This would be the first time diving off the edge of the pontoon in a race for me. When I got to the edge I decided I didn’t want to lose my goggles so I just jumped in and started swimming. The course was the usual rectangle. We had to swim further upstream against the current than the return journey with a different exit to entrance. The hydro electric power plant was supposed to be shut down to lessen the current but I could really feel it the further upstream I went. I was swimming underneath a bridge watching my progress along the cement sides thinking ‘am I actually making headway!’ I excited the swim and concentrated on finding my bike bag amongst the long pile of bags. Off on the bike now.
I had ridden the mountain two days before so I knew what was ahead. I also knew that as per usual there would be a steady stream of riders passing me who could ride better than they swim. I wish I was one of them. Anyway, up, up, up over the mountain to the top. The crowds at the top were huge and the noise and encouragement were truly amazing. Although I could hardly breathe, I couldn’t help but make the turn at the top with a massive grin on my face and the music playing was ‘I want to ride my bicycle’. It was hilarious. God bless these funny people with their great sense of humour. They really thought this out.
On through the rolling hills and down the sweeping twisty descent. I had to sit up to brake in the wind and had a dicey moment early on so I took it sensibly. I’m here to get the medal after all. And just finish the race. The remainder of the bike was pretty uneventful but stunningly beautiful. The road surface wasn’t great in places and it was a testing course. The ups seemed a lot more than the downs and it was pretty relentless.
In to town and on to the run. I wondered how this would go with no run training under my belt. It was 27 degrees and no shade. I felt alright. As much as you can do after pouring your heart out for three and half hours so far. Once again quite a few girls passed me and I just focused on putting on the effort when I could on the down sections and keeping going on the ups. And once again it was a really hilly course. I thought of my friend Simone who’d told me before the race ‘I’ve run a loop of the run and it’s pancake flat’. Well I wondered to myself ‘where the hell did she run. Cos it certainly wasn’t this course!’ So I ran up and down and up and down for the next hour and 50 mins. A girl was doing a run/ walk thing. Walking for a little bit until I caught her and when I got to her shoulder off she would belt again. This got bloody annoying because it was obvious she was using me as the marker. I decided I had to just burn her off or I would end up lamping her one. And I never saw her again. I picked a couple off before the bend and soon enough there was the magic Carpet. It was a beautiful sight. I realised I had thoroughly enjoyed my race.
As ever at the Ironman world champs there is no pressure for me. It’s just about the taking part and having done the hard work in qualifying for it, to just enjoy the experience, learn from the best and be pleased just to be in amongst them on such a special occasion.
The sun shone, the crowds cheered and as usual the Ironman circus was rolled out with perfection.
I had set myself the little task of trying to get in the top 50 but it’s like pulling a number out of a hat. With 229 in my age group I was always going to finish quite high up. To me, the number is irrelevant. I have finished my third Ironman 70.3 world champs on little more than 6 weeks training and no running. Next year it will be held in one of my favourite places on the whole world, Nelson Mandela Bay, South Africa. Of all the worlds I’ve been to, this is the one I really want to qualify for the most.
But first. I have a little dance to do on the Big Island of Kona, Hawaii in four weeks time.