Challenge Wanaka 2024 Race Report (AI Enhanced)

Bad news. I’m not a front pack swimmer after all. The pace was too hot, and the field was too small, so I just couldn’t quite make that front group, and there was no other group to join. A couple of other athletes who had apparently also missed the group, blasted past me, so I jumped on the back very briefly, and then decided to slow down because I was tired. I swam a steady pace the rest of the way, locking eyes with some rich people on a very large boat, who were almost certainly judging me for being slow. I caught a glimpse of Tititea/Mt Aspiring and exited the water alone, with no one for a minute either side of me, which meant I had all the attention, which was very pleasing.

In this race, I decided to be like the cool kids, and put a bottle down my suit. Partially for the #aerogains, but largely so that I had a spare, as the Wanaka course is notorious for launching bottles. I dropped the bottle a couple of times, but persevered, and finally got it in there, and was on my merry way.

Being completely solo also meant there were no tough decisions at the start of the bike. I could just ride my bike and have a good time. No need to worry about the others. The rollers along the road to town are a tough way to start a ride, with some steep pitches, and not much chance to get into a rhythm, but are fun, nonetheless. In this race, I decided to be like the cool kids, and put a bottle down my suit. Partially for the #aerogains, but largely so that I had a spare, as the Wanaka course is notorious for launching bottles. Desperate not to need my spare bottle, I eased over the speed bumps through town, pushing my rear bottle back into its cage after each one, climbed up to Aubrey Rd, and successfully navigated the first set of road works. I crossed the Albert Town Bridge with my bottle between my teeth (I was serious about not losing a bottle in this race) and settled into the main (but by no means only) climb of the day, across to Hawea.

The lucky residents of Hawea are getting a roundabout! Although, I’ve taken so long to write this that it might be finished now, but on race day, they didn’t quite have it yet, which meant we had another set of roadworks to navigate. A makeshift ramp up to the footpath, and another back down, astroturf, compacted dirt, and a thin strip of chipseal with a trench on either side. It was actually relatively smooth sailing, although I feel for the age groupers navigating the obstacle course in traffic. After the roadworks, I got a time split from a complete stranger. Three minutes down to the next athlete. Not ideal, but not to worry. I was riding well, with good numbers, and treating it as a solo effort at this stage anyway.

After The stunning Hawea waterfront, there is a fast flat section, a cheeky climb, another flat section, and a fast descent, and then a short out and back (which was, in fact too long). I got some splits, which told me that I had clawed back some of the three minute deficit in front, and increased the gap behind. Given the undulations, and how good my legs felt, I wasn’t paying too much attention to the numbers on my computer, just riding to feel and having fun.

On the return leg from Hawea, I started catching glimpses of the riders ahead. That was nice. Less nice was the realization that the headwind had really picked up. I had been feeling fast on the way out, and it turned out that wasn’t just because I was strong. I dug in, knowing that this next stretch could make or break the ride, and focused on staying as aero as possible—bottle still wedged firmly down my suit.

The stretch back toward town was a real grind. The course is stunning, but even the views couldn’t distract from the fact that my legs were starting to grumble. I knew I had to keep the pressure on if I wanted a decent shot at a respectable run. The rollers back through Albert Town were rougher the second time, but I held my own. I lost sight of the front guys completely by this point, but at least I wasn't losing time to those behind me either.

Into T2, I had my usual moment of panic, wondering if my legs would actually work. They did! Which was great news. Less great news was that I had nobody to pace off, so it was another solo effort to start the run. The Challenge Wanaka run course is brutal—not much flat, just constant ups, downs, and turns. But it's also incredibly scenic, which is a good distraction from the pain.

I got through the first few kilometers feeling decent and locked into a pace that felt sustainable. I was slowly closing on the next guy ahead, but it was happening at a glacial rate. The second lap was where things got ugly. The hills felt steeper, the flats felt like false flats, and every aid station felt farther away than the last. I gritted my teeth and kept moving forward, trying to ignore the creeping fatigue in my legs.

By the final few kilometers, I knew I wasn’t catching anyone, but I also wasn’t being caught. I tried to pick up the pace for the finish, but my body mostly ignored that request. Across the line in 7th. Not my best result, but a solid day out in a race that never gives anything for free.

Huge thanks to the Wanaka crowd for the support, to the volunteers who somehow kept smiling all day, and to my legs for mostly cooperating. Now, time to recover and get ready for the next one.