TRIATHLON - Sensational run prompts praise from `Pakistan'

Blown away by the speed that Northland triathlete Sam Warriner is running 10kms after piling through a 1500m swim and a 40km cycle ride these days?
Well it turns out you're not the only one.
Warriner's breakthrough running effort on her way to winning the Vancouver World Cup triathlon race in Canada at the weekend has caused shockwaves all the way to Pakistan and virtually every compass point in between.
Virtually all of the Triathlon NZ coaching staff were quick to touch base with Warriner's Whangarei-based coach Murray Healey with all manner of inquiries about the performance.
But it wasn't until a congratulatory message arrived from Pakistan that the true impact starting hitting home.
Among a myriad of messages received by the Warriner camp this week was an email from the "Pakistan Triathlon Federation" who were suitably impressed by her efforts.
"I couldn't quite believe it, I am not even sure they do triathlons in Pakistan let alone have a Pakistan Triathlon Federation," Healey said.
"Even now I keep thinking it might be some sort of joke, but I have been tempted to email them back to tell them I am available to travel to Pakistan for a few coaching seminars.
"I have never been to Pakistan before," he said.
The mysterious message, signed by Mukarran Ali, the "secretary general" of the Pakistan Triathlon Federation, was just one of many to arrive shortly after Warriner stormed through the field in the final run leg of the event to grab the victory in Vancouver.
Healey fielded queries from fellow Triathlon NZ coaches who wanted to know the details of her training in the lead-up to the race, some of them thinking Warriner must have been training at altitude in order to produce such a stunning run time.
But while keen to give Warriner her dues, Healey was quick to correct a few misconceptions from the race in Vancouver, especially on the eve of a race in Des Moines, Iowa this weekend, where Warriner is competing for a $US200,000 winner's purse.
"The run time recorded at the race was actually 33m:56s, not 33m:16s, although the 33m:56s time includes her transition (from bike to run).
"That 33m:56s is still a phenomenal time and still the quickest by any female on the circuit this season. Everyone else is running around the 34m:30s mark," Healey said.
"The run time she produced was in line with the track times and time trial work we have been doing where she has consistently been producing times equivalent to a 33m:50s 10km race pace," he said.
"Also there seems to be some opinion that we are going to Des Moines for the money, but we scheduled to do this race before we even knew there was money involved, it was always going to be the last part of this particular training block."
In the wake of her effort in Vancouver, Warriner is sure to be watched closely in Des Moines this weekend.
The race has become the unofficial world championship thanks to the huge prize monies on offer and the elite women's field includes fellow Kiwi Debbie Tanner and four of the top-five women, world champion Vanessa Fernandez and Commonwealth Games gold medallist Emma Snowsill included.
"It is not for the money, it is more to race the top girls so we can adjust our training for the next phase of our season," Healey said.
The race in Des Moines take splace on Monday morning (NZT). Live webcast coverage is available at www.triathlon.org