For Ian Walsh, the Coast to Coast is familiar territory, having competed 22 times. But this year’s race turned into his most “exciting” yet.
Just 5km into the first 55km cycle stage on Saturday, the 58-year-old crashed into a temporary traffic light.
“I wasn’t really looking ahead like I should have. Suddenly I saw it (traffic light) coming directly in front of me. I swerved to the inside to avoid it, but my balance took me the other way.”
After a heavy collision with the traffic light, his shoulder was bruised and sore but he managed to brush himself off and carry on.
The Coast to Coast, held every February, challenges athletes to run, kayak and cycle from the West Coast’s Kumara Junction beach to New Brighton Pier.
Walsh, from Prebbleton, was competing in the male veteran, two day race, two-person team category.
Back on the road, his troubles weren’t over.
The damage to his bike caught up with him 20km later when its derailleur snapped completely.
It left him stranded. With time ticking and limited options, Walsh weighed his next move.
“I was jogging along with my broken bike wondering how I was going to get to my team mate at the next transition because I knew he was busting to do the run and I didn’t want to let him down,” he said.
“Then I saw a camper van with an older couple watching the race, and the woman called out, ‘Do you want a bike?’”
He was offered a fold-out bike, which he gratefully accepted.
“It was a small-wheeled bike that was ‘very substantially built’ with a big carrier on the back,” said Walsh.
“I was alright on the downhill and okay on the flat but when I came to the gentle climbs, man I was burning the wick there. I think my heart rate was about 170bpm keeping up with the back of the group.”
Walsh ended up completing the 55km cycle stage before tracking down the couple and returning the bike near the finish line.
The incident was the first crash he’d had in 35 years of road cycling.
“I think after doing some adventure races, you have to solve problems as you go.”
Despite the setbacks, Walsh and teammate Richard Thomas were third in their category.
