Ironman: Lake legend right back in the swim

An 11th win for Cameron Brown at Taupo tomorrow would be unprecedented in Ironman events across the globe. Photo / Greg Bowker

Cameron Brown is back.

It seemed inconceivable midway through last year - as his career appeared to be on the slide - but the 41-year Ironman legend should be among the main contenders tomorrow in Taupo.

After the worst season of his career, Brown has bounced back with aplomb. He battled a virus for most of 2013, leading to a series of sub-par performances. He didn't finish either the Melbourne or the Cairns Ironman and couldn't make his usual impression beside the great lake (well back in third).

He eventually took some time out - his first real spell from training in more than a decade - and it has paid dividends.

"The problems of last year were a blessing in disguise," says Brown. "I needed the break, I was mentally fatigued as well."

Brown completed his first Ironman in 1997, and since then has maintained a training routine that would break most of us. Brown swims five times a week (25km in total) and clocks up around 600km a week on the bike, including two long rides of between 180-200km. He runs every day, totalling 130km and including at least one near marathon distance run.

Brown appears recharged and rejuvenated. He beat a solid field to win the Port of Tauranga half ironman then recorded a creditable 6th in the Auckland 70.3 event, finishing strongly with the third fastest time of the run leg.

"I feel good," says Brown. "All my preparation and training has gone well. It still comes down to how it unfolds on the day - and getting ready for the torture that your body is going to go through - but I'm confident about my chances."

Brown has no plans to stop racing anytime soon, despite being at an age that is an outlier in professional Ironman events. "As long as the motivation is there I'll keep going," says Brown. "You need that to be mentally on your game, wanting to push yourself through the pain."

That is what Brown has done better in Taupo than anyone since 2001, recording an incredible 10 victories in 13 attempts. Maybe we have started to take Brown's achievements for granted - it's worth remembering that before he emerged the New Zealand Ironman was dominated by foreign talent on the men's side, with just one local winner (Scott Ballance in 1994) in the first 16 years of the event. Brown's first win (2001) remains the most memorable, as he hauled in Peter Sandvang (then the ITU World Long Distance champion) after being 12 minutes behind the Dane at the beginning of the run leg.

"That was an amazing experience," says Brown. "I caught him with 2km to go and I will never forgot the noise of the crowd over the last few stages."

An 11th win tomorrow would be unprecedented in Ironman events across the globe, and Brown should be in the mix.

His main competition will come from defending champion Bevan Docherty and Estonian Marko Albert, who took the silver last year in Taupo. Three time runner up Terenzo Bozzone will also be a strong contender, alongside emerging Australian Tim Berkel.

"The field is as strong as ever," says Brown. "I'll try to stay as close as possible to the main guys in the water, maintain it on the bike and know that I can come home strong on the run."