Kathmandu Adventure Series
Yarra Bend, Melbourne - 5th February 2006

An introduction to adventure racing

I finally did it. After all those years of talking about it I am now proud to say that I have completed an adventure race. All it took was a little push and shove from a more youthful and enthusiastic work colleague and the perfect adventure race a stone throw away from the
Melbourne CBD. The Kathmandu Sprint at Yarra Bend Park was to be our inauguration into the hitherto unknown world of adventure racing. The whole idea of a navigational race involving multiple transitions on kayak, mountain bike and foot somehow appealed to a distant part
of myself that yearned for something different. I didn't care that I was a complete novice at kayaking and that I couldn't even remember the last time I had done any running. I just thought to myself I'll have a go.

We entered the event online. A quick and easy process that I can recommend. An email confirmation was promptly received which included all the event details, rules, conditions and some helpful advice. While I had planned an aggressive training schedule to condition myself for the race my gastrointestinal tract had decided otherwise. When race day arrived I was just happy to be feeling well enough to race and thankful that it was a beautiful crispy clear morning that promised perfect weather for the day. We arrived at 7am feeling fresh and awake and proceeded through the check in to receive our bag of goodies and electronic timer. The volunteers were happy to share a few jokes which made for a relaxed atmosphere. A quick scan of the crowd that slowly gathered and it was clear that this was a race for anyone and everyone from the armchair athlete to the hardcore amateur. While we made sure we carried all the necessary safety equipment it soon became apparent that we neglected to read the helpful advice. Thankfully we were able to borrow some coloured markers and clear contact from one of the friendly competitors. We won't be making that mistake again.

A total of 86 teams had signed up for the event with most having never entered an adventure race before. The rules were simple and the course was divided into multiple stages on kayak, mountain bike and foot with each transition recorded on the electronic timer. We were required to mark our cards at each control point within each stage. While the order of the stages was preset we were allowed to pass each control point in any order on the run legs. The most important rule was to just have fun. Once we inflated our kayaks it wasn't long before the signal was given and we were running with our kayaks towards the river. I had the biggest smile of my face and couldn't help but laugh as I watched the mass of competitors file quickly and smoothly into the river. Once we were in our kayak our incompetence showed as we clashed our paddles and steered a crooked path to the first control point. We struggled to maintain a rhythm and fought the river with all our strength only to be passed by other
competitors without showing any great effort at all. It wasn't until we had nearly finished the first kayak stage that I realised I was sitting so far back in the kayak that my backside was literally dragging through the water. I was so utterly buggered that I couldn't lift myself out of the kayak and ended up falling into the river. I think my team mate felt even worse.

We were both happy to catch our breath at the end of the first kayak stage and made a slow transition to foot. At this point the field was evenly dispersed and I was feeling far more comfortable to be moving my legs. The next series of control points passed without any
drama as there were enough people around to provide all the navigational help that was needed. I had been counting on that. We were probably not even halfway through the first run stage when the race leaders came sprinting past. It was the guy that gave me the markers and clear contact. He had karma on his side not to mention the fact that he was supremely fit. By now we had developed some sort of rhythm although it was too fast to maintain. I made a point
to smile and say hello to everyone we passed and I was pleased when they returned the gesture. I was definitely having a good time. We pushed ourselves on to the next transition to bike and continued the abuse to our legs. After passing four control points and a number of
competitors we quickly arrived at the next transition back on to foot. The second run stage was much shorter than the first passing only two control points and returning along the same course. However, thanks to my navigational incompetence we wasted a good deal of time searching for control point 13 no less than 50 metres from its true location. At least it gave us another opportunity to catch our breath before we were on the bike again and traveling on an
express route back towards the start of the race for the second and final kayak stage.

We were about halfway through the race now and our muscles were starting to fatigue from the build of lactic acid. I had to beg my legs to carry my body to the next transition with the promise that they would be rewarded with a brief rest. Although I lived in fear of the kayak and the pain it had served at the start of the race I had convinced myself that it would be a welcome change. That conviction didn't last long. The combination of inexperience and
exhaustion made sure that our second attempt at kayaking was all that much harder than the first. But we never gave up and somehow managed to put together our best piece of paddling on the return journey. Unfortunately our legs had little time to recover and were feeling
heavier than ever before. I was just thankful to be getting back on to the bike rather than continuing on foot. We traveled through the bush along a fire trail passing two control points before exiting on to the main road. It was only a few kilometers to the next transition with one control point along the way. Unfortunately I made the classic mistake of following the person in front of myself as he made a wrong turn down a steep road. There were about six of us who made the same mistake as we collectively searched for a control point that didn't exist. It took an embarrassingly long time before we realised that we were in the wrong place. I tried to make
up for lost time and took advantage of the 100m distance that was allowed between myself and my team mate who was experiencing the effects of chronic muscle fatigue. It didn't help that we had failed to replenish our bodies with fluids and sugar.

The next transition from bike on to foot was the toughest of them all. The volunteers said a few encouraging words and made sure we were still breathing. I should have asked them for a fresh pair of legs. I was sure I was only traveling at a walking pace even though it looked
like I was running. There were two control points to pass along a series of rough tracks that demanded a cautious approach. We cursed our way through the first uphill section and by the time we reached control point 20 we had broken down into a walk. It was reassuring to see that we weren't the only ones walking. We managed to intermittently run the rest of the way and enjoy the final sojourn before we made the transition back on to the bike for the journey home. The final stage involved a gradual descent along a wide gravel path. It was surprisingly enjoyable and I wondered if the event organisers had intended it to be this way. There
was a small group of us that followed one another and I called out to them when I located the first control point. We pushed hard to the final control point and after the next corner we could just about see the finish line. I raced through the finish line and went straight to the transition
area to receive the last recording on my electronic timer not realising that the recording device was with the volunteer standing right underneath the finish line. I guess I was just too excited. I thought it was a fitting end to all the tribulations of our first adventure race.

With the race now over there was nothing left to do but to stuff our guts with meat and salad provided by the Lions Club and sit back and enjoy the surrounds. A number of families had gathered awaiting the return of their loved ones. It was a glorious day of sunshine, barking dogs and hyperactive children. Although we didn't win we still shared the feeling of victory. We congratulated one another and shared a few stories with others that had finished before us. I was so happy to have completed my first adventure race. I talked with my team mate about how much better we could have done and how much better prepared we would be next
time. There was no doubt that we were returning. Unfortunately we had to leave before the race was officially closed and the $3000 worth of prizes were given away. If there was a prize for the worst team name we would probably have won it.

A massive thanks to all the volunteers and everybody involved in making sure the event was a success.

Jonathan Schmidt - Team 38 Couple of dim sims fried not steamed.