A beginners guide to adventure racing

Adventure racing is a sport that requires teams of four to travel together on foot, by bike and kayak using only a map and compass to navigate their way through the course. Adventure races can range from 3 hours to 10 days in length and take place all over the world. If getting out into the outdoors with a group of friends and pushing your physical, emotional and psychological boundaries sounds like you, then adventure racing is your sport.

I discovered adventure racing in 2000 with a 24 hour race based in Auckland. Thinking back to this race makes me laugh. We had bulky heavy gear, 12 volt battery packs and homemade lights and bikes that weighed a ton. We had no idea what we were getting ourselves in for but we had an absolute blast and I was hooked. This sport brought together all my past experiences and my passion for people and the outdoors. I had found the sport for me. Over the past 13 years I have raced in multiple events in numerous locations with varying levels of success. I am no elite athlete, I'm never likely to be on the podium yet this sport has kept my interest all these years and I am still learning new things every time I race.

Where to start? If this sport tickles your fancy then there are a few things you can do to make your first foray into the sport as enjoyable as possible - Find three other teammates that you enjoy spending time with and you know feel the same way you do about the outdoors. The bottom line in this sport is that if you don't like being wet or cold or outdoors getting down and dirty then stay away from adventure racing.
- Make sure that everyone on the team has the same goals and aspirations for the team - if one team member is out to win and another is simply there to enjoy the experience - there will be trouble !! Make sure everyone is on the same page.
- Make sure someone in the team can read map on the go. It is ideal if all the team can make sense of a map but at the least you need one person who is happy to take the lead on the navigation. These days there are plenty of orienteering events and rogaine events ( rogaining is a sport where you must collect as many checkpoints as you can in a set period of time) for you to participate in. Sign up to your local orienteering club and get as much practice reading a map as possible. Also make sure you have a map with you on training sessions even if you know where to go. Plan training missions with your team that involve navigation challenges
- Kit yourselves out with bikes, access to kayaks ( a lot of races these days don't require you to supply your own kayak so you don't really need to buy one but it is important to be able to train on one) and a pair of offroad running shoes.
- Choose an event, train for it - complete it

For those of you living in Auckland New Zealand here are some links to orienteering clubs, rogaines, and adventure races here in Auckland. I have also included the websites of some expedition length adventure races in NZ and Aussie.
http://www.orienteeringauckland.org.nz/
http://lacticturkey.co.nz/
http://www.arcevents.co.nz/
http://www.godzoneadventure.com/
http://www.geocentricoutdoors.com.au/

If you have any questions about adventure racing please leave a comment on this blog or message us on Facebook - girlsontop new zealand and we will do our best to answer

Happy adventuring - Team Macpac Girls on Top

Team Macpac GOT - Godzone Race report 2013

Team Macpac Girls on Top - Godzone Adventure Race 2013 - Race report

513 kms 118 hours 11,000+ metres elevation

Very relaxed pre race

2013 saw the creation of a new team for Macpac Girls on Top with Jill Westenra and Isak Meyer agreeing to come on board with us for both the Godzone in Queenstown and the XPD in Adeliade in September. Our approach to the Godzone was to use it as a team bonding exercise, to see how we went as a four and to identify areas to work on prior to the XPD. We could tell from day one that this team had potential and we were excited to see what we could deliver. Pre race preparation went fairly smoothly with all four of us being reasonably experienced and relatively easy going. Before we knew it we were on the bus heading out toward the startline.

We were pretty excited to find out we were heading to Mount Cook and were blown away by the potential of the course when we got the maps on the bus at Omarama. Once at Mt Cook we split into twos with Anne and Isak plotting our route on the maps and Jill and I setting up tents for the night and sorting gear for the start. This time is extremely important for the navigators as it is at this point that they mark up the maps and make decisions about route choices in the race. Jill and I helped out as much as we could with cover sealing the maps and although we had a shaky start we had nailed a pretty smooth technique by the last of the maps. Once all the serious stuff was done, we ate dinner outside checking out the spectacular views and enjoying each other's company. It is unusual to have downtime like this prior to race start for most events and we took full advantage of it. Just on dark we chatted to a few other teams, had a hot chocolate and then bailed into our tents for our last decent sleep for five or so days.

Hot chocolates under a clear sky then 1 sleep to go!

We all slept reasonably well so didn't struggle too much when the alarm went off at 5.00 am. Before we knew it we were grouped outside the Hermitage Hotel and the countdown was on. The hooter sounded and we were off - all the talking, all the thinking, all the preparation, all the planning, and all the waiting was over. We set off at a trot to get a reasonable place in the group heading up Governors Bush trail - wow talk about a hard slog and a lot of heavy breathing - we struggled a bit as we headed up a steep face to CP1 on a Col, but held our place in the group as it was pretty much wall to wall teams. We then headed west up a ridge towards CP2. At one point we stopped for the loo and were passed by 5 or 6 teams! We pushed on up the ridge and scurried across a few soft snow patches until we were instructed to put on our crampons to get across and up an icier looking slope. Not long after this we were very surprised to round a corner to see all the teams that had passed us and more, lined up and stationary on the ice waiting patiently. Wow what a sight! We spent the next hour and a half or so queued up waiting to get up onto the Annette Plateau. Due to safety reasons only one person was allowed on a piece of rocky roped section at a time. It was slightly frustrating to be queuing up so early in the race but also a good chance to get our breath, enjoy the views and the sunshine and chat with some of the other teams.

Ridge climb from CP1

The rocky roped section

Check out the view we had of Mt Cook

Finally, after what seemed hours we got our turn and headed up the roped section on to the plateaux - we couldn't have asked for better weather, we were all in good spirits and we were surrounded by the most stunning peaks and valleys in New Zealand. I thought to myself wow it doesnt get any better than this. After heading across the plateaux and running down a couple of ice slopes and onto the scree slopes below we ditched our ice axes and crampons and set about getting down the mountain as fast as we could. We were mindful that we had to be off the Tasman River by 8.30pm and were determined not to get forced to sleep on the side of the river so early on in the race. So we were all head down and bums up - we managed to haul in four or five of the teams that had passed us during our loo stop including our good friends from Team Bridgedale Socks and apart from my boots falling apart and needing a quick strapping tape repair along the Wakefield track we made steady progress through to TA 1.

Happy to be in TA1

On arrivng at TA1 we decided to pump our boats up before carrying them to Tasman Lake just incase they had a leak and we needed to swap them. Some teams carried the boats folded and then pumped them up at the water. In retrospect this may have been easier as carrying pumped up boats is not too much fun. Isak managed to carry one boat on his own - what a legend! After loading the boats we set off across the lake, past a few ice bergs ... Yes I said ice bergs! It was an incredible sight and not one you really expect to encounter here in NZ - we felt like we were explorers in Antarctica. We also paddle passed some tourists floating around looking at the ice bergs, I'm not sure who was more surprised at seeing each other us or them. After negotiating our way through the ice bergs we were off down the Tasman River. What an absolute blast! The first few kilometres were awesome with some good-sized waves to punch through. Jill was in charge in my boat and Isak skilfully steered Anne and himself through the rapids. It was a laugh a minute and I spent a good part of the paddle sitting in the bottom of the boat giggling like crazy and holding on for dear life. We were well paced with this configuration which meant neither boat got too frustrated or cold waiting for the other. The views back to Mount Cook and surrounding peaks were mindblowing - I had to keep pinching myself as we were having far too much fun for it to be part of a race. We were more than relieved to pass the dark zone cut off point on the river and were now able to relax a bit. Although we enjoyed the paddle we were pretty happy to be spat out onto Lake Pukaki as we knew then that we were making progress towards the next TA. Travel on the lake was slow going but it was glassy calm and we had a reasonable rhythm going on. Darkness fell just before TA and we were blown away but the night sky and stars. WOW!

Our plan was to transition quickly and keep a good pace on the ride through the night. Unfortunately Isak managed to strip the thread on his seat post clamp when putting his bike together and struggled to find a solution that would allow him to ride his bike. Eventually, after trying all sorts of options he chose to harden up and ride with a swiveling seat! Luckily, he was able to at least clamp his carrier on to his seat post which helped keep his seat at the right height. Not ideal but it meant we could still move forward. Out on the bikes into stage 2 of the race we rode at a steady speed trying to ride single file and to be as efficient as possible. This stage was 140km and started with us riding a section of the Alps to Ocean cycle way. It was awesome riding and Anne and I were loving our new 29ers - thanks to Chris from CYCO for convincing us to make the switch. What a buzz as we hurtled through the night. We had one hiccup at the first CP of this leg where our cycle computers were all reading differently and we stopped too early to find a checkpoint - note to team - make sure your odometers are synced and calibrated correctly prior to the start! After stuffing around with the CP and finally locating it we made pretty solid progress but at one point decided to pull over to the side for a cosy 15 minute powernap in a warm forested part of the track. Some of us slept and some of us didn't. Yes, let's just say there was snoring!! After the power nap we were up and at it again. Before we knew it we were flying downhill and the sun was starting to come up. Sunrise is always my favourite part of the day as you know you have another 13 hours or so of daylight up your sleeve. We stopped briefly to take off our jackets and warmer clothing and watched as our friends from Kauri Coasters caught us up and hurtled passed us. From memory we then passed them again further along the road just before we came across an area called the Clay Cliffs where our next CP was - a stunning landscape. We struggled a bit to find the checkpoint here and the Kauri Coasters passed us yet again, which was a bit frustrating - but we finally managed to get it sorted before heading off to the next Transition area. Things were starting to heat up by now and we were happy to head under the shady trees at the transition area.

Clay Cliffs

The next leg was the mega trek and it promised to be a tough navigational challenge so we decided to take our time in this transition and make sure we were well fed and well watered before heading out. The Dingle Burn hike was the best part of 60km and the fastest time was estimated to be 20 hours and we expected to be out there for 34 or so hours so we made sure we had plenty of supplies. After leaving TA3 we slowly but steadily climbed our way up towards Birch Hill. We were happy to be doing this leg in the daytime as as we headed around Birch Hill we found all our skills of rock climbing and scree slope crossing come into play. It was  a real buzz - at times my knees were knocking together as I questioned whether we would make it through or be bluffed out and have to turn back and try another route choice. Some of the scree slopes and rocky ridges were pretty out there. However, we worked well as a team and stayed close together taking turns scouting for the route. We had a little celebration once we got across the gnarliest sections and were on more stable ground. As we descended off the tops we were buzzed by the media helicopter - it was pretty cool to see it hovering just above the ridge and rising steeply from the valley below. We used the remaining daylight to identify the route we would take after the next CP - someone in the team named a pair of hills we had to head over to get to the desired ridge, "the Boobs" - no guesses for who that might have been! By nightfall we had descended into the Dingle Burn and made our way along the track which took us to CP11 at Bush Hut. We had been pushing quite hard until now and decided to take a 1 hour sleep on the comfy bunk beds before we started the next big climb over the Boobs to the Timaru River and then up to CP12. Unfortunately, a number of other teams were hot on our heels and our sleep was full of interuptions and voices of teams coming into the CP one after the other. After 45 minutes I had had enough and woke everyone up to get going.

Rocky slopes around Birch Hill

See 'The Boobs'?

Helicopter overhead

Promptly after leaving the hut we went into a mega climb up and over one of the now famous Boob Hills. It was extremely frustrating as parts of our route was blocked by dense patches of sappling trees - luckily Isak has a big frame so he crashed his way though and we all scurried behind in his wake. Finally, we broke through into freer terrain and headed up over a "nipple" before hitting the ridge we were after. Once again we were travelling in the pitch black and had to keep our wits about us on the tops and on the descent into the valley below. At one point we dropped into a gully full of Spaniard grass and bog - not neighborly - not happy. Finally we found the valley we were after and made our way along a four wheel drive track. Just prior to sunrise we found Timaru Hut - this time there were no other teams in sight - so we stole another hour or so of shut eye in peace and quiet - Ahhh bliss! We weren't done yet though and still had a fair slog to get to CP 12 at Stody's Hut - the poor guy at the CP must have got a hell of a fright as Jill arrived with a tampon hanging out of her nose - it was bleeding and that was all we had to deal to it. We had a bit of a giggle, a chat and a quick breather at the CP before pushing on. We were eager to get this trek done and dusted and the day was truely beginning to heat up now. The trek out to TA4 was a very tedious slog over Little Breast Hill (that's its real name) through to Lindus. We entertained ourselves with jokes, talking to the sheep and by going cross-country rather than following the road. Once again we were playing leap frog with a couple of teams so this kept the urgency alive and so did the sandflies. At one point we stopped and were attacked by an angry mob that managed to fly into my mouth - no more stops guys!

Charming Jill!!

Almost ready to head out on Stage 5

Just on sunset we hobbled into the TA - once again we faffed a bit here but still managed to get out on the bike without too many problems. We headed out of TA glad to be off the feet - we were soon riding our bikes up up and up over a 1000m hill. After a solid descent we found ourselves on an embankment on a river valley looking up at the CP on the other side of the valley. In the middle of the night and in a slightly sleep deprived state we struggled to get to CP13 which was only 100 metres or so from where we were. The problem was the CP was halfway up a very steep 100m climb with the track we needed to get onto at the top of the climb. So as not to waste time lugging our bikes down the embankment, through the bush and across the river only to find the climb may not be an option, Isak headed across the river to scout around. He kept reporting back that he couldn't find a way through because of thick bush. I was very aware that we didn't want to waste too much more time faffing around trying to find a route up. So a call was made to pull the pin on this route choice and head back over the 1000m hill we had come down to try another route choice. Bummer! In retrospect perhaps

we should have tried harder - Doh! By giving up on this route choice we managed to waste 5 hours and lose a good number of positions - not happy!! We actually found out at the end of the race that it wasn't a bad route choice in daylight. Finally, we got to CP13 via the other route choice and although I was happy that we were now back on track, I spent the next few hours pissed off with myself about the previous call that I had instigated. Once again we found ourselves bike pushing up, up and up. We took another 10 minute power nap just on dawn to try and ease the pain of this leg as it was a long and hard one for us. Once we were on the move again the sight of the top (still a long way away) and the sunrise made me very happy. An hour or so later the view from the top of  Grandview Mountain of Lake Hawea in the valley below made me even happier. The long descent into Lake Hawea was out of this world. We stumbled a bit trying to find the next CP and were passed by a team of young ones (Team 11) looking all awake and on to it. We then enjoyed some fast riding on the Hawea River trails into the Albert Town tavern on the banks of the Clutha River.  

That happy view!!

Flying off Grandview Mountain

Once again we were mindful of dark zones and keen to avoid being on the Clutha in the dark. After another average transition we headed off down the river in the hot sun onto the 90 km paddle stage. What an awesome paddle it was. Anne had worked particularly hard navigating the last two mega legs and found the warmth of the sun and the lull of the kayak too much to bear - she spent a good part of the Clutha River fighting away the sleepmonster with songs, stories and the occassional shut eye on the go. Isak entertained himself, Jill and I by finding the biggest water, Jill and I opted to take the 'nana' routes and simply entertained ourselves with finding all sorts of creatures in the rock formations - we also had to take a double look when we saw a naked man watering his garden - at first we thought we were hallicunating, but he was for real and even gave us a friendly wave. What a classic! Just near the end of the Clutha river I struggled to stay awake and had a big battle with the sleep monsters, luckily Jill kept us going in the right direction and some people had come out to cheer us on which gave me the focus I needed and I snapped out of sleepiness - it was awesome to see some good friends from Alexandra come out to wave and toot to us as paddled passed. Lake Dunstan was flat arse calm and Isak navigated us expertly up to the next CP and back to the TA. We made good time here and noticed a few teams had pulled over to the side of the Lake and put up tents. We guessed they had either succummed to the dreaded sleepmonsters or the cold as the transition was only eight or so kilometres away.

Anne engulfed by sleepmonsters on the Clutha

On arriving at TA we were more than ready for a good feed. Much to our delight we were served hot soup, lasagne and a bread roll. What an absolute treat that was - just too good to be true. It was so nice to eat hot food I'm sure it didn't even touch the sides as we scoffed it down with massive smiles on our faces. A huge thanks to the volunteers and race organisers for this nice touch. We then took no time in putting up our tent and jumping in for some well deserved shuteye. Well three of us jumped in the tiny tent, Jill the smartest of the team, took her bedroll and went to sleep under the veranda of the hall. It was a bit of a squeeze even without Jill and the last thing I remember before falling asleep was having Isak's ponytail in my mouth!!! We had planned to sleep for a two hours and were aiming to wake up at 2.30am. Mmmmm...at 4.00am Jill turns up at the door of the tent asking if the plans had changed!! Oops! We had slept in because I didn't hear my alarm! We quickly got up, packed the tent up, had some more food and headed out on the next trek and the second to last leg of the race. This was a 35km leg with extremely challenging navigation so none of us were too stressed about having slept a bit longer. We hit the road running and travelled with purpose up onto the Pisa range. It was cool and calm, and a beautfiul time of the day to be climbing and we could see a number of other teams in the distance. At one point around 5.00am we passed a farm house and a voice yelled out "Are you Macpac Girls on Top?" How awesome was that? It was good to know people were following the race so closely. He also told us to head up to the deer fence on the right which made Anne happy as it reconfirmed the route she and Isak had planned. This brief encounter added to our good spirits and it was good to know we were all feeling reasonably refreshed and that Anne was wide awake and hot on the maps and we were also passing teams left right and centre. The navigation was really challenging up on the tops, to me every hill and ridge looked the same and there didn't seem to be any real features to navigate off. Luckily, Anne could make sense of it all and although she spent alot of time deep in concentration, she knew where she was at all times and we ticked off the CPs one after the other. The rest of us scouted for features and tried to be useful. I spent most of this leg talking to the moss and entertaining Jill with my idiotic ideas and thoughts. At one point on this leg we were sitting down scanning the view and working out where to go next when a balaclava clad cameraman came out of nowhere and scared the living daylights out of us. I thought he was an SAS soldier or something and was pointing a gun at the team. Luckily, it was just his camera. After a solid day of trekking we dropped into the Roaring Meg valley and then made the climb up to the Snow Farm and the final transition of the race. Yay!

Tors on the Pisa Range

A hidden CP on the Pisa Range

Out on the Pisa Range - Stage 7

We arrived at the TA just on dusk and were soon joined by Team Orion who we knew would be hot on our heels after crossing paths with them near CP 20. We were pretty excited to be heading off on the last leg of the race but knew it wasn't going to be easy and could potentially take us another 12 hours. We had a bit of time pressure on us though - we had to try to get to the Canyon Swing site by 5am to ensure we could do the alternate abseil activity and not have to set up camp for 2 and a half hours to wait for the Swing to open. We actually had 10 hours to get there so we'd have to push hard

On to the final stage - Woohoooo!!!

and make no mistakes. The route up to the Crown Range saddle took forever and we found ourselves pushing our bikes once again. It was on one of these uphill pushes that Orion pushed past us and left us in their dust. After a CP and a lot of awesome downhill we finally made it to down to the Crown Range and zoomed at high speed down the sealed road - what a hoot -it was magic! It is amazing how fast you can travel (or think you are travelling) when sleep deprived!! After a bit of a battle with me trying to navigate for the team without the map, and trying to convince Anne which way to go, we found ourselves at the Canyon Swing site. It was now 4.00am morning - we were stoked that we had made it in plenty of time for the Abseil. No more tenting for us on this race! We all completed the abseil but Jill struggled a bit as she is such a lightweight that she basically had to pull herself down the rope and her prusik kept jamming. On leaving the abseil with only 20 minutes left in the race I somehow managed to fall off my bike going uphill on a lovely smooth gravel road and damaged my calf. My team was in front of me and oblivious to the fact I was now lying flat on my back with my bike on top of me so I promptly brushed myself off and continued up the road to where they were waiting. All we had to do now was coast into Queenstown to the finshline. What a feeling! What a great race! What an awesome team and a result we can be proud of. I am excited about the potential of this team and hope that we can stay together through some races in 2013 to the Godzone 2014.

Sooooooo happy to be home!

Thanks to the Macpac Crew for welcoming us at 5am!!

A massive thanks to the Team at Macpac for all their support and gear for the team. We couldn't do it without your support. Thanks also to Chris at CYCO in Auckland, Bruce at Gloworm lights, the team at Allsports and Gu Energy, Grant MacDonald from Absolute Wilderness Foods and of course the Godzone team for making it all happen and for resurrecting adventure racing in NZ. Thanks also to Zoe, Craig and Lachie for their hospitality and putting up with all our gear all over their lounge and garage.
Bring on the XPD Adelaide ......

Godzone Adventure Race 2013

Wow here we are in Queenstown only two decent sleeps away from the start line of the 2013 Godzone. Our gear is sorted and ready to go. We couldn't have asked for better support from Macpac with piles of merino tops and long johns,socks, waterproofs, hats and caps, shoes, gaitors, and a full new set of race kit all packed and waiting to be sorted into bins. Today was spent checking bikes, sorting food and buying last minute items. Tomorrow all hell breaks loose as at 8.00 am we get the course outline and will be able to start packing food and gear into our five bins ad four bike boxes. Hopefully this won't take all day but it is extremely important that we take our time over it and make sure we have the right things in the right boxes. These boxes leave us on Saturday morning to head out onto the course so once they are gone we won't see them again until we are racing. There is nothing worse than getting to a trek and realising you haven't put your trek shoes in the right box !!

On Saturday we pack our gear into trucks then get on a bus that will take us to the secret start location. Once on the bus we will be given the maps and course and only then will have any idea what we have got ourselves into !

We are looking forward to the race but as always are slightly humbled by the environment down here and the brutal nature of the terrain and weather patterns. The forecast looks ok but in this area anything can be around the corner. These races take you into truly remote locations where it is you against the elements - fingers crossed we will be up to the challenge :)

Our goals for the 512 km course with 11,000 meters plus of elevation gain over 5 - 6 days of mountain biking, kayaking and trekking are to make smart decisions, not get lost and to be as efficient and effective at all times and of course to have fun and enjoy the adventure ...  

Fast and light in the Kaimanawas

Long weekends are always the perfect opportunity to head out of town and locate some great spots for long tramps. This particular weekend we had planned a mission up Mt Ruapehu but with DOC warnings that the Crater Lake was misbehaving and with a no go zone within 2 kms of the summit we decided to go somewhere else. The Kaimanawas yet again called us.

From Taupo we headed towards Napier on the Taupo Napier Highway and turned off  onto Clements Mill road where we parked the car at the start of the Te Iringa track.

We hit the track around 7.40 am and made our way along the Te Iringa track towards Oamaru Hut. This section of the trail is relatively easy going and undulates its way through beautiful beech forest and alongside bubbling streams. The only real risk along this track is being shot by a hunter. At one point we were both concentrating on walking efficiently and weren't doing much talking or scanning ahead - we came around the corner to find ourselves face to face with two hunters, one of whom had loaded his rifle and was poised incase a deer was approaching - it is pretty unnerving watching a stranger unload a bullet from his gun as he is talking to you !! Note to self - talk , sing and make as much noise as possible when walking in hunting country.

We made pretty good time to Oamaru Hut (4 hours) and stopped there for a bit of a snack and to fill up our drink bottles. From the hut the track took us down onto the river flats and then back into the beech forests where we undulated up the river bed to our turn off and the first significant climb of the day and the reason why we had chosen this walk. We stopped at the track turn off to fill up our water again and have a bit of a breather.

We knew that once we turned off the main track things were going to get a bit more serious with alot more climb and alot more windfall. It was hard work as we crawled our way up to Maungaorangi summit at 1436 meters and the Waiatupurita Saddle but this is definately the most rewarding part of the walk.  The bush is beautfiul, the birdlife amazing and we even saw a couple of deer. Above the treeline the view was stunning and we could see across to Ruapehu and Nguarahoe and down to the river valleys below - bliss.

Heading down to Cascades hut was a bit of a mission on the legs but a nice change from the ups. We arrived at Cascades Hut after around 10 hours on the go and had a quick stop to rest our feet, stretch our legs and fuel our bodies. Always looming in the back of your mind here is the final climb from the hut at 800 metres up tp the last high point at 1240 meters. It was now dusk and I was pretty keen to get to the top before sunset so pushed the pace up a bit up the ridge. Unfiortunately, we were too late to see much of the sunset but at least it occupied my mind and took it off the monotony of the climb.

Before we knew it we were spat out onto the road. It was 10.30pm and we'd been on the go for around 12 hours. We must have shocked someone camping in the carpark as they came out to ask us if we were okay. I guess it is not that often trampers burst out of the bush at 10.30pm at night with headlights blazing. On arrival at the carpark we treated ourselves to a fresh sock change and some fruit and lollies before setting off on the 12 km gravel bash back to the car. All I could think of as we ran along the road was the faster you go the sooner you will finish. We managed a surprisingly steady pace running the downs and flats and power walking the hills. We arrived back at the car around midnight after 15 hours and 45 minutes on the go, having ascended a total of 3125 metres.

What a feeling it was to get our shoes off and head back to our soft comfy beds back at the motel - a great day out and a good trip to have under the belt for the Godzone.

Macpac Gear taken:

AMP 40 litre pack

10 litre dry bag

2 drink bottles and a 3 litre baldder

2 pairs merino socks

traverse jacket

200 weight fleece

light weight merino longsleeve
waterproof overpants
merino long johns
merino beanie
macpac gloves
gu brew and gu gels
Macpac Gaitors
Montrail shoes
Macpac caps



 

 

 

Cycling around the Coromandel Peninsula in one hit

Time taken: 8 hours ride time

Distance: 122kms

Elevation gain: 2800 meters

Surface: 70% gravel 25% seal 5% single track

We have done this loop in an anti clockwise direction 3 times before but this time decided to try it in a clockwise direction. We departed from Little Bay on the Eastern coast of Coromandel excited and ready for the mission that lay ahead. We were straight into a nice solid climb out of Little Bay over to Tuateawa and then into another reasonable climb over to Kennedy Bay the sweat was pouring off even at 9 o’clock in the morning. Before we knew it we were tackling the biggest climb of the day the Kennedy Bay hill which goes from sea level up to around 400 meters. We were forced to focus on staying on our bikes as our lack of speed, the steep gradient and the loose dry gravel all conspired against us. Luckily the last and steepest sections of the climb were sealed and we managed to haul ourselves up and over the saddle. The beauty of the Coromandel is that every decent climb is rewarded with a more than spectacular descent – hurtling down towards Coromandel with the breeze in our faces was an unbelievably nice sensation. At the bottom of the Kennedy Bay hill we turned right away from the Coromandel Township and its cafes and coffee to start our journey up the western coast. The section from here to just after Colville town was sealed and apart from one significant climb was a relative breeze. Dropping down into Colville town the temperature had started to soar and we had been on the go for 3 hours so we decided to stop and refill our water bottles at the conveniently positioned water tap between the garage and the café. Continuing on from Colville we turned right onto Port Jackson road and then cruised along the stunning coastline. Wow what a road. This has to be one of New Zealand’s most scenic stretches of road. It certainly takes the sting out of riding when you are mesmerized by the surrounding scenery. After a relatively flat ride along the scenic coast we were faced with a decent hill climb over to Port Jackson. By now the heat of the day was really starting to bite and we stopped at the top of the hill to reapply sunscreen and stretch our backs and legs. Wow !! Dropping into Port Jackson was yet another visual feast with Little Barrier and Great Barrier to our left and white sandy beaches and rocky outcrops below us. We undulated our way along the top of the Coromandel Peninsula through some shady forested sections and a cooling ford down to Fletcher Bay to the start of the walking and biking track. Even though there was water available at the camp site at Fletcher Bay the signs recommend to boil all water before drinking so we were glad we had decided to fill up at Colville. We were now on single track and made our way up and over farmland to the intersection of the stock track which goes up to 500 meters then drops down to Stony bay and the coastal track that undulates and contours its way around the coast. For some reason we chose the lower easier more shady option rather than the steep exposed gnarly option (we may regret this decision come Godzone time) and pedaled and coasted our way around the track admiring the views and enjoying the coolness the shade offered. On arrival at Stony Bay we headed for the nearest shady spot and had another rest and a bite to eat before tackling the steepish 200 meter climb out of Stony Bay. We were now on the home stretch and apart from one decent climb out of Port Charles most of the hard work was behind us. Even better news, the camp store at Waikawau Bay was open, and we were able to fill up on chocolate milk, cold drinks and water. Ahhh !! Bliss … a great way to end an awesome day.

Running a section of the Hillary Trail – Piha Beach to Arataki Visitors centre

Our day started at 8.00am at the entrance to the Marawhara walk in North Piha. We then headed down onto Piha beach to take in the views and surrounding vistas and back onto the road passed the Piha Cafe (unfortunately it was too soon for a coffee) We then headed up to the carpark at the end of Glen Esk Road to the start of the KiteKite track. From here we followed the Hillary trail markers which took us up to the KiteKite falls and onto the Knutzen track, Connect track, Kauri Glen track, Winstone track and finally Ussher track. Luckily, the Hillary trail markers were easy to follow as the tracks seemed to go everywhere and our route descriptions and maps were tucked away in our packs for safe keeping! The tracks were dry and in perfect condition and before we knew it were spat out onto the Piha road. We ran along here trying hard not to be hit by oncoming traffic. After about a kilometre we thankfully turned off the busy Piha Road into Ahuahu road and made our way down Log race road and onto the Mercer Bay loop track and Comans track. Wow we were now back on the coast and the scenery was stunning. We made several stops for photos along here and visited every lookout point on offer. What a view!! Before long we were heading down Watchman’s road to Karekare beach. Last time we did the trail it took us up and over Zion Hill track but much to my relief the markers now lead us out to the beach and through the dunes, passed Tunnel camp ground to the entrance to the Pararaha Gorge.

The beach run was tough with a stiff headwind but the feeling of remoteness, the sea air and the glistening of the black sand made up for it. We headed through the Flax bushes, Toitoi and Nikau palms of the gorge onto the steep and unforgiving Muir track. Finally we made it onto Gibbons track which gently lead us down into Whatipu. Things were heating up now and we had been on the go for nearly 4 hours so we decided to refill our water and sit down under the trees for a picnic lunch and the odd dose of nurofen to take the edge of sore knees, hamstrings, feet etc. (ohhh what a luxury) However, the luxury of stopping turned to agony as we tried to coax our legs into movement again and we briefly regretted having stopped. The next section up the track up the Omanawanui track was the most brutal yet the most scenic section of the track. The track takes you up to dizzying heights but the effort is well rewarded with spectacular views of the Awhitu Peninsula, the Manukau heads and Whatipu. Up and up we went along Puriri Ridge track, along Donald Mclean track – past Donald Maclean hill and onto Karamatura track. I was surprised at how good the going was on these tracks as at times they can be muddy and slippery. Some nice board walks have been added along the boggiest parts of the track which makes a huge difference to the speed at which one can travel. We were well into the run and had to make sure we were all keeping fluids and food intake up – many a conversation at this point turned to food and what we would love to be eating. Once we hit the Huia campground our minds had already made it to the finish line which given we still had 10 or so tough kilometres ahead of us was a bit optimistic but we all felt the worst was behind us and ploughed on up Huia Dam road with renewed vigour and aggression. All went well until we hit the notoriously muddy Hamilton track and we started to realise the end was near but would take us a while as well were forced to stumble, crawl and slip our way over massive tree roots and slide and grovel our way around festering mud holes and bogs . We were more than relieved to be spat out of Hamilton track alive and skipped and bounded our way along Lower Nihotapu road, pipeline track and Slip track to our ultimate destination the Arataki visitor centre. Woo hoo – 9 or so hours / 2400 or so metres of climb / 45 or so kilometres of sheer fun and stunning scenery. Can’t wait to do it again!!!

Swisse Mark Webber Tasmanian Challenge - Race report - Debbie Chambers

It all started with an email asking if I would like to sign up for the experience of a lifetime otherwise known as the Swisse Mark Webber Tasmanian Challenge. The event was described to me as five days of entry level adventure racing in Tasmania. Teams would get to sleep in comfort every night, all food including race food was supplied, mechanics would be on course, physios and massage therapists would be available and each team had a host with a vehicle to look after them. It sounded too good to pass up. After all, how hard could a five day glamourous adventure challenge course for newbies be?

The next step was to find out more about my teammate as I was entered in a two person adventure challenge team. I was to be teamed up with the World Masters Powerlifting champion in the 66kg class, an Australian guy called Dominic Cadden. The thought of meeting my teammate on the startline was a bit daunting given that adventure racing is all about teamwork, however after a couple of hilarious email exchanges with Dominic where he explained he’d been kayaking on his windsurfer with his legs wrapped around the nose to stop him falling off and that his bike was made by Hallmark better known for greeting cards than bikes, I had a feeling we were going to get on fine.

Before I knew it I was on a plane to Tasmania. With this event almost everything you needed was provided so I only had to pack a few items of clothing and my bike. Oh I wish all travel to adventure races was so simple. At the airport in Launceston I was warmly welcomed by my host Emma, and whisked away in our new Renault vehicle to the hotel. Once at the hotel it was all go, the venue was buzzing with teams registering, putting bikes together, collecting bins, fitting kayaks, labelling paddles and sussing each other out. I was blown away by the calibre of the other teams, Olympic rowers, top level surf life savers, World champion adventure racers, world class tri-athletes, the who’s who of Aussie sport was there. What a line-up of fit looking people. What an exciting event to be part of.

I finally tracked down Dominic and we set about getting ourselves sorted for racing the next day. We needed to pack the two bins we had been given with the correct gear for the day and also mark up the maps for day one of racing. That’s when we both realised that neither of us was particularly good with maps. We also realised that this event was a true blue hard core adventure race and it was not going to be a walk in the park. However, we put our heads together and did our best to make sense of the three different maps we had, all with different symbols, scales and contour intervals. It was well into the night by the time our heads hit the pillow. My only thoughts before dropping off to sleep were have I bitten off more than I can chew here in terms of navigation? A quick text to the Macpac Girls on Top navigator to check how to allow for magnetic deviation on my compass put me more at ease and off to sleep I went.

Day one started at 7.30am with a 9.5km orienteering leg. Before we knew it we were running around like headless chooks from one control to another performing tasks such as serving tennis balls, putting golf balls, doing push ups etc all in order to collect points. It was a hoot but in all the excitement it took us a bit of time to settle into our own team rhythm and learn how we could best work together to draw on both our strengths. We somehow managed to navigate our way to the next stage which was a 2km white water rafting section. Although this was a short rafting leg it certainly was impressive white-water and I spent most of it giggling nervously in the bottom of the raft holding on for dear life.

The next 25km mountain bike leg was tricky and we spent ages trying to get our heads into the maps and made a number of silly navigation errors. In planning we hadn't noticed a small road on the map which went directly to the next control. Instead we headed over a massive hill through a confused maze of gravel roads and lost a significant amount of time. We were pretty devastated to find we were the only team to have taken that route and were now in last place.

We got on the river for the next 11km paddle and paddled like demons to try to make up for lost time. We managed to restore some respect for ourselves by passing one other team. We were now under a bit of pressure as a cut off was looming so in the next 6 km run leg and the following 11km mountain bike leg we focussed only on getting compulsory checkpoints and keeping our speed up. Before we knew it we were on the last trek leg into town to the finish line - what a day of mixed emotions, it had been eleven of non-stop fun but we had had more downs than ups in terms of our performance.

Day one lessons:

• Take more care when planning route choices
• Don't follow other teams
• Get familiar with different scale maps in terms of distances prior to starting
• When dealing with a course that has optional controls and cut offs -wait to the last legs to pick up optional points rather than the first legs

Day two started with a brutal 21km gravel road climb on the bikes up Ben Lomond. It was hard work for those not used to hill climbing and particularly tough on Dominic without toe clips. However, the views were simply spectacular and made the climb more than worthwhile. Once at the top of Ben Lomond we set off on a trek on the tops. We were very mindful of the errors made the previous day so limited ourselves to getting mainly compulsory points and ignoring the optional ones unless they were nearby. Keeping it simple paid off for us and we made reasonable time through the trek. The next leg was an awesome technical 22km mountain bike ride. This was not Dominic’s favourite section as his bike was far too big for him and he kept slipping off his pedals. However, he gritted his teeth and got through without too much swearing and no injuries.

Next up we were into an 11km kayak. The river was full of twists and turns, and we were constantly getting stuck in shallows and caught under low hanging trees. Dominic loved this leg but I found it frustrating as hell and couldn’t wait for it to end. We then finished the day off with a pleasant Trek across farmland and even managed to score an optional checkpoint just before crossing the finish line after another 10 or so hours on the go.

However, once across the finish line we still had to complete a car rally back to the campground. We drove every gravel road in the area writing down answers to clues on the way. We were pretty happy to arrive at the campsite and find our tent up with stretchers, sleeping bags, pillows and towels all inside.

Day two lessons:

• Warming up into a big hill climb is sensible
• Making sure your bike is the right size before starting is important

Day three began with a 6.5km coastal rock run. The scenery was stunning and we were ecstatic to discover we were both pretty good at rock hopping so managed to pick up a few places in the field. This was followed by a 19km ocean river sea kayak leg. On arriving at the start of the kayak I could see massive surf but assumed they wouldn’t put us into surf that big. How wrong I was. The surf was pumping and many teams took a battering getting in and out. Somehow we managed a relatively uneventful exit and landing. However, I was so over the moon and pleased to have survived the surf I forgot to punch the control and managed to score us a hefty 3 hour penalty. By the end of the paddle I was fuming and in total disbelief that I could make such a basic error. We set off into the hot midday heat for a 40 km ride. This ride was a real soul destroyer it was yet another climb and as hot as hell. We were happy to get to the next leg which was a quick 6km steep climb up a hill called St Patricks head. The views from the top were mind blowing. We knocked this off in no time. The final 13km mountain bike back to camp was a blast. Dominic was on fire and kept up good speed even on the technical sections. This man was turning into an adventure racing natural. We rolled in to camp annoyed at our error but happy we had survived another full on 6 hour day. Things were starting to click for us we were much smoother in transitions and had

 worked extremely well as a team to get through the day. Our navigation heads were clearer and our team bubble was getting tighter.

Day three lessons:

• Always apply sunscreen and take plenty of water
• Never miss a checkpoint
• Always focus on the map

Day four’s coastal scenery in Binalong bay was even more spectacular than day three. We started with a 2.5 km rock run which once again suited us and we bounded across the sun baked rusty red boulder blown away by our surroundings. We then headed into a 13km kayak leg. This leg was invigorating with a following swell and howling tailwind. We were also pretty relieved that there were no surf landings and we could just focus on the beauty of the area. We finished off the kayak quickly and headed straight into a snorkelling leg. It was freezing cold, and choppy and we had to retrieve items from bins sitting on the bottom of the seabed. I found it incredibly hard to dive down and have to admit did not enjoy this leg at all. I was more than happy to get into the next 9km coastal run that took us past some stunning beaches and coastline. The next leg was a mountain bike rogaine which was once again on single tracks. Dominic was now an off-road expert and we also made no navigation errors and even found ourselves with time to pick up a few optional controls finishing 10th in our category. The final leg, a kayak plus dune run was shortened due to high winds so much to our delight we found ourselves finished after another 6 or so hours on the course.

Day four lesson:

• It is nicer to be in the middle of the pack than the back

Day five was the final day of racing. We couldn’t believe we had made it this far without any drama or injury. The race started at the top of Mt Wellington in Hobart and the weather was less than friendly with a temperature of 4 degrees. We shivered at the start line waiting for the chance to head 7km back down the road on our bikes at high speed – woo hoo. The next leg was a 20km orienteering leg. We moved through this quickly hitting each control with no errors. It felt great to be totally in sync with each other. We then jumped back on the bikes for an incredible few hours on a single track that took us into a bike park. What a buzz this was, once again we managed to hit all the controls we were aiming for and get into the next transition without wasting too much time. We were then off into the second to last leg of the race an urban run into Hobart. We managed to get through this relatively easily and before we knew it we were paddling to the finishline. Another fun filled 6 hour day and the best for us with a 6th placong overall for the day.

I was a bit sad to see it all come to an end as it had been an amazing experience for me seeing how Dominic and I grew during the event and built on each day’s experiences. I was extremely proud of our efforts and happy to have had the opportunity to share my passion and my world with someone who comes from a completely different sport.

Both Dominic and I were elated at having got through the event. We finished 13th out of 18 teams in our category and got better with each day. It was certainly no walk in the park and a lot harder than I had anticipated. I was blown away by the stunning scenery of Tasmania and more than impressed with the course. It was challenging yet achievable, full of variety, included some of the best mountain biking I have done in an event and provided us with some pretty awesome thrills and adrenaline rushes. This was also combined with some hard core slogs and legs where most competitors had to dig deep.

 The Mark Webber Tasmanian challenge is put on by Mark Webber to raise funds for the Mark Webber Foundation which supports Australian charities including The Leukemia Foundation, Save the Tasmanian Devils Foundation and The Whitelion Foundation.The idea behind this event is to provide an opportunity for people to have a go at the sport and do thing they’ve never done before.

So … If you are intrigued by the sport of adventure racing but think the sleep deprivation side of it is not for you then look no further - this event is a MUST for the calendar. Check it out at www.markwebbertasmanianchallenge.com

Gear list for the 2013 Godzone

Looking for gear for the Godzone adventure race - look no further !! Macpac stores have all you need:

Traverse jacket
Jetstream overpants
Primaloft pulsar jackets
Rockover Convert Pant
Merino 150 LS Sport
Merino 150 SS Sport
Merino 150 cycle tops
Rapid sort sleeve zip
Whakatipu fleece
Traverse tights
Rockover short grey
Tangent LS shirt
Merino beanies
Gloves tech fleece
Amp Gaitor
Torlesse Gaitor
Merino light LS vee
Merino light pants
Socks merino hiker
Socks Merino
Trail cap
Legionaire cap
Dry bags
Amp race 40
Amp race 25
Drink Bottles
Hiking boots
Saucony shoes
Crampons
Gu gels and electrolyte tabs
Back country cuisine
Macpac Macrolight tent
Stove

www.macpac.co.nz

New Macpac Girls on Top team for 2013 season

We are very excited to announce our new team for the 2013 racing season. Debbie Chambers, Jill Westenra, Anne Lowerson and Sakkie Meyer. This team is not only full of experience but also loaded with a good sense of humour. Our first goal is to complete the Godzone Adventure race in early March 2013. This event is held out of Queenstown and promises to test us all physically, mentally and emotionally over five to six days of full on racing. Our next goal is to complete the 6- 10 day XPD adventure race in Adelaide Australia. If all goes well and if we can secure further sponsorship we would also like to take on Expedition Africa in South Africa in May.

The Macpac Coromandel Classic 2012

Having done three expedition length adventure races between November 2011 and June 2012 I was quite happy having some time off training and heading out the door once or twice a week for the occasional run or ride. That was until July 23 when Macpac contacted me about doing the Macpac Coromandel Classic. My first reaction was hell yeah, sign me up but as the start date of August 25 loomed, I began to regret my initial enthusiasm. However, out came the road bike, out came the single kayak and my running shoes and I launched into a multi sport style training programme.

D-day arrived all too soon and before I knew it I was lined up on the start line ready to head up the Kauaeranga Valley Road on the first stage which was a 20km mountain bike leg. The start gun went and wham we were off straight into a hill. Talk about leg burn, lung burn, heart burn and brain burn ! Man I had forgotten what speed work was and it hurt like hell. Matters were not made any better as I saw Rachel Cashin spinning like a demon and latching on to the bunch ahead of me. All I could do was slow down and focus on getting my breath back and getting my legs to continue to go around. Luckily I found fellow Girls On Top member, Robbie and she led a small bunch of us at a more respectable speed up the valley.

Once off the bike and into my running shoes I headed off on to the 27km mountain run which climbed almost immediately up a fairly decent hill, past the Pinnacles and on to the summit. Half way up I caught Emily Wilson and we then ran together discussing the Godzone and the joys of adventure racing. The track was awesome it was steep, technically challenging, muddy, and slippery and what I call a true off-road run. Woo hoo I was in heaven !! However once we hit the 9km gravel road the fun came to abrupt end and my misery began causing me to have to dig deep. Emily didn’t seem to notice the gravel road and continued chatting away before pulling ahead and disappearing into the distance. What a struggle it was for me ... I was sooo happy to catch sight of the Coroglen hall where the run ended.

After a quick drink and bite to eat in transition I was bundled into my kayak by my support crew. This was my least favourite leg of the race as I really struggled to keep my form on the 17km paddle to Cooks Beach, via the Whitianga Harbour Mouth. The incoming tide and bottom suck was draining and my left buttock decided to go numb and get excruciatingly painful at the same time – no matter how much I wriggled I couldn’t ease the discomfort. Finally, after what seemed like an age I landed at Cooks beach very relieved to be there

From here it was a 28km cycle leg from Cooks Beach to Tairua over what is called Pumpkin Hill. It took me a while to warm into this leg but once I hit the hill I started to enjoy the ride and before I knew it I was at the finish line and I had survived 7 hours and 17 minutes of racing.

Day 2 started at 8am with a 15km kayak from Tairua Wharf to Hikuai. The only problem was it was dead low tide so water was in short supply. The hooter went off and we had to make a call to go right and portage or stay left in deeper water. I had intended to stay left but the night before at the briefing Matt Tuck had told us that someone had portaged twice and got 8 minutes on the field so I decided at the last minute to go right -bad call - nex minute I was knee deep in mud with my kayak on my shoulders struggling across the mudflats - talk about frustrating and energy sapping. Eventually after another similar portage I hit the river proper and the real paddle began. My mindset for day two was very much about making sure I was in my comfort zone and enjoying myself as I didn't want to blow a Fu Fu before the run. I had memories of doing the event in 2006 or so and hitting the wall on the run - it was something I did not want to repeat.

The rest of the paddle was pretty uneventful but once again I was happy to spot the transition and after a decent feed of creamed rice I was pushed out onto the 30km road bike to Whangamata. I spent the first half of this ride being passed by a number of riders and was starting to get a bit frustrated. Luckily about 10 kms out of town a chick came passed and I was able to sit on her wheel into town. Thanks to whoever it was - you made my day :)

Now for the 21km run which I had been dreading all day. I used the first km along the main road to ease into a rhythm and get some food down, once we turned right into Wentworth Valley Rd, I knew it was 4km along the gravel road to the bush tracks - once again it was all about gritting my teeth and digging deep to stop myself from walking. I was passed by a few people heading along the gravel road which didn't do much for my headspace but I was determined to run my own run and keep my own pace to ensure I didn't run out of steam on the hills. Once I hit the bush trails it was bliss, the track was in the shade and I was joined by another talkative chick who kept me company past the waterfall and onto the Maratoto Track. We stayed together for most of the run but once we hit the descent she left me in her dust. I was pretty pleased with myself at the end of this leg as I felt I had paced myself and managed to conquer the hills that had slaughtered me previously.

The final 30km cycle from Maratoto to the Thames Racecourse was hell as there was a slight headwind and the scenery was rather uninspiring. I spent the whole ride waiting for a bunch of riders to come past but no one did. The only thing that kept me from complete boredom and from stopping at a nice looking cafe was my support crew who kept stopping at regular intervals to encourage me and shout words of support. Finally I reached the finish line after 6 hours and 17 minutes on the go on day two. What a feeling !!

What a weekend !! 3 rd women, 13 hours and 35 minutes and 188km of beautiful scenery and physical and mental challenge. The Macpac Coromandel Classic http://www.coromandelclassic.co.nz/ is one hell of a tough race but it is in such a beautiful location and such an awesome course that you can't help but get a real buzz out of doing it. If you are looking for a challenge as an individual or a team or looking for a training event for the Coast to Coast or the Lakes to Lighthouse then this is the race for you!! Thanks to Macpac for the entry, gear and montrail shoes, and the awesome prize of a Tempo jacket. Thanks to my awesome support crew (Anne, Tyler and Dad) and thanks to Tania and Matt for putting on such an awesome event.

 For some reason I couldn't walk the following Monday or Tuesday !! Mmmmm note to self more training required .... :)

Debbe Chambers









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