The Te Anau Enduro was a new race this year, consisting of mtb, kayak and run laps, approximately 25min in length (at the start of the day). The goal was to complete as many laps as possible in the 8hrs allowed, with the catch being that if you completed 3 different laps (eg run, bike, kayak) in a row you would be awarded a bonus lap.

I was a bit nervous pre event about how this scoring system would work, as if you did four of the same discipline in a row you also gained a bonus lap. My fear was that a mountain biker could take the victory, if the laps we not evenly created…
The race started with a roar and the pace was quick as we completed a lap of the transition area before proceeding onto the course to do what ever lap we had elected to do first. This race was a big training day for me in my build up to racing Baise Outdoor Quest in China, so I was keen to stick to a kayak, bike, run sequence to maximise the running after riding.

The first laps were all about feeling out the course and getting into the grove of things. I had been a bit run down in the lead up with a solid bought of “man flu”… The first run in particular was a snotty affair as I struggled to clear the airways and find some sort of rhythm. The racing was close for the first 3 laps, but by the end of the run I had opened up a small gap on Deklan, who was racing the same lap sequence as me. I focused on doing my own thing and pacing myself for the full 8 hours, and was pleased to see that as I warmed up and got to know the course my mtb and run times were improving. That was reasonably short lived though and by the 4 hour mark my laps were starting to take a bit longer… I was impressed with the course and was finding it entertaining. I was also enjoying trying to keep the intensity up. The transition area was a hub of activity and the event MC did a great job of hyping things up. Things went smoothly for me, and I was stoked to be a lap up on second place leading into the final stages of the race. Rounding out the 8 hours I was satisfied with my day. I had done 8 solid hours of training and also come away with the win. It was a fun format to and something I will certainly look at doing again.

I would like to thank the event team and marshals for putting on such a great new race, hugely successful and smoothly run for its first year.

I would also like to thank my sponsors, Around the Basin Bike Tours, Torpedo7 and O2B Healthy Ltd.

To hear more from Hamish’s adventures visit his blog at www.hamishfleming.com