Place
Bentonville, VA US 22610
Description
You’ve sat and listened to your friend’s stories, grimaced at their scrapes and bruises, oohed and ahhed over their race photos, and watched the dots long enough. It’s time to come to the adventure racing side. The AR Immersion is for anyone wanting to gain experience and explore the amazing sport of adventure racing. Immerse yourself in adventure—it’s the proven path to success and it’s going to be fun as heck.
At the AR Immersion, you will learn the foundations of adventure racing (which include navigation, mountain biking, paddling, and trekking) by doing those things with people who live and breathe it. This 1-day clinic is geared toward those wanting to get into the sport for the first time but is also useful for those ready to try a 24-hour AR.
Spots are limited to 15 people.
What you get:
- Professional instruction in navigation, paddling, biking, and trekking
- Confidence and skills to tackle the Shenandoah Epic or your next 24-hour adventure race
- Sample maps and rules of travel
- A great day out in the woods with like-minded folks running, paddling, and biking
- Hands-on practice with map & compass
- Personalized feedback from experienced adventure racers
- Detailed skills checklist and race-day gear checklist to take home
- Teamwork and race strategy coaching for beginners
- Guidance on nutrition, hydration, and race-day preparation
- Q&A with instructors and experienced racers
- Networking with other new adventure racers
- Adventure Enablers and Downriver SWAG
What you will need
One of the goals of the clinic is to review all the equipment you’ll need to participate in an adventure race, so we don’t expect you to arrive with every piece of gear. At a minimum, please bring:
- Clothing suitable for a full day outdoors
- A change of clothes
- A towel in case you get wet
Dress in layers and avoid wearing cotton. Bring a raincoat. Depending on the weather, you may also need gloves and a heavy coat. We’ll send out a detailed recommended packing list a few days before the clinic.
You will also need to bring a mountain bike. If you do not have one, bikes are available to rent for the day for $40.
Schedule
Overview
- Purpose: Build adventure racing skills, teamwork, and confidence for beginners.
- Format: Mix of instruction, hands-on activities, and group reflection
- Group Size: 10–15 participants
Schedule
8:00 AM – 8:30 AM: Check-in & Welcome
- Registration and gear check
- Meet the instructors and fellow participants
- Overview of the day
8:30 AM – 9:00 AM: Introduction to Adventure Racing
- Clinic goals and safety briefing
- Adventure race basics: disciplines, navigation, teamwork
- Sample maps and Rules of Travel
- Mandatory gear
9:00 AM – 11:00 AM: Navigation & Map Skills
- Reading topo maps and using a compass
- Route planning and strategy
- Practice: mini navigation challenge on foot
11:00 AM – 12:30 AM: Paddling Techniques
- Canoe/kayak basics: strokes, steering, safety
- On-water practice session
12:30 AM – 1:15 PM: Lunch
1:15 PM – 3:30 PM: Mountain Biking Skills
- Bike fit, basic maintenance
- Trail riding techniques and safety
- Practice: mini navigation challenge on bike
3:30 PM – 4:00 PM: Teamwork & Race Strategy
- Communication, roles, and pacing
- Problem-solving challenges
4:00 PM – 4:30 PM: Debrief & Q&A
- Group reflection on lessons learned
- Tips for future races
- Open Q&A with instructors
4:30 PM – 5:00 PM: Wrap-up & Networking
- Share resources and contacts
- Clinic feedback and next steps
Clinic Contact Info
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Directions
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