Another Training Day ..Yeah Right!

Team Tigger (Liza, Jill and Mark)

Saturday December 8th, Taupo Half Ironman .. the plan ...just another training day ...whatever!!

Absolutely packing myself, not sure why, probably cos I know the run is going to be all bad.  As per usual when I get nervous I go quiet whilst I comtemplate what lies ahead. Despite pre warning the wifee, seems I need to give her more reassurance that Im ok, just focusing on the task ahead.  I fully expect come Ironman time I will be freaking out weeks ahead ... so take this as your official heads up :) 

Bike Racking

Registration was on the Friday, before 7pm, including racking of bikes in the transition area.  We made it in good time, but seems the bike specialist for TEAM TIGGER (our very own Ms Spinner) was running a tad late from Welly and by the skin of her teeth arrived at rego at 6.55pm.  Failure to rack her bike by 7pm would have resulted in the DNC for Team Tigger (Flipper Mark, Spinning Skinner and Jafa Liza).  But I think the premo was when Spinner was told transition would be open the following day from 5-6am.  It seems the astonished look on her face prompted the official to comment "I think you picked the wrong sport lovey".  Classic!!

Got up at 4.30am on the Saturday, wanted to do my usual routine of banana on toast and a coffee (so glad we brought the Nespresso machine with us!!) then toilet then get dressed, had already done the pre gear check the night before. Seems I wasnt the only one in the house with a few nerves .... but I will not reveal any secrets :)

Mrs J, Me and Coach awaiting race start

As planned we arrived at transition dead on 5.30am, gave me time to pump up the tyres, lay out the mat plus gear needed for the bike and run, then slipped into the wetsuit.  Liza escorted her team mates and me into transition, but as she was not doing her run until later in the day, she had chucked on jeans and a casual top so didn't look to be competing so not surprising (I think) that she was told on more than one occasion that only altheletes could be in transition.  Although I think she felt slightly insulted as she pulled up her selve to reveal the yellow athlete bracelet.

Swim ready, Mrs J, Julie, Mark and Me

Race briefing broke the news that the lake temperture was barely above 14 degrees, nice!.  Photos, hugs and some final instructions from coach and off I went.  Yup the water was $^%**!! COLD alright.  But no worse than off Takapuna beach and at least it was fresh water.

I think a few people were caught by surpirse on how choppy the water was, especially when you turned the end marker heading to the other orange bouy.  I noticed divers on the bottom keeping an eye out for anyone who might have got the bash going round the bouys and ended up in trouble (mpre common that you might think, just ask Ms Caitlin!).  I was sweet as have done this many times. Happy to finish the last straight and head back into shore.  Finally some swell from behind helping to push us in.

Out of the water in 41mins, then wouldn't you know it a bloody long run round the hill and up the stairs to get to transition.  Lot's of cheers of support I heard Spinner and Liza, who let me know by some miracle I had managed to beat Mark out of the water (forget that I had a 10min head start). As Im trying to peel off the wetsuit, Camp Mother offered some supportive words, something along the lines, "what are you doing, hurry up, you don't have time for a cup of tea!".  Nice :) and with a smile I finshed getting dressed, put on the helmet and ran to the mount line.

As I reached the line, I remembered the carnage seen at then ITU age groupers world champs.  So stopped and took my time, no need to try and rush then look like a total spase when you fall off!!.  The ride was a single lap to Reporoa and back, I think someone must have a sense of humour as approx 20k, there is a sign saying "Welcome to Reporoa".  I had not been checking the distance at the time, so had thought I was going faster than I thought!, but NO! still another25k to go before the turnaround.  Funny the things you notice ah.  Determined to take advantage of the bottle drops I had prepacked my oldest bottles so when we hit refreshments they got the biff and I grabbed a couple of new bottles, sweet!.

The tester on the bike was
a) how was I going to go on the new aero bars,
b) how sore was the bum going to be with round taupo ride only a few weeks ago and the new ride position

c) how hard could I push it without blowing up!

A swifty bike transition

I clearly need to do more training on the aero bars, but they were very comfortable.  Not sure when I will be able to next sit on a bike seat, lets just say it still hurts to pee!  For a while I was able to go steady at 35-45k, so had a comfortable 30k average, loving that!.  But then around the 70k we got a steady incline on top of the already head wind and the speed dropped off dramatically, buggar!. Managed to pick it up a little in the final stages, but was looking forward to beating the 3 hours.  Talking with other on the course after the race, seems everyone hit a low spot at that same point, combination of head wind, incline and already done 70k.

Really let myself down with the nutrition on the bike.  For the first time I felt it really hard to eat and drink, and I think the lack of drink was a contributor to the ongoing cramps in the run.  I thought I had this area sorted but just confirms you need to be prepared and disciplined on what is needed during the bike to keep you going.  Some more research is certainly on the cards !!

Managed a run to the finish line.

As expected the run was hard work, thank goodness Julie was feeling keen, without her running the majority of the course with me there is no doubt I would have walked a heap more .... In the end I had cramps in the front and back of both legs.  You would try to stretch one side and the other would cramp up.  As I had predicted I had managed to bet everyone in the swim and bike, then one by one everyone passed me on the run!  First Mrs J, but at least I did hold on for 45mins, then Liza slipped by around the 15k mark.  Unknown to me at the time, she had been running like the wind trying to catch me, she had seen me at the turn arounds and had her little spies out telling her how far ahead I was....I know!

I managed to sneak across the line in a disappointing 7 hours and 16 mins.  I was hoping to either bet my previous half ironman time or at least sneak home before the 7hrs.  But it was how I expected, and lets not forget the track was a lot harder!.  Swim and bike good, and I see a lot of run training in my immediate future ....

Thanks a million to all those that came out to support me, and there was a heap of you!  And no longer can friends give me a hard time for going to bed early, I now know your secret!! Could you believe when we got back to the house I was the only person left standing, everyone else buggared off for a Nana nap! and I have it on good authority that the same happened at the other house where Camp Mother was left to enjoy a few beers on her own.

Enjoyed a pleasant swim on Sunday morning, lake as smooth as glass, can you believe it! and already booked in my massage for Sunday night.