When duathlon officials are hollering at you to veer straight and head across the finish line, it's usually because a competitor is fatigued and losing their way.
However, Palmerston North policeman AJ Cornwell waved the yells off with a "yeah, yeah," as he arrived back at the Whanganui Multisport Clubrooms on Anzac Parade.
Because after blitzing the field for line honours in the Masters Games race, he had another destination in mind before winning the event, cruising over to the grass verge to give his partner a quick kiss before completing the 5km run, 20km bike and 2.5km run in 1hr 4m 6s.
Getting a congratulatory peck on the lips for a race winner by their loved ones is not uncommon at Whanganui multisport events, but seeking it out before the finish was a first.
Early, in breezy cool conditions, 19 individual women and 15 individual men's competitors, along with the first runner of three teams, lined up at the start for the two laps from the club rooms down towards Dublin St bridge and back.