Setting my sights Tri

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  • Ah yes, the 'false' district sign - caught me out on lap twoimage  Also hated beyond  belief that extra loop thing, really demoralising being with a few top agegroupers on teh way to the finish of the bike only to have to peel off and climb up the hill I'd just cycled down.
  • At about 80 miles the balls of my feet started to really hurt.  Loosening my shoes helped briefly as did unclipping and circling ankles but it kept coming back making pedaling quite uncomfortable.  People I’d been shuttling with started to pass and stay ahead and by the time I reached the turnaround I was starting to feel pretty negative.  I thought I was still pretty much on schedule though until the wind picked up a bit, blowing right into my face.  To top it all off, my neck/shoulders were tightening up and I couldn’t get comfy on my bars – though that may have been psychological.  A heavy rain shower didn’t improve my mindset and thoughts of giving up did start to creep in, so the rest of the ride back towards town was pretty miserable.  I think I stopped at all of the support stations on the way back to give me an excuse to get off the bike briefly.  Just kept plugging away thinking of support at home and I hoping I wasn’t going to slow any further and miss the cut off. 

    Finally getting back onto the largely downhill stretch towards town was a huge relief and I then knew I’d make it.  One final short sharp shower was unwelcome but T2 was within reach and I knew once I was off the bike I’d be ok again.


    There were only about 6 bags left in T2 so I had about 3 people helping me prepare for the run.  They were most concerned that I was too cold and even after complete change of kit, insisted I set off for the run wearing a poncho.  Nice.


    Actual bike time – 8:25:22   T2 – 13:37

  • The run – predicted time 6:00
    The run I was never worried about.  As long as I made the bike cut off I knew I could finish in time.  The ramp and bridge over the road was an interesting way to start and got the legs back into action. I started jogging fairly shortly thereafter.  The run starts off heading back towards the finish area so I was surrounded by people either approaching the finish or the end of their first lap which was a bit demoralizing.  However, shortly before reaching the end zone I spotted an unfamiliar  pirate clad spectator which I knew had to be Jellybabe, so stopped briefly for a quick chat which helped get my mindset back on track again.

    My plan for the run had always been, run 1 mile, walk 1 minute and walk the aid stations and that’s certainly how it went for most of the first lap.  The run was only about 12m/m pace but it was good to be on my feet again – and they’d stopped hurting as soon as I took my bike shoes off.  I was feeling pretty strong and focused.  Saw Aanders heading for home quite early on and Ally and Jaggy on the return leg of their first laps a while thereafter.  My friends had by this time been organized into teams by Capt T, (formerly REME, now NZ Army) and directed to various places in the first 5k to cheer me on my way before they disappeared for food while he and Jnr T (12) took over and pedaled a pair of borrowed mountain bikes along the road pretty much level with me again causing slight concern about the definition of outside assistance.  But mostly I just stayed focused on keeping a steady pace, admiring the glorious view across the lake and acknowledging the support of locals who’d obviously been partying a very long time.  I’d started drinking flat pepsi and water at the feed stations and by about 8k it became clear that I was drinking more than enough and stops at each feed station became a necessity.  I regretted choosing not to wear a bottle belt so I could sip when I wanted rather than have to wait for the aid stations.  The turnaround eventually arrived on schedule and it was back towards town again.
  • At around 15k Mr B appeared and I insisted Capt T took Jnr T  home for food cos he was obviously getting tired and fed up. So off they went with a promise to send reinforcements asap.  Huge local support all the way back into town, with me apologizing that I was only on first lap and would be back again later.  ‘No worries’ they all said, ‘we’ll be here for you for as long as it takes’.  Awesome. 

    Still on schedule and heading back out of town again I reassessed how I was feeling and decided that the second lap would be march up the hills and through the aid stations and jog the rest.  Out on the lake front again I picked up a personal escort comprising Mrs T, Master T (my 15yo godson) and young Miss B (11) and at least one or other of them stuck with me for the entire rest of the run.  Just quietly being there, willing me on.  I did say they’d gone above and beyond the normal sherpa duties.  

    The remainder of the run was pretty unremarkable, except for the continued support from partying locals at various points out of town.  For much of it I suspect my running pace was not actually that much quicker than my marchinging pace but who cares - I did actually pass a few people.  As I headed back towards town for the final time ‘Go Pirates, it’s not a knitting club’ issued clearly from a passing car which made me smile.  The noise issuing from the bars which line the last 1k or so along the lake front gave me a final boost of energy which increased as I got closer to the finish.  Quick hug from Jellybabe at about 400m out, more from Aanders and Jaggy at 300m and then I was at the turn into the finish chute.  All I could see was the arc lights on the arches over the chute like runway lights and I was off.  Grinning ear to ear, I put on a final burst of speed – or at least I think I did – to get to that finish gantry as quickly as possible.  I remember the cheers of the crowd but such was my relief/exhaustion that I didn’t actually hear those famous words, or anything else come to that, but I’m assured they were actually said.


    Actual run time – 6:13:39

  • Fab reports all of you.  Well done.  You have now all completely terrified but inspired me on my way to IMCH image
  • Great work Pie rights, spreading the No Knitting word to the worldimage

  • ORSUM.

    (definately said, as I'd lost the video feed at that point, just had audio).

  • Into the recovery tent and onto the scales – just 200g down so passsed fit and released to the massage area.  I actually felt in pretty good shape other than being extremely weary.  I didn't actually discover the blisters till I got home.  Numb just about sums it up and beyond that, relief that it was over and I’d done it.  In retrospect, I did actually enjoy all but about 3hrs of the 16:35:59

    The outstanding features of the day have to be the incredible organization and official support crews, the outstanding local support and the unanticipated level of sherpa support from my freinds and their families. 

    My thanks again to Aanders, Ally and Jaggy for their comany and support on course and off.  As Ally has already reported, Aanders did a first class job of officiating at our own mini Pirate award breakfast on Sunday and conferring the necessary ranks.  Im proud to be a Scurvy Dog Pirate.

    Will I do another? I don't know yet but I would unreseveredly recommend IMNZ to anyone.

  • Cracking report Trogs

    I must admit you had us woried for a little while as your 20 mile split didn't come up until just before you finished.

    Well done

    YOU ARE AN IRONMAN

  • incredible all of you..... image  And pretty motivational for those of us heading off to IMCH for a virgin attempt at the distance.  image
  • JjJj ✭✭✭

    predicted response: [sniffle]

    [sniffle]

    xxxx

  • HappychapHappychap ✭✭✭

    This is twice in a week you've made me cry Trogs! image

    Fab reports from all of you and a HUGE well done.  Inspiringly great stuff

  • < wanders back in to leave a large box of tissues >
  • <takes tissues and goes off to explore the web>
  • Great stuff Trog! You've sold IMNZ to me.
  • Oh that's classy isn't it D74! image

    YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY TROGS!!! imageimageimageimage

    Fab effort. Fab report. Brilliant.

  • <brings back tissues and hangs head in shame >
  • I agree with Rio...........it does inspire and frighten me at the same time....well done againimage
  • Yay Trogs fab report, well done again. Think we were all in floods when you finished, and now again lol. image  Enjoy the rest of your holiday, see you when you get back! x
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  • Congratulations to everybody.

    Trogs - That's one down - you will be back for more.  Sounds like you had some good support but you should try it with the pirate massif behind you.

    Jaggy - had to laugh at you being scared of Debs if you didn't finish the swim, perhaps you can understand how difficult my life is now. 11 minutes in T1 is nothing - 21 minutes in T2 is a nice controlled changeover.

  • At the awards night Mike Reilly said there was a guy who spent 17 minutes in T1 and then 48 minutes in T2!

    Right, I'm off for a swim. Only 10 minutes though, none of this 3km nonsense.

  • The Stig wrote (see)

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     -  .-  /  ...-  .  .-.   -.--  /  --  ..-   -.-.   ...
    image
  • JjJj ✭✭✭

    you got a code, dear?

    [giggle]

  • OK, finally got back on T'Internet now I'm back in Jakarta...

    It's amazing reading the last few pages, I had no idea so many of you would be watching IM Dead in the middle of the night, thanks very much for your support, especially Jellybabe and Andy S & team!  It was a great race - the organisers bragged that 96.5% of competitors finished, well the Pirates did better, 100% of us finished!

    Since Fat Buddha, Captain Candy and Bouncing Barley weren't there to officiate at the post-race breakfast, I took it on myself to dish out the points:

    Jaggy - gets 2 pirate points for his second finish, would have got a bonus point for such a Piratey swim but I reckoned he should be penalised for not racing in the black & yellow so he is an able Seaman

    Ally - gets 3 pirate points for her third finish, deserves an extra one for her sterling work advertising the race on behalf of the NZ tourist board but has extra point deducted for coming up with a really weak excuse not to do an IM anywhere else, so she is a Junior Pirate

    and of course

    Trogs - 1 pirate point, YOU ARE AN IRONMAN as well as a Scurvy Dog!

    I modestly awarded myself another parrot for my 10th IM finish even though only two have been in full Pirate colours (it took me a while to knit my race kit).  If anyone wants my parrot back they can jolly well come to Indonesia to get it, or better still race me for it at IM China in April...

    Finally, IM NZ is a great race, second only to IM Oz in Port Macquarie in my estimation.  There, that should wind up Ally if she is still reading this!

  • 10 IM ?? Aanders I had no idea!!   well done you  image
  • Well, I've only done that many because I can't think of another way to spend a good day out and then eat & drink as much as I want for a week!
  • Finally got round to uploading some photos of the race and some last-minute training at Waiau Waterworks:

    http://picasaweb.google.com/aandersng/IMNZ2009

  • Home - great to meet you Trog, Ally and Aanders....

    A fantastic adventure......

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