TEAM LCL

A year ago I would never have dreamed of eyeing up the world's premier Off Road Triathlon event. Racing any sort of race in Hawaii seemed a world away... and in fact in a literal sense, it still is.
There are many stars which need to align to make a campaign like this possible. There's the obvious well-being and fitness; there's the technical aspects of both training and equipment; and of course there's the necessary financial commitment. 
Committing to a PhD has meant another 3 years with minimal income, after having already completed a 4 year degree. I knew from the outset of this odyssey, that I could not survive purely under my own steam. I have had endless support from my family and friends with training, logistics, and organisation; but I always knew that I had to find a way to put myself out there as an athlete worthy of financial backing. 

Something I knew NOTHING about.

It came down to thinking long and hard about both what I need to get out of sponsorship, and what a business would want to get out of sponsoring me. I am slowly learning that this requires far more than just a 'one-size-fits-all' mentality. I have looked at big and small companies; both locally and further afield. I have written letters; taken photos; gone on visits; and as you've probably noticed by now, written a blog. 
As an athlete, our needs are rather straight forward: money; facilities; and gear. As a business, it is a little harder to define. Businesses want exposure: whether that is proudly displaying their colours or logo; being an ambassador or an embodiment of their company values and beliefs; or testing, endorsing, and providing honest feedback on their product. Different companies have different ideas of what and how athlete sponsorship can add to their business. 

I have put a lot of time into making sure I approach this whole idea of sponsorship in a way that allows both parties to get the best possible outcome.

Earlier this week, I found my sponsorship 'soul-mate'.

Lysaght Consultants Ltd is a Land Surveying, Engineering and land Development practice in Tauranga. One of the company's directors, just happens to be one of my biggest supporters, Uncle Bruce. But their decision to sponsor my Hawaiian Odyssey is much more than an Uncle helping out his niece. 
The team at Lysaght Consultants run a tight ship, and have developed a great name for themselves in the Bay of Plenty region. Their staff are close-knit, and have a passion for not only working on the land, but also playing on it. They are regular starters at most local multisport events, whether it is as individuals, or a corporate team. All staff members are encouraged to get out of the office and 'get the heart rate up' during lunchtimes; and a good level of competition is maintained within the company, through a whiteboard of timed laps of Tauranga's 9km 'Daisy Hardwick Memorial Track'. 

I love everything about this company's philosophy; I am so appreciative of the support they have offered me; and I am so proud to have the opportunity to represent them at the Xterra World Champs in October! 

My friend Crazy Craig and I are also confirmed to be representing LCL in the Motu Challenge in October. I think this will be the perfect way to cap-off my build up to the Xterra World Champs. 
Oh, and I'll be having a crack at the lap times on the whiteboard for sure!

For more info on Lysaght Consultants, check out my sponsorship page. 

3D ROTORUA MULTISPORT FESTIVAL

What a great day out! It's hard to know where to begin...

The 3D Rotorua Multisport Festival is now in it's third year and already it is pulling in some big names from around NZ. The main event is the 50km Premier Multisport title race, which contests the Australasian Multisport Championship. This race was contested by well known athletes like the Usshers, Trevor Voyce, Sophie Hart, Jess Simpson, and was won this year by Dougal Allan, and Simone Maier. My uncle, Bruce, also competed and took out 4th in his category! Woooo!

Unfortunately, my triathlon focus (and the distinct lack of a kayak) meant that I opted to contest the 42km Duathlon instead. The events on the card for this weekend took in some of the most amazing, world class, tracks and trails that Rotorua has to offer. My event was no exception, and involved a 31km MTB followed by an 11km run.

Starting an event on the bike was a new experience for me; although it was nice not to be soaking wet for once! We had a controlled start behind a pace car, and were instructed to stay in single file along the grass verge until we entered the forest. This made for a nice steady start, and we were soon into a climb, which meant there wasn't too much pushing and shoving. Part way up the climb was another 'first' in that we had to jump off our bikes and jump over a closed gate! Further up the course we were off our bikes again to cross a bridge and access a track on the opposite side. This caused a bit of congestion but, like clambering over the gate, made the event feel like a bit more of an adventure; which was cool.

After the 'steeple-chase' section was over, everyone was off; the pace picked up, the field spread out, and  we continued the climb. Then it was into 'Corners'; one of my favourite tracks! Track conditions were perfect, and I think this was probably the fastest ride I have had through that section of track. My legs began to feel the burn as we headed into 'Old Chevy'; not such a 'fav'. I was overtaken by 4 or 5 guys on this section. Into 'Sweet and Sour', and after a quick chat with Megan Dimozantos, she too headed past. The remainder of the ride was pretty uneventful and I focused on remaining consistent, and most importantly, staying on my bike!

At the end of the MTB section I was the 4th placed female. After a fairly smooth transition I was back into the forest on the run course and I soon reeled in Megan (although there wasn't an opportunity for chat this time). Track conditions for the run were also near perfect and nearing the end of the run lap I had Kylee McFetridge in my sights. I sneaked in front but she stuck quite close behind until we hit the steps, soon after the start of the second lap. I was beginning to feel signs of cramp in my quads which slowed me on the steps and Kylee seized her chance to continue what was now a see-saw battle. However, once back on the flat, the cramp was a distant memory, and I passed Kylee one final time; beating her by over 2 and a half minutes. First in my age group and second overall behind Sonia Foote. Gotta be happy with that!

Overall, I really enjoyed the race; which I think goes hand in hand with a good performance. Having moments of cramp meant I couldn't push too hard on the run, but I was still happy with my time. The bike could also have been faster, but it is early days, and I think I'm still 'bonding' with my beautiful Giant XTC rocketship!

Big thanks to Cycle Obsession for the awesome new race clothing, and for helping me out with bike bits and nutrition!

Also, a big thanks to Bruce, Steve; and of course Mum and Dad; who helped make sure I got plenty of time on the course, and in the Redwoods when I was back at home on weekends (not too mention the delicious home cooking!).

Until next time.

Han.