'Now or never' for first-timer

INSPIRE: Belinda Buchanan will be making her first attempt at Xterra Rotorua today. PHOTO/STEPHEN PARKER

HER daughter thinks she might just qualify for Xterra Hawaii - but Rotorua's Belinda Buchanan will be happy just to finish today's Xterra race in a reasonable time.

"That's definitely her dream, not mine," said Buchanan of her 8-year-old daughter Hannah's thoughts.

It isn't surprising that both Hannah, and her brother Alex (6) have such faith, as they have been integral parts of Buchanan's preparations for her first attempt at Xterra Rotorua.

Buchanan and her friend Melanie Davies are both first timers at today's race.

"I have been staying reasonably fit so it was a case of, if not now, I'd probably never do it," she said. "I've watched it for years and I've watched and known people do it for years, but I've never really considered doing it myself. But it's quite inspiring for my children and set in a beautiful place in a forest I love - all those things (are reasons to do it) really."

Davies had similar motivations.

"Because I've always wanted to do a decent length triathlon and always wanted to learn to ride a mountain bike so this made me commit to that. And living in Rotorua, you have these things on your doorstep and you get to truly appreciate what Rotorua has to offer by training for these events."

If getting proficient on a mountain bike was Davies' goal, facing the swim has been the big challenge for Buchanan.

"I haven't done as much (swim) training as I should have, but I've been practising in the Blue Lake with friends who swim. It will be mind over matter on the day to just get through it.

"Mountain biking has been harder than I thought it would be but the training itself has been really enjoyable. I've been regularly swimming in the Blue Lake, which is pretty cool. It is hard trying to train six days a week around everything else, but you just fit it in. Luckily we have got very supportive husbands that's let us do that," said Davies.

Working to a programme and tacking a couple of smaller triathlons have helped.

"We did the Marra (sprint) triathlon at the Mount. It was a cool day and the kids did it too, and that's one of the reasons (for doing it) really - to inspire the children and get them to see their mum do it," said Buchanan.

Davies has an extra special reason for wanting to finish in one piece.

"I'd like to finish without an injury. I snapped my achilles just under two years ago and all I want to do is survive the event without an injury - I'm having my 40th birthday party that night so I want to be able to rock up to that in once piece."