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Outdoor Nova Scotia: Features; an In-depth Look at 'The Great Outdoors' in Nova Scotia!
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Testing the Limits with
Adventure Racing
by Is adventure in your blood? Do you feel the need to test your physical and mental abilities against unknown terrain, unpredictable weather, sleep deprivation and high emotions? If the answers are yes, you might want to try adventure racing; the sport inviting you to push yourself to the limit. Adventure racing began as a dream of Gerard Fusil, a French reporter. He imagined teams competing in a multi-sport wilderness event that tested their endurance and wisdom. This gave birth to Raid Gauloises in 1995. Since then, adventure racing has spread across the world. In 1998, adventure racing set roots in Nova Scotia when Ronald M. Tibert created Eastcreek Adventure Racing and joined forces with Ironbound Adventure Racing. Dave Willman, a member of Team Nova Scotia One, began racing about three years ago and continues to race because every race is a new challenge. When a friend first mentioned adventure racing, Dave thought he was crazy, but liked the idea of pushing yourself to your limits then going beyond. Anyone in moderate shape with a passion for hiking, biking, paddling and similar outdoor activities can participate in adventure racing. It is a definite asset to be in good shape, but the biggest factors of success are decision making, communication and team work. The ultimate goal of every race is to be the first team with all its members across the finish line, but success is measured in other ways. The personal satisfaction in reaching the start line and the actual participation is an adrenaline rush unmatched in other sports. Getting Started Once you have decided to challenge yourself, the next question is, how to get started? Reading magazines and books, talking to competitors and joining race clubs are all ways to learn about adventure racing. Many web sites are available providing a wide variety of information including how to train, upcoming competitions, gear information and many other aspects of the sport. Teams of two or four members are the most common, with the four-member team being of mixed gender. Forming a team might seem easy, but if personalities clash during training this might forecast disaster during the most critical portions of the race. It is crucial all members work together and strive to reach the same goals, whether it is to win or merely finish the race. Training Training can be as simple or as complex as the individual, but must include physical training as well as skill development. The basic skills required are map reading/orienteering, paddling, mountain biking and hiking. Organizations across Nova Scotia host programs to acquire and improve these skills. Halifax Regional Search and Rescue sponsors an annual Endurance Wilderness Navigation Challenge each spring. The Halifax Outdoor Club is another organization which runs programs across the province. Joining a gym is not necessary to acquire the level of fitness for a race. A regular routine of jogging, sit-ups, push-ups, and aerobic exercises will prepare the body for the challenge. It is also necessary to build endurance on long hikes, canoe paddles and bike rides. Simulating race conditions, which means carrying a thirty-pound pack and deliberately going into the field during bad weather, will prepare you more effectively than training in ideal conditions. Training can be done alone, but it is important to train as a team to discover the strengths and weaknesses of each member. Equipment Equipment, the simplest and lightest is usually the best. Talking with other racers, knowing the race terrain and the climate can help immensely. A list of mandatory equipment is provided for each race. Items such as a compass, map, first aid kit, knife, whistle and flashlight are all required. New gear should be tested during training. Race day is not the time to discover the new hiking boots are murder on your feet or the back pack is too small to carry everything you need. Adventure racing is a sport that
must be experienced to be appreciated. Don’t waste months or years
training and never compete. Just do it! More will be learned
from one race than in months of training. 1. Raid the North 2. Salomon Adventure Challenge:
An introductory to racing 3. Basic Nature Adventure Race 4. Ironbounds 12 hours: Challenge
Yourself 5. Ironbounds 36 hours of
Adventure Racing Many of these websites have links to other adventure racing related sites. Eastern Outdoors Adventure Racing Frontier Adventure Racing (Raid the North) Halifax Regional Search and Rescue (hosts an annual Endurance Wilderness Navigation Challenge) Diana Lynn Tibert is a freelance writer living in Milford Station, Nova Scotia. Her Garden Tales column appears in five Nova Scotia newspapers. Stories have also appeared in Plant and Garden Magazine, Saltscapes Magazine and East Coast Gardener. She can be reached at wheelsandweeds@ns.sympatico.ca.
Testing the Limits with Adventure Racing by Diana Tibert, first published May, 2001. Designed & maintained by Outdoor Nova Scotia, Liverpool, N.S. BOT 1KO Material protected by copyright. Last revised: December 29, 2001 |
