One of the most inspiring events on the annual adventure racing calendar is scheduled to take place this coming weekend in Fruita, Colorado. It's called the Adventure TEAM Challenge and it stands out from all the other adventure racing events in that each team of five is required to have two disabled athletes as part of group, and one of those must be in a wheelchair.The three-day event is entering its fifth year and will once again send the teams into the Colorado wilderness where they'll hike, raft, mountain bike, climb and more. The athletes will be racing against the clock to complete various stages of the course as quickly as possible, with the fastest team being crowned this year's champion. It is a mentally and physically demanding event, but one that is very rewarding on a number of levels.
Typically the race has been held in and around the Leadville area of Colorado, but this year the course will wind through the red rock canyons near Fruita. This change of venue will introduce the high desert environment to the event for the first time which will offer new challenges for the teams.
I think that this is simply an amazing event with some very inspiring athletes – both able bodied and disabled. In order to complete the race, let alone win it, they'll all need to work together in a very efficient manner. Team work has always been an important aspect of adventure racing, but this event takes it to an entirely new level.
Good luck to all the athletes taking part in the Adventure TEAM Challenge this weekend.
