It was an early start for the 1hr 45min drive to Hazelwood Pondage near Morwell on Sunday morning. Most of the Fluid Movements team went up on Saturday but we had a clash so drove up Sunday.
The race organiser provided the race briefing with everyone in the water. The sun was out and we were shielded from the wind, it was actually quite pleasant. Then with the briefing over the starter counted three, two, one, then sounded the horn. We we off!
SWIM
Around the buoy then got into my rhythm, then received a kick to the face by someone swimming across on a 45 degree angle. No problem, it wasn't a hard kick, found my rhythm again. Now we were swimming into the weather. The water was more choppy in this direction and it was harder to breath. Nothing too difficult and nothing like an ocean swim. Saw Oliver Jones swimming next to me. Recognised the white rimmed goggles that swim with me at South Yarra Sports Centre. If I could stay with him I'll have a good swim. So hung in there managing to draft of the swimmer in front. Held that position until the next turn. Then lost my draft and Ollie.
At this stage I could feel the cap starting to work its way off. In Ironman Melbourne I had my goggles kicked off multiple times so I wanted to try goggles under the cap. The theory was the cap would hold them on. The goggles were ok but the cap was filling with water and working its way off. Could have ripped it off but thought I'd see how long it would last. The cap was a thinner material than those use in Ironman events so this probably wasn't a good test. Dealing with real issues here!!!
At the completion of the first lap I had dropped off the group I was trying to hold onto. Could see them but just tried to hold a manageable pace and try not to drop too far off. It felt like I was on my own for most of the second lap. Did manage to pass another swimmer but the group in front slowly pulled away. The strange thing was my legs were feeling tired! In the swim? My hip flexors. Very odd. Of course my arms were now tired. I had clear water into the final green buoy. Where is it? I was swimming straight to it! Looked up to sight, BANG! Hit the buoy with a full frontal face press! Found it! Got around it, then it was only one more turn then I'm in.
Made it round the final buoy and started kicking the legs into shore. I was feeling tired at this point. Was thinking about the transition and how I was going to get out of the water and not stumble - kick the legs, get the blood down there. Close to the shore my hand touched the bottom. Took 3 more strokes to reduce the depth the stood up. The cap was still on, just, so ripped it off and ran up onto the shore. Cleared the water still upright, legs are working! Goggles up onto the forehead, unzipped the wettie and ripped the arms out. It was like I was the only one there. Couldn't see anyone around me. Ran into transition and to the bike.
I was 18th overall out of the water, 2nd in my category. With a time of 24:33 - 4 min behind the current race leader, the first person out of the water FM's Jenny Zenker.
Made it round the final buoy and started kicking the legs into shore. I was feeling tired at this point. Was thinking about the transition and how I was going to get out of the water and not stumble - kick the legs, get the blood down there. Close to the shore my hand touched the bottom. Took 3 more strokes to reduce the depth the stood up. The cap was still on, just, so ripped it off and ran up onto the shore. Cleared the water still upright, legs are working! Goggles up onto the forehead, unzipped the wettie and ripped the arms out. It was like I was the only one there. Couldn't see anyone around me. Ran into transition and to the bike. I was 18th overall out of the water, 2nd in my category. With a time of 24:33 - 4 min behind the current race leader, the first person out of the water FM's Jenny Zenker.
T1
In T1 I saw Peter Coombe, Jono Tucker and I think that was Oliver Jones on his way out. Wettie came off the legs ok - put on some extra lube around the ankles which worked well. Normally I'm having a wrestling match with the wettie in T1. I chose to leave the shoes off the bike and put the on in transition. 2 reasons for this. Firstly, I plan to wear socks in Hawaii so will put the shoes on in transition as I did at Melbourne. Secondly, the ground was a bit muddy and rocky. I chose no socks for a faster transition.
It was shoes on, helmet on (had to fiddle with the clip a little, felt like a long time but was only about 3 seconds extra) then I was off. Over the mount line and onto the bike with no issues, clipped in, up the hill then lift turned onto the bike course. 55 seconds for T1.
BIKE
BIKE
Ok, now to punish these swimmers!!!! That's always the plan but not always the outcome.
I was underway. The first sweeping left hander was fast. It was then down hill with a full tail wind. Speed was +50km/hr. My issue at this point was heart rate and breathing. Heart rate had skyrocketed as it always does when I first get on the bike at +90% of max. My breathing was the equivalent. Had to now try and relax myself and bring them back.
I could see Jono ahead. He had some good distance on me. After the next left hander we were hit with a cross wind and up hill battle. This did nothing to help the breathing and heart rate.
Saw Krista at this point, said g'day, what a great swim she had! I remember thinking 'why is her face all dirty?' A bit further on I had to clear the sinuses. As the wind was blowing from the left I decided the right was the better option so it wouldn't come back at me. So I covered one nostril and blew out the most mucusy mixture of bodily fluid out of my nose....and all over Johan Moylan who was passing me at that precise moment! His comment back to me as he passed - "lucky I had my visor on!" I didn't know he was there. I was in my usual frame of mind thinking I was the only one out there. Whoops! And his face is also dirty!?!? Didn't we just swim in a freshwater pond?
Johan - I didn't actually apologise properly for that. Sorry mate, reality was it was nothing more than the Pondage water :)
After making it through the next turn and corresponding head wind toward the power station, it was back onto the road toward the transition area. Here we were hit with full cross winds from the right. Johan was only just ahead of me. I remained in the area and powered on and just dealt with the sudden sideways movements from the wind as it hit. I remained close to the middle of the road and checked for cars behind to avoid the wind pushing me off the road. I passed Johan at this point as he was out of the aero. But that was short lived. He passed me once we were over the hill and pulled away. He was riding really well!
Saw Foz, couldn't hear what he yelled out with all the wind noise. I think he said "your calves look awesome when peddling into the wind." Or something like that, cannot confirm.
We passed the transition area, people yelling out as we passed. Awesome! The first of 3 laps complete.
Heart rate was still high for the second lap but breathing was no longer as labored. My original plan was to start with a lower heart rate then work it up. Now realised that wasn't going to happen and it would be quite the opposite. Just kept peddling hard, it's an Olympic distance, just gotta smash it!
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| Heart rate on the bike |
Prior to the race I wasn't certain as to wearing gloves and maybe arm warmers should be on the cards. It was cold and windy but the sun was out. Decided to do neither, the right decision. Was ok all the way and didn't take long to dry out following the swim.
On the third and final lap I passed a few more riders and lapped a few or maybe they were sprint distance riders. It was at the 30km mark that I started feeling more 'comfortable' or more in the zone. Funny about that, only 6km to go. I wasn't going to catch Jono but I saw a rider in Australian colours that I was slowly catching. Had Johan popped?
It was as we were coming into transition that I saw it was Ollie not Johan. We entered the transition almost together and came across Jono who was already there.
I had the 6th fastest bike time overall with the fastest in my category (the results said 2nd but it picked up a non-finisher in the bike leg as 1st). Time of 57:22 averaging 37.4km/hr.
T2
Helmet off, bike shoes off then runners on. Not too bad. Foz was yelling "c'mon Dale!" It was Jono exiting transition first, then Ollie, finally me chasing. 31 seconds for T2.
RUN
I was just behind Ollie at the start of the run. When we got onto the road my breathing became laboured and my legs were not too sharp. Right then I knew I would not catch Ollie, while Jono was increasing he distance between us. I just tried not to let Ollie get too far ahead but even on the initial down hill section he was getting away. Was passed by a runner that I remembered passing on the bike. He said hi as he passed, that's ok, he's in a different age group. I had a look behind me to see who else was chasing.....Nothing, no one, AWESOME!! I have some space!
The course then turned right onto a dirt road. Then it was two uphill sections. The first being steep and the second really really steep. The second really hurt. I tried to maintain form and took deep breaths. The closer I got to the top the more wind effected the run was making it really hard. Foz was at the top. He ask how I was, all I could manage was a thumbs up.
Over the hill I could recover. Ollie has stretched his lead and Jono was almost out of sight. At the bottom of the down hill section was the turn around point. Saw Red Bear heading out, I yelled out "Red Bear!" Ok, now have someone else I can try and catch. That wasn't going to happen. Right, gotta hold him! Nope, that wasn't going to happen either!
Turned the corner and hit the hills for the second lap. This one hurt. I really struggled on the second steep section. I'm just not made for hills. Really slowed down and took really deep breaths. Finally over the top, now down hill and on the home stretch. Wanted to pick up pace but struggled, took me a while to recover from that hill.
Once onto the flat section I was back in the game. Could see the finish line and closed some space between me and the young kid who passed me. One final turn and I saw Lauren, Stirling and Peter & Jan Dean cheering everyone home. Awesome - I crossed the finish line and got a big hug from Stirling.
Run time of 37:46 averaging 4:08 min/km. I was 20th overall on the run and 3rd in my category.
Total time 2:01:09 - 14th overall and 1st place in my category - MY FIRST WIN!!!!
Before the race I had a couple of 'wants':
RUN
I was just behind Ollie at the start of the run. When we got onto the road my breathing became laboured and my legs were not too sharp. Right then I knew I would not catch Ollie, while Jono was increasing he distance between us. I just tried not to let Ollie get too far ahead but even on the initial down hill section he was getting away. Was passed by a runner that I remembered passing on the bike. He said hi as he passed, that's ok, he's in a different age group. I had a look behind me to see who else was chasing.....Nothing, no one, AWESOME!! I have some space! |
| Behind Oliver Jones out of transition |
Over the hill I could recover. Ollie has stretched his lead and Jono was almost out of sight. At the bottom of the down hill section was the turn around point. Saw Red Bear heading out, I yelled out "Red Bear!" Ok, now have someone else I can try and catch. That wasn't going to happen. Right, gotta hold him! Nope, that wasn't going to happen either!
Turned the corner and hit the hills for the second lap. This one hurt. I really struggled on the second steep section. I'm just not made for hills. Really slowed down and took really deep breaths. Finally over the top, now down hill and on the home stretch. Wanted to pick up pace but struggled, took me a while to recover from that hill.
Once onto the flat section I was back in the game. Could see the finish line and closed some space between me and the young kid who passed me. One final turn and I saw Lauren, Stirling and Peter & Jan Dean cheering everyone home. Awesome - I crossed the finish line and got a big hug from Stirling.
Run time of 37:46 averaging 4:08 min/km. I was 20th overall on the run and 3rd in my category.
Total time 2:01:09 - 14th overall and 1st place in my category - MY FIRST WIN!!!!
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Wow that hurt! Not used to that intensity! Oh the pain in my glutes! |
Before the race I had a couple of 'wants':
- Beat last year's time.
- Finish under 2 hours.
- First place in my category.
Result - I beat last year's overall time and every individual discipline time in tougher conditions, didn't finish under 2hrs (1min over) but bagged first place in my category. A successful day out!
Great to get a win. Has done a lot for my confidence at this stage of training. Getting down to the home stretch.
Next race - Ironman World Championships, Kona Hawaii
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| 2013 Result |
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| Last year's result (2012) |
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| 2013 Leaderboard |
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| With Coach Sean Foster. This guy knows his stuff! Thanks mate, all's going well. |
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| Awesome! |
Great to get a win. Has done a lot for my confidence at this stage of training. Getting down to the home stretch.
Next race - Ironman World Championships, Kona Hawaii
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