A logistical nightmare

Well most of the planning and packing has been done, the team is on the way to Scotland and now halfway round the world in Scotland I’m finally getting the chance to finish my overdue piece of dribble. The ARWC in Scotland for us has been over 6 months in the planning and the frustration for us. With 150 kilos of gear just between Elina and I the airports and transits were particularly uninviting and although we managed to avoid the vast majority of excess charges we were still enjoyed our far share of unhelpful security staff who it has to be said seem to take life a little too seriously. But hopefully all the drama will be worth it come race time here is the UK.

Packing for an expedition race is a tiresome process in its self. Not only can you only afford to take the bare minimum of gear but you also have very little idea of what each individual course is going to throw up. It is amazing how quickly you use up a weight allowance on a plane and when you are taking a tent for transitions, trolleys for kayaks, climbing gear, a MTB repair kits, paddles, wetsuits, several pairs of shoes and we haven’t even touched on wet weather gear, thermals etc, etc.........oh yeah and then there’s the bike too.

Training for the team this year has been a real mix. We’ve all been doing a few multisport races to get some fitness up as well a few different things. Aaron joined Elina and I at Nathan’s Mission Marlborough event for 3 fantastic days of racing. Nathan and I had run round at the 24 hour Rogaine champs before we teamed again for the Round Brunner cycle race and again for the PI 6x 200 cycle race/tour. Elina also joined us for that and gave most of the guys a run for their money, especially in the hill climbs. Aaron’s Twalk experience was hampered after drinking some bad water and spent the following 10 hours throwing up continuously. Nathan concluded his training with some work in China and Elina and I went Kiwi spotting on Heaphy Track and a quick recce for Chris the Sheriff James, over one of the treks for this year’s Rollo 24 hour race

This year with a race in Scotland we are assuming it will probably be wet and if Nathan’s initial forecast of the place is correct we may even see more rain than when it was on the West Coast. The weather is also looking a fair bit colder than we were hoping for and with recent snow (from last night) on the hills it may be off to the local store to purchase a few extra thermals to keep us warm. None of us have ever done a race put on by Phil and his team at ACE races and that holds potentially the biggest surprises. Is he going to be out with the intention of just making everyone suffer or have they put some thought into making the course challenging yet enjoyable, a skill that seems to elude many race directors. Will we be forced to carry the vast majority of our gear all the time making the race slower overall or will we be able to restock on a regular basis, keep the weight low and really push the pace the whole way?

Leaving the USA Nike team at the end of the season last year definitely wasn’t an easy one and there have been a lot of times in the last few months as I’ve chased the ever elusive sponsor for the team that I thought it was a bad decision. I definitely have a far better idea of how much time went into the running of the former teams I raced on and how fried you can get trying to keep a handle on everything that’s going on. The challenge seems exponentially harder when you start looking at several races that need attention at the same time and all of a sudden it becomes shard to even fit training in.

Being here now is as much a relief as anything, we all know now that what we’ve got with us will have to suffice, that we are going to get to race, which really has been up in the air. Really the only reason that it’s been possible has been thanks to Nathan and the support of Balance Vector we are at least going to get to this one international race. Along the way it has been a great learning experience if nothing else. Although the funds for international racing haven’t come to fruition yet support from local organisations like Subway, Jamis and R&R Sport have been fantastic and will give us the opportunity to at least race more within NZ. The other huge leap of faith has been taken by the rest of the team, and it is they who really have had the most to lose as they have stayed loyal to the team even though other offers have beckoned with more money and more races. I think in many ways the struggle will be our defining point of difference at the ARWC this year and it will be in the stereotypical, seat of the pants no frills campaign that Kiwis are often known for, and through which as a nation we have achieved so much success.