Well well well, shit have been happening at home, in my life and everywhere else as well! I always take pride in my very own readiness to take on whatever is coming, expected or unexpected..
Quote Police Academy Mentor "DOM" - "Expect the Unexpected!"
However, things get quite irritating and frustrating when it steps into the training that i need to do.
Anyway, lets put that far behind.. this post is about my FIRST OLYMPIC DISTANCE TRIATHLON! =D
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So, it has to be trifactor, couldn't be OSIM. I just needed that extra 2 to 3 weeks to get myself mentally ready for my very own Maiden OD Tri. :)
Went to bed at 11pm the night before and found myself tossing and turning til about 3.30AM.
GREAT! i have 2 hrs left to slp.. and then i close my eyes..
and then.. "RINNNNGGGG"...
Hey.. I thought I just closed my eyes?
Anxiety overridden me and I thought 2.5 Hrs of sleep didn't feel too bad. I prepped everything and packed everything 6 times or more the day before and thus I just need to get changed, body marked, grab my food, call the cab and off i can leave with my transition Box and bike. :)
On the cab, I listened to soothing music, I felt OK, to be honest, I know that the music's gonna boost me up and I was NEVER so confident about my swim BEFORE. I knew I can make it sub 30 this time!
"The sleep's not going to get me!" or so, I thought.
So I reached there on time, 1hr before everything... Chatted with my transition area neighbours a little and went on to do my warmup swim. It still felt good. Wave condition checked, HR up, i'm ready to go.
So, I was at the starting line, at the front row waiting for the gun shot/horn... The swim start was a 3meters wide entry i think? haha.. really small and the groups are like in 100s only. So it really eases off the anxiety quite abit.
I looked ahead at the first buoy, and then the other and then the way back.. I told myself i'm gonna go at it 2x. Race pace. I can do it.
And then The Horn sounded and I did the entry just like practice. I porpoised just like how Evan taught me. Goggles was abit loose but it is ok... for the first 50 strokes, I felt strong.
But half way to the buoy... I FELT MY ENERGY SLIPPING AWAY! my arms are churning at a shockingly turnover rate.. and I FELT SLEEPY.
WTF?
still, the 2.5 hrs of sleep got me in the swim.. I relaxed and jsut tried to focus on gliding and getting the techniques right. One lap down, 16minutes. As I ran along the shore to the second lap entry, I told myself "its ok. Second lap WILL BE BETTER.".. So I went in, and suddenly, I was so alone.. I don't know why. haha.. and my morale dropped. I asked myself "I really don't feel good at all... I fucked up this race.. shit.. fuck it.." I turned around and look at the shore, its just 100m away..
And then I shaked myself up with a few more hard strokes. I asked myself these..
Why did you come?
What the fuck was those 4km of swim per week for?
You trained under Evan til you almost vomited but you still pulled through the last 6x50s and now you're giving up because you don't feel good in the 16th lap?
All your lovely boys and girls who're supporting you.. your own students in their first freshman distance and sprint distance.. Do I want them to see me telling me I gave up?
HELL NO.
I will myself up once I passed the first buoy and I finally went into race pace condition.
I build my kick in the last couple of hundreds as per practice. I ran up the shore line telling myself "Coach Nicole will be proud of this. So will Sam. AND EVERYBODY ELSE. I'M HERE TO RACE!!!! And my opponent? MYSELF."
I went into the transition knowing I'm beaten myself once in the swim.
Took my time in the transition to wear my shoes and helmet and get my bike out. I started the bike in a moderate spin gear... and then build into an average 95cad race pace that I held on for the whole of the bike leg.
I went into the run feeling great! Looking at the time, I did some math and figured I averaged abt 30kph.. goal achieved! :)
Once into the run, the searing heat was almost unbearable. A lot of people overheated.. I told myself I just have to continue going. Nic advised I may not be able to hold my race pace for 5km so I just have to BE PATIENT and do it just below threshold RPE until the last 1/3.
My goal time is below 1hr.
On the way, I met this guy named Kenny. And we striked a conversation and actually found that he's aiming for 1hr too and so I thought why not we pace each other.
We did just that and at times he pushed the pace harder, at times, I did that and dropped him a little but I looked back and cheered him on, he caught up again.
Judging from the first lap's heat condition, I doubt I could hold 3.5km of race pace as planned before hand so I decided to do it on the last lap back. When I'm there, I told myself "this is it. Race pace baby."
We let loose and I dropped him for a bit.. I carried on and pass the finishing line strong with him following closely in about couple of minutes behind.
It was Kenny's first too! :)
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It was a very very remarkable first time for me albeit a shorter bike lap but anyway, I felt like I finished the 6 laps feeling I could have gone maybe 1to 2kph faster so I think the pace is good.
Swim was disappointing but it was where I beat myself in the main struggle to continue and have a good race. That was what it was supposed to be all about isn't it?
Run was OK.. 56mins is acceptable.. Met coach after the race and since she said it was good timing for me then I shall accept it as a good timing for now! hehe.. ambitious me! :D
She had a "Training race" according to her and her timing is 2hr 33minutes..
(-_-")...
haha..
So my swim was actually 32minutes+, bike avg 30kph, and ran 56 minutes.. Plus transition of 7 minutes (time really flies here! gotta make it faster!).. 2 hr 48mins!
If bike is 4 km more, i'd be doing 2hr 56mins! hehe.. still under 3!
YAY YAY YAY
HIP HIP HURRAY FOR MY FIRST TRI!
NEXT UP: AVIVA HALF IRON MAN!!!!!! 21ST MARCH 2010!
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Unfortunately the HIM didn't realize itself but that's fine.. Always live to race another day!
Cheers,
KK
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