Gold Coast Half Ironman (Coomera) Race Report
Mark earlier on in the week gave me some advice that I here to RACE not just finish...something that I have used as a motivational tool leading into this race.
The day started at 3.05am. The first this on the agenda this morning was breakfast: 3 pancakes with maple syrup, banana and a bottle of Staminaid. Before I left this morning I wrote my goal time on my hand, this was based on the qualifying time for this years Australian Ironman for my age group.
Finished packing the car and headed off at 3:45am hoping to get a close park. The motivational music was blasting all the way down. After a good trip down, went in search for a close park...it was not to be! I really need to ration what I take to these races, I feel like a pack horse.
Walked down to the race precinct, dropped the unnecessary gear of at the BTS tent then made my way to the transition. (5.00am) Set up all the necessaries. For today's race had four water bottle cages available (3 cages & 1 aerobottle) 1 bottle and the aero bottle had Sports drink and the other 2 had water. Today I also used a Bento Box with all the nutritional requirements for the bike leg (3 gels and 2 powerbars). The Trek E9 (affectionately called Fast Eddie) was prepared and ready for the race.
Went back to the BTS tent and went for a warm up with a couple of other squad members and put on my wetsuit. I wore my race number under the wetsuit. Off to the start. Things were running a little late this morning as transition closed a little later than anticipated. Once the quaterman competitors started we were the 3rd wave off. The water was a good wetsuit temperature (comfortable). Before the start did a bit of a warm up (about 200m) The 35-39 age group was a particularly large field. At approximately 6.30am the hooter went off and it was RACE ON!!
Over the first 200-300m the was a fair bit of 'jocking for position' and it does get fairly physical. I took a number of hits to the body and one ankle to the face which has left its mark. I have a bit of swelling but other than that I got through it unscathed. You do get as much as you give in these types of starts, there were a couple of guys that I basically swam right over the top. Once everyone found some clear water it was down to business, getting into a rhythm. Throughout the race I was saying to myself, relax, stroke form, high elbows and catch at hand entry. This was really beneficial and was the main reason (apart from all the training) that assisted me in having a great swim. The other thing that I used to perfection for the first time in a race was my newly developed skill of bilateral breathing...MARVELLOUS!! Its not just the start where there is a bit of "argy bargy" arrived at the exit ramp and reached out for the railing and another guy reached in front of me and basically pushed me back into the water. Well I thought, right, I was here first so I'm getting out before him, so with some 'gentle' persuasion I got on the ramp first. :-) Through all this I began to cramp...GREAT!!
Time Check:
2007 Swim: 31:44
2006 Swim: 37:01
I was wrapped with the swim and felt so comfortable. Getting out of the water I didn't feel fatigued at all.
Into transition...off with the wetsuit..with relative ease I must say! Socks on, shoes on, glasses on, helmet on and off. There was no repeat of last years 'stroll in transition' All up probably in transition for a little under 3 minutes.
Out to the mounting zone and I was off! Initially the plan was to work at a comfortable speed and a cadence of around 90-95 in the small ring. This was maintained until about the 5km mark.
At the top of Coleman Drive I realised that I didn't reset my bike computer from the brick session yesterday...darn.
After the 5km mark it was into the large ring and again still trying to maintain a cadence of 85-95.
The first lap was a great ride (if I do say so) not a lot of wind to speak of and completed the 1st lap (45km) in about 1hr13min. On the second lap there was a bit of a head wind going out to the turn around but of course there was a bit of a tail wind coming back. The following are some strategies that I used throughout the bike leg (good and bad):
- Aero bottle worked well, probably need to look at ways of filling it up on the go.
- Hydration worked well as a whole.
- Set a 15min timer alarm on my watch to go off to remind me to hydrate.
- Flashpoint race wheels were a great success.
- Taking in nutrition every 20km (gels and powerbars..little bits)...probably needs a little refining!
- The rear cage set up work extremely well. I found it easy to get the bottle in and out whilst in the aero position.
- 'On the move' stretching of the legs and neck worked well. Getting out of the saddle to climb the occasional hill also assisted in this stretching. There was no lower neck/shoulder soreness that I had been suffering from previously in longer training rides.
Just about everything on the bike leg worked to plan!
Time Check: (these do not include transition times)
2007 Bike: 2hr 29min
2006 Bike: 3hr 17min
Wooooohoooooo what a leg....what an improvement!!
Back into transition....after a very ungraceful dismount which included taking out the dismount sigh!!
Again no mucking around! Helmet off, Hat on, Cycle shoes off, Running shoes on, Fuel belt on. Then I was out of there!!
The run started at approximately 9:38am...so it was warming up! Initially the strategy was to just get my running legs and again I went out a little too quick for the first 2 km. (Even with heart break hill just out of transition) The metal games were becoming a integral part of this run! The arch enemy was at work early in the run! My legs began to feel really flat and I just couldn't get into a rhythm. At about the 5-6km mark I began to suffer from a little stomach cramp which I think was brought on by not having enough water with a powerbar snack late in the bike leg. I decided that I needed to let thing settle a little and went without hydration/nutrition for the next 5km to see if it would settle. It did, slightly. I went round the first lap in about 58min....hmmmm not looking good! The support from other squad member and Mark was brilliant! I particularly appreciated the Techniques and Quotes develop in Port this year (thanks Muffy and Cath) On the second lap I was craving cold water/ice, the heat was getting up there and I was feeling it! The pace on the second lap averaged out around the 6.00min. The following are some strategies that I used throughout the run leg(good and bad):
- Need to rethink the use of the fuel belt, cumbersome, heavy and the fluid is relatively warm after sitting in the sun in transition.
- Need more speed in my legs...particularly after the bike...something to work on?
- May have cooked myself on the bike?
Until the second lap I thought there may have been a chance of getting under 5hrs, but the fatigue put stop to that!
Time Check
2007 Run Time: 2hrs 3min
2006 Run Time: 1hr 59min
Even though I was very disappointed with the run I still was wrapped with the overall time:
2007 Overall Time: 5hrs 07min 27sec
2006 Overall Time: 6hr 02min 42sec
But what was even more pleasing is that I achieved the challenge of 5:07 that I set back at home.
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