By Michelle Pickles
Back in March Cameron Brown won a record 10th New Zealand ironman title – but the one he really wants, the world championship, still eludes him.
Brown will attempt his 12th Hawaiian ironman in Kona next Sunday, and is hoping a change to his build up will make the difference.
Usually he spends the two months ahead of the world ironman championships training in the Kona, but this year opted to tough out the New Zealand winter.
“It’s been tough on some days,” he says, “[but] when you get good days it’s fantastic”.
He says he enjoyed being at home with family, eating his own food, and sleeping in his own bed before departing for Hawaii.
Brown is well aware of the conditions that await him. It can get up to 45 degrees through the lava fields of Kona, so he's been doing what he can to prepare, spending time in the sauna every day.
Brown says he’s been “nearly passing out… and just trying to get in that sweat pattern that I’m going to have to get accustomed to”.
Brown's raced in Kona for the last 11 years and been on the podium four times, most recently in 2005 when he came in second.
He knows that at 39, this year’s race on October 8 could be his last chance to win the title he's been chasing for so long – but he says he’s ready.
“Still getting better, still winning, still got that driving desire to compete and race hard,” he says.
“It’s the toughest race in the world – the wind, the heat, the humidity is just unbearable – but… hopefully I can be back on that podium.”
3 News
source: newshub archive
