I’m racing with Team Peak Adventure, a team driven by Jarad Kohlar. Jarad has raced a lot with his Australian countryman James, but I had never met James or even Nic, our other teammate from New Zealand. Actually, nobody had met Nic before she walked in to our hotel room two nights ago!
I thought it would good if both my blog readers (and me) to get to know my new team …
From left, James, Jarad, Me, and Nic
Jarad Kohlar, 30 years old
Melbourne, Australia
Jarad (and James) is in the lead boat with Teams Seagate and Thule on his wash (Wenchou, China, April 2013)
Jarad Kohlar
Profession: Owner of PeakAdventure.com; Adventure coach/trainer
Hours of training per week: 15 – 40 hrs
Years of multisport racing: 15 years
Best multisport discipline: Kayaking or running
Your favorite race: Mark Webber Tasmania Challenge
Best racing memory: Crossing the finish line after my first expedition race at the Southern Traverse 2003 Dunedin. I learned what my body was capable of doing. (Author’s note: interestingly, this was also my first expedition race … but I finished quite a bit behind Jarad’s second place team!)
Funniest racing memory: Having race banter (yelling and screaming) with teammates in the middle of the night during a long sleep-deprived race and suddenly realizing there are people around you watching. Sometimes this can lead to some funny memories. I have images in my head from when my teammates are deep in discussion about some race navigation question and then I look at some bystanders that are looking on in total bewilderment — what are these guys doing?
Number of times you have raced in China: 10 times (Wu Long x2, Baise 3x, Taining, Wenchou, Ordos, Zunyi x2)
Why do you race in China? Culturally it’s a very cool experience. Financially it’s easy to cover costs, even if you do not perform well. It also makes you really appreciate what you have back home when you return. The course is quite fun, the event is well-organized, and the competition is always strong.
Expectations for this race: Number one is to finish. Number two is to enjoy it and have a good experience. If we accomplish those two, then we should be in the top five.
Read more about Jarad at www.jaradkohlar.com
James Pretto, 24 years old
Melbourne, Australia
Victory in the Marysville to Melbourne multisport race (20km run, 90 km road bike, 15km run, 30km paddle). April 2013
Profession: Full time student (and kayak instructor at Peak Adventure)
Hours of training per week: 15 – 25 hrs
Years of multisport racing: 7 years
Best multisport discipline: kayak
Your favorite race: Mark Webber Tasmania Challenge
Best racing memory: Winning Mark Webber Tasmania Challenge over the Kiwis in 2013 (see previous blog)
Funniest racing memory: Learning how to urinate in my kayak during the 5 day, 404 km Murray River Marathon Kayak Race. The challenge is to balance the relaxation component (needed to pee) with the core component (needed to keep the boat upright).
Number of times you have raced in China: 5times (Wu Long x2, Baise, Wenchou, Ordos)
Why do you race in China? Financially ideal for the amount of quality racing you can get here. In Australia this would cost a lot for the same type of racing. The places we get to see are spectacular. And we get to compete against the best in the world.
Expectations for this race: Have a problem-free race, which will give us the best chance for a podium finish.
Read more about James here.
Nic Leary, 29 years old
Rotorua, New Zealand
On Cardiac Climb in the 2009 World Mountain Bike Championship in Canberra, Australia.
Profession: Physical therapist with bike-fitting specialty and interest in sports medicine
Hours of training per week: 12 – 15 hrs
Years of multisport racing: 9 years (including mountain biking racing)
Best multisport discipline: Mountain bike
Your favorite race: Xterra New Zealand (off road triathlon)
Best racing memory: Competing at the Offenburg World Cup Mountain Bike race in Germany in 2010 with 10,000+ fans, all of whom congregated around four technical features of the race course. There was energetic crowd support. They were super loud and motivating throughout the race.
Funniest racing memory: Getting out of my kayak after the 70 km Coast to Coast kayaking section. It was the longest paddle of my life and my Dad and support crew hauled me out of the boat, but when they put me down my legs didn’t work. I fell back toward the water but they caught me. It took several minutes to get feeling back in my legs. Then I apologized to my support crew for having peed in my boat.
Number of times you have raced in China: This is the first time!
Why do you race in China? It sounded like an exciting thing to do. I’ve always been interested in this and the opportunity came my way.
Expectations for this race: Race hard and fast and see what happens. And enjoy it!
What else have I been doing in Wu Long?
We had a team strategy session, where we talked about our “strengths and weaknesses” as individuals and what we should expect from each other during the race. We’re all very experienced racers that “know the drill” so I feel comfortable going in to battle with these strangers 
I’ve been doing some training: two easy mountain bike rides and two runs, but one was much longer than planned!
Day #1 I rode up to the Fairy Mountain National Park, climbing from 1300 meters to about 1900. When I got to the Park entrance they asked me to pay 100 RMB (~100 kr or $15). I decided “when in China, do as the Chinese” so I bargained. I told them I didn’t have any money and I was an international racer, not a tourist. They let me in, but then called me back as I started to bike away. They wanted a picture of me of course. So I made them take one with my phone, too.
The next day I did the same ride with Team Silva and had a good chat about the race and our expectations. We did a little exploring and had to carry our bike over a fence when one of the roads dead-ended …
On the ride down, we were flying at over 60 kph. That’s when I remembered that Chinese drivers are risk-takers and one might suddenly show up in my lane. I started to slow down and BANG – exactly what I predicted – a car straight ahead! The idiot was trying to pass on a blind curve. I braked hard and just missed the ditch. The driver gave a beep of his horn as if that was plenty of warning and I was at fault
Day #3 I went for a run and happened upon some of the race markings. I followed them, assuming they would loop back in to town. But after 45 min I was lost. I had to retrace my steps all the way back. My intention was a short 50 min jog, but it became a slightly epic 90 min and 16 km run. Not ideal 36 hrs before the race start …
Day #4 we did a pre-breakfast team jog and found ourselves descending some steep stairs in to a green lush valley with beautiful rice fields surrounded by 500 meter high steep cliffs. An idyllic setting and quite clean compared to the urban jungle on the plateau above (where we were living). On the way back we passed some children who climb these 200 meters (and 1,000 stairs?) every morning on their way to school !
The most ignored sign in all of China … (Interpretation #1: no honking when driving. Interpretation #2: no recreational trombone playing)
I haven’t seen the sun since I left Stockholm 7 days ago. Misty and rainy — both gray and green. I have been drinking a lot of jasmine and green tea and lovin’ it. (Luckily for my Swedish friends they dusted off some coffee makers in the cafeteria yesterday).
TEAM KARLSTAD
There are two well-established Swedish teams racing here and they will be battling for victory – Team Silva Haglöfs and Team Thule. You can read about them on their websites.
But there’s also a new Swedish team from Karlstad that is here for the first time. I’m headed down the hall now to chat with them …
Team Karlstad: Martin (left), Olof, Elin, and Peter
Who are you guys?
- Elin Lundgren, 28, Land Surveyor
- Olof Solberg, 28, Personal banking advisor, Nordea
- Peter Gustafsson, 28, Construction Manager, PEAB
- Martin Holmstrand, 27, Long distance XC skier
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Have you raced together before as a team? No, first time!
Why did you guys come to China ? For the adventure but also because of the type of race — we like to race fast in stage … and then sleep at night . We have heard that it’s a very well organized race. It was also an affordable race for us.
What are you most looking forward to? Martin (the professional skier) says: It’s the money of course . The others agree, but they are also excited by the chance to race against the best in the world and to race together as a team.
What are you least looking forward to? The risk of being sick!
What has been the most challenging so far? Just getting here was a challenge! First we needed a race invitation, then we needed to get vacation time, then we needed a visa … then we had problems with an expired passport and time was running out! It was only 5 days before the race that we got the clear signal to come.
Special planning that you have done just for this race? First, was bringing Martin the pro skier and second, was packing dehydrated food as a back-up plan if we get sick.
What’s next? We’re also planning on doing the Zunyi race next week in China just like you, Scott !
Read more about the team here (in Swedish)
The race Prolog is tomorrow (Wednesday) and includes ~ 55 minutes of running, biking, and “chair carrying” (you’ll see when I post the next blog…). Full speed and no room for errors. Our placing in this short event determines the starting order on Day 1, which is Thursday.
Stay tuned …
By the way, Jarad’s partner Emma is also here and she will be taking some pictures and updating the Peak Adventure Website with updates. Check that out during the race as a complement to my blog à www.peakadventure.com.au
Be well
Scott
PS I got the following email from my sister after my last blog (Kelly is known for her extraordinary ability to scrutinize a manuscript and find a typo)
Can I buy an a? woman is mistakenly spelled “women” … Which is actually ironic now that I think about it since YOU are the one who needs to buy an a …. 
