So you've committed to training over the holiday season for the 2013 Great Adventure Race to Cure Kids, but fitness is only one part of the race.

Jen Rutherford shares some New Year preparation tips for the race.

Right, so the silly season is nearly over and it is time to turn our thoughts to actually seriously getting ready for the Adventure Race. Here are my preparation tips to ponder for your New Year’s resolutions:

Commit : Get that entry in and make a commitment, put a stake in the ground. Goals are amazing things when you commit to them. Entering will make a difference to your ability to get on with preparing and being committed.

Team agreement: Agree with your team on what your combined goal is – is it just to survive the race? Have a fun time? Finish in top 10? Win?

Get mentally prepared for the right outcome and ensure your team are on the same page – if you are in a team that thinks they are going to win, but you don’t know if you can drag yourself around and doubt your ability to stay at the front of the pack, now is the time to declare this, not the day before the race (it has happened!).

If three of you are just wanting to complete it, and have a good time, but you have an uber athlete with a competitive streak make sure he/she is constantly reminded of the team goal – ribbing and mickey taking of competitive natures is to be encouraged ;-)

Pick a date between New Years and the race that your whole team can commit to a practice run, and make this a major goal.

Maybe you plan a four hour version, but include navigation, all gear to be carried, transition to bikes and off bikes and if possible include your support crew in the transitions.

The benefit of this is you get prepared earlier and you get to know each other and how you behave in an outdoors environment. If you have two teams even better to go at the same time and get competitive as that will test those with a competitive nature!

Having this date will also help you focus on training and help you to understand what training you need to do before the event.

Start strength training. I am not a fitness expert, and there are plenty of training programmes out there, including a great training programme on the Cure Kids site which mixes up running, biking etc.

My only recommendation is to start as much strength training as you can – legs legs and more legs – squats, lunges, stairs.

I recommend during the holidays climbing up the Pararaha Valley stream track. Park at Karekare, walk down the beach, find the track up the stream (good navigation test) and trek up to the road, then walk down to the car – you will understand why I think leg strength is important!

Happy New Year!