- Thursday 31 October 2024
This month we speak to Laura and Alex Alcock. Read on to find out how they got into adventure racing and what their top tips are to make your next Questars adventure race a success. Enjoy!
When did you participate in your first Questars adventure race?
2nd May 2022 in the South Downs. We did reasonably well considering that we had never done anything like it, nor had we trained for it!
Roughly how many Questars adventure races have you participated in?
12 – not rough. We can still find all the confirmation emails. We had intended to do more, but 2023 was plagued with a combination of glandular fever and overseas wedding invitations clashing with the Questars dates!
What do you like most about Questars adventure races?
Laura: I know that we are going to get a challenge, with great camaraderie and, whilst it is a race, people are still helpful. I also know that the race will be set in a beautiful area of the country and, knowing Joe’s fondness for them, there will be lots of hills (and probably rain and mud).
Alex: I like the personal challenge it’s a race against yourself/team as much as other people/teams, combined with the locations and the chance to explore areas that you would never normally get too. As well as the added complexity of navigation which can level the field greatly, you can make great progress with good decisions and kick yourself for the rest of the race when you make a bad one.
What do you like most about adventure racing?
Alex: Variety, I love the variety of disciplines there is never a chance to get bored in an adventure race, my aim to do more complex races with greater variety of disciplines, in more global locations ,which can combine my love of outdoors travel and sport.
Laura: There is no way to know how well you are doing relative to the other participants until it is all over. So, you know the only way to have a chance is to give everything you can and do your absolute best during the race. It doesn’t matter if you have passed someone en-route. They may have done an extra 10km before you got that 10m ahead of them!
Why did you first get into adventure racing?
Alex: I have always wanted to do more extreme sports and challenge myself further. A combination of COVID-19 restrictions and a reduction in my physiological capacity to play football – due to football-related injuries – led me to seek alternatives. A huge regret for me is that I did not find this sooner – I wish I had started much younger!
Laura: Alex was interested in it and I knew that it would be a good way for me to learn my physical limits – if I have them. I can’t compete in a triathlon, as I get bored too easily on a set route. But I knew that looking out for the next turn or checkpoint would take away that psychological restraint.
What advice would you give to someone just getting started in adventure racing?
Understand your motivation for racing because that can be what keeps you going through an adventure race. It is also important to understand either yourself (if racing alone) or your teammates (if racing as a team). You should already know how to complete this type of event together, whether as a race or not.
What is your strongest and weakest race discipline? How do you combat your weakest discipline?
Kayak is probably where we are strongest, because we are pretty equal on it. With the cycling and running, selecting the route and planning the next step together is critical, as one of us is usually better than the other in different ways.
What does your training plan for an adventure race look like?
During the 2024 summer series, we tried to cycle-run-cycle to a parkrun which is 14km from our house. We would also try to fit in longer cycle rides, trail cycling and, when possible, trail running over distance.
How do you fuel yourself for a Questars adventure race?
Oats! And Isotonics… We start the day on a bowl of porridge with cashews, seeds and raspberry preserve; during the race, we use isotonic gels, isotonic powder including glucose in our water packs, and a nutty, fruity, chocolatey, oaty flapjack. After the race, we top up with the tasty Questars beef nachos and, usually, we follow that up with a second dinner when we get home. We typically burn 3500+ calories during a race, and 5500+ calories in total on a race day!
What type of bike do you normally use for a Questars adventure race?
Giant Trance X 29.1 full-suspension mountain bikes. We tried them in New Zealand in January 2023 and really liked them. We were due for upgrades when we came back to the UK, so we got them on our Ride to Work scheme (yes our cycling route to work requires full-sus mountain bikes, as it takes us across the Mendips race locations).
What’s the one piece of non-mandatory kit in your bag that you could not do without?
The wrist compass. We have not had a race where it has not been incredibly useful.
What’s the worst mistake you’ve ever made during an adventure race?
Laura: Probably tripping over a dimension-shifting rock (a.k.a. my own feet). It put a stop to our February race before we could transition. This was such a disappointment, as we were doing REALLY well when it happened.
Alex: Forgetting the difference between my capacity for pace and Laura’s on the different disciplines. During one of the winter series races, we were doing well and I over-estimated how far we could get in the final 40 minutes. This led to us finishing 20 minutes late!
What’s the weirdest/funniest/strangest thing that has happened to you during an adventure race?
We usually find some amazing wildlife on a race. We have been within ten metres of a heron and one metre of a hawk. But the strangest thing, was probably when a herd of deer nearly knocked Alex off his bike as they crossed the road we were cycling up!
What is the most difficult part of adventure racing?
Keeping the training relevant and enjoyable, but also not get frustrated over how you perform, particularly when managing injuries and mistakes.
What are the pros and cons of racing in a team?
Cons are you may not be able to push on as hard as you want to individually, this is where understanding your motivations and team dynamic are important.
Pros are getting time to spend with people you like/love doing the things you enjoy together in amazing places, sometimes the motivation of others and their refusal to give up on you can get you up that hill.
What roles do you both play within the team?
Alex is definitely navigator! Laura has a knack for spotting the tucked away checkpoints or the key landmark to help us confirm our direction.
What are your top five tips for adventure racing success?
- Fuel up right. The biggest detriment to your race comes if you aren’t eating enough or drinking enough water.
- Being able to read ordnance maps is critical. Mountain Navigation Skills courses or Navigation for Walkers and Runners can help with this.
- Don’t overdress. It might be cool when you start the race but, if you are working at all, you will soon get very warm.
- Don’t try to plan your entire route. You WILL get lost, you WILL find your way back, and you WILL find a hill that challenges you – so plan sections based on your progress and time remaining.
- Enjoy yourself – that way you will definitely come away with a sense of achievement.
Thank you so much Laura and Alex! Some terrific advice for those looking to get into adventure racing, we always use wrist compasses too and find them really useful.
Fancy giving adventure racing a go? Click on the link below to our upcoming events: