The Allen’s Nek tri- and duathlete, Glenn Macnamara, travelled all the way to Auckland to participate in a big triathlon and duathlon series in December 2015.
It was his first visit to the Land of the Long White Cloud as it is nicknamed.
After a break of several years from international duathlon, Macnamara decided to make an unplanned return to the run/bike/run format of the sport.
“It was quite a sudden decision. I got a feeling that I should do another duathlon,” explained Macnamara.
It was a big field of probably 600 athletes. “The first run was much shorter than usual and I was in a lead bunch entering the bike transition area. My transition had to be quick because it was a draft legal race. A group got away early on. The Kiwis are usually strong cyclists, so I felt I had to stay as close as I could without risking my running legs too much,” he said.
By lap two of the scheduled four laps, Macnamara was unable to know his position as there were also sprint and standard distance triathlon events happening at the same time. This helped Macnamara simply focus on himself.
“There was a great atmosphere along East Tamaki Drive from the crowd which kept my motivation high,” continued Macnamara.
The race is right on the coast so it gets windy and athletes are always working hard on multiple lap courses like that.
“It was very high intensity on the bike, but I managed to enter transition in good nick and ready for the 10km run off the bike,” he explained.
Macnamara started the first part of the run like a whippet. “I put the proverbial hammer down on the first 5km. I eased back down later in the race.”
With the other events going on, Macnamara was not sure where he finished at the end.
“My support crew kept telling me they were sure I had won the duathlon. I’m told it was a really fast time for that course, I’m surprised, amazed and grateful I won the race. Winning internationally is a special feeling for me.”
Macnamara is only the second South African duathlete to win an international duathlon in the last 20 years and the first South African to win on New Zealand soil.
Macnamara joked, “South Africans endured some heart-breaking defeats against the Kiwis in both rugby and cricket world cups in the past year, so hopefully my victory helps even the scorecard a bit.”
