Accelerate
[] Welcome...
"Everyone at Accelerate is passionate about Adventure Racing, Adventure Biking, Adventure Running and Adventure Training. Every product you will find at Accelerate has been specially chosen for the challenge of Adventure Sport".
Based in Sheffield, UK, Accelerate consider themselves to have on their doorstep one of the best back yards in the World to play in. They run, ride, scramble, kayak and climb in some of the best and worst conditions you imagine, from rain to snow, and the cold to the hot and humid. So they demand the best from their kit in order to help them to train and race in these conditions.
Who Is Accelerate?
Accelerate is run by Debbie Smith and Stuart Hale. Both tackle the business with a hands on approach looking to build relationships with suppliers, event organisers and most importantly their customers. Customer service is a high priority within the business, is not taken for granted but will be built through honesty, communication and providing quality products backed with a knowledge gained through years of experience in competition and training, including others, at the highest level.
Debbie Smith: Debs, as she is usualy known, has been a winning competitor in adventure racing for a number of years and is considered one of the best female racers in the country. She started her competitive career in endurance mountain biking, posting regular podium finishes at the countries premier events. Once Debs moved into adventure racing she never looked back (see her profile in the Team Members section), with many race wins. Debs is a popular and friendly racer committed to all aspects of the sport and recently completed the Tour du Mont Blanc, finishing 10th.
Debs is also involved in the Living for Sport organisation and is an Athlete Mentor, visiting schools. Through presentation and informal discussion she is able to pass on the skills she uses in her training and racing (preparation and planning) for youngsters to use in their everyday lives.
Stuart Hale: Stuart is no stranger to running a successful business in the sports endurance market place. Previous enterprises have been award winning and boasted many firsts in the industry and it is armed with this knowledge that Accelerate came about. More than this Stuart is also a succesful endurance coach, who has a variety of qualifications to his name and a number of the athletes he has worked with have achieved national representation and podium positions at National Championships. He is also highly experienced in working with sports science and heart rate and has written for many national magazines (Todays Runner, Athletics Weekly, TriNews..) and papers up and down the country.
Stuart has worked with the Royal Air Force Triathlon Team, amongst others, Teams working towards the Bad Water Ultra Marathon and a various ultra athletes racing Mountain Marathons. He is now Team Manager to Team Accelerate and runs his own Coaching Consultancy working with individuals, organisations and clubs around the World.
Accelerate and Adventure Racing.
First and foremost, Accelerate is dedicated to Adventure Racing and all the components that make up this fascinating and enjoyable sport. Accelerate take what they do very seriously but never forgetting that the sport is fun and a great way to relax and chill out (really! writing this I am tired just thinking about what they do!). Accelerate see each of the individual sports as something different to what is considered to be the norm. Let's be honest, where else in a Kayak would you be happily paddling along and then have to stop off and run ashore to find a check point before getting back into your boat? So with this in mind it is felt that each element should be considered as new and unique in its own right.
Adventure Running: In Mountain Marathons or fell racing it is often a straight race. Sometimes checkpoints have to be navigated to and then found. In Adventure Running it is unlikely you will have the benefit of a 'straight' race. You will not know where your competitors are as they could have taken a different route or chosen to find the checkpoints in a different order. You may find yourself with having to face a variety of different challenges: a climb or abseil for example. So Adventure Running is exactly what it says: Adventure Running.
Adventure Biking: In adventure racing, the Adventure Biking element is not too much different to the Adventure Running element. You have to clear checkpoints within a given time limit and you will often find obstacles and challenges along the way. There is usually no 'straight' race, sometimes a time trial and it has even been known that the quickest way to finish the cycle section is to carry your bike - now that's just not fair! Welcome to the world of Adventure Biking.
Adventure Kayaking: So you start the Adventure Kayak section by swimming out to your kayak. You may even be asked to abseil down a cliff face into them. In some events you may have to consider 'portage' - carrying your kayak, that really does belong in the water, over some horrendous terrain just to be able to start paddling. Why? - Well why not; this is the Adventure Kayaking section for you!
Product Choice.
It is with these different elements in mind that product choice is made. There is no clear single manufacture that can supply all the differing kit and equipment that is required by an adventure racer. It was, in part, through Debs and Stu's discovery that there was no single store capable of supplying their individual needs that Accelerate came about. It is with this in mind that Accelerate intends to remedy this situation as quickly as possible, continually introducing kit and gear suitable for the sport.
"We are continually trying out new clothing and equipment to help us to get the most from our training, racing and when we go out to play. We want to have fun, so we must be able to make the most of our valuable training time: with the right information, to stay warm and dry with the best technical fabrics that wick, breathe and with those that keep the worst of the weather out.
We look for the latest innovations to help us train at the right intensities, to time and pace our efforts and to help keep the motivation going. Simply we look for that which works. The range of products you will see here are what we believe to be the best choice around. We should know we ensured we pushed them to their limits in our sweaty fun".
Product and Brand manufacturers are chosen on their own merits and multi purpose function is considered a key consideration, as is weight, no 'faff' and durability. 'Fast and Light' appears to be the watch word of the sport when kit is chosen and a cross section of Brands are becoming more innovative and daring in their approach to making product lighter and practical.
Accelerate as a brand going forward, in product choice, will also be looking into areas that are much needed, by those involved in adventure racing, yet perhaps are not considered to be essential racing kit. With this in mind Accelerate will be stocking product suitable for Apres Adventure and Adventure Training.
Apres Adventure: This is kit that can be worn when time is less demanding, perhaps before and after racing, when out with friends and that which makes a statement about your involvement in the sport.
Adventure Training: Kit and equipment is also required for training. Road running shoes are an obvious example as is more durable gear and equipment suitable for longer training days in more extreme conditions.
So this is Accelerate, if you have suggestions or ideas, or would like to know more then please feel free to contact them. In fact you can even meet them at an event. with their Event Store or when with their Adventure Race Team, Team Accelerate.
Above all else, enjoy...