Show Notes
Welcome to the your Bonus Mackenzie Podcast for 2026 the 4th in the series this year as our event wrap up. I am Richard Greer the Head coach and Team Captain of TeamCPNZ who have helped a number of people to prepare for this event with our Coaching and maybe you too if you have listened to our 2 lead in podcasts These are my favourite podcasts that we put together - recorded live on the finish line where the legs are still sore but the vibes still high. As we get underway I need to say a massive well done to everyone that took part of this event, who stood on the start line with your own goals to either race hard at the front or to enjoy the day out with family and friends - everyone challenging themselves in their own way.
This year I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to share the MC duties with the amazing Stella Maris, cheering everyone home and sharing the stories of families doing it together, broken pedals to epic sprint finishes it was pretty awesome. To Kerry and her team, you do an amazing job and there was nothing but praise on the finish line for the event that you put on and the team of volunteers making sure that everyone has the best day.
This year as you will hear in some of the stories to come, the course had a last minute change after the riders had set off. The river crossing to make it over the Godley River and to Lilybank station was a no go. The final braid had become impassable over night, after 4hrs of trying to figure out a route the swift water rescue team had to make the call that it was impassable after they were being swept off their feet trying to get across. The weather was calm and there had been no rain over night so whether it was snow melt or just a braided river moving around, there was too much water to cross. This was especially tough since the drop bags and logistics were already set on the other side of the river. Safety is always number one so the right call was made and for the athletes to deal with a new plan is always tough - especially to make it back through the rough bluffs section a second time. But you did it and that is often the most rewarding memories - when it doesn't go to plan but you figure out a way. So congratulations to all involved and these are you stories from Catherine who ripped around the Merino Course and made it home first overall, to Matt Gordon who completed the Drover after 9hrs and 49minutes of riding his bike.
More from Team CPNZ - Endurance Sports Podcast
Tasmanian based TeamCPNZ Athlete Alastair Mitchelson recently completed the Freycinate Challenge. This was his first Multisport event which included a mixture of kayaking, road cycling, trail running and mountain biking over two days and is held on the Freycinet Peninsula at Coles Bay, on the East Coast of Tasmania, Australia. The event is in it’s 27th year and was a proper test for Al as he prepares for the Coast to Coast early next year. This is how his weekend of multisport racing unfolded.
The Finish line of the 2026 Crater Rim Ultra. What a fantastic place to spend a few hours cheering runners over the finish lining. This is a collection of some of the stories from the trails over many of the events, from those at the pointy end to those looking to complete it.
Just a couple of weeks ago James Kay competed in the 70.3 World Triathlon Championships in Nice - a 1.9km swim in the sea, a 90km bike via Col de Vence (roughly 9.7 km averaging 6.6%), and finishing with a flat half marathon in the heat down the Nice Promenade. Following a solid winter training block, James was keen to test himself against the world's best. This is James's story of how his race went, his highlights and the learnings that he will take forward on his Triathlon journey.
Kathmandu Coast to Coast Podcast is Back – Season 8 powered by TeamCPNZ! We kick off the show with an essential training fundamental: a deep dive into exercise physiology. How hard should you be training and why for specific sessions over the course of your week and your build up to race day. To dial this in we need to have a good understanding of the training zones and how your body is creating energy to fuel our movement at each level. We break down Lactate Threshold and Zone 2 training, explaining how building your aerobic base and anaerobic threshold directly impacts performance and endurance on a course as demanding as the Coast to Coast.
Today we catch up with TeamCPNZ Athlete Darrin Bull who recently completed the Sydney Marathon. He had a great build up in which he completed his training throughout the course of winter only to get sick a couple of weeks out from race day. Following his doctor's clearance he stood on the start line with 41, 000 other marathoners to run the streets of Sydney. Darrin shares his story of his day, the learnings, and what it was like to cross that finish line.