Happened to be in NZ last weekend when the legendary Coast to Coast was being held- the original multisport classic.

3k road run
60k road cycle
33k mountain run
15k road cycle
67k kayak (grade 2)
70k road cycle

With the option of either two day, or one day (The Longest Day) formats.

Took the opportunity on Saturday to follow the Longest Day (one-day) event in the car.

Seriously impressed by this event- extremely well organised but still feels a little "low key"- transitions in farm paddocks, that sort of thing, but there's also media helicopters circling around like a scene from Vietnam.... also gets extensive coverage in the local papers, radio etc.

Some observations....

- Approx 1/3 of the field use toe clips on the bike, rather than cleats

- The 33km mountain run is insane- climbs up a river gorge, crosses over a high pass, descends another river bed. Competitors usually cross the water over 20 times. Anyone got a suggestion for the appropriate shoes for this? I'm thinking some sort of Fell Running shoe.

- Given the amount of carrying of competitors kayaks there is, each support crew must surely be at least 2 people.

- Almost half the kayaks used were some model of Eclipse- the UFO seemed most popular.

- First cycle leg fairly undulating, last one quite flat

- Went to the awards on Sunday and was wearing a Western States t shirt, which led to me being bailed up by a couple of Longest Day competitors who thought I was nuts and some sort of god, when I was thinking the same thing about them....

- In order to be eligible to enter the Longest Day, you must have previously completed the Two Day event in under 15 hours. Hmm....

VERY interested in having a crack at it next year....

It is a long term dream goal of mine to do this race. But I would have to learn to kayak first. I'd love to hear from any CR's that have done it.

I've watched footage of this race before and one thing they were saying is that on of the hardest times of the race is during and immediately after the 67km kayak leg. You have just done 36km running and 70km cycling then your legs are forced into the kayak to basically sit still (relatively) for 4-5 hrs in the same position. Similarly when you finish the kayak leg you've gotta go and ride 70km when your legs have been doing nothing for hours. It's certainly tough and one of the most epic multisport races I've heard of.

This event has a huge following in New Zealand. If you post something on Coolrunning NZ someone should be able to help you.

I have never done the event myself, but used to watch the last cycle leg every year as it went past the end of my street.

Hi all,

Have a mate who has done this in the 1980s a couple of times. I don't even think Bulllet lurks here. He was a gun cycllist at school, done about 20 Hawkesbury Classics and once was first across the line in a duel with a K4 and he was in a K1, and he ran one marathon in 2000 as he had not done one and did 2:48.

Having the canoe experience and in moving water is pretty important because like a bike you can lose a lot of time there unless you have the skills and endurance. He may even have been back for the race more recently.

cheers Plu

Me too MissZ....I have been looking at this: Learn to Kayak

A friend of mine previously completed the event but came to grief this year:

"Fell off the bike on the first leg, but finished that section. Air NZ told me the day before they couldn’t / wouldn’t fly my boat down, so I borrowed a VERY tippy boat – big mistake. Fell out several times, then at about the 20k mark got roasted in some rapids and that was it. Bounced about 300 metres before some marshals got me out, and I had to call it a day… Helicoptored out – not very nice…" Somewhat understated! I presume he had a paddle?

More to it than just learning to kayak.


EXE

Neither myself or MissZ (I'm certain) intended any disrespect to the event by stating that we needed to learn to kayak first. This stuff makes Ironman look like a nice days training and having done IM I am in great awe of adventure racing!

yes but it is a good place to start and one can dream.

Oops! My comment was not intended to pour cold water. I was referring to the task of securring a kayak and getting it to the starting line. Life wasn't meant to be easy and thats what makes it so much fun. We all dream of the next big thing. I do and the current conversion rate is just fine.

btw - having seen the enthusiasm and growing capability that LBP has for trail running I have no doubt LBP could master (mistress?) any adventure sport.


EXE

Aw shucks thanks EXE.

Yes race logistics can be quite burdensome at times! Flying with a bike is bad enough let-alone getting a kayak safely through a flight!