- Monday 30 December 2024
This month we speak to Robert and Charlotte, a dynamic father-daughter duo whose passion for adventure racing embodies the spirit of Questars.
In this Q&A, they share their memorable moments, expert advice, and unique perspectives on adventure racing. Whether it’s tackling a mountain climb that didn’t quite go to plan, donning their signature bucket hats, or enjoying the camaraderie of the community, their stories are sure to inspire seasoned racers and newcomers alike.
Dive in to learn more about their journey, their tips for getting started, and the snacks that keep them fuelled along the way!
When did you participate in your first Questar’s adventure race?
I (Charlotte) participated in my first race in 2018 aged just 12 at the Brecon Beacons race in Wales.
Mine (Robert) was probably about 2010 in Cannock with my friend Chris.
Charlotte, the first race you took part in was a two-day stage race when you were twelve, what are your memories of that event?
It was a thrilling experience to say the least and clearly not horrendous given I am still doing them now. The most prominent memory, however, was Dad deciding to go up this ‘Mountain’ in the evening run/ kayak stage. It took us about an hour to climb and by the time we had reached the kayaks, our two hours was over, so we ended up completing the kayak section in the penalty time (cancelling out all the extra points we gained from choosing an up and over the mountain rather than round the mountain route). I’ve never let him live it down since.
What advice would you give to people who are looking to do our two-day event?
Do it, sign up. It is tough but a great work out. The people are extra friendly and helpful as you are all in the same boat. It’s as competitive or not competitive as you want it to be.
Roughly how many Questar’s adventure races have you participated in?
Robert – about 14
Charlotte – about 8.
What do you like most about Questar’s adventure races?
Everything. The thrill of reaching each checkpoint, and the shock of realising how far you have come. I (Charlotte) focus on checkpoint descriptions rather than the map so it’s always a mystery as to where I am. We enjoy the flexibility to plan the day and the fact that you spend the whole time criss-crossing with other competitors. Sometimes going the same way. Sometimes the opposite.
What do you like most about adventure racing?
It brings together the best of outdoor racing and wraps it up with a friendly relaxed atmosphere. The difficulty level is also set by each competitor. Want to spend the day flat out? Not a problem you can do that. Want to take it relatively steady? You can do that as well. During the race nobody knows which one you’re doing.
Why did you first get into adventure racing?
Charlotte – Dad entered me into a two-day winter event.
Robert – I’d been entering a range of outdoor events and came across Questars on the Internet. It looked like it combined a number of activities I enjoyed already.
What advice would you give to someone just getting started in adventure racing?
You just have to give it a go.
What is your strongest and weakest race discipline? How do you combat your weakest discipline?
We enjoy all three (two in winter) disciplines so rather than focus on strongest/weakest, we just try and spread our time as evenly as possible across them rather than playing it tactically.
What does your training plan for an adventure race look like?
We just keep generally fit and then turn up on the day!
How do you fuel yourself for a Questars adventure race?
We should have mentioned this earlier. The snacks and post-race food are another good reason for entering a Questars event. Brunch Bars, Bananas, Tea Cakes, and mini Battenburgs are the weapons of choice. Charlotte also carries a last hour Mars Bar for that final refuel. The aim is to eat at least every hour to stay topped up.
What’s the one piece of non-mandatory kit in your bag that you could not do without?
Matching Bucket hats.
What’s the worst mistake you’ve ever made during an adventure race?
We picked up a puncture early in one race and our pump wasn’t working well so it took an age to sort out. Then we lost our focus and headed straight to a Dummy checkpoint. Finding, as per the pre-race briefing, nothing but shame.
Ed: to keep our racers guessing, we add ‘dummy’ checkpoints to our maps which carry no score value and there is no checkpoint at the location. It is always a good idea to cross these off the map when you get checkpoint descriptions and score sheets at the start, although it is pretty much a right of passage for all our racers to visit a dummy checkpoint on our races.
What is the most difficult part of adventure racing?
Getting the timings right (particularly late in the race). You want to stretch yourself to pick up as many checkpoints as possible and so arrive back just within the allotted time. But in doing so you risk being late and rapidly bleeding points. The “shall we go for just one more” dilemma occurs at every race.
What are the pros and cons of racing with a family member?
There are no real cons we’ve come across.
You are known (at least by us) for the bucket hats that you wear during our events. What makes bucket hats such a versatile piece of adventure racing kit?
They are a fun piece of essential team kit that acts as a handy sunshade in the summer and a protector from light showers which can occur at any time of year. It also makes spotting ourselves in the post-race photos a little easier.
Ed: for anyone wishing to get in on the bucket hat craze, we would recommend chin straps as we seem to find them flying off in most of the photos!
Thank you, Robert and Charlotte, for sharing your insights, memories, and tips from your Questars adventure racing journey!
We look forward to seeing you at future events—bucket hats and all!
Fancy giving adventure racing a go? Click the link below to find out about our upcoming events:
