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Frequently Asked Questions

 

  1. Can I do this?  It looks tough!  Adventure Racing attracts a variety of participants, from everyday people who want to add some adventure to their life, to tuned athletes and triathletes who are looking for the next challenge. This is why we offer two different levels of racing: Sport and Elite. The Sport race is designed for those new to Adventure Racing or just love to get outdoors for an occasional challenge. The Elite requires a bit more strategy, skill and physical endurance. Many who learn the ropes in the Sport category quickly move up to the Elite category.
  2. How should I train and prepare for my first race?  Go hiking and trail running if you can.  Get your hands on a bike with fat tires and ride it on trails.  Go rent a canoe for an hour. Familiarize yourself with how to use a compass and map (see below for more about this). The best training you can do for yourself is getting out there and doing it as regularly as possible.  When you’re ready to take the next step, you can work on improving your technique in all three. 
  3. I'm a good trail runner, and I paddle occasionally, though I don't ride a mountain bike much, can I do it?  The majority of our racers are new to at least one of the three core disciplines (bike, trail run/trek, canoe/kayak), and many are new to more than just one, or very average at all three.  That's what makes Adventure Racing such a fun sport.  You don't have to be an expert at any of the disciplines.  Throw in some orienteering, mystery events, etc, and the playing field is leveled even further. 
  4. What is Orienteering and what do I need to know about it for the races? Orienteering is a recreational and competitive sport, a kind of hiking/running game, which involves using a detailed map, and a compass, to find one's way through unfamiliar terrain. While it isn't necessary to know how to orienteer for all the races, it's good to know. Pangea offers an AR 101 session before each of the Sport races that includes a brief lesson on Orienteering. For those who want to get more serious with their orienteering skills, we also recommend joining an orienteering group like Florida Orienteering Club.
  5. What gear do I need to have? We always provide a gear list for each race. Typically, though, you will need:
    1. Per person: Mountain bike and helmet, whistle, water/hydration and food to last the event
    2. Per team: Compass, knife, cell phone (for emergency use only) and basic first aid kit
    3. Be sure to refer to the particular race for details
  6. Do I need my own canoe, paddle and life-vest?  We provide the canoes, paddles and life-vests for all participants. For soloists in the Sport division, we provide kayaks. For soloists in the Elite division, due to the paddling time length, we encourage participants to bring their own kayaks, paddles and life-vests.
  7. How expensive is all the gear?  That depends, though we wouldn't recommend buying the expensive stuff until you gain some experience and know what you want.  TravelCountry.com has just about everything you could need. 
  8. What do I wear for an adventure race?  Most people wear bike or athletic shorts and a sport top.  Cottonwear is fine for the shorter races, but you may want to shy away from it for the longer races, as it doesn't wick away the sweat like athletic fabrics. You can wear trail-running shoes or cross-trainers; just know, whatever you wear will probably get wet.
  9. How much water do I need to carry?  Many people will wear hydration packs with up to 100 ounces while still some will just carry a couple bike bottles in a waste pack.  For longer races, you may also want an electrolyte replacement like those provided by Hammer Nutrition to add to your water to avoid cramping. 
  10. What food should I carry?  Energy bars, gels are the norm.  You can take them with you or stow them in the transition area. 
  11. Why are you allowing a solo category when AR is a team sport?  AR is growing so fast, we're finding that many racers have only just recently heard of it.  Many are crossover athletes or those who haven't been particularly athletic until discovering AR.  We hope that by holding a solo category, solos will meet other racers and form teams.  For those who just want to check it out before building a team, it's a good way to see what the fun is all about. 
  12. How can I find team members to build my team? We recommend asking friends and family to join you—this sport can be a great way to build relationships. We see a lot of husband and wife teams, professional colleagues, and groups of friends who get into it together. You can also meet people by joining one of the Adventure Racing clubs such as CeFar, WeCeFar or Florida Extreme, or a local Adventure Racing group on Meetup.com.
  13. In the Elite Points Series does the team have to compete as a 3- or 4-person co-ed team in every race or can we be a 2-person co-ed in one or two races and still qualify? You can compete as a 2-person team one race, a 3-person team at a later race, and still a 4 person team at another race, female, male or co-ed. In that scenario you would be competing in the overall points total to be awarded to the top 7 teams, NOT including the top 3 4-person coed division. We will track Team Names for the Points series (not team members) with the exception of tracking teams that make up the "co-ed" of the 4-person co-ed division.
  14. Are you looking for volunteers to help with the races? What are the perks? Absolutely. We are always looking for enthusiastic volunteers to help support the race activities, and this is a great way to learn the ins and outs of the sport. Plus if you volunteer for one race, you'll get to participate in the next scheduled race for FREE! Contact us at info@pangeaadventureracing.com for more info.

 

 

 

 

 

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