Day 6 – Wanaka to Queenstown

Run 50mins x 2

Swim 6km

Bike approx 80km

I got up this morning at 5:25am and headed out for a run shortly after . When I was zombie plodding along I realised I’d moved from getting significant training benefit to really benefiting my mental application. On epic you just have to get on with the job each day, the environment of the camp makes this possible. Where I think this really benefits athletes is the later stages of the marathon when you are absolutely rooted and can easily give up. It you don’t train for these situations when you are tired you’re not likely to get better.

After the run I headed to the pool for a 6km swim which comprised the 3km IM set (repeating 150 free / 100 IM). I backed this up with 30x100’s to get the job done. It was slow but I felt OK.

We then hit the bikes for the planned 180km ride including a KOM on the crown range (apparently the easy side). I wanted to try and claw back a few points and put a buffer between myself, Albert and Tara. The plan was to attack fairly early and try to get up the climbs as quick as possible. It worked to perfection with six of us off the front. Bevan and Paul then eased off into the distance leaving Scott, Gordo, Mark P and myself to battle for 2^nd. Gordo was bleating on the flat sections that he wanted to rest for main part of the climb he then dropped us like stones and went over in 3rd. I was over 4^th which I was pleased with. It was incredibly hard though, harder than yesterdays TT for me.

The forecast today was for a Southerly (cold) change with some rain. This happened as we made our way up the climb and the decent was nail biting stuff – wind, rain, cold, hairpins, narrow roads……. What the forecast didn’t say was if you are on a bike we suggest you get off and walk as their will be gail force winds and horizontal rain. The last 20km of the ride to Queenstown was some of the most challenging conditions I have ever ridden in. We were blown all over the road which was bloody scary as it was busy. It was another epic experience.

We had to cancel the afternoon’s tack on 90km as it was simply too dangerous. I tacked on a 50min run, the Albernator did 2hrs!!!

Bevan told me Rob Chance said the other day he’s had the hardest training day of his life. He said the same thing again yesterday, that’s what we like about epic, everyone pushes their boundaries.