Competitor Spotlight – Nigel McCord

Competitor Spotlight – Week 14.

It has been a while but the competitor spotlight is back and we have a few beauties lined up. First up, is a man from Carlow who saw the craic his mates were having Adventure racing and said he would have some of that…and has looked back since. I give you…Nigel McCord.

Enjoy 🙂

How old are you?
40 on the 1^st of July.

Where are you from?
Carlow

Occupation?
Automotive Mechanic.

What got you into Adventure/Multi-sport racing?
I joined my local Club in Bunclody Racing795, it’s a small club that does everything, MTB, Road Biking, running  Triathlons, Ironmen etc. Most of the members were friends of mine, i used to think they were crazy when they told me of their activities . One of the lads…Barry…invited me out one day on the MTB…I was hooked. This got me in to biking. My Wife is a runner and I used to help her train and give her support at her races as I followed her on my bike, eventually this lead me to running which I also got hooked on too but only 5k and 10k, short stuff. I then decided to combine both and started at Duathlons and longer Sportives.

4 or 5 of the club members were doing The Blackstairs Adventure Race in Wexford. I decided to go have a look. It looked like great crack and the Banter between the lads was deadly. it got me thinking…I could do that…and that was it…the Seed was sown.

How many races have you done?
8 so far.

When was your first race?
October 2015.

Which race was it?
Quest Killarney 60k Pro.

Favorite race?
BlackStairs 7 Steps its a great challenge as we really push ourselves.

Dream race?
Id love to try The Race in Donegal , it just seems a serious challenge on the body and mind.

What inspires you?
My Wife Patricia shes unreal head strong and her support is fantastic .  also in a race i feed off the energy around me , from other competitors giving each other encouragement and the supporters shouting your club name. It just lifts me and makes me want to do well. I love it.

What’s the plans for the upcoming calendar year?
This year is to try and improve my fitness as i try and compete in as many Adventure Races i can . I’m doing all 4 Quest Races, The Moxie, DAR, The Blackstairs 7 Steps, hopefully SCAR and Sea 2 Summit along with the 2 new races Off The Bloom and the Coalface also.

Which would you consider your strongest discipline…kayaking, running or cycling?
Cycling, i just love the speed, and climbing I love the stuff. That’s where my MTB has giving me strength.

Runner of choice?
Asics. I have 2 pairs each for road and trail , they just work for me.

Bike of choice?
My own not so special 2013 Giant Defy 3, just a light weight set of wheels and a twin ring compact set up, its only a 9sp but I’ve swapped out for a 39/53t crank set up. Its wicked fast on the flat and the down , but lord i pay for it on the climbs. i hope to upgrade bike next year.

Do you use GPS watch? If so, which one?
I only just got a Garmin Fenix 2 this year, it does all i need, ideal for adventure races as it has a multisport feature, it really is awesome.

Week before race…what do you do?
I’d do a long tough run the weekend before , then just some small runs during the week, just 1 or 2 5k runs to keep the legs working. I MTB on a Thursday night every week so ill use that too, ill also hydrate as much as i can, and take on some Dioralytes too. And try stay off the junk food and lose a few lbs. ill check out the stats for the race to see whats in store and keep an eye on the weather.

Morning of race…what do you do?
Just eat my normal breakfast if I can not so easy if your staying somewhere over night before a race. Go through my gear and check and sort out my food and drink for the race.

Any race superstitions?
None really , but i do have a pair of Socks i always wear every race.

Any embarrassing moments you wish to share?
None race related but I did turn up one night to MTB and forgot my SPD shoes…all I had on me was a pair of slip on shoes… I done about 15k and had to give up as the balls of my feet were on fire.

Ideal distance?
50/60k.

Post-race…do you spoil yourself, if so, how?
Normally a big feed and some beers and cheesecake…or chocolate cake..got to have dessert. Normally I check the dessert menu before I check the mains.

Some people race for the medals, some for the jerseys, are you either of these people?
Eh it’s a bonus to get something as a reward , yes I cant wait for all 4 Quest medals this year, and the DAR Gillet was brilliant.

Strangest thing you have seen on a race?
Quest Killarney this year, I’m coming down off the first run after dibbing in, it was wet and windy but warmish. I met a guy in full waterproof trousers and jacket and a huge backpack and yes he was racing. I’ve seen helmets on backwards,  bikes with flat wheels, guys with cans of Redbull and they open them, to explode in their faces and then proceed to puke 20 minutes later after it fizzes up inside them.

Most beautiful scenery?
Killarney its unreal, the scenery is gorgeous.

Hydration/Gels? Do you use them? Do you use any particular brands?
High 5, just the normal gels and the isogels too. But not too many.

Sporting Hero?
Guy Martin. But I’m also going to look for brownie points also and say my club mates, they all have a certain characteristic that inspires me. They’re all legends the ladies and the gents.

Advice for absolute beginners?
Just keep it simple, try out your gear and bike a few times before the race, practice some transitions Run/Bike/Run. Don’t go wearing the jersey you just got the morning of the race and wonder my its annoying you half way through the race. Check the routes and test yourself on similar distances before hand. most of all enjoy it, stop and take a look around.

Do you have any social media links we can follow your progress on?
I’m just on Facebook and Instagram.

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If you know of anyone who would like to go under the spotlight, email us at greg@kayathlon.ie.

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