Talking adventure racing with James Cracknell

After conquering the Sahara and frozen Arctic trails of the Yukon, James Cracknell's latest challenge takes place on home soil in the adidas TERREX Coast to Coast race, one of the toughest endurance events Britain has to offer. And he told us all about it.

Of the 100 competitors gearing up on the start line of the adidas TERREX Coast to Coast (C2C) race on 26 August, one man has more reason than most to look forward to the event's arduous four days of kayaking, mountain biking, running and open-water swimming.

For former Olympic champion James Cracknell, it will be the first endurance event he has competed in on British soil. And he's really looking forward to it: "I've never competed [in an endurance event] at home and the Lake District is a really special place. Being able to navigate your way through under your own steam is brilliant. That makes it all the more enjoyable. I say enjoyable now. I might not say enjoyable during the race."

The adidas TERREX Coast to Coast Adventure Race is a multi-discipline, multi-stage challenge spanning 200 miles of unpredictable terrain starting in Whitehaven, Cumbria, and finishing four days later at the village of Robin Hood's Bay on the North Yorkshire coast.

The competitors will navigate from one side of England to the other, broadly following the C2C walking route that passes through the Lake District national park, the Yorkshire Dales national park and the North York Moors national park and across the Pennines.

Follow the route of the 2011 adidas C2C at adidas-ar.com

Multi-sport challenge

For Cracknell, who will be competing as part of the three-man Team adidas TERREX, adventure racing offers a uniquely eclectic challenge: "In adventure racing, you're never sure exactly what you are going to get but you know it will be off-road cycling, on-road cycling, open-water swimming, climbing, abseiling. That's the thing that appeals to me the most: the multi-sport element. There could be anything thrown in there so you need to be prepared."

But James isn't looking forward to every single discipline involved in the C2C: "I'm comfortable with running but I don't like having to run fast downhill off-road. I'm not a fell runner. Uphill I'm fine. On the flat I'm fine. Downhill, nah, not really, it's going to end in tears. I'd rather cycle downhill than run."

Luckily for James, the rules of the team event alleviate his fell-running woes: "Two members of a team of three have to be on the race route at any one time - eg two people cycling, running, swimming depending on the stage. I'm hoping we've got a great downhill runner so I don't have to do it."

On Bing: find out more about adventure racing

Planning and preparation

The challenge of the C2C extends beyond conquering a plethora of sporting disciplines. James explains, "You don't often know the route [of the race] perfectly before you start so mapping and navigation are important. You also need to plan properly. Whether it be having the right kit, what you're wearing through to what you're riding, what you're paddling in, what you're swimming in, what you're camping in, what you're eating. There's a lot of preparation. I think a lot of people enjoy the logistical side of [adventure racing]."

Like many endurance sports, adventure racing demands enormous mental toughness and careful management of your physical effort. James notes, "It's about getting your head in the right place to be able to perform day after day and also making sure you get to the end of one day with enough energy and food to recover for the day after.

"You play the long game rather than the short game and you have to make every day count. It may all come down to the last hour of the race. You have to have enough in the tank to respond if it comes down to you and another team battling for a place. By the time you get to the end of a race, you want to feel like you couldn't have done any more."

On Bing: read more about James Cracknell's epic endurance challenges

Getting involved in adventure racing

The opportunity to get the most out of yourself physically and mentally while performing an array of different activities gives adventure racing an appeal that extends far beyond the upper echelons of the sport. The sport is accessible even to beginners and there are events in the UK for competitors of all levels.

"If there are sports that you've always wanted to try, find a short stage adventure race that combines all of them," says James. "Don't throw yourself into the deep end. Build up slowly. The sport offers a natural progression from short stage races through to 36-hour endurance events".

Whatever level you compete at, adventure racing offers a unique and fulfilling experience, a sentiment echoed by Cracknell himself: "Rather than doing the same session in the gym over and over again, you come back from an adventure race having seen some amazing outdoor sights and had a good workout."

On Bing: find an adventure racing club or event near you

The adidas TERREX Coast to Coast Adventure Race takes place on 26-29 August. Find out more about the event at www.adidas-ar.com

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