Dynamic Adventure Racing Training Course
Learning New Tricks in the Forest
Nicky Thomas - Dynamic Adventure Racing / 15.03.2005
Friday 4th March, our crew of fresh new Adventure Racers arrived at the Avon Tyrrell Activity centre in the New Forest for a full on weekend of action, learning and fun. The weekend, organised by James Thurlow on behalf of Dynamic Adventure was based in a superb, old, listed building with direct access out to the forest.The group were a mixed bunch from various sporting backgrounds. One female had a best marathon time of less than three hours, one guy was a martial arts expert but hadn’t cycled much for 12 years and another hadn’t been on a bike for 25 years. This was all soon to change. The team building exercises on the Friday evening enabled everyone to get to know each other, followed by a liquid session in the bar. The compulsory viewing of Adventure Racing videos to finish, left everyone fired up and raring to go.
Saturday was a glorious sunny day and after the classroom navigation session everyone was eager to get out to put into practice James’s sound advice. “It’s all very well and good being fit, but if you are going in the wrong direction it doesn’t count for much.�
The facilitators leading the groups were Ian MacNab of Cotswold Outdoor, Martin Warren of Sleepmonsters, James Thurlow of Team No Worries and Nicky Thomas from Dynamic Adventure.
Forest Scouts
A biting wind greeted us as we left the grounds of the Avon Tyrrell, each group scouting through the landscape, practising their navigation skills using bearings, land features and contours to guide them. The participants soon picked up the art of taking bearings and were able to use them to confirm their position on the map. The groups also learnt the art of towing and being towed; and more importantly, being able to recognise and admit when you need a tow rather than leaving it too late and being dragged like a dead pig!
Martin, in his enthusiasm took his group on a wide circuit, ignored the good advice of his newly trained navigator and tried to return to base by travelling in the opposite direction. He soon realised his mistake, ate humble pie and they raced back to base.See All Event Posts
