During the two weeks prior to Swamp Stomp (or any race for that matter) our poor home turns into pre-race central–where we print maps and instructions, gather and sort prizes, take in boxes of goodies for schwag bags, stuff bags, sort maps, and label and sort orienteering flags. It really is the epitome of organized chaos (wait, I don’t think there is such a thing…).
Register for Squiggy NOW!!!
•February 1, 2010 • Leave a Comment
Okay, I spent most of my day on Saturday deep in the woods exploring and planning the foot section for the upcoming Squiggy Classic Adventure Race. All I can say is that I was blown away by the beauty of the area. Many people know how much I love big trees–well, there were some magnificent oaks and cypress where I trekked. Definitely some interesting features to use as checkpoints (or maybe the beginning of a string of checkpoints?).
I saw multiple groups of deer (several times) bounding off in different directions, flocks of turkey, red shouldered hawks chowing down on an armadillo and, of course, a few hogs. It was a great day to be in the woods and I am excited to share this area with the folks who will be doing this year’s Squiggy Classic Adventure Race.
TODAY is the last day of early registration–so if you’d like to see this special area and save some money on your entry fees, register now at www.wecefar.com!
I’ve posted a couple of photos from the area I was exploring. There were so many cool trees it was hard to choose which to shoot. And, I can only take a few photos as it’s a pain to get them off my anitquated phone! Still, they’ll give you a sense of the beauty of where you’ll be racing on foot. Hope to see you there!
Tomorrow’s Day in the Woods
•January 30, 2010 • Leave a Comment
I’ve got a large advanced n
avigation class on Sunday, so I’ll be out in the woods at the Oak Ridge Equestrian Area tomorrow making sure things are in place. I’m hoping to be putting my feet on the ground as the sun comes up–nothing like starting at the freshest time of day. I’m also hoping to beat the rain that is supposed to be coming tomorrow.
I’m really not hopeful about beating the rain–after the work at Oak Ridge I’ll be ducking into the Hillsborough County Wilderness Parks to work on the foot section for the March 14 Squiggy Classic Adventure Race. I’m really looking forward to that as I’ll be exploring some areas I’ve not been to in a few years and some that I’ve never been to on foot. My feet are sure to get wet–that’s all I can say for now.
If I get some good photos and have the time tomorrow night, I’ll post them with some follow-up comments on how it all went. Either way, I’m looking forward to a great day in the woods–pushing my body and my mind!
Leg Press Sled Blues…
•January 26, 2010 • Leave a CommentIt’s been a week and two days since I ventured into the YMCA weight room–excited to hit the machines and free weights. I had not worked out in a “real gym” in a while and was just looking forward to something different. In my college and post-college days, I did a lot of work on the leg press sled and was anxious to give it a test after all the Feed the Warrior Gym workouts I’d been doing over the last year.
My legs felt good on the first few sets. I sat there realizing how small a range of motion you really get out of that machine and how it was unlike most of the movements I use in sports and life–must have been a premonition. As I pushed the amount of weight up, I still felt good. But, on one particular set, as I lowered the weights toward my chest, I felt and heard a “POP!” It really felt like something (muscle, cartilage?) had slipped over bone.
I think I cursed under my breath and got off the machine–disgusted. Disgusted, not just because of the injury, but because it was the exact same injury that I got on the exact same machine nearly two years ago–the last time I used that machine. Guess who won’t be using that machine again?
So, for me (and many other people I found online), the leg press sled (for all the tons of weight I moved on it when I was younger) no longer works. I’ll stick with the movements I’ve been doing to strengthen my legs–lunges, squats, cleans and the variations that I’ve embraced in the Feed the Warrior Gym.
Oh…the blues? Rib (and/or “rib cage”) injuries suck. But, on a positive note, they do act to remind you just how much you depend on that mid-body link–your core–in everyday life–even the acts of getting out of bed, or taking a deep breath, or turning the steering wheel requires the connection between your upper and lower bodies.
So, the warrior is easing back into working out (other than the long paddle I did on Sunday for the sake of all you Swamp Stomp racers), but getting antsy to step it up a notch. The only plus is that it gives me a bit more time to focus on my novel, on the Swamp Stomp and to re-examine my workout routines.
Wingnut Adventure Racing Packs at Bill Jackson’s
•January 20, 2010 • Leave a CommentI wanted to let everyone know that Bill Jackson’s Shop for Adventure in Pinellas Park, FL, is now carrying a limited selection of Wingnut adventure racing and multisport packs.
Wingnut packs are designed to ride low on your back and to have pockets that are easily reachable for getting quickly to snacks and gear. I had the opportunity to test one of the adventure racing packs several years ago at the Beast of the East and it was one of the (if not the) best pack for a longer AR that I had worn.
Team Bill Jackson’s will be using the Hyper 3.0 in the upcoming Son of Swamp Stomp Adventure Race on February 13. I look forward to hearing their feedback on the product.
At this point, Bill Jackson’s has the Adventure 06–their largest pack–and the Enduro–their second largest pack.
For more information, check out http://www.wingnutgear.com. To find Bill Jackson’s go to http://www.billjacksons.com.
Breathe Magazine Swamp Stomp Article!
•January 19, 2010 • Leave a CommentGreat article on our Swamp Stomp 30-Hour Adventure Race in Breathe Magazine:
http://www.breathemag.ca/component/content/article/41-frontpage/143-stompin-through-the-swamp–
A great way to get psyched for a great race!
Feb 7 Paddling for Adventure Racing Clinic
•January 18, 2010 • Leave a CommentSunday, February 7, 2010
10am-2pm
Bill Jackson’s Shop for Adventure
Pinellas Park, FL
Paddling during the Raid the North Extreme--Canadian Yukon
Join adventure racer and adventure race director Kip Koelsch for this introductory clinic on the basics of paddling kayaks and canoes for adventure racing. Kip will cover teamwork in canoes, paddling canoes with kayak paddles, forward strokes, maneuvering strokes, outfitting your boats for racing and training for paddling. We spend time on the water as well as on land and in the classroom.
Currently a race director at WeCeFAR and Bill Jackson’s employee, Kip is a two-time overall winner of the Florida Coast to Coast Adventure Race, a two-time member of the US Canoe/Kayak Marathon Team and a three-time finisher of the Colorado River 100. He has raced all over the US—Georgia, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, Nevada and California—and all over the world—Borneo, Canadian Yukon, British Virgin Islands, Trinidad and Newfoundland.
Fee: $68 per person
Register by calling Bill Jackson’s Shop for Adventure at 727-576-4169 or online at
http://www.active.com/event_detail.cfm?event_id=1819706
Get a jump on the competition as you know that many of our Florida races involve a significant amount of paddling!
Chipping Away…new title?
•January 16, 2010 • 1 CommentSo, I AM managing to chip away (sometimes only a few sentences at a sitting) at my rewrite of The Built-in Smile. I am getting it done and hoping that during one of my sessions my fingers will fly across the keys like Mozart. I remember THAT feeling when I was first writing the book–and, I want it back!
One of the items I’ll be struggling with shortly is the title. When I started the book, the title–The Built-in Smile–based on an old quote from Jacques Cousteau, seemed right. Here is the quote:
What is it that makes us like dolphins so much?
Because they have a built in smile that has nothing to do with smiling.
–Jacques Yves Cousteau, E Magazine, 1996
But, since that time the story has evolved and the title really doesn’t convey much about the story itself–hence, the ensuing dilemma.
Swamp Stomp 30-Hour Adventure Race
•January 12, 2010 • 1 CommentI was out on the race course this past weekend doing some final exploring and I have to say that this is one of my favorite areas that we have used for racing. It will be a true Swamp Stomp experience for all those who participate–challenging terrain mixed with options for some challenging navigation. I had a great time this past weekend navigating through trackless cypress swamp–spooking a huge red-tailed hawk and sneaking up on a large flock of turkeys as I slid through the vegetation boundary and into a grassy clearing.
Jessica deep within the bowels of the earth. Okay, maybe only 20 feet down.
The previous weekend, Jessica and I tested one of the major foot sections and we were impressed with the variety of terrain and unique features of the area–it is a run/trek not to be missed. Even though the temperatures were in the 30s, we had a great time and it reminded me of why I love to be out in the woods tromping through the bush and finding my way to cool places.
So, if you are looking for a challenge for your body, your mind and your friends, put together a team and register for the Swamp Stomp 30-Hour Adventure Race or the shorter, Son of Swamp Stomp–February 13 and 14.
More information at www.wecefar.com.
Kip Koelsch Author 