IRONMAN
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IT wouldn't be an Ironman without the tales of bravery and a story of an injury that should have kept an athlete out of the race.
Laurieton's Shaun Smith is no different after he finished as the first local across the line on Sunday, although he's quick to point out the rolling start meant that Craig Robinson was the best-performing local in an overall sense.
Smith took a hip injury into the day and it flared up during the marathon event, but he wouldn't let it stop him finishing the event in under 10 hours.
"9:55:13 was a bit quicker than last year which was a bit of a goal but it wasn't as much of an improvement as I wanted because I've been carrying a bit of a niggle," he said.
"I aggravated that a bit more which made it a bit difficult on the third lap of the run.
"By the fourth lap it was grin and bear it and just get home. At the end of the day it was a good time; I was a bit disappointed but thinking about it now, it's been a good time because any improvement is still an improvement."
Sunday's event was his fourth in a row and Smith's times have slowly come down since he did a 10:28 in his first one three years ago.
"Last year I flew under the radar and surprised a few people but this year there was a bit more pressure because people have the expectation that you've gone under 10 before, are you going to improve, or are you going to do what a lot of people do when they come back the next year and fall in a heap," he said.
Smith said his preparation had a lot to do with his positive result when the rain started to tumble down.
"A lot of people stop training when it gets a bit windy or wet, but I think you might face that on race day so you've got to get out there and train in it," he said.
"Because of that it didn't bother me in the slightest really."