The AR Chronicles
Adventure Race
Adventure racing is a sport of both mental and physical greatness. It is challenging yourself beyond limits in your own mind. Adventure racing takes training, specialized gear, and certain skill knowledge. This adventure racing multimedia website is a collection of articles written by adventure racers for others to learn from. You can have access to all our training articles about foot care, mountain biking, gear, climbing skills, hydration and a collection of things you should think about before your first adventure race.
Articles
Adventure racing? Hmph. They should call it a lesson in humility.
Trail Running Training
Moutain Biking Adventure Race Training
Wing Blade Paddle Basics
Kayaking 101 - The Wing Blade Paddle
A Message for the Girls- Preventing Breast Damage
Best Sports Bra
Night Mountain Biking
Gear
Gear
Gopher - Compares prices on over 1000+ items from 20 online stores
Stores
include Backcountry.com, Paragon Sports, Shoes.com, Sierra Trading Post, Altrec,
Bob Wards, Princton Watches, US Outdoor, Rocky Mountain Trail, ARgear.com and
many more to come!
Outdoor Gear
If you really like getting outdoor gear then adventure racing is your sport. As racers we need outdoor performance clothing plus all the equipment for mountain biking, trekking, paddling, climbing, river swimming, etc.
Gear Gopher
Gear Gopher will help you compare
prices on outdoor, camping, hiking, mountain biking, kayak, trekking and adventure
racing gear. Buying outdoor gear can be expensive. Gear Gopher lets you search
for discount outdoor gear from some of the most trusted Internet shopping websites.
You'll find hundreds of discount and on sale outdoor gear such as camping, climbing,
hiking, adventure travel, mountain biking, kayaking, trekking and of course everything
you will need for adventure racing.
AR Training Camps
by Christopher, Editor, ARchronicles.com
An adventure racing training camp can be a fun and productive way to learn the skills needed to complete an adventure race safely. Technical skills, land navigation skills, safely & self rescue techniques, team dynamic tools and gear choices can all be learned in a fun and adventurous package.
"AR Training Camps" to get more info before choosing an AR training camp.
Odyssey Adventure Racing Academy (OARA)
This training camp brought together an amazing group of both experienced racers and complete new athletes, and put them through the time of their lives. Don Mann has composed a great group of experienced instructors who are really dedicated to every person learning and experiencing as much as possible. After completing the first four days of the camp you will have essentially completed a four-day stage race of day and night navigation, mountain biking, trail running, whitewater kayaking, river swimming, canoeing, rappelling and ascending. During the last two days of the camp, Academy students form teams and put their knowledge into practice by racing together in the two-day Endorphin Fix adventure race. This camp will jump-start and advance any athletes (or even non-athlete's) achievements in adventure racing.
OARA's description of the course: "Aspiring adventure athletes interested in being a part of this fast-growing sport, and experienced racers who want to become more proficient, will learn necessary outdoor skills at the Odyssey Adventure Racing camp held at beautiful Camp Washington Carver. Those skills include orienteering, whitewater paddling and swimming, mountain biking, and fixed ropes skills (ascending, rappelling and traversing)."
E-CAMP, By Team SOLE (aka Team Epinephrine)
E-Camp is quite focused toward racing-specific training. It doesn't mean Expert Racing, it just means racers who are seeking to gain the competitive edge. E-Camp isn't for everyone, it's hard, it takes mental fortitude and a bit more than the average level of fitness. ALL levels of racers interested in learning to be fast in a real race atmosphere are encouraged to attend. The camp starts on a Friday late afternoon with discussion, dinner and quick clinics on navigation, paddling, biking, teamwork, packing, gear and nutrition. Then teams are put together and the couse that lays ahead is shared with the teams. Instructors at the camp train teams to prepare maps and pack gear. More info on E-Camp
Editor's
Note: Here at ARchronicles.com we strive to give unbiased opinions within
our articles, but it is based on either our firsthand experience or through interviews
with other adventure racers. We know there are other training camps out there,
but we have not had a chance to experience them. If other training camps would
like to offer an invitation, ARchronicles.com would send a reviewer to the camp
and write-up a review.
Learn More
Runner's World Guide to Adventure Racing : How to Become a Successful Racer and Adventure Athlete by Ian Adamson *NEW* Why should you take a pair of sandals, a dollar bill, and a car
antenna to your next adventure race? You'll find the answer to that question and many others in Runner's World Guide to Adventure Racing. In this authoritative guide, Ian Adamson shares his insider secrets for training, racing, team building, conflict management, injury prevention, equipment repair, sleep management, and much more.
Often referred to as the Michael Jordan of adventure racing, Adamson helps you navigate any type of adventure race, from short sprint race to full-length expedition. More info & pricing: Runner's World Guide to Adventure Racing : How to Become a Successful Racer and Adventure Athlete The Complete Guide to Adventure Racing by Don Mann and Kara Schaad The Complete Guide to Adventure Racing is a comprehensive book that covers all aspects of the sport of adventure racing including: the best
techniques for biking, paddling, and climbing; gear selection, proper use, and preparation; navigation and orienteering essentials; tips on nutrition, hydration and health; team strategy and logistics. It is also filled with entertaining anecdotes from well-known adventure racers and photos from Odyssey's races, Raid Gauloises, Eco-
Challenge, Southern Traverse, Hi-Tec and others. More info & pricing: The Complete Guide to Adventure Racing Fixing Your Feet: Prevention & Treatments for Athletes By John Vonhof Adventure racing really beats up on your feet. Blisters and other foot problems are a way of life for us. The difference is that podium finishers know how to treat, and more importantly, prevent blisters. This book does gives your team the
knowledge to do what its title says. More info & pricing: Fixing Your Feet: Prevention & Treatment Wilderness Navigation: Finding Your Way Using Map, Compass, Altimeter & GPS by Bob Burns, Mike Burns & Paul Hughes Have you ever heard, "So ah....where do YOU think we are???" In an adventure race it does matter if you are the fastest treker, biker or paddler, if you are going the fastest in the wrong direction. At Adventure Racing Chronicles, we were running in the top ten teams for the first half of a two day race only to be knocked way down by a navigation error. NAVIGATION IS KEY! This book offers
particular attention to off-trail navigation and 30 practice problems that can be used as great training workout. Get this book, go out into the woods with a full pack and get yourself lost. More info & pricing: Wilderness Navigation: Finding Your Way... Be Expert with Map and Compass This book covers a lot about land navigation. It is slanted a little more towards orienteering races than adventure races. Competing in orienteering events and rogaines is a great way to practice your land navigation skills in a real world test. Just be sure to run the races with a full pack. More Info & pricing: Be Expert with Map and Compass National Geographic TOPO Maps Software National Geographic These types of CD-ROM mapping software have been one of the best things for our land navigation training since the invention of the compass. You can get maps for most states in the U.S. To plan an adventure race training day, we pick points (make-believe check points) on the map and then go out and find those points. The distance finding feature of the software allows you to find an appropriate distance course for your training day. This software has been a great land navigation
training tool. Used in conjunction with one of the books above and you will have a great tool set to develop strong navigation skills. These CD-ROM topo maps also make great additional resource maps during the pre-race course plotting! More info & pricing: National Geographic TOPO Maps Software Adventure Racing: The Ultimate Guide by Barry Siff and Liz Caldwell This guide book covers the full-spectrum of topics relating to adventure racing training. It has a good section on team dynamics and the importance of teamwork during a race. Other sections include the special aspects of racing at night, discipline skills, nutrition, support crew and gear lists for races. More info & pricing: Adventure Racing: The Ultimate Guide Endurance Sports Nutrition by Suzanne Girard Eberle Cross the finish line in record time! Endurance Sports Nutrition will help you
choose the best foods, fluids, and supplements to train longer and compete stronger in Running, Rowing, Triathlon, Cycling, Mountain biking, Swimming, Mountaineering/trekking and Cross-country skiing. Included are strategies on how to improve your training diet, reach or maintain a healthy weight, handle extreme environments, use performance-enhancing supplements, and avoid common race day mistakes. Endurance Sports Nutrition profiles world-class endurance athletes and the winning nutrition plans they rely on while competing. Everyone from beginners to hard-core competitors will find advice on how to apply these nutritional strategies, creating a customized eating plan for their sport. Serious Training for Endurance Athletes by Rob Sleamaker & Ray Browning Whether you swim, run, cycle, cross-country ski, or compete in multievents,
SERIOUS Training for Serious Athletes is the tool you need to become the best possible endurance athlete. Use these 7 components of the SERIOUS system to enhance your training: Speed workouts, Endurance or Easy Distance training, Race/Pace sessions to test your fitness level, Intervals of high-intensity workouts on flat terrain, Overdistance sessions of prolonged, low-level activity for base building, Up/Vertical intervals to enhance mental and physical toughness Strength workouts for overall and sport-specific conditioning. SERIOUS Training for Serious Athletes shows you how to design a personalized year-round training plan by modifying the SERIOUS plan designed for your sport. You'll finally have a sure-fire method to reach peak racing condition safely and predictably.