Challenge Wanaka - 87 Days to Go!!!

Well with Challenge Wanaka getting closer at around 87 days to go, I am starting to get some feelings of excitement along with a few nerves as well, the thought of the 3.8km swim, 180km cycle and 42,2km run is definitely going to put on a challenge!

 I have a good base of fitness and experience from many endurance, multisport, triathlon and adventure based races over the years so this puts me in a good position knowing how my body responds and copes with challenges like the full course Challenge Wanaka. I have sorted myself out a good schedule of training to build up and be ready to go for the Challenge on January 19^th – The toughest challenges so far of lately have been getting out of bad super early to transform my swimming style from sluggish to slick, I work as a teacher and have a couple of students in my class who are up and at the pool at 5am 6 days a week – I am not sure how they manage this so well – I find it tough 3-4 mornings a week ( A young family of a 3 year old and a 9 month old sons may affect this sleep monster and have some impacts on training, but of anything make me tougher!) 

Anyway things are going good so far in training and prep for Challenge Wanaka. I raced in a local running event the other weekend “Kellys Canter” a blast to the monument at the top of a hill and return – more of a lug and leg burner but a good we blast – retaining my trophy of 1^st  in the ‘Local category’ for the 3^rd year and 6^th overall. A few weeks earlier in September I ran in the Dunedin Marathon clocking in at just over 3 and a half hours so my running is feeling good. All this mixed  into some good training over the recent weeks including some good cycling should see me on track fine, one focus over the next 2 months is to get really strong on the bike!

Coming up on the 3^rd of November I will race in the Dunedin City Mazda 12 Hour Adventure Challenge ( www.adventurechallenge.co.nz ), this will be a good day out with 12 hours of MTBing, running and Kayaking to give the body a good blast of racing over a similar timeframe to what I expect to be on my feet for in the Challenge Wanaka Race.

Anyway once again many thanks must go to lake Wanaka Tourism

 www.lakewanaka.co.nz for the entry into the Challenge Wanaka for 2013! More updates again soon!

Andrew

Kelly's Canter October 14 2012

This annual event is one I have competed in ever since my youngster days, attracting a field of around 40-50 runners it is about a 4km blast to the top of the monument hill in Palmerston and back – a real lung and leg burner. I was there to defend my 1^st Placed Local trophy for the 3^rd year running and managed to come away with the title and trophy again this year along with finishing 6th overall, I got to the top and back in 25min 9 seconds which was 2 and a half minutes down on the winner – The winner is my team mate for the upcoming Dunedin Mazda 12 hour Challenge so we should have a good solid combo for this.