Meet the Race Director: Grant Killian & Untamed New England Adventure Race

1. How did you get into adventure race production?

I raced for a few years, and became disappointed by the quality of some other events. There would be no navigation, or poor attention to details, or just not a good value for money.  I told myself: "Jeez, even I can do better than this!" and it turns out I was right :) It turned out making a high quality race a reality was another fun way to enjoy the outdoors, our friends, etc.

2. What are the biggest challenges you face as a RD in your area? 

There's the normal issue with permits and sponsors -- the US is at a big disadvantage in this regard versus many other countries. Personally, the toughest challenge is time management and making time to enjoy family and other things in life ALONG WITH adventure racing. It's a sport that demands a lot of attention.

3. What can participants expect...that you're willing to share?

For the 2014 edition of Untamed New England, I'll give you a NAARS scoop: this race course is enormous, physically the largest we've ever done with big cross-country legs in every discipline. Big paddles combining many waterways; big treks combining mountain summits with lots of navigation and strategy; big bike legs -- the first bike leg is around 75 miles, I think, and if you consider a map of Maine and imagine where you could be after 75 miles, your jaw drops. The course is split into 5 distinct legs and each "leg" is an adventure race in itself. One "leg" combines paddling, biking, and trekking, another combines paddling and biking, another is trekking and packrafting, and then there's the "kitchen sink" leg that folds together biking, trekking, whitewater rafting, and packrafting into a single "leg."


4. What is the biggest change from last year's race?

The biggest change this year vs our previous expedition is that for 2014 it's no-holds-barred. Have you seen our race roster? We have a dynamite international field and fully 10 teams could compete for the top 10 positions in the AR World Championships, so we set a course worthy of the challenge. In 2012 we set a high bar in terms of epic sections with lots of strategy and challenge; for 2014, we've built on that to push the envelope. In 2012, there were professional guides in the whitewater boats; in 2014, we're going to see how teams handle smaller whitewater rafts in a self-guided manner (Raid in France did this quite successfully a couple years ago, and I think teams will love it). In 2012, the race course had 3 mountain summits; in 2014, there are 7. In 2012, we had a collection of 12 race maps that were 11x17 in size; in 2014, to encompass the full area, we've got multiple sets of large maps that teams will use to navigate to the finish line. I think 2014 will, succinctly, set a new standard for us in terms of rugged cross-country traverse race courses.

5. What advice do you have for training or just from general experience in the AR world?

If you are serious about big multi-day races, and by "serious" I mean you want to go and compete at your best (whatever that means for you), you need to shift your whole thinking when it comes to "training" but always recognize that this is supposed to be fun. Find ways to incorporate being active into your normal routine. By this I mean consider running the 4 miles to and from the gym instead of driving there and back (and that will add an hour or two to your workout); don't drive to the grocery store if you can ride your bike instead, and get practice hauling a load back in the form of all your groceries; sit on an exercise ball at your desk instead of a conventional chair; when you're paddling your kayak, take the seat back support OUT so your core gets more exercise stabilizing your body when you paddle; when going for a trail run, intentionally leave the trail and work in some bushwhacking and travel over uneven terrain. These are all specific examples of how to make your exercise more intense or to incorporate more fitness into your daily routine. You need to incorporate being active as a way of life, not just something you do between 6 and 7:30 PM on weeknights.

Learn more about Untamed New England Adventure Race and how to follow the event as it goes on!