Month: October 2022

Leaving Kona my Shuttle Bus didn’t turn up and I was at the end of my road, so spent £6 on my phone, to no avail and, for some reason, my Revolute card declined to pay Uber. But, over the road a camper van stopped that, which I thought might be the Shuttle. But, it was just a bloke, turns out he was 76 also and an IM vet so guess what – free ride to the airport!

Kona airport was very quiet, only one bike box rather than a ’sea’ of boxes. No wonder some were delayed getting home.

Flew overnight to Phoenix, then onto St George. At the last moment I decided to rent a car and thought I should have just taken a direct flight to Las Vegas and driven from there. Glad I didn’t as speaking to some Brits Las Vegas was a nightmare both getting their baggage and sori g out and getting their rental car, plus a drive in the dark. Phoenix to St George was a doddle, in my hire car with thirty minutes of landing!

So pleased I did get the car, no one walks and it really is not conducive, it’s BIG, lots of four or six lanes, even in the town centre, ’millions’ of gas guzzling cars and more like a sprawling industrial estate!

My ’digs’ are great, if somewhat quaint, enormous suite with kitchen, breakfast included (you make your own waffles!) and it wouldn’t be out of place in a Hitchcock film set in the 50’s. Chose it because it’s only one mile from the buses that take you to the start (not allowed to drive there) and a mile from the finish.

Day One – excluding arrival day

Put the bike together, road it several blocks down to registration – fabulous atmosphere and everyone very chatty.

Had a full body massage with Byron, who is here for a number of the professionals. Karlyn introduced me to him and he ’did’ my legs after the IM.

Drove out to the swim start and did a few miles on the bike, felt great.

Roads are amazing, tarmac goes on for ever and they just roll up and down. Wasn’t till I cycled them, I realised how gruelling they were!

Day Two

Had intended an early swim. Didn’t set my alarm, woke up at 6, great, then next time I looked at my watch it was 7:55. Whoops, quick breakfast and 30 minute drive to Sand Hollow Reservoir. Queues of cars from all directions, overflow parking all over the show, long queues just to get into the water. I nipped in, along with a handful of others, away from the marked course. Didn’t need a long swim, just test the temperature of the water, which was fine but I will come out slightly chilled and the air is COLD. Will go and buy a ’beenie’ and probably do a complete change in T1 so I can make the most of the fabulous, fast undulating bike course. Last bit, five miles up Snow Canyon then down five miles on the main road and onto T2.

Parade if Nations, I just popped in and had a photo taken with the flag, when I noticed it was upside down. Found some officials who were mortified and got it changed.

Welcome Banquet, four miles from the town centre and again, just so many cars!! Approx 2000 female and 3500 male competitors.

Day Three

AWA breakfast, always good to meet others and hear the guest speakers, plus a cracking breakfast!

Down to T1 to rack my bike and bag, really cold wind! Got there early to avoid the queue of cars.

Afternoon down to Town Square to rack my run bag. Utah certainly embraces Ironman, no expense spared and it’s a BIG event, hoardings, walk overs, etc.etc.etc round every corner.

Day Four

Alarm at 4:00 onto the shuttle bus for Sand Hollow at 4:50 (no one is allowed to drive there), amazing logistics, 2000 competitors plus spectators, all bused in.

Once there we all asked ”Why so early?” Bitterly cold, 4 degrees, it soon looked like a refugee camp. Four of us Brits sat on the tail gate of a lorry for a bit of shelter. I’d bought a long, thick hoodie fleece from a charity shop to put over my only jacket, and to wear to the swim start, once just in my thin shortie, sleeveless wet suit.

I was looking forward to getting into the ’warm’ water, 17 degrees. We had the most spectacular views as the red hills lit up as the sun rose during our swim. The men had an even better sun rise.

Out of the water to freezing temperature, I thought they said 4C but I’ve seen a post that says 2C, apparently it drops another degree or so as the sun rises! Had considered changing, but had little to change into so towelled my tri suit as dry as possible, donned my wafer thin windproof and gillet on top. Had bought a beanie and stuffed the corners of a bin bag into my cycle shoes. Onto the bike course, shivering vigourously. I never really warmed up, occasional sun on my back was warm when sheltered from the wind, but no ’heat’, and in the shade and down hill it was freezing! Cycling with cold legs is not good, and I struggled to maintain the speed I had anticipated, with the long drags up the many, many smaller hills. Under normal conditions I probably could have made up more time on the down hills, but was conscious of my limitations and stayed safe rather than taking risks. My jackets stayed fastened up to my chin, but I did stop on Snow Canyon when I thought I had over a mile, and the steepest bit to climb and took off my beanie, turned out the top was just round the corner! Looked forwards to the last down hill section back to town, but it wasn’t as steep as I thought it would be and we had a cold head wind.!

Off the bike and onto the run, straight up hill for three miles, steady pace, about 10min/mile, felt good. Some little steeper bits through the golf course, walked them, then down hill back to town, round a few blocks and back up the hill, started walk running then, actually warmed up by now! They began to hand out ice, but I definitely didn’t need any. Would have liked to keep it under 11min/mile average but I was already heading to way over seven hours and knew I was in front of any competition, who eventually finished outside of the 8:30 time limit, and my legs were beginning to feel really tired………..

Job done, I came to get the World Title, I achieved that but not really with the performance I had hoped for.

That’s how it should have ended for me, but it all went ’pear shaped’. Now two weeks on I think I know why. Initially I put it all down to my own complacency and arrogance which lead to inadequate preparation both physically and mentally on arriving in Kona. After all I’d been there, done it three times and I knew I had times far faster than any of my competitors and even those in the age group below! Although there’s a Missy Lestrange creeping up behind me!!

But, now suddenly, my head has cleared, I’ve got my appetite back and I don’t have to force myself to drink. Since arriving, I’ve had to make myself do all the things I’ve needed to do, but somehow, I was never truly ’present’. I must have had a bug of some sort, and probably combined with jet lag and dehydration for the first week or so. In addition the US loos are more like overflowing bidets so not colour clues there! Perhaps I should have peed in a jug!

Thinking back I found the flight from Seattle particularly difficult, although I’d slept for most of the trip from London, and all I wanted to do was to get to Kona, curl up in bed with a hot chocolate. This feeling never left me for over two weeks, but I made myself do all the things necessary, registration, AWA breakfast, bike & bag racking and morning snacks with Daniella. Collect the ’shopping’ bike, put my TT together, give it a test ride. But now thinking back I only did one test ride and only went into aero on Queen K. I was super nervous going through town and negotiating traffic, etc. Went out this morning, and it was totally different, I now realise.

Normally on an endurance event, towards the end I start thinking of the ‘treats’ when I finish, but on The Day, I was thinking of that right from the start, on the swim, if not before. I was already wishing it to be over, rather than looking forward to the event itself. I thought I did OK on the swim, but again, on reflection, I was happy to sit on the heels of other swimmers and take a steady pace, slower than I knew I could swim at, rather than pushing myself and finding faster swimmers to swim behind . Once on the bike, again I thought I was OK, but couldn’t believe my ‘Speedo,’ why was I so slow up the gradual gradient and then hesitant on the fast bit back down into town?

Up Palani Road and onto Queen K, now I should be able to get going, but no! First feed station, I stopped, checked my back wheel, were the brakes sticking, took on lots of water and carbs. I normally cycle straight through just picking up a bottle or banana, to drink and eat then discard. It was hard, I didn’t know what was happening, then a girl bumped into me and knocked me off, but no real damaged done and I carried on. I stopped at each feed station, hoping to get ’second wind’ from somewhere. I was getting to the point of giving up but decided to keep going, after all the legs were going round, albeit with no power. Climbed up to Hawi and then didn’t really enjoy the long downhill back to Queen K. The feed stations were great and each seemed concerned if I was OK or not.

Then, the cramps hit in. Only ever had them swimming before and never the whole leg, But, I could stretch out which ever one it was affecting until it eased. Made it back to transition, two were ahead of me and I knew they were slow runners so I was in with a chance. Walked up Palani then started running along Kuakini and found I was comfortable sub 10min/mile (didn’t expect to maintain that, would be happy with 11.) Then as soon as I went down towards Ali’i Drive, both legs cramped up. Could hardly walk, let alone run, stopped until it eased and started again, for them to cramp again and again. Time to “throw in the towel”.

I was remarkably relaxed about it, and later was chuffed to learn that Cherie Gruenfeld had finished and won. She retired the year after my first, much to everyone’s relief as she was doing just it in just over 14 hours which became my goal to beat when I smashed it in 13h 42min. She’s had an amazing career as a triathlete and came back, at 78, for just one more IM. Also finishing was Natalie Grabow, she won the year I came second, and was my inspiration to get my biking up to her standard, and beyond, we made a pact for for her to improve her swimming and me my bike. I sought both if them out at the Presentation evening and was genuinely pleased they had both finished and showed just what us ’oldies’ are capable of.

Since then I have made myself go out twice a day whether walking, running, cycling or swimming, just to keep ticking over. Lazing on the beach, listening to and watching the waves is sublime! Had a session with Karlyn Pipes in her endless pool, and kept practicing, what she had pointed out I needed to do, on my short swims in the sea.

Come Monday, I promised to take myself to Kona Masters swimming. Turned up at 6:30pm, only to find it is at 6:30am! Next morning, no need for an alarm, still waking ridiculously early – overslept! Third morning, got up but arms/shoulders aching so didn’t go. Had bumped my shoulder in a big wave that had dumped me on the sand the previous day. Couldn’t swim too well out snorkelling either, but suddenly felt more ’alive’, took myself into town, no day time nap, had at least one every day since I arrived, then found yet another beach for a sunset, and devoured an enormous plate of rice and tuna salad!

This morning, up with the larks (don’t think they have them here, just some loud squawking things that start way before sun rise!) Off to masters, thinking I’d only do part of the session. Distance sets, wasn’t even trying, so easy, and suddenly the end of the session!

Then TT bike out along Ali’i Drive and up the 13% hill to the supermarket! Aero all the way there and back, except the hill!

I feel great – roll on Utah, fly out Sunday!