The Kathmandu Coast 2 Coast One Day race is the World Multisport Championship event and is also
referred to as the "Longest Day". The One Day race sees competitors complete the full 243km course
involving running, mountain biking and road cycling legs as well as kayaking from one side of New Zealand’s
South Island to the other - in one day. Sam Clark completed a three-peat in 2018 and is likely to be staying
at the top of the sport for a while yet. You’ll see why in his answers below:
MSM: How were you introduced to Adventure/Multisport racing?
SC: The town I grew up in, Whakatane, has a thriving multisport
and adventure racing community, so growing up and being part
of the local Tri and Multiport club, I was exposed to the sport from
a pretty young age. I think I took part in my first proper multisport
race while at primary school, and was competing in our local race
“Monty’s Revenge“, pretty soon after that and started doing 24
hour AR’s and rogaines while in high school. I’m really fortunate to
have grown up in a place where the sport was so accessible.
MSM: The Coast 2 Coast is the most revered title in the sport.
You've won the last three titles, who do you see as the emerging
threats to this streak?
SC: There are some really strong competitors who will be toeing
the start line in 2019 including Alex Hunt and Dougal Allan.
However, at this stage I am planning to sit out the 2019 edition to
pursue some other opportunities. Nothing is set in stone just yet
though.
MSM: There's so many variables in Adventure Racing/Multisport
including equipment. How much time do you spend on gear
checks/maintenance, to minimise the risk of things going wrong
on race day?
SC: As a qualified engineering tradesman, I know the value of
taking care of my gear and also having the right gear for the job. I
am constantly fiddling around with my bikes and kayaks to make
sure the hull is trimming properly and the bearings and chain are
in good condition. The term “marginal gains “ is thrown around a
lot in cycling, but it can be applied to multisports and AR too, a lot
of small advantages can add up to big time gains.
MSM: Have you had any major disappointments related to gear,
nutrition or elements and how did you handle them?
SC: I like to thoroughly test my equipment and nutrition before
using it in a race. That also includes making sure my support crew
are 100% sure of what they have to do. I like to keep my transition
requirements to an absolute minimum to avoid stuff-ups. One
occasion springs to mind though; racing the 2015 Åre Extreme
Challenge in Sweden. The run goes up and over a 1000+ meter
mountain, which had an unseasonable amount of snow, so most
of the competitors used hiking poles. I really struggled to run
through the knee deep snow. I learned my lesson and used poles
the following year though and won the race.
MSM: You've dabbled in the road scene too with triathlon and
Ironman. What do you enjoy about that style of racing? Can you
see yourself doing more of this?
SC: I like the discipline of Ironman triathlon racing, and
although my performances as an elite competitor have never
been spectacular, it really taught me a lot about training and
preparation and lifted my game for Multisport racing. What I
like about triathlon is the abundance of races and the depth of
competition. I plan to compete in a few tris over the summer too.
MSM: Your racing calendar is incredibly diverse; how do you
handle that in training and preparation. What are your priorities
for 2019?
SC: It isn’t possible to make every race an “A race “, so I have to be
quite selective on which events to focus on. It means maintaining
a high level of base fitness so that it doesn’t take too much to ramp
things up towards an important race. My priorities for 2019 are to
diversify my skill sets even more to expand the range of events I
am able to compete in and to be more valuable as a team member.
MSM: As the sport has progressed, we are seeing athletes with
no real weakness; well-rounded like yourself. But what is one area
you're really focused on addressing in the near future?
SC: Running form is something that I have to constantly work on,
but I have been capable of putting together some fairly decent
marathon times in the past (2:37). Unfortunately though, cycling
and kayaking do very little for improving your running speed, so it
is a delicate balance.
MSM: With the multi-day stage races, recovery would be incredibly
important. What are your strategies in terms of recovery, during
and post-race, at this style of race?
SC: In the past I have tried things like recovery boots and fancy
vitamins to aid recovery, but the fundamentals to recovery is still
getting quality sleep, replenishing energy stores and stretching.
MSM: The adventure scene has a high proportion of individual
and team style events; do you have a preference? How do you
transition with competing head to head in one event to only team
up the following event?
SC: I really enjoy racing as part of a team, working together
towards a common goal is very rewarding and you share the highs
and lows along the way. The aspect of being rivals one day and
teammates the next is just one of the funny things about the sport.
MSM: You get to travel the world as part of your ‘job’ as an athlete.
What’s a bucket list location that you haven’t got to yet?
SC: As part of my ‘job’, it seems I keep going back to similar
places to compete, and I haven’t actually traveled as extensively
as I would like. One of the downsides of travelling for sports
like triathlon is that although you get to visit a lot of different
places, you must prioritize racing. Before the race, you’re focused
on training and preparation and after you’re sometimes too
exhausted to look around, so although you can put a lot of stamps
in your passport you have to really make an effort to experience
local culture. I enjoy travelling for adventure racing a lot more,
because the pace is quite different and you have more of a chance
to experience a location or culture.
On the top of my list at the moment is to get to South Africa
for the Dusi Kayak Marathon. It is however in mid-February, which
does conflict somewhat with an aforementioned race in the South
Island.
MSM: What's the remainder of the year look like for you?
SC: There are two more races on the China Mountain Outdoor
Sports Series, so I’m heading back there next week and then on
to Reunion Island for the World Adventure Racing Championship
with the Swedish Armed Forces Adventure Team. There is still a
fair bit on my plate, but when I get back from there, I’ll be able to
establish a bit more about where I’m heading over summer and
the best way to get there.
MSM: Most of us take the opportunity to indulge on food, perhaps
even try different food when we travel. As an athlete do you
embrace the fare of the various cultures you visit? Do you have a
preferred food stop on ‘the tour’?
SC: It can be very tempting to indulge, particularly while travelling.
Pre–race I like to play it safe, but after the fact I like to partake in
local food and drink, which can yield interesting results.
MSM: Nutrition is such a critical element of your performance. Is
this hard to maintain travelling and training/racing.
SC: I try to be diligent about staying hydrated while travelling and
do my best to avoid eating rubbish. Often, I’ll take a few freeze-
dried meals with me on the plane to avoid having to eat burgers
and other foods which can be rather seductive when you’re
jetlagged.
MSM: What’s a must in your carry on for a long-haul flight?
SC: Noise cancelling headphones, an eye mask, two drink bottles
and some 1Above Electrolyte tabs. I often carry my cycle shoes,
pedals and a pair of runners with me as well, just in case my
luggage goes missing.
FINISH LINE FIVE
MULTISPORT MAGAZINE | 35