Iron Maori Man
The sound of splashing water may seem barmy to some, but not so for Darcy Vaka.
The Nelson Marlborough DHB Quit Smoking Coach made a commitment at the beginning of the yer to compete in the Iron Maori triathlon. “I’m no stranger to training, but the weather was a challenge in knowing what gear to train in,” he said. “On the West Coast it didn’t matter what season, it was either sunshine or rain. But here, in summer it gets hot, Autumn has frosts, and in Winter it snows, rains or hails.”
Darcy says he’s had days of limping, a sore butt from hours on the bike and he’s joined a swim club to experience swimming in sea surge. However, it nearly became ‘all train, no gain’ for Darcy when he missed the entry deadline for the individual section: “I was really disappointed as I had set my sights on doing the whole event by myself,” he said. “However, I’ve managed to team up with two of my buddies and compete in the team’s event with me anchoring the swim leg.”
As if that wasn’t enough, Darcy was also advised that he would need a sea swimsuit (wetsuit) for his leg of the race. Something he hadn’t planned for in his budget.
“I thought ‘oh no, more dollars to shell out for gear’”. I hadn’t taken into account the money that it was going to cost to be a participant.”
However Te Hauora O Ngati Rarua, Tane Hauora (Men’s Health) heard of Darcy’s plight and offered to purchase a swim suit and support him as he is a role model for Tane Hauora and the wider whanau, something Darcy is happy to be.
The Iron Maori Triathlon is scheduled for early December 2011 in Napier. For more information on Iron Maori, check out the Iron Maori website: http://www.tpk.govt.nz/en/in-print/kokiri/kokiri-21-2011/iron-maori-men-and-women/
Proverb by Kingi Tawhiao Potatau te Wherwhero: “Ki te kahore he whakakitenga ka Ngaro te iwi” – “Without foresight or vision the people will be lost”.
