Motivation can come from many places. As Simon Sinek would say it’s important and helpful to “find your why”!
Why have you signed up to do this adventure race? Is it to be more active and get fit? Become healthier? Upskill in certain areas and reach a goal? Or to hang out with your friends? Whichever it is, define it and let it be your motivation in the process of preparing for your race.
If your ‘why’ is to hang out with friends then this is the perfect excuse to plan get togethers leading up to the race for training missions. Get into the hills with a map and compass, plan a weekend mountain biking one of the many amazing trails or bike parks around NZ or head away trail running together.
Maybe your ‘why’ is to upskill and become a better adventure racer so you can perform better or gain more enjoyment from your race. Look at which areas you need to upskill in and target clubs and courses that help with those specific areas. If it’s technical mountain biking, then join your local club and get out as much as you can. If it’s navigation, take a map with you into the bush/hills whenever you can and practice following along where you are on the map. Join your local orienteering club and get to events. Or join a navigation clinic or adventure race skills weekend to become more confident.
If your ‘why’ is to get fitter and healthier find someone you can be accountable to (maybe a teammate) or sign up to work with a coach who will help hold you accountable. The beauty of training for an adventure race is that it’s fun! If you usually have trouble sticking to a training programme, incorporate fun adventures into your schedule rather than just long runs, rides and paddles. If you are time limited during the week and can only do shorter sessions, make sure you plan some longer adventures for the weekends and holidays. These can even include your family. Carrying all the gear for your family on a hike is great strength endurance training. Or towing your 7 year old up hills on the bike is great for the legs!
Find your ‘why’ and let that be your motivation. Get creative, get adventurous and get going!
Kym is a mum of 3 energetic boys, trains and races in multisport and adventure racing. She is the co-creator and retreat leader at NZ Adventure Retreats and is part of the team that has won the Spirited Women Adventure Race long course for the past 4 years.
Kym along with Rach Smith (NZ elite orienteer and rogaine champ) from Navigation North and Nic Leary (NZ elite mountain biker, Xterra champ and physio) will be running a series of specific Women’s Adventure Race Skills weekends to help with up-skilling in different aspects of the race and helping you become a more confident and competent adventure racer.
Click here for more details on the skills weekends: https://www.nzadventureretreats.com/womens-adventure-race-skills-weekend/
Contact: kym@nzadventureretreats.com or 0272500435 for more information.