There’ll be some sore bodies at Klondyke Corner tonight following a scorching day of racing for the Coast to Coast two-day athletes.
Among them are some of our most elite athletes, including All Blacks great Richie McCaw and Olympic rower Nathan Cohen.
The pair have teamed up this year and despite their elite status in the tandem, McCaw is playing down their chances.
“I dont know about [being] favourites,” McCaw told 1News.
“There's a few quick ones here by the looks of it.”
Cohen is similarly nonchalant about their chances, instead focusing on what’s important.
“It’s always good to get out and do these things, epic part of the country and good to chase this guy [McCaw] around the mountains and things like that,” Cohen said.
“It'll be good to get through this one.”
Cohen won’t be alone in thinking that with other entries pushing through the pain on the 243km course.
If the distance and tricky terrain weren’t enough, spare a thought for Alex Grogan who is racing in gumboots for charity.
Grogan told 1News midway through the first day of racing his feet were still in decent nick considering the challenge.
“I’ve looked after them the last couple of weeks - slippers round home,” he joked.
The secret? A two-sock combo.
“The good old rugby socks and your standard Adidas,” he said.
It didn’t take long for the tandem athletes, who left 20 minutes after the likes of Grogan, to rein them in with Cohen and McCaw living up to the hype.
The pair hit Deception River at pace and got through the Goats Pass section in around four hours before making it to Klondyke Corner first in their category.
After a strong showing on day one, 1News asked McCaw if he’d ever thought about doing the One Day Race.
“I'll never say never but it’s a whole other level of training to do,” he said.
“I don’t fancy getting on a bike right now or five hours in a boat!”
Tomorrow’s entrants won’t have that luxury because that's the brutal reality of those doing the longest day tomorrow.
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