Just arrived back in China, 7th trip in last 3 years. Wow. This time is slightly different to previous trips as I’m visiting a new province, Chengdu , the land of the fluffy Panda, the city we are in is called Pengzhou . Race once again with Team torpedo7: Hamish Fleming, Simone Maier, Marcel Hagener and myself.

Even more so unique to me is the time of the year, Chinese summer. It’s expected to be hot and I’ve been making every measure to prepare for it. It’s important to adjust the body to cope in hot conditions. Excessive time in the local sauna, wearing more clothes than I’d wear on a Southern Alps Mountain mission whilst wearing it riding my bike in the bathroom with the Windows closed and steaming hot water running. Excessive? I’m more concerned if it’s enough! 

 

 

After busy week of raft guiding clients down the Arnold River each day, I’ve finally had the chance to pack everything up, triple check the list and do some last minute tweaking and tuning of the bike mechanics.

Throw your memory back to my posts in April, the last race we had in China. I did not perform as well as I should have then, and it’s been grinding my gear ever since. Perhaps a mix of a vigorously schedule outdoor Ed course at polytech mixed with excessive training. I have learnt and allowed my body and mind the rest it needed. More sleep, more rest and some dawn good quality training because of the first two factors.

Pengzhou is expected to be a very flat and fast course. Mixed with usual running, Mountain biking, a little bit of kayaking (1 section), abseiling and two swim sections.

Course details:

Stage 1
MTB 24.8km
Swim 1km
MTB 18km
Run 9km
Abseil 30m

Stage 2
Run 10km
MTB 24.6km
Biathlon 7.2km
GPS orienteering Navigation 10km

Stage 3
MTB 34km
Run 2km
Swim 0.1km
Kayak 9km
Run 9.6km

Race starts this Friday at 9am China time (1pm NZ Time)