TRIATHLETE and mountain running champion Kate McIlroy was fast asleep when Capital Times called to talk about her chances of winning the New Zealand Cup Championship and Oceania Championship titles in Wellington this weekend.
Training at high altitude is really taxing on the body which is why McIlroy was resting in the middle of the day after a swim and cycle at Snow Farm, the ski training area near Wanaka which is 1,650m above sea level.
“Yeah we have been a little bit tired today,” says McIlroy, once she had woken up. “I had a two hour sleep which is unusual for me – I usually take a half hour nap. We had a full on weekend of training.”
McIlroy will head home to Wellington this weekend for the Contact Tri Series, which involves a 1500m swim, 40km cycle and a 10km run, starting at Waitangi Park. The series is designed for anyone who wants to give the sport a try, but is also a chance for elite athletes like McIlroy to grab a title.
“I am definitely going out there to give it a good go but there is some stiff competition. I am aiming to get on the podium.”
And training at altitude for the past three weeks might just be the ticket to winning the series.
“It’s tough and you have to be really sensible up here. If you go too hard you won’t be able to train for a couple of weeks. You have to listen to your body.”
McIlroy’s  coach Greg Fraine, who is also the national coach for Triathlon New Zealand, is confident McIlroy has a good shot at the Kiwi and Australasian titles based on her performance at training.
“When you come back to sea level your body is more effective which enables you to perform at a higher level,” says Fraine. “And she is a natural athlete with a lot of experience.”
Hataitai-based McIlroy is a former world mountain biking champion who switched to triathlon following an Achilles injury.
The swim and cycle legs of the competition relieve pressure on her Achilles.
“My Achilles has been good, there have been a few niggles from time to time but it’s nothing compared to what it used to be like. I can run every day now. No hobbling in the morning.”
When the 27 year old, ranked 20th in the world, isn’t training up mountains she likes to swim at Karori pool and go running through Mount Victoria.
Coach Fraine says Wellington’s hilly topography is great for training, although the weather is “sometimes not ideal for cycling”.
Contact Tri Series and ITU Oceania Cup, Waitangi Park and Oriental Bay, 7am, March 13.