Let me preface blog by saying it's hard to put in words how difficult this course is and how difficult this race is/was. The swim is hard (explanation coming), the bike is tough, hot, undulating and unforgiving and the run is....pain.
I can't wait to come back (seriously)
I woke up race morning after a good sleep (rare), and a great last few weeks prep under myself thanks to Guy and Kate. Seano and I prepared (think testosterone fueled push ups, boxing and burpies) in the room, then met up with Lisa and Andy (next door) and grabbed a lift down thanks to Dad.
As check in was the day before (see above), all we had to do in transition was check and pump up the tyres and ummm, re check that. After completing this we all met up again and found a quiet spot. We all were due to start approximately 1.30 hours after the pro start so we had some time to wait around, get nervous/calm/drink lots and pee lots.
Finally after sending Lisa and Sean off Andy and I made our way down to the start. Our wave was the last, 18 - 29 males. Actually sorry it was the 18 - 29 college wrestling scholarship holders wave.
We all entered the water single file and after a quick warm up I headed to the front row of the field, I wanted a quick swim and I wasn't going to get caught up behind. As soon as I lined up I knew this was going to be a tough swim. Firstly it's in Lake Las Vegas, fresh water. This means no floatation as you'd normally expected and let me tell you, sculling there for 15 minutes is tiring!
Secondly I noticed as soon as I got to the front row, hitting and kicking was on, 10 minutes before race start. It was fricken rough and I honestly felt bruised before starting, but there is no escaping this and you would be stupid to sit at the back. Finally we got the 30 seconds call and the inevitable creep forward started. Then BOOM then gun went.
UFC #112 is the most apt description I could use to describe this swim. Now I'm a pretty big guy (sarcasm) but I was absolutely pummeled at the start of this swim. Swum over, punched, kicked and touched inappropriately! I tried dishing out my own, but I was simply over powered. This set me up for a difficult swim but I carried on as best I could. To be honest I thought I was swimming terribly until with about 400 to go I noticed I was swimming next to a yellow cap...(my colour)
Those goggles look familiar I thought...a couple of strokes later. Haha that's Andy! Immediately I laughed to myself, however I almost came close to drowning when about 100 meters later Andy stuck his head out of the water mid stroke and said "hey man!"
Upon exiting the water I managed to get up the ramp before Big T. I tried not to act to excited but couldn't help turning around and having a laugh with him. There was a little run into T1 and after a fairly uneventful T1 I was running up the ramp and mounting my bike.
Straight out of T1 and I knew my bike legs weren't with me today. This really hit me hard as the people who have been training close to me know how much effort and the massive gains I have been making this winter re the biking. Immediately I tried to overcome it and stay positive however the further I rode the worse I felt. What was more demoralising was how many people I was getting past by. It felt like 100's and it was destroying me.
The bike was pain, I was shattered and mid way through I developed some really bad back pain. I soldered on but I was not in a good place. Mentally I kept trying to get my self back in the game but it wasn't happening. It was hot, hilly, a little windy and unforgiving. There was no hiding out there. I was however stoked for Lisa, who when I passed her was riding really strong. I was a proud twinny.
Finally I reached T2 some 2 hours 40 mins and change later. I entered T2, sat down, but my shoes on, took a breath and ran out of transition....
I felt good :) immediately I thought, wow, at least my running legs are here. However I got a good reality check about half a mile in when I passed a guy who was literally breaking down right in front of me. I checked by Garmin, it was 42 degrees. Straight away I threw my race pace plan out of the window and entered survival mode.
As I entered the first aid station I grabbed everything they had to offer. I was drenched for maybe a minute, honestly it was fricken brutal. About 2 miles in I passed Andy, it was genuinely shattered for him as he was having a bad day. As I ran past I gave him the last couple of pieces of ice I had in my hand and tried to say something inspiring and motivating. I'm almost certain it came out as "do run lots of good, I believe you, go friend". Oh dear...
The run was 3 laps, 3 laps of heat, water water ice perform (the sports drink) water coke coke water ice!!! (my aid station yelling ritual) Oh I'm dry... only one mile to the next aid station... I was happy to be running well, and loved the support. But it was still, really really brutal.
With about 4k to go I really really hit the wall, hard. Up until that point I hadn't been passed on the run but things were getting desperate. It's probably fairly well summarised by Andys comments post race when he saw me with about 2k to go and said I looked f*cking really bad haha. However I didn't stop running.
Finally I reached the finish line to see Mum and Dad waiting holding out an Australian flag. I was no where near close to my wanted result but there was no way I wasn't going to grab that flag. As I crossed the finish line I felt pure elation.
(please note not actual finishing time)
All I wanted after was the med tent, however after having a quick look in there, I steered clear. There were a lot more people in trouble. My highlight of the day was running (read walking slowly) back to the finish line to see Sean, Andy and Lisa cross the finish line. We've all spend the winter together prepping for this so it was nice to be there over the line.
Thank you to Mum and Dad, Mandy and Gilbert and Matt Illingworth for the cheering on the day. It was so uplifting every time we saw you. Thanks Kate, Jono, Paul and others for watching at home :) Also a massive massive thanks to Total Tri, the boys there have been there for me at every step over the winter and their assistance has been invaluable. Ryders Eyewear, still hold the title for me as the only pair of sunnies I have ever completed a full race in, they are amazing. My On runners, I was running on Clouds, all be it hot clouds ;) SiS, no nutritional problems for me, no cramps no nothing! Also a massive thank you to Jarman McKenna, thank you so much for your assistance.
Finally thank you Sean, Lisa, Andy for all those cold mornings spent together on the winter, we may have not had the results we were after but all you showed massive character out there. Sean, you are the man. Jono my house mate for putting up with my early starts EVERY morning, and the pushes on the bike. Brian for putting up with my moods at training. Guy and Kate, your help was invaluable and thank you greatly. Finally Paige, who had to put up with all of the above and more, thank you and I love you :) (lucky girl).
It seems a bit silly writing such a detailed report and having such a long list to thank, but for an age grouper, these kind of races are a massive journey, or at least it certainly was for me. To be honest, I didn't race the kind of race I was after, what I knew I was capable of. I finished 20th, 10 to 15 places lower than I honestly expected, however what I learnt from this race was invaluable, and I will be back next year. I know what to fix and I am looking forward to the upcoming challenges.
Up next for me Mandurah 70.3 where I hope to validate for next year. Until then, I have a plane to catch! Thanks for reading!
Cheers
