Mark Lattanzi finishes a skate along the Huckleberry Trail. To prepare for his races, Lattanzi works training into his daily lifestyle. When he needs to go to the store, he will bike or skate rather than drive.

Mark Lattanzi holds a tub of equipment he packed for Sweden for the Explore Sweden Monster adventure race. Lattanzi estimates that he will take more than 300 pounds of gear and food.

Photos by MATT GENTRY The Roanoke Times

Previously a software developer who now devotes himself full time to adventure racing, Mark Lattanzi of Blacksburg discovered the sport in 2000 and said he has competed in about 100 races in the United States and internationally. Starting today, Lattanzi will lead a team of adventure racers in the Explore Sweden Monster, a race that will cover more than 600 miles through forests, mountains, rivers, lakes and even a glacier over six days.

| Allison Chopin

allison.chopin@roanoke.com, 381-1677

Navigating in the dark with only a compass and map, trekking across a glacier, carrying a 90-pound kayak up a mountain, swimming while towing a pair of in-line skates and everything in between. That might spell crazy for some, but it certainly spells adventure.

It's also a lifestyle for 43-year-old Mark Lattanzi of Blacksburg, who will lead a team of adventure racers in the Explore Sweden Monster, an expedition adventure race across Sweden that starts today.

The sport of adventure racing combines cycling, mountaineering, kayaking and other disciplines into one race, which can last from a few hours to more than 10 days. Explore Sweden will cover some 621 miles through forests, mountains, rivers, lakes and even a glacier over six days. This race involves kayaking, rafting, downhill biking, climbing, in-line skating, zip lines, propelling and other activities.

Previously a software developer who now devotes himself full time to his sport, Lattanzi discovered adventure racing in 2000 and said he has competed in about 100 races in the United States and internationally. In February he and a team competed in a 10-day expedition race in the Chilean Patagonia.

Lattanzi will be the captain and navigator of his team of four. He said navigation and strategy are integral to the race. There is no set course, just checkpoints that the team must locate in order. Team members will plot the points on a map and use a compass to find their way.

Because the race isn't just about speed, Lattanzi said, the best athletes are not the youngest but those in their 30s or 40s who have experience.

"There's a lot of strategy that goes on," he said.

Of all the disciplines involved in the races, Lattanzi said he likes the thrill of running and mountaineering best.

"Navigating on foot in the dark is actually my very favorite," he said.

Teamwork is also an important part of strategy. The team members will have to assist one another along the course and keep one another healthy.

"We know each other really well," Lattanzi said. "We know our strengths and weaknesses."

Teams must be coed, and according to Lattanzi, most teams are male-dominated. But his three teammates are women, and he doesn't think this will hold them back.

"I could easily be the slowest one on the team," he said. "They're all amazing athletes."

His teammates are Sara Dallman from Cincinnati, Sara Percy from Long Island, N.Y., and Lina Augaitis from Vancouver, British Columbia. The team represents the YogaSlackers, a group of people from around the U.S. and Canada who participate in yoga, adventure racing and other activities.

Lattanzi met Jason Magness, one of the founders of YogaSlackers, at a race and then got involved with the group.

Lattanzi has raced with each of his teammates before, and they have occasionally gathered for a weekend of training.

While competing in Explore Sweden, team members will have a support crew that meets them at certain transition areas to provide cooked meals, water and new gear. Lattanzi's girlfriend, Jen Pollard, is on the support crew and said her job will be fun but exhausting.

"It's hard work," Pollard said. "It's six and a half days of being in a hurry all the time and then waiting for the team to show up."

Other races do not allow support crews. At Patagonia, teams had to drop bins of supplies for use along the course, and Lattanzi said nearly every team ran out of food.

When not being treated to hot meals by the support crew during the race, the team will survive on what they carry with them. This includes protein drinks made from a powder, instant noodles, organic food bars, energy drinks and lots of water with electrolyte tablets.

Lattanzi said learning to eat while racing is difficult. He and his team try to eat 100 calories every hour and drink water every 20 minutes.

The team will also have to operate on only two or three hours of sleep every night. Luckily they will have more than 20 hours of daylight each day in Sweden; Lattanzi said other races usually require traveling in the dark.

To prepare for his races, Lattanzi works training into his daily lifestyle. He fills his Saturdays with a variety of activities: He will bike, play tennis, go on a run, kayak and then bike or run some more. When he needs to go to the store, he will bike or skate rather than drive.

"OK, I've got to go run errands. I'm going to run errands on my Rollerblades," he said, describing his routine.

While certainly a mental and physical challenge that leaves teams exhausted and sometimes physically ill by the end, Lattanzi said adventure racing is exhilarating, and he added this week's expedition in Sweden should not disappoint.

"I feel so alive when I'm out in the woods and I've been out for five days," he said. "You don't even realize the days are going by. There's nothing better."

Online: www.exploresweden.se www.marklattanzi.com