So you would like to come out and do your first adventure race. This is a little step by step guide that will make your experience a fantastic one. This will take you through what to expect in your first race and what to do to prepare for it.
1. Find a buddy - Adventure racing is a team sport, and team can be anywhere from 2 to 4 persons. For your first race it is best to have a like minded buddy that wants to head out and have a great time. If possible your partner should have a similar level of fitness, though this is not necessary.
2. Get some gear - You won't need a lot of gear for your first race. You will need a bike and helmet (mountain bike is definitely best), a pack, something to hold liquids, and the mandatory gear (whistle, compass).
If you have these two things - then it is time to sign up for your first race. If you have not done an adventure race you should sign up for the sport class race. Many very solid athletes decide that they are ready for elite in their first race - they aren't. Sport races are a bit shorter (3-4 hours) than elite, and the terrain and navigation will be easier than you will face in an elite class race. Just trust me here.
About the race
So now you have signed up for the race and it is a 3 hour race. Adventure Races are typically (but not always) measured in time. The race will involve visiting as many check points (orange flags) as you can within a time limit (the race length). You will visit some of these on foot, some on bike, and some by boat. The locations of these will be on a map given to you at the race start, and you will have written instructions describing the locations too. Each checkpoint has a coded punch that you will use to punch a punch card that proves that you visited the point.
When you arrive at the race site you will want to set up your gear in the transition area. Some team will have very elaborate setups with tents, bike racks, tables - and some teams will simply show up and drop their bikes on the ground. You will drop off your gear and then check in and get your maps. For most races you will also be assigned a starting discipline; bike, foot, or paddle. This keeps teams separated and also makes sure that all teams have boats when they get to the paddle. You will also usually have about an hour to plan your race, and also before every sport race Pangea holds an Adventure Racing 101 to help you know what to do.
The Race
At the allotted time the race will start and all the teams will head off in different direction on their assigned discipline. As you go through the course you will punch your passport and usually come back to the transition area for a punch card for your next discipline. You will want to manage your time - the time limit is a hard limit and after the time expires you will be assessed point penalties. That is pretty much how the race works, but of course there will be all kinds of strategies, some transitions from discipline to discipline, and a lot of fun.
The Scoring
So how is this scored. Unlike most races, this one is about collecting as many points as possible within the time limit. Going over the time limit will cost you points. The team that gets the most points wins the race. In case of a tie the team that got the points in the fastest time wins. It is actually quite simple. As you get better at racing, the first goal is to "Clear the Course", this is visiting all the control points inside the time limit.
Moving Up
A laudable goal for adventure racing is to clear an elite course. Typically a race is designed so that only 3-5 teams will be able to clear the course. This keeps the format fresh in that there is always a challenge.
Further Challenges
One of the beauty of adventure racing is that the challenge really never ends. There are always longer and harder races out there. There is always more extreme terrain to explore - the adventure never really ends... (here are some scenes you will not see on a mud run...)
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