I am writing this e mail from along side the IMSA course in Port Elizabeth, where I was racing this morning (for 3 hours)! I have previously completed 5 IM races with varying results but today I collected my first DNF.
The swim was very rough, so much so that the boats lining the course had to use their engines to hold their position thus putting a lot of diesel fumes etc into the water. It was only when we were in the changing tent that I found out that I beat Bryce (UKGearMuncher) out of the water, when he would normally be 10 minutes ahead of me! The short version is that I swallowed so much foul water that I vomited 3 times on the first loop of the bike and felt it was the best decision to finish there rather than try and hold out for another 11 or so hours hoping that it came back together. Another factor was that the wind was in our faces for the first 30kms and I found out that the amount of training I was able to do for whatever reason really was not enough, as I ran out of gears at the start of the 7k (normally) easy climb.
Curiously, I don't feel bad about it, I remarked to Bryce on a number of occasions this week that I was feeling nothing for the race. Perhaps it was just one race too many?
For those to are interested in the race Faris entered T2 less than a minute up on Ray Tissink but left after him. Since I spent an hour trying to find the right person to get my cold weather clothes out of tranistion I can't give you any more news. I am phyiscally well, just a little bloated and that acid taste in my mouth and up my nose. More later after I have cheered Bryce on and congratulated him on joining the IM Family.
Flame on re my dnf!
"How bad can it be?" - SimpleS
The swim was very rough, so much so that the boats lining the course had to use their engines to hold their position thus putting a lot of diesel fumes etc into the water. It was only when we were in the changing tent that I found out that I beat Bryce (UKGearMuncher) out of the water, when he would normally be 10 minutes ahead of me! The short version is that I swallowed so much foul water that I vomited 3 times on the first loop of the bike and felt it was the best decision to finish there rather than try and hold out for another 11 or so hours hoping that it came back together. Another factor was that the wind was in our faces for the first 30kms and I found out that the amount of training I was able to do for whatever reason really was not enough, as I ran out of gears at the start of the 7k (normally) easy climb.
Curiously, I don't feel bad about it, I remarked to Bryce on a number of occasions this week that I was feeling nothing for the race. Perhaps it was just one race too many?
For those to are interested in the race Faris entered T2 less than a minute up on Ray Tissink but left after him. Since I spent an hour trying to find the right person to get my cold weather clothes out of tranistion I can't give you any more news. I am phyiscally well, just a little bloated and that acid taste in my mouth and up my nose. More later after I have cheered Bryce on and congratulated him on joining the IM Family.
Flame on re my dnf!
"How bad can it be?" - SimpleS