benbiggles
09-24-2007, 07:12 AM
Okay so the last thing I wanted after recording my first IM DNF was another DNF at my next race! However life works that way sometimes and that is what happened. Here is a little play by play account as to how:
Night before the race I ate pizza and chocolate and drank wine, they do say don't change up your routine before a race right :) . Race morning I did my usual routine, ate my oatmeal, drank my coffee and water and packed my stuff. Included some arm warmers as I had a sneaking feeling it might be a little cool and perhaps wet. Left the house early and the heavens opened, great torrential rain, not what I hoped for! I phoned Cindy (as I knew she was awake) to bitch about the weather (I am English remember) and get some reassurance from her that it would improve. It did improve and when I got to the race venue the rain had stopped. The roads were very wet but at least it was not raining.
Set up my stuff and changed to the 'elite' wave. I knew it was going to be a strong field with Roger Thompson, Ben Greenfield, Chris Blair, Adam Jensen and Joe Byers all towing the line amngst a few other good athletes. I had a chat to Roger and Ben before the race and they seemed relaxed and focused (both were preparing for Hawaii, in fact all the guys named above had qualified for Kona this year so were coming into peak form).
I did my usual run warm-up of just over 10 minutes and felt great. My running is feeling really good right now and I was hoping to post a sub 1:30 run split here (I want to thank Mike P for keeping me company at the track these past few weeks and keeping me honest in our workouts). I put my wetsuit on and headed down to the beach. The water was cool (about 60) and so I had a second swim cap on under the race cap. I did a five minute swim warm-up and then waited for the countdown. I changed my start position just before the gun and moved extreme right next to Roger and Ben. I took out the swim hard and quickly found myself leading with Roger and what looked like Chris Blair next to me. I let Roger push to the front and both Chris and I tucked in behind him. At the top buoy on lap 1 I came round Roger and led the small group that had formed behind. Some confusion at the end of the lap not knowing which was the lap 2 turn buoy caused me to loose a little time but then everyone else had to sit up so it was more a loss of rhythm than anything else. An AG'er from the wave behind came through and headed to the correct buoy and I hopped on his feet. This took me clear of my pursuers and meant I exited the water first from the elite wave and I think 2nd or 3rd overall. I passed one guy in T1 and was 2nd on the road. I was riding well and catching the lead rider who was being escorted a little too closely by the lead motorbike, he seemed erratic in his cycling style and at one stage I saw him loose focus and spend some time in the gravel at the side of the road. I caught him a couple of minutes later and moved into the lead. This was short lived as a duathlete from the GArage cycling team came screaming by me and took the lead on the road. He was not in my race so I was not concerned.
Settled into a rhythm and was riding strong. On the flat section on the Ravensdale road there was a lot of debris on the road and I was riding very wide to avoid it. I don't carry a spare tube in any race upto HIM and so have to be cautious. ANyhow despite all my efforts I hit something sharp and flatted my front tubular! DOh! I lost a lot of pressure but still had enough to ride albeit cautiously, especially on the dead turns which were scary. Held my own although I was loosing some places now, the guy who I had caught came back past me as did Adam Jensen looking strong. Next guy to pass was Ben Greenfield. The unknown guy took a tumble and he was now behind me again (the roads were very slick). I was riding well still although was compromised by my front flat. I hit the north end of the loop on the new course and had to cross some railway tracks, well this was my undoing. As I hit the tracks despite efforts to lighten the front end I heard a sickly crunch and suspected I had just written off my front 808 (yep $1000's down the drain). With no spare and no-one willing to sacrifice their spare for me I navigated back to transition and climbed off! This sucked as I was feeling great and needed a confidence boost after IMC. It was not to be. I threw my bike in the car and did not even want to look at the wheel. I changed and then headed out onto the run course to see how my friends were doing. They were shocked to see me out there but were grateful for the splits I was giving them all I think.
Anyhow not the result I was looking for however another experience and a good warm up for the relay on Sunday! It is true that you learn more about yourself through the rough patches and tough breaks lifes throws at you. I still think back to IMC (almost daily) and know I made the right decision, still it does not make it any easier to live with.
Thanks for listening to my ramblings!
Night before the race I ate pizza and chocolate and drank wine, they do say don't change up your routine before a race right :) . Race morning I did my usual routine, ate my oatmeal, drank my coffee and water and packed my stuff. Included some arm warmers as I had a sneaking feeling it might be a little cool and perhaps wet. Left the house early and the heavens opened, great torrential rain, not what I hoped for! I phoned Cindy (as I knew she was awake) to bitch about the weather (I am English remember) and get some reassurance from her that it would improve. It did improve and when I got to the race venue the rain had stopped. The roads were very wet but at least it was not raining.
Set up my stuff and changed to the 'elite' wave. I knew it was going to be a strong field with Roger Thompson, Ben Greenfield, Chris Blair, Adam Jensen and Joe Byers all towing the line amngst a few other good athletes. I had a chat to Roger and Ben before the race and they seemed relaxed and focused (both were preparing for Hawaii, in fact all the guys named above had qualified for Kona this year so were coming into peak form).
I did my usual run warm-up of just over 10 minutes and felt great. My running is feeling really good right now and I was hoping to post a sub 1:30 run split here (I want to thank Mike P for keeping me company at the track these past few weeks and keeping me honest in our workouts). I put my wetsuit on and headed down to the beach. The water was cool (about 60) and so I had a second swim cap on under the race cap. I did a five minute swim warm-up and then waited for the countdown. I changed my start position just before the gun and moved extreme right next to Roger and Ben. I took out the swim hard and quickly found myself leading with Roger and what looked like Chris Blair next to me. I let Roger push to the front and both Chris and I tucked in behind him. At the top buoy on lap 1 I came round Roger and led the small group that had formed behind. Some confusion at the end of the lap not knowing which was the lap 2 turn buoy caused me to loose a little time but then everyone else had to sit up so it was more a loss of rhythm than anything else. An AG'er from the wave behind came through and headed to the correct buoy and I hopped on his feet. This took me clear of my pursuers and meant I exited the water first from the elite wave and I think 2nd or 3rd overall. I passed one guy in T1 and was 2nd on the road. I was riding well and catching the lead rider who was being escorted a little too closely by the lead motorbike, he seemed erratic in his cycling style and at one stage I saw him loose focus and spend some time in the gravel at the side of the road. I caught him a couple of minutes later and moved into the lead. This was short lived as a duathlete from the GArage cycling team came screaming by me and took the lead on the road. He was not in my race so I was not concerned.
Settled into a rhythm and was riding strong. On the flat section on the Ravensdale road there was a lot of debris on the road and I was riding very wide to avoid it. I don't carry a spare tube in any race upto HIM and so have to be cautious. ANyhow despite all my efforts I hit something sharp and flatted my front tubular! DOh! I lost a lot of pressure but still had enough to ride albeit cautiously, especially on the dead turns which were scary. Held my own although I was loosing some places now, the guy who I had caught came back past me as did Adam Jensen looking strong. Next guy to pass was Ben Greenfield. The unknown guy took a tumble and he was now behind me again (the roads were very slick). I was riding well still although was compromised by my front flat. I hit the north end of the loop on the new course and had to cross some railway tracks, well this was my undoing. As I hit the tracks despite efforts to lighten the front end I heard a sickly crunch and suspected I had just written off my front 808 (yep $1000's down the drain). With no spare and no-one willing to sacrifice their spare for me I navigated back to transition and climbed off! This sucked as I was feeling great and needed a confidence boost after IMC. It was not to be. I threw my bike in the car and did not even want to look at the wheel. I changed and then headed out onto the run course to see how my friends were doing. They were shocked to see me out there but were grateful for the splits I was giving them all I think.
Anyhow not the result I was looking for however another experience and a good warm up for the relay on Sunday! It is true that you learn more about yourself through the rough patches and tough breaks lifes throws at you. I still think back to IMC (almost daily) and know I made the right decision, still it does not make it any easier to live with.
Thanks for listening to my ramblings!