Triple Challenge all-day racing

The four of us (Lisa, Lizelle S., Adri and Steven) headed down to KZN this weekend for Max Cluer's Triple Challenge event. I've known of it for years but this would be my first entry. Max kindly sponsored two pairs entries in support of our team's preparations for Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge - we leave in four weeks!

Lizelle, Steven, Lisa and Adri

Lisa
Adri and I teamed up for Triple Challenge and this was the first time that were racing together. We made a good match.

Lisa and Adri

Brad and Andrew were our trusty support crew. Brad lives in Maritzburg and is a long-time friend; Andrew is Steven's twin brother. After the start, Brad dropped our bikes at the first transition; Andrew shot ahead to drop off the second K2 (Steven and I dropped the first on Saturday afternoon).

We started running at 05h30 from Maritzburg and the course seemed to never stray too far from the Comrades route (same with the bike - until we dropped into the valley leading to Inanda Dam). Adri and I took the run nice and easy, paying heed to advice from friends. The run is a nice one along jeep track and single trail. I really enjoy the vegetation in KZN - very fresh, lush and green, which is such a contrast to the highveld, even in summer!

A pretty tree-lined avenue

With about 3km to go, Adri's knee started playing up and needed regular stretching. She has been doing rehab for many weeks. She's running really well so this is quite an issue. She'll be at the bio on Wednesday - he'll check it out. Tough situation with four weeks to go.

Adri running down a trail towards one of the five waterpoints

After a few stretches at intervals, we ran strong into the transition where Brad was waiting with my friend Fred. Adri and I got our bike stuff together and we were off - to be stopped at the nearby railway crossing. I quite enjoyed seeing the train and its load of containers.

The bike route also seems to stay near the Comrades route and we rode a number of sections on the tar road. The single track sections, especially in the second half of the ride, were my favourite. And there was even a hike-a-bike section! It felt just like an adventure race. The route has a number of climbs, but nothing too long or terrible. A good balance overall.

We got to the paddle transition about 1h05 behind Steven and Lizelle (they took 30 mins out of us on the run; and another 30mins on the bike). I was quite looking forward to the paddle but we had been warned that the later we get there the more the wind will be blowing and the more trying the conditions.

George kindly lent us his 'love boat', a K2 Accord decorated with hearts. George and his wife, Penny, did Dusi together this year. Adri and I hopped in, with me driving, and off we went, heading for the dam wall.

We'd been told to head for the wall for the take out for the first portage and then the gazebo, which we could see, would be the put-in. Turns out the gazebo was take-out and put-in; a little 10m portage. So, we did a bit extra distance and time - no worry.

At the gazebo I got out of the boat and my upper thighs cramped - for the first time ever! Arrggghhh... not nice. The steering pedals had been a bit too far away (with boat on land when I got in, rudder was up so pedals were forward - once inside the pedals went back, away from me) so I had to stretch my legs to reach them. This must have been what did it. I had to stand for a while. A kind guy offered me some ice - he'd seen this happen to a number of people that day!

We walked around the banner and got back into the boat, after I'd adjusted the seat one notch forward. Perfect!

We set off to the far take-out, which we didn't know how to find. The checkpoint people pointed us in the right direction and off we went. I remembered what it should look like from a Google Earth image but when your eyes are almost water-level, it isn't very easy to recognise land features.

The safety boats weren't around us at all but then finally a boat came near and we asked where to go - he pointed ahead. Nearing the take-out we saw another boat and the guy told us to paddle between the buoys "over there". We couldn't see a thing! The buoys were navy blue on dark, turbulent water.

On this, I must say that Adri and I rocked. From the start of the paddle we had rough waves, which crashed on to our deck a number of times. We also paddled with waves side on and we didn't even wobble once - it was awesome! I love paddling into the wind and into the waves, so I got a lot of that too.

Approaching land we spotted another double and two singles on the beach, which was useful to show us where to get out. This was the second portage (a real one) - up and over a spur to the put-in on the other side. It went well and remains my only physical after-effect of the race (sore/bruised shoulder bones from carrying the boat).

We put-in at the same time as another girl pair. They tipped a bit at the put-in, just as we were moving off. The children swimming got a good laugh from that.
Protected from the wind the first part around the spur was pretty flat - and then we hit the action. I loved it!

And then we were at the end, welcomed by Brad, Andrew, Fred, Steven, Lizelle and George. Max, on microphone, welcomed us in. Adri and I were at the back (not very back, but back) of the field. We completed the route in 09h30.

Then back to Maritzburg to shower and then drive the 600-odd km back to Jo'burg. A long, long day.

I thoroughly enjoyed this event and I've definitely do it again. The route is pleasant, the markings were good and it makes for a super day out. Only improvement would be some buoys (not navy blue! orange, white, red, yellow would be better) on the paddle and bright feather banners at the second portage take-out. I guess, as an adventure racer, that I'm not very good at following pointing fingers - I like knowing where I'm going.

Very big thanks for Max Cluer, who sponsored our entries to his race in support of our preparations for Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge. Thanks to George for the use of his 'love boat' and two splashies. Fred, super to see you in person - thank you for cheering for us. And bit thanks to Brad and Andrew for taking such good care of us and our bikes and stuff on this long day out. And Adri, I thoroughly enjoyed our day together - it was a pleasure to do this race with you.

Lizelle S.
In my preperation for the event this weekend, all I kept saying to myself was that "this is exactly like a triathlon". I was completely WRONG!!! This was ten times more exciting, more breath-taking and more challenging that any triathlon I have ever done.

My awesome team mate, Steven, and I decided to go HARD from the start. Unfortunately, my 20km run was did not go exactly as I planned - let's just say I made a
few extra runs to the bushes, which did not help at all. After our 20km run I felt so sick. Steven gave me alot of encouraging words and on the biking leg I felt as if I was back in the game.

I have no idea where we rode but I definitely know it was the most hilliest climbs ever, which I soooo loved. The down hills were by far my weakest point kept on thinking, "I cannot get injured now, Abu Dhabi is around the corner", so that made me perhaps too cautious. However, we still had an amazing ride, at that stage we were first in our category (mixed pairs), without knowing it.

The paddling leg was a lot more challenging than we expected, especially, the over-the-hill portage leg. All my shoulders can say is OUCHY!

As we eventually reached the end, a mixed team came sprinting past us. We were at such a chilled stage that we thought "Ah, well let them get whatever place", which it turned out was first place! BIG MISTAKE from our part, but at least we still had great fun.

I can honestly say that it was a smart option to do my first Triple Challenge with a team mate, as without one I might have, dare I say, WITHRAWN from the race, especially since I felt like hell at the start. Having someone with you makes you so much more driven to succeed. When I am all grown-up one day, I would love to give the individual race a go - one of my new goals.

Steven in front with Lizelle coming up.
Photo from Triple Challenge Facebook gallery

Tent testing

This weekend, at Triple Challenge, we opened up tents to select the one that will be carried during the desert trekking stage. this is the only time that we physically have to carry our tents; on the paddle stage they go in the kayaks and for the rest they're transported to transitions by race organisation in our crates.

Although the tent is a bit of a squeeze, I reassured the team, "It's only for about four hours!". It's so worth carrying less for a bit of a cosy night. Sleeping top-to-tail we fit pretty well. Race rules specify that we have to sleep inside a sealed tent (incorporated ground sheet) in the desert - to keep the scorpions out!

Triple Challenge this weekend

We're headed to KZN this weekend for Max Cluer's Triple Challenge. It's a multisport event with a 23km trail run, 50-off kilometres of mountain biking and 18km paddle on Inanda Dam. The event allows for various team formats; we're entering two pairs and we'll do all disciplines in our pairs (there are relay options too).

Lisa will be racing with Adri and Steven will race with Lizelle.

Super rogaine

This past weekend Steven and Lisa ran as a pair in the annual 8hr rogaine, a time-limited, point-score orienteering discipline. Adri also competed, running with her adventure racing teammate, Con. Lizelle S missed the event as she was wrapping up her final project for her studies.

Lisa's report on the rogaine is on her blog at adventurelisa.blogspot.com

Weekend fun

We had a whopper weekend with the Energizer Night Relay on Friday night, a 24km trail run at Suikerbosrand on Saturday morning and a 16km paddle training session on Sunday afternoon at Germiston Lake.

The links above direct you to posts on Lisa's 'Adventure Lisa' blog.

All dressed up for the Energizer Night Relay

A most amazing morning at Suikerbosrand - fresh green grass and lots of eland

Irresistible…

Media Release: Award winners and newcomers bolster record-breaking field for the 2010 Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge.

One of the main objectives of the Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge is to encourage the
worldwide development of the sport among competent but relatively inexperienced athletes.

Today, with newcomers from around the globe flocking to test themselves in this
internationally acclaimed event, is widely considered as an obligatory stop on the adventure racing calendar. This ability to continuously refresh the field by attracting new and eager talent to the race is due in part to the ongoing ADTA awards programme inaugurated in 2008.

The Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority introduced the scheme to aid new, highly competitive teams wishing to pursue a racing career on the international scene. As in the past, partnerships with existing events or organisations within the AR community were established and, through a process of competition or selection, 4 teams will be awarded the race entry fee and return tickets to Abu Dhabi for each team member.

Two of the teams will be chosen via the direct competitive route and must finish as the highest ranking team in a single race or series that has yet to race outside their home territory.

Sweden has already named a squad Statkraft Adventure Team, with expert adventure-racing tactician Arvid Björkroth at the helm of a group of experienced AR athletes. In July he led his team to 4th place in the 950 km Explore Sweden Monster race and was thrilled when his team was presented with the ADTA award. In the USA, the award will be given to the first eligible team past the post in the season closer of the Checkpoint Tracker National Championships, to be run at the end of October. A strong turnout is expected and competition will be understandably fierce throughout the field as all the teams on the series compete in the grand finale where the “winner takes all”.

For her 3rd year running as an ADTA award selector, Lisa de Speville is introducing another hand-picked team of South African newcomers to the international adventure-racing scene. This year Lisa has chosen a squad of three young women and one male who are not only new to international AR but have little experience over the distance and terrain they will encounter on the ADAC.

The other team qualifying through the selection process is from Australian where the SleepMonsters website has drawn up a short list of five teams from the 16 registered for the award. The final decision will be taken during the first week of October when the jury announces the award winning team.

These four novice squads will be competing in a field of 50 teams drawn from at least 20 countries, a majority of which are competing in the race for the first time and have been lured to this universally acknowledged world-class event by its undeniable pedigree. In the words of Hadi Masron, captain of race rookies Sart Ecorace (Singapore): "Other teams on the international circuit were already saying the ADAC was fast becoming the toughest race in the world. Well who could resist that challenge?"

Live race coverage and information at http://www.abudhabi‐adventure.com/

Teams rush in as word goes out

Media Release: Word of mouth is driving huge interest in the 2010 Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge, we look at what some of the team’s have to say….


Mughamarah (UAE)
Since July Mughamarah has been following a comprehensive fitness and training programme, involving general fitness and endurance training, focusing on the specific disciplines featured in the race and honing equipment and technical skills. Team captain Jean-Marc Laventure reveals this expat team’s goals: “Deepen existing friendships and build new ones; experience the adventure and Abu Dhabi’s stunning natural landscapes; seeing how well we can perform in some of the world’s toughest conditions and against some of the world’s best prepared teams.” But they’ve also done their homework… “From our analysis of previous editions of the race, any section can become difficult if the conditions are unfavourable. We are trying to prepare ourselves for the worst: sandstorms; extreme heat or cold; no wind or extreme waves on the sea-kayaking section.”

Sart Ecorace (Singapore)
Familiar faces on the international circuit, Sart Ecorace couldn’t resist the chance to try out the Abu Dhabi event: ”Word was going round from other teams on the circuit about how the ADAC was fast becoming one of the toughest races in the world. Who could resist that?“ confessed Hadi Masron. “We are also particularly eager to gain as much race knowledge and experience as possible from the other professional teams in this race.” They are certainly taking the words of their fellow athletes very seriously, maximising their participation in other regional-international races and reviewing gear and recovery rates in the run up to the ADAC. “We are concentrating our training routine on kayaking, running and biking,” Hadi concluded.

4 Empty Quarters (UAE)
Another expat team flying the flag is drawing on previous experience and rigorous personal preparation in the hope of improving on their 2009 result. “For all of us, the challenge of competing in such a long duration event coupled with the opportunity to see Abu Dhabi in a different way is immensely motivating,” explains Robin McGowan. “We are comfortable working together but as many of us travel quite extensively, group training is tough, so we are concentrating on our own individual training plans. However, weekends are reserved for working on the practical aspects of team coordination and, in particular, on biking and kayaking. None of us have a strong kayaking background and so maintaining a good pace on the sea-kayaking leg is going to be the biggest challenge…” Robin reveals. But this time around ambitions and expectations are running high: “Last year we had a simple goal which was to just complete the course – this year we are still relaxed about our participation but want to push it a little more targeting the longer options and trying to see just how far we can push ourselves,” he added.