Tackling Challenge Wanaka, NZ XC MTB Nationals and Motatapu Xterra!

Well three weekends of events in a row over the tail end of Feb and the start of March had the body thriving on some muscle pain, lactic acid and good old challenge in the outdoors racing in 3 quite different events each spaced one week apart!

Challenge Wanaka Half – This was the first of the ‘three in a row’ and is a bit of a favourite of mine for a few reasons, these being the surrounds of Wanaka and the great backdrop it provides as a course for a full and half distance IM tri. I had decided to enter the Half distance this year as I wanted to compete in events in the weeks following this without going into them with my body completely trashed…. After the full distance Challenge Wanaka last year it took a bit out of me in terms of getting some bounce back into my legs in events that followed after it. SO this year the half seemed like a sensible option (however I was very closely tempted to upgrade to the Full distance 2 weeks out from the race, however common sense and knowing my body prevailed and made a wise decision to enjoy the day and recover for the following events better.

I had as always squeezed in a good mix of Swim, bike and run training as time allows and made the most of the times available. Going into these events there is always one element that you would like to feel stronger in, this for me in Challenge was going to be the amount of running miles in my legs (or perhaps slight shortfall of..) My swimming has been ticking along nicely and I always feel confident and solid in the swim, all of my training is carried out in either Lake Hawea or Wanaka and I really love getting out in the open water in all conditions. I am by no means fast but can chip away at a good pace. So the Challenge Half swim was a nice warm up for the cycle and run that followed. I swam a good lap of the course on race day and exited in around 34min which is where I was expecting to be.

Next, onto the bike for 90km of what is a stunning loop around the Wanaka and Hawea area. As this is my ‘backyard’ I know the course well enough to know where and when to make it hurt! The highlight of the cycle stage for me would actually have to be assisting a fellow competitor in need. As I approached this rider about 20km from the cycle stage end, I saw that this lady was walking along pushing her bike not so happy looking. My ‘helpful human instinct’ kicks in and I stop to see if there is anything I can do to help… Yes there was she had punctured and only had a CO2 canister that had failed to inflate her tyre. I quickly sorted things out with my pump and had her inflated and wheel on again and away in not too long at all. Afterwards I was to find out she was a past tutor of my younger sisters and was eternally grateful for the tyre pumping I offered as she was walking destined for a DNF. Anyway this was my good deed for the day and really it only added a few minutes to my cycle time, I feel that if I can help make someone else’s day better that is what matters in this sport and supports the  T7 #seeyououtthere values!

Off the 90km cycle in 3hr20 and it was onto the run, a nice 21km run down the outlet track alongside the Clutha river and back to Wanaka from Albert Town to the finish. I must say I was feeling a bit ‘cooked’ on the run, however ticked along to finish off what was a reasonably challenging day out in 6hr45min – Not my fastest time by quite a bit, but an enjoyable day out doing what I enjoy and pushing the body to it’s limits! 

Off for some rest for 7 days and it was time for the New Zealand XC MTB Championship race at Cardrona Ski Resort. I had entered this race with the mindset of doing something that would push me right outside my comfort zone and was a race I had never previously entered into. With it being the NZ champs it was a tough and demanding course both technically and physically. There was to be 5 laps of about 4.5km for the MAsters 1 grade (Men 30-39 years old). Each lap had 200m of vertical climbing. I had been up a couple of weeks prior to the race doing some fun runs down the DH trails on offer up there for the summer season. I was riding my Trusty Trek Fuel EX9 29er for this race. Not the hardtail XC bike that some might imagine but this bike is a beast on all terrain so it makes sense to be riding this for both comfort and handling on what was a great course. It was heaps of fun and really quite challenging technically as there were no ‘easy cruise’ bits on the lap at all really.

Anyway the race was awesome, my goals were to stay on the bike and uninjured as I had the Motatapu Xterra Tri the following weekend. Goals achieved and I even picked up a silver Medal in the Masters 1 Grade!!

Another weekend of see you out there event adventures and it was a week away from the Motatapu Xterra Triathlon. A 2km Swim at Glendhu Bay in Lake Wanaka, 46km MTB through the Motatapu Gorge and trails to Arrowtown before the 15km run up around the Miners trail hills behind Arrowtown.

The body felt great in the swim and the water temp and clarity was stunning! The MTB went well apart from quite a lot of congestion of riders as the tri swimmers were onto the MTB around the same time as the last wave of MTB race riders -so it was weaving through a couple of thousand bikes!!! The ride was a little slower than I had anticipated, perhaps due to some long grass across the tops, and the congestion in the first half of the ride passing slower riders. All up I came off the bike and settled into the run with the goal of running as well as I could on the up hills and maintaining good speed on the descents – achieved and once again feeling great (but pretty smashed at the same time…!). I crossed the finish line to the highlight of the day – this was seeing my wife Cherie and hearing the cheering of my three sons as I ran up the finishing chute – priceless support from my amazing little family!! 6hrs and 16min of good times!

Another great event ticked off and a few great little stories to tell to friends, family and students I teach. It is great to get out in our fantastic outdoors and enjoy putting the body through great physical and mental challenges. I always feel privileged to be able to ‘fly the flag’ for Torpedo 7 and all of the great product and people behind the #seeyououtthere values!

Next up on the calendar of focus and significance is the Lake Hayes Easter Tri followed by the 125km Contact Epic MTB around Lake Hawea which is pretty much my ‘backyard’ living only a stone’s throw from some of the course.

Until the next adventure lots of missions training and enjoying the great outdoors of our great country!

See You Out There – Andrew!