Is telling people that you’re training for a big run not quite having the same impact nowadays? Or do you struggle to stick to a single sport? Sounds like you need to sign up to an adventure race – and Maximum Adventure are hosting one in February at Lake Macquarie that’s sure to keep your new year’s resolutions in check.

What’s adventure racing? Think multiple sports, in the bush, with a dollop of navigation thrown in. Pretty sweet right? Like a triathlon but off-road and not limited to running, swimming and pedalling. They’re also generally done in teams and feature heaps of fast-paced stages to keep you on your toes.

The Lake Macquarie Adventure Race

Outdoor adventure race experts Maximum Adventure are the local gurus and host five races each year on the east coast of Australia. The Lake Macquarie Adventure Race is the first one for 2020 and the perfect opportunity to give the sport of adventure racing a red hot crack.

What’s involved?

The Lake Macquarie Adventure Race involves trail running, mountain biking and kayaking, the traditional ‘big three’ of adventure racing. It’s a great chance to bond with a mate (or partner if you’re brave) as the race is designed for teams of two to complete together. 

lake macquarie adventure race, 2019, maximum adventure, photo by outer image collective, trail running

Kayaks, paddles and PFDs are provided and you can rent a helmet and bike through their recommended supplier if needed. It’ll take between two and six hours to complete the course, which will go by in an action-packed flash as you constantly swap between the disciplines and navigate through checkpoints in a specific order. There are also some bonus checkpoints for faster teams, how many will you get?

Don’t worry if you’re not a whiz with a compass, if you can read a street directory (remember those?) you’ll be fine!

Read More: Adventure Racing 101

It’s my first race! How far is it?

The course changes every year and is released on race day. There’s a Classic length and a Novice one (which is great for first timers).

The Classic course features a total of 15-25km of mountain biking, 5-10km of trail running and 2-4km of kayaking while the Novice course has 5-15km of mountain biking, 3-5km of trail running and 1-2km of kayaking. Tough stuff, but totally achievable, we believe in you.

The sport’s growing rapidly, with about 60% of participants adventure racing for the first time, so you won’t be alone!

lake macquarie adventure race, 2019, maximum adventure, photo by outer image collective, mountain biking, girls

The 2020 Course

The Max Adventure team have really changed up the course this year and are focusing heaps of the action around the Pacific Ocean. We’re particularly psyched about the ‘coasteering’ section, which involves racing your way across coastal rock platforms above crashing waves. 

Don’t worry if you’re new to kayaking though, that’ll all take place on the much more protected waters of Lake Macquarie. Trail running and mountain biking will take you between the lake and the ocean as you tackle a range of challenging (but beautiful) beach and forest environments.

lake macquarie adventure race, 2019, maximum adventure, photo by outer image collective, mountain biking

Sign Up Now!

The Lake Macquarie Adventure Race is happening on Saturday 15th February, 2020 and is sure to be an epic mental and physical challenge for you and a mate. Sign up before January 16th to beat the price rise and save $20!

 

Beat The Price Rise

 

Why not make a weekend of it? Lake Mac is a great place to escape the city life, check out some of our favourite adventures.

All photos thanks to Outer Image Collective