Adventure Racing & The Great Outdoors
Of course, when asked I would say one of the major draw cards of Adventure racing is the connection it offers to the outdoors. But the reasons for the connection might not be that obvious.
Anyone that has done or follows adventure racing will know that the sport repeatedly offers competitors a chance to explore some of the worlds most remote and least visited corners of the planet - it seems that Adventure Race organizers pride themselves on getting competitors into as many of these uninhabited and seldom seen places as possible. When surrounded by such unspoiled landscapes it’s hard not to feel connected and grateful - this is obvious.
The not so obvious part is rooted in the spirit of adventure racing, and that is being self sufficient and frugal.
During an adventure race you are often out in the wilds for multiple days juggling fickle weather, and rough terrain, just with a map and compass and a few other bear essentials for survival. This very paired down approach to moving through the outdoors means there is very little distraction between you and your surroundings. It also means the margin between being safe and not safe, or finishing the race and not is very thin. When the well-being of yourself and the teammates around you depend so heavily on the ability to read the landscape and understand cues from the wind and skies, it’s not hard to see why there is a deeper connection to the outdoors. You have no choice but to befriend the wild.
So next time you are looking for a very visceral and deep connection to the outdoors, just sign up for an adventure race!
