Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Bit of Bad Luck



Since competing in Challenge Wanaka in January things haven't gone quite to plan as i had hoped.  Now feeling like i am coming out the other side of the majority of it i thought it would be good to reflect and jot down what has been going on.
First off was the Shotover Moonlight Marathon i was meant to be competing in at the end of February. After getting a niggly calf at the beginning of February with it still not gone and no real running under the belt i decided it was in my best interest not to attempt it. Especially with Ironman Melbourne only a few weeks later.
A week out from Melbourne was the Otago Triathlon Championships. This year it had moved up to an Olympic Distance event and i thought this would be a good opportunity to test out the calf and a bit of speed work.  The calf didn't feel great but was able to run mostly pain free and come away with the win and second across the line with the boys.
On to Melbourne i wasn't quite sure how the calf would hold up, especially because i hadn't really been doing much running on it.  But it wasn't the calf that was to trouble me that day.  Half way through the marathon i would collapse and be taken off in an ambulance. I can really only sum this down to a few things. A lot of mucking around the day before with the people transporting my bike down to the transition somehow loosing it for a while, which in turn i was not prepared for and ended up running round looking for it and having a really late lunch. Then on race day having breakfast a lot earlier than i usually would due to catching a bus down to the race start (which was a wee way away from where we were staying) then not being prepared with enough pre race snacks for the couple of delays we ended up having with the race starting an hour late.  Choas in the swim, causing me to try and play catch up on the bike through hundreds of age group men that somehow started the bike ahead of me without majority of them passing me in swim?! Hmm odd!! In turn poor nutrition intake because i was stressing about race and forgetting the importance of fueling up!  So mostly all the factors were due to poor nutrition which i should of been more prepared with. A huge lesson for next time.
Not a lot else to say about Ironman Melbourne other than my day ended with a DNF. My first one and as it turns out not my last :(  I didn't really enjoy the race aside from my DNF. The swim was a mess with bouys shifting and people turning around where ever they wanted.  Although it was a shorter swim and me not being a very good swimmer i would of rather a much longer non chaotic swim! It was so crazy out on bike with too many people and very hard to get in to your own rhythm and race your own race.  Also a pretty boring bike course along a motorway with nothing to look at and not so great for spectators coming to support.

So heading back to New Zealand it was time to get the calf fully right and back in to training to ensure a solid build up for Ironman Australia.  Training was going pretty good and the calf had come right so i decided to race The Three Peaks - a crazy very hilly off road running race.  May not of been the best idea 2weeks out from an Ironman but cant change whats already happened. Morning of the race i woke up to pouring rain and wind. Should probably of pulled the pin but rugged up and raced anyway. The course was very muddy and slippery. Ended up coming away with 2nd place. Actually felt ok during the majority of the run with only a couple of slips as was trying to be extra careful.  That night and next day i started to get a lot of pain in my knee though. When i tried to go for an easy jog a couple of days later i could barely walk after 5minutes. Crap! What have i done?!  Despite resting it until the race and getting physio, acupuncture, and trying various taping methods there was just not enough time come race day for it to be fully right.

Going in to race day i remained positive and thought no matter what happens i will get to the finish line this time even if i have to walk! Well i spoke to soon.
The swim went ok, although not having a separate start time from the 1600 age groupers, they soon were swimming over top of us. I always wonder why someone cant just swim around you and why they insist on smashing over the top of you with a few fists to the head!  The swim seemed very long to me but i got there in the end.  With a call that the lead women was 7mins up ahead i though wow Nicole must of had a good swim but it turns out it was an age grouper who swam 49mins and Nicole was in fact only 3-4mins ahead of me.
The bike was a 2x 90km lap course with the roads being quite rough and undulating. This suited me though and i was looking forward to getting in to my work. By around 50km myself and Rebecca had passed the 2 girls in front and had taken the lead.  From there i knew i had to try and extend the lead as i had no idea how my leg would run. Rebecca and i swapped the lead a few times, with her being the eventful leader across the 90km $1000 cash bonus with me 50odd seconds back.  Into the second lap my knee was started to fatigue. I dont think the bumpy roads or wind was helping. I slipped back to 4th position overall with another age grouper and pro Ange who was having a ripper of a bike ride pass me.
Coming off the bike i still had close to 10min lead over Nicole but within 15km she had caught me. That just shows how bad i was walk/running and how well she was moving up.  By 20km i was in a lot of pain and couldn't really walk properly.  I started to think o no not again, come on just walk, plenty of hours up your sleeve. Just get to the finish line and at least you will take home a cheque for this suffering.  But i just couldn't.  By 21/22km my day was over and i was devastated.

Over a week has gone by and i can finally pick my lip off the ground and try and put the day behind me. So many people have said don't worry you were injured, its great you made it to start line etc.  But to me all i could see was another trip overseas with a failed ironman.  I didn't make the decision to pull the pin lightly but it doesn't make the gutting feeling of the day after when everyone is celebrating their finishes any easier.

Have to mention a HUGE thanks to the Hurlston family for hosting me and my mum over in Port Macquarie. Staff Hurlston completed his 3rd Ironman Australia and with a PB too.  Pretty impressive for a Rugby Prop.  Everyone i met over there was so welcoming and helpful.  I loved the course and will definitely be back. Some unfinished business to attend too :)
Also to my sponsors who are always so supporting even when things don't go so well. Big thanks to Primary sponsor Active Electro for getting me over there, Physio Plus getting my knee back ready to train hard again, Shoe clinic Dunedin and R and R Sport.
To Keegan also who keeps believing in me. If you need some motivation to keep you on track through the winter months check out www.vo2coach.com
One day i will string everything together and get to where i want to be.

Cheers Tams