Get excited!

Triplecross!!!!! The dates been set, and I'm excited. Note the date down now: March 21st 2009

MTB 25km, Trail run 12km, and XC Motorcycling leg of 80km. Hands down the funnest 'multisport event' on the calendar. Theres already lots of talk about who'll front up this time. It's gonna be big, so make sure you're a part of it. This time..... I'll sort out that gas mileage

The imposter

Couldn't help laughing at myself and posting this photo. Poor confused school kids.....

As Sport Manawatu guy I've spent the last few days organising school visits around the region for our Olympic heroes Kris Gemmell and Jesse Sergent (Track Cycling medallist). Cramming them into as many schools as we can to help inspire our youth. Its been fun, and its been educational.

Poor kids today I think were a bit confused as I ended up spending 1hr solid signing autographs! Ok, so I'm a decent athlete but they didn't know who I was (Actually a few had seen me on TV3 news after XTERRA NZ so I must be famous!).Wait till they realise, or their parents ask who it was who scribbled on their hats. Damn imposter!

Orion Wins!!!!

Orion Health just won the Adventure Racing World Championship! Awesome. I'd be clutching at straws to claim any part of it.... but its awesome to be able to say I raced as part of the team in China, the year they became World Champs.

Magnificent effort, and I'll look forward to the invite to the ice-cream eating challenge with Orion when it happens

Go Orion

Whilst I sit on my arse at home and do very little.... Team Orion Health (http://www.orionadventure.com) are getting very little rest as they continue to lead the ecomotion in Brazil. Also know as the World Adventure racing championship 2008.

3 days in and NZ'ers dominate the leader board. But its these guys, the team I made a guest appearance for at the Wulong Mtn Quest, who continue to lead the way. Fingers crossed they can hold on.

And I can assure you I they'd be going considerably slower 3 days in if I was there!

XTERRA Worlds

Well.... it's all over. And after the dust had settled, I managed to survive Maui, and grab myself a top 20 finish.

It was a strong race for me. PB swim by a long way. Solid bike time, flying early, before paying the price later. And the run? Lets just say I survived! Whether it was the heat, or I pushed too hard early in the bike, or I just wasn't on form.... the run was a struggle.

Never the less. I held on for a top 20 finish, amongst the classiest pro field yet for an XTERRA Worlds. Coming out of an NZ winter, first tri since June, training around a fulltime job, I'll happily take a World ranking of 20th. Right now, its time for a few pies

As hard as it must have been for her to travel with me to Maui, knowing full well she couldn't race the event she'd been preparing for all year.... she seemed to enjoy the whistlestop trip. And I'm certainly glad she came along. At the very least just because I wouldn't have enjoyed the trip as much if she wasn't there.

Seems it motivated her enough though, and she refuses to let the broken collarbone slow her down..... much. As I type this she's at the Pool, doing kick sets. To be followed by lower body weights in the gym. I already feel lazy

Mt Vic: The Good, and the bad....

Unfortunately, this isn't as positive of an update as I'd hoped to provide. Whilst it would seem I'm in great shape ahead of XTERRA World Champs.... Nic has taken herself with a broken collarbone. Ouch.

On Sunday we looked forward to what was to be one of our final key training days prior to Maui. The ever popular PNP MTB series in Wellington was hosting race 3 on the tough Mt Vic course.
3 laps for Senior Men of a gruelling 9km lap (with 400m+ climbing per lap) was perfect. So a 1500min swim before the race. Race, and run a lap of the course off the bike would provide great prep. The day started well enough, as we both enjoyed a good solid swim.

On to the MTB race and despite tired legs I was soon in a great battle with Hisky, when midway round lap 2 we came across Nic, walking her bike towards us with weird expression on face. Kindly yelling she was ok so as to not concern me, I figured she'd busted the bike, and recommenced battle with Hisk.

In good signs for Maui, I was able to ride away on the last lap for a 'comfy' win, followed by a good run. Not fantastic, but very positive signs for Maui. So for me. All good. Mission accomplished. For Nic.... what was hoped was just a very sore shoulder now looks like 4-6 weeks healing. Frustrated is one word to describe her mood. I'm sure you can all think of many others....

Hisky's Speech.... "It was great to have a yarn with Cabin. Plenty of talk lap 1. Not so much lap 2. And none on lap 3." Kind of summed up the race and effort really!

The man

Just got to give "mad props" to my teenage dirtbike riding partner in crime (thats many yaesr ago now....!), and his latest exploits.

Paul "The Axeman" Whibley, who this morning took his 3rd win of the 2008 American GNCC Championship. All but cementing 2nd in the Championship. Now a factory pro for the FMF Suzuki team. Great example of hard work and perseverance. His road to the top hasn't exactly been short, or easy. I couldn't be more stoked for him.

And how fun does that pic look? Dirtbikes in the mud. Nothing better!