CHallenge Wanaka

UltraHumps: Heat of Hawkes Bay

Hi Team and welcome to Blog # 27.

Ultraman Australia
© Barry Alsop, Eyes Wide Open Photography

Well it has been an interesting week where I have had to juggle training with unpacking house, the joys of a posting which always makes it fun juggling everything together.  Those that shift on a frequent basis, dependent on their occupation, will know how much fun it is going through box after box after box from the house packers.  Thankfully I always had my Garmin on hand to hit the roads or swimming pool.  The training was always completed, however the January heat played havoc.

UltraHumps
© Barry Alsop, Eyes Wide Open Photography

Part of my training was completed in the East Coast of the North Island in my final stages of my holiday leave over the Christmas / New Year period.  This is truly a beautiful part of New Zealand and really hot, but I figured it would be good training in the heat for the additional challenge that the heat provides during Ultraman Australia.  I am expecting it to be hot in Central Otago mid February for Challenge Wanaka on the 18th and it was hot last year at Ironman New Zealand in Taupo (4 March this year).  These are 2 events of the 3+2+1 = Charity, with the earlier mentioned Ultraman Australia being the 1.

CHallenge Wanaka
© Barry Alsop, Eyes Wide Open Photography

This brings me to this weeks photos – my favourite photos from Ultraman Australia.  The first two are photos of all the athletes at the finish line. Of note I was being assisted to the photo area in one of them as my legs had stiffened up after the Double Marathon, or perhaps the combination of the 515 kilometres over the 3 days of swimming, cycling and running.

The next photo is a congratulations hug at the finish line from Tony the Race Director, followed by meeting up with Debs Pohatu (a former Army colleague) from Anodyne Services Australia, who became one of our sponsors providing us vehicles etc for the event.

The final photo is with the forever inspirational Andre, the double amputee who completed the event in an amazing time.

IronMaori
© Barry Alsop, Eyes Wide Open Photography

Photos courtesy of Barry Alsop of Eyes Wide Open Photography, Official Photographer for Ultraman Australia 2016.

Take care team and happy training

Regards UltraHumps (Aka Humps, Aka John Humphries).

Andre Kajlich
© Barry Alsop, Eyes Wide Open Photography

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