2014 St. James Alpine Adventure

In 6 weeks time our team – CHIMPANZEE BAR – will be competing in GODZONE - gruelling 5 day nonstop adventure race across NEW ZEALAND. But that book is yet to be written. So for now as part of my training for the ”big race” I have decided to enter this kayak – MTB – run race in New Zealand high country.
With kayak, 12” and 29” bikes, lots of gear and my support crew (partner Lucie and our 2 year old son Lance) loaded into the car we travelled to the race start on Friday afternoon. In Hanmer Springs, the last town we passed through, we filled up the tank with diesel, our tummies with tuna fish and rice and left the big smoke behind. One of the reasons why I have chosen this event is the location – right in the heart of New Zealand – in the middle of nowhere. Even the travel to the event location is a memorable experience – with 2 hours to the closest civilisation, snow capped mountains, crystal clear rivers and azure lakes, it was good to be there. Due to the start location being so far away from nearest town most competitors were camping out – always a good opportunity to catch up with your friends and eye up the competition. While I was preparing my gear for the next day our Lance was ripping around the campsite on his 12” bike and biking through every puddle and mud patch he could find and telling everyone – “I am like daddy”.

We woke up into a bluebird day. Thank you Mother Nature. I still get nervous on the race day even I have done plenty of times. We were all line up in our kayaks on the lake Tennyson. The gun went off. My strategy for the race was to keep up with the top of the field during the kayak leg, ride hard on MTB as that’s my strongest discipline and then try to survive that 18 km run. Kayaking was going to plan – with the calm lake and no wind I have chosen bigger blade wing paddle so I was hurting, but the choice has paid off. After 45 min I jumped out of the boat and ran to a bike transition in second place. Shoes, helmet, gloves and CamelBag and with help of my support crew – Lucie and Lance, I set of for a 65km mountain bike journey. The course had everything from gravel roads, multiple river crossings, technical single tracks, steep climbs, fast descents and mud puddles that will cover your 29" disc brake rotors!
On a course like this one it was very easy to forget that I am actually in a race, slow down and just enjoy the scenery. I have to come back, I was telling myself. I was pushing hard – running through the rivers with bike on my back, sticking to my nutrition plan and hoping to catch the race leader. But there was no sign of him at all. 3,5 hours later seen me drop my bike at the St James Home stead - so good to get off that bike seat and out of carbon soled MTB shoes into my soft running shoes. When I ran past the timing tent I did envy the shade race organizers were sitting in - it was getting pretty hot. The legs were tired and I knew then that I am not going to break any running records today. My plan on the run was to survive it and make it to the finishline. I settled into a 6 min/km pace (Slow Jog) on all flats and walked most of the hills. I used every river crossing to cool off as much as I could and was keeping a good track of my electrolyte intake to prevent cramping. It was so good to see Lucie waving at me from the finish.
I crossed the finished line exhausted after almost 6hrs of racing. This was the last individual race for me and from now on all focus is on our Chimpanzee Bar team preparing for GodZone Adventure Race.