Seconding… From a layman's point of view
By: Natascha Jacobs
Adventure racing, definition of: a mixed sport race lasting anything from several hours to several days. Often includes any combination of the following disciplines: mountaineering, paddling, mountain biking, hiking as well as others.
Ok, that's what the internet told me. The truth was that no amount of googling or research could prepare me for the weekend that lay ahead. Because the truth is Adventure Racing is just that, an adventure and can only truly be experienced first hand.
So there I was, on the eve of my first ever Adventure Race. The place: Thaba Metsi, an adventure camp on the outskirts of Haenetsburg in Limpopo. This was to be our base camp for the weekend and also the start and finish of the 150 km Red Ants Rumble. My team, a pair of A.R enthusiasts called DB had filled me in on the basic details of what that they expected from a 'second', so in between I was speaking to as many of the other teams' seconding crew as possible.
Registration time had arrived and all teams started to frantically plot their routes, whilst I read and re-read my info brochure in an attempt to orientate myself as to where I'd be driving to the next morning. (Note to self, an over-excited brain can only remember so much information… although I can, to this day still remember the distance from camp to the first turn-off from the main road… it's 3.5 km's).
Plotting was followed by the race briefing, where after the teams where sent off to dress-up for a little taste of what was to come. The prologue was a 30min long adventure sprint, where the teams climbed over wooden walls, ran past competitors and pushed funny looking go carts in attempt to get a starting time for the next morning's race. Equipment and boxes where then given a final check with bedtime arriving just before 11. Some teams however where still busy, well into the night/morning.
After what seemed like minutes, 2 am arrived and the rustled sound of the camp sight awakening filled the misty morning air. Whilst the teams dressed and got their first leg's (which consisted of a short(ish) hike) gear together, the seconds patiently made their teams breakfast and got their vehicles together to head of the first transition.
3 am followed with 18 teams starting the race and heading off.
The first transition point lay next to a dam, where the teams would pick up their canoes and head off to transition 2. During the drive there, I discovered that trying to read a map and drive at the same time, whilst other vehicles clearly think that you know where the heck you're going was tricky, but not impossible. After a short trip we arrived at the transition. However it is here where I realised that seconding on your own is not such a good idea, especially if the canoe almost weighs as much as you do.
Luckily (and this friendliness is true off all Adventure race participants, whether they are racers or seconds) a gentleman helped me to move the water boat off the roof and carry it down to the water's side. My team arrived and after a quick exchange it was time to head of to transition two.
The next transition proved to be a bit harder, since all the vehicles had to park one in front of the other to utilise space. However, this was done in no time. As the bikes where loaded off the first teams started heading in, dropping their canoes and putting on their biking gear. As they sped off, it was once again off to the next transition point.
As the darkness started to fade and daybreak was inevitable, the majestic beauty of the area started to fill the senses. Rolling greenery with lush hills and forests were everywhere. Transition 3 proved to be quite spectacular, with teams braving the morning misty drizzle to kloof up and down a beautiful piece of scenery. Here I was able to feed my team for the first time and persuade them to have a short breather. After just a few minutes, they where off again and it was time for me to head back to pick up the canoe and take it through to base camp, before heading off to the last seconding point.
At this point the fatigue started to hit, although the amount of adrenaline buzzing through your system overrides you bodies' ability to feel truly tired. So I soldiered on, repacked the car and headed off into the Wolkberg. The road to the camp was terrible and I will forever regard it… as the road to hell. The reward of the scenery at the camp however made up for the entire trip. One of the marshals even showed us which mountain top places the teams where going to head through to get to us. (Note to self, the height of the mountain made me realise why I was the seconding type and would not cut it as an Adventure Racer)
As the teams' racing itenary would keep them busy for quite a while, we were encouraged to pack out and get comfortable. Team Cyanosis however didn't arrive much later, with team Jeep and McCain following thereafter.
Funny thing however, with every team no matter how experienced they were, it was the female racers urging their teams to move on, while the gents moaned and groaned to stay. (Females = Weaker sex, I think not) Just after 6pm my team arrived, although sadly Riaan had come down with a case of sunstroke and was advised not to continue.
In spite of this fact the adventure continued with the three of us heading back to camp and socialising with some of the other seconding teams. Sleep depravation however caught up with all us and we fell into our tents for a good 6 hour's sleep. In and out of consciousness, we were able to hear the other teams as they came in and finally got up just after 7.
After a bit of a delay, prize giving followed at 10:45, with the team in the tenth position arriving to a generous clap of hands. Even though only 10 of the 18 teams finished in time, the level of sportsmanship in the camp was electric. The title of team of the hour went to Cyanosis with McCain Adventure Addicts and USN filling the three top spots.
In the end, although I'm stiff and sore in places I never thought existed, I would volunteer to second for an adventure race in a heartbeat.