3.8km Swim 180km Bike
42km Run - Temperature 98oF
Swim 1:10:13 - T1 02:57 - Bike 05:11:09 - T2 04:01 – Run 03:21:26
Total Time 9:49:46
9th 45-49 Age Group, 258th overall
I qualified to race at Kona in July at IM UK. I had not
planned to compete in Kona and so this was a relatively late stage to qualify
and decide to race on the Big Island. Once I had made the decision to go, I
felt I was in a race against time to recover and rebuild my fitness to be in
top shape for my fifth consecutive visit to the world championships. In the
days leading up to the race I was confident I had done everything I possibly
could have done to be ready to race the best athletes in the world.
I stood on Digme beach contemplating the day ahead, the
atmosphere electric as the adrenaline pumped hard, it was show time. The
announcer urged us to enter the water as
7am approached. No time to be faint hearted, onto the front line of the
swim jostling for space, no one wanting to give an inch to another competitor.
Boom, we were off. Ironman becomes a contact sport for the first 500m of the
swim, at the world championships it’s the first 1500m, exchanging blows, some
accidental, some not. After 70 minutes I exited the water, relieved not to have
conceded too much time to my fellow competitors. Now my race began.
I was swiftly through transition and out onto the bike
course, head up, sucking in the energy of the cheering crowds and feeling great
as we completed the loop in Kailua-Kona and out onto the Queen K. The first aid
station approached, always a danger as less experienced athletes wobble across
the road to grab bottles, I opted to stay wide and press on. The planned power numbers
were coming easily so I didn’t dwell on them, just stuck to my nutrition plan
and ensured I continued to safely pass athletes.
As I sped along I was constantly calculating pace and
potential finishing time so by the time I was at Hawi I was perhaps a little
too excited. I had arrived in the quickest time I had ever done, my
expectations started to grow as I made the turnaround and hit the gas downhill
back to Kawaihae clocking well over 60 kph at times. Up onto the Queen K and
only 55km to the finish but as I made the turn I ran into a wall of wind and heat.
My speed nosedived and my core temperature started to inexorably edge higher; we
were in Kona and now what makes this race unique started to unfold. I was ready
for this, I had a plan but I was starting to tire and the conditions slowly
gnawed away at my resolve. I recalculated my finish time, once, twice, over and
over as the minutes slipped through my fingers and my optimism melted away in
the heat. At last the airport approached and there was only 20k remaining then
suddenly, there was a loud crack from the front wheel and I came to a juddering
holt. I dismounted, inspected the front wheel and there, lamely hanging from
the hub was a broken spoke. I wasn’t sure if this was terminal but I slackened
off the brake to minimise the rubbing, jumped on and started to contemplate how
far I would need to nurse the bike before I was close enough to run in to the
transition zone. K by k I made progress, and as I approached Kailua once more
my spirits lifted, head up, I was back in the race and hadn’t conceded a
terminal amount of time.
I laced up my shoes and eagerly set about getting to work on
the run, this is what I enjoy most and I was going to take the course on, it
was in my hands now. I settled into a relaxed pace and with no real effort I
was running 7 minutes per mile. I took another inventory of how I felt; all was
good so kept on the pace I had fallen into. I made the turnaround on Alii Drive
and as I started back into town I made a mental note that there was good cloud
cover and conditions might favour a fast run. No sooner had I contemplated this
than the clouds cruelly melted away and the sun bore down with the full midday
intensity. I made the 10 mile mark in 70 minutes just as I hit the sharp climb
up Palani; I came to a grinding halt at the aid station close to the summit.
Within a matter of minutes my core temperature had shot up and now I was in
damage limitation mode. I had been in this situation many times in this race so
the planned routine snapped into action; ice, water, coke, ice then run to the
next aid station. The conditions sapped the spring from my legs and my pace
crashed to over 8 minutes per mile; this is where the race can break you and
what makes it special. I focussed mile by mile and made my way out to the Energy
Lab, the final turnaround and headed for home. There were some dark moments as
the conditions battered my body, my head and my heart but I took energy from
the other athletes as we urged each other on. I pressed on, concerned that if I
lost my momentum then I would come to a grinding holt out in the lava fields.
Eventually I re-entered Kailua, hobbled down Palani and rounded the final
corner into the cheering crowds lining the finishing chute on Alii Drive. Crossing
that finishing line never loses its magic; this is a very special race.
I have been lucky enough to finish this race five times now
and without doubt can attest that it is unique in every way, the course, the
location, the conditions and of course the field of athletes. I plan to be back
in 2014, in the next age group and ready to fulfil a dream.
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