Seven weeks and counting!

As we all move into high gear for the final weeks before Primal Quest Badlands Presented by SPOT there are several important items to attend to.

Team captains are responsible for ensuring that each team member receives and digests this final Competitor Newsletter. There are several “Action Items” included in this document and we ask that you complete each task by the due date so that our pre-event planning goes smoothly.

We also ask that you honor our generous Partners by perusing their ads at the end of the newsletter. Their involvement has made it possible for us all to “play” in South Dakota this August.

Thank you for your continued enthusiasm and we look forward to seeing you soon!

Dawn Taylor Mann
Competitor Relations Director/Director of Operations
dawn.mann@ecoprimalquest.com

Hello Badlands Team Captains!

We’re pleased to provide you with the April Competitor Newsletter, which includes a great deal of valuable information as we move closer to the race in August.  Please ensure each of your team members reads the newsletter in its entirety.  I’m available to answer any questions you might have.

Enjoy your spring training and racing, and we look forward to seeing you in just three and a half months!

Dawn Taylor Mann
Primal Quest Competitor Relations/Operations Director
Dawn.mann@ecoprimalquest.com

• Tim Powell, Supervising Producer (Eco Challenge FIJI Islands, Eco Challenge New Zealand, Eco Challenge British Columbia, National Geographic Explorer, Eco Challenge Borneo, and Raid Gauloises – Race Across The Himalayas)
• Brian Catalina, Editor (The Alaska Experiment. Deadliest Catch, Survivor. Eco-Challenge Fiji Islands, Eco Challenge New Zealand, Eco Challenge Borneo , Raid Gauloises – Race Across the Himalayas, and Raid Gauloises – Race Across Ecuador)
• Bruce Hanifan, Composer (The Alaska Experiment, Ax Men, Ice Road Truckers , Deadliest Catch, Eco Challenge Fiji Islands, Raid Gauloises -Race Across the Himalayas)

Additional features include promos from Broadcast Partner RUSH HD, Presenting Partner SPOT, and State Partner Travel Montana.

The eagerly anticipated Primal Quest 2008 DVD can be ordered now from the online  PQ Store and will be shipped beginning April 15. Cost is $24.99 plus shipping/handling.

Also, stay tuned for a soon-to-be released message about where and when you can view all four episodes AND videos of previous Primal Quest races on television.

My partner, Bryan “Wick” Wickenhauser, and I ended up 4^th place after 9 hours 35 minutes of racing.  Jon Brown and Brian Smith ended up 7^th and Jari Kirkland and Tucker brought home 2^nd in the co-ed division.  Mike Kloser and Jay Henry won the race.  It was a decent showing for Team Salomon/Crested Butte in one of the toughest races we do all year.  Teammate Travis Macy opted for a summer option and won the solo division at the 12-Hour Adventure Xstream Moab race.

The week leading up to the Traverse is always fun as the training becomes a minimum, and arriving at the starting line, “the fresher the better” is my motto.  So Wednesday, Thursday , and Friday were total days off with jus a 10 minute ice bath Wednesday and Thursday.  It just gives me a chance to get all the gear totally dialed in and minimize everything to the smallest degree in the pack.  So here is what the rest of the week looked like:

• Monday – Rest day with a 12 minutes ice bath and foam roller session on the legs.
• Tuesday – Ski previewed the first 2.5 hours of the Grand Traverse course and evening ice bath.
• Wednesday –  90 minute massage, ice bath.
• Thursday- Rest day.
• Friday- Race begins at midnight!
• Sunday – 45 minute run and 30 mile road ride to Crested Butte, ice bath.
• Monday – 1 hour on the HALO swim trainer and 90 minutes on the stationary bike with some muscle tension intervals to a 30 minute treadmill run as it was snowing again and blowing 30 m.p.h. outside.  Ice bath and I am ready for Spring!!

As a team we didn’t work on anything for the week together, however we all had to have our gear dialed in for the race so packing and gear minimizing were key components for everyone, which will make it easier to know exactly how much food and water to bring out on a 8-9 hour section in Primal Quest only a few months away.  Remember the 6 P’s of racing folks, “Prior Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance”!!

Some gear modifications that we made especially for the Grand Traverse were attaching retractable dog leashes on the inside of the pack with the leash exiting at the bottom, making for a non swing tow-strap that zips back inside the pack after use; it’s a hands-free towing device!  Another was the hand warmer taped up H2O bottle to prevent freezing your water instantly.

The next event to start looking forward to for me is the Foster Grant Ironman 70.3 event in Orlando , FL on May 17^th.   So putting away the skis for the season yesterday felt good as I am as jazzed as ever to get in the pool and swim, swim, swim.   Now I know swimming isn’t the funnest thing ever but I can guarantee that hard swimming with intervals will make any athlete no matter their fitness a whole heck of a lot better, especially for the paddling sections in these long adventure races, which is where more racers lack than any other department in a race such as Primal Quest.  So try hitting the pool 3x’s a week and work on your weaknesses this pre-season and feel confident the middle of August!

Cheers,

Sully

“Training for a race like Primal Quest goes beyond following a detailed schedule. The training requires a mind set to achieving a dream that was never thought possible and that dream becomes paramount,” said Don Mann, Director of Primal Quest. “Orienteering is one skill racers competing in Primal Quest Badlands Presented by SPOT will need to brush up on as there will be more navigational choices than in past races.”

Team South Dakota includes four state residents. Team leader, Paulette Kirby, had much to say about how their training for the event was going, “This is our first experience with Primal Quest and our training is going well. We do as much as we can to train so we enjoy and finish the race. We all understand that we will suffer, but the challenges faced will be as rewarding as ever. We believe we are doing everything possible to meet the challenge and are looking forward to competing against the other teams in August.”

The team has been to a different location each weekend for training. Some of the places they have been include: Needles and Cathedral Spires, Sylvan Road, Alkali Creek, Ft. Meade, Bear Butte, Mount Rushmore and the Railroad Buttes. Soon the team will be heading to Primal Quest Climbing training in Moab, Utah. This will provide training in traversing, ascending and descending.

Kim Dunkin, adventure racing athlete, provides these helpful tips when it comes to training:

·       Take care of your feet. No matter how fast you are if you have bad feet you are a liability.
·       The treadmill is your friend if you do not live in a hilly area. Hike or run up to 2 hours on a full incline.
·       Be able to run 20 miles, bike 100 miles, and then kayak for 4-6 hours all on the same day to prepare yourself for the start line.

·       Be sure you love your team; it is a long race together!

Racers should also keep in mind the following during training for Primal Quest Badlands:

·       Train well in both day and night navigation.
·       Know how to treat and manage medical issues.
·       Understand nutrition, hydration and sleep deprivation.
·       Train the way you want to race and be consistent.
·       Know your team’s strengths and weaknesses and train together.
·       Research the area in which the race takes place and be prepared for everything.

For more tips on training for Primal Quest, visit: http://www.ecoprimalquest.com/wp-primal/category/ar-tips/.

At approximately 600 miles, the 2009 course is the longest course in Primal Quest history and is very challenging for a number of reasons. Since the race takes place in the middle of August, there is also the possibility for extreme heat, particularly in Badlands National Park due to the rough terrain, lack of water and lack of shade.

The Rapid City Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) has partnered with the South Dakota Office of Tourism through the Million Dollar Challenge program to bring Primal Quest to the state. The Million Dollar Challenge program is part of the 2010 Initiative to double visitor spending in South Dakota. The Office of Tourism serves under the direction of Richard Benda, Secretary of the Department of Tourism and State Development. Program requirements, applications and additional information are available at www.SDVisit.com.

Primal Quest 2008 was filmed, edited, and produced by the most experienced adventure sports television production crew of all time, and the quality is revealed in these episodes. The PQ management team is still negotiating with several broadcast partners in the United States, and we will be making an announcement soon about US and international scheduling.

Additionally, this spring you’ll be able to take “The World’s Most Challenging Human Endurance Competition” home when the entire television series is released on DVD.

Enjoy the preview videos and prepare to return to Big Sky Country with the full episodes soon!

One of highlights of the Primal Quest Expedition Adventure Race is its ropes course; big, exposed, airy and difficult.  In the 2006 Utah race, the course consisted of 6 miles of rope at 5 separate locations, involving ascending, rappelling and traversing thousands of feet of vertical rock walls, canyons and desert towers.  This was without a doubt, the world’s largest ropes course ever constructed.  Only 24 teams completed the entire ropes section.  Many called it the best part of the race while others called it the scariest thing they had ever done!

The 2008 ropes course in Montana presented new challenges with 5.7 free climbing and wild, via ferrata type ridge ascents up slender spires in a wild setting.  Top teams proclaimed this was the most varied and awesome ropes course ever constructed, thus with this encouragement future races will take these trends to new heights, demanding greater skill levels and including more free climbing.  The folks at Primal Quest want to help prepare you for these challenges.

Jay Smith, Primal Quest’s ropes course director, in conjunction with Moab Desert Adventures, is offering training sessions in Moab, Utah.  These 2 and 3 day programs will teach you all the necessary skills required to be safe and efficient while climbing hundreds of feet off the ground.  We will show you the latest and lightest equipment, how to rig your systems and safe efficient techniques to ascend, traverse, rappel and free climb any terrain that you could possibly encounter not only in adventure racing, but in any vertical environment.

We will have a “real”, spectacular and exciting multi-pitch ropes course set up, complete with a highline on which to practice and refine your skills.  Through individual attention we can help dial in a system that works for you on any angle of terrain, including “overhanging” with a pack. These are proven techniques that are the most versatile and efficient used by climbers the world over and adapted to the sport of adventure racing.

I have seen numerous types of systems used in my 18 years of involvement with AR and without a doubt our systems out perform all others in energy saving, speed, weight, versatility and safety.  In 2008 there was a 9 – 10 hour difference between the fastest and slowest teams.  It is our opinion that even the fastest team could shave hours off their time with proper techniques and practice.  How much training time have you devoted to your rope skills?  As much as paddling? Half as much as mountain biking? One whole day? We are the experts designing the ropes course and testing the competitors.  We know exactly what will be required of you. Get that competitive edge and save valuable time and energy.  Be safe and fast, and be winners!  Get the training you need with the best qualified instructors in the nation.  This ain’t no party. This ain’t no disco.  Were not just playing games.  This is Primal Quest, the World’s Most Challenging Human Endurance Competition! Get with the program and be the first on the summit!

- Jay Smith
Primal Quest Ropes Course Director

Two-Day Program (full days)

• Instruction includes: -Equipment selection, and set up.
• Ascending fixed ropes with ascenders and use of Croll with chest harness option.
• Use of the Absorbaca and Basic Ascender
• Vertical, overhanging and low angle.
• Knot passing.
• Buddy system rappels with various devices.
• Highline and handline traverses
• Via ferrata type climbing
• Mini Traction free climbing

Three-Day Program

Includes everything taught in the Two0-Day Program with an additional day of free climbing, crack and face climbing.

Equipment:  Same as PQ requirements for the ropes section, a medium daypack and appropriate clothing. Please inquire if you have any questions.

These courses are only offered during the following scheduled dates due to the preparation of a full ropes course being pre-rigged.  We will take reservations on a first come basis and a non-refundable deposit must be paid at the time of booking.  These programs are limited to 8 competitors (2 teams) per program and require eight people to participate to be cost effective.  We will work with your team to schedule accordingly.

Moab is a great place to train! We have hundreds of miles of varied desert and mountain terrain, world-class mountain biking, rock climbing, river rafting, kayaking, base jumping, endless navigational challenges, beautiful landscapes and mild weather.  Come and get the edge on the competition!

Programs are offered:
March 21 – March 29; and June 6 – 14

Prices:Two-Day program – Team price $1000 or $125/person/day
Three-Day Program – Team price $1500 or $125/person/day

Please contact Jay Smith and High and Wild Mountain Guides:
highandwild@earthlink.net or call (435) 259-4271.

You can also book through Moab Desert Adventures:
dave@moabdesertadventures.com or call (435) 260-2774.

Dear Team Captains,

We’re excited to be sending the first Competitor Newsletter to teams competing in Primal Quest Badlands Presented by SPOT! Included in this first of three Newsletters is information about payments, the course, certifications, mandatory gear, and other questions that you may have been curious about. Also included are messages from our generous Partners without whom putting on a race of this magnitude would not be possible.

Click here to download Newsletter #1. The Newsletter is in Adobe PDF format. Click here to download the latest Adobe Reader.

The Newsletter can also be found in the Team Resources section of the Primal Quest website along with other helpful resources as you prepare for the 6th Edition of the Primal Quest Expedition Adventure Race.

I look forward to hearing from you!

Dawn Taylor Mann
Director of Competitor Relations
Dawn.Mann@ecoprimalquest.com

The first story is a brief overview on the history of Primal Quest and adventure racing in general, while the second article gives a preview of Primal Quest Badlands and what teams can expect in South Dakota next August. The final story is an interview with mother-daughter racing team of Kathy Roche-Wallace and Melissa Hughes who competed in Montana in 2008.

The Bare Essentials web interface is a slick and easy to use, with plenty of content to read. It’s easy to page through the virtual edition, or jump directly to any article you like by typing it in at the top of the page. Thee are also tools for zooming in on the page or printing the stories that you like. 

Thank you to Bare Essentials for this outstanding coverage for Primal Quest fans down under.

Photo by Andres Vargas

David was a well known member of the adventure racing community and his presence will be missed. An online photo gallery dedicated to his memory can be found here, and it contains a number of images from Primal Quest Montana, where Team MOAT finished in fifth place.

The thoughts and prayers of the entire Primal Quest team are with David’s friends and family. Our condolences at your loss.