What event are your training for and what is your goal?
Challenge Wanaka plus lots of other smaller, local events.
What it is your motivation for wanting to achieve this?
I want to fit my skinny jeans?!?! Seriously… having an event scheduled in keeps me motivated to get out and make the most of the beautiful place we live in. The event itself is aways fun as you’re surrounded by like minded people who are buzzing in a sensational park of NZ!!
What is your background and how did you get into your sport?
I’ve spent my whole life playing sport – mainly netball, rugby, touch and squash. A knee injury forced me off the squash court and I was pretty gutted. In 2012 I watched my husband at the Tauranga half ironman and thought “hmmm I reckon I could do that!”. Initially I could barely run 20 mins, so after I completed my first half marathon, I knew I could do a half ironman. In 2013 I completed the Tauranga half ironman and the rest is history. Since then I’ve done 3 ironman, Coast to Coast 2 day, Whaka 50, Exterra, Tararewa Ultra 50 and LOTS of half ironman, triathlon and running events.
What is your favourite event/or training mission so far?
Coast to Coast was EPIC!!
Why?
Training for Coast to Coast took us to some of the most spectacular places in NZ such as the Rangitikei river and Mount Ruapehu. At the time, my husband and I were living in Rotorua and we’d pack up our camper and head away to complete our huge training weekends. The Coast to Coast event was sensational and it certainly pushed me out of my comfort zone – I still get heart palpitations when I think about that 70km paddle down the Waimak!!! I remember on the first major rapid, it was carnage with people and boats everywhere (garage sale!) and the only line available was down the middle and I literally launched my kayak off a rather large rock. Much to my surprise I managed to not swim!!! Finishing Coast to Coast was certainly something I’ll never forget.
What is your favourite training ride/run/kayak/swim etc?
We have just moved to Picton and I am absolutely loving the mountain bike and running trails in the area. I also adore the mountain bike and running trails in Kaiteriteri and Rotorua.
Who is your inspiration?
My mum!! She is 72 and is still swimming and cycling like a demon!!! She is living proof that age is no barrier.
Who is your biggest fan?
Probably my mum 🙂 She was my support crew at Coast to Coast and it was so special to share it with her. She had a fall on the morning of the kayak and ended up breaking a bone in her knee. Despite this, she was still out there cheering me on – legend!!
Do you have an inspirational quote that you would like to share?
Explore – dream – discover!
What is your favourite recovery food?
Hot chips and a cold beer.

Top 10 tips to getting started on your bike

1. Bike check – is your bike safe and running smooth?  After dusting the cobwebs of your bike it is really important to make sure that it is safe to ride – brakes are working well, tyres are pumped up etc.  It is a really good idea to get your bike serviced by your local bike shop so your bike is both safe but also running smooth and the effort that you put in is going to help you to move forward.
2. Bike set up – firstly this is about comfort.  If you are comfortable on your bike you are going to be able to focus on putting your energy into pedalling rather than the soreness caused by your seat.  There is both a science and an art to a good bike fit. An experienced bike fitter will be able to match your bike to your height and limb length but will also be able to adjust your set up to the type of riding you will be doing and any historical injuries.
3. Pedal technique – this is about engaging the correct muscles and being as efficient as you can.  We learnt to ride a bike when we were young by just pushing down on the pedals but now we have shoes that attach our feet to the pedals we need to learn how to engage our hamstrings and butt muscles.  By calling on other muscles to do some of the work we will be able to take the load of our thighs. Hopefully as a result of this you will be still smiling at the top of the hill.
4. Skills – cornering, baking, uphill, downhill…  The more confident you are about riding your bike the more fun it is going to be.  You don’t want to be the first to the top of the hill and then get passed by everyone on the downhill.  Taking some time to develop your skills early on will make a big difference as you start to do more.
5. Stay safe – Wear bright coloured clothing, lights are a good idea too and be safe and predictable when riding around town so there is a greater chance that drivers will see you.  Being predictable is also really important when riding with other cyclists so you can all enjoy your ride and get home safely
6. Hydration – becoming dehydrated is the first reason why you will start to slow down.  Making sure that you replace the fluid lost as sweet while you are riding is going to mean that you can perform to your potential.  The hotter it is the more that you need to replace. Use water first and then as your rides get longer consider an electrolyte replacement and/or a sports drink.
7. Fuel – nutrition (coffee helps 🙂  Caffeine will help to give you a pick me up especially later in your ride.  But before you get to that point the longer that you ride you should consider taking on a mid ride snack.  This will help fuel your muscles so you can keep enjoying your riding.
8. Make it an adventure – One of the best things about riding your bike is you get to explore new places and have a variety of different experiences – from that sunrise, the awesome view or the cow that just escaped down the road…
9. Do it with friends – Riding your bike is much better as a shared experience of a fun downhill or the banter as you get to the top of a tough climb.  
10. Enjoy the recovery – you have worked hard so enjoy that satisfaction of completing an awesome ride.  Put your feet up and relax – a good coffee also helps here too…

Coast-to-Coast Longest day (C2C). The goal was simple – to finish, to travel 243km from the West Coast to the East Coast. Really, I was travelling home by foot, bicycle and kayak. Having done well in the two day it was time to tackle ‘The Longest Day’, which was something I had always had in mind to do.

The team

I had a challenging build up balancing full time work, wedding planning, training and just life. Having raced Red Bull Defiance a couple of weeks before gave me some confidence that I would be able to complete the day. However this meant it was important to recover well between the two events. I have done bigger days, the challenge for me is that C2C is a fast race; you have to work on keeping going at a good pace. It was also different that I would be doing this race as an individual rather than in a team.

Attending race briefing the atmosphere felt somehow different to the two-day race. I started feeling like I had joined the big kids club. We splashed out this year and stayed in some accommodation, which was amazing and made life easy when the alarm went off at 4am, as there were no tents to deal with. I mostly slept well the night before, but woke up in the middle of the night with a sick stomach, was it nerves? I’m not really sure.

I wasn’t sure how I was feeling heading to the start but I knew I was looking forward to getting to my kayak, there was cycle, and a mountain pass to run over first. It was still dark as we stood on the beach ready to go. We headed off on the first 2.2km run, I was pushing hard to get into a good bunch, however this year I wasn’t super quick in my run. I made it to the bike for a reasonable smooth transition. It was raining through the start of the ride but it didn’t really bother me, I’ll ride my bike in most conditions. I managed to get into a bunch, there were a few guys in the first section rotating through at the front but otherwise it didn’t seem to be quite working as many people didn’t want to share the work at the front. The biggest thing I noticed was the ride was less hectic and fewer surges compared to the two day. Everyone wanted to get through the rain without an accident. On the second half I ended up at the front and helping rotating through; but again it seemed there were a lot of people behind us who never did any work at the front.

Off the ride it was onto the run. I had chosen to use clips on the first ride, which meant I had slightly slower transition, as I had to change my shoes. My support team was great and helped shove banana into my mouth. Unfortunately this food did not last long; as about 500m out of the transition I threw up my breakfast. I slowly eased back into running. I wasn’t feeling too bad on the first section, however for most of the run I battled with stomach issues. I still worked on getting nutrition in but in the form of gels. It would take me a long time to take one gel but at least I was managing something. I focused on breaking the run down into smaller segments. When I made it to Doreen Creek, I was 5mins behind the timing I was hoping for but was excited to make it onto the boulder section. This section flew by quickly to Goat Pass Hut, which was nice. A guy worked hard to catch up to me and we enjoyed some good conversation, that was a nice distraction from my stomach.

I was excited to get to the downhill and tried to pick up the pace. I just kept focusing on picking off points, Mingha Bivvy, Dudley’s Knob, the Bealey River and then was running the last section along the rocks; keen to make it to the transition.

There were lots of yells of support as I ran into the transition. My run to bike transition was smooth but not super quick. It felt good to be on the bike. My aim here was to try to get some solid food in. I had a selection of food to choose from in my bike bento box. I thoroughly enjoyed chomping down on some sausage rolls. I managed to get a good amount of food in without upsetting my stomach again. After not long I was heading up the last hill climb to the run/kayak transition. I saw James, racked my bike, changed into my running shoes and slowly jogged down the hill. James helped here and fed me some baby food that went down a treat. A good tip Richard gave me here was its okay to slow down or walk parts of this section to keep my food down. That exactly what happened, I had to walk small sections to make sure I didn’t throw up again.

I was really happy to see my kayak. Again it was a nice smooth transition onto the kayak, my support crew were really nailing it. As asked before the race, James gave me specific directions on the line I needed to take to leave the transition without getting beached. It worked well and I felt like sticking left was the way to go, I managed to successfully get down to Gooseberry without having to get out of my kayak. I was a bit slow getting going on the paddle but slowly managed to pick the pace up.  It was exciting catching up and passing lots of guys who had passed me on the run.

I applied the same technique of just focusing on ticking off locations throughout the paddle.  It was exciting to reach the start of the gorge; I had never paddled the Waimakariri River when it had been this low before. I got my heart rate up early in the gorge when we were directed to paddle right of a rock. I did not partially want to take this line but followed the instructions. I was not happy when I went around the rock and then found myself paddling over another rock and through a wave chain. They kept saying paddle left to get out of it but this is easier said than done….. after getting through that, I was really on my game for what was to come in the gorge. Along the way I enjoyed sipping on smoothie and ‘Tailwind’, which kept my energy levels up. I made through the gorge in one piece without any major mishaps and enjoyed most of the paddle. I planned to pick up the pace at Woodstock, which I definitely tried to do, but I did not really manage to increase the pace much. I was glad when I finally went around the last corner and was at Gorge Bridge.

It was now just the home straight to go; just a 70km flat cycle…I hobbled out of my kayak and started striping my gear off while walking up the hill. A quick bathroom stop and then I was headed out on the bike. My support crew had tried to feed me and I accidently yelled at them “no more food, I’m full!” as I was super full from my yummy berry smoothie. It was a little bit funny.

Once on my bike I just worked on getting the legs spinning and up the small hill. It didn’t seem too bad and then at roughly 65km to go everything seemed to hurt. Earlier in the day my feet had started to hurt but luckily this wasn’t a problem in the kayak. However it was like a burning sensation every time I pushed my feet down on the peddles. I’ve had it before when racing GODZone but had never expected it during C2C. Then my back also started hurting, I found myself shifting around in different positions on the bike that felt like I was riding a brick on the rough road. All I could do was keep pushing forward. I appreciated the tailwind for the first part of the ride. I had to dig deep to keep pushing forward but often that’s what racing is all about – giving it everything and seeing how much you can push yourself. I started singing songs as a distraction from the discomfort. It was entertaining, as I would run out of breath when I tried signing aloud.

I was glad when I finally made it to the highway bridge and was counting down how far to go. Closer to the finish there were people yelling support along the way, someone yelled 8km to go. I had no idea if they were telling the truth or not but I decided this was the point to dig really deep and empty the tank. I tried to pick the pace up and pushed hard to the finish. Finally it was there, I left my bike and ran for the finish. It was the most amazing feeling running down the finishing chute, there was so much cheering and support. Then I was there, greeted by Steve Gurney with a hug and an “aww Rach” I had made it from the West Coast to the East Coast. There is nothing else quite like the feeling of crossing the Coast-to-Coast Longest Day finish line.

I don’t really know how to sum the whole race up. It was definitely an adventure filled with highs and lows. My support crew were amazing, I felt like I almost had a professional support crew. Mum and my now husband James did a fantastic job; they have supported me for so many years through my training and racing. We have learnt a lot together along the way. They have even started thinking about what they want to do better and how the transition were smooth but that we want them faster. TeamCP has also supported me over the last four years that I have been in Christchurch. The group sessions make training fun and social as well as a good workout. Richard puts together my training program that really helps me to balance training with work and train effectively.

Now the big question I keep being asked – what’s next? I’m really unsure on the answers to this, I have a few ideas brewing but am not sure what I will be able to make possible. However that is okay, I’ll take some time off training and just enjoy some fun adventures. I even went whitewater kayaking this last weekend, which was fun.

What event are your training for and what is your goal?
Oparara Wildnerness Trail Run , Podium over 50’s

What it is your motivation for wanting to achieve this?
I like training hard, staying healthy and winning

Red Bull Defiance (RBD) has been on my bucket list for as long as the race has been around (this was the fifth year). When the opportunity came up to race with my good friend Kathryn Bunckenburg again, I couldn’t resist giving it a go. The race is in Wanaka and involves two days of kayaking, trail running, mountain biking, an abseil and a mystery activity. The course also involves a large amount of elevation (roughly 4,000m). You complete the whole event in a pair which means teamwork is important. We had both had challenging build-ups to RBD with life and work impacting on our training. We decided our main aim was to have fun and race hard.

Day 1

Stage 1 – Minaret Burn Mountain Bike – 42km Alt gain 1020m

It was still dark when we arrived at the Edgewater Resort (race HQ), ready to jump onto the bus to get to the start line. The bus trip was longer than expected and it was hot and stuffy in the back of the bus. We were feeling a bit sick from the windy road, which ended badly with Kathryn throwing up her breakfast into my pack liner. We were both glad to get off the bus into the fresh air and onto a barge to get across the lake. Not long after, we were on the start line ready to go.

Then we were off. It was a nice four-wheel drive track to start; the pace was quick as it was mostly flat with some ups. Kathryn was not feeling great and struggling with energy after losing her breakfast. I tried to support her, so we stuck at her pace and she worked on eating some food. She felt better after 45min and started to charge along well. Alas, then I started to feel sick on one of the hill climbs and struggled with this throughout the rest of the ride. I tried to keep eating and drinking. There were some steep hills, we managed to ride some and walked our bikes on others. When I wasn’t feeling well, Kathryn and I swapped bikes walking up the hill as her bike is lighter than mine. This worked well.

Stage 2 – Rocky Mountain Run – 10km Alt gain 550m

 We got off the bikes and had a reasonable smooth transition, leaving the transition while stuffing our packs with more food and water. We started the run with a steady pace along some undulating single track before hitting the steep climb. I was pleased to have my poles for the climb. As I still wasn’t feeling great and Kathryn was feeling good she offered the tow me for some sections. I was glad when we got up the climb and onto some nice running sections, then before we knew it we were at the abseil.

We took this opportunity to eat some food and chat to people. We didn’t realise that we would be waiting for 45min – 1hr and we ended up getting cold (it also started raining). It was good when we finally make it onto the abseil. While getting the brief, I looked over saw that Kathryn was already gone, so I tried to chase her down the abseil. It was a fun abseil with a cool view.

Running to that kayak

We set off again on the run and got a lovely surprise as my Mum and James (Husband) had found a spot where they could cheer as on. We chipped away at the last section of the run, working hard as we knew we wouldn’t need out legs anymore. I was excited to see the TA and so was my stomach which decided to empty it’s contents onto the ground. That sucked and I’m still not sure why this happened.

Once at the TA it turned out we still had a bit more running to go, so we picked up our lifejackets/helmets and shuffled our way along an estuary to the kayaks.

Stage 3 – Lake Wanaka Kayak – 16km

We were excited to make it to the kayaks and were looking forward to this stage. Off we went on the nice flat lake for a solid paddle to the finish. We were working hard in the kayak, steadily chipping off the distance. After a while we paddled around a point and hit rough/wavy water. This was one of my favorite parts of the day as we had lots of fun surfing the waves. Then we were at the finish and stoked to have competed day one.

At the end of day we turned our focus to recovery and prepping for the next day. This involved packing our food and gear into transition bags and dropping them at Edgewater Resort for the next day. This also meant ensuring we were eating food to help over bodies recover. We also discussed a race plan for the next day, and how we were going to approach the day it, as it would be a big one.

Kathryn and Rachel, day one done

Day 2

Stage 1 – Clutha River Kayak – 20km

Kathryn and I were on the water at 6:15am in the kayak ready to tackle day two. Then we were off! The pace was fast and there were kayaks everywhere. It was wavy, windy, and people were bumping into each other everywhere. Kathryn and I were working hard. We made it across the lake, headed down the Clutha River while keeping the pace up. We accidently paddled through a big wave, which was fun. Beforewe knew it we were at the take out. Then we ran to the mystery activity which was knife throwing into a hay bale. My throw was dismal. Kathryn saw this and promptly nailed it, saving us a penalty run. Then we were off to transition onto the bike.

Stage 2 – Criffel Peak Mountain Bike – 31km Alt gain 1030m

We had a smooth transition onto the bike, but were not sure if we were riding in the right direction when we left. Luckily we were, however my bike was not going well as the top gear was slipping. It turned out I didn’t need that gear anyway as we soon got into the hill climb that went up, up and up. The gears on both of our bikes did not sound good and we wished we had packed some bike lube in our transition box . I was feeling much better today and was enjoying the climb on the bike. We settled into a steady pace for the ride knowing it would be a long climb and that we didn’t want to blow ourselves up for the run. We finally made it to the top and got to enjoy some downhill. We made it to the transition in one piece ready to tackle to run.

Finishing the bike

Starting the run

Stage 3 – Skyline Traverse Run – 28km Alt gain 1480m

We eased into the run at a steady pace while getting some nutrition in. It started with an undulating track followed by a big hill climb that went up, up and up. I used my poles on the climb to help drive me forward. We also used the tow on some sections, which helped to keep the pace up. My main nutrition on this run was gels and water as it was challenging to eat solid food. When we hit the ridge, we ran what we could and moved along it steadily. We were stoked to make it to Mt Roy and onto the downhill.

The downhill

It was a super long downhill (7km!). When we made it to the bottom, my feet were sore and we knew it was time to finish the race off. Kathryn put me on the tow, we eased into the final 5km and built the pace up. We saw some teams not far ahead and chased them down. The pace got faster with us pushing the final run section hard to make it to the finish line. Then were done and happy to have completed RBD, it was a challenging course.

Kathryn and I worked well supporting each, through the highs and lows, to finish the race. We placed sixth overall in the female category in a strong women’s field. We raced well on the second day and felt it was a bummer things didn’t go as well on the first day, but we made it through the challenges we were presented. I am now recovering and getting ready to tackle my next challenge – Coast to Coast Longest Day!