Adventures in Racing

I have discovered a surprising trait shared by all of the endurance athletes I have interviewed for this column. You might guess it would be tenacity, confidence or dedication and you would be right. They all possess these qualities, but those traits aren’t so surprising when you think about the distances some of these athletes are covering or the adventures they have taken on. What is surprising is that all of the athletes I have interviewed, without exception, are modest.

While you might expect them to bombard you with their accomplishments within seconds of starting an interview, I have found it is almost like pulling teeth to get them to share stories that most of us mere mortals find fascinating and inspiring.

Michael Berry and Bill Vickers were no exception. I met them this weekend to discuss their participation in the METAvivor Adventure Race. I had expressed interest in learning more about the sport of paddle triathlon and Michael who is relatively new to the sport, suggested we include his friend and teammate, Bill Vickers.

We spoke about their childhood that revolved around sports, about Michael’s early love of mountain biking, about the short period of time for both of these super athletic men where they let their fitness slide before getting into triathlon, about their Ironman races over the years, and about their participation in the Race Across America with Team Adventures for the Cure.

But as we were wrapping up our interview, I asked what I thought would be a final question, “Of all of the races you have run, of all of the events you have participated in, which one stands out for you the most?”

This is when I found what they were hiding. What they were too modest to just come out with. These two seemingly average Joes are adventure athletes.

An adventure race is exactly what it sounds like. It is an off-road race that almost always consists of a paddle stage, a cycling stage and a trekking stage, but might also include repelling, mental puzzles, or any number of challenges. In addition, the teams must navigate through the course and decide on the course they will take without aid stations or assistance from anyone outside of their team.

For the next hour I listened as they opened up about races that have involved wading through a 38 degree swamp hoping the alligators were really hibernating, mountain biking through the night while one of their teammates kept falling asleep on the bike coming precariously close to the edge of cliffs several times, coming through hours of that same ride thinking the end must be in sight, only to find they had to climb 11,000 feet on their mountain bikes before reaching that much coveted finish line.

Michael admitted that the sport is not for the feint of heart.

“I have never done anything before where we were so close to death at any moment," he said. "But I enjoy the adventure.”

He went on to say though that it is important to stay on an even keel. When racing for 24 or more hours, you become so exhausted, emotions can run high. So if the teammates can avoid the affects of the adrenaline rush, it makes the day a lot easier for everybody.

Of all of the races they have done, both Bill and Michael agree, the National Adventure Racing Championships in 2010, was the most incredible event they have been a part of to date. The race took place in Moab, UT, and the terrain alone would have made the trip worthwhile. But the race itself was everything an adventure racer could dream of.

On race day they riverboarded down the Colorado River, transitioned to kayaking immediately after, trekked through some of the most beautiful natural rock formations in the world, traverses a canyon on a zip line and mountain biked through Slick Rock Trail, a mountain bikers dream course.

Still, while this event was the adventure of a lifetime, the two would like to travel internationally to compete in adventure racing. Michael also said he is looking forward to one day, “way in the future,” completing the Race across America as a solo rider.

The fact that they are looking for the next adventure, the next challenge, the next opportunity to push themselves is not surprising. These two have found a passion for their sport.

As with anybody who has found something they truly love, Bill and Michael love to share the sport with others. They point out that adventure racing is open to anyone. If you are interested in becoming a part of the sport, Bill suggests you start with a small race like the local METAvivor Adventure Race in Hillsmere this April. 

“I don’t want people to look at the things we do and think they can’t do it,” Michael told me before we said our final goodbyes. “It is a very welcoming sport and we love when new people want to become a part of it.”

Endurance athletes are an interesting group.  They are tougher than most of us believe we are. The have completed challenges most of us have never dreamed of.  But that is the very thing that makes them modest.

They know there are more challenges out there. They believe that no matter what they have done, there is always someone else out there doing just that little bit more, going a little bit further, or taking a few more chances. In the end, it is this knowledge that makes the accomplishments seem like “no big deal.”