Eco-Challenge
The 2 Steves: \'Faces Factfile\'
Steve D / 10.10.2002
So, time to take a look at the four team members\' strengths and weaknesses...
Pete James
Hard to do my job and be nasty to Pete, cos frankly there ain\'t much wrong with the man. Whether it\'s a fell race, a Trailquest, a sprint-length AR or the Raid, Pete has proven time and time again that he has the fitness and skill to win at any distance in single and multi-discipline events. Yes readers, the man is a freak... this is made all the more galling when you learn that most of us mere mortals train three times harder than him, yet come race day he still kicks our butts. Sickening.
Norm Dunroy
I got chatting to a roadie at this year\'s Transalp, and he knew Norm from back in his former existence as a thin-tyred, bent handlebarred lycra freak. In roadie circles, Norm was known for being nails - the accepted wisdom was that the harder, steeper and nastier the course was, the better Norm would do. His performance at this year\'s Mountain Mayhem didn\'t surprise many in the AR community, where he is regarded as being in the same league as Pete, Ben Bardsley, Marc Laithwaite et al. Combine this with his L\'oreal-approved locks, and the fact that he has survived not one but two Adrenalin Rushes racing with Chris McSweeney, and one can only assume that he is indeed the Second Coming of Christ the Redeemer. Let us pray...
Keith Byrne
Mr B is mad for life and mad for racing; he trains and competes as hard as anyone and doesn\'t understand the meaning of the word \'quit\'. Whilst Norm and Pete are probably slightly stronger athletes, Keith is a tough competitor and he has been training with a personal trainer AND a paddling coach this year, so I\'m confident he\'ll be able to keep with with the other lads. Keith is a big lad who doesn\'t always do well in the heat, so a short, fast course will suit him... we\'ll know in a few hours if he\'s going to get one.
Anna McCormack
The accepted logic is that female racers are always the slowest on the team - but as anyone who has raced with or against Helen Jackson or Nicola Davies knows, the accepted logic is bollocks. Whilst Anna is not currently at their level of fitness, what she is is hard. Pure and simple. Anna has lots of experience at longer races and she can take suffering as well as anyone. Like Keith she can struggle in hot conditions, but unlike Keith, I feel a long, drawn-out sufferfest will suit Anna better than an extended sprint.
SleepMonsters
