Twizel offers ideal preparation
CRAIG Lay is a classic example of what the Coast to Coast event can do to a man.
Lay (37) grew up in the Dunedin suburb of Wakari, attending local schools, but never gave a passing interest to any sporting endeavour until the Dunedin Marathon 10 years ago.
He has run in a few other events but a year ago he got bitten by the Coast to Coach bug.
He was a member of the support crew for friend Stu Paterson, who completed the course in 15hr 45min 5sec to finish 97th in the twoday individual category.
‘‘This year is his [Paterson’s] 10th year [competing in the event]. I thought I may as well give it a crack,’’ Lay said.
But wanting to compete and actually putting pen to paper means a massive change in commitment. It is not a case of just rocking up to Kumara beach in early February.
There are events to line up in and fitness tasks to be undertaken.
As well as competing in the Taieri Mouth Multisport Challenge, in early November, Lay had contested the Rakaia Salmon Run multisport race and a week later the twoday Weekend of Hard Labour multisport challenge at Twizel held over Labour Weekend. All three events served as ideal preparation for his date with Coast to Coast destiny on Friday, February 8.
A builder by trade, he added that it was a move to Twizel that enhanced his love of the outdoors, through running and multisport.
‘‘Why wouldn’t you? Running, bit of biking, kayaking. It’s pretty good up there.’’
He said that making a switch from being just a runner to that of multisport came about through friends which were into multisport and adventure racing, and made his transition easy and a lot of fun.
Lay, like all other entrants in February’s Kathmandu Coast to Coast had to overcome motivational barriers associated with training over the winter months.
‘‘Going out in the dark and coming home in the dark. Coming home with frost all over ya. Cold. I’ve been on the lake in the winter and come back covered in all ice.’’
‘‘I’ve been out running and the camelbak’s [backpack for rehydration] all frozen up.’’
But getting through the winter, Lay managed to maintain between 10 and 12 hours a week in training, built around southernbased biking, running and multisport events.
Lay says that training for the run, Twizel has offered him ideal preparation, as there are plenty of areas not dissimilar to what he will encounter during the 33km run stage of the Coast to Coast in Deception Valley and over Goat Pass.