The Journey of Megan Kinder

20 Aug The Journey of Megan Kinder

It’s been a twenty great years! From athlete, to volunteer, to commentator and friend. We’d like to look back on some of the shared experiences together, and thank Megan for all of the memories 🙂

What is your first memory of a MetaSport event? 

My first ever MetaSport event (and any multisport event) was Bintan Triathlon in 2006 when MetaSport was operating under the “Tribob” name. I took part in the Sprint event and was just looking to finish. I was never the greatest in the swim and was feeling pretty rough coming out of the water with multiple jellyfish stings, but once on the bike everything came together and I was able to stay on track for a relatively decent result, which really sparked a love for the sport.

You were a cyclist and a triathlete – which were you first? Is there one that is closer to your heart? 

I only really ‘learned how to ride’ so that I could take part in that first sprint triathlon event. Shortly after buying my first bike, a friend told me that her husband rode with ANZA and that I should go out with them. At that time, the bunch was made up of fairly serious blokes who didn’t really suffer ‘fools’ (either beginner cyclists – or triathletes!) but I somehow managed to pluck up the courage to head out with them – and surprisingly didn’t wipe either myself or anyone else out on the first ride with the group. The first Kranji, however, I got dropped in the middle of nowhere and had to find my way home but it made me more determined to hang with the group the next time. Once I learned how to properly sit in and work with the peloton, I loved the incredible feeling of being part of a smooth, disciplined bunch – literally poetry in motion!

Rumour has it you were well known for leading the peloton in most of the stage races around Asia. Where did you learn your cycling tactics? 

LOL…Probably less to do with tactics and more to do with self-preservation linked to questioning others’ abilities to hold a wheel or line – if you’re in front, you’re usually upright and out of trouble! But…seriously it’s also good if you can work with your teammates to exert that bit of control over the bunch, keeping the pace optimal and setting up for breaks/sprints etc which is also easier done from the front.

Tell us about the one race where you broke away from the peloton early in the stage and were never caught. 

Ahhh this was on the 3rd stage of Tour de Bintan. It was a relatively short stage (around 40km?) and one I’d raced quite a number of times by that time during the Bintan Triathlon. I think this was the year I was training for my first full IronMan and had also been out riding loads of solo miles in preparation. Again, with a view mainly to staying clear of trouble as the stage started off with a few tight corners, I wanted to get to the front and avoid any mishaps. Coming out of the second of these corners, with a little rise, it seemed like a good idea to have a bit more clear space around so I dug in to get a little break. A few minutes late I was a bit surprised to find myself alone as we headed for the lumpy, winding sections going through the golf resort, which meant that I could stay out of sight for a good stretch around the bends. I spent the next 30km or so craning back over my shoulder to see who may be closing in but there was not another cyclist in sight! I wasn’t sure if the bunch had realized or forgotten I was out in front but was very mindful that as we got to the last stretch of flat, straight road, it would be more obvious so I had to really work hard to build as much of a gap as possible before that happened. I think this was the first and probably only event I managed to also take out the KOM pointe (not being a lover of hills!) as well as the sprint and was amazingly also able to (just!) hold off the chasing pack as we tackled the couple of undulating sections within the resort area on the final approach to the finish line. There were some super strong and talented women in the peloton then and I still find it hard to believe I managed to cross the finish line in front!

You have done a lot for the ANZA community. First triathlon, cycling and then as President. What drove you to give so much?

I always remember how I felt as that newbie rocking up for my first group ride – terrified! I felt it important to work on being a more inviting and inclusive community, where anyone would be welcome. I have always loved helping people discover the art and camaraderie of cycling and the sense of satisfaction in achieving something that you may have thought was not for you or was beyond you athletically. If I could do it, then anyone could! My goal was simply to grow the triathlon and cycling communities in Singapore and open up these sports to more people.

What are the biggest changes you have seen in the Singaporean multisport scene over the years? 

When I first started out, triathlon was virtually unheard of in Singapore and the only people participating were local expats and a handful of people from Australis who would travel over for a destination/holiday race. The shortest distance was the sprint which was a bit challenging to entice many beginners. The introduction of MetaSprint Series made a huge difference, allowing for more people to get into the sport with the shorter/varying distances and configurations and also introducing so many possibilities for kids and families to grow the sport at a real grassroots level.

The first 70.3 event coming into Singapore in 2009 and the accompanying professional athletes also really boosted the profile of the sport, whilst opening up opportunities for more Singapore-based participants to tackle longer courses in a relatively safe and controlled environment. The only alternative at the time was to travel for races, with the closest in Malaysia being much more ‘rustic’ in nature.

What will you miss about racing in Asia? 

The wildlife sightings! Pretty common to encounter monkeys, monitor lizards, otters and even wild boar out on the course on most races in the region. I’m quite a Milo fan and totally love the ‘Milo Peng’ opportunities when there’s a Milo van at the race finish.

Is there a standout moment from your time here that still makes you laugh? 

The Singapore cycling and triathlon scene is famed for enthusiasts with ‘all the gear and no idea’. I remember one race at East Coast where a participant who had all the (expensive, bling bling) gear rode the entire bike leg with an aero helmet on backwards!

More recently you began doing some commentary work for MetaSport, first with our local community events and then calling the world’s best across the line in the Super League Triathlon and Singapore T100. How did you begin your commentating career, and is there a highlight you wish to share? 

I guess I was known for being able to talk, and also usually happy to help out so when a MetaSprint event came up with a possibility for multiple emcees, I jumped at the chance to have a go and take up the mic alongside Jeremy Ratnam. It was such great fun, both for the banter and finish line fun and to be able to really make a difference to the participants’ race and event experience. Every time someone came up after a race and said that hearing their name being called had really lifted them or spurred them on was incredibly satisfying.

As for the move into commentating for the professional international events it was just such a buzz to be around the world’s best athletes – many of those whose careers I’d followed in awe. To be able to be right up in the action and also to chat with them in person about their experience both in and out of the event, has been an amazing opportunity. I had quite the starstruck moment this year for the T100 event when I heard that I would be teaming up with Greg Welch on commentary. Whaaaat!?! I knew Greg well, as one of the first professional triathletes that I had ever watched race on TV on Australia’s Wide World of Sports – a true legend of the sport! I felt the need to confess my fangirl status when meeting him but otherwise managed to keep it somewhat together and went on to have an awesome event working together throughout the race weekend. Seriously, how cool is that?!

You are heading to the UK, is there a race or ride you are most looking forward to participating in once you are settled in? 

I’m sure there is but I haven’t really had a chance to think that far ahead yet. What’s brilliant is that I have so many ex-SG friends, both cyclists and triathletes now all over the UK and the world and I’m definitely looking forward to meeting up with them for whatever the fun is in the offing.

And finally you hair – will you be landing on British shores with a pop of colour? 

Ha! Always a pop of colour – right now still rocking the pink. Just need to find a hair stylist there that can keep up!

MetaSport wishes Megan and her family a safe passage and smooth transition to British life. Come back and visit us often, and stay in touch!