When out-of-shape adults take up running for its fitness and weight loss benefits, they often focus on Comrades Marathon as their goal. Water-inclined choose Midmar Mile; cyclists look to Cape Cycle Tour and multi-discipliners up the stakes with IRONMAN. Why then do these same people not consider an expedition style adventure race? Adventure sprint races were first introduced in 2001 to entice participants into the sport. It was hoped that these bite-sized events would give participants […]
Archive | Adventure
Team Cyanosis: nine winning lessons from Expedición Guaraní
Clinton Mackintosh shares more about their victory in Paraguay and offers useful tips for South African adventurers.
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Start adventure racing
Adventure racing is the ultimate race of human endurance. Teams of four athletes race non-stop, day and night, through courses up to 800km in length.
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Getting High in India
Ruan van der Merwe was thrown in the deep end at India’s first-ever adventure race: the Himalayan Challenge. With team Keyhealth Jabberwock, he battled altitude, inexperienced organisers, and some hardcore local teams for an excellent result. Since this was the first adventure race held in India, all competitors were all in for a huge learning curve.
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Trekking is the decider in adventure racing
Trekking is one of adventure racing’s foundation disciplines and arguably is the one that should be given the highest respect. Strengthening your feet, doing the endurance training for the demands of trekking and developing strong navigation skills are key to successful trekking – whether the stage takes two or 36 hours. All three elements should be trained and trained again. As adventure racing legend Ian Adamson says in his book, Runner’s World Guide to Adventure […]
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Practical and sentimental kit choices
People are magpies, indiscriminately hoarding items that may be of use. And when they pack for races, they tend to do the same, throwing in this and that ‘just in case’. I asked a number of adventure racers to reveal the unusual items lurking in their backpacks and crates, whether they’re practical or sentimental kit choices. To eat or to share Tasty treats offer comfort to both the provider and the recipient, who may be […]
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Soft Landings In The Dolomites
The most embarrassing moment of my childhood went by unnoticed. I had tagged along on my mother’s weekly trip to the supermarket so that I could do what many eight-year old boys wanted to do – spend quality time in the toy aisle. My mom was just ahead of me, probably hoping I wouldn’t guilt her into buying a toy, when something caught my eye. A helicopter perched on the top shelf. I had an […]
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Training In Difficult Places
“Not to be confused with Mauritius,” is the first line of the Wiki definition of Mauritania. Although both are former French colonies, you certainly would be in for something of a surprise if you’d intended to go on holiday to the island home of the Dodo bird, and ended up in this Islamic Republic on the Western coast of North Africa. The Muezzin has woken me at 4am, an hour before I would usually rise. […]
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The Obstacle Course Craze
Having the compulsory military call-up after school removed for good, young South Africans and the youth of today seem to be craving what our parents dreaded in the army, the gruelling test of physical ability racing through obstacle courses. The only difference with the modern version is that it is done voluntarily and for the primary reason of having fun. So what has brought on this sudden craze for these tough and dirty events? With […]
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Adventure Racing and GPS: A Love / Hate Relationship
Adventure racing has a conflicting history of interaction with Geo-Positioning Satellite (GPS) technology. To the outsider it must seem like a strange love / hate relationship. On one hand, the majority of race organisers have rejected the use of any forms of GPS technology to preserve the map and compass navigation challenge of the sport. Any use of the technology is seen as unfair, like taking a horse with you on a trekking leg. Yet, […]
