The Animal's IM Report

Pre Race-
Walked to race start - about 2-3k which helped me loosen up
Did a 10min run with 4 x 20second builds to fast with high knee lift
Short swim in the waves to suss out how shallow it was.

Swim

I started front line and ran out into the shallow water where we had to run/dive/run/dive for the first 30m. Settled into the lead pack with one or two guys way out off the front.
Pack broke at the 800m turn can. I got into a bit of a tangle with another swimmer and backed off to let him through - I jumped onto his feet and swam behind for 40m. I looked up to check if we were still on course and ... shit... we were heading the wrong way!, bloody hell you idiot I thought - didn't this guy know how to look where he was going? I hammered past him and straightened us back up but that cost us a bit of time and the lead of the pack was about 30metres ahead - too far for me to chase when we were already going hard. I led the other stragglers around the rest of the way. The 100m soft sand run killed me halfway through the swim - and having to wade through all the shallow water and surf afterwards had most of us walking in e4! Took me a while to recover from that but eventually got going again and swam solid the rest of the way.

T1
Ran into T1 and found some idiot had lost my gear bag! It took me and three volunteers about 2mins to find it - a quick transition followed and out onto the bike still around the top twenty.

Bike

Felt great early and just went steady. Found a few who were tailing me so decided to use them a little. I led the first 20k then backed off and let them pass. I stayed legal and just used them to set the pace. - The pace was very comfortable for me - too comfortable. I was riding very conservatively but wished the other guys could ride my pace. Should I go off the front so early into the race? I led the pack a few times at a quickish pace but as we turned into the light head wind at 40k mark the guys tucked right in on my wheel and I knew they were struggling to hang in. I pushed solid for around 10k then went a bike down or two and rested for 5k. I repeated this about 3 times - it was great because I would rev us up then recover. But when not on the front the pace was just too slow and I couldn't help thinking I was wasting time and not gaining anything.

Finally we got taken by a pack who were moving quicker and I sprang up and nestled in with them. In this were most of the age group winners. It was a slighlty illegal pack - ie - we rotated great on the front but we were all around 5-6metres apart instead of the 8m the draft busters wanted. They are strict on drafting over there , and a bike came up from behind and asked me to pull over - !! Done - ok I admit I wasn't the legal distance apart - but who was? This was at the 110k mark. Needless to say by the time I had pulled over and got my lecture and slash on my number everyone was gone.

I changed to tt mode and blasted out - I wasn't going to risk disqualification so I wasn't going to slow for anyone or use anything. I was spewin ' - all that time I wasted trying to get others to work.AArghh!

Within 10k I had ridden through the pack I had been in - they were all shot. I continued solo and began catching back marker pros. I was feeling strong and was doing it mid - high e2 and was gaining confidence passing a lot of bikes especially pros who started 15min earlier and that had aero helemets and disc wheels! I was at the 140k mark and by now the wind had picked up to strong and slowed me up but I still felt great and just pushed through. Continued strong til the 170k mark where I started getting cramps. I had trouble keeping my nutrition down - and the quads were starting to twitch on me. I eased up and just threw it into the small chain ring at 170k and spun easy home. Got passed by a couple of bikes in those last few k's but didn't bother chasing them. I stretched and stretched - did everything I could to revitalize.

T2
Cruised in off the bike and into the penalty box. Welchy zapped me in and we began joking and mucking around (I had met him the day before). What a top bloke! I took my helmet off - had some water and stayed on my feet. The 4min went quick and I had a chance to calm down and control my hrate and collect myself for the run. Ran out - got the bag - nice fast change and bang I was out on to the course where Chappo was telling me I was still right up there.

Run

After the first 1k I felt magic. I knew I had a shot at having a good run so I went into my pace early. I felt great and was doing it on my ear, the pace was comfortable but - up tempo. I reeled in a few guys but everyone was really spread out and there didn't seem to be many out there to run down. After 15k the quads were going downhill after the heavy smashing they were copping on the flat hard road. I toughed it out but each mile got worse and worse. Aerobically I felt fine, but it was apparent to me that the only thing that could let me down was going to be the quads stiffening up or cramping. It was getting really hot now too - I kept throwing down the salt and drinking water and coke and gatorade. I finished the first lap and there was Welchy screaming at me - " go chris!!" - what an inspiration! Here was the one and only greg welch - cheering for me!

The second lap I was hanging in - but my legs were copping an absolute hammering! At the turn at 31k I knew I just had to put my head down and march home. Physically I was really suffering and every step I thought I was about to cramp - but I didn't. Continually flying past people on their first lap helped me mentally too. At 36k I was really hurting but the fanatical awesome crowd was pushing me home. I got passed by a couple of blokes in my age group in those last miles but there was nothing I could do about it - I had slowed up but still running moderate pace. Soon enough I was heading home inside the last mile - my second lap a lot slower than the first but really happy to finally get to the line.

Over the line and the legs instantly seized up and I felt really sick from all the salt and my stomach was in knots. I shuffled around in pain but happy with the job I had done.

Awesome race - awesome huge crowd on the run!

Goal one was to get a Hawaii slot and I was rapped to do that.

I was a little disappointed with the penalty and the T1 lost gear and everything - but with more in the tank it was a great confidence boost for me. I think I am beginning to work out the ironman distance a little more now - so fingers crossed I can keep it all going strong.


*****PHOTOS SOON*******