12 hour adventure race............

BIGREDIOWAN

BIGREDIOWAN

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So a buddy of mine talked me into doing an adventure race with him and two other guys, so we'll have a 4 man team. I've never done any race of any kind, but I am a workout nut although my training is mainly geared towards weight lifting. This race is 12 hours long or an intermediate race, guess we should've signed up for the beginner race, but we're signed up at this point so here we go. Anyone ever done anything like this? Any tips you can give would be helpful, I have no idea how I'm going to approach the training for this event yet.

Here's what it involves:

  • Flat Water Paddling
  • Mountain Biking
  • Orienteering
  • Road Biking
  • Trekking
  • Land Navigation
  • Team Challenges/Mystery Events
12-hr Distances (subject to change:

  • Bike: 24-36 miles
  • Trek/Orienteering/Land Navigation: 8-13 miles
  • Paddle: 6-10 miles
 
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I do ultra running, and I'm in the middle of training for an event longer than this. I can't speak specifically to the training for your kind of race but there are some common things for endurance events.

Have a good plan for drinking and eating. You can gut out shorter events, but once you get over 6 hours or so you really suffer if you aren't keeping up with it. Maybe the race supplies everything, but find out what they have so you'll know its food you are ok with. You want there to be stuff you like because you have to eat, and if your stomach is going bad you won't want to eat stuff you don't care for, and you sure don't want to eat stuff you are allergic to. Supplement with your own supplies. Train with what you'll be eating and drinking so you know you can digest it while going on. Race day is not the time to find out that an energy drink you've never tried makes you dizzy or makes your heart go crazy. Bananas are my magic food. I can always eat them, and the potassium is great. Find your food that you can count on.

Also train with the gear you'll be using. You don't want to be trying to figure out something new 8 hours into your race, or worse, find out that it doesn't work for you. That includes clothes and shoes. Nothing new race day. I've tried socks that others swore by that rubbed a hole in my heel. I go a size large in my running shoes because my feet swell and then would rub and cause blisters. Others have told me that wearing larger shoes makes their feet slide and THAT causes blisters, so you have to figure out what works for you.

Hope for the best but plan for the worst. Take stuff along for chafing (vaseline or body glide) blisters (duct tape works well), diarrhea, aches and pains (but limit pain meds because not only can they mask problems, they can also shut down your kidneys), and so on.

Training and prep is the difference between doing well on race day vs. a sufferfest and wanting to or having to quit. Train hard, but taper down the last couple of weeks so you go in feeling fresh. Sounds like a fun event. Good luck!

 
BigRedBuster said:
I have ALWAYS wanted to do one of these. I'm jealous.

I don't have any tips other than let us know how it goes.

Where is it at?
Click to expand...
It's in northern Wisconsin or at least the northern half of Wisconsin. Here's the link: http://www.180adventure.com/2015-smar-general-information/

I like to challenge myself and I think this is going to be a HUGE challenge for me and my buddies. I definitely need to get busy reading up on some stuff, figuring out my training plan, and getting my gear squared away for training. There's only one guy on our team that has experience with land nav stuff, former Infantry/Ranger guy, so that's all on him. I'd like to learn it though just so I know.

 
VA Husker Fan said:
I do ultra running, and I'm in the middle of training for an event longer than this. I can't speak specifically to the training for your kind of race but there are some common things for endurance events.

Have a good plan for drinking and eating. You can gut out shorter events, but once you get over 6 hours or so you really suffer if you aren't keeping up with it. Maybe the race supplies everything, but find out what they have so you'll know its food you are ok with. You want there to be stuff you like because you have to eat, and if your stomach is going bad you won't want to eat stuff you don't care for, and you sure don't want to eat stuff you are allergic to. Supplement with your own supplies. Train with what you'll be eating and drinking so you know you can digest it while going on. Race day is not the time to find out that an energy drink you've never tried makes you dizzy or makes your heart go crazy. Bananas are my magic food. I can always eat them, and the potassium is great. Find your food that you can count on.

Also train with the gear you'll be using. You don't want to be trying to figure out something new 8 hours into your race, or worse, find out that it doesn't work for you. That includes clothes and shoes. Nothing new race day. I've tried socks that others swore by that rubbed a hole in my heel. I go a size large in my running shoes because my feet swell and then would rub and cause blisters. Others have told me that wearing larger shoes makes their feet slide and THAT causes blisters, so you have to figure out what works for you.

Hope for the best but plan for the worst. Take stuff along for chafing (vaseline or body glide) blisters (duct tape works well), diarrhea, aches and pains (but limit pain meds because not only can they mask problems, they can also shut down your kidneys), and so on.

Training and prep is the difference between doing well on race day vs. a sufferfest and wanting to or having to quit. Train hard, but taper down the last couple of weeks so you go in feeling fresh. Sounds like a fun event. Good luck!
Click to expand...
Thanks for the tips, I've already started reading the link provided above by GM_Tood, lots of information to digest that's for sure. This first event will be a learning event that's for sure, but my buddy already said if we like the 12 hour course then we can do the 30 hour course next year.................really?!

 
I did a lot of biking years ago and had a great way of getting my legs in great shape. I always stayed seated. Kept my bike in high gear. And rode up lots of hills. Also used to double up with a friend who needed a quick ride home. It will take some time but you will really get your calves and quads into amazing shape and it will help your cardio endurance too. Its amazing I lived through this part of my life. We didn't have helmets then.
default_insertsarcasm.gif


Good luck, but most of all have fun.

T_O_B

 
BIGREDIOWAN said:
BigRedBuster said:
I have ALWAYS wanted to do one of these. I'm jealous.

I don't have any tips other than let us know how it goes.

Where is it at?
Click to expand...
It's in northern Wisconsin or at least the northern half of Wisconsin. Here's the link: http://www.180adventure.com/2015-smar-general-information/

I like to challenge myself and I think this is going to be a HUGE challenge for me and my buddies. I definitely need to get busy reading up on some stuff, figuring out my training plan, and getting my gear squared away for training. There's only one guy on our team that has experience with land nav stuff, former Infantry/Ranger guy, so that's all on him. I'd like to learn it though just so I know.
Click to expand...
Hawyard is in Northern Wisconsin. Don't get eaten by the wolves buddy. You'll have plenty of scenery to keep you company as you vomit and sh#t your pants.

 
Just returned from this event. Things didn't go as well as I had hoped for me or my team. We only got 6 checkpoints, which is terrible, but we're beginners and had fun regardless.

The first portion was land navigation/orienteering, was about 2 1/2 hrs long for us and covered 10 miles through the woods. Not really physically demanding, just mentally demanding.

We returned back to HQ for the next portion, mountain biking. Geared up, water was full, total of 124 ounces on board and off we went. We had to go 4 miles to our first turn and it was all concrete to start with before we got to the wooded portion. About 2 miles in my left calf started to cramp pretty bad and I started slowing down. Met up with my team at the 4 mile mark and told them

What was going on, pounded Gatorade, BCAA's, and salt pills to try and take care of the problem, only got worse.

Got into the trail section and the single track trails were intense, thank god I upgraded my bike! I've never been on trails so there was a learning curve to start. Wrecked my bike three times over 9 different trail sections that covered a total of 28 miles. Elevation went as high as 1,700 feet. I emptied all my water during this section, not one drop left. Legs were cramping on both sides from my calves all the way up my quads. I could only push my bike up hills, could coast down and pedal some where it was flat.

I had to pull out due to dehydration and cramping less than one mile away from finishing the biking portion and the hydration station. Had to be picked up by support crew. My team then had to travel back 20 miles on bike via concrete to the canoe portion, which would've been 10 miles paddling in and of itself.

So I made it 8 hours into the 12 hour event and covered approx 38 miles 28 of which were me pushing through extreme cramps. I'll try and do this again and hydrate much better the week leading up to the race. I'll break down the mileage of each section.

Land nav: 8-10 miles

Biking: 28 miles of trails, 20 of concrete

Paddling: 10 miles

 
Hey, a great learning experience, BRI. Glad you enjoyed it, and now that you have attempted one, you have a better idea what to do the next time. Keep at it!

 
One of my team members had done some triathlons and they all had run the Dam to Dam half marathon here in Des Moines. All said this is the hardest event they've ever done. Mostly because of the physicality involved, but also because you have no idea where you're going and have to map your routes to the checkpoints.

 
Like AR said, you probably learned a lot for next time.

Gatorade helps a bit with cramping but doesn't have the salt content your blood needs, so it's actually a bit dilutive--just not nearly as much as water. Start with Gatorade and salt pills much earlier, from the beginning really. Once you need them it's tough to overcome. You almost need a saline IV to get you back. On a hot day I'll rarely drink plain water, and if I do I'll take some kind of salt/endurolytes every 1/2 hour. Not sure about plain salt pills since there are other things like potassium your body needs as well as sodium. I use Succeed S Caps. Bananas are great for potassium and energy too.

Cramping is sometimes just muscle fatigue, pushing much harder than you've trained, or a combo of that and lack of electrolytes.

First time on trails in the event? That's another one to learn on.

Having fun with your buds and wanting to do this again is a good sign. Sounds like a pretty fun adventure. I like that unknown aspect though I don't know how well I'd do at it.

 
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