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.

Dunedin Marathon -September 2012

It is amazing how quickly you forget the struggle of the last few kms of a marathon, I guess this is why you keep coming back to them to try and chip a little more off a previous time or just see if you can 'pace' yourself better and feel better... anyway the 2012 Dunedin marathon was held on a perfectly clear blue sky Dunedin morning with a light breeze to keep you at a good temperature. As per usual the marathon in my mind is the 32km warm up for the 10km run at the end to give all that you have left. This was to be a good test on my body being a good distance and time duration to see that the kidney repair I had in March was 100% successful when the boyd was under a good level of stress (all the CT scans etc had shown this was all good, but your own physical thrashing is always a good measure too!) I ran the first 21km at a pace slightly quicker than i should have, running around 4.30 per km, this was evened out and brought my time down a little in the 2nd half as once i got to the 35km mark my km pace was cut down to size considerably. My target time of 3hrs30min was a good achievable time to target without completely destroying myself and i ended up just off this coming in with 3hrs40min. A good pleasing time and result, the night before the Marathon both Cherie (who ran her first half marathon in this event also) and I were running on about 4 hours sleep due to our two little ones having unsettled sleeps as they both had colds, so it was a pretty quiet time on our house after this run this year! Anyway wiht my sights set on completing the Challenge Wanaka full iron disatance race in January  the marathon was a good early checkpoint of my running and everything is sitting good, so over the next few months it will be a good time to maintain the running and build up some good time on the bike as well as getting out and about enjoying some fun missions on the MTB. The next couple of events are a few small running races before Josh Harris' chapter 2 of the Dunedin Mazda 12 hour Adventure Challenge, which if it is anything like his first 4 hour race he put together it will be great!

Dunedin City Mazda Adventure Challenge July 2012

Naseby 12hr MTB 14th April 2012 from the side line..

Naseby is a fantastic little village in this great place we live in! Naseby has a huge selection for some fantastic MTB trails, Weather and just general atmosphere... The Naseby 12 hour MTB Challenge is a massive event attracting all sorts of riders from about the place. I am still in recovery mode from my recent surgery but did manage a good day out on the side of the trails with my Camera (another interest and passion is a bit of photography). I spent several hours around a few different locations of the trails snapping shots of riders. A good fix on biking while in recovery mode, not long now until I will be back on the bike and enjoying this stuff again. Check out some of the images I have snapped in the slide show below from my other webpage. www.sloanshots.blogspot.co.nz

Kidney Salvage (23rd March 2012) and Recovery.....

Well after completing the Rail Trail Duathlon and then the Motatapu Xerra Tri in late Feb & early March I was scheduled to have some pretty major surgery to repair my left kidney that was not doing what it should have been. Lots of ongoing side and flank pain over the last 6months, the pains aggravated with longer sessions of running and biking and drinking lots of fluids.. several scans and a visit to a urologist confirmed tha tthere was some sort of obstruction in the drainage of my left kidney and possibly a renal artery needing to be moved.... so putting full trust in my Surgeon up at mercy Hospital he got in and carried out a 3 hour operation titled as a 'renal pyleoplasty'. After 3 hours of open surgery he had successfully moved and re attached one of the arteries and removed and rebuilt part of the renal pelvis drainage system. So 5 days in hospital with all sorts of hoses and monitors along with a 20cm wound on my tummy side from where the surgeon went in. So a good month of rest has now passed and things are slowly healng as they should, the removal of a stent in another couple of weeks and a scan and I should be good to start resuming some exercise and build back inot things from there with no more niggles form the left kidney!

The very tender wound healing up as it should.

2012 Motatapu Xterra Off Road Triathlon 10th March 2012

A video slide show of some images from me in the event - one small error the date I have in the first few slides says 2011 it is actually 2012!!

A great race, this was the first time I had competed in this event, it is quite nice going into an event with no ideas of how it will be. The Race Started with a 2km Swim in Glendhu Bay Wanaka, Followed by a 47km MTB Through the Motatapu Valley to Arrowtown and then a 15km Run around the Hills above Arrowtown. I had an OK Swim, struggled a bit towards the end due to minimal swim training recently but still came out ok, great bike ride and then onto the touight and hilly 15km Miners Trail run around the hills above Arrowtown! All up 5hrs35min and finished 23rd Open Man and 36th overall from 108 Starters. Check out www.iconicadventures.co.nz for details of the events they hold.

2012 Rail Trail Duathlon Feb 25-26 2012 - 3rd

L-R 2nd Adam keen, 1st Tim Johnston, 3rd Andrew Sloan

A great two days of Racing over the Central Otago Rail Trail. I had a good two days of racing and enjoyed the bike stages on the new 2012 Giant XTC 0 29er from R&R Sport - A real speed weapon on this terrain. All up a solid two days of racing I placed 3rd in the Open Mens Individual with a total time of 7hrs and 9min.

Running With Tom Denniss - Around the World Mission!

Joining Tom Denniss www.tomsnextstep.com for about 14kms from Waikouaiti to Palmerston of his 29000km run around the world for Oxfama nd a Guiness Record of the fastest circumnavigation of the WORLD on FOOT

December 2011 - Otago XC Naseby

Headed up to Naseby for the Otago XC Champs. A great balst around some of the trails, with about an 8km lap. The course was a typical old school XC track with lots of good technical riding. I completely cooked myself and sufferred from this, but all up a good honest stretch of the legs on some fantastic trails.

Annual "Kelly's Canter" Run Palmerston 16th October 2011

The annual "Kelly's Canter" in Palmerston today up and down the town's steep little hill, 1st Local and 6th overall, a good lung burner

Race 6 Winter kayak Series - 18th September 2011

Race 6 was a 22km paddle from Vaxuhall Yacht Club down the harbour to Goat Island at Port Chalmers and return. The race was operated on a handicap start system, I had a 30minute delay on the first paddlers and would have ot work hard if i was to catch these paddlers. The paddle down was not too taxing as there was an outgoing tide so the flow in the channel was good, apart form one little shortcut across the shallows that involved about a 50m portage in ankle deep water things were good. After heading around the island it was a good grind back up the harbour just sticking to the edge of the channel. After about 90minutes of paddling my body was feeling pretty taxed. So just over 2 hours of paddling i was at the finish line and pretty well exhausted.

Dunedin Marathon Sunday 11th September 2011

After a very early start to a Sunday morning 5.15am!!! after watching some exciting Rugby World Cup games on Saturday I was up and getting all fed and ready for the Dunedin Marathon. This was to be Marathon #7 - I don't quite know why I go back for more with these but it is always a good challenge for the body. I think after each one prior to this I have said no more of these pavement bashers i'll stick to multisport as I have usually suffered a bit in the final kms of previous Marathons.

Today's Marathon I had taken on some words of wisdom I have received from some seasoned older Marathon runners. It is a 32km warm up for a 10km run effort of all you have after this! I started with this in mind and my plan for the race was to run at a comfortable pace for the first 30km and see how things felt from there and then give what I had left from there. With some careful pacing at the start and not taking off and chasing too many at the start knowing that I would pass some of them doing the mighty marathon shuffle in the later stages of the 42km run.

I passed the half way mark in 1hr 40min and was feeling fine, and this carried on for the next 10-12km. From about 34 km things started to feel a bit heavier and harder to keep up the same pace i had held earlier, but no signs of any cramping at all. I had ensured that I kept hydrated and fueled up with regular Leppin shots, a Banana and a bar at the 25km mark. So nearing the end I caught a few who had taken off earlier, I gave all I had to the last kms of the race and finished up in a time of 3hrs40min not my fastest time ever but very happy with this, I felt completely exhausted at the end but not totally destroyed from head to to like in previous Marathons.

So all up a great run.3hrs40min26sec, 23rd Open Man and 65th from 221 runners. more pics and full results available at www.moromarathon.co.nz

Dunedin Winter Kayak Series - Race 5 Henley 21st August 2011

Race 5 of the winter Kayak series was on this morning out at Henley., It was about a 12km course up the Taieri river and back. A strong wind made it hard paddling into it. There was only about 10 hardy souls at this race today due to a postponement from last weekend. I had a good solid hit out and headed off at a pretty fast pace from the start but maybe a little too fast as I was caught by 4 chasing paddlers and passed just before the turn around and settled into a more manageable pace to end up finishing 5th fastest for the race in 1hr24min. The Kayak races are always a good hit out and gauranteed way to destroy the upper body muscles for the rest of the day.

Race 3 Dunedin Tri Club Winter Series - Sunday 31st July 2011

This race was out at Henley. The morning was a super duper frost and the course of 5km Kayak/20km Cycle/5km Run had to be changed to a slightly shorter cycle consisting of out and back laps of about a 3km loop – the planned course of riding over the Henley Bridge was changed due to the bridge being covered in Ice and Frost. The Kayak started off well where I was charging hard from the start early on Matty Graham and myself led out and made a good mark on the rest of the field trailing, close behind us was a couple of other paddlers. I worked hard through the paddle to hang onto Matty in his K1, we exited the paddle together and onto the bike together. It wasn’t long before Matty’s stronger legs opened up a wee lead on the bike, I was hammering hard on all laps of the cycle, it was pretty painful working at a very high intensity and seeing the gap between the leader and your self and the chasers. I finished the bike feeling pretty good other than having frozen feet and hands!! It must have only been a few degrees out there. Onto the run I started with a guy who had just caught me at the end of the bike, the 5km run was all flat and pretty fast, I ran hard but didn’t quite have the legs to stick with the other guy and ended up finishing in 3^rd place which I was pretty happy with. My finish time of 1hr12min40sec was just over 1min off the winning time of Matty G.
link to the results here RACE 3 RESULTS

Mountain Biking Otago - Winter Race 3 Forrester Park - Sunday 17th July

I enjoy getting out on the single track trails on the MTB but have never done a whole heap of racing of this type - These races held by the MTB club are a short fast format. The Race on Sunday was laps, each lap taking around 10minutes and the race was to complete as may laps in the 40minute time frame. You could start your final lap as long as the time was under 40min before starting it. I had a real blast here, As the race was such a short blast compared to what I am usually used to it was always going to be intense. Right from the start the pace was fast and the first lap is always full of a few surprise misses as you zoom around at full speed learning where the tight corners, bumps and bits in the track are. My lungs were screaming for the duration of the race and there was a very strong taste of Lactic Acid in my mouth for the duration. Each lap got a bit easier with knowing what was coming up but the pinch in the legs and the lungs made you work!. I managed to complete 4 laps ranging in time between 9:46 and 11:00minutes in 43:09 minutes, my fastest lap was Lap 2. I was place 15th in the expert men from a field of 25 Expert open riders.

Dunedin Winter Kayak Series - Race 2 - Careys Bay - 5th June 2011

Race 2 of the kayak Winter Series was Held at Careys Bay in Sunday 5th June, It was raced over a course of about 8km, this was slightly shorter than the planned course of 12km, due to strong winds on the Harbour. I had a great paddle, as always working super hard to hang close with the K1 and surf club paddlers who are fine tuned paddlers. I hung in pretty well over the course of the race to finish 7th High Performance Man and 8th fastest time overall from the 24 paddlers there on the day. My finish time of 43:40 was just over 4min down on the winning time of 39:10. All up a great race.

Dunedin Winter Kayak Series 2011 Race 1 - 14th May 2011

Well After having this race postponed from last weekend due to rough conditions on the Harbour it was perfectly flat conditions for thsi race on Sat 14th May. (I would have been quite happy racing in last weekends wind and chop, this slows up the K1 paddlers and sorts things out a bit!) The Race was 10km and Doubled as the Otago 10km Champs. It consisted of three laps in the harbour Basin followed by the last leg down to finish at the Vaxuhall Yach Club. With just under 40 boats there were 3 categories - Recreational, Competitive, and High Performance. I entered into High Performance which is basically K1 race boats, Racing Ski's and Top End Multisport Boats. My Trusty JKK UFO slips through the water nicely but there is certainly some hard work needed to stick with the K1 Boats and some very sharp surf club paddlers.

There were a lot of boats similar to mine that were racing competitive instead of HP category so it was up to me and a couple of other
Multisport paddlers to give this category a good nudge. The distance was short enough to hammer things from start to finish. I went out hard form the start sticking with a bunch for as long as it all held together and then it was just a matter of working hard and maintaining a high cadence and ripping the blades through the water until the end!! I finished up catching all of the rec grade and many of the competitive grade as it was a delayed start between grades. My final time was 53min40sec which i think ended up 9th fastest time across all paddlers. A solid start to the series. The next race is in 3 weeks down at Careys Bay, so hoping for a bit of a chop and breeze to whizz things up a bit!

Click here to see more pics from this race

Naseby 12hr MTB Race - 2nd April 2011

Well after missing out on getting an entry in for the Naseby 12hr MTB race in time (It sold out in 30 hours this year) I was destined to miss the race for a second time in a row (last year the team i was planned with all came down with the flu). Anyway this year I was asked ot help out a friend of the Boss at work on the Wednesday prior to the race. We were a team of 4 so it mean that we would ride one lap flat out and ten have about 90-120minutes rest before the next lap. I rode the first lap of the day which involved a mad sprint through the camp to our bikes and then some all out balsting to jostle into position on the singel tracks around the Naseby Forest. My first lap I came in just under 32 minutes. A bit of a rest to soak up the atmosphere and catch up chatting with others around the campsitebefore my following laps throughout the day. I rode 35min, 34min and then my fatal final lap of the day was a 37minute on which was to be my last one, a Nasty superman style crash on a bit of a drop off sore me puncture a Nasty hole in my shin below the knee and mash up my knee a bit (still nursing a big nasty bump and wount a week and a half later).

The Red Cross Staff working at the event cleaned it out for me a bit and reccomended a stitch or two at Ranfurly or a check up te following day - I opted to just get it cleaned up and make my way to the doctor in town the next day. As the Red Cross person was cleaning it out I asked if the bit I could still see in there was a stone or pebble still in the wound - Their reply "No that is yuor Shin bone!" Ouch, a few pain killers and Off home after the end of the evening. A fantastic event with a huge number of people all there for a good time and to ride some great trails. Leg is on the mend now despite still being a bit stff around the knee, I'll bounce back easily enough!

Heat, Hills and Hammering! R&R Sport Otago Peninsula Challenge - Sunday 6th February 2011

Photo of me heading up the Karetai Track for the first hill climb.

Well the annual Peninsula Challenge MTB race has been for this year and what a day Dunedin turned on! This was my 4th year racing in this event, an outstanding course that challenges everyone with the grunty climbs and rewards all with some super terrain and views from the tops of the climbs. This year it started out as a very warm morning and was around 24 degrees at about 8.30am! so by the time the race started at 10am it was really starting to cook up. The race starts off with a quick spin around a paddock before getting into the first climb to the top of the Karetai track and road. I took off at the start to ensure i was in a good place with out too much congestion for this hill climb. By the time i was nearing the top of this i was starting to wonder how the body was going to hang on for the remaining course fo 43km in the heat. Anyway a careful descent down the buskin track avoiding any crashes and it was into another climb back up, the race continues with climbs and descents all the way out to Tairoa Heads. It was on one of the hill climbs mid race another rider told me the temperature was 38 degrees!! this explained a lot about the way i was feeling - pretty cooked and heat blown. Anyway I kept on pedaling hard and made the most of the flat sections to spin out hard and the downs to take rest from the taxing up hill stages. I reached the end at Tairoa Heads in 3hours13minutes - around 45minutes slower than my best time for the same course. I finished 18th open man and 33rd from a field of around 200 riders.

A fantastic event the has grown in popularity - a good challenge and one to put on the list of events for the year, If you haven’t done this one it is definitely worth a look if you are up for the challenge of it.

Lake Wanaka Half Ironman 16th Jan 2011

Well the Lake Wanaka half has well been and gone. We went up to Wanaka for a few days around this race to soak up the atmosphere and have a good break in Wanaka. We were lucky to strike some good weather so managed to squeeze in a couple of missions on the MTB while we were up there too.
I swam the swim course on the Wednesday before Saturdays Race. There were about 250 swimmers there to splash around the course. It was good to get out and have a swim in nice clear waters> I am not a super fast swimmer but am strong enough to hold things together ok. I knocked the 1.9km swim out in 36min which I was happy with.
Anyway race day was Saturday and through the night prior the NW wind really started to pump things up. The Lake Wanaka Half Ironman race started at 7.30 for individuals, we had a deep water start and were all off for the swim leg in a bit of a choppy lake – this didn’t bother me the, the rough chop keeps you working hard and makes for a good challenge. I exited the swim into T1 in 39min, a quick transition with bike gear and I was off for the 90km ride on my Giant Trinity bike – A good set up on the bike made for a good comfy ride into and with the winds that were pumping around. The first part of the ride was settling into a good rhythm, a bit of a grind out to Hawea into a head wind was then rewarded with some super quick spinning for about 20km or so down to Luggate, A great feeling when you are cranking along in top gear and spinning it out like you are in a low gear. From the 70km mark at Luggate it was a grind back up towards Wanaka before a quick blast back down to the end of the bike stage, I had a good ride taking about 10minutes off last years time here and coming in at 2hr58 for the bike.
From the bike it was through transition and onto the 21km run. I enjoy ed the course that followed the lake side around and then down the outlet track to Albert town before returning via a few streets/roads to Wanaka and the finish. My build up of running training for this race was a little low due to a bout of the flu and sinus infection over the Christmas break, however that is no excuse really for too much. The run got a bit tough feeling from about the 14-15km mark and I went from running my ideal 5min kms to a slower pace and came in off the run to the finish in a slower than desired run time of 2hours.
All up I finished in 5hr49min feeling pretty well spent but satisfied with the efforts I made– 7minutesd down of my previous effort in this race. Perhaps time lost on the run was my downfall. All in all a great race and a great atmosphere. It is always a highlight seeing all those competitors in the full distance course doing it tough and coming in later into the night down town in Wanaka. A crack at the full distance still rattles through my mind?? Maybe? One to think about over the next while…

Kaitangata Black Gold MTB Race - 13th Nov 2010

Kaitangata Black Gold MTB Race - A fantastic course - 45km Course, A solid effort put in and some of the best single tracks you can find to race on. Managed to push along pretty hard the whole way to finish 6th open man. A really enjoyable course!
Full results at http://www.kaitangatablackgold.co.nz

Kelly's Canter 17th October 2010

6th overall and a medal for the first local!!
Well the annual “Kelly’s Canter” running race in Palmerston was on the 17th of October. Having grown up in Palmerston as a youngster I have been up and down the hill more times than I can remember. The race is a bout a 4km course fro the main street up around the monument at the top and a fast and steep descent down the face to the finish down at the main street. This year prior to the start there was a bit of a rain shower so the green grass became pretty greasy. The race started and there is a pretty hot pace set from the start. I headed off in the front 4 and made my way up the paddocks to the start of the top steep section where I was passed by 2 others. Up around the top of the hill and down to the descent – I pulled out my speed weaponary at the top –my old motocross gloves, these are the key to sliding and jumping your way down the steep face over thistles, rocks and drops in the ground. I made up to 4th place on the descent through my out of control descent, great fun but a bit borderline on injuring myself, coming off this slope with a few nasty scrapes and bumps on the old back side! Anyway a fast blast down the paddocks to the finish I was overtaken again by the two guys who had got me on the top slopes. A pleasing blast up and down the hill and completely spent.

Andrew Sloan - Dunedin WInter Kayak Series Race 6 - 26th September - 2nd Fastest Individual

Well after having the 6th and final Kayak race of the Dunedin winter series postponed due to 140km/hr winds on the Otago Harbour, we had the final race on Sunday 26th September. The course was changed from the original course set to paddle the length of the harbour due to the tides. Anyway we started from Vauxhall Yacht Club and the course was down the Harbour channel, around Goat Island at Port Chalmers and then the return up the harbour to complete the 22.5km course.

Having raced and competed well in 4 of the previous 5 races (race 1-6th, race 2-6th, race 4-3rd, Race 5-10th) I had earned myself a rather large handicap start time for this race. I was to wait 54 minutes before heading off for my race. There was an outgoing tide and a slight tail wind so the paddle down the channel to Goat Island in my trusty UFO was pretty quick and good speed was maintained for the efforts put in. However once heading around Goat Island and starting the return back up the harbour the full force of the outgoing tide was felt, this combined with a really strong wind that had picked up on the way down made for one mission of a paddle back to the finish! I had managed to pull in a couple of paddlers and close the time gap up on the early starters. I was caught and passed by the 6 Man Waka Ama boat and Daniel on his ski who started behind me on the return leg. I kept a solid paddle stroke and tried to maintain a good chase but by the time I reached the finish I was completely spent and had given this last race all that I had. I finished with the 2nd fastest individual time for the day in 2hr 22min. (The Waka 6 and a Waka 2 had some solid times ahead of me along with Daniel on his surf ski). All in all a great winter series and one that has some quality paddlers turning up making for some great winter racing. The overall series results worked on a points system and too your best 4 races, this put me 4th (I think I just missed on 3rd) overall in the series points system, a result I am stoked with. No photos from the race on Sunday but my Son Oscar (11months) was more than keen to help/play when I was rinsing my boat at home after the race.

Race 5 Dunedin Winter Kayak Series - Henly-Taieri Mouth 17km

Well race 5 of the winter series was on Sunday 15th August and the competition seems to get a bit tougher and closer each race. This race doubled as the Otago K1 Marathon race series so there were a few extra fast paddlers there in their K1s on the start line. This race used a handicap starting system. Having done well in the previous races in the series coming in 1st multisport boat in each of them I had earned myself a 34 minute handicap delay on the starting paddlers. I would have liked to be in one of the earlier handicap time groups with the other multisport boats but found myselfthe only multisport boat lined up in my UFO alongside all other K1s - It was always going to be a tough call to stick with them but I hammered the best I could in a hope to reel in some of the earlier starters throughout the course of the paddle. It was slack water on high tide at the start but by the time we turned under the bridge at Taieri Mouth to race back up through the gorge the tide was flowing out and the use of eddies and river currents proved decisive. The handicapping system made for an exciting finish catching many boats towards the end, competing for line honours. Being on the 34min handicap I had to work hard to make up ground on the paddlers before me and try to minimise my losses to the K1s. I finished up 2nd Multisport Paddler and had the 10th Fastest time of the day to all the K1s and the 1 other multisport paddler who held out 2 minutes on me. A great blast and a good way to keep things honest over the winter months in the kayak! full results can be viewed at http://www.kayakotago.org/events/calendar.html

Race 4 Dunedin Winter Kayak Series Sunday 18th July

Henley to John Bully Gully and return – 13km
Well after missing race 3 of the series I was back to try and hold onto the good finishes I had had in the first 2 races of the series. My goal has been to be the first multisport boat paddler in my trusty UFO finished in each race while staying as close to and getting in front of as many K1 paddlers as possible. Races 1 & 2 saw me achieve this and finishing amongst the K1’s and Surf club ski paddlers in 5th and 6th respectively.
Raced 4 had a slight course change at the last minute due to a Jet boat race on the same waterways, after some discussions with the Jet Boat racers a course was decided that would see us all avoid each other out on the river, which is good because a massively powerful V8 jet boat is going to win over a thin piece of paddle powered carbon any day!
The race was a mass start and as always I like to get a solid break on other boats from the start before settling into a good rhythm for the rest of the race. We were off and I found my self doing a bit of wash hanging on 2 K1’s and we had one in the distance that we were never going to be able to catch. So I hung tight with the 2 K1 paddlers and worked at almost maximal effort to stay on their tails all the way down to the turn point – my paddle was hammering a solid cadence all the way and feeling pretty good. A the turn point we had to exit our boats and run up and around a picnic table on the river side before getting back in our boats and heading back to the finish. I had a bit of a slip running up the grass and a slow transition here so missed the 2 boats I had been paddling with.
Heading back I could see that we had built a good comfortable lead on the chasing 23 odd paddlers behind us. I worked hard to keep up a good paddle turn over and most of all good technique. As the fatigue of working at almost maximal effort sets in sometimes techniques drops and with this speed drops too, so well aware of this I kept good technique focus on my stroke for the return leg.
Heading back in the distance I heard the roar of about 20 jet boat engines and could see a big group of rooster tails coming from boats heading my way, I glanced to my left and saw a buoy in the water and suddenly clicked that the buoy would be the turning point for the jet boat race. My heart rate stepped into overdrive along with my boat speed – I had a vision of 20 jet boats mowing me down and that being the end!! The boat drivers are very skills and alert and zoomed down and around the buoy and back up the river while I was in the middle of the river they zoomed past and made some good chop, but all was safe, I hammered it out to the finish from here to finish 4th in a time of 1hr9min, 2min off 2nd and 3rd. A good paddle, the next race of the series has a handicap start system so I will need to work hard there as good finish places mean longer handicap times at the start. Anyway a good blast for a mid winters morning.

Race 5 Dunedin Winter Multisport Series 27th June

A great race out at Macandrew Bay. A solid Kayak saw me finish the 10km paddle in 3rd place and then onto a solid MTB up and over the peninsula hills and onto the final 10km run from Lovers Leap down through Sandfly Bay and back up over the Harbour hills and down to Mac Bay to finish. I lost 3 spots on the MTB to end up finishing 6th in a time of 3hrs 11min, a good sold race.

Race 4 Winter Multipsort/Duathlon Series, 3 Mile Hill Sunday 13th June

I had another good race at Race 4 of the winter series on Sunday up on 3 mile hill around the snakes and ladders track and near by - 2 superman style crashes and one tree hit - no breakages though. The race was made up of a 3-4km run, followed by the relatively challenging MTB of about 15-20km followed by a repaet of the first run to finish. A good race finishing 5th. The next and final race is at Macandrew Bay on Sunday 27th June.

Macandrew bay Multisport Race - Dunedin Winter series Race #3 Sunday 30th May

Went out and raced in the third race of the multisport series. After having to take the high road to Mac Bay because of some trees and slips along portobello road we were given a perfect mornign for a race!

Off in the Kayak I hammered it as hard as I could knowing that the kayak my lead will be eaten up on the MTB. I lead the Kayak down to the turn around and then hung tight wiht the first paddler Norman Dunroy and had Matty Graham and Jim Cotter hot on my tail. It was out of the Kayak and onto the MTB this is where Jim and Matty got away on me. It was a good grind up the road to Larnachs Castle and along to the Paradise track which was a quick and slippery descent before a good climb back up to Highcliff Rd and a slippery descent down the Greenacres Track into Mac Bay for the final 5km run to finish. all in all a good honest course and lots of fun and challenge on the MTB in the mud! I finished up 4th overall, so happy with that.

Dunedin Winter Kayak Series Race 2 - Careys Bay Sunday 23rd May

I went out and raced in the 2nd of the Kayak series races yesterday at Careys Bay set over an 11km course. I have been feeling pretty good about my Kayaking lately and had a solid paddle yesterday with my trusty JKK UFO slipping through the water nicely. There were 41 Kayaks in the race and it set off at a pretty hot pace. My goal has been to get amongst the surf club paddlers in the K1s & Skis and keep with them. The pace that they set is pretty quick. Yesterday there were a group of 5 paddlers that established an early lead and held their distance form the followers. I was leading the following group for the most of the way until I really lit things up and managed to pull away a bit and hold that while trying to close in on the front group. It was me and Brendan O'Neill (paddling a K1) chasing hard on the front paddlers. we were never going to cathc them but held a solid pace keeping the gap to the boats behind us getting bigger. In the end it came down to a sprint to the finish line between Brendan and I, only to be pipped by a boat length at the finish by him. I finished 7th overall, I was really stoked with the race and felt the Kayak was slipping through the water real good. Next race of this series in 4 weeks so I'll keep working on things for more gains in that.

Race 2 - Winter Multisport/Duathlon Series Whare Flat Sunday 16th May

I went and raced at the 2nd Race of the winter series Today. The course was a blast out around Whare Flat where we ran and biked around parts of the Racemans Track and other bits of forest track. Just like the first race for the series there was another good turn out of people there keen for a good blast.

We started with a quick 3ish km run through some up and down tracks - I was hanging on to a hot pace being set by Matty G for the most of the run and just dropped of the pace and was passed by Gav, Jim Cotter and Kashi Leuchs just at the end of the run, this was how it would stay. Onto the MTb and it was a bit of a grind up the road and into the forest before the soingle track fun - slipping and spiinning through the tracks was fun but quite challenging with muddy slippery tree routes - IO managed to sty on the bike and in control for most of the ride. COming off the ride it was another loop of the first run to the finish. I had a great blast, finishing up 5th behind Kashi Leuchs, Jim Cotter, Gav Mason and Matty G in that order. Kashi and Jim had a massive lead after the MTB and were flying!

Anyway great fun on a good course, and feelimng pretty fit and strong at the moment. Next race is in 2 weeks and next weekend the 2nd of the winter Kayak races at Carey Bay.

Dunedin Winter Multisport Series - Race 1 - Broad Bay Sunday 2nd May

A fantatic turnout of people for the 1st race for the series yesterday was good to see. There must have been about 30 Kayakers lined up on the start for the race which consisted of a 5km Kayak/15km MTB/5km Run and there was also a duathlon race alongside this also.
The Kayak was on glass like water and we were all off at a pretty solid pace. I was working hard to stay with the front paddlers which consisted of mainly K1 Paddlers and 2 other multisport boats. we blasted through the paddle and I came off the paddle in 4th place for the individuals and set into hammering it on te MTb as I had 2 of the three people infront of me in sight but couldn't quite reel them in. On the first hill climb o fthe MTB I had Matty G pass me and slowly fade into the distance as he peddalled a solid ride. I t was off the MTb and onto the run which was a great offroad scramble and dash up through some bush and farmland before crossing over the top at Highcliff road and down to the finish in Broad Bay. A fantastic race and i felt happy with the result of 5th in the end. These races are a great way to get some good speed and keep you working hard all the way. Next race is 2 weeks away.

Dunedin Winter Kayak Race Series - Race 1 - Vaxuhall 10km/Otago 10km Champs Sunday 25th April 2010

(Photo - I'm the 2nd White Boat at left of picture behind K1)
I went along to the first of the winter Kayak Series races last sunday and had a good paddle. There was a turn out of 39 boats which was good to see and i guess future races will get even more as the weather was pretty windy. So after a good 40km spin out to Portobello on the road bike prior to the race it was into theKayak race. It was a 10km course that ended up being 4 laps of a 2.5km circuit as the wind was quite strong on the harbour - I enjoy the rougher stuff as it sorts out the paddlers and slows the K1 padders down a little. The race was prett quickly paced with a good turn out of the surf club paddlers. I stuck with the front bunch of them for the first 2 and a half laps and then dropped back a bit. I ended up finishing 7th overall and was the first multisport boat which I was happy about coming in behind 3 K1 paddlers and 3 surf skis,all surf club paddlers who are strong as!
Next weekend is the first of the local winter multisport races with the first one being out at Broad Bay - a good series to keep you honest over winter and have some fun,

Goldrush Multisport Race 2010 - March 20-22

Well this year’s Goldrush was going to be no easier than any other year. The stunning yet challenging terrain stays unchanged waiting with the weather to deal to competitors in the 3 day 375km race consisting of Kayaking, Mountain biking, Running and Cycling.
This year’s Goldrush was my 2nd time competing as an individual and 4th time in total. After completing it as an individual in 2008 and having to miss it last year I was back and keen to have another challenging weekend. This year’s Goldrush training has been based around balance – Balancing a good family life with Cherie and Oscar(who is just 5months old now) and making sure I fitted in enough training to get by and feel happy with my efforts and performance but not wanting to let it take over other priorities in life. Life is a busy time these days and time is a valuable resource!
This year the numbers at Goldrush were down a little on my previous years at the event. There were 103 teams and 17 individuals, There was definitely a good depth of talent in the reduced field and still a great atmosphere amongst competitors and supporters.

Day 1 – Started with eh 30km Kayak to Roxburgh Dam – A good solid paddle and once I was on the water I set into a solid paddle stroke and made good time on the way down to Roxburgh – Coming into Roxburgh Dam in Just under 2 and a half hours and having the 19th fastest paddle overall I was happy with this. Onto the MTB and it was a solid grind up over the Knobby Range into a pretty stiff and relentless head wind through top the summit before a quick descent into Little Valley coming off the MTB in around 2hrs4omin and then onto Stage 3 and the final stage for Day 1 – the Run.

A good Honest 18km run up over some good sized hills to the Upper Manorburn Dam area. I had kept the run in my mind throughout the MTB and not wanted to be completely cooked for the run. Onto the run I made my way to the top of the first big hill climb before it levels off a bit and then set a good pace to get through the run in just on 2hrs. All in all it was a solid Day 1 finishing In 5th place of Open men’s, this was the place I would hold for the duration of the race. After a good feed and a massage we headed back to Alex for the luxury option of showers and beds at a friends place.
Day 2 – After a good sleep it was an early rise and off out to the start line for Day 2. The first stage was a MTB ride thought what I think is some of the best scenery of the whole race – 10minutes into the ride I felt a solid hit to the rim on the back wheel from a rock – yes sure enough it was hard enough to puncture my rear tyre, so I guess it was a 10minute loss on time here fixing this and losing sight of the guy in 4th place who I was hoping to stick close to for Day 2, anyway nothing much you can do here other than stay cool , fix it up and carry on happily! Off the MTB in around 2hrs 30 and onto the road bike for a Quick Spin down the road to the start of Stage 3 the Rail Trail Run.

The Road cycle for me is a good time to spin out the legs and load some food into the system before the run and last MTB stage of the day. Onto the Rail trail Run and feeling good on the legs running – set into a good pace running with a team runner and knocked the 15km run out in 1hr15min which felt good.

It was now time for the crux of the Day – the 58km MTB through Thompsons Gorge to Tarras. This is a tough stage for all, especially Individual Competitors as it is at the end of a big biking day, has a pretty solid and steep climb and this year like most others we had a strong westerly head wind. Mental toughness comes into play here big time and keeping positive and just chipping away at it worked for me, It didn’t make the stage any easier though! Coming into Tarras after a 3hr20min ride and a total day time of just on 8 hours I was pretty exhausted! Another good feed, massage and back to the luxury of showers and bed along with some more tasty treats and food in Alexandra and it was rest up time for Day 3!!

Day 3 – Well day three arrived and it is always a little harder to get up and into it each day. After a pretty solid thunder storm and rain it stopped and began to clear for the early start in Tarras. The first stage was a Road cycle up to Albert Town via Hawea Flat – We started in waves like every other Day - Today our wave took off like we were in a sprint finish of a race – needless to say me and a couple of others were quickly dropped from the impressive speed that Dougal Allan and Gav Mason were setting today just like all other days! After the Cycle it was into the Kayak for the 40km paddle down the Clutha River – Paddling is something I enjoy and is a relative strength compared to other disciplines. However my Kayak training has mainly consisted of paddles on the Waikouaiti river and a few splashes in the surf in the race boat for some simulated rough. It had been 2 years since heading down the Clutha, I remembered the river well having paddled it a lot in the past and really enjoyed blasting down the river through the occasional bouncy rapid and made a good solid paddle of this coming off the river in just on 2hrs30min. A quick transition into the running shoes for a short run up the my road bike before heading down the road from Tarras to Clyde. I was onto the bike and feeling good with the though of the end getting closer. You wouldn’t believe it though – Good tyres, correct pressure… another puncture – a small sharp stone had worked it’s was through to puncture the tyre – oh well another 10minute delay in quickly changing this before getting away and making my way to Clyde for the last stage of the run. I got off my bike and onto the run to give it all I had left to blast to the finish in the 13km run. I was working as hard as I could here and managed to pass 13 other runners – of which most were teams – this was good for the mind and motivation at this stage of the race, I was completed the run in just on 1hr and that was the end of Goldrush 2010 – A solid 3 days of competing in a great area. Overall finishing 5th Open Man and around 60th form the 120 teams and individuals I was happy with my achievement and the fact my body handled the demanding physical challenges! A little slower overall from my last Goldrush in 22hr30min – I put this down to some of the winds and maybe puncture time. Overall though a great race!! Back again for more at some stage!