by Jess Evans
March 29, 2018
As a beginner racer, I think the most important part of the race (besides enjoying yourself) is getting to the finish on time. Time management is critical in adventure racing, and I think that beginner racers struggle with that the most. When I first started racing, I was focused on the race deadline. Picking up checkpoints was secondary. Now, getting back on time is important, but I know myself better and how far I can go in the allotted time. Much to my chagrin, there have been a few times when I missed that deadline, but that has been rare.
When I took my 11 year old niece on her first 4 hour adventure race (The Flow in Frankfort, KY), my goals were 1) for her to have a good time, 2) for her to experience each leg of the race, and 3) for her to finish the race on time. I knew she would feel excited about adventure racing if I could accomplish these three goals. I decided after we had received the maps that we should spend no more than 1 hour on each discipline. As the race progressed, I adjusted our expected checkpoint capture as I saw her energy level wane. At the first transition area, we stopped for a little lunch and watched other teams enter the TA. At the second TA, her mother was volunteering. We rested and chatted with Mom for a bit. We finished the race with about 20 minutes to spare and all mandatory checkpoints. We also had a few other non-mandatory points to brag about, but those were points we could easily pick up along the way on our journey through the course.
Some people may think that for a 4 hour race you need to train for many hours to complete it. Not true. My niece and I completed The Flow, and the most she had ridden her bike at one time was 4 miles! She broke that record in this race. The secret for beginner racers or teams with young and inexperienced endurance racers is to focus on the minimum requirements and get those done at a reasonable pace and in the allotted time. Adventure Racing is a methodical scavenger hunt which requires time management skills and self discipline.
This race was a challenge for me too, because I had to silence my competitive voice and pay close attention to my niece and her needs as we trudged through hot humid weather in Kentucky. In the end, she had a huge smile on her face and asked if we could do that race again. The Flow, directed by 361° Adventures, is an excellent race for beginners and young racers. This year The Flow is April 14, and registration is open.
