Ironman 2021 training buddies. First time contender Mason Holden (left) and Jake White. Photo / Mason Holden Photography
Ironman 2021 training buddies. First time contender Mason Holden (left) and Jake White. Photo / Mason Holden Photography
Tūrangi Ironman entrant Mason Holden, 30, knows first-hand what a difference the work of Heart Kids New Zealand makes.
Growing up as the younger brother to a little boy who had multiple heart operations, Mason has a first-hand experience about the good work done by official Nutri-Grain Ironman New Zealandcharity Heart Kids New Zealand.
"Heart Kids has done so much for my family and I wanted to do what I can to help them," said Mason.
A year ago Mason could not have predicted he would be competing in Ironman NZ in Taupō. He and partner Liz Peace were into their seventh year running a skydiving coaching business in the United Arab Emirates and came home because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Hailing from Wellington, Mason arrived in New Zealand last year and moved to Tūrangi to train with Rafting New Zealand as a white water rafting guide. Also on the course was Jake White, 22, who had entered Ironman 2021.
"I had wanted to do Ironman for many years but never signed up for it because I knew how ridiculous it was."
Already a runner and a regular cyclist, Mason was inspired to enter this year's event when he found out Jake had entered.
"Jake doesn't have a background in fitness but he had bought himself a tri-bike and a swim membership at the Tūrangi pool."
The pair trained together and Jake also raised money for Heart Kids New Zealand.
The three week postponement of Ironman played havoc with training. Jake White (left) is unable to attend, and Mason Holden said the past few weeks have been mentally tough.
Ironman 2021 being delayed three weeks was an issue for both men. Mason said psychologically it was really hard to go from tapering to then winding his training schedule back three weeks to full training.
"On some of the longer rides I thought, 'I am over this'. "
Jake, has had to pull out of Ironman so he could honour a commitment to a new job in Australia, and attempted to complete the course on the original date, Saturday, March 6. With Mason and Liz acting as support crew, Jake made it through the swim and cycle stage but called it a day as the sun was setting at 7.30pm, 10km into the run at 7.30pm.
Jake said pulling out was probably the first sensible thing he has done in his life, as a cold rain had set in and without a poncho he was worried he would wind up getting sick and unable to start his new job.
"There was no crowd to cheer me on, no support from race organisers, it just felt like I was doing a really, really long triathlon," said Jake, who says he will be back for Ironman 2022.
The pair trained over summer and Mason said finding time was tricky as they had made themselves available for whitewater guiding work seven days a week. He said they found out at 2pm each day if they had work the following day, and took every opportunity they had to train.
"The amount of training I have done, there's going to be some pain.
"But given the amount of time I've had to train, I've done a lot."
With the rafting season coming to an end when the school term started, Mason says he trained mid-week while running a skydive coaching business with Liz on the weekend. The pair have set up a skydive coaching business for licensed skydivers, Fun Jump NZ, similar to what they had in United Arab Emirates, operating out of Taupō Tandem Skydiving at Taupō Airport.
So far friends and family have donated $1670 to Heart Kids through a Givealittle page set up by Mason and Jake, and a friend who owns headphone business Ultro Audio donated 10 per cent of January's takings.
Mason says the whole family will be in Taupō on the weekend to cheer him on. He says his brother is very grateful to Heart Kids New Zealand but has asked for privacy in this story.
Mason Holden (left) and Jake White have raised money for Heart Kids New Zealand in the lead up to Ironman 2021. Photo / Mason Holden Photography
"Meeting my brother now, you wouldn't know what he had been through. As an adult he can live a normal life.
"He is married, working as a builder, and continuing to push the limits on his bike and motorbike."
As very young children, Mason's family moved to Auckland for a short time as his brother was a patient at Starship Hospital. He says he remembers grandparents stepping in many times to help with childcare while his parents and brother were in hospital.
"Heart Kids is such a fantastic organisation as it looks after the sick child and also the whole family."
His brother was born with a complex congenital heart defect and unfortunately because of some additional heart-lung complications, the normal corrective surgery was not considered possible.
"However, throughout his life, he defied the odds and has benefited enormously from medical advances and the skill and courage of some wonderful paediatric cardiac surgeons.
"Three open-heart surgeries have anatomically corrected his condition."
Mason's brother will also be celebrating his first wedding anniversary this weekend, after getting married in Taupō a year ago.
After Ironman, Mason says his plan is to have a few weeks of rest and then he will be focusing on his skydive business.
"Our goal is to improve New Zealand skydiving as a whole and maybe start working towards setting some records."
Follow Mason and Jake's training programme on Facebook @IronmanForHeartKids. Givealittle page Ironman-For-Heart-Kids will be open for donations until the end of April.
Mason's brother's Surgery - in his own words
"His first surgery was an arterial switch where they replumbed his heart by swapping over the aorta and pulmonary arteries and this allowed blood to be pumped through heart and lungs properly.
"The second surgery was a replacement of the aortic valve. They used a human valve and eventually they stop working properly.
"The third surgery was another aortic valve replacement. This time an artificial valve was inserted and it is hoped this will last for his lifetime."
