Looking at my timing, I'm sure you will say that, aiyahhhh I also can pull through an Ironman lahhh. Of course you can. ;)) I scraped through the 3.9km swim in 2:07. (cut off is 2:20) The 182km bike in 7:38 (cut off for swim + bike must not exceed 10:30) and the 42km run in 5:57. (cut off for IMWA is 17 hours. For the uninitiated, it's not standard 17 hours cut off for all Ironman. Frankfurt is 15 hours. Switzerland is 16 hours. Just to name a few) Sure, the swim was choppy. But you just need to force yourself to remain calm at all cost. If you keep swallowing the seawater, then hell swallow it like drinking. Just don't choke yourself and panic and start flailing your arms about. Cos if the kayakers pull you out, that's it. End of your whole Ironman. If you puke, they can also pull you out. So swallow your own puke at all cost. If you can't see where you're going, then you have to take 2 seconds to stop and look, then continue. You won't sink. Cos you're wearing a wetsuit. You don't even need to tread water. Hell in all my open water swims during triathlons, I learnt to just hold my breath for that few seconds and I will float. Then continue swimming. Of course IMWA's swim is the longest and furthest open water swim I ever did. But I knew, as long as I make it until the U-turn point, half the battle is done and I just need to fight to get back to shore as fast as I can. The only thing I was worried about is how SUPER DUPER BLOOPER SALTY the seawater is and how thirsty I'm going to get, and how hard it is going to be for me to sustain until I finished the swim. You think I'm exaggerating? You don't understand how salty is salty?
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| THAT is how much seaweed is washed up ashore okie!!! |
Here's an actual video footage from the swim leg that morning. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0r0cKsymjI
When we first went down to the swim start that morning, the water looked calm. Not as flat as the two swim practices prior but it was relatively calm. The shots below are from the video above.
The shot above is an actual shot from that morning. As you can see the moment they blasted the horn, everyone started swimming aggressively! You can't see me. I can't point out which is me. But somewhere in the middle there. I was SERIOUSLY one of the last ones who was still standing, I really let EVERYONE go first before I went in. For the simple reason that I didn't want anyone to swim over me. You guys go first. I'll catch up later. This is Ironman. I can't afford to panic in the water. I somehow managed to stay calm despite the waters getting choppier and choppier the further we went out. But I knew. As long as I held on until the U-turn point, half the battle is done and I'M ON MY WAY HOME BABY!!!
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| The swim u-turn point. |
I kept being crushed over by the waves, so I had difficulty sighting and swimming in a straight line. Plus it didn't help that I breathe on my right and the waves are crushing in from the right. I also know I kept swimming off course as the kayakers kept coming to me and point, "Swim that way, Swim that way" And I was like...I'm trying! I'm trying! By the time I reached the U-turn point, the waves were even choppier than before already. Found my way to the other side. And thought the waves will push me back to shore. Yeah right. Apparently swimming back was equally difficult. The waves were NOT pushing me back to shore. Fat hopes. In the end, I just kicked like hell to try and finish it as soon as possible. I swam until my fingers could stroke the sand, then I stood up. Looked at my watch. 2:06. Looked behind. There still a few more swimmers behind. I'm not last. Okeh. Continue to transition. The supporters cheered and clapped for me for finishing the swim. The emcee called my name. Then I started crying abit. I was so upset that I was over 2 hours. Then the emcee said, "Oh! Tears of Joy!" I was like... are you kidding me. I'm upset here.
Coming out from the swim, I needed to go abit further to the transition area. You will run through this first before you take your bike bag, change and go out to your bike. Why the need to change? Well because I had gotten FATTER than my wetsuit, so it was SO FREAKING tight but I didn't have anymore money to splurge on a new wetsuit, so I just wore my sports bra and panty underneath, suck it up, swim and now I just need to change into my trisuit. In the changing tent below, you can change during your bike transition and your run transition.
In it was my bib, my cycling shoes, my helmet, my gloves, my tri-suit and my sunglasses. In the changing tent, there were volunteers who helped me get out of my wetsuit and put sunblock on me. I learnt that most of the volunteers are those who've completed IMWA the years before. So they know what we're going through! Thank you guys!
Got out. Went to get my bike. By then, I counted there were less than 12 bikes left. Everyone else was gone.
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| The one and only bike I have. The same one I crashed in Laguna Phuket Triathlon in. |
By the time I pushed my bike out, Dennis and Li-Ann (and Sam?) were still standing there at the transition area and cheering me on. Thank you so much!
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| Courtesy of Dennis. Thanks! |
The cycling course was super flat throughout the whole 182km. It's just the strong headwinds and crosswinds that you're subjected to as it is along the coast and it's super wide open like this.
The third U-turn point below is kinda tight cornering, if you ask me.
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| Photo courtesy of Dennis. Thank YOU! |
The whole 182km. I never stopped to pee. I never stopped to eat. I never touched my special needs bike bag. I would only slow down at the water stations and grab coke. The whole time all I did was eat 4 gels and drank coke, coke, coke. I never ate any of the bananas or cookies or jellybeans. Cos I was already so slow. By right, I should only use the disc wheels if I could maintain at least 30km/h and above. Otherwise the strong winds are going to push me back instead. And that's exactly what happened. Plus I only used one gear the WHOLE 182km. I kept pushing and pulling and pushing and pulling. By my last lap, I was fighting so hard to get back to town asap, when I was approaching town, my inner thigh muscles started to pull really painfully. But I didn't dare to stop. As I was afraid they'd cramp up so bad and I can't move. So instead I just kept spinning but slowly. Spin spin spin. Eventually they went away.
By the time I got back in transition 2, the pain was gone and I felt okay NOW I CAN PEE!!! Spent abit of time in T2 as well. Grabbed my run bag.
My run bag was relatively little compared to everyone else's. All I had inside were my Vibram Five Fingers and my cap. Yes I bought a K-Swiss at the expo. But we all learn NEVER TRY ANYTHING NEW ON RACE DAY. So... I wore my Vibrams. I never ever get blisters in my Vibrams so I better stick to it.
By the time I ran out of T2 for my final leg, the 42k run. I was just muttering, Ow Ow Ow Ow Ow Ow. Cos my toes were super duper blooper garouper numb. They were even painful. Though not as painful as the thigh muscles pull earlier. But I was in high spirits when I hit the marathon leg. Why? Cos running is mine. I may not be as fast as you. But running is mine. Between all three, running is my strongest card. And I've done four freaking 100km ultra marathons. I can do this 42k run.
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| Both Pic above and below from Dennis. Thank you! |
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| This would be a treasured pic, cos I was put in Ironmanlive.com at 15:00 hours on the page for live coverage that day. Thank you Robbie! |
I don't have much to say about the run, except that it was flat. The supporters were fantastic! They stayed until late at night to keep cheering on the last few people like me. :)) Some residents also camped outside their house and cheered for us. All the volunteers made sure we always had something to eat or drink. But those guys at the Goose. Crazy fellas! They stayed until the very last runner came in. And the atmosphere at the finishing. IT WAS SIMPLY OUT OF THIS WORLD!
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| Thanks Dennis for the pic above and below! |
FINISHED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Woohooo!!! I managed to SPRINT in as I always try to finish strong so that I can have awesome finishing photos. Those who've seen me at my finishing know that I always do this. Yes. It is baffling. Why I can still run like that at the ending but never from the start?
Post Mortem.
My swim still sucks. Why did I take 2 damn hours when everyone else is doing 1.5 hours or less. What the hell is wrong with my swim? Here.
My right hand is not high elbow-ing enough. My left is not high-elbowing at all. It's just flailing straight through. And my left hand isn't catching water. My leg sinks too much. Dragging me along. I'm not gliding at all. Well what can I expect. I'm not a water baby like the rest of you. I only learnt to swim and start swimming properly about 1.5 years ago. And since I didn't join any swim squad this whole year and train like the rest did. I basically did the whole 3.9km swim in Ironman with pure brute force.
Instead I am high elbow-ing OUT of the water.
I have a lot to fix in my swim. I'll figure it out somehow. That's what happens when you learn to swim late as an adult and you're not a natural in water.
OKIE FINE. I have to fix all three. I've gotta train alot harder in my bike too. All I can say is. With three months to go before Ironman Melbourne, time is ticking by so fast, it scares the shit outta me. And Ironman Melbourne is not gona be anywhere flat like Ironman Western Australia is. BUCK UP WOMAN!!!
