3/21/2014-3/24/2014

I have been super busy  getting ready and then running the Melbourne Ironman and then of course recovering. Friday(3/21) I took Becki to Healesville Sanctuary to see some wild life. It was great and I got to see my first platypus in Australia. We went out to dinner on Lygon street and I spent the rest of the day getting ready for the race.

Saturday was bike drop which always takes some time. I think my friends were annoyed by needing to take the train but I think it makes things so much easier. I don't have to worry about my bike being on the outside of a car plus I can get some work done while I'm on the train. I swam at the start line, biked along the run and ran back home. I almost skipped the run but it made my stomach feel so much better. I was happy that I did it. For dinner we grilled all the food we could find.

Sunday was race day. We had a bit of a rough start with taxi problems but they all worked out. We got to the start at 6am and I had more trouble when I realised that I had forgotten my gels. It was a small problem but I worked it out. Here is the race play by play: 

My swim was strong. I felt good. My biggest issue was that I kept losing my line of sight but my training kept me swimming strong all 3.8km. 

I got out of the water and saw the clock read 1:45. I got nervous, raced through transition and got on my bike where I pushed hard and passed people. I started out doing the first stretch of the course at 36kph pace. On the way back I was in the wind and slowed to 30kph. On my way out again I was back up to 34kph and did spectacularly through the tunnel and up the hill. On the way back the wind picked up and I struggled to hold 20kph pace. I was pushing hard and would pick up speed every time I caught a break from the wind. Overall I had an average of 28kph or an hour faster than my bike last year.

I got off the bike and started running. I was having a nice run. I felt really good, like I could keep going forever. Then at 20km I needed a toilet stop and when I stopped my legs cramped up. I struggled for the next 15km as my legs didn't want to move. At one point I came across my pacing buddy who ran with me and he told me I was spot on our 4:20 pace which lifted my spirits. I kept it strong and ran through the pain and my legs felt better for the last 7km. I began to push again and had a really good finish. 

I finished the race in 12:16 which is 20 minutes faster than I was last year. This year the swim was twice the distance, I was an hour faster on the bike and I didn't lose any time on the run. All around I was pretty happy.
My race pictures all turned out really funny. I like all of them. Some I look like I'm 3 feet and about to collapse and in others I look like I'm just out for a day at the beach.

See the rest here

For next time I need to have a better nutrition plan and a better bathroom plan to keep me going. I don't know about Ironman Melbourne next year. Maybe I'll do another one instead. 

Monday was recovery day. I felt quite terrible until we went to pick up our  bikes.  I rode the 20km home and I've felt great since then. Aside from my stomach still being confused.