IMWA - Pt 3

I headed out of T1 feeling pretty good (besides a bit of chaff) and then when I hit Geographe Bay Rd there was Mum, standing there cheering me on. So I was all smiles at that point. 3.5km later I turned onto Guerin St and there, out the front of our villa was Lisa and all the girls. It was great to see them and I felt on top of the world! This IM gig is easy! I think I blew them all kisses and cruised past. I then started my nutrition. Eat every 30 min, drink every 10. That was my regime for the next few hours. I had a plan for the bike. Easy as for the 1st hour, with an avg of 32. Then pick it up and slowly increase the avg speed to 34.9 by the end. That was the plan anyway.

Well it was fairly windy, with SE winds of between about 5 and 20 knots, depending where I was on the course. That also meant the wind was from all points of my compass depending where I was. I had to use a heap of self control to let stacks of people blow by me as I stuck to me plan. This is the single biggest time in an IM when most people blow it. I was not going to be one of them. The first 1-2 hours of an IM bike leg your legs feel great. So you go fast. Then you go slow. Then you have blown it for the run. I got to the one hour mark and picked it up. I straight away started hunting down packs and pace lines and slowly passing them. My legs did not feel great, but not bad either. I hoped they would come good in due course. I ate and drank and it got warmer.

By the 2nd lap I saw Paul & PJ near transition cheering me on and also the whole family back at the villa. Going through town with all the people clapping and cheering really does lift you a bit. Seeing people you know is even better. I was still feeling Ok but just working away at the job on hand. I started to use the aid stations as cooling stations, by tipping a bidon of water over my self. Sometimes, when they were real nice and cold it felt great as you squirted it into your helmet. I would be dry again 10km later. I lost count of what I was drinking but continued to eat as per the plan. It got warmer and I continued to pass a few people with just the very occasional person passing me. Drafting was never an issue by then, as every one was spread out pretty well. I looke d out for people I knew at each turnaround, but never saw anyone I recogniced coming back the other way. Scott's girlfriend Erin was out a the T-junction and she cheered me on. It was great to here a familiar voice way out there. It all is a bit of a blur now. It went by pretty quickly. I do remember applying some sunscreen from a sachet at some point during this lap. That worked pretty well, as I didn't really get burnt.

Then I was onto the last lap. I felt just fine and really started to reel in other competitors as they slowed down and I kept my pace going. I was flying along at times and passing some other riders, even team riders, like they were going backwards. I was pumped. The more people I passed the better I felt. It was now pretty damn hot. I saw some people stopped and actually drinking standing at aid stations. I couldn't quite finish my last Shotz bar - as solid food was too hard to get down by now. Plus I think I had probably consumed enough carbs with all the sports drink I had taken in. I kept going hard until a few km's to go, then I started spinning a bit more and stretching my hammies out. It turned out I had passed about (net) 100 people overall since my swim finish. I was 299th in the swim and after the bike about 205th. I had finished the bike in about 5:15hrs and avg'd about 34.3kmh. Not quite my plan, but it was hot and windy. I was only 5 min down. So I felt pretty happy about that.

I jumped off my bike and heard PJ and Paul yelling encouragement to me. I was kinda focused on the job and didn't actually see where they were standing exactly. But I did here them! I ran into the tent, feeling a bit stiff but Ok. The volunteer that looked after me was great. She basically covered every part of my bare skin in sunscreen as I put on fresh socks and my running shoes. It was like a mini massage! I did have one thing I wanted to do before I started running - I really needed my 1st wee for the day and pretty urgently now!!! I stopped in a port-a-loo and stood there for what seemed like ages. My bladder holds a fair bit I reckon...especially since this was 'breaking the seal' so to speak! Then it was off and onto the run.