Team success motivates short-of-a-gallop Warrander

He's not in the best nick of his life but Athens Olympian Dale Warrander is still capable of giving Saturday's Port of Tauranga Half Ironman a nudge.
Warrander is among a handful of Olympians taking part in the star-studded Half Ironman teams race.
The Tauranga marathoner will line up in Team Nike Free, led off by Athens medley swimmer Dean Kent and talented young Auckland cyclist Blair Taylor.
Athens triathlon silver medallist and world champion Bevan Docherty is taking on the teams' race with sister Fiona - third in Ironman Western Australia - and mum Irene.
Nike Free will be pushed hard by stablemate and reigning champions Team Nike - Muriwai lifeguard Rob Baff, Te Awamutu's Tim Gudsell - Athens Olympic cyclist and fastest rider in last year's Half Ironman - and '02 Manchester Commonwealth Games marathoner Craig Kirkwood.
Warrander is no stranger to the Half Ironman run course, having last raced several years ago. But he is slowly emerging from an extended layoff following his 2:16.50sec win in November's Auckland marathon, which qualified him for the world athletics championships.
"I'm not in great shape to be honest - I've been a bit unmotivated since the Auckland race and have been enjoying some down time," he said yesterday. "After such a big 2004 (which included 33rd in the Athens marathon) I probably needed a few weeks off after Auckland.
"I've been running every day for the last two weeks (he did 150km last week) so I'm slowly getting back into it."
Long distance running is a lonely vocation and Warrander is fizzing at a rare opportunity to be in a team on Saturday.
"It's a fun event to be around and sure beats going off training by myself for three or four hours.
"It's also great being out on the course seeing the individual race unfold; no doubt we'll pass by the leaders somewhere down Marine Parade."
Kirkwood is in great shape, breaking Warrander's race record for the Auckland half marathon in November, making for fierce rivalry between teams.
"I mightn't be in 100 per cent shape but it's a team effort and the expectation's still there that we'll all turn up and put in our money's worth."
Other teams to watch include Team Cervello, which will be out to push for glory with talented Auckland collegiate triathlete Nathan Saunders (swim), classy Athens Olympian Gordon McCauley (bike) and Auckland runner Jason Cameron.
Team Powerade will carry the hopes of the young brigade, with top swimmer Ben Pattle leading out, Ben Logan (bike) and Surfbreaker triathlon winner Clark Ellice (run).
The Nike Goddess team is looking for success in the female section. Talented triathlete Kate Mitchell will swim, national junior champion Anna Hamilton will ride and Bays Cougar mountain runner and marathoner Marnie Oberer - of television's Healthy Eating fame - will anchor.
There's strong opposition from Team Asics - Gisborne trio Hosanna Horsfall (swim), Athens Olympic road racer Michelle Hyland (bike) and Auckland marathon champion Tracey Clissold (run).
The mixed team section will be a family affair for North Harbour's Pattle family led by Ben's sister Brooke (swim), followed by Ben on the bike (backing up from swimming for Team Powerade) and their world age-group champion mother Lynne (run).
Team Orca is led out by Debbie Tanner, with Peter Latham on the bike and former Olympian Robbie Johnston taking care of the run.
There are several other well-known faces with 1995 Ironman New Zealand champion Sue Clark in a suitably low-key team called the Righteous Sisters, while former cycling great Jack Swart is also racing.