Looks like Cambridge town pools which have changed substantially from when I did school swim sports there as a 7 year old. Used to just be the one outdoor 50m pool, but I haven’t swim there in probably over 10 years
Hahaha Love it…Might get banned for this one… 
1 Like
One of my good mates is kiwi
He sent me this when I started talking to him about kiwi tv awhile back. Good spot down there in nz. Hilarious
1 Like
You can ride from the city on the NW motorway bike path.
First 10-15 mins is a bit slow but once near Western Springs you can do efforts. At the end you can head out on the country roads. Head to Royal Road, Red Hills Rd
Thank you
From Papamoa - you can head towards the Mount for smoother, flat roads but lots more traffic.
I’m training for 70.3 Worlds here and head the other way to Maketu (mostly flat) and then out through Paengaroa via Old Coach Rd which has more rolling hills - very similar to Taupo course, but roads are rougher in parts. I lost 2 bottles a few weeks ago.
Worst sections are the first shady downhill after LH turn maybe 2kms along Old Coach Rd, and be careful on all the expansion joints on the bridges - I sort of bunnyhop those.
I just go out and back to avoid the State Highway.
1 Like
Not to argue too much with the above, but there are some good cycling routes around tauranga, but not lots of them. So for training camp then you’re fine, it’s just when you have a choice of only 5 100km rides then it gets a bit boring after a bit. Specifically for hills then the 5 angels ride (80km, 2500m) is the go to, but for tri bike and Taupo like conditions then Old Coach Road (Paengaroa accessed by the TEL cycle path to make a 150km loop from Tauranga centre) is good, Omanawa (Mclaren falls park, does require a little bit of SH29 but it’s fine) or out Whakamaramara Road full climb is 350m and 10.03km of constant gradient climb, with a few additional decent climbs to get there and back and can do it almost car free now. Finally the te Matai loop c100km which has either 16km of constant climb, or reverse the loop and its a bit less then a stonking aerobar descent.
No 50m pool anywhere - But plenty of pretty deserted 25m pools off peak. And of course pilot bay that is essentially safer than a swimming pool - Post covid before pools opened I would drive over there 6am, get in with a flashing bike light under my cap,
Rotorua, there’s a couple of decent rides, one up to the blue lake then keep on going. Can also head over the other side to Paradise/Ngongata Valley. In fact the loop between Tauranaga and Rotorua on a daytime off peak is a decent ride and not too bad re traffic. Head out via SH2 come back via SH36.
1 Like
Ha, snap. And yes, 100% water bottle eject rate at that bloody bridge, also used to be the only place ever, but with 100% certainty my joule bike computer (showing my age) would eject.
The pool that I posted an image of is down the street from cyclenutnz in Cambridge NZ: Perry Aquatic center:
If I can handle the sun I am toying with doing the 30x200IM set there. I have not done that yet and will be running out of time to build up towards the 50x200IM set that I have to do before Dec 24 and I only get back on Dec 17 so not a lot of days with the LCM set up here at home after I do the 70.3 world and try to recover. Not sure how all this is going to work out!!!
Dev
Despite living here for 15 years now every single year I go for a rare lunchtime swim (normally 6am squads) and forget that in an outdoor pool you get 3rd degree burns on you r back, triceps, back or knees and soles of feet. You get 30mins in and start feeling it and yet still think 'ah well, it’s only another 20mins will be fine… ).
Even with NZ factor 50 waterproof block on then it’s lethal.
Actually on that subject I rate the ‘Invisible Zinc’ brand for my neck.face as it doesn’t sting when it goes into eyes and then the neutrogena beach defence (waterproof) factor 50. Also don’t forget to wear good sunglasses as the NZ sun with the thin ozone layer will fry them too.
Local insight for 16 days’ time.
Yeah, I took the Ozone-sunburn question seriously. I have an old swimskin that is loose and baggy now that I will pack to wear for pool swims and generally my plan is ride + short jog in the morning, swim before dinner time (or the other way around). But generally avoid the sun mid day. Good news is my body is 4 weeks away from a decent amount of direct sunlight (I went to Morocco for the 70.3 end of Oct which turned out to be cheaper than going to an US race or buying a disk wheel lol). Normally by now, I have limited direct sun on body since Sep 7 or so. But unlike white guys, we don’t burn instantly but when we burn its an over the top disaster.
1 Like
The worst type of tan line to get as a swimmer is the goggle tan line. Happens to me if I swim outdoor on those roaring days, between the eye and the ear.