dumpy little middle aged ladies

this is our first adventure race, and we're excited about it.

we're going to do the bitter pill!

prologue: i am not a stranger to training. i am not naturally athletic, but i am a veteran of some century rides, a few off-road triathlons, and a twelve hour mountain bike race. i hike and bike and ski and paddle, according to the season. my team partner is faster than me both on foot and on a bike. she says i have better endurance. i am probably the better swimmer and for certain the best navigator, because while she has limited map experience, i'm the kind of person who doesn't go on vacation without checking what the local declination is.

i have no idea what we're going to be asked to do (besides what's on the website) but it's an adventure race and i'm prepared for whatever. i'm good at being prepared for whatever; i know how to build a solar still and how to use a bow drill. it's not like they're going to ask us to go into survival mode and gather wild foods as we go, but i could do it if i had to. you get the idea.



friday 12 july

morning: test gear, frequent short sets of upper body and core strengthening and balance exercise
afternoon: three hours combined mountain biking and foot travel
evening: gentle core strengthening and balance work.

saturday 13 july

early morning: a few short sets of upper body and core work
midday: four hours road bike ride

sunday 14 july

early morning: light upper body and core work
midday: begin pack training.  check and assemble gear. two mile run. slackpack, boots, poles
afternoon: compass work

monday 15 july

morning: light core and upper body work
afternoon: three hours mountain bike with mid-weight pack
all day: pack conditioning

tuesday 16 july

morning: 9.4 mile bike ride with pack (stage road climb), bicycle maintenance
evening: 5 k trail run at catamount (blue course)
all day: pack conditioning, UB/core

wednesday 17 july (light work)

throughout day: pack conditioning, UB/core
evening: 5 k mountain bike training race (blue course)

thursday 18 july

throughout day: pack conditioning, UB/core
midday: 3 hours mountain bike (mid weight pack) with periodic bike carries, both cyclocross and overhead styles.
evening: map study

friday 19 july

morning: pack conditioning, UB/core, gear assembly
midday: 1 hour combined mountain bike and foot travel, followed by 18.2 mile mountain bike (2/3 weight pack)



saturday 20 july

rest day: napping, map study, knot tying

sunday 21 july

midday: four hours foot travel with navigation skills
evening: test of hydration beverage, preparation of trail food

monday 22 july

morning and afternoon: bike up BVAR, foot/ bike travel to ricker summit. return.
evening: tend to injury, rest



 tuesday 23 july

morning and afternoon: rest and recovery
evening: short walk, no pack

wednesday 24 july:

morning and afternoon: map study, gear assembly light core/ UB work
evening: gentle foot travel, nav paractice with barb

thursday 25 july

throughout day: pack training
morning: core/ub work, gear assembly
afternoon: 3 1/2 hours foot travel and nav practice, with barb

friday 26 july:

all day: pack conditioning
morning: core/UB work, map study
afternoon: 2 1/2 hour nap

saturday 27 july:

all day: pack conditioning
morning: core/ub
afternoon: cotton brook ride until saddle pain unbearable




sunday 28 july:

morning: light ub/core
afternoon: 2 1/2  hours foot travel (19 pound pack)

monday 29 july:

morning: ub/core
afternoon: two hours bike work, with and without pack. handling skills, bike carries, cx and overhead styles

tuesday 30 july:

morning: ub/core, gear adjustments, transition practice
afternoon: compass work
evening: 5k trail run, with pack (23 pounds)

wednesday 31 july:

morning UB/core
evening: 5k mountain bike, race pace. no pack

thursday 1 august (rest):

morning: UB/core, map study
afternoon: sleeping

friday 2 august:

morning: UB/core
afternoon 2 1/2 hours foot travel, nav practice

saturday 3 august and sunday 4 august:

no training; full day work at catamount classic

monday 5 august (rest):

morning: UB/core
afternoon: pack practice, trig review

tuesday 6 august:

morning and afternoon: UB/core, pack training. gear assembly, trig practice
evening: 5k trail run, boots and pack (25 pounds).

wednesday 7 august:

morning and afternoon ub/core, pack conditioning
evening: 5k mountain bike. no pack, race pace

thursday 8 august:

morning: practice pack configurations, nav study, 3 miles foot travel with pack (28 pounds)

friday 9 august:

rest day. knees REALLY demand it. ub/core, gear practice.

saturday 10 august:

midday: 2 hours easy bike ride with over head and cyclocross style bike carries (with pack)
evening: UB/ core

sunday 11 august:

morning: UB/core, gear configuration practice

afternoon: 2 hours foot travel, pace calibration (with pack), 2 hours foot travel, on trail and rough terrain bushwhack (with pack)

monday 12 august:

morning: UB/core
midday: boat wrangling, river scouting
evening: paddle from bolton canoe access to cochran canoe access, course study

tuesday 13 august:

morning: ub/core, pack drills
midday: napping
evening: 2 k trail run, with pack

wednesday 14 august:

morning/ afternoon: ub/core, trig practice, map practice
evening: 5k mountainbike race, no pack

thursday 15 august:

morning: ub/core, short gentle walk, short steep bushwhack, no pack
afternoon: study, gear prep