Ironman versus Adventure Race

Just read an article on Active.com that compared the difficulty of an Ironman to that of a 12-hour adventure race. The author has been a triathlete and coach for 8 years, and participated in adventure racing for over 5 years. Having competed in both events, and having a strong opinion on the matter, I was very interested in what the author had to say.

I definitely like how he broke down the various aspects of each event and really tried to analyze the differences. But in the end, I felt his conclusion was all wrong. Here is the author's closing statement:

The Ironman is certainly more physically demanding, but ultimately the 12-hour adventure race is the tougher sport owing to the higher degrees of risk, skills and mental demands it places upon its athletes.

Wrong answer
He's got the first part right - the Ironman is more physically demanding, so much so, that you could really stop the comparison right there. But he thinks the risks, skills and mental demands are much greater in a 12-hour adventure race, therefore giving it the edge in toughness.

Adventure races are fun. They can be grueling for sure, but by and large, they lack a competitive atmosphere. Yes, there are always a few teams who are in it to win it, but most racers are in it for the 'adventure,' not time driven goals. I could gather a group of my friends, and with little training, make a weekend out of an adventure race. We would be tested and tired, but in the end, win or lose, finish or not, we would have a blast. I cannot say the same thing about an Ironman event. Not even close. If you aren't prepared, you are not going have a good time.

In terms of skills, adventure racing isn't much different than triathlon. Run, bike swim, versus trek, kayak, bike in some order. Sure, you might have a repelling section on the course, and there is always a compass/navigation component, but these are easily learned skills. It might take a while to hone these skills, but you could get through a 12 hour race with a few weekends of preparation. And really, these aspects of adventure racing are what slows down the pace and levels the playing field in my opinion. Heart rate comes down. Everybody can recover at times. These skills aren't stressful, and if anything, are the very reason racing 12 hours is doable by people who are not super fit athletes.

And the mental demands? The mental demands are more difficult in an Ironman. Like I said, an adventure race is a party, a social event. An ironman is an individual event. You have to be focused and in tune with your body the entire race. Going too hard for an hour on the bike can have serious ramifications on the run. The thought of not finishing an Ironman, after months of preparation and training, is a nightmare. In an adventure race, who cares? The course, terrain, path, special events are different for every race, and sometimes within the race. An Ironman is a set distance. It's the same race for everyone. It's truth, and there is nowhere to hide.

Ask yourself this. Why do so many people get the Ironman tattoo after completing the race? Better yet, why doesn't anyone have a 12-hour adventure race tattoo?