Hey all.......
I don't normally make it a habit of writing out race reports and publicising my turmoil or accomplishments , but after having done a quick search , there is a bit of a vacuum on this race and new course. So grab a cold one and read on.......
I had built up a solid base and decent amount of training ,on top of great guidance and coaching . I was prepared to put in a solid effort. My training ,effectively got going 12 months prior ,after having slowed training substantially, following Kona 05".
November to February in Singapore ( where I live ), was the wettest on record since 1870...something.
This should have been an indication that weather patterns in the region had changed a fair amount ( as it had elsewhere in the world ). Needless to say , although the majority of training was done in heavy rain , all of my training was executed to the "T" . and occasionally topped 25hrs a week.
Race week , my family arrived from Canada and Singapore , to join my ever supportive-wife and I , who had arrived on the Tuesday, prior to Saturdays race.
Race morning , all was well and at 04.15 , I loaded in some bananas and Oatmeal , coffee , juice , vitamins and an Endurolyte ,to ensure I got offf on the right foot.
Headed down to the jetty ,where the transition and swim start, for the out and back 1.9km swim was located.
Sipped on my INFINITT with a broken capsule of Endurolyte inside and waited for the gun to go off , whilst warming up in the water. Said goodbye to my wife and mother who were making sure that I wasn't going to get burnt to a crisp out there.
Uneventful swim really , although it was pretty damn dark when the gun went off !
35 mins split at the turnaround ( which is pretty fast for me ) and I headed back , which seemed to take forever , although I felt fine and stroke was still together. As I stumbled onto the jetty I hit -split- on my Polar and got a 1.24... swim time !
Great for me btw , but considering 35mins at the turnaround , I was expecting 1.12 to 1.18 really.
Got through transition , with some speedy help from some great volounteers , hopped on my beast and off we go ! 3km into the bike we are met with 2 ,10 degree climbs with the first being roughly 400m and the next 300m. Although I ride a pretty high-end bike and have never once encountered a single problem with handling , I hit a wicked speed-wobble at about 65km/hr on the way down the initial hill. The front wheel started shaking so badly , it shook my gel bottle attached to the top-bar ( with fresh new velcro I may add ) right off.
I have no idea ,until today , how I kept it under control. A marshall was coincidentally coming down the hill behind me and slowed as I was crawling up the next incline and asked me what happened. I didn't know what was wrong, so I stopped at the top of the next hill and did a thorough check of the wheel , tire , headset , forks ....the works.
I could not diagnose anything, so continued , vowing to take it slow down this hilly course at all time-costs. I would rather finish a bit slower than via ambulance.
The rest of the bike was uneventful really.The bike course was open to traffic on both sides of the road and the locals were ,from my vantage point ,cautious and supportive.
This is a new course from previous years , 3 loops of some climbs that got me into my small cog , which I virtually never use ( more out of stupidity than bravado ) each time around. I saw my family at the 90km point where my wife had driven out to give me support , with Canadian flags and signs and my brother ( who is a semi-pro photographer , pro if he didn't already have a career in finance ) with his enormous zoom lenses and camera paraphanelia.
{He knocked out roughly 2300pics on the day , which make a lot of the website professional ones look average. Should anybody want theirs drop me a PM with race number and basic attire and I'll put you in touch.} They had made some exceptionally encouraging and comedic signs to let me know that I wasn't alone out there. This really lifted me up for the next 20 km's.
As I approached 110km I started to feel some deep cramping in my right adductor and inner quad. I have lived and trained in this climate for 14 years and have never cramped in training , let alone in racing. Although all of my INFINITT and Endurolyte solution which included roughly 6 electrolytes per hour was tried and tested in training , I realised...this boy is in trouble.
Apparently a couple SRM's of fellow competitors , registered 42C on the bike course. It was hot as hell , but nothing unfamiliar to me. I reached into the back of my racing jersey , where I had 2 Fuel-Belt bottles , which each contained : 80% INFINITT , 12 Endurolytes and hot water ( at time of mixing ). I squirted half of this tasty, yet effective mixture straight into my mouth, to hopefully lubricate my dehydrated muscles.
The gut doesn't appreciate absorbing this type of concentrate ,at these temperatures....but I knew I was on the verge of muscle lock-up ,and it was either this and probable gut problems later , or risking total seizing up at the present time.
I monitored my condition very closely for the next 60-70km's and managed to hold a decent pace , not pushing the hills any more than necessary ( riding as efficiently as I knew how to ) Due to the front wheel problems/instability ,trying to stay below 45-50km/hrand unfortunately holding the brakes on those great decents and giving up some free/easy minutes.
Cruised into town with a 6.02 bike split .......not what I had anticipated , but minus road rash and still walking.
Got into the T2 tent , which was like a sauna , whilst the rest of the guys in there were not looking any better for their efforts neither , it was occupied by about 15 guys of which 5 were appearing to contemplate whether to carry on or not.
I was feeling very bloated , nauseous and disorientated but with the help of supporters managed to get on my way.
The run would probably take too long to summarise and bore you people senseless so I 'll attempt to keep it short.
A 10km out and back ,which , with fully, well stocked hydration/aid stops ( lots of available ice for WHATEVER use you chose ) , electrolyte drink , gassed coke , water , bananas , oranges...located every 1km.
The run course was open to vehicles and offered very little if any shade. I had bad digestion and absorption problems and the first 25km's was walk hydrate with electrolytes ,run , shuffle and vomit...repeat. The locals got pretty quickly used to the image of tanned , ripped triathletes of all races and sizes , openly vomiting everywhere. I tried my best to keep it discreet.
My family had stopped and found side roads to see me ,at 3 separate points on the out and back. I was very frustrated that I couldn't access my running legs as they were in the best shape I have ever had them in . I opted for the run , walk , hydrate , vomit for 2.5 hours as opposed to walk and hope for the best for 60mins. They helped me keep running, as the least I could do was hold up my end of ther bargain and provide them with a semi-decent result.
I took my split at 21km...2.40... !
I slowly started to settle down and chippped away the balance, in 2.12 for a 4.52 final shuffle split
I crossed the finish in 12.31.xx , 28th out of 85 in my 40-44 bracket ( there were 102 starters ), way out of contention , but happy to finish.
No records or PR's but a lot of lessons learned.
Ride safe :)
Terry
"You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream" - Les Brown
"Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment" - Jim Rohn
I don't normally make it a habit of writing out race reports and publicising my turmoil or accomplishments , but after having done a quick search , there is a bit of a vacuum on this race and new course. So grab a cold one and read on.......
I had built up a solid base and decent amount of training ,on top of great guidance and coaching . I was prepared to put in a solid effort. My training ,effectively got going 12 months prior ,after having slowed training substantially, following Kona 05".
November to February in Singapore ( where I live ), was the wettest on record since 1870...something.
This should have been an indication that weather patterns in the region had changed a fair amount ( as it had elsewhere in the world ). Needless to say , although the majority of training was done in heavy rain , all of my training was executed to the "T" . and occasionally topped 25hrs a week.
Race week , my family arrived from Canada and Singapore , to join my ever supportive-wife and I , who had arrived on the Tuesday, prior to Saturdays race.
Race morning , all was well and at 04.15 , I loaded in some bananas and Oatmeal , coffee , juice , vitamins and an Endurolyte ,to ensure I got offf on the right foot.
Headed down to the jetty ,where the transition and swim start, for the out and back 1.9km swim was located.
Sipped on my INFINITT with a broken capsule of Endurolyte inside and waited for the gun to go off , whilst warming up in the water. Said goodbye to my wife and mother who were making sure that I wasn't going to get burnt to a crisp out there.
Uneventful swim really , although it was pretty damn dark when the gun went off !
35 mins split at the turnaround ( which is pretty fast for me ) and I headed back , which seemed to take forever , although I felt fine and stroke was still together. As I stumbled onto the jetty I hit -split- on my Polar and got a 1.24... swim time !
Great for me btw , but considering 35mins at the turnaround , I was expecting 1.12 to 1.18 really.
Got through transition , with some speedy help from some great volounteers , hopped on my beast and off we go ! 3km into the bike we are met with 2 ,10 degree climbs with the first being roughly 400m and the next 300m. Although I ride a pretty high-end bike and have never once encountered a single problem with handling , I hit a wicked speed-wobble at about 65km/hr on the way down the initial hill. The front wheel started shaking so badly , it shook my gel bottle attached to the top-bar ( with fresh new velcro I may add ) right off.
I have no idea ,until today , how I kept it under control. A marshall was coincidentally coming down the hill behind me and slowed as I was crawling up the next incline and asked me what happened. I didn't know what was wrong, so I stopped at the top of the next hill and did a thorough check of the wheel , tire , headset , forks ....the works.
I could not diagnose anything, so continued , vowing to take it slow down this hilly course at all time-costs. I would rather finish a bit slower than via ambulance.
The rest of the bike was uneventful really.The bike course was open to traffic on both sides of the road and the locals were ,from my vantage point ,cautious and supportive.
This is a new course from previous years , 3 loops of some climbs that got me into my small cog , which I virtually never use ( more out of stupidity than bravado ) each time around. I saw my family at the 90km point where my wife had driven out to give me support , with Canadian flags and signs and my brother ( who is a semi-pro photographer , pro if he didn't already have a career in finance ) with his enormous zoom lenses and camera paraphanelia.
{He knocked out roughly 2300pics on the day , which make a lot of the website professional ones look average. Should anybody want theirs drop me a PM with race number and basic attire and I'll put you in touch.} They had made some exceptionally encouraging and comedic signs to let me know that I wasn't alone out there. This really lifted me up for the next 20 km's.
As I approached 110km I started to feel some deep cramping in my right adductor and inner quad. I have lived and trained in this climate for 14 years and have never cramped in training , let alone in racing. Although all of my INFINITT and Endurolyte solution which included roughly 6 electrolytes per hour was tried and tested in training , I realised...this boy is in trouble.
Apparently a couple SRM's of fellow competitors , registered 42C on the bike course. It was hot as hell , but nothing unfamiliar to me. I reached into the back of my racing jersey , where I had 2 Fuel-Belt bottles , which each contained : 80% INFINITT , 12 Endurolytes and hot water ( at time of mixing ). I squirted half of this tasty, yet effective mixture straight into my mouth, to hopefully lubricate my dehydrated muscles.
The gut doesn't appreciate absorbing this type of concentrate ,at these temperatures....but I knew I was on the verge of muscle lock-up ,and it was either this and probable gut problems later , or risking total seizing up at the present time.
I monitored my condition very closely for the next 60-70km's and managed to hold a decent pace , not pushing the hills any more than necessary ( riding as efficiently as I knew how to ) Due to the front wheel problems/instability ,trying to stay below 45-50km/hrand unfortunately holding the brakes on those great decents and giving up some free/easy minutes.
Cruised into town with a 6.02 bike split .......not what I had anticipated , but minus road rash and still walking.
Got into the T2 tent , which was like a sauna , whilst the rest of the guys in there were not looking any better for their efforts neither , it was occupied by about 15 guys of which 5 were appearing to contemplate whether to carry on or not.
I was feeling very bloated , nauseous and disorientated but with the help of supporters managed to get on my way.
The run would probably take too long to summarise and bore you people senseless so I 'll attempt to keep it short.
A 10km out and back ,which , with fully, well stocked hydration/aid stops ( lots of available ice for WHATEVER use you chose ) , electrolyte drink , gassed coke , water , bananas , oranges...located every 1km.
The run course was open to vehicles and offered very little if any shade. I had bad digestion and absorption problems and the first 25km's was walk hydrate with electrolytes ,run , shuffle and vomit...repeat. The locals got pretty quickly used to the image of tanned , ripped triathletes of all races and sizes , openly vomiting everywhere. I tried my best to keep it discreet.
My family had stopped and found side roads to see me ,at 3 separate points on the out and back. I was very frustrated that I couldn't access my running legs as they were in the best shape I have ever had them in . I opted for the run , walk , hydrate , vomit for 2.5 hours as opposed to walk and hope for the best for 60mins. They helped me keep running, as the least I could do was hold up my end of ther bargain and provide them with a semi-decent result.
I took my split at 21km...2.40... !
I slowly started to settle down and chippped away the balance, in 2.12 for a 4.52 final shuffle split
I crossed the finish in 12.31.xx , 28th out of 85 in my 40-44 bracket ( there were 102 starters ), way out of contention , but happy to finish.
No records or PR's but a lot of lessons learned.
Ride safe :)
Terry
"You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream" - Les Brown
"Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment" - Jim Rohn