Subaru of New Zealand brand ambassador Braden Currie is days out from competing in the biggest race of his successful endurance career.
Early on Sunday morning (NZST) the Wanaka-based athlete will make his debut in the demanding IRONMAN World Championship in Kaluia-Kona, Hawaii. He will pour all his energy into the 3.8km swim, 180km bike and 42.2km run course that has been his focus for the last eight months.
Currie qualified through winning IRONMAN New Zealand and the Taupo 70.3, then bagged the final points necessary by placing third at the Ironman Asia Pacific Championship, in Cairns, in June.
A grueling training regime has seen the already phenomenally-fit Currie streamlined into the best shape of his 31-years-of-age. Part of this has been a recent two month training block - escaping the cold Wanaka winter – in Australia’s warmer climate, which he describes as the best preparation he has had for a race.
“I went to Noosa for an eight-week block with my family, and on arrival we were able to pick up our Subaru Outback from the dealership in Brisbane. Having this awesome Subaru SUV in Noosa was an integral part of what made my training block in Noosa as successful as it was. It allowed me the full flexibility to train in some hard-to-access locations, and had the ability to easily transport both my bikes,” Currie says.
Always one to push the boundaries of endurance, he will compete in the off-road XTERRA World Championships, which is also in Hawaii, two weeks after he competes in the IRONMAN Worlds. Hence the mountain bike, keeping his road bike company on the roof racks and allowing him to ride Noosa’s bike trails to add some variety to his training programme.
Currie is also a family man and says having wife Sally and children Tarn (9) and Bella (4) with him while he was in Australia made a big difference to him being able to enjoy life outside of his commitments as a professional athlete.
“The Outback made our life easy and all our adventures possible. It gave us all the space and comfort we needed, and also the ability to share many different experiences together - from surfing, mountain biking and hiking, to exploring some of the beautiful wilderness areas around Noosa and the Sunshine Coast,” Currie says.
He has spent the past month in Boulder, Colorado, honing his final IRONMAN preparation at altitude before heading to Hawaii to meet his family this week. They will be on the sidelines this Sunday cheering him on as he pits himself against the best endurance athletes in the world.
Currie is looking forward to seeing how he measures up against them.
“I believe this is the pinnacle of endurance sport and to have the opportunity to race these guys is pretty up there for me. I am really aware of some of the challenges that Kona presents for a first-time athlete but I believe this is a great way to take some of the pressure out of the event. I feel confident that I have given everything I can to my preparation, so I know I won’t have any regrets when I am on the start line. Then I just have to hope it plays out and the work I have done is enough to race the race.”
CAPTIONS Subaru Brand Ambassador Braden Currie and his son Tarn load a Subaru Outback up with their mountain bikes after a family ride in Noosa, Australia, where Currie was training for the IRONMAN World Championship. PHOTO CREDIT: GRAEME MURRAY, FILTERED VISION.
Braden Currie wins the Santa Cruz 70.3 in September, after a sprint finish with United States' athlete Ben Hoffman. PHOTO SUPPLIED BY SANTA CRUZ 70.3
Click on this link to see how a Subaru Outback helped enable Subaru Brand Ambassador Braden Currie to have one of his best training blocks to date in Noosa, Australia. VIDEO CREDIT: ROY SCHOTT.