A Devonport GP achieved his best time for a non-stop double lap of Lake Taupo on his bike after drinking a home made energy drink. Anne Street Medical Centre's Alastair Borwick finished the gruelling 315km course in 10 hours 5 mins - 45 minutes faster than last year. He was one of 60 riders to attempt the endurance race, which involved setting out at 1.30am. His time earned him sixth place in the annual event. He was placed 10th in 2006.

Borwick, whose training schedule involves cycling an average of 300km a week, said the secret to his success was eating and drinking regularly to fuel his body to achieve its peak performance. "If you get that right everything else works," he said. Borwick said that he had devised his own power elixir which he consumed around the course. "I make it from modified corn starch that I get from the home brew shop which I flavour with chocolate and add salt and protein," said Borwick. "It sounds disgusting but it costs about a tenth of the price of the stuff you buy at the shop and it's easy to make." Borwick's back up team, consisting of `Hottie A' (his wife Andrea) and her friend Bron Andrews ('Hottie B'), handed him cups of the power brew as well as water at strategic points of the journey. While acknowledging fitness played a large part in his achievement, he said being psyched up mentally was equally important.

Two laps better than one

"Doing two laps of Lake Taupo is actually a lot better than doing one," he said. "It's an easier ride because it's a long and steady ride without the tension that comes with a race."

Borwick has been cycling for fitness for about 10 years and five years ago helped set up the Devonport Expressos [sic] cycling group, around 30 of whose members took part in the round Taupo race. There were about five of us at the time now we've got 180 members," he said. The cyclists can be seen setting off early from Devonport most mornings before settling down to a breakfast at the Devonport Deli at the end of the ride when most of us are just getting up. "Exercising early in the morning is good because your body is rested and that exercise is going to leave you feeling good all day," said Borwick.

"There's also considerably less traffic." He said that joining the Espressos [sic] had been a life changing decision for many members.

"We've got someone who has lost 24kgs, which is extreme, but most people find they lose weight and their fitness levels soar."

"Their social lives improve as well as we have great parties and barbecues."

Borwick said he was fully in favour of Devonport's controversial cycle lanes but they were badly designed. "You can't cycle safely on the road if there are cars parked in the cycle lane. It's an insane proposition. "People have the opinion that it is their absolute right to park outside their houses whatever and that shouldn't be the case."

[Alistair also notes that the reporter left out that Daymon Shack and Terry Baucher (both of the Xpressos) also rode 2 laps. Alistair raised $1100 for Parkinson's Disease Society, and Terry raised around $1600 which was split equally amongst Auckland City Mission, Plunket and Women’s Refuge. Well done guys!]