Back Online - Ironman Rundown

First off thanks Paul for doing some blog posts while I was off.

So I did the ironman!!! I had a few goals, but I was not sure at what level of fitness I was so that I could complete the goals. In order they were:

1. Finish
2. Beat last years time of 14 hours 5 mins
3. Beat 14 hours
4. Beat 13.5 hours
5. Beat 13 hours
6. Finish without stopping/walking (within reason)
*. Beat Tony Abbott

This year I focussed a lot of my training on swimming, because that was a horrible leg last year. Last year I did like 1 hour 26 mins for the 3.8 km and it was really tough. This year I got halfway through the first lap (of 2) and felt really good. I looked at my watch and I was at 18 mins and was completely shocked! I felt good and I was on a fast time. I thoguht I felt good because I was swimming slow. The good feeling lasted for a while so I even tried swimming faster. I ended up with a time of 1 hour 18 min. So for me I finished about 400 metres ahead of last year so I was super happy. The only problem was that my wetsuit rubbed badly against me neck. So bad in fact that it scabbed up and a girl at work joked that it looked like I tried to hang myself.

Transition from swim to bike was long as I had to get out of my wet suit, put on clothes, go to the bathroom, eat food etc. If only I had stopped for longer and applied the sunscreen better. 7 hours on a bike + sun = not happy Jan.

The 3 lap bike leg of 180.2 km started well, fast on the way out (1 hour 1 min) and a bit slower on the way back into the wind (1 hour 5). It is quite hilly at either end of the out and back loop with a long stretch of flat in between. I found it best to sing 100 bottles of beer on the wall to get rid of the boredom and keep a steady rhythm going. I had to stop to go to the bathroom once and also to stretch my legs which were getting sore. But stretching helped. After on stretch, just as I was gaining speed Tony Abbott flew past me! NOOOOOO!!!!!! I tried to stay with him but heading back into the wind I could not do it. So after the next section of 1 hour 5 on the way out I blew out to 1 hour 20 back into the wind. The next lap I again got a good rhythm going (1 hour 10) but my chain came off and kept stuffing up. Every three pedals of so it would skip a gear. On the way back on the final lap the pedal pedal pedal clunk got really annoying. I just wanted to throw my bike in a heap and run back. It was like Chinese water torture. But I got home on the bike in 7 hours 10 min, a full 34 mins faster than last year.

Transition from bike to run was a lot quicker this year because I stayed in my triathlon gear for both the bike and run so I just had to change my shoes. As I came in off the bike I saw Abbott leavin. He stopped for TV/radio interviews halfway through the race!

So my run mission was to hunt him down. And I felt great off the bike and into my natural habitat - long distance running! I passed Abbott within 2 km and never looked back. [in the end I beat him by about an hour so I still would have beaten him if he did not stop for interviews]. I passed 260 people in the marathon run and I felt awesome! Last year I walked a long stretch of it, I got cramps and swore I would never race again. This year I went off at a good pace, power walked up the couple of small hills on the course and through the water stations. My strategy worked! I did 4 hours and 22 min as opposed to 4 hours 54 last year. I felt awesome the whole time and I finished in......

12 hours 50 min 29 secs !!!

So I accomplished all of my goals, as I only stopped/walked within reasons.

So that was that. Looking forward to trying for the magical 12 hours next year.

Man that was a long post. :)

IRONMAN

Sorry everyone for not posting this week - have been realy busy. Thanks to Paul for taking over :)

I am off again. Going up to Port Macquarie to compete in my second Ironman. 3.8 km swim, 180.2 km bike and 42.2 km run. If you want to follow my progress head to the website http://www.ironmanoz.com/ironmanoz/race-day-coverage.htm throughout the day on Sunday to see where I am at. It will take me about 13-14 hours so check anytime between 7 am and 9 pm

On a different note, on Saturday I will be firing the starters gun for the 5 km fun run as the 'celebrity starter'. lol

See you on the flip side.

Jeremy