Fifth and final Kinetic Adventure for the year

This morning was the last of the five-series Kinetic Adventure races. They're 20-25km adventure sprint races; and they're classified as this because the contain the three primary AR disciplines (run, bike and paddle) with a navigation component (control locations marked on a Google Earth image).

I've been taking part in these races for three years now, with an all-girls team. It has been a really fun journey to race with girls and this year I brought in and alternated a new girl with almost all races. For many it was their first time racing in an all-girls team and they all totally enjoyed the experience.

Me, Sarah and Vix at race briefing

Vicky has been with me for four of the five races this year; Sarah came in for the last two and I also had Jackie, Nadine and Louise in the team. Girls, thank you for your enthusiasm and energy and being game to give this all-girls thing a try - I really enjoyed racing with you.

Today's race turned out to be our worst result ever - in three years - and all because I got a nasty puncture! We were rocking in the front-ish pack and just after crossing the railway line my rear tyre was flat. I pulled out a stick, not a thorn, that had penetrated the tyre plus, at that spot on the tyre, a double layer of tyre liners (the thick white kind!). Although this tube didn't have slime (not sure why it didn't as I usually use slime) this was not a hole that slime would have plugged.

We stopped, hopped off our bikes, got the wheel off and started trying to get the tyre off. Mission (almost) impossible! The issue was that when I got my bike in July last year, through a friend, he had tried to 'convert' my tyres to tubeless (or such) and had used a glue on the tyre and so the tyre was mostly stuck in the rim. We couldn't get to the tube. After a bit of a battle and lots of tyre levers we got it sorted. And while this was going on two big clumps of teams passed us. Oh dear.

Vix has a go at a bit of tyre pumping

And once we got the new tube in we started pumping it up. I haven't used my pump for ages (haven't had a puncture since I got the bike - had bought a new pump) but it was barely pumping air. Such a nice fancy pump and it was almost useless. Some back stragglers came past and a kind guy loaned us his pump to complete the process. Whoosh - works well! Sarah has put 'New pump for Lisa' on her list of Santa.

And we were off. And then, just past the CP at the water crossing, I heard something odd - the one side of the tyre popped off the rim. Crazy! We deflated the tube, got the tyre back on and then pumped a dash of air into it (using my kuk pump - Sarah's didn't have a bike valve conversion). There was too much distance to just run my bike in. Riding was tough on the pap wheel but we made it back ok - but very far at the back; like where we've never been before!

Vix and I did the paddle and then it was up and over the inflatable obstacle course to the finish. To my knowledge there were three all-girls teams; we came third. Oh dear! And with such a short race there was absolutely no time to make up what we'd lost.

On stage with the other two girls teams

Anyway, a good morning - always great to be out and Heidi and Stephan's Kinetic Adventure events are always enjoyable.

What is cool is that we retained our overall position as winner in the women's team category and for our efforts will each receive a pair of Asics' new Fuji Racer or Attack shoes when they land in the new year. Our thanks to Steve, from Asics, for this wonderful prize.

Series winners! Vix and and Sarah with Steve (Asics)

Next week I'm in Cape Town to teach an orienteering workshop and some meetings and some visiting. On Saturday morning I'm running Ugene Nel's First Ascent trail run with my friends Heather and Michael (they'll probably be running ahead of me - racing snakes!). Looking forward to it. And that will probably sum up my event participation for the year.