Multisports: Mark and Ian push new boundaries

Ian Ferguson and Mark Richardson. Photo / Getty Images

Mark Richardson once batted for 14 hours. It was a brutal exercise but one he took great pleasure from.

The former Black Caps opener didn't take nearly as long but found the Speight's Costs to Coast every bit as rigorous and satisfying.

Teamed with flat-water kayaking legend Ian Ferguson, Richardson played his part well in the two-day teams event, even if they were thrown a curve ball with yesterday's decision to replace the long paddle leg on the Waimakariri River with tough cycle legs from Klondyke Corner to Hagley Park because of the terrible weather conditions.

"The run on Friday was brutal," said Richardson. "But I was happy with what I did. I took one bad turn and finished up in a gully which I had to scramble out from. That probably cost me a few minutes."

It was on the 3km run through a dry creek bed - which less than 24 hours later had become a torrent - that really hurt the cricketer-turned-sports broadcaster.

"Everytime I kicked a stone, I cramped. Mentally, that was harder than the time I batted for 14 hours. If you bat that long you know you finish with the euphoria that goes with scoring runs. I fell over three times in the last 2km but I kept going. I didn't want to let Ferg down."

Yesterday's re-jigged cycle-cycle-paddle-cycle was a challenge for the pair because neither had ever ridden that far before.

For Richardson, who restricts himself largely to spinning the pedals on a wind-trainer in his garage, yesterday's 60km ride to Waddington was a revelation.

"I was disappointed when the kayak leg was called off. I got blown on to the verge a few times. I was definitely out of my comfort zone," said the Herald on Sunday columnist.

"The run was definitely the hardest thing I have ever done but, overall, I really enjoyed the experience."

For Ferguson the changed schedule meant he missed his scheduled flight to Wellington from where he was to head to Martinborough for his niece's wedding.

"I'll get there for the champagne and food but miss out on the official part of things," said Ferguson, who hinted he would contemplate a return but only after doing a lot more cycling.

"That is four times longer than I have ever ridden before. But I really enjoyed it, even if it was a lot different than the 500m and 1000m [kayak events] I used to race over."