Ironman New Zealand veteran Cameron Brown prepares for return to Taupō

When it comes to Ironman New Zealand, Cameron Brown has seen it all. Photo / Supplied

Cameron Brown knows what it takes to be successful at Ironman New Zealand, with the 48-year-old having stood on the top step of the podium a record 12 times.

While his annual pilgrimage to Taupō may be taking place a few weeks later than normal, Brown is taking it all in his stride.

"I'm happy to be here again, lockdown 2.0 is done and dusted, really looking forward to getting down to Taupō, settle in, put the feet up and relax and soak in the training from the last couple of months," he said.

"I think everyone was in the same boat, we were a week out and into taper mode, so I went back into two solid weeks of training and then two taper weeks and it's gone well, things are still ticking over quite nicely. Rest up and hopefully I'll feel good on race day and the weather gods will be on our side.

"I would have loved to have raced on March 6 but I think a lot of those people who may have been underdone or had an injury would have been quietly happy about having an extra couple of weeks under their belt.

"I'm excited like everyone else to still be racing on the 27th. It's fantastic that the organisers and Taupō Council have gotten behind it and sorted out a new date and we can race which is fantastic."

Brown contested his first Ironman New Zealand in 1997 and it's been a part of his routine every year since then.

"I wouldn't know what to do over a Kiwi summer if I didn't train for Ironman New Zealand," he said.

"Part of the last 24 years has been about preparing for it, the love for the sport, the joy that the journey to March every year brings.

"It's just a normal summer, if I wasn't doing Ironman New Zealand I'd be twiddling my thumbs and pretty bored I think, the motivation is still pretty high at the moment.

"It's one of the oldest Ironman events in the world, there's a lot of history with the event both in Auckland and Taupō, it's a great town and well supported by everyone down there."

The past 12 months has been tough for Brown, as it has for so many, but the Ironman veteran has remained motivated, putting in countless hours of training as he prepares for the 2021 event.

"Last year was very, very, tough, I had a patch during the year when the motivation dipped for training and there was no racing and the future was looking bleak, but I got over that pretty quickly and got motivated again.

"2020 was a tough year for a lot of athletes and there could be some flow on this year, we're very lucky that we've been able to race and there is racing in New Zealand, there are many countries around the world who have been much harder hit by Covid, we're pretty lucky to be racing next weekend."

Brown claimed his 12th Ironman New Zealand title in 2016, and was last on the podium in 2018, and he knows there will be plenty of competition on the course on Saturday with an all-Kiwi field.

"There's a lot of talent here, Braden Currie and Mike Phillips are past champions, and we've got some great young talent coming through with Kyle Smith and Jack Moody, it'll be exciting to see how they go as well, it's going to be a very competitive field."