Well it’s almost time to start thinking about Coast 2 Coast and all the other multisport races out there. Relationships will get the ultimate test as everyone tries to fit in a full time job and full time training. For my team mates and I on Team Balance Vector, we have one last race at the Adventure racing World Champs on the West Coast in November, and then it will be time to do some serious training, on the golf course and finally mastering Kiteboarding. To this end, I have relocated to Nelson where the water is warmer and the sea breeze consistent. Hopefully I’ll get some good tips from Nathan on the kiting and we’re sure to have some good tussles on the golf course.

The ARWC is sure to be back to the roots of adventure racing, sleep deprivation, bush bashing, tricky navigation and plenty of route choices – a far cry from many of the races we have been in lately.

After a few recognisance missions into some of the bush on the West Coast it is apparent just how much the race will come down to not getting lost and making smart decisions, somewhat more of a challenge after a few days on minimal sleep. After Raid and the compulsory rest stops fighting the sleep monster again will be a challenge but it certainly makes you appreciate the sleep at the end of the race.

After the Worlds joking aside it will be time for some well earned rest and then into some training with an eye on the Coast. With far less racing in this years season and with so many changes in the team it will be interesting to see what sort of fitness I have, and so it will be an interesting start to the summer and a definite challenge to see how things shape up towards the start of February. Among the challenges I am finding from racing so many Adventure races each year and essentially racing year round are what races to do and what to pass on. This can be especially hard when races you really want to race conflict with races where you need to do well to earn a living. Often the risk of getting injured close to a big race has to factored into the decision and when racing on a team it is simply not fair to the team to push yourself close to breaking point just before a key race. Burn out from excess racing is also something to be considered and I am really learning to enjoy the down time between races. When looking at my plan towards races I am always aware of how obsessed one can get. It is essential to maintain a healthy perspective on what you are trying to achieve and to keep your expectations realistic. Even as a full time athlete you still need to have some balance in life, it is impossible to train 24 – 7 and even trying half this would leave the fittest athlete in a complete mess, doing more harm than good. So I find it interesting to hear how many people sacrifice many of the things that they love in order to complete a race. It can be good for performance and sometimes motivation to abstain or limit certain things, alcohol for instance, but many people seem to change their habits so drastically that they end up struggling to maintain their ideals and ultimately end up loathing the self imposed measures they have put in place. Whether trying to win a race, set a personal best time or to complete make sure yo keep the enjoyment in the sport. It is OK to be social and enjoy a drink or two, cake, and all the other good things in life. To be relaxed and happy will be more of a performance booster than cutting out a couple of drinks a week and becoming completely irrational and paranoid. Remember most things in moderation aren’t going to do you too much harm and the more enjoyment you get out of your training and racing the easier it will be to stay motivated.