Ironman Copenhagen

One week has gone by since racing Ironman Copenhagen and the body is feeling normal again :) Back in Germany now and the rain is pouring down!  I think my hot hot German summer might be coming to an end!

Two weeks out from racing in Copenhagen i raced the Erlanger Olympic Triathlon close to where i am staying. Here i managed to take first place with no real dramas on race day (other than my helmet being broken and given an xxs one to wear which sat like a bucket on top my head), leaving me feeling confident about my upcoming race.

Last year when i raced in Copenhagen i had a terrible time, being very ill 2 weeks before the race unable to train and not too flash on the day the race really went pear shaped during the marathon.  So this time round i was determined to get out there and give it my all.  Arriving on the Tuesday injury free and no illness i was ready to enjoy  taper week however little did i know it was going to be a busy time.  Wednesday morning heading out for a training ride it started to pour down, this causing little "flint stones" to flip over and basically become drawing pins ready to pop unsuspecting tyres as their victims!  Boom! There i was in the rain with a dead flat back tyre, great, as i had just replaced it the week before.  Joys of tubulars, for those unaware they are not a simple tube change rather a one hit wonder and when they flat time to buy another. Good racing ones are approx $180-200NZ.  So on the side of the road soaking wet ready to attempt my first tubular change, Keegan laughing at me because the first thing i do is take my helmet off but couldnt see through all the road rain crap covering the visor.  Out with the pitt stop (funny glue foam stuff to try find and repair hole temporarily before attempting complete tyre change) hmm half ends up on my jacket which still wont come out but wahoo tyre up enough and off i go :) Not so bad i was thinking...a little sting to the wallet but good practice.  O no 20mins later and boom im down again. Off i hop and start to rip off tyre, Keegan heads off down the road and my goal is to be ready to go by time he gets back.  Still soaking wet and looking funny on side of ride yanking at this glued on tyre, and off it comes wahoo, dunno what everyone crys about this seems easy :)  spare tyre out and chuck on wheel, oh shit valve too short...double oh shit valve extender from other tyre doesnt fit.  Now i pack a sad, novelty has worn off and wait like a fool for Keegan who has an idea luckily, pump it up a bit and then chuck on. Off i go...10mins later...oh great definately getting use to this sound! Valve popped itself out and half ripped out....hmm ok chop it out and ride on flattie. Only 4km from home freezing and had enough...

Thinking it couldnt get any worse riding super slow in the pouring rain then it does.  With 2km to go and i totally positive i know the way home Keegan and i split and long story short i end up totally totally lost for over an hour and end up riding around at 10km/hr with no phone or money and forgetting the address! Then finally finding a taxi man with an ipad to get in to emails to find address and take me home. 90min ride ends up being over 3hrs but YIPPEE im home.  A week spent buying more things to replace on bike and learning other uses for your toothbrush like gluing tyres on then an emergency trip to the bike shop afternoon before race, for yet another flat tyre and i was feeling a tad exhausted. Four tubulars in 2weeks is a big shopping bill let alone everything else!  But many things learnt and the bike was looking brand new.

Where i spent most of my week

Right guess i should actually give you an insight in to the race!

Race morning wandering in with my wheel and final repair job done i was ready to get this race started.
Heading out on the swim i thought i had put myself in a good position but by 1.5km i was dropped and was swimming alone until the finish. Very lonely swim. So when i got to the ramp to exit and the official said i wasn't finished i was confused and thought this must be some kind of joke!  Him pointing out to sea at the buoy that i was stupidly meant to have on my right before coming to shore i realised i had been swimming too close to shore and didnt even notice it. Oh great off i went and swam maybe 200-400m extra to include this last buoy.  Man was i pleased to get back to the ramp!!!

Through transition i saw Julia Grant in the change tent so quickly got myself organised and on to the bike thinking we could pace each other but once out of transition found myself alone. The bike was very lonely and i had no idea of my position.  This didn't really change through out the entire 180km apart from passing Lisbeth Kristensen around the 50km mark.  I was expecting large amounts of age group men to come through but it didnt really happen.  Not a lot else to say about the bike other than i maybe held back a little too much at times as was worried about slowing down too much in the later stage of the bike.

On to the run it had started to rain so i was glad to be off the bike.  I was interested to see how this would pan out as i had decided (well sort of told :) ) but we will call it a joint decision not to run with my watch. It was the best decision as was one less thing to worry about when usually you have that constant reminder of your pace going up and down.  The run was four laps and after the first lap i noticed the lead women seemed to be almost a lap ahead it seemed crazy as i didn't think i had biked that slow.  Anyway now knowing i was in 4th place i was just trying to have a good steady run with no melt downs!  Ticking the km's off i was feeling good, possibly again holding back a little as after 2 DNFs earlier in the year during the marathon i wanted to get to that finish line and so i did. 9.29 a new PB, 5th overall and my fastest marathon split to date. Still LOTS of room to improve but heading in the right direction. 

Huge thank you to Uffe, Elizabeth and family for hosting me and my bike dramas rather than illness dramas this year.  Keegan for helping me out all week even though he had his own race to think about and well done to also coming 5th overall.  

ACTIVE ELECTRO - www.activeelectro.co.nz

Physio Plus - www.physioplusdunedin.co.nz

Shoe Clinic Dunedin - www.shoeclinic.co.nz/dunedin-running-shoe-store

R and R Sport - www.rrsport.co.nz

You guys are all amazing and your continued support is greatly appreciated. These businesses all help me out in a big way so please take a look at their websites and support them.  I look forward to catching up with you when i return to New Zealand next month.

This time in 3weeks i will have completed Challenge Amsterdam and nearly be on my way home to New Zealand. 3months is certainly flying by.

Happy training
Cheers Tams

Update from HOT HOT Germany!!!

Hello everybody...

I have competed in two more events since the Challenge Aarhus Half Ironman.  Was really glad i got the opportunity to do it as next year it is changing hands and will be a 70.3branded race.

First up when i got back to Germany was the annual Rothsee Triathlon - a very old special race here in the area.  Only a week after Challenge Aarhus i was feeling optimistic as to how i would go as it was an Olympic distance race with a couple of extra km's on the bike. The shorter triathlons have never suited me as i just don't seem to be able to find the necessary speed! Anyway it a hoot, really fun, loved the bike course and managed to come away with the win and a PB for the swim and run....and no the course wasn't short, the Garmin doesn't lie before you ask :) 

Was cool to see my host family there out in force as well with Thomas doing the individual, his daughters Julia and Carola mixing it up in a team event and Carola's boyfriend Miguel doing the individual.

Insert break from racing and become a spectator - CHALLENGE ROTH. Coolest race around. Thomas took charge of the 180km bike with Julia running the marathon. Great day had by all. Bloody hard job being a spectator!

Next up was the Allgau Classic Triathlon in Immenstadt.  So i dragged Thomas and Glen along for support and off we went. (luckily Thomas had his car back...after a deer clean smacked in to it a week earlier on the way to pick Glen up from the airport!! But thats another story).  

This race is made up of a 2km swim, 80km bike and 21km run and what a bike ride it was. 2 loops and each time climbing to over 1000m. Definitely should of put a climbing cassette on but boy o boy did my legs get a work out!  

This race also has an interesting twist to it where the men must chase the women down if they want to win. So the females get a head start and then the top 10 individuals to the finish regardless whether male or female get prize money.  I had moved up in to 1st position by half way through the run but then was chased down by men and the race favorite female. So ended up 7th overall and 2nd female. The men were very strong on those hills.

Back to Rednitzhembach that evening for a delicious German BBQ :) YUMMY

The following day it was time to relax in Schwabach and Nuremberg to show Glen a few sites with Marion and Thomas before he headed off back to chilly New Zealand.

I really must say a HUGE thank you to the entire Baums family - Thomas, Marion, Oma, Julia, Carola and Apollo as well as all the people they introduce me to along the way.  This trip wouldn't be possible without their generosity and taking me in as if i was one of their own family members. This thanks extends out to all the home stays i have had around the world. It makes the sport so much easier with the help of these generous people.

Must go, time to train and get ready for the next big day at the office. See you on Sunday 18th August KMD Ironman Copenhagen.

Challenge Aarhus - Half Ironman

Well it has been a very busy first week here in Europe.  Arriving last week on Tuesday after two days of flying, to then drive 1000km to Aarhus, Denmark, leaving 3am Friday was taxing.  I did have an enjoyable few easy training days in between though in some record Germany heat for this time of year. Reaching 42degrees for two days!  When my host from Germany, Thomas and i arrived in Aarhus Friday afternoon it was cold and pouring down with rain. Although i am use to this weather in Dunedin i did not much feel like racing in it.  Saturday was not much better but when race day Sunday arrived things were looking up :)
Race morning Thomas dropped me at the swim start (he was also meant to be racing but had to unfortunately pull out due to a foot injury) then headed back to the city to park up.  The sea was looking rough and i was looking forward to getting the swim over and done with as well as the crazy long and interesting transition one!
After 400m or so of swimming by myself i found some feet to swim on. Yay i was not alone. I have to say it was the strongest i have ever felt in a swim so was a little shocked to find out how slow my time was. Hopefully the course was a little long as sure looked it. Thanks to a few weeks swimming under Gennadiy Labara with his squad before i left New Zealand i felt like my technique in the open water had improved and instead of thrashing my arms around like a windmill i was taking slower more quality strokes. Maybe the 4.30am wake ups were worth it :)

Out of the water i found myself right beside Bella Bayliss and Lisbeth Kristensen.  Up the million stairs we all went, through the grass, change tent, up another hill, to the bikes and ran with them finally to the road. I had a shocking transition with using my road shoes i couldnt get in to them on the bike, so a mixture of running with them in my hands and running through mud and stones with them on my feet i had finally got to the road, but lost the other girls.

Within 5km on the bike i had passed Lisbeth and another girl Kathrin Walther who had passed me in transition and caught back up to Bella. We soon dropped the other two and remained together for the rest of the 90km ride swapping positions along the way.  With the three lead girls Camilla Pedersen, Jodie Swallow and Michelle Vesterby up with the men and the time gap ranging from 6-10mins, it was somewhat a lonely ride with no one around Bella or myself.  A really good tough honest bike course. Lots of hills, corners and windy.

Off the bike and it was time to run. Bella took off straight away and i knew my running ability was far from near so i tried to just get in to a solid rhythm, while trying not to let the girls behind me close in.  Starting the run i had a lead of around 8-10mins over the 6th girl.  The run consisted of three 7km laps, combining flat and hills, road, off road and a 400m running track! After the first 7km my feet started playing up and every stride was burning through my arches.  By the end i felt like i was almost walking but yay the finish line came and i still had around 6-8mins on 6th place to finish 5th overall.

Was pretty gutted with my run but with a few months of battling injuries, DNFs, and a big traveling week all and all the race was a success and a good start to my time here in Europe.
Back at home base now in Germany and ready to get stuck in to some training before the next race.

Big thanks to my coach Keegan Williams and Gennadiy Labara for helping me with my swimming.
Also to my Primary Sponsor ACTIVE ELECTRO for making this trip possible, PHYSIOPLUS getting me ready to go, R and R SPORT and THE SHOE CLINIC DUNEDIN for keeping me geared up.

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

Challenge Wanaka - 3rd times a charm!

Gosh its been 2weeks now since Challenge Wanaka so i thought it was about time to reflect on the race and some other cool races i did leading up to it!

If you are in the Otago area and are looking for some reasons for next season they are all worth checking out. Really well organized and would be great to see the field grow

Nov - Rolf Half Ironman (Ashburton) 1st

Hmm looking a little worse for wear at Ashburton!

Dec - Southland 75.6 Challenge (Gore) 1st and Lake Hayes Olympic Tri (Queenstown) 2nd

 

Simone and i at Lake Hayes. Hot! hmm white belly!

and for those in the North Island i really enjoyed the Rotorua Olympic Tri where i came 2nd on a good honest course.

Right now on to Wanaka. I was feeling a little unsure heading in to the race with lack of sleep during race week and then usual no sleep the night before, not to mention the sound of the wind howling outside. It is crazy how you can have a gorgeous day up there the day before the race then full on winds race day year after year!

So at 3.45am and realising there was no point staying in bed any longer as sleep was not on the agenda it was time to get up and shove in some brekky, then down to the course to do any last minute checks.

Swim time...the chop was definitely there when we were warming up but didn't seem too different to any other year, well that was until we started (pros 10mins ahead of the rest) and i felt like our small group of 20odd people had been chucked off a ship in the middle of the sea!  That was due to the fact that 100m in to the race most of the pros had left me for dust and i couldn't see the buoy line, kayaks, big corner buoys, land! Luckily it looked like was Candice was in the same boat and anytime i thought i was drowning it was reassuring to look over and see her there.  I don't think i have ever swallowed so much water which gave me quite a sore gut going on to the bike.

Bike time....heading out on the first section i managed to pick up two places putting me in 4th position. And i stayed there for the first 100km then rocket Simone passed me riding really strong. I decided to let her go and just keep riding alone, well not so much as a decision but the way it was going to play out as that girl was flying! Then maybe 10-20km later Candice flew by me, also riding really well so i was once alone again. It didn't bother me much other than the fact that my speedo broke over the 80km mark so i wasn't quite sure of much! But i knew i had a decent gap to the girls behind and was feeling comfortable.  So i just tried to maintain what i thought was a good pace.  Other than getting stung by a bee twice the bike was pretty uneventful other than some good old wind to keep me company :)

Run time...on to the run and learning that a couple of the pro girls had pulled the pin somewhere during the bike i felt pretty safe in my position still having quite a lead to the others behind. I knew the girls up ahead were all really good runners, so just plodded along (something i am working hard on changing).  Have to remember to RACE until the end and i really should of made those legs of mine try and catch up.  Highlight of the run would have to be picking up one more place in the last 6km to finish 5th overall.  Its a long day out there and its important to race as best you can right until that finish line as you never know what could happen.

Yay still standing at the finish! Thats a first :)

A huge congrats to every that raced out there. It was a tough day.  Nice work to the champions Gina and Dylan.  Thank you to Victoria and her team for putting on another awesome Challenge Wanaka no matter what the weather has in store.  A big thanks to Keegan for coaching me and believing in my ploddy legs - they will get there :) also to him having a great race for 4th and Candice for kicking arse to get up to 2nd. A huge thank you to Ron and Helen Horner and family for letting my stay at their house during race week as well as over the summer holidays. Was very well looked after and could have never left!

Top 5 Females

Lastly to my Sponsors. It would not be possible without you. Miff at R and R Sport - and especially the Dunedin workshop guys Jeremy and Aaron who always are so willing to lend a hand, Sorrelle at Shoe Clinic for putting me in some great Asics footwear, Stacey at 2XU kitting me out in training and racing gear and Anne at PhysioPlus for looking after me with all the massage and physio the body needs.

Right now I'm getting back in to training with a crazy mountain marathon "to toughen me up" so the coach says and then a couple of Ironmans in Australia.

The crazy Moonlight Marathon i am about to do

Happy training everyone

Tams