Top Adventure Race Tips from a First Timer
Thank you to Edele Daly from B Well Fitness Club for this Quest Killarney first timer account and her top tips for doing an adventure race
In October 2022 I entered my very first adventure race – Quest Killarney. To say I was bricking it was an understatement! But the sense of achievement afterwards was worth everything.
Here are my top tips for anyone starting out:
- Use a light bike. A few people advised me to get a racer or hybrid but I borrowed a mountain bike thinking “I’ll be grand”, and my legs were sorry after. A mountain bike is a much heavier bike to cycle and tough on the legs. I was loving the speed of cycling on the open road, so if you’re like me and mad for speed – purchase or borrow a racer.
- Bring fluids with you. Being a runner I’m not used to carrying fluids with me training, as I only run 5-10k runs. Coming in on the last cycle towards the finish line the muscles in my legs started to cramp and I nearly had to give up. So hydration along the way, either at one of the hydration points or on the bike, would have prevented this.
- Enjoy the day. The first 30 minutes I found myself racing in a sense of panic to get it over with, but after the first half an hour I got into the swing of things and had a laugh and a great time. There are some amazing views and experiences to be had on race day. So being present in the moment is definitely a must. I met some amazing people I will never forget.
For anyone new to adventure racing, or has never done one before, I would definitely say DO IT! It’s something you won’t regret, it’s a fun day out for the elite and the novice exerciser. Everyone is helping each other out and there is a great sense of team effort throughout the event.
5 stars from me.
