by Jess Evans
April 5, 2018
Now that race season has begun (according to me), let’s see what is in store for the extreme adventurer and the regular adventurer in the AR world. April is the time of year to start introducing those new racers to the sport. Adventureracehub.com has 15 races and 2 clinics on the list for April and most of those races have small enough race courses to appeal to the younger or new AR crowd. But the seasoned racer has plenty to grin about as well.
I would consider any race between 3 hours and 12 hours good starters for novice racers and just plain fun for experienced racers. This is coming from a racer whose first Adventure Race was a 12-hour, but I would say my view point is pretty solid.
For the novices out there who are skeptical of their racing abilities, read my earlier blog post Beginner Racers. It should give you some encouragement that YOU can do this. You may also want to join one of the adventure racing clinics scheduled for April to develop and sharpen your skills.
For the experienced racers, the shorter races are a time to practice increasing your navigation speed and your physical speed. Try to memorize part of your map and then head out on the course… see how far you get without needing to check the map again. Remember, a 12-hour race is a sprint, so start acting like it. Don’t hold back! There are at least two 24-hour races in April, if you like an overnight challenge. Staying out all night in the woods is a favorite pastime of mine, and adventure racing makes it all the more easier to do.
Now that it is warming up, it is race time!
