Avoid the Picton Elevation on a bike today

We have it on good authority that the Elevation is being resealed today. Hot tar and loose gravel top to bottom today. Probably be loose for a few more days.

Steve’s Ironman Update

Ironman start – Lake Taupo

35 days to go until Ironman. It’s fair to say the nerves are beginning to kick in. Just the usual stuff – who in their right mind does all the swimming and biking and ends it with a 42 km run? After all the training why does it still hurt so much? What was I thinking? 

The past week was spent going over the course in Taupo with Phil B and a bunch of others from Tauranga, New Plymouth, and Palmerston North. Even this early there seem to be heaps of people out training on the course, and there are signs talking of road closures that aren’t too far away. 

The ride on race day is out to Reporoa and once you get back to Taupo … you go back out to Reporoa again! It all adds up to 180 km, and it doesn’t have the scenery of the Waihopai or the Sounds so it’s as tedious as hell. The ride ends with Heartbreak Hill, which is a long slow grind of 8 km that never seems to end, before you get a 5 km downhill into Taupo. I know its 8 km because every time we did it the wind was blowing hard into the face and I was really counting down the metres.

We did the whole course twice and its fair to say the butt on the 2nd ride was about as sore as it could possibly be. Even minor dents in the road felt like I was being shot. We also got a couple of long runs in, one of which was 3 hours in torrential rain.  The run course is alo out and back twice and, as everyone says, Ironman is as much mental, as it is physical, and that is so true. Completing a lap, whether it be on bike or foot, and then having to do another one is really hard on the head.

We did a lot of swimming, and probably the pick of those was a 3 lap circuit in Accacia Bay. The foreshore at Taupo was too rough to get in so we had headed west and Accacia Bay was like a glass table top. That was a good way to wind down after the 3 hr run and thankfully the weather had started to improve by then. All in all, everything that was scheduled was completed. I got some seriously good advice about nutrition for race day, and then got the opportunity to apply it, so I’m feeling as prepared as I ever could be.

One of the best parts about it was the 3 day break I had planned – and I am in the middle of that now. That’s a really nice feeling, but at least when you are in training you can avoid doing the lawns and the like. Not so easy at this point.

Tasman Trespasser

The truly lunatic feats of endurance by others helps to change us. To master endurance sports, you have to continually expose yourself to situations, people and events that change what your mind believes impossible.

Who didn’t ride a little further after reading It’s not about the bike, and if you’ve read this book by James Castrission, you’ve already changed your views on what horrors challenges your mind and body can endure.

On 20 January, Shaun Quincey left Australia to row solo to NZ, a feat that his father accomplished in 1977. Colin Quincy is the only person ever to have made the crossing solo.

No doubt, if he doesn’t make it, he will be labelled as foolish. If he does make it, he will be a hero. Either way, let his endeavours expand your own horizons.

You can follow him here.

We are also following him on Twitter on the side bar of this web site.

Jono Leeds the way

Marlborugh triathlete Jono Lee took a win (by nearly 7 minutes!)  in the  Avanti Plus Sprint Triathlon at Rabbit Island, Nelson, on Sunday.

Link to Nelson Mail article here.

Full results are here.

Local Events Galore

The Marlborough Multisport Club (MMSC) has been busy working away at a revamped selection of events for the multsiporters and wannabes amongst you.

MMSC is to take over the running of the Blenheim Summer Triathlon and Winter Duathlon Series. We’ve got some course changes planned, making them safer, better options for kids and new sponsors.

Along with this we will take over the Michael Huntley Memorial Triathlon. The date and location will change because  it clashes with the Grape Ride, and the Delta Lake is now deemed unsafe for swimming

Also, the Quadrathon, NZ’s longest running multisport event, is back on. Put April 17 into your diaries and get a team organised. We’re currently working on some course changes and we’re planning to incorporate Waikawa, Picton and Rarangi in this year’s event.  Approximate distances will be 750m Swim, 8km paddle, 30km Bike, 10km run.

Watch this space for updates.

Anakiwa Triathlon – photos and results

Josh Scott and Mark Grammer, winners of the Kayak and Swim triathlons, keep their noses clean after the race at Anakiwa

Click here to see photos of today’s race.

Click here to see a video shot by Mark G’s 10 year old son.

Results are here.

Link to Marlborough Express article here.

La-Z-Boy Duathlon is a hit

220 Marlborough Men took to their running shoes and bikes last night for the inaugural Matt Heagney Memorial Duathlon. The event took in the Taylor River Reserve and the Wither Hills Farm Park, both fantastic exercise assets for Marlborough.

Whilst not billed as a competitive event, Marlborough duathlete Kevin Bishell was first across the line.

Click here for photos from the event.

Anakiwa Triathlon – get your team organised

The annual Anakiwa Triathlon is this Saturday morning (23rd). It’s not too late to get a team together and enter on the morning in Anakiwa.

Race options are Swim Tri, Kayak Tri and Duathlon.

Registrations from 7.45am

Race Briefing 8.30am

Race Start 9.00am

For more information you can contact Chris 021 848470

Steve’s Ironman Update

This one is coming from a slightly overcast Auckland, after a week on Waiheke Island which had brilliant weather the whole time.

Saturday was my run in the Wharf to Wharf. That’s an annual 25 km race from one end of the island to the other. Anyone who knows the island will know it’s a tough course. Last year I did it in 2.55, managed to run to about the 15 km mark and then had to walk some hills. The first hill starts about 10 metres after the start line, and then its much of the same the whole way. Even when you get to the 1km to go mark anyone would be thinking ‘there at last, I’m in the home stretch’. But then it’s a 800 m grind upwards before a sharp right and 200 m down to the finish.

There are 1000 competitors through the various categories, so its a sizable and well run affair. The day dawned a real scorcher. Great for the holiday makers, but not so good for runners. The folks at the drinks stations try to out do each others fancy dress, so there is a great atmosphere. A few of the locals had sprinklers tied to power poles and you know its hot when running through them feels so good.

I am pleased to say I ran the whole thing and managed it in 2.35 – vast improvement on last year. I felt good throughout as well so, pleased with how my Taupo preparation is going. All in all a good day, specially as I was able to follow Roger’s successful crack at the Wanaka Challenge via txts with Sari.

Most of my week was spent riding the local roads of Waiheke which generally meant 2 hours out for about 35 km covered – those hills again. Lots of short term hard work. For the next few days I have some scheduled down time and then from Thursday it will be a week in Taupo going over the Ironman course with Phil and others. Lots of riding to Reporoa, running the course and swimming the lake. Should be good. More on this next time.

Challenge Wanaka – Rogers race report

After a year of planning and training, the Day finally arrived. A great program made by my Ironman Guru, Marie Higgison, and heaps of support from a myriad of training partners over the long build up, helped to set the scene. All looked good even if my race number had 13 in it!

The Wanaka course looked awesome (or fearsome depending on if you were a competitor or a spectator). Pristine lake with a backdrop of snowy mountain ranges, feeding crystal clear sub 14 degree waters… A Cycle course that was “undulating” taking in three of the South’s lakes, with breathtaking views (breathtaking hills more like) and a run course that was deceptively nice looking, running along side the lakes edge for the first half before returning up a small mountain back to Wanaka via the road.

The day dawned bright and clear, the lake dead flat and the new wetsuit booties protecting my little toes from the chilly waters. The swim went really well, minimum effort for maximum return.

The cycle went better than expected, a hot windy ride, over a long undulating course. I followed the advice (persistent Phil, I listened!) and started off drinking like I hadn’t drunk for a week, exchanging bottles of water and electrolyte at every aid station. Eating gels and bananas and a powerbar as well. I think I had got to double figures for the gels by the end. The aid station guys were fantastic, uplifting drinks and gels at 30km/hr with no worries. The three compulsory stops to try and refill the southern lakes were a little frustrating, though a good sign I had been drinking enough! The only other problem I had was not getting electrolyte drink in the last two aid stations. At the 140km mark, the girl just decided to stand there and hand me the bottle – result, bounce bounce down the road. Every other aid helper ran beside you and I managed 100% success with every pickup. Of course then the pressure was on to get the final aid station right, so of course what happens, I get water, not electrolytes! Ah well.. Still more toilet time at the next transition showed I wasn’t yet dehydrated by a long shot!

So to the run.. ah joyous. The first 19kms were all happy moments of frivolity, running well under the 2hr half marathon time I had targeted. But (there is always a but, right?), at the 19km mark aid station I took one gel too many, or so my body thought… and I rejected them in fine fashion! Game plan now in tatters (caffeine gels waiting at the special needs station only 3 kms away… life suddenly did the opposite of the course and went downhill. The next aid station was the finish chute, so was packed with spectators.. I didn’t feel like sharing my joy, so decided to run on with no intake… of course managing to get a whole 2kms further on before the inevitable.. yup the walk section! Arggh. (I had tried to promise myself no walking). A slow dawdle to the next aid station, and from there on after it was a matter of convincing myself to run from aid station to aid station, with a healthy rest at each one for a good sponge soaking and banana eating time.

I was feeling down in the dumps, until there was the moment of revelation.. it was the finish line, and the little numbers at the top were reading 11 hrs… Just like that, all the tiredness,  the heavy legs, were swept away, and I ran… joyously through the finish line in a sub 12hr time! Yeehaa!

A real heartfelt thanks to all of you, who have supplied advice, training time and motivation or even simply the inspiration to compete. You know who you are and each and every one of you were with me on the day and made it all possible. THANKS!

Summary:

                Place           Time

Swim         50         1:11:25

T1               69         07:34

Bike           53         6:11:33

T2               87         08:03

Run             49         4:19:47

Overall      47         11:58:22

Age group         19

Challenge Wanaka

Roger Golding finished Challenge Wanaka last night in a time of 11.58.22, 2 hours quicker than the time he had hoped for. Good on you Rog, you nailed it!

Results are here

Spousal Approval Units

Patrick McCrann over at Trifuel has this excellent article on getting the most out of the time you spend doing endurance training. With so many in Marlborough training for Ironman, Coast to Coast or just spending 3 hours riding to The Cornerstone on a SMBR, its worth reflecting on the Frequency, Volume and Intensity variables in each session.

From the article:

Our advice to you here is: don’t nickle and dime your life and your family for 1-2hrs here and there, week after week, for months before your race. Instead, keep the volume as low as you can for as long as you can, spending those training hours and the associated Spousal Approval Units (SAUs) closer to your race, where they can do you the most good.

I know a few people who are spending the SAU’s at the moment, perhaps even going into overdraft.