Alice's Day at Yeppoon

Friday night preparation

Dinner at Café Sydney with Stephen’s work colleagues – I didn’t want to miss out on the yummy food so I couldn’t resist going to the Mail Plus mid-year Christmas party – it was amazing, in the private room with a view of the harbour. I had oysters, champagne (French of course, actually pink moet), pasta and then dessert.

I did have some self-control and departed early at about 10.30 and was home in bed asleep by 11 because I had to be up at 5 am to catch the flight to Rockhampton (via Brisbane) We landed in Brisbane and there was an announcement asking all those who had bikes on the flight to Rockhampton to go to the service desk.

Immediately, I started to stress - thinking the worst possible scenario – ``They won’t be able to take my bike, I won’t be able to race.’’ Anyway we all went to the service desk and they explained that they wouldn’t be able to fit any of our bikes on and they would have to go on a later flight and we wouldn’t get them until 5 pm. It wasn’t too bad, but it meant that I would have to test my bike in the dark after putting it together – a little bit stressful but at least I would still be able to race.

We boarded the plane and I was watching the baggage handlers outside the window trying to load all our bikes and I could see mine – I was thinking “pick mine, pick mine”. We were waiting a long time and it was worth it because they eventually managed to get all the bikes on – thank god! (One less stress for the race)

Yeppoon

We arrived at Yeppoon and it was freezing – couldn’t believe it as Iast year it was quite warm. I didn’t bring anything warm for the race, so I was going to buy some explorer socks – (cut the ends out of them and use them for arm warmers and then throw them out during the race) I found out the forecast was supposed to be a bit warmer so I didn’t bother.

I checked in at the resort put my bike together – everything was ok, and my bike survived another trip in the bike bag. Tony, Gina and I went for our 10 minute ride and I checked everything was tightened on my bike. My legs felt great – nice and fresh which is always good especially coming in to a half ironman. Then I did my 10 minute run (as per my prog – the usual before a race) and as for the 10 minute swim; I decided it was too cold so I didn’t bother!

Picked up my race kit, then off to dinner with STG – we ate the most amazing pasta (thanks to Therese, Sarah and Vinnie (home-cooked & freshly made Italian sauces), ice-cream for dessert - it was really yummy.

Race morning

I woke up at 5 am to eat my 800 calories. I had one bar, a couple of pieces of toast with honey and butter and then a 750 ml of e-source – certainly not my idea of a nice breakfast but it had to be done.

Then off to check my bike in and get my race numbers written onto my arms and legs - certainly not the most flattering look but it’s all part of racing. I made sure I put on plenty of sunscreen because there is nothing worse than race numbers tanned into your arms and legs.

I racked my bike and tried to work out a land mark to remember where it was – (“in between the palm trees opposite the ‘4RO” sign”), pumped up my tyres to 150 psi, filled up my aero bottle with e-source, filled up my bento box with some gels (raspberry rush, blackberry, 1 x caffeine) and a couple of salt tablets – I couldn’t wait to eat it all! Clicked my shoes onto my bike, made sure it was in the right gear, put my runners and my 6 caffeine gels on my towel – all laid out neatly and ready for racing.

My bike was right next to Tony again – like Ironman we were together as well (not sure why but it was quite good because he is great to have around in race preparation & its good to have someone else there just to double check on everything) Somewhere in the above was the dreaded toilet stop. OK – now I am nervous & have butterflies in my tummy!

Walk to the swim start

Now with everything ready, I put my wetsuit on and began what seemed to be a long walk to the swim start, and it was quite cold. I was looking out towards the buoys which kept blowing over, the water was really choppy and it was windy – it didn’t look too pleasant out there and it wasn’t.

I lined up with all the other female competitors except for the open division, the starter went off and so I sprinted into the water (as it was a beach start) and started to swim in the horrendous waves – I remember at the race start they said once you get around the 1st buoy it will be better – but it wasn’t any better and then I couldn’t see anymore buoys, so I just followed the caps in front of me and tried to see where I was going - which you could only do when you were at the top of the wave – anyway still no buoys. Finally I saw one and I think it was about 25 minutes into the swim and then it was only about 300 m until the turn into shore – thank god.

I swallowed lots of salt water which I thought wouldn’t be too bad for me (maybe one less salt tablet on the bike) Onto the beach and I looked at my time and it was 33.?? (shit – that’s slower than last year) oh well nothing I can do now, but try to run fast up the sandy beach to transition, straight to my bike (opposite the 4RO sign), I saw Gina in transition and we said a quick (Go Gina & she replied Go Alice).

Onto my bike to start 5 x 18 km loops. I had planned to do 33 minutes laps but I forgot to press the lap button on my watch so I just used average speed. I felt pretty good, and had my 3 x gels per hour and litre of fluid. The 1st lap I was pretty much on my own and then I this guy came along (Doug (no. 97) was his name as we introduced ourselves) and then I kind of worked with him for awhile (legally of course) and then Gina came along for the next 2 laps and we kind of all worked together – except Gina took off on the last lap and I tried to go with her, but my heart rate went into E3. (I could hear john’s words in my ear – “Alice, you’ve got to listen – don’t smash yourself on the bike – you won’t be able to run”)

I just stuck in my heart rates and finished the last lap and then into transition again – put on my socks and runners, picked up my caffeine gels and out for the 1st lap. Just as I ran onto the run course, Mel Ashton was coming past. So I said “Go Mel” and she said “keep going, you’re doing really well”. I thought that was nice and gave me a bit of encouragement.

My legs felt ok and I wanted to run 4:45 min/km, so I thought I was doing ok. The course was marked out really well so I knew when to eat my gels (i.e. every 3 km). I finished my lap in 34:50, and then the next lap I felt like I was going faster but I wasn’t because it was 36:10 (although at one stage I looked at my heart rate and it was 185 because I could hear someone coming and I thought it was a girl – it was just another guy over–taking me!), and now onto the last lap which I thought – thank god, only one more gel.

My legs were quite tired now and it was hot – I was trying to make my legs go faster but they just wouldn’t. Just 2 km left - I wanted to break 5:10 – but it wasn’t meant to be. I crossed the finish line in 5:12:46.

I was pretty happy because I beat last year’s time but only by 2 minutes. I had no idea that I had won my age group! Dingo was waiting at the finish and said that apparently this year’s times were slower than last year – so that made me feel a bit better. Then, I dived straight into the resort pool which was really quite cold but good for recovery - a great way to finish a half ironman.

Presentation

After the race I went to the STG BBQ in Yeppoon – a few beers and some home made beef burgers. I wasn’t even going to go to presentation, and then there were a few STGers wanting a spot for Ironman Port Macquarie so I decided to go.

The results were pinned up in the hall and I went to check them and looked at the 30-34 female and saw that I had won – I couldn’t believe it; I thought it must have been a mistake, so I looked again. I was pretty emotional and almost had a few tears. I think I was pretty lucky to win as looking at the results it was the least competitive on the day. Well, now I have my 1st triathlon trophy – and it’s going straight to the “pool room”.

Celebration dinner

Stephen was very proud and took me out to dinner at Hugos at Bondi to celebrate – some more champagne (French of course), lamb for main and this amazing “Butterscotch Soufflé” for dessert. Soooooo yummy. Hugos gave us a couple of glasses of dessert wine to go with the Soufflé – they were on the house for winning my age group. I guess the trophy is partly his as well for putting up with all my training & everything else that goes with training for Ironman.


(EDITOR’S NOTE: HEY YOU WON. YOU TRAINED HARD AND RACED HARD. YOU WERE THE BEST ON THE DAY. IT’S OKAY TO CELEBRATE. TAKE ALL THAT JOY AND PUT IT TO USE AT NEWCASTLE!!)