A month out from the Coast to Coast and Sam Manson's nerves are starting to creep in, but he insists it's a good thing.
"If i didn't get nervous I'd probably stop because, for me, being nervous shows it's important to me and that I do want the best out of myself on the day," he said.
It's a reassurance the 31-year-old probably needed, given he wasn't sure he'd compete again having finally knocked off a win in 2024 — on his 10th attempt in the gruelling 243km multi-sport race.
"Initially, what kept me coming back was me wanting to win, and I kept coming back so often that it's become part of my life.
"It's in the blood.. if I sit on the sideline I'm going to regret it," he said.
That desire to win has meant a complete shift in mindset this time around. As defending champion, there's a target on his back — normally, he's the one targeting other people.
"I don't expect to be at the front of the race again, last year I wasn't at the front for most of it.
"It's sort of about pulling together all my experience and endurance to get to the front at the end," said Manson.
Race director Glen Currie said the field is shaping up for epic battles — in both the men's and women's.
"When I look at the list, there's definitely five guys where there's nothing between them.
"It'll just be on the day and I don't think we've had that in the last 10 years," said Currie.
An advantage of Manson's, is that the event is literally his bread and butter. By day he's a Top Sport multi-sport instructor — guiding people over Goats Pass and through the Waimakariri Gorge — many of whom are first time Coast to Coast competitors.
When asked, "what is the most common question you get asked from the newbies?" Manson responded: "They all want short cuts! They all want the fastest way to learn and the fastest way to get good at kayaking and running and all that, but really it's just time," he said.
And doesn't Sam Manson, the 2024 defending champion, know it.
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