I had still been pretty consistent with a moderate amount of time on TT bike, in pool and running ... just a long way short of the volume, or specificity that I've maintained through my racing seasons of the previous 7 or 8 years. I knew from a few test sets that my FTP was about 20 watts lower than "good form", I'd done very little hot climate training - though enough on the turbo in Steven's conservatory to observe that things start "going funny" once the temp gets to about 34degrees. To be fair, things probably start going funny a few degrees cooler than that but that was the measured point where, at AeT power, heart-rate rocketed and head pounded to the point of feeling nauseous...and obviously inability to maintain any kind of reasonable power output followed. Rule of thumb I'd say over 30 degrees and you need to knock the target race power (for Ironman where you'll be out in it for 5-6 hrs) down by ~10% to keep heart-rate low and core temp under control.
I wasn't especially confident about my running either, having done relatively few long runs - but with my revised race targets I figured I only needed to run a 3:45 to break 11hrs...and all things considered, I'd be satisfied with that.
2010 was the last time I was in Kona, and I hadn't really missed it to be honest. Friends and some of my athletes had raced there each of those last 7 years, so it was still a significant feature in my year ...but followed from home without that sense of wishing I was part of it. I kinda felt that I was "over it" and was really only doing it this time to seal off my racing career with a big one.....that is, until we got there!!
It was so wonderful to be back - the warmth, the scents, the sounds ...and of course the buzz of the imminent Ironman World Championships! To my surprise, very little had changed in Kona. I bumped into a number of people that I last saw several years ago, in Kona...and didn't really expect to see again outside of the Internet. But there they all were, as before :o) plus a few new acquaintances made, care of the friendly environment that surrounds the event. I can't say that I felt totally relaxed...in fact I was pretty ill for much of the pre race week, and had picked up a mysterious pain in my shoulder ( actually a result of falling over in Heathrow airport on the way out, I'm sure) .... but I didn't really feel that I had too much pressure on me...I was "only" there to have a good race, based on what I knew I was in shape for, and enjoy it.
The swim was lush, the separate women’s start minimised the contact to “fun and quite helpful” ... I'd swum the open water swim 3.8km swim event the weekend before without my race skinsuit (not nude, I mean in a regular cossie) and have done 1hr 08, with a little rest at halfway...so I knew I'd be a little under that ..and indeed I was, exiting in the lower end of my target time range. Transitions slowed a bit by a minor medical issue that required attention, which I had built into my plan. The bike portion was hot (as expected) n windy but again, it was really fun being in a predominantly female race ( aside from a few Legacy males we had caught but they were well behaved!). I was pretty stunned at the number of women in my age group passing me....but I was riding to only about about 70-75% FTP, deliberately conservative as per plan. The latter section on the Queen K was - as ever- kinda tough...all around me women were tipping water on their heads at the aid stations...I didn't feel that hot, so pushed on a little to see if I could redeem a better position in the race. I didn't really know where I was in the field - I knew I wasn't flying but was on off the bike within my target/predicted time - albeit right on the limit with a 5:44 split. Leaving 3hr 50 to finish in target time (11hrs), I felt I’d do this with plenty of time to spare... but my legs very quickly informed me otherwise - like, within mile 1!!! This was a new experience for me - usually the excitement and atmosphere and the crowds and the not having to ride the damn bike anymore will propel me through the first 5km at least ...and usually a bit too quick. I was looking forward to that sensation...but it did not materialise. Hoping I'd warm up into it, I continued, knowing that my mum and sister were just up the road by our condo, would be able to give me an update on my position and that would motivate me to dig deep and keep on digging for the next 3.5 hours. When I saw them they looked a bit like they'd been waiting a while haha! Lotte didn't tell me my position (unusual) ...which was because she knew that the answer would be unhelpful. 21st!!! WTF?? in my age group?? HOW?? I knew I wasn't flying, but that was not what I expected. Still, I'm stuck out here now...but running myself up the field was the last thing on my mind, so I was just going to carry on through and have a blast. Which I did. It was a hot painful, hard blast....but you know that it's gonna be that way in Hawaii whether you have a great race or a bad race. I caught a few places, including a few familiar faces who'd stormed the bike sections past me...infact I ran/walked the last 6 km or so switching positions with Shannon, and that even spurred me into running more than walking in order to stay ahed of her (yeah, a bit mean). My sister had run out to the Queen K to encourage men on, and jogged beside me for a bit, which was lovely. The 3hr 50 mark ticked by and the sun was setting over the ocean - I'd joked with Roger about my main goal for the race was to avoid being given a glow stick....and here I was going to be finishing in the dark. There was a fabulous atmosphere out there between us struggling finishers in the 2017 Ironman World Championships, no longer rivals, but comrades in that painful march forwards. The end was now in sight...20 minutes, 15 minutes, 10 minuets...counting down and wishing it would come sooner...but knowing that this feeling was also precious, even though their day had not quite gone to plan this might be their only, or last opportunity to be part of this experience.
I got there in the end. The marathon had taken 4hrs 13...a new record (in the wrong direction) but... I still felt like I'd Won Everything as I crossed the line :)
A little while later in the epic queue to exit the massive transition with my bike and gear , talking to a couple of the Freespeed guys, it was still damn hot and I feinted! I had to go lie down for a while ...and caused a bit of a worry for my sister who was trying to find me, help carry my bags back and and give me chips. The fact that she and my mum travelled all the way to support me is the one thing that makes me wish I'd put more work in, and had a better race. They have followed me around to support at races during my entire Ironman life and I do always try to finish as quickly as possible, cos I guess it must be pretty boring for them ;o) Lucky for me they never let on, and I couldn't ask for a better support crew.
The morale of the story? When it comes to the Kona course, Its Train or Pain!!! Loved every minute of it though :) #kona2017
#ironmanworldchampionships#lookatthesizeofthatmedal
