Filed on 11/9/2007:
One of my most memorable racing experiences was my first overnight race.
We raced without sleep for over forty-eight hours and it was quite the
event. One of the highlights was the second day's sunrise, when the
first rays poked over a ridge and through the mist during a morning
paddle down a lazy river. It was an extremely beautiful, very rewarding
moment. My teammates in the second canoe snapped a few photos and I have
one framed right next to my desk - a constant reminder of that idyllic
moment.
My team was the last team to complete the full course, and I took more
satisfaction from reaching that finish line than any other. I'm sure
that many of you are debating whether or not to try a race of this
magnitude, especially if it would be your first race. I would encourage
you to do so - the race is still over half a year away and you have
plenty of time get as prepared as possible, and the sense of
accomplishment you'll feel for merely trying, let alone completing, an
event like this will be immense.
I've chatted with many new racers over the years, and I'll share here
the two key recommendations that I always share with them. While nothing
is a guarantee of success in any sport, especially one where you are
planning your own routes, these things will go a long way towards making
sure you have an enjoyable first experience.
The most important suggestion I can give is to choose your teammates
wisely. You need to be going into the race on a team that shares a
common goal - whether that goal is to fight to the finish, or to try to
win the whole thing, you need to make sure that you share a common
vision. In any race, but especially a multi-day race, you need to be
able to support each other and help one another through the low times. I
have passed teams having heated arguments on the race course, and not
only is that completely non-productive, it also is completely unenjoyable.
My second recommendation is to remember that navigation is the most
important discipline in any well-designed adventure race. It does not
matter how fast you are going if you are going in the wrong direction!
Talk to your local orienteering or adventuring racing organization and
take a lesson. Find an orienteering course and practice, practice,
practice. Look over topo maps for areas you are familiar with to see how
everything plays out. And have fun - navigation is one of the most
enjoyable aspects of adventure racing.
In the weeks to come, I'll include other tips for new racers. Feel free
to contact me if you have any questions.
Race hard. Navigate well. Have fun.
- Chris Yager, Green Mountain Adventure Racing Association,
http://www.GMARA.org, chris@gmara.org