Ironman NZ Race Report - PART 2

RACE DAY

It started pretty early - up at 4am. Mix up my Hammer Perpetuem (bike food), eat breakfast, grab gear and head to the race headquarters for bodymarking at 5am. This was all done fairly quickly, filled my bike with bottles and food and I was done. It was only 5.20am and the race didn't start until 7am, so we decided that maybe it would be better to go home and put my feet up out of the hype. I was struggling to stay composed at that point. I spoke to a guy I had met on the camps and thought I was going to burst into tears, I could hardly speak, so figured it was probably a better idea to just get out of it all.

Chilling with the kids before heading to the race start

So, back home lazing around while I watched the kids and the mothers get organised and then we were back down at the start at 6.15am. By then my whole family had arrived. My Dad and his Wife, my Sister and Brother-in-law, my Aunty, Uncle, Cousins, Nephews and even my 85 year old Grandfather had got up at 4am that morning to be driven down by a friend to watch the race. I certainly was privilaged to have such a great support team with me.

The weather was forcasted to turn bad later in the day, but it was perfect at race start. No wind at all and the lake was like glass. While I was wetsuiting myself the family cameras were snapping, the athletes and there supporters were filing in from everywhere, and the tension was growing. Saying goodbye to the boys was the hardest part. I hugged them long and hard and just about cried again! Then off I went to hit the water. At that point the Maori group was performing the haka, there were crowds of people everywhere and finding the gate into the athletes area was almost impossible. The heart started pounding in my throat and the tears were welling. I was here. I was at the swim start of Ironman. I had stood on this very beach 12 months ago just knowing that I had to do it, and here I was!!!! It was an amazing feeling. Pride, passion, love, fear, anticipation and exhaustion were all mixing around in my heart! I only hoped I could get through the day in one piece.

Just before heading down to swim start - me and the merry band of family supporters

In the water I calmed down a little. I saw some friends in the water looking just as scared as me, and we had last minute hugs and well wishes. Then I had to sort out where to start. There were so many men and so few woman, I didn't want to get mixed up with the aggression of testosterone on the start line, so hung back a bit until the last minute. The lights signalling 3,2,1 minutes to go were going out. The helicopters were whirring above our heads, the canon went off with a big blast, and then the washing machine started. I just sat there waiting, listening to the cheers of the spectators, and slowly started swimming when the water cleared a little ahead. CHILLED...

Waiting for the swim start

The washing machine

I had an absolute ripper of a swim. I was expecting to exit the water in around 1:15 at an easy pace so wasn't overly fussed about pushing it. It was the start of a long day so there was no need to blow up in the swim. I just found a space for myself to swim and when I got a little close to the bouys marking the course, I just swam away from the crowd and found my space again. I tried to keep my heart rate under control. The swim conditions were perfect, the water crystal clear and a lovely temperature. When I exited after what only seemed like about 30mins, I saw 1:09 on the clock and just got so excited. I had blitzed my time. I think that is what set up the rest of my day. I was already doing great!

A very amped me on exiting the swim

It's a long run from the lake to T1, so I just steadily jogged it, mixed in with some fast walking. Lots of people lined the walkway cheering. It was awesome! The volunteers in transition were amazing. They had all your gear there, dressing you, putting stuff in pockets and getting us out the door in lightening time. In fact it was so lightening that all my merry band of supporters missed me going out on the bike as they were still walking from the swim start. Oh well, I wasn't hanging around waiting for them. CHILLED....

The bike was everything I knew it would be. Tough! Part way through the first lap the wind and rain started. The course is 2 laps and we rode into the wind for leg 1 & 3, so at least the final 45kms home was a tail wind. As the ride went on it got stronger and stronger. I just put my head down, concentrated on the road just ahead, and spun it out around 90-95rpm as best I could. Between hours 4 & 5 I got a wicked stomach cramp and had to stop eating and drinking anything but water. I was so worried this would come back to haunt me on the run, but I had to do it to prevent it getting worse. Turns out it may have been my electrolyte tablets as they were getting wet and the casing on them was dissolving. The problem was that they were releasing the "stuff" too early on the way down the food holes and causing me the cramps.

I was very pleased with my final ride time of 7:38. The time seemed to go by really quickly which was odd for me as I usual count down the kilometres. I had been expecting well in excess of 8 hours, and given the crap conditions we had, it was a pretty fantastic ride. I felt good right until the last 30kms, when I started to tire heading back through the forest to town. I could tell as I wasn't riding very fast even though I had a massive tail wind. This was progress for me, because normally 110kms and I've had enough! But, I have to say that all those horrible rides we went on in winter that turned to custard because of the weather, sure paid off on this day. I could see loads of people really really struggling with the wind! I'm glad that my mantra this year was to ride in any conditions as it sure saved my ass from being kicked!

Finally I can get off the bike

By the time the ride finished it was bucketing down with rain. My family had been there the whole time, they cheered me into T2 like I was winning the thing. I gave my bike to a very friendly volunteer and told him to do with it what he wanted, I didn't want to see it again! Into the T2 tent and I just had to sit for a minute and get my breath and gather my thoughts. At that point the day had been great. I had swam and biked like my life depended on it, and I could only hope the run would be the same. Another bunch of wonderful ladies helping us change and sending us on our way. Out of the tent and straight into an aid station. I stopped, had a drink, grabbed an orange, and had a chat to the volunteers. Abit of delay tactics really, but I got on with it in the end. CHILLED....

We had to climb over a big walkway above the road to get onto the run course. It was steep and slippery and raining, so I took this easy and started slowly running once on the other side. I felt fine! No sore bits, no niggles, just ready to run. The crowds were awesome despite the fact that it was hosing down! The run is also 2 laps, and you have to run past the finish line after about 2kms, and then again at the start of the 2nd lap. On my first run past, the womans leader was just coming behind me. Paul took the opportunity to snap a picture of me with the lead female bike! PRICELESS! Jo Lawn won and she ran past me like I was going backwards. Amazing athletisism!

Only time I'll ever be 1st Female

My aim was to run the first 10kms, see how I felt, and decide from there what my run/walk strategy would be for the rest of it. My lack of nutrition on the bike didn't seem to be bothering me in any way thank goodness. I walked through the aid stations and pretty much had just coke and oranges right from the start. The contents of my fuel belt was barely touched at the end! So much for being flexible with nutrition. I changed it completely! Not what you're meant to do, but luckily it seeemd to work ok.

Starting the last lap of the run

My family were staying at a house that was right at the far end turnaround on the run course. This is normally the worst part of the run for everybody as there isn't as many people out there, and it's a long way from home, but for me it was fantastic. They were all there cheering and yelling. I told them I'd be back in about 3 hours so they better still be waiting! The 2nd & 4th legs of the run were straight into a head wind. This was tough! I managed to run for 35kms pretty much only walking the aid stations! I was absolutely blown away by this. I had only run for a max of 3hrs/ 28kms in training, and here I was running 95% of 35kms! UNBELIEVABLE. Between 35-36kms the head wind just got too hard to push through. I feel pretty sure that had it not been so windy I would have been able to plod my way through to the finish, but my legs were just too tired to push through it any more. The bottom of my feet were burning, my shins were aching, my neck and shoulders were tired, and I simply couldn't run. I moved onto what I hoped was a fast walk, and did this right through to the last km.

My coach was out there in the dark, the coaches from the camps were out in the dark, friends and family were popping out of the darkness all along the run course. There were athletes I knew from home and the camps out there saying hi. It was pitch black, raining, blowing a gale, and I was doing Ironman. I had run most of a marathon after a 180km bike and a 3.8km swim. There were times on that last leg home that I got teary. The Saint was riding ahead of me on his bike until the last 5kms when he left me to it and went to the finish line. There weren't many people around in the last 5kms. The athletes were now all behind me plodding along in the darkness. The weather had sent most of the roadside spectators home. Apart from beeps of passing cars and people yelling from balconies, it was kind of lonely. But it was nice. It was a good time for me to reflect on what I had done. The effort, the hours, the money, the support from my family. It was all about to come to an end in 5kms. It was actually kind of sad!

The darkness!

I got to the last km and knew I had to run. The crowd was appearing again, the cheering was loud, you could hear the music at the finish line, and all of a sudden my body just took over. My legs suddenly felt great, I felt excited to be there. My kids and The Saint were waiting for me at the start of the finish chute and I finished with the boys on either side of me, and The Saint running behind me. My family were there in the pouring rain screaming and yelling. The stands were full of people who were all banging plastic blow up sticks and screaming. It was sooooo loud I almost missed the most important line of all. The line that I had dreamed about for 12months....

YOU ARE AN IRONMAN KATHY!!!!!!!!!!!!

Getting organised to run the finish chute

I had done it. I was sooooooo excited. I really thought the finish line would make me cry like a baby, but I guess I had had those moments out in the dark on my own. The whole day had gone so well, that there was nothing to cry about. I had executed my perfect race. I was well. I had a beautiful swim, a super bike, and an amazing run, so there was no need to cry. It was time to celebrate as I had had the best day I have ever had. I was surrounded by my super duper family and friends who had cheered me on all day in miserable conditions. I had my finishers medal and Tshirt. My kids and dear husband had been there when I finished. I had done the race in 14hrs 48mins - this was way above my expectations. I thought maybe I might get 15hrs at a push, but probably closer to 16hrs, so I was walking on air!

IT WAS THE MOST JOYOUS, PROUDEST MOMENT OF MY LIFE......

Me.... an Ironman?
Me.... run a marathon?
Me.... exercise for 15 hours non stop?
Me.... an Ironman??????

UNBELIEVABLE but it's TRUUUUUUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The job is done!

POST RACE

There is still alot to say here too, but I guess I should leave something for the sponsor to put in the book. (btw they were great supporters out there too - thanks so much to the Alpe Gear team - you ROCK).

The day after the race trying to get out of bed was hard. I have never had such pain in my legs in all my life. Once I was up and moving around though it seemed to get better. Climbing and decending stairs was hard, but otherwise I felt great.

It all seems to be a dream now - it's kind of like your wedding day. So much preparation goes into it, and then in a blink of an eye it's gone. I had dreamed of having a great day and I had it, but there's a small part of me that wished it had been awful, because then I wouldn't have been bitten by the Ironman Bug! I WILL do another one, of that I am certain.

For now, my planned month off has been downgraded to a week. I'm not touching the bike for that time, but I am itching to get going again doing something. The plan is to sort that bike bit out over the next 2 winters and be back at Ironman NZ 2010, stronger and faster.

In all this there has been one person who believed in me 100%, and if it weren't for him I would never have made it. A mother training for Ironman has to have someone to pick up the slack, and The Saint has done this and more. He has guided me, coached me, comforted me, trained me, watered and fed me. He tried to take the load off me and supported our family while I went and did Ironman. I may have done the training and finished the race, but he got me there. Without him I would not have made it. I love you heaps Paul, and will never forget what you have done to make my dream come true.

Also to all my family and friends (and my blog friends too - SUB6 you should be a photographer!) - thanks so much for everything. You made me feel GREAT! If I can do it - THEN YOU CAN TOO.....