Andy and Logan are tackling the Contact Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge in November. Will you join them?
You may have heard about New Zealand’s largest cycling event – the Contact Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge. This annual event takes place around beautiful Lake Taupo, a volcanic crater lake in the centre of the North Island, and regularly attracts up to 10,000 riders from New Zealand and the rest of the world.
This year’s event takes place on Saturday 30 November and has 15 different challenges to choose from, including a 5km race for the under 10’s (I found Logan trying to enter into this category), team challenges, the popular 160km solo circumnavigate around the lake and the ultra crazy 1280km Extreme Enduro!
Throwing down the gauntlet
Natural High’s Auckland branch manager Logan is a veteran Taupo Challenge rider…but I’m not. Can you guess where this is going? Yes, this year the young whippersnapper is taking on the colonel, and we’ve both entered the solo 160km race.
In the saddle
We’re following a 15-week training programme to prepare for the ride, which starts off with two 5km rides a week and then increases distance each week. Being used to longer rides, I’ve found the early weeks of training fairly easy, but it really does show that even those with limited fitness can train for this race.
On the day
Every year we hire out a number of our performance race bikes and tandems to competitors, and this year we’ll have a dedicated tent at the Taupo Domain. We’ll also have a small retail area with gloves, gels, jackets and socks – and a few spare Avanti Giro Trek 2.1 and 1.5s – for those last-minute glitches.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it
I like to set myself three challenges a year in order to 1) combat complacency and 2) resist marathon TV box-set sessions (like watching 3645 minutes of The Wire in one sitting).
One year I (reluctantly) completed a sky dive, in 2011 my challenge was to set up Natural High’s Auckland branch. Today, I’m handing a challenge on to you: have you got what it takes to tackle the Contact Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge?
Remember, there are heaps of different categories to choose from, so whatever your fitness or ability level there’s a ride to suit!
As an extra incentive, the scenery around Lake Taupo is stunning and there are hot pools waiting at the end to ease tired muscles.
I’ll leave the last words to the team at Contact Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge.
“Remember:
The saddle gets easier to sit on.
Expect the good and not so good.
It’s the body (not the bike) that pedals.”
See you there?
Andy
P.S. Need to hire a road bike for the Challenge? We’ve got a fantastic Hot Deal just for you! Get a 3-day hire of one of our top-quality road bikes for just $150 and cruise the circuit with speed and style. (Includes free relocation and pick up and drop off in Taupo). Book this hot deal now>>
(Write “Hot Deal” in the subject line).
Image: Courtesy of Contact Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge
For more information about the event, please head to their website.
