Grand Rapids Urban Adventure Race

April 9, 2012 eNewsletter: Summer Edition registration opens

markv — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 11:06:51 +0000

Thanks to you, we believe West Michigan now has had more adventure races (our four and at least two others) and racers (over 2,000) since our first GR Urban Adventure Race last July than any city in the nation! Once the Spring Edition is complete, we’ll have one full year of races in the bag, one per season. Is that too many? 2012 is our year to find out. Smaller numbers per race isn’t a bad thing as long as the sport is growing overall.

We’re already working on 2013. The lakeshore and/or Rockford are possible race spots in addition to winter and ArtPrize races. The Virgin Islands could be on the list as well next winter if one of you owns a plane… At least we all can dream, right?

Summer Edition – registration now open
The Summer Edition brings the race back to the downtown area. Here’s what’s in store for you:

Start at Riverside Park north of downtown GR with several stops downtown.
Some fun orienteering, canoeing on the Grand River (far north of the dams of course!), Survivor/Amazing Race-like challenges, biking and running too.
$30 canoe rental waived. Because you won’t all be canoeing at the same time, we can order fewer canoes. On the house.
Same great $59 rate for early birders. Sign up here.

We are considering a six-hour option for the Summer Edition for those who want to push themselves a little further. This course would visit the same checkpoints as the four-hour race with a two-hour addition that would extend the canoeing significantly as well as add some biking and possibly running. We will only offer this if there is demand. If you are interested, please indicate so in this one-question survey.

Spring Edition – easy canoeing, more orienteering
Plenty of time to get in on the Spring Edition race at Millennium Park. Why this race may be the best one yet:

A nice blend of wilderness and path-based racing just five minutes from downtown GR.
Smaller field will mean more finding checkpoints on your own and likely few to no lines at challenges.
First time to canoe in a GRUAR race. If you are new to canoeing, no worries; it will be a short, flat-water leg. We believe your marriage or friendship will stay intact. Again, the $30 canoe rental is waived. $65 per person entry fee.
Helpful clinics: Information on our May 3 paddling clinic and May 6 orienteering clinic can be found here: www.grUrbanAdventureRace.com

Hurt the Dirt – $3,000 in prizes
Check out the Hurt the Dirt trail races. Racing on trails takes running to the next level. Here are some highlights:

First trail race ever at Seidman Park, a top running trail in West Michigan.
New sponsors this month: The North Face and Patagonia Footwear join New Balance, Gazelle Sports, and more.
Prize/raffle package approaching $3,000; odds of winning some sweet gear and gift certificates is really good.
5k, 10k, half marathon. www.HurtTheDirt.com

The Zombie Dash – April 28 at Robinette’s
The most anticipated event of 2012 according to GRNow.com readers. Look for a separate Racer Update soon if you are registered or go to The Zombie Dash to learn more.

Trail building volunteers needed
The soon-to-be Merrell Trail on 10 Mile in Rockford is expected to be one of the best running and biking trails in West Michigan. Can you offer a few hours to help create it? No trail building skills needed. The West Michigan Mountain Biking Association will provide instruction. Details here.

Michigan Adventure Racing to sponsor Banff Mountain Film Festival

markv — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 23:52:57 +0000

The Banff Mountain Film Festival takes place in Banff, Canada each fall, and the Banff Centre then sends the best films to locations around the world. The films highlight climbing, mountain biking, mountain expeditions, as well as other outdoor adventure, as well as remote cultures and the world’s last great wild places. The festival has all of the adrenaline of X-Games fused with the exploration and education of National Geographic.

The tour stop at Calvin College on Monday, April 9 will go from 7-10pm and includes 6 to 8 films. During intermission the tour sponsors, such as The North Face, Parks Canada, Outdoor Research, Clif Bar, etc., give away gear and gift certificates, and local sponsors such as Gazelle Sports and Michigan Adventure Racing/Grand Rapids Urban Adventure Race will give away gift certificates as well. Ticket prices are $8 for all students K-Graduate School, and $12 general admission. Proceeds will support Grand Rapids Whitewater and environmental field study for Calvin students.

Drop by our booth, learn about our seven remaining adventure and trail races, and say hi!

TIP: know where you are to get to where you want to go

markv — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 01:46:09 +0000

You can’t get to where you want to go if you don’t know where you are. No other skill is more important in adventure racing than navigation. And the most important rule in navigation and orienteering (navigation on a “micro” level with a compass and map) is to always know your current position on the map. If you are the navigator for the team, rely on your teammate(s) to scan for the control marker (flag). You should be matching up trails, man-mad features, and terrain all around you to topographic features on the map. Keep your finger on the map and move it along as you move along. Verbalize to your teammate what they should be seeing as you approach the feature so you both can confirm you are in the right spot. Pause if the features don’t match the map and re-assess your position. Maybe you just haven’t gotten to the feature. Or maybe you need to backtrack. Don’t wait to long to re-evaluate or you could lose a lot of time getting un-lost.

Wall Street Journal: “Adventure racing is the fastest growing outdoor activity among Americans”

markv — Thu, 05 May 2011 19:08:04 +0000

… according to a 2010 study by the Outdoor Foundation, with more than one million participants in 2009, an 18% increase from 2008. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704071704576276914097802174.html

Training tips: The 6 “S”s

markv — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 02:43:27 +0000

Some of you have asked for tips on training for the race (we’ll cover during-the-race tips in another post). Here are some things I’ve learned – often the hard way - from years of adventure racing. I try to remember these training tips as a series of “S”s.

Set a goal. Are you using the race to motivate yourself to exercise and just hope to finish? Or, will you push yourself to the limit and/or aim to place near the top? Either way, motivation can really help get you out the door when you’ve tired or the weather isn’t the greatest. Tailor your training to your desired outcome.

Stamina. Put in some mileage on the bike and running at a moderate pace. A no-brainer. The miles will vary based on your commitment but, at the very least, get your muscles used to activity and break in your shoes, saddle muscles, and bike. When possible, run on a dirt trail to reduce wear and tear on your body. Serious competitors will run, then bike and then climb some hills to mimic the race. This is known as a “brick.”

Speed. Racers who compete at high levels will integrate speed workouts into their training regimen. Increase your speed for a short period to elevate the heart rate, back down for a longer period and repeat. Google “interval training” and “fartlek,” an informal version of intervals developed by the Swedes, for more tips.

Skills. Look at each skill described in the race and mimic it in some of your workouts. For example, we’ll have you going up some stairs in the race so it would be good to do a few stairclimbs. Fortunately we don’t have a Burj Khalifa in Dubai at 163 stories! Hopping curbs, changing tires, and biking alongside traffic are other activities to get comfortable with.

Strategy and navigation. Poor navigation will cost a team more time than anything else. If you are not a map reader, make sure your teammate is! Practice by walking around downtown with a map, orienting yourself to the map and surrounding landmarks. Get familiar with a compass if necessary. Strategy, such as route selection and time management, is harder to train for but the more you can learn and research (Google: adventure racing tips), the more prepared you will be.

State of mind. Mental fortitude is the most underrated asset, especially in 12-hour, 24-hour, and longer adventure races. In those races, navigation and mental toughness are far more important than speed. During your workouts, challenge yourself to overcome an obstacle and develop confidence. Train with your teammate some of the time and learn how best to encourage each other and resolve indecision and conflict. Learn to accept and eventually enjoy “the burn.” I’ve conditioned myself to love nasty, long races. Those are the most satisfying to complete so I’ve learned to enjoy every bog crossing, mud pit, stinky swamp, sandy dune, and cold river crossing. None of those in the urban race fortunately!