Member Spotlight
A familiar face to many - you've either seen him in one of the swim squads at the pool, volunteering at our events, racing Ironmans or used as our model for the BLMF promo - Ian Rangitutia is one of the kindest, most supportive RAThletes in the club but also races like an absolute CHAMP. Check out what Ian has to say about his traithlon journey and his tips and tricks for starting out . And if you are running Rotorua Marathon next week, make sure you read to the end.. Q. How did you get into triathlon?A. I wanted to give Xterra a go back in 2010. I could run ok and mountain bike ok but had never done swimming. I went out to the blue lake in my new wetsuit thinking I could swim. It was a huge failure and I couldn't so I decided to join Rats and do swim lessons. Steph Pearson was my first swim coach. She was patient with my not able to swim 15m ability. Xterra was only 3 months away so she advised me to maybe look at a triathlon later in the year. I took her advice and entered Taupo half Ironman later that year in December. I really enjoyed it and decided i could do more of these but i knew I had a lot of work to do with my swimming. Being a Rats member certainly opened those doors to different training opportunities.Q. What is your career highlight or favourite race?A. I have enjoyed all my triathlon races i have done over the years. There are two races that really stand out for me as favourites.2022 - The inaugural Ironmaori Toa full Ironman distance race in Napier. Fantastic course lay out. Amazing atmosphere and support. Awesome greenstone finishers medal. The best finishes line red carpet set up.Such a shame this event only ran once.2023 - Ironman World Champs in Nice, France. Epic race to be a part of. Once in a lifetime experience because its expensive. Beautiful swim in very historic waters ( Mediterranean sea). Unbelievable scenery on the bike course. The history and the culture of Nice is amazing.Q. Any tips for someone wanting to get into triathlon?A. Choose a triathlon distance you know you will enjoy and can challenge yourself. Ironmaori events are a great way to start. Join up at a local triathlon club or group. Try and train with people to keep you motivated and focused. Plan your training in advance around family time. Commit to your training plan. Don't waste money on gear and equipment you probably don't need. Borrow some training gear off others to try out at first to find whats best for you.Q. Favourite post race or training session snack?A. My go to post race feed after an event is KFC and a punnett of raw mussels. One favourite snack I like to have after a hard training session is jam and cheese on toast with a cup of tea Q. You’re pacing the Rotorua marathon this year, any tips for people running it for the first time?A. Make sure you have done enough training to be able to last the distance. Wear comfortable running shoes and socks. DON'T start wearing new shoes or socks a week out or on race day.Make sure you have a good nutrition and hydration plan. Practice this in training and apply on race day. Run at your own pace. Don't get caught up at the start line running too fast to keep up with others. It will come back and bite you later in the race. Most importantly smile and have fun
