, again....as did Tri Adventure Vintage in the hugely contested all-female category.  I was lucky to race with the lovely Kelsey....who is under 1/3 of my age.  We went around muddy course in just under 4 hours....and had a fantastic time out there...

3 HOUR ROGAINE...Next up was the 3 hour Bunyaville dash.... A short and sharp rogaine in the Bunyaville forest.  Kim & Gary were well and truly on a roll....and won the day with some stiff competition... and Aunty Jan and Mandy defended their title from last year to take out the all-female division...

iADVENTURE...Then there was the iAdventure event held in Nerang....Hilly, but familiar territory for Gary and Kim who blitzed the field for another fantastic win... So many teams around at the moment trying to knock MD's of their perch....but none succeeding so far.... Aunty Jan teamed up with young Kelsey again....and managed to win the all-female again!  We made a valuable decision to gain most of our bonus points on the paddle leg which paid off just nicely....Poor Kelsey probably never wants to see another one of those plastic boats for a while though!

EASTER... Over the Easter break we didn't have an event....surprise, surprise... We did, however, stage a big day out in the hinterland riding and climbing a local peak.... We were joined by some very enthusiastic local adventure racers....it was a fast moving and fun day....with perfect weather and fantastic company... On Easter Sunday afternoon we set a little nav training session.....with Easter eggs involved....so attracted some of our members and their little ones to have a go around the course...
Gina and Zaelia

X-TERRA AUSTRALIA.... Holiday time....and what better way to spend it than travelling to Victoria for Australian X-Terra Champs in Angelsea on the Great Ocean Road.  The week of fine weather was a bonus and we enjoyed our time at X-terra....both managed to qualify for the X-terra World Champs later in the year.....as did Tri Adventure member Jaine, who raced as well.... Then we took off to the bush, rented a cottage in the hills and spent 2 lovely days riding the mtb trails in Forrest.... It was a fantastic week....but on our return to Qld.....it was still raining...

THE STEP-UP....Race 2 of the Ridgeline Adventure Series was held at Ewan Maddock Dam.... A 5 hour event comprising of boogie-boarding, running and mountain biking around the Beerwah State Forest.  It was raining and muddy...in fact, this event had the most rain and flooded creeks I have ever experienced. Those creeks I was counting off to the left....well, they were actually tracks.... It made it difficult with the navigation....as everything looked like a creek!  Tri Adventure fielded 8 teams again at this one....and many podium places were gained by our very soggy, muddy adventure racers.  Well done to everyone.....and sorry to all the bikes that were subject to the watery conditions.....they will all need some TLC after this one....


Steve & Dyson....in the planning stages...

So....that bring us up to the present... Plenty more adventures to come.... Check out our Facebook page for the most recent happenings....and other than that....

....see you out there!
Jan  & Kim














Thursday, January 17, 2013

Tri Adventure presents....


Adventure Racing Skills Clinic
Noosa Heads

 Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th February 

Day 1   Saturday            Paddle Skills + Navigation & Gear Tips + Mtb Skills / Foot Nav Session + Social

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 + Coffee/snacks at Café le Monde… Enjoy a coffee and snacks, listen and learn while we take you through all aspects of the sport including - gear suggestions, map reading and planning strategies, nutrition requirements, training techniques…...here you will receive maps for your afternoon MTB/Foot Nav session.

12.00pm           Mtb and Foot Nav …… This is a hands-on navigation session.  Here you will get on your mountain bike and take a scenic ride along Noosa’s brilliant bike-path network out to some of our local forestry trails.  We will take you through some mtb and foot nav skills….yep, hands on map-work….technical riding….some bush-bashing….all the good stuff…. Then ride back to refresh for dinner.

6.00pm             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            Mini Adventure ‘Challenge’ - Put your AR skills to the test against the clock!

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 – Register by Monday 4th February 2013
Email triadventure@optusnet.com.au for fees, registration and further details
Forms and payment due by Wednesday 6th February 2013

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Latest News - January

Our beautiful playground

Welcome to 2013…..and it’s looking to be a great year for adventure racing!  With some new events and many existing 
ones coming to our area, we are back on deck for training sessions commencing Monday 7th January.

This year we are offering some great member benefits, some free social sessions, and also casual sessions for those of you just wish to join in from time to time.

Member benefits for 2013 include: (Membership is $50 per year)

·        Weekly email to keep you informed of up-coming events, regular training sessions, and recap of the previous week’s adventures
·        Discounts on our Tri Adventure Clinics
·        Tri Adventure weekend adventures now only $5
·        Free Tri Adventure Social sessions – at least one per week….
·        Discounts from our many supporters including Ay-Up Lights, Area 51, Venture Cycles, Skirtsports Australia, Ridgeline Adventures, Endura and Noosa Blue Resort.
·        ….and, of course, the opportunity to enjoy training in our beautiful environment with like-minded people….and glean our AR knowledge from over 10 years of participating in adventure racing and multisport events…. 

Ok then….what do we have in store for 2013????  Our focus for this year will be on getting fit and staying healthy in our beautiful environment…one which we are trying so hard to protect.  Yep, outside of those doors and in the wonderful fresh air.  Enjoying the scenery whilst walking up a mountain or paddling down a river looking at the beautiful sunset…..Running the ridgelines in the hinterland, or finding your way to somewhere by map and compass… Doing your resistance training by carrying your bike…..or lifting your boat….or wearing a pack.  Going out on the bike to do the shopping…..and challenging yourself to fitting it all in that back-pack for the trip home!  Climbing a tree to see the great view up there….or gaining balance skills walking over a log in the forest…. Not to forget the teamwork and strategy of helping each other do all of the above.  This sport we do is REAL adventure racing….we face some hardships, test ourselves, then often ‘find’ ourselves….and reap the rewards which include great physical endurance and strength, knowledge of nature, joy in our new-found values…. and peace.  We would love to have you along for the ride this year 

So….if you are interested in joining Tri Adventure please contact us through our website so we can send you a copy of the 2013 Tri Adventure Group Membership Registration Form.

See you out there!
Jan & Kim