A muddy Kinetic Adventure

This morning it was the second Kinetic Adventure event of the year and after almost non-stop rain over the past two days, it was bound to be wet and muddy out there.

The race was held from Amazingwe, near Hartebeespoort Dam, which we rode through last year. This wedding and conference centre is also some to the Ama Zwing Zwing  zip line activity. For the race last year, and this, we just zipped down one of the lines - there are more all linked to each other. The ropes guys here are so on the ball; the best display of bulk efficiency and proficiency I've ever encountered. They were as good this year as last at getting what must have been around 250 people through the zip line swiftly.

I'm again racing in a three-person women's team for these Kinetic Adventure events. We don't have Triumph as our team sponsor again (new marketing manager in place just before the series started) but we're keeping the all-girls thing going and just racing as Team AR. I'm mixing up the team this year and having at least one new girl with us for each race.

Lisa, Vicky and Jackie

 My racing buddies for this race were Vicky and Jackie. Vix raced with me in February and this was the first time that we've raced with Jackie. And it was Jackie's first time racing in a girls team. We race hard but we also have fun - it's not the heads-down hard-paced racing of the front mixed teams. We definitely have time for calls of whoop-whoop along the way and lots of laughs. 


Taking the slide down easy - these obstacles look like harmless jumping castles but they're not.
If you slide too fast and land hard you could be in for a broken ankle - Jackie knows first-hand.

Jackie enjoyed her all-girls experience. And, even better, we beat her husband, Alistair; she usually races with him. OK, so Al and Dean with Greg damaged their map and rode like headless chickens in the wrong direction until they found Richard & Rika - and then us. But still, we beat his team. Al, you're not going to live this down any time soon ;) 



Always time to wave to the crowds ;)

The course was a good one with a long mountain bike leg that took us though some fabulous mud, like I haven't seen for a long time. Sticky, thick and mushy. On the short little dam paddle, I was the non-paddling piggy-in-the-middle; my first time ever! I've paddled on all of the races so it was a nice change. The cycle was a good one with an excellent mix of terrain and super scenery. We also saw some buck and a mommy zebra with her baby.


My muddy buddies. Jackie, Lisa and Vicky, with Calvin

 

Yay! Up on top. Vicky's son, Calvin, joins us.

We were delighted to take our place on top of the podium - we like it up there. Girls reading this post, we're definitely not unbeatable and I challenge you to get your girl friends together to make a women's team. It is a fun format racing with girls, expecially for these short events.

Again Heidi, Stephan and their team of people who put these Kinetic Adventure events on did brilliantly. Super venue, routes and vibe. The planning of races takes dozens of hours - I know from experience! - and yet the event itself takes place in a fraction of that time. When you're juggling family, friends, full-time jobs... Heidi and Stephan, your presentation of these races is very, very appreciated. See you all at the next one on 26 June.