“The Aquathlon was an add-on event for me,” Sheldrake said.
“It was a long way to go just to do one event, and it was a good chance to have a hit-out leading into my main event, the Aquabike.
“Coming out of winter and not having any racing under my belt, it was a chance to blow out some cobwebs.”
Expectations?
“Swim hard and see how well I was placed and then run accordingly,” he said.
“I swam in the front bunch and about 20 of us hit the beach together. I had a good transition and was leading the age group with second place about 10 seconds behind me at the halfway mark of the run and slowly catching me.
“The last kilometre hurt a lot but I won by three seconds from a Canadian.”
Sheldrake said his post-race legs were smashed.
“I had to have a few ice baths, a massage, and all the normal post-race procedures.”
He said he was a bit worried going into the aquabike.
“This was the main race that I went over for.
“The swim was dead flat and the bike course had fast roads with a couple of tough climbs each lap.
“I sat in second position for most of the swim with a German athtlete in front. There was a lot of traffic as they had other races and waves going in front of my race. I had to navigate my way through them. It slowed swim times down but it was the same for everyone.”
Sheldrake caught the leader at the 25-kilometre mark on the bike.
“I tried to ride conservatively early on as I knew the second half of the race would be hard, with hills, heat and distance. However, I went through the first 40 kilometres in 54 minutes and realised I might have had a bit too much testosterone going through me. I backed off a bit and made sure I had good nutrition going in.
“From then on, I basically had to ride scared, as the nature of the course meant I didn’t know my placing. Other races were going at the same time, so about 2000 people were on the course at once. Basically, everyone on the course was an enemy but no one passed me so I gathered I had won.”
Sheldrake said expectations ahead of the races were always hard.
“I knew that this type of event (aquabike) would suit me, and I wanted a medal within my age group. But I didn’t expect to be fastest overall.”
What drives him?
“As cheesy as it sounds, and without trying to sound like a coach, I love the process of setting goals and then trying to work out how to fit training around the more important things in life — family and work — in a way that will allow me to achieve those goals.
“Without a supportive wife and kids I wouldn’t be able to achieve such goals. I’m lucky to be in this position. When you’re a full-time athlete it’s easy. You train, eat, sleep. When you have a wife, kids and work, it’s one big jigsaw puzzle.
“I love sport and I say ‘use it or lose it’. As long as I enjoy competing, I’ll keep on doing it.”
What would please him more — coaching Reid to the Commonwealth Games or winning individual races?
“I enjoy both. I love coaching all types, and athletes who have goals. It can be a first-time athlete wanting to complete a triathlon or Tayler wanting to be one of the best triathletes in the world.
“I hope that by doing well myself it shows the athletes I coach, like Josiah Ney and Tayler, that it can be done by athletes from Gisborne.”
