I can definitely confirm it was a little chilly on the Taupo ride, as my teeth were chattering at the start of the race! The poor woman next to me only had a sleeveless singlet on and looked positively blue! She had goosebumps on her goosebumps!

It was my first ever Taupo challenge and I was SO excited before the race that I didn't sleep the night before (not good!).

It was the biggest kick being in one place surrounded by so many thousands of other cyclists and openly exhibiting bike lust without shame!

I was hoping to come in under 6 hours, but suffered a flat, which (stupidly) I tried to pump up twice before finally giving in and changing the tube. I was gutted as I'd managed to hang onto the back of a chain gang and was flying at 40kph into a headwind before I felt the tyre go. I came over the line in 6.07.

I was shocked to hear that some people had suffered from hypothermia, but not surprised as the temperature wasn't even in double figures at the start of the race.

I'm absolutely loving being in NZ at the minute and feel really inspired to do some more competitive events (have now done 3 races so far). I'm even contemplating triathlons, even though my swimming is rubbish!