Pre Race:
Arrived in Taupo with parents, wife and 2.5yo son late Wed. Checked into a fab 3 bedroom apart right where the bike course heads up Napier St. This was a much more relaxed buildup than other IM’s. ITBS had diminished my run expectations and I had not put as much time in the pool so realistically wasn’t hopeful of a good time. Thurs swim indicated my Kaiman goggles (which generally serve me well but were over a year old - how often are we meant to change them?) were going to give me the shits, with left eye piece continually leaking. Bought a new pair at the expo then found they too were not sucking on well. Finally discovered if I push them in close to the nose they sealed. Sigh of relief! As with last year I was planning on racing with contacts so didn’t want water to get in and irritate/move them. No other real dramas in the lead up. Weather was being checked daily online and whilst showers were still being forecast the all important wind forecast was for ‘light’ winds from the northeast, meaning a calm lake and tail winds for bike return legs. Thurs and Friday were rather blowy and on one ride the disc/tri was getting blown about down Centennial. Weighed in about 2kg lighter than last year (76 vs 78kg).
Race Morning:
Woke at 4:30am and arrived at transition by about 6am. The first thing to go wrong this day was the Saltstick dispensers. For the first time ever the stopped gripping inside the extensions and after loading 10 of 12 pills realised they were not coming back out! (Hiccup #1) Wasted so much time trying to figure out a solution that I became a little stressed, leaving transition with the plan of figuring it out later! Oiled up the neck, adjusted the wetsuit as per Fleck’s three key points, said farewell to the folks (wife back at hotel with son) and into the water about 15mins before the official start.
Swim:
Having done quite a bit less volume in this prep (lazy) I wasn’t expecting to pull off the usual 1hr time, but certain interval sets and continuous swims in the last 2-3 weeks had me thinking I wasn’t going to be far off the pace and thought sub 62 was very plausible. As such I positioned myself about 4-5 rows back and right in the midst of it. Start the watch 1min in advance so I could forget about it and wait for the gun.
BANG - it begins… I"m immediately focussing on exhaling hard underwater to stop me from holding my breath. But it doesn’t take long before my chest feels tight and I’m in a bit of distress. This same thing happened at Taupo last year but after settling down then I still managed a 60min. Unfortunately this time, although the left eyepiece was nice and tight, the right one was now seeping (Hiccup #2) and the combination of the two had me stopping constantly to recover/adjust, of course only to be stampeded by the mass of frenzied tuna around me. It wasn’t until close to the turnaround when my breathing began to settle and some form of rhythm returned.
On the way back I began passing quite a few people, pausing occasionally to draft off some. You notice the different styles and the swimmers that annoy crap out of you … the guy that just keeps side-swiping you, no matter how much space you keep giving him … Mr One-leg stomp kick (a nice gentle kick with one foot then the other sounding like a breaching sperm whale). Anyway I was starting to ‘enjoy’ the swim a bit more, giving some waves to the divers on the bottom of the lake etc. Being more relaxed also enabled me to empty my bladder, on no less than 4 occasions, 2 being about my previous record!
Approaching the exit I was having visions of a strong second half recover and bringing it in on the hour. As I got to shore I noticed they had totally cleared out the small rocks that I scampered over last year (one less thing to worry about) and I stood up in the soft sand to glance at the official swim clock … 1hr 22mins! Fook me, after deducting the pro’s 15min head start that gave me 1:07 and change. I had considered 1:05 to be my worst case ‘acceptable’ time so this was a big shock. Great start Mikey! I was ranked about 430 out of the 1300+ that started. Score 0-1
T1:
I quickly put the swim behind me and figured I could make up some time by improving my transitions this year. Last year I feared the gloomy forecast and put on all manner of additional clothing items. This year there were to be none so my 7min + time of last year was in for some slashing. I noticed on my run along the lower road that my right eye seemed very cloudy. I figured the contact must have come loose so would need adjusting in the tent. Upon grabbing my bag off the GREAT volunteers I sat down.
I quickly found the offending contact but soon realised that even after removing it my right eye was still very blurry. No matter how hard I tried I could not get the damn contact to go back in (Hiccup #3). I really should have packed a small mirror in the bag for exactly this reason. It took no less than about 5 attempts to get it in. Picked up my sunnies to find a lense had popped out and had to find that and figure out how to put it back in (first time for this too!). Finally get to my feet and go and meet the steed. Officially it took me over 8mins this year, more than 3mins more than I figured should have been acceptable this time. Lost another 60 odd places in T1! Score 0-2
Bike:
This was about the only leg I figured may have gone ok, based on the training. Whilst I had trained on power (SRM wireless / 705) I wasn’t sure on the zero offset to be using. Thurs I had left the bike on the balcony and checked it ever 30mins over the 0800-1300 period, seeing it go from mid 660’s to around 680. Ultimately at 90rpm ‘240W’ may have actually been 230W but in any case on the Friday I had set the offset on the mid-range number of 670 (about 10:30am). Still I didn’t have a great deal of confidence in the wattage so chose to go by HR, with a general cap of 150 and the alarm sounding for 155bpm.
Out along Lake Terrace was the usual mayhem, avoiding the throng of weaker bikers who had drowned less than I had. I didn’t hear the folks anywhere and knew the wife/son would still be in the room. Up Napier St and I knew the alarm would be sounding, peaking at over 165 for the short period of time. I found myself taking note of those in my age group from the calf markings, wondering if they could see mine through the compression calf sleeves (worn under the wetty for my ‘speedy’ T1). After cresting at Centennial Drive a couple of guys came back past. One in particular looked a bit beefier (I called him ‘yellow jersey’) and was in my age group. I figured he would struggle on the run and was making the most of the bike. In any case I kept a note of his whereabouts and found myself pacing off him, from about 200m behind (amongst those we were passing), without ‘breaking the bank’.
Nutrition was to be the key for the bike. In my previous three IM’s I would lose focus after three hours and always find myself hitting flat spots around 150-160km, and getting adductor cramps for one of those. Having read Jordan’s bike nutrition from IMAZ I had decided to try EFS Liquid Shot and GU Roctane on top of the Horleys drink on offer and the Salt Stick caps. Plan was to get through (each hour) 1 Horleys bidon, 3 saltstick caps, 40% of EFS gel flask and 20% of GU flask (I had mixed two gels with water into one gel flask), giving me approx 380cal/95gm carb/1200mg Na. I’d sip three gulps of Horleys from the aero bottle every 10mins (alarm sounding), also taking 20% of the EFS flasks on the 20min and 40min of each hour with a salt cap and on the hour taking 20% of the GU flask. As the salt dispensers only had room for 12 I had emptied one cap into the three bidons I began with, so for the first three hours didn’t take a cap on the hour mark (with GU) but for the last two hours had planned to. Actually getting the nutrition into my mouth was a little tricky. I had to manually extract the dispensers from the extensions every 20mins and use both hands to rotate the bezel and deploy a cap. Whilst the GU flask was on the top tube the EFS flasks were in the jersey, which was quite tight.
Back to the action and steady progress was being made. Nutrition was going down on schedule, was managing to pee freely (at least 4 times) and was well within my HR limits. The roads were rougher than I remembered. The short section of new works rattled every bone in my body. Why the local authority cannot wait until after the race, or get the finished surface complete prior to the race, escapes me. Same thing happened last year. It only lasted for about 1-2mins each time though so no biggy. The riders were starting to sort themselves out by about the 60k mark. Saw several riders pulled over for drafting (well done officials). Usually by about this time I’ve found that the guys around you tend to stay around you for the rest of the ride. I’d occasionally catch up to ‘yellow jersey’ and then he’d pull away again. On the climb back to Centennial I started pulling away from most of the half dozen guys around me. But then I went and dropped my chain (minor hiccup, I won’t give it full Hiccup accreditation). 20 secs later I am back on the bike and making up the 200m I had just given back.
Into town and the crowds are going nuts. Such a great atmosphere is this race! Again turning up Napier St and I’m looking out for the family. Being across the road from our room, I had told them to walk half way up as the slow bike speeds and elevated viewing would give them plenty of time to firstly spot me and then to take pics etc. I spot them half way up but my son (in pram) is looking the wrong way until the last minute. Around into Invegarry Rd and go to grab the first wrist band. At the last minute the volunteer appears to flinch a bit and I miss the band. I call out for another but no one has one ready due to other riders around me. #@$% I scream, but I am damned if I am going back. I figure the timing mat splits at far turnaround will prove I did the full course. At the Private Road deviation I heard an official yelling at me with a panicked voice, no doubt thinking I was made a wrong turn and still on my way into town, rather than out of.
Heading around the back of the race course our assortment of 6 picks up about another half dozen. Same thing as last year, where I found myself in a line of about 10-12 after Private Road. I was relatively content to sit in and pace off the guys in front, but then the new comers were starting to give me the shits as they’d cut in front and I was worried about getting pinged. THis led to several burst of blasting right past up to 8 riders at a time and going off the front. Yellow jersey was also doing this and together with 2 or so others it was us doing the work. By the final far turnaround we’d managed to drop half the group so it was back to 5-6 spaced over about 100m (you’d think they’re gone but next minute they’re back etc, hence 100m). This time I managed to snare my green arm band which was a relief.
At this stage I am still feeling good. Yellow jersey appears to be fading a little as his lead pace is dropping. I’m still reluctant to break away as I am worried about blowing up so when others are at the front I settle for their pace (yes we were riding legal). Hitting the climb we pick up 1-2 others. Yellow jersey goes past someone from our age group from Japan. As I go past I see him speed up to jump on yellow’s wheel, unaware that about 4 others are going past him also. He doesn’t seem to back off (as he should) and I snarl at him to drop back. 10 seconds later he does a crowd pleaser and goes back to the front but then proceeds to slow us all down. I decide I’ve had enough of it and start applying more juice to shake him and anyone else (not doing decent work) off. Yellow jersey, having recently gone for a bidon of cola, appears to be one of these victims.
Into Spa Road and I’m rolling into town with two 10x + IMNZ finishers in 40+ age groups. Great stuff guys! I hear familar voices calling my name on the 90 degree bend into Lake Terrace and start relishing the prospect of getting off the bike. I start the Forerunner 405 (on my other wrist having put on in T1) to acquire satellites prior to T2. Dismounting I stop the Edge at 5hrs 6mins +. This has moved me up over 300 places into the 120’s.
T2:
Time for a quick transition. Last year, it took me over 4mins removing all the clothing and having a pee stop. The plan was for sub 2. Enter Hiccup #4. Go to wipe sunnies and lense pops out. Then we (the volunteer helping to clean on his shirt - great work mate!) couldn’t get the damn thing back in. What the fook is it with my transitions and this race! I end up taking just under 4mins but still ridiculously too long for this end of this field. Again I lose quite a few places here. I really should pay attention to what the fast guys are doing (or not doing!) in transition.
Run: (I use the term lightly!)
I apprehensively descend the ramp down onto Lake Terrace, fearing the ITB could flare on steeper downhill segments more than anywhere else. Onto the road and we have some rhythm, so far so good. I get my first km split of 4:25 and we’re right where we want to be. Approaching the finish marque and I see yellow jersey has past me in T2. I pass him and we tell each other ‘great riding’ etc and comment on how the temp now feels really warm/humid. Not long after dropping him I pass the back of the marque, where there are no crowds and it’s quiet. I feel the urge for a pee so escape into the bushes quickly. COming back out I again repass yellow jersey and head off down Lake Terrace out of town. The crowds are going off and I focus on my cadence. The next few km splits are going off at, or just under, 4:30 pace. At this stage I am passing quite a few runners and feeling ok, though my gut is slightly uncomfy and I’ve started farting like crazy!
Through the u-shaped local road segment (6-7km) and I catch up to a guy that has the name Jason (spectator called out both our names). I realise it’s a guy I know from back home who I didn’t get the chance to catch up with during race week. He’s in the next age group and was also aiming at a slot (missed rolldown by 1 last year). He’s managed a few 3:15 runs in recent IM’s so I figure I’m doing ok (not having ever put together the run I know lays somewhere within me!). He tells me he’s been throwing up and not able to get in his nutrition properly. He sits in behind me and through this slight uphill section our pace slows to mid 4:50’s/km. Approaching the descent to the turnaound I feel my hips fatiguing through lack of recent run training (due to ITB). Combined with gut discomfort, ITB issues, slow swim and T’s I decide I am not going to have the sub 9:40 race I believe I need and make an executive decision not to blow up the ITB for a 10hr type finish. I tell Jason I am going to back it off and wish him well. And so begins the walk of shame…
I end up walking from just before the turnaround right back to the end of lap 1 (about 10km I think). In between I see yellow jersey shuffle past, amongst numerous others, and stop to chat to the family at the hotel. My parents were there last year when I pulled the pin. That time, I did so not because I was injured, but because I was so focussed on getting a slot and nothing else mattered. I would have ended up with around 10 hrs flat (as run was not where it needed to be at the time) and I didn’t give a damn about a finishers medal and trudging around for another 2 hours in the rain. I had regretted that decision (and the DNF that came with it) and decided that this time I would put up with the ‘humiliation’ of walking through big crowds and get a finish, more so for the family than myself. Mum came out of the hotel just after I rocked up for the chat and thought I was coming inside. I told them I was going on and the look on their faces was worth the price of admission.
I kept walking the 3km back to the marque. Spectators were so great and I got into a lot of fun banter with many of them. I only started running again just before the finish chute when Gina Ferguson appeared about to ‘lap’ me for her win. I was having none of that! Around the back and I pretended to run down the shoot and make the volunteers there panic. Collected my wrist band and back down into Lake Terrace and the crowds. I was running around 4:45/km but now the ITB started flaring. I stopped to stretch it near the bike compound and gave the TFL a few whacks and massage (a ST tip!). Seemed to work ok and I kept running back to the hotel where the sight of my son waving one of those loud clappers and yelling ‘Go, daddy, go!’ was a buzz only a parent could understand. About a km later though I was worried about the ITB and again stopped to walk for a while. This time I think it was for about 7-8km and some showers came down. I started feeling a little cold but again the banter with the crowd kept the spirits up.
Having crested the ‘airport’ hill on the way back I decided to ‘hell with it’ and just start running again. I had done the math and figured some time ago that constant 8:30/km walking would get me in under 12hours. NOw though I was thinking about salvaging something from the race and thought a finish line pic with the son might be nice. Previously I’ve been against this sort of thing but then that was from the perspective of a sub 10hr mindset. I figure if you’re coming in over 11hrs and whining about someone with the family then you should have been out training harder to finish way before them! The plan was to run back to the hotel and tell them to get my son down to the finish line, walking a little to give them time. I was back pumping out 4:10-4:20/km and obviously flying past people around me. Spectators were all going ‘whoa, look at him, he’s flying’! I promptly reminded them all I was a slacker and had been walking most of the day so it was easy to do. Upon reaching the hotel no one was out front so there went that plan. I took a brief walk up the final small hill (with aid station) before again firing up for the last 3km and bringing it home strong. I felt guilty about passing all those people in those last 6-7km but then so what, I’d done the training to allow me to do so.
Entering the finish chute and the crowd are going nuts. I was a little embarrassed to get such a cheer for my efforts on the ‘run’ course but that soon past. I spotted my wife along the fence and ran over to her. She told me our son was back with my father at the hotel so there went that idea. Mike Reilly brought me over the line at just over 11:21. Close on 2 hours more than I had intially trained for (prior to injury etc) but then seeing the race from a different perspective was strangely rewarding.
I’d really love to go back and do it again but the wife is sick of me training. Unless I can consistently make her feel like a million bucks over the rest of this year!
Thanks to the people of Taupo for putting on, once more, such a great event!
MIke