Great to be sitting on the ferry in the Awatere plus lounge (free food, including lamingtons, and drink) on the way home. All good for recovery I am lead to believe.

I have had a great time at IMNZ, spent with Leah, friends, supporters and all other competitors.  The atmosphere at the race and around town, Iron Town –  Taupo Town is incredible.  It gets into your skin.

I can look back on the last 12 months and feel very satisfied.   I have nursed my achilles all year, and it hasn’t let me down. I have been lucky, but also managed my luck.  Training has always gone to plan. Pre build up racing went well.

My race went to plan. ‘My “A” Goal of 12.5 hours was always going to be tough, so to come in at 12:37 was a thrill I can’t explain, especially when I felt I struggled on the run. But like all struggles it needs putting in perspective. All other goals of improvement in each leg were achieved. Some significantly

I had an incredible swim, at 1.57 per 100 m and swimming 3870 m I could not have done any more. 1hr 15.  Big gain, 25 mins.  It was a battle out there for a big part of it with some swimmers consistently climbing up over me. Goggles off, arms and legs everywhere. Still, I hope that is never changed. It’s like nothing else in sport I have been involved with, and of course I started right near the front.  ?

The bike was consistent.  I tried to stick to 190 watts. Good speed at that without too high a heart rate. Leg one went really well, as did leg two. The third leg was out into a head wind and it showed with many suffering a wee bit more, including me.  Leg 4 I consolidated, not worrying about passing people, just ensuring I still came in about 5hr:50.  That’s a 20 minute gain on last year, so more than enough without being greedy and paying the price.

Transitions were good, and I started running well, maybe too good. That downhill start to the run, the crowds, the adrenaline from the last 10k downhill bike into town all kick in and make you feel bullet proof. Soon though it all changed, I felt dry, but I had was drinking and eating heaps. I wanted to lie down on the grass and go to sleep. I wanted to give up.  Can’t explain why, it was awful.

But I kept going, Leah came past on the bike encouraging me, with msgs of support from family. I needed that reminder. By 30 km and the last lap, it was a bit cooler, but still warm, and I was home ward bound, knowing I had a great overall time to protect. It got me home, along with the support from Leah and my friends, but the people of Taupo as well. 5hr 8 mins. Another PB for me.

Unbelievable to run up that Red carpet, high five’s from the crowd as well as Iron Mike who was calling the finish as I crossed the line.  Great celebration on the carpet. I earned it.  !

Why was it so hard, well when I look back, it’s simple.

I trained well, prepared well, ate and drank well.  I believe I did everything I could. No excuses. My story is like many others, and it was neat to share these experiences with others afterwards.

But it’s a race against the clock and more importantly myself, and I went bloody hard.

It’s a tough race.  That’s why they call it Iron Man.

Thanks every one for your support as always. It really does help.

A week off now with some light exercise and walks. I had a nice swim on Sunday, and will do yoga and a massage over the next week to help recover.

Looking forward now to racing with my Family, 70.3, Busselton. WA in May.

Goal for the next one – easy.  Blow it out of the park!!

Cheers Grant.

What event are your training for and what is your goal?

Iron Man 1/2 Taupo 2018 & Challenge Wanaka 1/2 2019 (sub 5 1/2 hours) – AND eventually a full Iron Man! Under 12 hours (at least) – because that’s the battery life of my Garmin.

What it is your motivation for wanting to achieve this?

Wanting to complete an Iron Man. A super tough endurance race that includes swimming (the part that I least suck at of the three disciplines).

What is your background and how did you get into your sport?

I was supposed to go support a friend at Challenge Wanaka and decided I wanted to be part of the event. I tried to find team mates, but 3 days before registration cut off it was proving difficult, so decided to bite the bullet and just try the full thing as an individual. I gave myself 3 weeks to train – hadn’t been on the bike in 2 years, hadn’t swam for about 12 years. I got across the finish line, loved it and got addicted to the feeling of pushing myself. It seems crazy as the only real ‘background’ I have was a sprint swimmer as a child where the average race was 30-60secs – compared to endurance racing it’s been a bit of a jump.

What is your favourite event/or training mission so far?

I have three that have stuck with me. Challenge Wanaka 1/2 2017 – because it was what set me on this mission of trying new things and to eventually (hopefully) completing a Full Iron Man. CHCH Marathon as I set myself a super challenging goal, determined not to sell myself short and managed to achieve it – with 46 seconds to spare! However the one I’m most proud of was my first ever Ocean Swim race with Fit & Abel. I remember (figuratively) shitting myself sitting on the shore at Corsair Bay. I had put on my wetsuit earlier that day and went for my first ever swim in the ocean – which hadn’t exactly been a confidence booster – in fact I didn’t even make it more than 10m or 4 strokes without having a panic and stopping so it seemed ridiculously stupid to attempt the 2km race (you see I hadn’t left enough time to ‘ease’ my way into it – it was a LITERALLY sink or swim situation). I remember watching them putting the buoys out thinking holy moly that’s a long way… then left dumbfounded when I realised that was only 500m and I had to do 4 laps. I was so sure the lifeguards would be rescuing me in a matter of seconds. Thankfully after 20 seconds or so of freaking out, I settled found a rhythm and completed the 2km. It wasn’t a huge or flashy event, and it wasn’t about the time or the placing but one of my favourite events as it was the first time I had completely thrown myself outside my comfort zone – which has resulted in me taking other leaps of favourites and lead to a whole heap of amazing adventures.

What is your favourite training ride/run/kayak/swim etc?

Can’t beat Purau return (on a nice day, and out of Magpie season). And anything and everything in Wanaka.

Who is your biggest fan?

My parents who have to support me no matter what. Or my best friend Claire who has been super supportive on the sidelines of all my events so far. Although her side line support might turn to along-side support very soon as I drag her through these events with me. 😉

Do you have an inspirational quote that you would like to share?

I have a few that typically get me through tough times: “He who says he can, and he who says he can’t, are both usually right”, “Pain is temporary” “Great things never come from comfort zones” “Our greatness weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is to always try just one more time.” OR It’s more of a theory then a quote. Navy Seals have a theory that “When you’re body thinks its done, your typically only at 40% of what you are capable of”. – I always remind myself when the body wants to stop that if it was life or death I really have another 60% left.

What is your favourite recovery food?

Chocolate Milk + Onion Rings + Cheesecake. 3 Essential Post Race Food Groups. Not in the same mouthful

Day one

Everything was ready to go, I was ready to take on the Coast to Coast. It would be about giving it everything and trying to do it as fast as possible. I often feel, at the start of a race, that I should have done more training but for once I felt like I had done everything I could.

The Start – 2.2km Run

Somehow, I found myself in the front row getting ready to go. I felt proud to be standing next to a close friend of mine; she was doing the team event. Many years ago, I never would have imaged us standing on this start line together.

Then we were off. It was carnage with people pushing to get off the beach and over the rocks. I was pushing the run and then settled into a good pace. I was huffing and puffing when I entered the transition and found my bike. Running shoes off, bikes shoes on and I pushed my bike out of the transition, jumped on and was off. I had a smooth transition and did my shoes up once I was on my bike.

55km Cycle

I got a bit carried away starting on the bike as I was trying to make it to a good bunch. I drafted off a tandem team for a while in a small bunch that grew bigger and bigger over the ride. I kept hydrating and smashed down three Gels over the ride to make sure I kept my energy levels up for the run. A massive bunch caught up to ours, after which it was a bit crazy. You had to be super careful of other people. I am best at hill rides rather than flats so this ride suited me, but it got frustrating on some of the climbs as the bunch would slow down a lot and then start accelerating closer to the top.

We crossed the railway line and I knew we were close to the transition. I went through what I needed to do in the transition in my head, remindin

g myself that ‘smooth is fast and fast is smooth’ and that is how the transition went. I racked my bike, leaving my road shoes with it. I spotted my support crew and then my shoes and bag were on and I was off. I had practiced for the first two transitions, which definitely payed off.

32km Run

I slowly ran out of the transition smashing down part of banana. I felt really slow, so I focused on my race plan to start slow and ease into the run. I did not feel great so concentrated on getting to the first bridge, then the first river crossing and to keep moving forward. It was discouraging having lots of guys passing me, but I just stuck to my plan. One female in my category passed me early on and I just let her go. Not knowing how I was placing at that point I was surprised more females were not passing me.

I started feeling better further into the run. Along the way, I talked to some people and decided to ask everyone where they were from. By the end of the day, I had meet people from Wellington, Queenstown, Fairlie and Napier among others. Before I knew it, I was at Dorreen Creek – nearing the beginning of my favorite sections. I filled up my soft flask and managed to lose the lid. This was not good as I was planning to carry water in it on the bottom run section.

I kept going and continued drinking from the river. I enjoyed the boulder section and caught up to some people here and got stuck behind others. Eventually, I caught up to the chick that passed me. I sat behind her for a while before making a move past and heading up the hill climb to the hut.

At the top of the hill, I was looking forward to the downhill. I was feeling good at this point and flew down the hill, having lots of fun. Luckily a competitor was kind enough to lend me a spare soft flask which saved me as otherwise I would have had a limited water supply. I kept ticking points off and was glad to get up and over Dudley Knob. I enjoyed the technical sections and found that this was where I was catching people.

Before knowing it, I was onto the riverbed and getting closer to the end. My training had paid off as I was still running strong on the final sections, but struggled on the very last section and was pleased to make it to the finish, totally shot. Day one done – I was pleased with how most of the run went, but did not make the 4hrs 30 minute time I would have liked. I finished in 3^rd place, which was exciting, but knew I had my work cut out to hold this place.

Day Two

It was hard to get up for the start of day two. I was feeling a bit tired and sore; it reminded me of how it feels every time you wake up from sleeping during GODZone. I made it to the start line, looking forward to the paddle.

15km Cycle

We started with a nice short cycle to warm up. Competitors were broken into waves and set off at 1min intervals. I started in the same group as the 4^th placed chick who finished close to me on day one. I had a good cycle, enjoying some quick climbs, although it was hard work as I pushed it on the ride. Then I was off my bike and running down the hill to Mt White bridge pushing my bike. It is surprisingly challenging running down the hill pushing a road bike and I really wanted to ride it.

67km Kayak

My kayak transition was not the quickest, and running along the river in my mountain bike shoes wished I had changed into my booties just before the rocks. I finally made it to my kayak and spotted that the flag was still on the end. I was getting ready to go and spotted the 5^th place chick! I focused on myself, she got off before me but I made sure to get my drinking system set up correctly. Then I was off.

I was not sure about my placing at this point and focused on my paddling and my race plan – to get to, and through the rock gardens. It was not long until I saw the chick that passed me. I slowly caught up to her and then caught another chick who had snuck past me in the transition.

I made it through the rock gardens safely and to the start of the gorge. I enjoyed the gorge, making sure I picked good lines. I got my heart rate up going through Hamilton Rapid and was happy with my line choice, sneaking down the left line and avoiding the rough stuff. Allthe way, I sipped on tailwind and a yummy berry smoothie to keep me fueled. I knew there was a female on my tail and just had to keep moving forward. Sometimes I took safer, rather than fast lines, but everything was going pretty smoothly.

Eventually I was hanging out to get to Woodstock, once there I knew there was not far to go (15km). I tried to picking up the pace, but was not super successful although I was making ground on a lot of guys during this section. What I did not know was that somewhere on the paddle I passed the female who came first on day one. I made it to the Gorge Bridge and was glad to get off the water.

70km Cycle

I had a smooth transition onto the bike, and was off ready to tackle the final leg. I knew I had my work cut out for me, as I was still being chased. I hoped to get a bunch, which I did for the first half of the cycle. It was going well, until another bunch caught up to ours. Then our system started to fall apart, with holes starting to form. I was dropping from the front to the back when things fell apart for me. The back was a mess, with lots of holes and I ended up getting dropped. Everyone was pushing hard not to lose the group, but I just could not get back on the end of the bunch!!

It was not good, another guy also got dropped and we worked together for the final sections of South Eyre Road and into Christchurch. It was slow going with just two of us into the headwind. We were maybe 10-15km to the finish when a bunch caught us and there were two individual females – eck. I jumped on knowing that I had to stay on this bunch to try to hold onto a podium finish. I knew there was not long to go. We picked up a few more people who had dropped from the big bunch and then entered the final 1km and this was it. I stumbled off my bike, dropping it and ran up the finishing chute at the same time as another female. I had made it, 243 km over two days from the west to east coast. It was finally over, the training had definitely paid off and it felt nearly like the end of a journey. I scraped into 3^rd place female individual; taking it by just 2 minutes. It shows that small things can matter (I’m glad I didn’t get a puncture on the final ride!)

With my awesome support crew. Thanks guys!!!

Well it’s not really over yet, I am taking it easy at the moment, recovering and preparing to race GODZone at the end of the month. It has been challenging training for both and soon time will tell if I have been successful in that. Then the journey will be over, I will take a holiday from training and racing and start a new challenge and stage of my life starting a new full time job (after finishing study). For now, I just need to make it to the start line.

The training is pretty much over. With less that a week to go until Coast to Coast, the excitement is starting to build up. It has been a long time coming and I am now well into tapering. I’m just doing a few shorter sessions and focusing on getting the body ready to race and sorting the final pieces of gear and food. I am looking forward to getting off the start line and seeing what I can do and I’m sure many other people are as well.

One thing to remember is that the race is only one part of the journey. The first achievement is to overcome challenges to make the start line. My build up has gone reasonably well, some weeks have been good with everything on Training Peaks turned green and others a mess where I have had to adapt to the weather and people, to make training on the course happen. Some days it was easy to get out training and others not so much, but the drive of my race goals would eventually get me out the door. I have kept working on my paddling, wanting to get more confident in my kayak. I’ve enjoyed the adventures of running through Goats Pass and paddling the Waimakariri River. Sometimes it’s worth taking a moment to slow down and it enjoy those amazing environments.

So now is the time to trust my training and the journey I have had to get to the start line. I need to trust that it will get me though the race, when things get tough just focus on moving forward, or as Richard would say just focus on getting from one point to the next. Overall, the most important thing to remember is to have fun!

The other weekend I completed the Red Bull Defiance that is set in the hills surrounding Wanaka – what a brutal course with so much climbing and in hot conditions. This is a two person team event where you need to do the entire course together supporting each other through the ups and downs.

The last stage was a 28km “run” that had 1700 metres of elevation gain in it (that is a lot of up in the hot sun).  The final 6kms of this was on the flat around the lake to the finish line and this bit sounds like the easy section but oh no.  We knew that the finish line was just there but we were so far away and it felt like we would never make it.  We were going so slowly and had completely had enough by that time.  The landmarks crawled by and I was starting to believe that we would be actually running this track FOREVER!!!

But we did make it and as I write this 4 days later it doesn’t seem so bad – it didn’t actually take that long to get to the finish line.

So when you are at your next event and you have totally had enough and are in the middle of struggle street these things might just help to get you to the finish line without throwing your toys…

• Set small achievable targets – just run to that big tree and then I’ll reassess.  The worse that you are feeling the closer the target is. Progress = Success
• keep moving – walking is fine, running is even better and heck crawling is okay too but just don’t stop as you will be out there forever.
• Distract yourself – what else can you see, what else can you think about.
• Celebrate each target – have a drink, pat yourself on the back, give yourself an internal well done.
• Put the distance into reality especially if you haven’t done the track before – okay so it is 6kms to go – that is the same as me running around to the ice-cream shop and back – I can do that.
• Think about all the important people in your life that are wanting you to do well and keep putting the effort in for them
• Check your technique – how is your posture, how are you moving.  This is something that you can control – good technique will help to get you there faster
• How is your nutrition – Have you have a drink or something to eat recently?
• High five an official or member of the public – if you give a bit out you will get some encouragement back (this does become difficult when you can’t lift your arms above the height of your waist).

And finally when you do make it make sure that you pick the pace up over the final 100m so you look good as you cross the finish line!

What event are your training for and what is your goal?
My ultimate goal is the 1/2 Challenge Wanaka and then onto the age group worlds Sprint and Olympic Distance Triathlon worlds in September.

What it is your motivation for wanting to achieve this?

Initially it was just to complete Challenge Wanaka but this has evolved into a lifestyle where I am enjoying training and racing and the bonus is that it also keeps me sane…

What is your background and how did you get into your sport?

I was a sycronised swimmer in my youth and won a number of national titles in my native Holland.  When I moved to New Zealand I got into cycling and worked up to the point of being selected for the NZ National team in 2007.   During this time I did a lot of training with a friend who was preparing for the Taupo Ironman, naturally this got placed on the bucket list.  Now i am enjoying the new challenge of triathlon and  ticking some of these things off.

What is your favourite event/or training mission so far?

I love hills so the Corsair Classic event in the weekend was really cool and any riding around the port hills!

Who is your biggest fan?
Izzi (my 7 year old) – it is so awesome to have her in my corner cheering me on!

Do you have an inspirational quote that you would like to share?
Believe in yourself and the work that you do – the time and effort that you put in will pay off.

What is your favourite recovery food?
A nice refreshing green smoothie, after all I am a vegan plant powered athlete!!

With only two months to go I am well underway with training for Coast to Coast and GODZone (in early December). In fact it they seem way closer than I would like. I want to train more but really just need to remind myself to trust my training programme. It is challenging training for both as they are very different beasts, but one thing that crosses over nicely is kayaking. It has been hinted that there will be more paddling this year at GODZone and we are about to start learning how to pack raft (as they have just arrived). This means the paddling training will cross over really well for each event.

In build up to the events I decided to give the Rasdex Classic River race a crack. It involves paddling the Coast to Coast paddle route (roughly 72 km), which is fun. It throws at you rapids, rocks, bluffly corners, braids and an incredible environment if you get the chance to look around and appreciate it.

The morning of the race I was not feeling so good after sleeping badly and struggling to eat breakfast. It was very windy on the drive up and I was feeling a bit anxious. My kayak is a Sharp 6 which I love paddling but am still mastering it in tricky whitewater sections (I’m nearly there). I did one paddle of the route before the race and was stoked to get down without a swim and that was what I was hoping to achieve again during this race.

All the open women set up and off everyone went. I didn’t have the greatest start but just focused on settling into a good pace and picking braids. It’s a long paddle and to get through it Richard and I had talked about breaking it into smaller sections and focusing on one bit at a time. This worked a treat rather than focusing on how far there was to go. One of the rock gardens was flat but on the second one things where a bit rougher. As I approached it I tried to pick my line but could not decide whether left or right was better, which ended in disaster! I went straight down the middle…..not a good line choice! I heard a “awww Rach” from a friend behind me as I tipped over. I got to the side, quickly emptied my kayak, got back in, checked my drinking system and headed on my way. Often when I used to swim when whitewater or multisport kayaking I would get upset or frustrated. I decided before starting the race that if I did swim (which I really didn’t want to) that I would work on staying calm, which is exactly what I did. I took a lesson from it and really focused on making good line choices.

On the next rock garden I nailed my line choice and saw some other people swimming down. I paddled nice and steady through to the Iron Bridge steadily catching open women along the way and focusing on good line choice. I nailed the line on Bluff Bluff and was stoked. I enjoyed sipping away at a berry smoothie and tailwind to keep my energy levels up.

There was more chaos after the Iron Bridge with really strong wind making it challenging to paddle forwards. I pretty much got blown over, luckily a guy and I had been paddling together and he gave me a T-rescue, which was awesome and saved me a swim. It might be time to do some more rolling practice so I can get that combat roll down. Reaching Woodstock was a relief and I had to keep pushing and try and pick it up. It felt great to go around the final bend and make it to the finish line. It was a long paddle with the flow being really low. I was gutted having had a swim but was happy with how I recovered from it and paddled the other sections of the race. I’ve been improving in my kayak and just need to keep spending time paddling it on moving water. If you want to get better at kayaking the best thing to do is to go kayaking!

What event are your training for and what is your goal?
I’m training for the Mountain Run, C2C, Feb 2018.

What it is your motivation for wanting to achieve this?
1. Love that feeling when you cross the finish line
2. I want to be a bit less slow than 2016
3. I feel good when I’m training for an event.

What is your background and how did you get into your sport?
I really only started running in my 40s! First full marathon at 48, then when we came to NZ I discovered trail running and haven’t looked back.

What is your favourite event/or training mission so far?
Mountain Run C2C…

Why?
…because it’s completely bonkers – and it’s a buzz to be a part of it.

What is your favourite training ride/run/kayak/swim etc?
I like the Coopers Creek to Wharfedale Track and back circuit.

Who is your inspiration?
Anybody over 50 still out there running in the hills.

Who is your biggest fan?
Probably my 17 year old son who appreciates having an active Mum.

Do you have an inspirational quote that you would like to share?
“There will be a day when I can no longer run. Today is not that day.”

What is your favourite recovery food?
Cornflakes with cream and sugar.

The last seven weeks have been a whirlwind of fun, craziness and hard work in a number of ways. I took on the nine-hour Spring Challenge, Girls on Dirt Enduro, the Salmon run, went tramping (for study), did some work and finished my degree. Three years of hard work and I have finally made it to the end of an exciting journey. I have learnt a lot during this journey especially with the challenge of balancing study, work and adventure racing. Here is a summary of the main things I learnt along the way:

Balance

• Balance is really important for everything, especially to fit in study, training and work. Too much training and then not enough study gets done, but then I am much more productive when I am training and being active as that is what I enjoy. It’s about doing the right amount of each thing. You also need to fit in time to look after yourself otherwise there can be a risk of burning out.

Time management and planning

• Time management is the key to balance and staying on top of everything. It helps to have training planned out in advance for the week so you can work out how to fit in to make sure it happens. My study timetable changed weekly so this was super important to make it easy to get my training done. This is one reason it is awesome having a TeamCP coach to help plan and set the training for you. Training Peaks is also a fantastic tool for this. We could adjust the training load depending on the amount of time I needed to put into assignments and work each week.

 Preparation

• Preparation is fundamental for a race and really anything. I did many presentations during my degree and the more prepared I was the better the presentations went and it is the same for racing. I have found over the years preparing for racing has become easier through doing more races, gaining experience and learning how to do it and what works. If you prepare your gear and food well for a race, things are likely to go a lot smoother. Things like getting your bike serviced before the event and giving it a good check over and clean are important.

Motivation

• Being motivated helps to get things done. I pick races and set goals that I am excited about which helps to keep me motivated. Sometimes it can be hard to stay motivated when things get tough especially with hard assignments or when feeling tired. This is when you need to remind yourself of what you are trying to achieve to get you out the door for that run or to get that project done. I’ve really enjoyed going to the Team CP Tuesday morning run group as it is social and takes less motivation to get out and do the training.

 Sleep

• When everything gets busy it is easy to cut down on the amount of sleep you get but it is fundamental to doing everything else well. The longer I studied the less late nights I put into assignments. I found there would be a certain point where it was just not productive; if I got more sleep I would be much more productive and be able to train better. Sleep is also important for recovery from training sessions. You have mange your time to make it all work and prioritise getting sleep. All those late nights studying did pay off though when I raced in GODZone and had to deal with sleep deprivation.

Looking after yourself

• Sometimes you just need to look after yourself and take a breather. This can be challenging when we all live in such a busy technological world. For me I like to escape everyday life and head to the hills. Whether it’s just getting out for a day walk or really getting away from everything and going on a three to four day tramp. When out in the bush I enjoy being away from the demands of every day life and digital technology. It’s good to find something you can enjoy to be able to take some time out for yourself.

Friends and family

• Without the support of family and friends I would not have been able to achieve what I have in Adventure Racing and degree. They have support crewed for multiple races and supported me in to achieve my training, racing and study goals.

With my degree done everything is pretty exciting and scary as to where I will go next but that’s ok. I will chance my focus from study to now training for GODZone and two day Coast to Coast which will be fun, exciting and challenging.