Since 2012, there have been more than 47,000 hits to my blog. Thanks to those that have come to share in my journey. It started with my first blog June 10, 2012 recapping my first ever IRONMAN in Cairns, Australia. The recap is here: IRONMAN CAIRNS | Tucson Athlete. From that point on, I’ve been recapping most of my races, training, and journey to Ultras, Marathons, Ironman’s, and World Championships around the world. It’s race eve of the 2024 70.3 IRONMAN World Championship here in Taupo, New Zealand. Here’s a bit of my experiences in New Zealand.
March 2012 – There is no race recap for my 2012 IRONMAN New Zealand because I hadn’t yet created this blog. I wasn’t interested in creating one either because what was meant to be my first IRONMAN was cut to a half after a storm. After Vermont and Syracuse NY, this was my 3rd 70.3. I swam 1.2m in 35:18, biked 56miles in 2:33:23, and ran 13.1m in 1:36:38 coming in 4:53:21 and 26 in M25-29.
January 2013 – Challenge Wanaka. This was my 3rd Iron-distance race after IM Cairns, and IM Mont Tremblant. Full recap is here: Challenge Wanaka | Tucson Athlete 10:49 and 2nd A/G.
March 2017 – IRONMAN New Zealand. My 10th IM. 2017 Ironman New Zealand Race Report #IMNZ | Tucson Athlete 10:17 and 14th A/G. Fiona was the stand out with 2nd A/G and 5th Overall.
December 2024 – IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship
Race Eve – And that brings us here. We just had big bowls of Spaghetti and bread in Turangi, 50minutes on the south end of Lake Taupo, New Zealand. Tomorrow I will compete in my 13th 70.3 distance race and my 2nd 70.3 World Championship. I qualified at 70.3 Santa Cruz, California in September 2023 going 4:40 with 19th in my A/G. Because most 40 year olds have kids and won’t be traveling half way around the world 10 days before Christmas, I lucked out. I was already planning on going with Fiona to Australia for Christmas. Mum joined us as well. Here is a quick day by day rundown! Thanks to Fiona and Mum for being here to support me!
Thursday: Tucson – San Francisco – Auckland.
Saturday: Pick up mini-van and drive 3.5hrs north to the Bay of Islands. 6.75m shake out run, Chips, local beef steak dinner. Beautiful colored water and a very awesome tiny town.
Sunday: Boat tour to the Hole in the Wall, some small hikes, and saw a stingray. 9.56mile 90min run as part of Fiona’s 2hr run along trails to a waterfall we came to by kayak in 2016. Chocolate factory and wine tasting at Kainui Road. Waterfall views. Amazing Thai dinner.
Monday: 20min open water swim in the Bay of Islands. Visited the Maori Treaty Grounds and then drove 3.5hrs to Auckland to pick up mum and then 3.5hrs to Turangi through rain.
Tuesday: I went rafting on the Class III Tangariro river past volcanic pumas in a very remote and stunning valley that is the best trout river in the world. A short 37min bike and 29min run on trails by the river. Mini Golf (I won). We went to the Turangi Thermal pools with temps heated to 104F by underground magma chambers then walked around boiling mud pools and a whole slew of volcanic activity. We did wine tasting at our house with 3 vineyards I had been to before on the South Island and had local Lamb and Venison sausages for dinner.
Wednesday: A short 3mile trail run and then I swam 11min short in Lake Taupo where I was a bit freaked out by seeing the crystal clear ground beneath me. I then went Bungy Jumping which was absolutely amazing. I’ve done that in Costa Rica from the 3rd highest bungy bridge in the world at 80meters, and I did it at Nevis Bungy on the South Island at 151 meters. But this was just awesome. Check in, boat ride on lake Taupo, Maori carvings, and an amazing dinner over looking the lake.
Thursday: Saw a fury little hedgehog walk across the driveway, did the Team Zoot shake out run with Craig Alexander and Fiona. Then did a 22min Lake Swim in town. Also saw some other pros too. Went to the unbelievable Wairakei Terraces and was next to a scalding river that fed the pools at up to 106F which were amazing on a rainy day. Parade of Nations, Welcome Banquet dinner
Friday: 5m trail run wanting to go a little big longer and 32min bike. Then we went to Whakapapa and the Mt Ruapaehu which is an incredible 9,200’ active volcano. We went up to one of the 3 ski resorts (that I can not wait to ski at someday). It’s hard to explain how amazing this was and such a treat as I just said, lets go drive to the end of the road. More wine tasting at the AirBnB and then another great dinner along the shores of Lake Taupo.
Saturday: Early wake up drove to Taupo and was right at the start to see the Pro Females head off. Walking down to Transition we ran into our friend Barney who we hadn’t seen since 2017. We saw the Pro females head out onto the bike, went to a Hoka Café, watch the run, and was right at the finish line seeing Taylor Knibb break the tape. We came back to Turangi, hung out, and then did a 31min swim at the great local pool.
New Zealand is far better than your expectations can possibly conceive and I really hope to retire here in 20 years with Fiona. By that time I’ll be an Australian Citizen and be able to freely reside in New Zealand at that time. This place is pristine and kind.
My first goal is to go faster than I did 14 years ago here in Taupo but on a different course. Sub 4:53. Next, I’d like to have a really fast swim. I’m trending faster over the last 12 years going 29:13 in the 70.3WC in St. George and 28:58 in Santa Cruz but I have found cadence lately to be of big benefit and believe I am in the fastest swim shape of my life. The bike is challenging so I don’t really know what is possible so a sub 2:30 will be the A goal. The run would be great to go sub 1:40 but I don’t know how fast I can go. All up a sub 4:45 would be solid but going sub 4:40 would be incredible. Stay tuned.
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