Adventure Racing

Only three weeks after my arrival, I got a taste for adventure racing – New Zealand style. I didn’t do just any adventure race; I did a 67 kilometer amalgamation of trail, road, and river adventure race. Well actually, I competed as a member of a team, so I didn’t complete the entire 67 kilometers on my own. The same friends that convinced me to go bush hiking after dark were the ones that persuaded me to join their team. So, early that Sunday morning, Liz, Chris, and I made our way to McLaren Park, in the Lower Kaimai Mountains. Traffic was heavier than would be expected for the day and hour, but all traffic was heading in our direction. This annual event is a popular one.

The Kaimai Classic began with a 5K cross country course through pasture land and along bush trails. This was my leg, and it was such a thrill. It brought back memories of UCD cross-country races. There were several barriers to jump, which reminded me of the University of Oregon race, but the difficult terrain resembled the Nationals course in Lawrence, Kansas. It was a slow course, with several long, steep hills and wet grass made wetter by the rain that began as we gathered at the starting line. Despite the circumstances, I finished in the top third of the pack and handed off the racing bib to Liz who did the next two legs – a 17K mountain bike and 11K kayak. Chris and I drove to the next two stations, acting as support crew. The clouds had broken and the sun appeared, making for a picturesque day. We prepared the kayak for Liz as she made the transition, put the mountain bike back in the car, and followed the Wairoa River down to the next transition. We then pulled the road cycle out of the car, and I blissfully prepared for the fourth leg. I hadn’t been on a bike in quite some time, so I didn’t make any wagers on my finish. Although, Liz was quite confident that my spinning classes in Spain and Chile were fine preparation for the 23 kilometers over beautiful, rolling countryside. It was actually quite exhilarating, cruising along on the petite, feather-light bike. I finished in less than an hour, back where I began, and then handed the bib off to Chris who brought the event to completion with an 11K road run, ending in Te Puna. There isn’t much to Te Puna, but there is a tavern, and a feast was waiting for us when we all arrived. We set no records, but we had a blast!

We ended the day at Fernland Spa Mineral Springs outside of Tauranga, where we soaked our tired muscles in pools naturally heated by volcanic rock deep below the surface. The spa boasts the health benefits of over 16 minerals found in the water, but I think it was the hour of soaking in steamy water that relaxed my muscles so well that I wasn’t a bit soar the next day.

To see pictures from the Kaimai Classic, see the folder at my Shutterfly website.