Racing for a cause
EVER DREAMT OF CROSSING over to the dark side? In your wildest fantasies what would you find there? A garden of unearthly delights to tempt your senses and corrupt your soul?
Mountain Designs Adventure Race Australia has another idea – a 12-hour adventure race consisting of 50 km of mountain biking, 30 km of cross-country trekking and 10 km of kayaking.
The Dark Side Champs event begins at midnight on Friday 10 September south of Brisbane in the Tweed Valley, and ends at midday on Saturday 11 September. The locale is 45 minutes from Gold Coast Airport and all your camping, accommodation and catering needs will be available on site. Kayak hire will also be provided for those arriving sans craft.
Contestants will race in teams of three and you have a choice of entering as a premier mixed, female, male or corporate team. Event organisers say no previous ARA experience is necessary, but judging by these distances, the event is not for the novice racer or the fainthearted. You’ll also be required to navigate and keep a pace of 7.5 km per hour to finish on time. Although that doesn’t sound fast, maintaining that speed for 12 hours straight will challenge even the most confident of contestants.
To make it through to the other side, you’ll require a reasonable level of fitness and the ability to work with your team – there’s no point crossing the finish solo, this race is all about banding together and coaching each other through.
And when you do make it to the finish, not only will you have the personal satisfaction of returning from the brink, but you’ll also be supporting a good cause – the event raises money for the Black Dog Institute and Exercise Your Mood Week.
To enter visit here.
