Epic Camp — Length of South Island — Day Seven
Run to pool 2km, Swim 1km Time Trial as last leg of broken triathlon, Run back to accommodation 2km.
Bike 2km to Puzzling World, complete maize in teams of two, and make T puzzle, Ride to Cardrona for Crown Range King of Mountains race to 1,121m, and descend to Arrowtown 57km. Option to tack on Coronet Peak for two bonus points.
Sadddle sores responding well to Hydrocortisone cream, and lashings of chamois cream, so not debilitating as could become — seem to be under control.
Run to pool was pathetic, over 8 minutes for first kilometre (60% slower than easy effort) and just under 7 minutes for second. Swim good consistent pace to the second each 100m in 17:45 (1:46.5/100m) comparable with aquathon race on day one, which is good considering aquathon was fresh with wetsuit in salt water, both aid buoyancy, and drafting other swimmers at times, as opposed to no wetsuit in pool and fatigued from training.
Breakfast yoghurt and berries. Great to be back to low carbs which produce a huge amount of waste that has to be exhausted.
Maize went well collecting four different coloured puzzle pieces from each corner coloured tower, but then took longer to find exit to make T puzzle.
Ride up 25km from Wanaka at 300m elevation to Cardrona at 600m elevation brisk with fast bunch, then went back to bring up other groups. Race start with fury and lower slopes gradual for 10km, then pitches up for last 4 km when others have weight advantage on steep slopes and a few passed. Managed to get past one again approaching summit as they were fatiguing and I was building power to average 250 watts.
Cold at top 1,100m so put on gillet/vest to shield against wind on descent where I regained contact with fastest, and four CHC lads cruised into Arrowtown, and tacked on 4km for bonus point on multiple of 30km.
Skipped late lunch as no need for more food, and got on with some administrative matters, before massage with support crew Physio Kylie Cox which made me squirm but beneficial, and completing this blog!
