Iron Man: Time to put training to the test

Linda Exeter-Grant, a former Hawke's Bay women's basketball player, is now preparing for her first Taupo Ironman this weekend. Photo/Warren Buckland

By her own admission Linda Exeter-Grant is the "shy one" in her family.

But there have often been occasions when the former New Zealand junior basketball representative has emerged from the shadows of her older sister Kim O'Shaughnessy, a multiple national teams squash champion and her brothers, Gary and Brendon Exeter, who both gained Hawke's Bay Magpies rugby team selection. Another occasion will be on Saturday when the Napier Aquatic Centre receptionist becomes the first member of her family to tackle the prestigious Ironman New Zealand Triathlon in Taupo. Like most of the 1760 starters, 42 of them from the Bay, Exeter-Grant, 49, has a main goal of completing the event which consists of a 3.8km swim, 180km cycle and 42.2km run.

However completing her training schedule has proved a feat in itself and inspirational to work colleagues, friends and family members. A mother of three sons, 15-year-old Braeden, 14-year-old Jamie and 10-year-old Ethan, Exeter-Grant, has had to juggle her training schedule around her family life and her 32-hours-a-week job.

"I've had so much amazing support from my coach, family members and friends," Exeter-Grant, who has been a Hawke's Bay Multisport Club member for four years, said.

"Kim gets up at 3am to ride a bike beside me and hold a light while I do my running training because she doesn't like me training in the dark by myself."

A former Onekawa Nadodores swimmer, Exeter-Grant, decided eighth months ago she would set the Taupo startline as a goal. Since then she has trained under the guidance of Napier-based coach Jason Trow.

"Jason has done four Taupo Ironmans. He has been amazing ... I could not have done all this training without him. His style of starting things slowly and working gradually has been awesome."

With a background of one team triathlon with her sisters Kim and Lisa and five half ironmans Exeter-Grant, with Trow's assistance, built up her routine to include one six-hour cycle a week, one three hour run a week and three swims a week. At the peak of her training Exeter-Grant was completing seven laps of the Pandora Pond swimming circuit in Napier.

Despite her high levels of support and meticulous training schedules Exeter-Grant, a 44-49 years section entrant, has been conservative with her predicted time of 11 hours.

"There are a whole lot of things which can go wrong. Because I have never been in the event before it's quite scary but by having done a Taupo half ironman at least I will know the course," she explained.

With her boss Darrin Ruhi, a fellow starter on Saturday and workmate Ivan Smart an ironman veteran Exeter-Grant won't be short on tips. When it was suggested she might enjoy Saturday's event so much and become a regular she agreed it was a possibility.

"Although I might say one thing and my husband Scotty might say another. In saying that Scotty has been brilliant. He has a high pressure job as a manager at Mico Plumbing in Hastings and then he comes home to another high pressure job ... having to prepare meals for the family while I'm training or working."

Like many Hawke's Bay competitors in the past, Exeter-Grant, has the potential to become a top two finisher in her age group and thus book a berth in the Kona Ironman in Hawaii which is run in October.

"Depending on how everything goes that could become a carrot in the future," she added.

Other former Hawke's Bay female representatives in other codes that are among the starters include Ironmaori organiser Heather Skipworth, who will be joined by her hubby Wayne on the startline, former Kiwi Ferns rugby league representative Hanna Wainohu and former New Zealand touch and Aotearoa Maori Sevens representative Julie Ferguson.

The Bay's multiple medallist at world championship level, Ali Hollington, will be competing in her 10th Ironman New Zealand on Saturday.