Tomorrow is the 24^th Port of Tauranga Half Ironman, and Tauranga builder Shane Lye will again be lining up to the start – as he has for almost every Port of Tauranga Half Ironman since the event began.

Shane Lye is looking forward to competing in another Port of Tauranga half ironman tomorrow. Photo: Bruce Barnard.

He recalls missing one year when his daughter was born only days before.

'I wanted to do it but I knew I wouldn't be very popular at home,” he says. Another year he started but was forced to withdraw early.

'I had been sick all week, but I started it because I didn't want to jeopardise my record,” he says with a chuckle.

'At the end of the ride I could see I was being stupid. I decided it wasn't worth it.”

Now 50, Shane has completed about 40 half ironmans - saying the distance suits him -along with eight full iron man events.

Over the years there have been many highlights, including representing the country four times between the mid-1990s and 2000s.

'It was great. I've been overseas quite a few times and took off two years to race from 1999-2001.”

In those days he trained 25-30 hours a week, a figure which has slipped back to five-10 hours.

'I still love participating, but it's more social racing.”

Other highlights include beating top pro athletes, good friends he has made, and encouraging others into the sport – including coaching a group of under 12 year olds during the last two years.

More recently he is happy to have made third place in his age group in the New Zealand Aquathon Champs at Pilot Bay – which qualifies him for the World Aquathon Champs in Edmonton, Canada in August next year.

For now his focus is on his 25th Port of Tauranga Half Ironman, where he aims to complete the 2km swim, 90km bike and half marathon run in less than five hours.

Road closures for the event:

Road Closures begin in Mount Maunganui today in preparation for Saturday's Port of Tauranga Half Iron Man.

The following roads will be closed from 6.00am 3 January until 5.00pm 5 January

Salisbury Wharf car park entire car parking area, Salisbury Avenue from Victoria Road to The Mall, and The Mall from Salisbury Avenue to Prince Avenue are closed from 6am today.

Access to the Pilot Bay boat ramp will be closed at 5pm today, with the closure of The Mall from Prince to Adams Avenues. The Mall and the boat ramp are expected to re-open at 2pm Saturday.

Also closed from 6.00am tomorrow are: Adams Avenue from The Mall to Adams Avenue, Marine Parade from Adams Avenue to Oceanbeach Road, Oceanbeach Road from Marine Parade to Yale Street, Yale Street from Oceanbeach Road to Maranui Street.

Roads may open earlier depending on progress of the event.