Team ADVENTURE: Countdown to the Drambuie Pursuit in Scotland

Text by Associate Editor Andrea Minarcek   Photograph courtesy Phil Lewis/Team Justin

Tonight marks the start of the annual Drambuie Pursuit, a 100-mile, multisport race across the Scottish Highlands.

I've joined three magazine readers—Reagan Evans, Chris Lewis, and Phil Lewis—to compete with Team ADVENTURE. The Austin-based trio was selected from a pool of applicants based on an essay and their racing resume. To date, they’ve tackled a slew of triathlons and marathons as part of Team Justin, a non-profit charity they founded to raise awareness about ALS (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), often called Lou Gehrig's disease.

Before the two-day race kicks off on Isle of Skye, we’ll roam the streets of Edinburgh, cruise along the coast of Loch Ness, explore the Highlands castles—while sampling a fair amount of scotch.

On Saturday night, the games begin. In the first round, we’ll compete against the nine other U.S. teams in an archery competition* near sixth century Eilean Donan Castle. That night, we’ll camp out and prep for the long haul on Sunday: 100 miles of kayaking, mountain biking, whitewater rafting, off-road buggying, canoeing, and running. The course leads straight into the city center of Inverness and retraces the route of Bonnie Prince Charlie, when he fled to Scotland after attempting to seize the British throne in 1745.

I’ll be reporting back on Monday after the race, when we’re stateside again. In the meantime, you can follow the race online at www.pursuitof1745.com.

* Training Tip: I took a lesson this week at Pro Line Archery Lanes in Queens, New York, to prep. It was the most fun I’ve had for 20 bucks in a long time. Hit it up if you’re in the area.

Comments

[Reagan Evans]

Thanks to National Geographic Adventure and to Andrea for such a wonderful opportunity and for the adventure of a lifetime in the Scottish Highlands. It was truly an honor to represent TeamJustin and NGA in this historic competition set in the beautiful country of Scotland. Looking forward to more blog entries from our team captain, Andrea!