Race Day

I slept pretty well and woke up at 4am, quick breakfast of porridge, toast and very good coffee. Mr Meier was up ready to take me on the back of his scooter to the start of the race - he knew all the short cuts through the back fields, we skipped out all the crazy pre-race traffic - legend!
I got my bike organised and found Rich, the panic began to set in - people everywhere - pumping up tyres, putting bottles on bikes, checking gear, pulling on wetsuits...Beautiful cloudless morning.

The pros start was at 6:30am, I watched them head off before joining the other herd of pink swim caps as we were ushered into the canal. Suddenly it was time to go - I fell into the rhythm that I would try to maintain for the duration of the 3.8k swim.
It didn't feel like the usual battering, I seemed to be in open space within minutes - I looked around just to check I was still on course - all good. I spent the whole swim trying to sit on other swimmers' feet - it's tough to find people who are swimming at the same speed, and also, there's no guarantee that they are swimming in a straight line! ;) It did seem to go on and on, then the final turn and up out of the water with a firm hand from the volunteers - 1:09 - (I swam 1:16 in New Zealand, so a good improvement). In New Zealand I managed to spend 13 minutes in transition - I was out of T1 in under 3 minutes this time - it felt great to be whizzing along on the bike, smooooooth roads.

I was feeling pretty good on the first lap, I was trying to push myself but was constantly worried about saving my legs, and the fear of running out of energy. I accidentally dropped my mini gel bottle - so at each aid station I was really conscious that I needed to be grabbing gels as well as drink bottles. No hot cross buns for me this time, no loo stop at the half way point - I was here to race this time!
I made the first lap maintaining a 30k/h average, but I was feeling a little depleted after all the hills, I spun into the 2nd lap determined to do my best to get off this bike as soon as I possibly could! The crowd support was amazing - each village had a huge support crew. There is one hill where spectators gather, 'Solarer Berg'. As you turn to go up the hill, all you can see is a SEA of faces - a huge crowd, 4 or 5 deep on each side of the road, cheering you up (Tour de France style) with just a tiny corridor tunnel to cycle up. I definitely shed a tear the first time up, with a big smile - it really does lift the spirits - my spirit was in need of some lifting during the second lap, goose bumps, pretty much downhill to the finish. I was so happy to roll into T2 in just over 6 hours; I was feeling pretty tired, but I thought that my run would survive it...
I dashed out onto the run course, legs felt ok - no twinges or cramps. First you run steadily uphill out of the town to the canal. Chrissie Wellington was completing her marathon, we passed, I had a long way to go! She looked like a machine, smiling as she powered on to a new world record time. As I emerged from the forest on the canal path, the searing heat hit me like a slap in the face. I spent the first 10k getting into a good running rhythm, the next 10k melting in the heat...by the half way point, I was ready to quit. My watch had gone bonkers in the swim, so I had ditched it on the bike course. I had no idea what time it was or how fast I was running etc. At 21k I decided to ask someone for the time. 4:21pm. My brain then painfully slowly worked out that if I could run the next 21k in under 2.5 hours, then I'd come in under 12 hours - an hour quicker than NZ. I knew this was achievable, so, mentally, I was back in the game! Hooray! However, physically, my body began complaining - I've never had stomach problems during a race before...I visited the facilities 4 times during the last 20k...not good. I was getting from one aid station to the next, walking through it - wondering what on earth my body needed to make it function properly...I just felt so sick! Watermelon seemed to be the most appealing on the table, probably not the best for the guts, but it got me to the end!

So, I came to the end - it was emotional - I had fought the mental battle from half way through the bike course. My overall time was 11:44 - over an hour and a 1/4 faster than my first attempt - albeit on a different course. Very happy with the improvement, I feel lucky! For me, this is a good result. My lack of proper training since Strongman was evident in the run. I'd love to have broken 4 hours on the marathon - but, again, I didn't do enough run training to make these dreams come true!
 SO, there is the challenge for the next race! Always room for improvement...but as I sit here on a sofa in London.........as my fitness goes down the drain with every lazy day...can I face another race like this? The answer: of course, yes! But with my life being so up in the air at the moment, I think I'll stick to half ironmans for the next 12 months before signing up to another full. I need to focus. I need to get established in the supply teaching market before hopefully arranging something more stable for the beginning of 2012, then when things are feeling more settled, I'll start rallying the crew for another grand destination race :)

My Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v​=fuqvgyxU_cg

Singapore, Germany and Challenge Roth

Off on travels again. 2011 has been absolutely crazy. The final semester of my teaching course consisted of 7 weeks of lectures and assignments  followed by 6 weeks prac in a school – all the while I was training for Strongman, back on my little island in Japan. This was a race I was afraid to attempt when I lived on the Island of Miyako. After the strongman race, I spent the last few days of my holidays in Japan camped out on Theresa’s floor studying for my English curriculum exam which was just a few days after I returned. With strongman and all my exams out of the way, next came 6 weeks of school practicum. Not only was I in school 8 – 4 everyday, I was having to prepare all the lessons, write up self reflections on each lesson and learn the content material for a lively year 6 class. There were numerous troublesome lads in the class, which always adds a challenging element. Anyway, the weeks flew by. Thursday night became ‘date night’ due to my waitressing Friday and Saturday and playing the harp Sunday nights at the local French restaurant, Allure. How on earth was I going to squeeze in ironman training too? With little energy and little motivation after just having completed strongman…it has been a struggle. Credit goes to Brian for dragging me out to the pool, taking me on long challenging cycles and spurring me on when I had zero energy or motivation to do anything but sleep!

Singapore

First stop Singapore to spend a few days with Eilidh, Kevin, Kyla and little Evie. Hanging out with a real family is fascinating – Kyla: a cute, energetic, well-behaved 2 year old and Evie: also cute, 3 month old, helpless little munchkin, who doesn't want to sleep - just in case she misses something!

Perfect ironman build up - I swam in the pool every day. I ran a 10km race and came 49^th out of 4,500 people (which was very strange for a 51 minute time... - I was trying to take it easy.) I turbo trained in the air-con on Kevin’s bike. I drank champagne at Ku De Ta (the big ‘boat’ on top of the new hotel/casino at Marina Bay Sands) and danced until 2am…and ate the most fantastic food. I took the bus tour, the boat tour and visited the Terracotta Warriors exhibition. I strolled through China town and refrained from buying a single item (I was already totally overweight with luggage!) On the way back I will visit the Japanese Daiso 100 yen store…Daiso is seriously taking over the world – hooray!

Germany Day 1 – the longest day

As the plane came in to Munich through a thick blanket of early morning fog, I started to get excited: a new country, a new language, a host family awaits and on Sunday….a HUGE challenge.

After the 11 hour flight, I made it to Munich train station and chilled out in starbucks and caught up on emails, facebook and skype. I get my email to say that, congratulations, I'm now an officially registered teacher – I can work as a supply teacher immediately but I still need to attend an interview before I can pick up a contract or permanent position. I will prepare for this over the next month and sort that out on my return to Australia. Scary!!!

I catch the train, with my bike and 6 kgs of luggage, off to the little village of Roth – where this iron-distance triathlon will take place on Sunday. I’m staying with a host family in the neighbouring town of Eckensmuhler – it feels just like the German exchange I did at school when I was 16!

Roth is a little village about 30 minutes by train south of Nuremberg. It’s 2 hours north of Munich. The world’s best triathletes come to take part in this race – it is an epic race and this year is a 10 year anniversary. I’m excited to be part of it, but always a little concerned about the distances and my mental game!!

Getting around with this bike box is not too bad, but it’s not the best bike box design. I already had a few issues – I got off the train on the wrong side – the side with no lift…I had to wait for the next train and go THROUGH it and out onto the other platform, I thought I was going to be stuck on a random train!

The bakeries here look amazing – huge bread rolls and sandwiches with ham and cheese exploding out of them, so European!

I got off the train at Roth to see a lady waving Australian flags at me! Gloria spent a year in Australia and loved it – I hope she’s not disappointed that I’m actually Scottish! Her English is perfect. My German is terrible! Max is 15 and has big exams this week. He is wearing a neck scarf because his girlfriend gave him a love bite! Mr German Meier doesn’t speak any English but helped me put my bike together – well, he pulled out all his tools…friendly! Helga’s English is good and she seems excited to have me here.

I get shown around the family house. I’m in the basement – with the sauna and the sun bed! So, a very chilled afternoon just reading all about the race, planning when I need to be where over the next few days.

I struggled to stay awake in the lead up to dinner. Delicious dinner, it was pork sausage layered with pasta – like a lasagne, in a creamy mushroom and bacon sauce. After dinner, Helga suggests we go for a ‘drive’ up to the canal. From looking at the map earlier I knew it was close. They disappear and come back in full lycra cycling kit! I stick to my jean shorts and grab my bike helmet. I got Max’s bike – good quality mountain bikes. We cycled along dirt paths until we hit the canal and follow it along for about 1km and we find the swim start point for Sunday’s race. The water looks a little green…slightly worrying! We then cycle on…and on…and on…round 2 lakes, probably out for about an hour! But beautiful, so beautiful, paths surrounded by green forests and grassy fields. Quaint houses with perfect gardens. Absolutely beautiful around here.

I spent the first couple of days just roaming around. I took a trip up to Nuremberg on the Wednesday - I had been there as an exchange student when I was 16, so it was strangely familiar. The bakeries here are incredible - ham and cheese exploding out of amazing bread. In Aldi, you can access a bread pretzel vending machine that spits out hot giant pretzels! Carbo loading was very easy! Thursday I went into Roth and registered. I rode my bike around the beautiful countryside, on the smooth flat roads. I swam in Rothsee - which is a big lake. I swam in the canal where the race starts...not the clearest water, but not as cold as I was expecting.

Friday - Rich and Olivia arrived in Roth ;) Hooray! People to get excited with! We had a great day at the expo, drinking alcohol free beer, getting autographs signed by Andreas Raelert, Sebastien Keilne, Faris and the Dirkinator! The evening culminated in the infamous carbo load party. Way too much food, but you can't miss it - the atmosphere builds under the tent as everyone gathers together to listen to the pros talking about their goals for the race.
Saturday is the bike check in - waaaaa suddenly it's time to pack up the transition bags, think about all the little details required for the race - how much nutrition to take, what bag to put dry socks in, sunscreen, charge the ipod...Rich and Olivia picked me up, we put the bike and other gear in the car then Rich reminded me that I needed my timing chip to check the bike in - I sprinted downstairs to my room and ran up the dark corridor and SMACK - I'd run straight into the open door - I bashed my eyebrow, chest and knee.......On the way there, in the car, I could feel the lump forming on my eyebrow and my knee throbbing.... I also happened to noticed my tyre had a HUGE slash in it - I decided it wasn't worth the risk, so I popped into the bike shop and bought a new one - nothing like a bit of drama!! Prior to this, I had felt overly organised, I wasn't stressed about a thing. Nothing like a smack in the head to shake things up! Bike check-in was easy - then we drove some of the bike course to get a feel for it.

That night there was a race briefing - it was mostly in German (all the jokes were in German...) then home to finalise the packing of the remaining transition bags, stretch and early to bed.

Strongman 2011

A lot has happened in my life since I last 'blogged'. I was just starting semester 1 of 2 for my primary teaching diploma. Well, semester 1 went great, loved it. Met a lovely man :) The summer holidays came, as did the entire extended family for Christmas, Semester 2 came...I'm half way through the semester, I start my next 6 week prac placement in school soon, then I'll be DONE! Amazing! So, I'm in Japan for the Strongman Triathlon - a race I never believed I could do when I lived here...I guess I had unfinished business with this island after all!

I arrived in Okinawa to stay with Theresa for a few days before coming down to Miyako. Great to see Theresa and Mo-chan. Hannah came down from Kobe. Jaimee, her boyfriend and I had all travelled together from Brisbane. It was quite a reunion! We went to the Canadian Bar, Eager Beaver - Paul Patry was also preparing for the Strongman, so it was good to touch base with him before the race.The rest of the weekend we basically walked around reminiscing and eating...it was perfect!! (and a lot colder than I remember!)


So, Brian, my boyfriend, is a pro triathlete and had already been invited to take part in the race - he was injured last year and couldn't go, so it's amazing that we were both planning to race this year! His flights were paid for, so we travelled separately. He was lodging at the nicest resort on the island, I was in the guest house - not perfect, but not the end of the world.

I flew to Miyako on Wednesday and was met at the airport by the invited athletes co-ordinator - which was strange - I was meant to be heading into town to my little guest house by taxi. He explained that he didn't realise that I, the girlfriend, was a competitor. It turned out there was an uneven number of pros, and Brian asked if the rooms could be rearranged to allow me to room with him, and the co-ordinator said yes! Amazing! So, I got to stay at the best hotel, with all the pros, it was brilliant! It really heightened my strongman experience and build up to the race. Because I knew the island, and could speak some Japanese, I felt useful, driving everyone around, which is always good!

Wednesday night we all went out for dinner. In the middle of the night, Brian starts throwing up...and again...and again...and by morning is half dead :( Through vomiting and a dodgy stomach, he'd managed to lose 5 kgs overnight! We took him up to hospital and they put 2 IV drips through him and gave him some other medicine to stop the vomiting etc. I got him back to the hotel and went out on a cycle to get supplies and register for the race. I managed to find Campbell's Chicken Noodle soup - surely that sorts everyone out! Basically, because it was Thursday, with the race being Sunday, there was still time to build up his energy again, as long as he kept food in his belly! It was stressful - he'd come to win this race...and here he was, a total mess :(

So, Friday was Jaimee's birthday and the carbo-loading party...very fun day! The biggest cake you've ever seen in your life!

Saturday was packing race bags, racking the bikes, eating...stressing...early to bed.

Sunday...race morning. Amazingly, the sea was the calmest I've ever seen it and not a whisper of wind - the flags hung limp against the poles. This is extremely rare for Miyako...being an island.

I felt totally disorganised, I was running around putting talc in my socks., squeezing gels into little bottles for the bike, changing laces in my shoes, charging ipods...it was a mental couple of hours. Brian threw up again before breakfast...indicating that whatever bug was in his tummy was still there :(

Luckily, Jaimee was there to keep me straight. We headed down to the swim start and melted into the crowd of wetsuits. (I think I'm pointing at the pros heading off on the swim start...I don't even have my goggles on!) So, the swim was good. I definitely got bashed more than my fair share, but it thinned out quite quickly and only had crazy contact at all the corners on the course. Beautiful 3k swim - you can see the sandy bottom, fish and coral the whole way round, water was about 23 degrees c.

Swim predicted time: 1hour.....actual time: 52 mins. Hooray! Smiling right from the start!


Due to the lack of wind, everyone was feeling optimistic about the 155k bike leg. It was such a beautiful day, the water looked amazing as we cycled around the island. I did the first 30k in exactly an hour, and I managed to hold that pace the whole way round. Although drafting is totally illegal in these races, there were definitely huge packs of speedy men all coming past me...packs...drafting. They had blokes on scooters with whistles, but I don't think they were busting people properly.  I felt a bit heavy in the legs at the 100k point, so I tucked into my food - 2 power bars that had melted together in my bento box...I never want to eat another one after that, grim! But it did the trick. I was sticking to my nutrition plan, 6 gels in the first 100k, and the power bars. I had oreo biscuits waiting for me in my special needs bag at 100k - I felt like I'd had a real boost to get me through the next 55k - the wind had picked up a bit. At 120k I decided that enough was enough - time to bust out the ipod tunes - although it's not encouraged, it's not forbidden either, so I thought I'd go for it, just one ear! I managed to roll into transition at 1:15 pm - giving me a bike time of about 5:15. They lump the 2 transition times into your bike time...so, my recorded time is 5:29 - maybe 7 or 8 minutes for each transition...hard to know exactly, but my transitions were definitely quicker than in Ironman NZ!


We had visited a Junior High school on the Friday morning - the same students were at the bike transition volunteering, so they were thrilled to see me racing, pointing me in the right direction, handing me my kit bag etc...It definitely gave me a boost to see them so excited!! :) 2 of the current ALTs helped me out with some sunscreen and an update on Brian's race. When I heard that he was in about 20th place on the run, I knew that something bad had happened - he should've been at the front. My bike predicted time: 5:45-6:00...actual: 5:15-ish = thrilled + legs a bit wobbly!

I set out on the run with my music blaring (my original plan was to save it for the 21k half way point...but I needed the rhythm!!) It was H.O.T. I knew I was going to struggle with the heat...I saw the race leaders coming towards me when I was about 12km in - it's an out and back course, so you can see everyone who's in front of you! The Japanese athletes had run a good race, the first 6 or 7 were all Japanese. Then I saw Anton, from Ukraine, and a few others, then I saw Brian - he looked to be running well, he had teamed up to run with Eneko from Spain. At least they only had 10k to go!

I got to the turn around in 2 hours...the first 10k was tough, getting the legs going, I ran solidly from one aid station to the next. A lot of the course has some sort of slight gradient - I'd run really fast down the slopes and Paul Patry witnessed me walking up one of the hills...I was on the way back, he was on the way out - his first long distance race, he was doing great!!

Next I came across Jaimee - she had set off on her run without her ipod! Oh noo!! I had about 10k to go, so I decided that her need was greater than mine - I'd had a great day and was full of cheer and genkiness. I strapped my sweaty ipod onto her arm and sent her on her way. Jaimee's first long distance triathlon too, she was full of genki spirit!! So fun!!

The last 10k, as always, seemed to take forever... winding through the streets of the town - it's never a direct route to the goal. So many people out cheering - saw a few of the Jet English Teachers - always a huge support. Dave had been doing the announcing all day, at the swim start and the bike transition.

Stopped for a photo with Shimoji san, we formed a mini irish band when I lived on the island! I'm amazed he recognised me (I used to have blonde hair).

FINALLY, I was at the end...I was hoping for a sub 4 hour marathon, but was happy with 4:10 because everything else had gone so well! I felt happy with all the little details: nutrition, choice of clothes, music...it had all gone better than I had expected!
Predicted finish time 11 - 12 hours. Actual time: 10:32 :)

As soon as I finished, I got interviewed...aaaaa the life of the gaijin in Japan!!! I felt good and happy...able to walk and speak, at least! It's a crazy atmosphere down at the strongman finish line. I showered and caught up the race gossip with Brian. Then we cheered Paul home, and then Jaimee!! Hooray!! Everyone home safe!!


Went home on the bus back to the Tokyu Resort, crawled up in a ball and just lay there - unable to sleep due to all the sweet gels, and the body just tingling with shock and trauma from the day! We went for a 1am stroll around the hotel lobby, in search of a vending machine.


Monday was busy. Breakfast - still not much of an appetite - despite the best breakfast/brunch buffet ever! Then car up to transition to pick up our bikes, then cycle home - stopping to get medicine on the way - I have been coughing up green gunk for almost a week now, I think I'm finally on the mend today (Tuesday). Quick chill in the ocean before heading up to the awards ceremony party. So much food and beer - everyone just hobbling around, struggling to stand through all the speeches!!

We picked up our certificates and glanced over the results. I was 3rd in my age group (25-29), 20th Woman and 305th in the whole 1300 or so starters - so happy!! Hooray! Brian was also 3rd in his age group (25-29), and 18th overall - not bad for being in the state he was!!

So, for male age group awards, they give a nice big blue award folder to 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the age group - so Brian got that. For the girls, they only give it to 1st in the age group :((((( So, I felt very sad about this! Brian changed his certificate with mine and gave me his blue folder, sweet man! It's much harder to place in your age group as a man, so I DO get it, but still!!! Girls LOVE awards too :)

So, that's pretty much it...I could go on and on and on and on about all the finer details, but I'm sure it only means something to me!

It was a great way to come back to visit this place that means so much to me. I'm looking forward to a few more days of chill time on Okinawa before heading back to Uni exams next week, then that 6 week block in school.........I'm pretty shattered right now, so I'll be sleeping in tomorrow!

The count down is on for the next Ironman race - Challenge Roth, July 10th, Germany!!

Thanks to everyone for all the messages and comments, it means the world to me. And I've said it before, that all you people who are taking an interest in this - it's only because you've done something like this before, or you're maybe motivated by it...that means that you've got the ability to do it too! It's hard work training for something like this, but it's such an amazing feeling to have completed something you never thought you could do!

 

More Photos: Copy and paste this link: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/fbx/?set=a.10150552672170088.665768.614915087&l=56123a37d3