The run started with no real hurry!! The plan was to go out for the 1st 14km at a pace that was below the about 140/145bpm this lap was also about getting into a good rhythm. The run course initially went out along Park St then onto Settlement Point Rd, this was the flattest section of the run course and it was about 3.5km to the turn then it was back along the same course to the transition precinct. Throughout this 7km the pace was about 5.30min/km. The 2nd half of the lap was the hilly section of the course but I relished the challenge of the hills and was able to maintain the 5.30min/km pace to complete the 1st lap in 1hr16min.
In hindsight I probably should have tried to drop the pace back a touch because on the 2nd lap it was time to dig real deep…I was hurting…the legs just seem to lose their speed they were just struggling!! The rhythm just disappeared!! I particularly struggled in the section of the run course along Settlement Point Rd out and back! The average pace for the distance from 14-21km dropped back to 7:00min/km. There were times where I wasn’t interested in the time side of things but it was just about finishing…I didn’t care what time I did…but I dug deep and knowing that I was running back towards the crowd and the fabulous BTS supporters this gave me added drive and motivation to push through the pain and refocus on the goals and strategy. I changed my strategy a little in that I walked through the aid stations to hydrate and eat…it gave me an opportunity to recover a little (usually this was about 50m)
The hydration was working well…however, I was utilising the aid stations for the nutrition side of things rather than the supplies I had on the fuel belt…this was working out okay…in fact the fuel belt was becoming somewhat annoying…it was sliding all over the place.
Out on the second half of the 2nd lap I drew comfort from the hills and used them as a form of motivation….setting a goal that I would not stop running up any of the hills…using the white posts on the side of the road as a form of distance markers for goals (focussing on one at a time) to get me up the hills…particularly the hill up beside Port Macquarie Park (the cricket oval) The pace for this part of the course improved to around to 6:00min/km.
The messages on the roads and pathways were also a great source of motivation and it drove me to continue my quest to achieve the challenge!
At the southern turn around point which was about the 24.5km mark I began to use the cola as a form of hydration to give me that ‘pep up’ to keep the legs turning over. From this point on at every aid station I would have cola and ice (all I needed was the bourbon) it kept me on a high to continue to push through the pain. The average pace for the second lap was 6:32min/km and completed it in a time of 1hr31min.
At the special needs station I got rid of the fuel belt and just carried a bottle of cola I had in the special needs bag.
On the 3rd lap I was feeling good…the legs were moving again and the speed was coming back into them…the cola really did help out…
As I passed the BTS supporters I was feeling fantastic….Mark ran beside me and asked…how I was feeling?….I answered….going good!!!
The average pace for the 3rd lap was 5.49min/km and I was passing people that had passed me during my time of pain and anguish…it was motivating…and I was moving…UNBELIEVABLE!! Completed the 3rd lap it in a time of 1hr23min.
At the Buller Rd bridge I could see the lights of the finish…the emotions were running….the blood, sweat and tears of all those training hours were about to come to a climax…to achieve the challenge of completing my first Ironman Triathlon…I crossed the carpark near the Sea rescue headquarters and the emotions were really flowing…I had done it…I passed the BTS guys again….WOW…the finishing chute got closer…very close…before I knew it I was running up the finishing chute…giving people high 5’s and putting my arms in the air….the finishing time clock was getting closer…I was there I had crossed the finish to hear…….Tim Osborne you are an IRONMAN!!!
Received my medal and my towel….wow….the feeling of finishing an Ironman was very overwhelming!
I had achieved the challenge…………………………………………….
My overall time was…..11 hours 22 min 46sec
My thanks would have to firstly go to Karen my fabulous wife who supported me throughout many..many..hours of training. To Mark my coach….a great coach and friend who pushed me mentally and physically to be able to achieve this challenge. Finally to all those friends and family who supported me leading up to and on the day of the race…thanks HEAPS! (Mum, Dad, Mark, Muffy, Suzanne, Craig, Emma, Paul, Vanessa, Kaye, Robert, Jeff, Brad thanks for travelling all the way down from Brissie to support me)
What a brilliant race report! Fantastic read and really put me there in the action.
ReplyDelete'Congratulations' and 'well done' don't really seem like enough but I'll say them anyway. Your drive and determination is very inspirational.