I am now sitting in a hostel in Auckland, a pretty busy city on the North Island of New Zealand. I haven’t really had time to keep the blog updated as I have been spending a lot of time updating the other posts and uploading and editing the pictures. I hope you’re all enjoying my narcissism so far!
Had some really fantastic days since my last posts. The weather has finally been nice and travelling has been great. Stayed in Wanaka for a week and made some really great friends. Spent most of the day on the 15th just taking it easy as Trev had the Ironman Challenge on the 16th. We went to the store and got some things to make dinner for us and one of the friends we made, Sabrina from Canada. It was a great meal. Penne with chicken that I made and some garlic bread and a salad prepared by Sabrina and Trev. After dinner Trev and I just took it easy and played some cards so he could rest up for the race. What a cool experience that was. Up at 6:00am to walk to the lake and get ready for the first leg of the Challenge, a swim in the 50 degree waters of Lake Wanaka.
I watched from the beach as trev completed the first lap, one and a half miles, in forty minutes,
and then the second and final lap in forty minutes as well.
From there he transitioned to the bike for the 110 mile ride.
Before the race we discussed that the bike leg should take him between five and six hours. I went to the room took a nap, had a shower, and was back to the race sight to make sure he transitioned from the bike to the run. As six hours passed I was starting to get a little nervous… then six and a half, then seven. Finally at seven and a half hours he made it to the transition tent. Starting his run, passing by me, I asked, “How you feeling?” to which he replied with an exhausted look on his face, “the worst decision of my life!”.
Kind of worried that he might not finish, I wished him luck and cheered him on as he now set out for his marathon 26.2 mile run. I, on the other hand was headed to the pub to grab a sandwich and a beer. I have to note here that race day was the absolute best weather we had experienced yet. Too good actually. For the first time it was sunny and not a cloud in the sky and a scorching temperature of almost 90 degrees. I was complaining as I was sitting at the pub that it was too hot and was dripping sweat, to which Sabrina replied, “Trev’s running a marathon right now and you’re bitching about it being too hot to sit and drink a beer!”
Man, I suck as a person! Anyway, back down to the race site to cheer him on as he completed the first lap of the run. As he passed, having just completed 13.1 miles in two hours and fifteen minutes, he looked great. Much more energy than he had on the bike and at a good pace. Grabbed some water, soaked himself with a sponge and off for the home stretch.
That is if you can really call 13.1 more miles a home stretch. Back to the room to load pictures onto facebook,grab another beer and then back to the finish line. Hanging out on the finish line was so moving and inspirational. It was amazing to see the different expressions on people’s faces as they approached the finish line. Some so excited and smiling, some so exhausted, and relived, and some in absolute pain. One thing they all shared the victory of just finishing. I spotted Trev coming around the corner and ran out to meet him, and to run the last 100 meters or so with him. He was exhausted, cramping, and in pain.
Running alongside him was pretty moving. I remember telling him how proud I was of his accomplishment and thanking him, because had he not done this I most likely would not be on this trip right now. Crossing the finish line, it was over. Fourteen hours, forty minutes, and forty-three seconds.
Needless to say, Trev went back to the room and right to bed. Swearing he was going home, selling his bike, and never doing anything like that again. Waking up the next morning he realized what he had a accomplished and what it meant, and decided that he would do another one. I went back down to the finish line to watch fireworks celebrating the official end of the race.
I’m sure he would’ve loved to stay in bed the entire next day, but I didn’t let that happen… I was going to jump out of a plane and he had to come with me!
Two guys doing things people only dream about doing.
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