go adventure racing

Spent the weekend at an introductory adventure racing camp in the Forest of Dean. It was ace.

Saturday began with a 5km easy run, then we learnt navigation, cycled out into the forest, combined navigation with running and drills on technique (for up and down muddy hills), did canoeing (and played tag games and football on the lake), abseiled and finally cycled – more hills, plus bumps, dips and bunny hops.

In the evening we got instructions for the race and planned in our team of three. We had four hours to do a cycling and running stage in whichever order we preferred, collecting codes with varying scores from checkpoints around the wood and (in the) lake. It was terrific fun (and not just because we won, which was the Most Astonishing Thing Ever).

Will do more, I hope. V good weekend.

Weekend camp booked – thanks to quondam

I need new bicycle tyres of course.

While channel hopping this morning I discovered a sport I was unaware of – adventure racing. The programme was covering one called ‘The Rat Race’ – a multi-stage multi-day team race involving running, cycling, climbing and kayaking, with checkpoints, and challenge stages (eg underground maze, cycle descent on steps, cycle speedway without breaks, competitive shopping, 400m space hopper slalom, mobile checkpoints, abseiling).
My fitness levels are nowhere near good enough to consider this any time soon, but it might be fun in the future.