Ironman 70.3 Phuket 2011
Swim was ok,
I didn’t push hard and felt pretty good, swallowed a heap of salt water though and nearly threw up again (I think it is the Salt water that does it, because it happened in Yeppoon but not Vegas). There was five of us from Darwin all get out of the water in a row, which I found quite amusing.
Both times through transition I grabbed the wrong bag from the hooks, I did not do enough reconnaissance and thought that our bag was on the hook after my race number, but it wasn’t. Only a small miss-hap but if I was up the top end it would have been costly.
The bike,
I was riding pretty well when a group of about 30 caught me at the 20km mark, it was like a Saturday morning group ride. I sat at the back my seven meters when I got sick of the maniacs being all over the road and not riding properly. I forced my way back to the front and worked in the first few trying not to draft. I again was forced to the back just before a corner, and because it was slippery a couple the pro women in front of me went slow around the corner and we lost the pack. We tried hard to catch up again and managed to get about 30m behind the pack when we hit the first set of hills.
I was with another guy from Darwin having a quick chat about the up and coming hills when we finally got to them. I wont mention what was said, but let me assure you the hills hurt us all. Actually it hurt a little more than expected but I felt comfortable enough. Coming down the other side I was hard on the brakes and still going way too fast.
I did another 5km with the two pro women and then fell to bits, not exactly cramping, but lost complete power from all systems, pretty much like when a car just stops after working perfectly. It was like I hit an invisible barrier that made the body say “OK you had enough, run time now.” I kept on pushing for a bit to sit at a good speed, but then decided to back it off so I don’t blow the legs for the run. Nutrition went well and I was not hungry or dehydrated.
My legs came back after we ran across the walk-bridge for the second time but died again soon after. I got to the second set of hills and felt ok but I couldn’t push. I got up the first one and the legs started to hurt pretty bad. The second hill I got half way and my back wheel was slipping on the wet road, I couldn’t get any traction at all. So I quickly did some math, “Going 5km/hr and if the back wheel slips two times in a row I’ll go to 0km/hr and fall off. What is more humiliating, Falling off your bike or having to walk up the hill?” I chose to walk. I hated myself for doing it but thankfully I was not the only one. At some stages the gradient creeps up to 22%. Last year managed to climb them all, but this year was a different story.
I came good again after the hills and finished the bike well. One km from transition I was cycling with two other guys, going around a corner the lead one took a tumble. I was close to coming a gutser myself but managed to correct just in time. OK, maybe I was sitting a little too close at this stage.
Got off the bike and took the wrong bag again, as mentioned before.
The run started slow,
I tried to open the legs up and hit the high cadence Kristian has got me doing, but 500m into it I was in pain. Not cramping, but aching. I was hunched over while running for the first couple of km. I managed to keep the nutrition flowing in, and straightened back up, running ok until the 12km mark. Again my legs were just aching. I walked on and off to the 15km mark and came good again from the 17km to the finish. Most of the run I was sitting at 5min/km, though a couple of 6min/km thrown in with the walking and a 4min/km at the 17k mark.
I collapsed over the finish line and took a bit for people to get me up. I was absolutely buggered. 10min later though, while waiting for the massage, I was fine. After the massage I was walking normal and felt as if I hadn’t even done it. The body went through some very odd feelings that day. I went back to the hotel and relaxed in the poo l, had a good swim to wind down. I was in bed by 2030 and didn’t wake till 0700. Great sleep, but awoke with a massive headache. I hadn’t spent that much time racing in the sun before, and I didn’t adapt my recovery to suit, but that can be managed.
Had a great Monday though, learning how to windsurf. Always good to try something new when your on holidays.
Thank you so much to Hammer Nutrition, Specialized and K9 Cycles, and Trispecific Coaching for all you have done.
I have had a couple of great races but a few not so great ones this year. So in the aim to get some better performances coming out I’m just going to take a step back and work on a few things. This leaves my next race being Philippines 70.3 in August at the great new location in Cebu. I might pop my head up every now and then but nothing major.
Hope you all enjoyed your Christmas and have a great new year.
I didn’t push hard and felt pretty good, swallowed a heap of salt water though and nearly threw up again (I think it is the Salt water that does it, because it happened in Yeppoon but not Vegas). There was five of us from Darwin all get out of the water in a row, which I found quite amusing.
Both times through transition I grabbed the wrong bag from the hooks, I did not do enough reconnaissance and thought that our bag was on the hook after my race number, but it wasn’t. Only a small miss-hap but if I was up the top end it would have been costly.
The bike,
I was riding pretty well when a group of about 30 caught me at the 20km mark, it was like a Saturday morning group ride. I sat at the back my seven meters when I got sick of the maniacs being all over the road and not riding properly. I forced my way back to the front and worked in the first few trying not to draft. I again was forced to the back just before a corner, and because it was slippery a couple the pro women in front of me went slow around the corner and we lost the pack. We tried hard to catch up again and managed to get about 30m behind the pack when we hit the first set of hills.
I was with another guy from Darwin having a quick chat about the up and coming hills when we finally got to them. I wont mention what was said, but let me assure you the hills hurt us all. Actually it hurt a little more than expected but I felt comfortable enough. Coming down the other side I was hard on the brakes and still going way too fast.
I did another 5km with the two pro women and then fell to bits, not exactly cramping, but lost complete power from all systems, pretty much like when a car just stops after working perfectly. It was like I hit an invisible barrier that made the body say “OK you had enough, run time now.” I kept on pushing for a bit to sit at a good speed, but then decided to back it off so I don’t blow the legs for the run. Nutrition went well and I was not hungry or dehydrated.
My legs came back after we ran across the walk-bridge for the second time but died again soon after. I got to the second set of hills and felt ok but I couldn’t push. I got up the first one and the legs started to hurt pretty bad. The second hill I got half way and my back wheel was slipping on the wet road, I couldn’t get any traction at all. So I quickly did some math, “Going 5km/hr and if the back wheel slips two times in a row I’ll go to 0km/hr and fall off. What is more humiliating, Falling off your bike or having to walk up the hill?” I chose to walk. I hated myself for doing it but thankfully I was not the only one. At some stages the gradient creeps up to 22%. Last year managed to climb them all, but this year was a different story.
I came good again after the hills and finished the bike well. One km from transition I was cycling with two other guys, going around a corner the lead one took a tumble. I was close to coming a gutser myself but managed to correct just in time. OK, maybe I was sitting a little too close at this stage.
Got off the bike and took the wrong bag again, as mentioned before.
The run started slow,
I tried to open the legs up and hit the high cadence Kristian has got me doing, but 500m into it I was in pain. Not cramping, but aching. I was hunched over while running for the first couple of km. I managed to keep the nutrition flowing in, and straightened back up, running ok until the 12km mark. Again my legs were just aching. I walked on and off to the 15km mark and came good again from the 17km to the finish. Most of the run I was sitting at 5min/km, though a couple of 6min/km thrown in with the walking and a 4min/km at the 17k mark.
I collapsed over the finish line and took a bit for people to get me up. I was absolutely buggered. 10min later though, while waiting for the massage, I was fine. After the massage I was walking normal and felt as if I hadn’t even done it. The body went through some very odd feelings that day. I went back to the hotel and relaxed in the poo l, had a good swim to wind down. I was in bed by 2030 and didn’t wake till 0700. Great sleep, but awoke with a massive headache. I hadn’t spent that much time racing in the sun before, and I didn’t adapt my recovery to suit, but that can be managed.
Had a great Monday though, learning how to windsurf. Always good to try something new when your on holidays.
Thank you so much to Hammer Nutrition, Specialized and K9 Cycles, and Trispecific Coaching for all you have done.
I have had a couple of great races but a few not so great ones this year. So in the aim to get some better performances coming out I’m just going to take a step back and work on a few things. This leaves my next race being Philippines 70.3 in August at the great new location in Cebu. I might pop my head up every now and then but nothing major.
Hope you all enjoyed your Christmas and have a great new year.
