Wednesday, May 25, 2005
AR is a lifestyle option
The exquisite form of pleasure that is competitive adventure racing is surely taking its toll on me. Within the space of 2 months, i will have taken part in 4 adventure races. Also consider the build-up races prior to that: the Genting Trailblazer trail run, a 30 km XC MTB race, the National Vertical Marathon, a K2 kayak 1000m race, the Legs n' Paddles multisport race.
The aim is to strive for a level of proficiency whereby competitive racing from week to week will become almost second nature. The ability to quickly recover to race fitness... and to compete at the desired level of performance comes about only through consistency and long-term periodization. To be able to enter a race untrained and blitz the field is desirable, but not without lots of commitment. Time for a re-evaluation of my goals, as well as time to 'bi guan xiu lian' - the Chinese term for going into secret training.
As i put my season of adventure racing on a hiatus, i look forward to the next few months of conditioning and training for overnight efforts, culminating in the first build-up race of the coming season, the Red Yeti 36 hour AR, sleighted to be held in South Australia. Australian AR athletes are right there amongst the world's best from New Zealand, the US, and Europe. To be able to race with them on their home turf rates probably about an 11 on a scale of 10 in terms of learning value!
As far as mid-term goals are concerned, i consider the next few months to be crucial as i have given serious consideration to racing in the XPD expedition-length adventure race in Tasmania early next year. We must give time to forming a team, logistics planning, doing some long trainings together, and securing sponsorship. We consider this an expedition race which gives us a realistic chance of finishing the complete course.
My long-term goals are still to acquire skills in mountaineering, and whitewater paddling within the next 3 years, before launching a bid to enter either the Southern Traverse or the Primal Quest adventure races, with the intention of finishing the complete course without being cut off.
The growth of adventure racing in the region cannot be ignored. NOW is the time to seize the opportunity for progress and advancements!
The aim is to strive for a level of proficiency whereby competitive racing from week to week will become almost second nature. The ability to quickly recover to race fitness... and to compete at the desired level of performance comes about only through consistency and long-term periodization. To be able to enter a race untrained and blitz the field is desirable, but not without lots of commitment. Time for a re-evaluation of my goals, as well as time to 'bi guan xiu lian' - the Chinese term for going into secret training.
As i put my season of adventure racing on a hiatus, i look forward to the next few months of conditioning and training for overnight efforts, culminating in the first build-up race of the coming season, the Red Yeti 36 hour AR, sleighted to be held in South Australia. Australian AR athletes are right there amongst the world's best from New Zealand, the US, and Europe. To be able to race with them on their home turf rates probably about an 11 on a scale of 10 in terms of learning value!
As far as mid-term goals are concerned, i consider the next few months to be crucial as i have given serious consideration to racing in the XPD expedition-length adventure race in Tasmania early next year. We must give time to forming a team, logistics planning, doing some long trainings together, and securing sponsorship. We consider this an expedition race which gives us a realistic chance of finishing the complete course.
My long-term goals are still to acquire skills in mountaineering, and whitewater paddling within the next 3 years, before launching a bid to enter either the Southern Traverse or the Primal Quest adventure races, with the intention of finishing the complete course without being cut off.
The growth of adventure racing in the region cannot be ignored. NOW is the time to seize the opportunity for progress and advancements!
