Urban Max...

Thursday

ride home via Dickson to get a cache...

the stats:
start temp/humidity: xxxxx% (apparent temp same)
start time: 5:35pm
total distance: 12.17
total time: 43:03 (including 10:56 stopped time)
avg speed: 17.0kph
total calories: 398

Friday

headed up to Sydney with Jodie after work...straight to IKEA for just over an hour then off to our accommodation in Randwick...

Saturday

we arrived at Wentworth Park, headquarters for the Urban Max Adventure...we picked up our shirts (which everyone had to wear for the race), our numbers (#23) and caps...we also received an A3 street map of the area for the race and our sportident stick to use at each checkpoint to register our visit...

the race started at 9am with one member of each team racing to one of 8 marshalls stationed 100m away to grab a copy of the sheet which listed the 20 available checkpoints...racing teams needed to visit 14 while social teams needed to visit 10, returning to the finish no later than 3pm before time penalties were applied...time penalties also apply for missing checkpoints...

we spent the next 50mins or so deciphering the hints, indentifying the locations and plotting our best course...smartphones were allowed so we made good use of Google...

the checkpoints were a mix of:

• activity (with opening hours) - 13 in total available
• pursuit - 4 in total
• roaming - 1 in total
• compulsory - 1 in total
• mystery - 1 in total

we jumped on the light rail to visit our first checkpoint #10 (activity) at the Australian National Maritime Museum...the hint was:

The "Vampire" and "Onslow" takes a proud stance out side this "national" building. Located on the balcony, see if you can deciper the landlubber's folly."...once there we were confronted with 9 coloured flags and using the International Maritime Signal Flags we had to figure out what letters they represented then unscramble the letters to make a word...the word was SURFBOATS...once confirmed with the official we were able to check in and move onto our next checkpoint...

we ran from there to Wynyard Station where we purchased multi travel tickets to cover the rest of the day's travel on train, bus or light rail (we couldn't purchase these on the light rail tram)...

from there it was onto the train to North Sydney to pick up the following checkpoints:

#3...Created in 1957 and incorporating the works of Gerald Lewers, this pursuit checkpoint is located at the front of an iconic North Sydney building. Find the scupltures and you find the checkpoint!...this was on the back of a bench at the fron of the MLC Building in Miller St...

#9...If you are feeling the blues, point yourself towards the harbour, take in the spectacular view and reserve your seat for a paddling feat....this was paddling in Lavendar Bay off Blues Point Rd...we got pretty wet doing this one as it was quite choppy...

#16...Watt are you talking about? Exploring in the dark can't be much fun, can it? Find the beautiful smelling park in Sydney's north where you will put your navigation to the test. 33 50'36.70"S 151 12'23.11"E...we think this was meant to be located in Watt Park as this was where the coordinates led but we actually needed to be a park nearby (we aren't sure if the coords were wrong or if they set up in the wrong spot)....anyway, just after we were about to give this one the flick after searching for about 20mins, a bunch of us finally stumbled upon the activity...one member of the team had to be blindfolded and led through a course guided by their teammate, I guided Jodie as we negotiated ropes (stepping over), avoiding trees, climbing over a bench from behind, climbing along a bench to finish...

#4...Track down the checkpoint marshall outside Sydney's most famous smiling face where you have to twist, inflate and create to complete this checkpoint...this was of course at Luna Park and we had to make a spanish cutlass out of a balloon...I tried in first and just as I was about to complete the final step my balloon burst!...Jodie succeeded and the cutlass accompanied us on the rest of our journey1

we jumped back on a train at Milson's Point and headed back to Wynyard Station...then we jogged up to The Rocks for the next checkpoint...

#15...As you 'walk' in the footsteps of 'nurses' from yester year, locate Captain James Cook. If you can tell the Captain in what town he was born, you will complete this checkpoint....This was in Nurses Walk and the good captain (there were two of them, both female!) was born in Marton, Yorkshire, England. The captain I spoke to even had an English accent.

we then raced off to #14...You cannot be Sirius! This particular piece of Sydney's history arrived with the First Fleet. Search the streets for this explosive antique to obtain this checkpoint...this was a cannon in Macquarie Place...

now came the longest foot leg of the race as we were unsure of the bus to catch to get up to the next three checkpoints on Oxford Street, Paddington...

#1...This historic landmark was erected in 1868 and is a relic of the districts early water supply. Search for the pump to complete this checkpoint....this was located on Barrack Hill...

#7...Looking to improve your performance in the Sydney Urban Max? Find the Paddington store that offers "Human Performance Multiplied" with a range of apparel for the serious athlete....this was of course the 2XU store...we had trouble located this one as the numbering changed on Oxford Street...re-Googling soon had us in the right spot where one of us had to go inside and price three items on a list...Jodie did this one and she was in and out in about a 1 minute, it obviously pays to have a professional shopper on the team!

we headed to a nearby bus stop and while we waited we had a look at what checkpoint to do next when I suddenly realised there was another one nearby...

#19...Find the Paddington Community Centre named after a local politician that lived from 1899 to 1963 and you will have tracked down your next checkpoint. Enter the booth with your teammate and leave with a keepsake....located at the EJ Ward Community Centre, we jumped into a photo booth for a strip of four pictures...very funny...

now we caught a bus back down Oxford Street so we could pick up two checkpoints in Surry Hills...

the plan was to attack #2...The lure of love is a strong aphrodisiac. Make your way to the Surry Hills store where they stock all things fishy plus plenty more....we thought this was a fishing shop but when we got to the address nothing was there so we skipped that one and proceeded to the next one...

#18...There's a song to play and it isn't too old nor would you say that the song playing is cold. You will find it where the Marlborough Man comes together with his Devonshire tea. Make your way to the park where your next challenge awaits....this was at a park at the corner of Malborough and Devonshire...we had to identify three Coldplay songs...now I'm hopeless at that but I had Soundhound on my phone and it was able (with only 2% battery left) to get all three songs (phew!)...we helped another team at the same time and, in return, they told us where #2 was located it was only about 500-600m away...it turns out it was a pet shop specialising in fish and it was called Aphrodisiac (d'oh)...one team member had to go inside and identify five fish by their common names...I got the job for this one and was done in about 5mins...

with one more checkpoint to collect we headed back to Wentworth Park...on foot to Haymarket then via light rail back to where we started...

#20...Under the railway arch and so very close to the end, is a roadblock that is certain to test both you and your friend. The choice will be yours to eat or to think with the finish in sight it may tip you over the brink....the choice was eat a snail or complete a Sudoku...Jodie elected the snail option...I was just about to reach for one too when they said only one had to do it (onya Jodes!)...then it was a quick jog to the finish where we had about 30mins to spare...

we visited 13 checkpoints and used the National Breast Cancer Foundation Fast Forward pass (purchased at the start for $20) to avoid having to do the compulsory #12 checkpoint...You have been issued with 2x NBCF Pink Ribbons in your bag. Your task is to sell the ribbons to the public for a minimum of $10. Once you have sold your ribbons take the cash to the southern entrance to Chinatown. Race officials will verify your cash to complete checkpoint 12.

it was great fun...I'd recommend it and I reckon we will do it again...

from there it was back past IKEA for another hour or so (it's a big place!) before heading back to Canberra...

Tim did the Sri Chinmoy Sprint Triathlon (500m swim, 21k ride, 5k run) in Canberra and finished 1st in his category (M40-49, out of 28) and 7th overall (out of 131 plus 1 DNF)...

details: 1:03:38...swim 8:04 (6th fastest overall, 2nd in category), 35:12 (7th, 1st), 20:22 (13th, 1st)

today...more running, less walking in today's session...2nd last week of this walk/run program...

5min brisk walk to warm up followed by 2min walking/32min running x6

• 5min warm up - 550m
• 2min walk / 3min run x6
• 227/591
• 227/607
• 229/632
• 230/593
• 228/579
• 212/560

my quads were a little sore but other than that all good!

did some riding out at Stromlo Forest Park...on the track for a bit before trying out the "Fenceline" and "Rascals" trails...good fun...

we visited the ACT Bushfire Memorial (very sobering) and also found a cache...

we watched Jodie play Broomball at the ice rink in Phillip...an interesting game (very funny in parts too)...

then it was time to rest!

update: the preliminary race results are out and it appears that our Fast Forward Pass hasn't been recorded and we've been penalised 30mins...I've contacted the organisers to rectify this!