Adventure Racing
14 expert tips you need for your next adventure race
Looking to enter your first adventure race or top your current best? Go for it, but before you do read these top tips from adventure racing legend Braden Currie.
Adventure racing is the ultimate test of human endurance. Lasting anything from three hours to 10 days, these staged and non-stop races for individuals or teams not only test the body across multiple disciplines, including trekking, mountain biking, kayaking, rafting, abseiling, canyoning and orienteering, but also push the human spirit to its limits.
Simply completing one is an achievement and whether you’re a rookie or a seasoned racer, these nuggets of advice from world class adventure racer Braden Currie will help you achieve your best.
1. Test the water before you dive in
Learn about your strengths and weaknesses before more challenging events
© Miles Holden/Red Bull Content Pool
Adventure racing used to have a real hardcore reputation, but recently it's extended into a variety of forms that offer anyone with an interest in the outdoors an option to enjoy. Many events have shorter course options and that's the way to go. I'd recommend doing a short course, learning the skills, learning about your strengths and weaknesses before gradually moving on to more challenging events. You only learn through hard experience.
2. Train strategically
Train for the terrain
© Miles Holden/Red Bull Content Pool
You've got to be strategic and manage the load in your training to avoid a chronic fatigue situation, where your body starts to break down and you get injured and sick. It's really not fun and it's a place too many people go to when they don't need to. Also, make sure you know the type of terrain and challenges you're likely to face in the event you enter and replicate race situations and scenarios. Do consistent training routines, too, as that allows you to build endurance, which is crucial for this type of racing.
3. Get a good coach
Working with someone can give you extra confidence
© Miles Holden/Red Bull Content Pool
A coach can help to manage your training and create a good varied plan. It's important to work with someone who can get to know you, your body and how much you can push yourself. You then become accountable for your training and through your feedback the coach can alter your plan to either challenge you more or allow for more recovery to avoid injury and overtraining. Having done that and knowing you've done the work required for the competition can also give you extra confidence on race day.
4. Push your pyramids
Train for the intensity of racing
© Graeme Murray/Red Bull Content Pool
If you can't tolerate the intensity of a race, you're going to get dropped out the back so in training you need to push your heart rate in at least half of your sessions per week in each discipline to build your tolerance. You can do that by doing pyramids – one minute on, one minute off, two minutes on, one minute off, up to five minutes and back down. Do it once when first starting out and then up to three or four times on a long hill run or ride.
5. Focus on the bike
Currie recommends the bike for the main focus of training
© Miles Holden/Red Bull Content Pool
I believe bike riding should be the main load in your training, the main volume, because that fitness will cross over and build strength and endurance for running and trekking too, but without high impact. As you get fitter on the bike, you can add weight to your pack or ride the hills for even bigger strength and endurance gains. It's also a great tool in an adventure race, as there are big gains to be made with a solid bike ride.
6. Run with bricks
You'll get caught out if you don't condition your legs properly
© Miles Holden/Red Bull Content Pool
Big descents and continuous impact are hugely demanding when running, and they'll catch you out in a race if you don't condition your legs. You must build up to it, but once your legs are strong enough to carry extra weight up and down the hills, carrying some bricks in your pack is a good way to improve your endurance. Eccentric strength and conditioning in the gym can also help a lot.
7. Bungee-ball your kayak
Play about with kayak training
© Graeme Murray/Red Bull Content Pool
To build strength when I'm paddling, I use my race kayak and put a bungee underneath with a tennis ball on. Doing that increases the resistance on the boat so it doesn't glide in the water like normal, it tends to shoot and then stop. You get a lot more power and strength building on that.
8. Expand your skills
Brush up on your skills
© Miles Holden/Red Bull Content Pool
You need a huge skill set to pull off some events – rock climbing, Jumaring, caving, canyoning and more. So get experience. There are courses out there and it's worth doing them to get a step ahead. It's all about practice, being in the environment and learning the skills.
9. Slow it down...
Take time to chill
© Miles Holden/Red Bull Content Pool
The last week of training is a taper week, because adventure racing is all about endurance. I kick back, put my feet up, get gear organised, get on top of my sleep and try to be as prepared as I can be.
10. ...then start fast
Start fast, but leave fuel in the tank
© Graeme Murray/Red Bull Content Pool
Everyone says start slow and pace yourself, but I think you can move faster at the start when you're fresh. Good intensity training can make the most of that. That said, in my first Godzone race, my team pushed hard early and broke down. So if you intend to go hard, you've got to be mentally and physically ready for it.
If you've already done an eight hour day of high intensity training and pulled up fine, chances are you will do the same on race day. It's a matter of knowing your body's limits, but also knowing when it's just your mind holding you back. That's when you can decide whether to push and it's often the difference between a personal best performance or an average race.
11. Find a common goal
Shared goals help motivate
© Graeme Murray/Red Bull Content Pool
Mental strength is a massive part of racing, both as an individual and a team. In a team event, you need a common goal and focus. You also need to stay calm in intense situations so think of the challenges ahead and learn ways to manage them.
12. Eat healthy
Eat healthy food
© Alan Van Gysen/Red Bull Content Pool
There are lots of supplements and nutrients, but fundamentally the most important thing about keeping healthy is the food you eat. With such high loads, your immune system will drop and to avoid fatigue you need good nutrition. I tend to avoid any processed foods, as well as grains. I eat a paleo and whole food diet, with lots of natural fats. I also boost up most of my meals with extra nutrients, such as a mineral salt, kelp, a mix of activated seeds and nuts on salads, healthy oils (olive oil, flaxseed oil, coconut oil) and nutrient rich fruits and veggies.
13. Treat your feet
Happy feet are healthy feet
© Graeme Murray
Blistering can be really painful so I cover my feet in a Vaseline and silica gel before a wet trekking stage. Use good socks, change them through the race and use shoes that have only been worn a couple of times. Also have a bigger pair for later in the race, to give you more space to absorb swelling.
14. Be prepared
Get well prepped the evening before
© Graeme Murray/Red Bull Content Pool
The night before a race, get all your gear sorted so when you're up early next morning everything’s set out within easy reach and away you go. Organisation, in terms of equipment and food, can make or break your race.