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Helly Hansen Adventure Challenge Series, Ashdown Forest
Date: 3rd September 2006
Race Type: Adventure Race
Disciplines: Trail Running, Mountain Biking, Kayaking
Team: Keith, Keith & Steve
Location: Ashdown Forest
www.trailplus.com



"No Bacon Sandwich this morning Keith?" I asked Mr Fair (see the Ace Race Swinley report for details of the bacon sarnie incident), as the two Keiths pulled into the Car Park on a damp and cloudy Sunday morning. The race ahead of us was full of promise - a great venue (which we'd raced in with ACE Races last year) and the Trail Plus format of straight head-to-head racing (no navigation - or so we thought!).

After a quick briefing by Paul of Trailplus, we found ourselves standing at the front of the start line and we were off. The start of the race was a 3km trail run during which we settled into the middle of the pack. This first lap was mostly on open trails. These soon lead back up the hill to the first challenge near transition - the often used "Ski Plank challenge". Being fairly used to this by now, we managed to overtake a couple of teams while only losing out to one other team. It was then a quick dash to the bikes for the first half of the 15 mile mountain biking course.

We soon saw the first accident of the day. We were on the first bike descent down a deceptively simple looking grassy slope, but this was very slippery and had many hidden ruts. Just ahead of us we saw a jumble of bike's and bodies, and as we rode past a female rider was in agony - broken collarbone maybe? Not very pleasant.

Up until half way round the first lap the trails were generally wide and open. We then turned of into some singletrack alongside a Team "Chicken Legs", following the bits of Helly Hansen tape. Abruptly, the trail ended at a gully with no where obvious to go. Everyone dismounted and carried the bikes over in what we thought was the correct direction. As we came out of the trees confusion reigned until we spotted another team to our left. This wasn't the only time that we would go astray!

Finally on the lap was the climb back up to where the cars were parked. As we reached the top, disaster struck for a team next to us as one of their rear deraillers was ripped from the frame From this point on we seemed to be constantly jockeying for position with two other teams - Team "Chicken Legs" and Team "Good, the Bad and the Ugly" with their grey haired Hill wippet! We've never been disappointed through lack of descent singletrack in Trailplus's races and today was no exception. We'd always pick the other teams off on the technical sections, but then they would overtake us on the climbs.

At the end of the first lap there was a challenge - we had to cross over an area of ground by crossing between pontoons positioned every six feet. We had to get across as a team with neither ourselves or our bikes touching the floor using just one plank long enough to reach across. We were lucky to get there ahead of the crowd, as a queue soon formed behind us and the other teams crossing at that time.

After another lap of the bikes (knowing which way to go this time) we returned to transition to drop off the bikes and grab our running shoes. I counted the teams in by their bikes in transition and was pleasantly surprised to see we were in the top ten - could we hold on in the run and kayak? The next run section was about 7km and had once again we took a couple of wrong turnings. The good news was that the course was very much in the same style as the HellRunner with ups and downs, lots of stream crossings and even a rope climb up a slippery bank.

Next up was the kayaking, with the dreaded Sevylor inflatable kayaks! We had decided during the run that I would go in one kayak with the two Keiths in the other. On finding out that they were only to have the one paddle between them, I realised I had a result! We had to paddle up the lake, portage the boats up a bank, then into a second lake - I soon heard KJ's familiar call of "Butler you W*****!" This seems to be a tradition in the water now. Once we'd reached the buoy at the far end it was time to head back. It was along here that the Aussies passed us for the last time.
I exited to water at the same time as them, but had to wait a couple of minutes for the two Keiths. I chose my moment to call "Who's the W***** now!" as they struggled out of the lake.

Now all that stood in our way was a 3km run and some final challenges. We managed to keep the running going except on the steepest sections - we were only caught by a lone runner - we wondered what happened to his team mates - still wandering round lost in Ashdown forest no doubt. At last the end was in sight and we came to the final hurdles. First up a three legged sack race - this proved to be quite a relief as it was only possible to walk round so we could keep in rhythm. Second was a crawl under the obligatory cargo net. It never ceases to surprise me how heavy this is. Then, finally, the usual slippery wall obstacle - except this time, there was no run up to it as it was straight after a ditch. I laid back against it and gave the Keiths a leg up. Then, with a final effort, they hauled me over and I just about managed to avoid landing on my head.

That was it - we were over the line in 3:15:00 and in 9th place - a We Eat Mud record. All that was left was for Keith Fair to vomit whilst simultaneously falling into a ditch - this proved to be the funniest moment of the day (well - for myself and KJ anyway).