9 minute read
MULTI-SPORTATHLETEMARIKAWAGNER
Multi-sport athlete Marika Wagner:
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Text: Anna Kernell / Photo: Otto Norin
Meet Marika Wagner, whose inexhaustible energy and sisu can inspire even the laziest couch potatoes. Marika is perseverance personified. A top multi-sport athlete who won the Åre Extreme Challenge and Ö till Ö – where she also became the first woman to finish in less than 9 hours – she's also finished on the podium every time she's raced. She cycled across the finish line in fourth place in the duo class of the Silk Road Mountain Race, a 1,800-kilometre long race through Kyrgyzstan where over a third of the participants dropped out. And that's just the big ones – she's taken part in countless demanding adventure races worldwide in mountains, jungles and wetlands.
We could keep going through all the races and results; instead, let's get to know the person behind the achievements a little better and have a look at what makes Marika tick.
WHAT DRIVES YOU? – I've had a competitive streak since I was little. I don't want to call it a winning mentality because that's not quite it – the drive isn't to win but to compete. I want to push myself and do my absolute best. If I had to choose between coming second in a tight, exciting race or an easy win, I'd choose the close race every time. It's the adventure, the challenge itself, and being out in nature. – I gave a lecture where I talked about adventure racing and motivation and said that being out in nature really motivated me and made me push that little bit harder. Someone in the audience objected and said you can get just as much motivation on the running track – I agreed in the moment because I didn't want to argue in the middle of my talk, but I really don't agree. The wilderness provides an extra challenge, it's not sanitised and predictable and it's a very different experience than on your local running track with a clubhouse or other amenities. Adventure racing is a really extreme form of competition – what attracts you to it? – No matter how hard you train, an adventure race is tough. Moving quickly in extreme environments such as mountains and jungles means giving it everything you've got. You can't take it easy. It will place the utmost demands on you – physically and mentally. If you're in a team, there's an extra dimension and you've always got to think, ‘what can I do to make life easier for the team? How can we work together as a unit?’ I love this added complexity! – It sounds silly as an adventure racer, but I can't help with navigation – it's not my thing at all. But over the years, I've gained enough skills to understand what the navigator needs. For me, teamwork is about learning your limitations and working out how you can still contribute. – This mindset also translates well to everyday life or work. You don't have to be good at everything, it's ok to depend on others but that doesn't mean you can just switch off once your job is done. You do your part, and you make it easier for others to do their part, too. – I really like the element of competition, that it's possible to win or lose. That's really exciting for me. We challenge ourselves, we do it together, and we do it with nature.
Adventureracing
Multi-sport races continue around the clock, lasting a minimum of 24 hours and up to seven days. You compete in mixed teams of four with no set course: participants must navigate for themselves. Adventure races always consist of paddling, running and mountain biking but can include other elements – sometimes you may need to ride a horse, climb, or rappel down a waterfall with a bike on your back.
HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR SUCH LONG RACES? – I combine them with shorter and faster races that give me something else – more of a focus on just pushing and performing. I usually sit down and prepare a yearly schedule that allows me to build in training blocks to get me to the starting line in the best possible condition. – I train a lot for shorter races – it's the heavy training load for short races that gives me the stamina to manage these longer distances. Being able to handle really long races is about having trained enough for a long time, not just doing single, super-long sessions; longer races are much more mental than physical. – That being said, it's good to do a run that lasts for over six hours if it's the first time you're going to participate in a multi-day or night race because you need to know how you'll react hours in, when there are still hours to go. Can you get through that slump? If you can, you'll realise that these moments pass and you'll be more confident in the future. If you've never been in that situation before until you're in the race, it can be pretty hard to deal with. – Coming out of a slump and getting your second wind is an incredible feeling, I recommend it to everyone! Experiences like this make one better at dealing with tough situations in everyday life. You can recognise you're having a tough time, and then you can regain control by choosing how you deal with it. DO YOU EVER FEEL, IF ONLY FOR A MOMENT, THAT YOU WANT TO GIVE UP? – That thought has never crossed my mind, haha! If you were to interview my parents, they'd probably say I was stubborn as a mule from birth. I do remember being like that as a child. It's not like I'm pushing myself past the feeling of wanting to give up, because the feeling isn't actually there in the first place. I don't have it inside me. At all. Once I found long distances I realised that I'm made for this. This is where I should be. – Sure, like many others, I've struggled with selfesteem and self-confidence, especially during my teens, but I've never doubted my ability. It's more about will and passion for the sport. For example, I've never run a marathon, not because I don't think I can, but because I have absolutely no interest in doing it. Twenty-six miles on the road? No way. Twenty-six miles over a mountain? Sign me up! "In adventure racing, it's not the team with no problems that wins, but the team that handles its problems the best. Everyone gets lost, has problems with equipment or has someone on the team get sick or hurt."
MarikaWagner
DISCIPLINES: Multi-sport athlete, competing in adventure racing, mountain biking and swim-run; coaches biking, swim-run and multi-sport. MAIN ACHIEVEMENTS: Gold in Åre Extreme Challenge and Ö till Ö AGE: 34 LIVES: Stockholm.
SO YOU'VE NEVER DROPPED OUT OF A RACE? – Yes, twice. One time I fell during a bike race and had to be taken to hospital in an ambulance, and another time I got a stomach bug the night before a three-day adventure race in India. We started anyway and got through 36 hours, but then I gave up as my teammate was basically carrying me. It was better to give up so they could enjoy the rest of the race. – In retrospect, however, we both regretted that decision. You have to remember that when it's not going your way, you aren't alone, other teams are dealing with their own issues. In adventure racing, it's not the team with no problems that wins, but the team that handles its problems the best. Everyone gets lost, has problems with equipment or has someone on the team get sick or hurt. And we should've remembered that. The team that finished third took 24 hours to catch up with us so we definitely could have stopped and taken some time to recover. The organisers even said: "Don't make this decision now, eat and sleep first." WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO DO WHAT YOU DO? – Just because we're doing the same thing and have the same goals in mind, you should never take for granted that your motivations are the same as other peoples'. Not everyone has the competitive drive that I have. I think it's important to understand how to treat teammates, training buddies and new people who want to try out adventure racing or multi-sport events. – If you feel it would be fun to give Åre Extreme Challenge a go but think you're nothing like me, I would say: you don't have to be! What drives you, deep down inside, may be nothing like what drives me, but we can both push ourselves. If you can work out what drives you, it can get you a long way in these races. If you're wondering what type of people do these races, the answer is anyone. What we have in common is the curiosity to push our limits, mental and physical. Psst… Marika plans to participate in the Adventure Racing World Series in Paraguay in September. Keep track of how it goes on facebook.com/arworldseries where they track the athletes and stream the event.
Fancygivingitago?
There are several shorter adventure races with 'easier' taster classes in the Nordics for those who want to see if it's something they'd enjoy. Here, you can compete in teams of two if you don't manage to put together a four-person team, and even though they're tough, they're not as extreme. Three good examples in 2022 are:
STOCKHOLM ADVENTURE RACE 24TH-25TH SEPTEMBER Go all-in in the competition class (24 hours), or take it down a notch for the exercise class (8 hours) or taster class (4 hours).
ÖSTHAMMAR ADVENTURE RACE 26TH-28TH AUGUST Choose to compete for 36 or 12 hours (12 hours is designed to suit beginners).
LOST IN KAINUU (PUOLANKA, FINLAND) 8TH-9TH AUGUST There are five different classes to choose from, ranging from 48 to 4 hours.
