Amanda Rogers takes us through her first adventure race. Having taken part in triathlons previously she took the leap to Quest and headed to Glendalough with friend Fiona and unofficial coach Linda.
I decided to sign up to Quest when some friends were talking about it. My training consisted of weekly runs, turbo sessions and cycles on the bike in addition to doing some duathlons with my local tri club. The Sport route was a first for Fiona and I but we had our unofficial coach, Linda, to answer any questions we had about race preparation.
On race day there was a real buzz and you could feel the energy, nerves and excitement. When the race officially started the reality of the challenge hit like a ton of bricks with the first climb of the day.Â
The conditions on Braigue Mountain were testing given the rain beforehand but with having no time ambitions I just took my time, one foot in front of the other. I did struggle with the speed of the descent at the start of the second cycle so I decided to get off the bike and walk down the hill. Fiona spotted me from behind and seeing that I was a little stressed she walked down the hill with me. Small acts of support like that really help when you find yourself having a moment.Â
We stuck together for the rest of the cycle and kept each other going. In the National Park the views were amazing and the kayak was so enjoyable – it ended way too soon! I had much more energy than expected for the final 4km to the finish line and I got chatting to a few people along the way as I jogged along.
After I finished, I heard a shout and turned to find a proud Linda running toward me – I was her first chick home. Knowing Fiona wouldn’t be too far behind, we headed over toward the barrier. As soon as we spotted her, we ran over and ran alongside her to the finish line. Â
The group hug at the end just said it all – WE DID IT!! I hope to do more adventure races in future, now I know what to expect!!! I don’t think I was fully prepared for it and I think I can train better in future. I’m already thinking about Glendalough next year now I have a time to beat!
