McNamara takes second straight Iceman

For the second year in a row, Cam McNamara is the Prince George Iceman.

The 33-year-old won the 30th annual winter quadrathlon on Sunday, a race which consisted of an eight-kilometre cross-country ski through the Caledonia Nordic Ski Centre, a ten-kilometre run to the Outdoor Oval, skating 12 laps (about 5km) around the track, another five-kilometre run, and an 800-metre swim at the Prince George Aquatic Centre. McNamara finished the 28.8 km, men’s solo race in 1:55:13.

McNamara was neck-and-neck with some tough competition. Chris Pendray posted better times in the first three legs and was only one second slower in than McNamara in the skate. Cam explains how he adapted to the competition.

“I kind of thought if I could stick about a minute behind (Pendray) on the run then I could catch up the skate but then he skated really well so that didn’t happen. So I had to do the same thing on the second run, I said “just stay within distance and then maybe you can get him on the swim. Right near the end of the swim I just went for it.”

McNamara pulled ahead in the swim and ultimately beat Pendray by just four seconds.

The 2017 edition held new attributes for all the competitors, McNamara included. Last year’s race didn’t include the skate, which he says added another level of fatigue.

“Maybe halfway through the first event I was sucking wind really bad and I didn’t know how it was going to go. Then on the run, there was a strong headwind and I just couldn’t get going to where I wanted to.”

After overcoming these doubts, and all other obstacles, competitors, and winter elements, McNamara had a few exhausting words as he left the pool deck.

“If you put the work in, it’s not that bad. Anything, once like the first time you do it or the first time you think abut doing it’s a lot but once you start working towards it, it’s quite attainable.”