As Prescribed Volume 14

Coaches Corner – Steve Hambling

Why CrossFitters Should Adventure Race.

There are many parallels between Adventure Racing and CrossFit. It takes a unique individual to embrace CrossFit. To keep coming back day after day when the workouts hurt and the muscle-up still seems far from reach. We are the type of people that meet challenges head on, who know our limitations and yet still find ways to push beyond them. We stand strong with our community and excel at building each other up, motivating each other as friends, and getting through all of life’s dark places together.

Many of us have a history of playing sports, some of us still do, and others have occasionally gone back to a sport they once loved. I have heard the stories, time and time again. I have experienced it for myself – finding that I am better at something I used to do than when I actually did it more frequently. The realization that I’ve been out on the hockey rink for longer than a typical shift, skating as hard as I can but yet not tired.

CrossFit prepares you for whatever life may throw your way, whatever sport you might already excel at or want to try out. I don’t question it anymore. I watched our members take a trip to the climbing gym (something that few of us have much practice with) and absolutely crush it. Our members have fantastic body awareness and strength. How can they not; when on any give day they are balancing barbells overhead, running with odd objects, and all the while coping with complete muscle fatigue. I feel proud to be a part of something like this.

Adventure Racing is certainly not for everyone, and just because you CrossFit does not mean you are going to like it. It takes a unique individual. Adventure Races come in all sorts of sizes. There are short sprints (4 hour races), longer 18-hr races, 24-hr races and even longer ones. Teams can vary from solo, 2, or 3 person, co-ed as well as same sex. Just like your WOD, every race is completely different, requiring different skills as well as a different game plan. I can make some broad generalizations though. A typical 4-hr race will involve things like mountain biking (the single largest piece of equipment you will need to supply), orienteering with map and compass (no gps), running, road biking, swimming, and paddling. Longer races typically require more map skills like being able to plot UTM co-ordinates. There are always special challenges and surprises. I have jumped off of high dives, climbed down ropes into rivers, rappelled off of water towers, shot rifles, solved math puzzles, crossed rivers on ropes while pulling my bike behind, carried my bike up waterways, zip-lined, travelled through the underground tunnels of Indianapolis, and seen parts of the city and wilderness I never would have, had I not been lost.

I have probably done around 10 Adventure Races, some solo, some on a team, some short and others long. From those experiences I would have to say that the single most important skill you can have is the ability to endure, not just physically but mentally. Your teammates are your most important assets and the ability to work together, keeping each others spirits up when things are cold and dark, that’s what makes a good Adventure Racer. You will argue, you will disagree, you will get lost. Just like that feeling when you are jumping rope and suddenly whip your shins. Your mind goes amuck and begins reeling on itself. Every attempt seems to end with another failure. The only solution is to calm your mind and begin anew. But that’s the fun of it all, that’s the challenge – to master your own madness. You race against the clock but mostly you just race against yourself and like in CrossFit, sometimes “slow is smooth and smooth is fast.” A big part of racing comes down to having at least one team member who is willing to slow down and read the directions/map.

During an AR you will carry all of your gear with you at all times. That means water, first-aid, and whatever else the gear list requires. You will get wet and muddy. Don’t even consider doing this if you don’t like being out in nature because you will be in deeper than any Tough Mudder or Spartan Race that I can remember. Do this because you like the challenge, want to be a team player, and enjoy testing yourself with the unexpected.

If you read the above and are excited to test yourself in the realm of adventure racing, we are putting together a team (or teams) for the Mission Adventure Race! Look for an event in our members only Facebook group, or email us to be added!