Lisa Tamati runs through Blenheim

From the 31st of October through to the 2nd of December New Zealand’s crazy person elite ultramarathon runner, Lisa Tamati, will be running the length of New Zealand to raise money for CanTeen and CureKids.

She will be running approximately 2,200km in 33 days or the equivalent of 52 marathons, from Bluff to Cape Reinga.

On the 13th November (day 14 of the run) Lisa will be running from Taimate  (just north of Ward) to Picton – 72km in all for the day. She will be stopping in at Paper Plus in the Forum to sign copies of her book, Running Hot.

This may be an opportunity to go for a lunchtime run with Lisa. I’ll check details with her manager and update this post when I hear more.

To find out more please click through to www.nzrun.co.nz

New pool rules

From the ‘believe it or not’ file, staff at our local pool have advised that new safety regulations will shortly be in force for all swimmers. From a date which has yet to be specified swimmers in lanes 1,3,5 and 7 will be required to swim in a clockwise direction while swimmers in lanes 2,4,6 and 8 will be required to swim in an anti clockwise direction [keep with this because it's not a joke]. The reason for the change – which apparently will be enforced – is to do with health and safety and it is apparently a new OSH requirement for all pools. If everyone is swimming in one direction, say clockwise, then theoretically a swimmer in lane 1 on the home leg could conceivably hit the arm of a swimmer in lane 2 who is starting out causing bone breakage and the like. Yes, both offending arms would have to be over the lane rope at the time and whilst this may seem ‘highly unlikely’ it could be slightly more likely if both swimmers were doing butterfly. I suggested that employing the new regulations to avoid the said collision between 2 swimmers doing butterfly seems a bit extreme considering the usual clientele of the pool but nevertheless the new rules will apply shortly – in fact, just as soon as signs are made. I also queried what OSH had to say about walkers in the swim lanes as this would seem to be a far more hazardous situation (i.e in the scenario with the swimmer going straight into the walker). Apparently this aspect too will be diligently enforced with walkers being directed to keep to the public lane. What would you have thought if you were reading all this on April the 1st?

Ussher prepares for World Xterra Champs

Great interview here with Richard Ussher as he prepares for the Xterra World Champs in Hawaii this weekend.

Ussher is not (yet) up there with the elite swimmers, but the xterra swim course is shortish in proportion to the bike and run in Xterra.  He is devastating on the MTB, and seems to run ok. Don’t rule out another kiwi winning this one.

This event was won by Hamish Carter in 2006.

UPDATE

Ussher finishes in 11th place, 7 min down on winner Eneko Llanos. Despite the equal fastest run split, Ussher struggled to get back after finishing the swim 3min down on the leaders and breaking his seat on the MTB. Llanos was 14th in the Hawaii Ironman only two weeks ago.

Optional Course Change for Marlborough 150 Fun Ride

Organisers of the Marlborough 150 Fun Ride on Nov 2 celebrating Marlborough’s anniversary have announced an optional course change. Organiser and local Multisport identity Rene de Ruiter said ‘the whole purpose of the event is to get people out riding and having a bit of fun and taking in beautiful Marlborough’.

The Tuamarina Track had been ridden on occasion and was found to be adequate for cycling with the gravel stretch only being 3.5km of the entire ride but de Ruiter said, ‘scenic as the Tuamarina track is we felt that safety has to be the main concern and we are therefore suggesting people take Rapaura Road if they are not comfortable with the Track’. The decision was reinforced after the Cuddon weekend race had a number of riders fall and again on Wednesday night when one of the committee for the Marlborough 150 ride suffered a nasty fall in a time trial race in dry conditions. De Ruiter said, ‘we have had a lot of positive feed back from entrants to date and sponsors have offered some wonderful spot prizes, we now just want a nice, safe, fun event’.

See a map of the route here.

Entry form here.

Entries are also available at Mitchell Sport, Spokesman Cycles, Bike HQ and Mayfield Kindergarten

Club Triathlon Championship

To spice the series up a little this year we will be awarding the Club triathlon championship to the points winner over the 6 race summer series. Points will be awarded 5 for 1st, 4 for 2nd etc with the Michael Huntley in March race having double points up for grabs. To qualify you do need to be a paid up member ($25 p.a) of the Marlborough Multisport Club.

Blenheim Physiotherapy Bike HQ Triathlon Summer series – Race 1 Results

Photo Courtesy Marlborough Express

The first race of the Blenheim Physiotherapy Bike HQ Triathlon Summer series was run on Sunday in conditions which appeared to be more like those experienced in Winter. The rain did, however, stay away and reasonable times were recorded for the first race of the season.

Athletes that had represented New Zealand at the recent World Triathlon Champs on the Gold Coast showed the benefit of their intensive training and high level competition. In the Men’s long triathlon Mark Grammer made no race of it. He was first out of the pool with a lead of 3 minutes over Phil Binnie and steadily increased this through the bike leg and into the run to eventually finish 12 minutes ahead of the next competitor in a time of 1.01.55.

In the Women’s long triathlon it was expected that the winner would come from either the local veteran Almuth Waechter or Rachael Monk as the two had duelled throughout the Winter in various Duathlon’s. This time Waechter showed the benefit of her swim training in her preparation for the World Champs and she lead out of the pool by by one and a half minutes – a lead which she steadily increased to eventually take line honours by just over three minutes in 1.14.28.

It was to be a good day for the Waechter family with Tore Waechter winning the local college long triathlon (1.21.52) and younger brother Sverre Waechter taking out the college medium triathlon (51.54).

In other results Christopher Grammer emulated his father by winning the medium triathlon (38.35), Ben Wade was the first male home in the long duathlon (1.24.57) and Sharon Kent won the Women’s long duathlon (1.20.44).

The next race in the series is on 15 November and for many this will be their final hit out before the South Island Half Ironman Champs two weeks later in Ashburton.

Photos here.

Marlborough Express article here.

Name this Marlborough Multisporter

Who can name this newbie to the multisport ranks in Marlborough? Send your guesses below in the “Leave a comment” section.

It’s not all shaved legs and lycra.

Macca reflects on Hawaii

Chris (Macca) McCormack provides some cool insight into his race in Hawaii.

It’s worth a read if you have ever done, or are considering doing, long endurance events. Even at the front end of the race they are still human, still get cramps, are still learning and still suffer.

Chris McCormack pours a sports drink into his mouth and across his face after winning the Ironman Triathlon World Championship, 2007, in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

Blenheim Physiotherapy/Bike HQ Sprint Tri/Du Race One

Summer series racing starts for Triathletes and Duathetes in Blenheim this weekend.

New start time of 9.00am Sunday 18th October. Registration 8.30am.

Link to the Marlborough Express preview here.

Awesome smoke rings

Here’s an insiders view of the Hawaii Ironman from the folks at Everyman Tri.

Check out the cool smoke rings from the starting gun.

If you haven’t caught up with the kiwi results Sportzhub has them here.

Hawaii Ironman 2009

Start time is 5.45am NZ time Sunday 11th.

You can check updates all day here.

Bike HQ “hobbie” class time trial no. 1

The first round of the new Bike HQ series was held on Weds night.  This report from John Cunliffe.

Well we had the first round Wednesday night folks.  And a great success it was.

And it was truly the first round ….at Time Trialling for the 20 riders that turned out. And in that 20 an even spread of gals and guys.

I for one didn’t know what to expect and was a bit apprehensive. From what I could make out I think we all were feeling a bit like that.  Still once we were into it, it all went rather quickly … then everybody started talking about what they would do differently next week!!

Early on somebody was heard to ask; How much is it and who do I pay?  Answer – No charge folks – it’s free!!

It seemed most thoroughly enjoyed the experience and had some fun.  It was something different and something a number of us had thought about doing (cos we have seen and heard so much about them – time trials that is) but hadn’t got round to it yet.  We had good conditions – dry with some wind and there was a very relaxed, really friendly atmosphere around the start. And it was a good course.  We all felt safe – no alot of traffic, and in the main the road surface was pretty good with the odd patchy bit.

The Support crew were magic. Bustling around helping anyone who needed it, with air for tyres, pinning numbers on, offering tips and holding the bikes at the start.  Thanks Murph – the “hard tyres are fast tyres” man for bringing the club trailer down and staying on throughout – much appreciated.  And of course to the Bike HQ team;  Ray, Chris, Angie, & Brent – thanks for putting the series on. Thanks also for the starting, time keeping and traffic management; and Robbie you are a legendary STOP/GO man.

Of course we were honoured having Captain “Wattyl Boy” in the mix Wednesday … and he duly obliged his star billing by chasing down the field. Now the word on the wire is that we might get to see the full complement of Wattyl Boys next week! I hear tell “The Quartet” may be coming out to play!!

Yes we are continuing the series over the next three weeks folks – next Wednesday 14^th October and again on the  21^st and 28^th ; same time, same place.

So if you have missed the first one; no problems – you have three more to have a go at.  We would really like to see you down there if you are keen.

After the event on the 28^th we will go to the pub…. for a wind down (sort of like those OSH Meetings they have at Bike HQ on Friday evenings) and there will be a few prizes to distribute!!

Remember this series is especially for those that have been wanting to try their hand at Time trialling but have (perhaps) felt a little intimidated in the past.

And it’s called “Hobby Class” for a reason.  It is aimed at giving those that haven’t tried it a go without the guys and gals who have done quite a bit of it. The Club series happens a bit later – November as I understand it.  So we are saying that this is an event for “unregistered” riders.

Now here’s how the numbers went this Wednesday night. The results are listed in Start Order – which was the order in which we signed in and the order in which the field started riding;

Start Order	Name		Number	Gender	Start Time	Split Times – mins.secs		Total time	Avg Speed
					mins	Lap 1	Lap 2	mins.secs	km/hr
1	Tania	Hix	5	F	0:00	15.52	16.57	32.49	25.6
2	David	Hix	51	M	0:30	13.31	14.26	27.57	30.1
3	J J	Payne	21	M	1:00	13.09	13.58	26.07	32.2
4	Steve	Wright	64	M	1:30	14.07	14.26	28.33	29.4
5	Jon	Cunliffe	45	M	2:00	12.24	12.35	24.59	33.6
6	Jan	Curnow	40	F	2:30	16.33	17.04	33.37	25.0
7	Stuart	Curnow	50	M	3:00	13.35	14.13	27.48	30.2
8	Debbie	Stone	10	F	3:30	15.04	15.22	30.29	27.6
9	Willi	Borst	44	F	4:00	13.37	13.49	27.26	30.6
10	Cory	Mackay	77	M	4:30	13.29	13.57	27.26	30.6
11	Mark	Seatter	73	M	5:00	12.44	12.56	25.40	32.7
12	Juliet	Wiseman	46	F	5:30	13.45	13.51	27.36	30.4
13	Rob	Rowe	44	M	6:00	13.07	13.37	26.44	31.4
14	Al	McIntosh	71	M	6:30	12.19	12.35	24.54	33.7
15	Mark	Hawkins	21	M	7:00	12.10	12.13	24.23	34.5
16	Peter	Webster	96	M	7:30	13.01	13.11	27.12	30.9
17	Leanne	Rowberry	42	F	8:00	15.02	15.21	30.23	27.7
18	Cailean	Crossan	41	F	8:30	18.29	19.04	37.33	22.4
19	Lianne	Shepherd	2	F	9:00	13.25	13.33	27.08	31.0
20	Taylor	Murray	20	F	9:30	16.17	17.00	33.17	25.2

We do it again next Wednesday folks:

We assemble 6pm near the intersection of Dillons Point and Rowberrys Roads, for a 6:30pm start.