Iron Jack

It’s only a month overdue…

Racing the Tinman Sprint Triathlon was never actually in my plan for this season – I’d committed to racing the whole Contact Tri Series and didn’t think I would have the time, money or approval from my long-suffering husband to do the Tinman as well. But…it’s my favourite race. I love the course, I love the location and after convincing my two good friends Kathy and Di to do it as well, the decision was made!

Last year – after a full winter if Ironman training – I had managed to complete the sprint distance in 1.46.47. I didn’t think I would get anywhere near that without the same level of training this year, but at least I had a goal and simply wanted to get within five minutes of last year’s time.

We’d had on-off weather the whole week leading up to the event, but I convinced myself it’s always sunny at the Mt – right? After a very wet morning, the rain cleaned up to a stinking hot afternoon on the day before the race and it was looking promising. Race day dawn grey and gloomy, but the rain did hold off – until the prizegiving anyway!

Whenever we can we try to stay at the Westhaven Motel which is right on Pilot Bay – and about 400 metres walk to the transition area. I took everything down, feeling very calm and relaxed about the whole event. After setting everything up, I went back to the motel to sit down with the family again for another hour before the race was due to start. Heading back down to the briefing, I managed to bump into almost everyone I knew there, including the other two musketeers – Di and Kathy.

Entering the water for the warmup, it was much colder than I was expecting. We stayed in the water to acclimatise whilst watching the Olympic course athletes finish the first lap of their swim. Nothing like being right on hand to cheer people on! By this stage our starting gun was getting closer and I was right in the firing line for Di and Kathy, being reminded every five seconds that I was the one who had talked them into it! I already knew that Kathy would kick my arse in the swim, and that Di would do the same on the run – and I also knew they would love it – after all, they are Ironwomen!

Our gun finally went and we were off. Conditions were very flat, but without the tidal assistance on the return leg that we had last year. It was only my second wetsuit swim of the season and I struggled to remember how on earth I’d managed to swim four kilometres several times earlier in the year! But I finished in a reasonably good time and in good shape out of the water. I had been trialling not wearing ear plugs for my swim – both in training at the pool and for the race. I had been feeling a woozy and light-headed after training but wondered if that was just a nutrition issue after training early in the morning. But as soon as I stood up after the Tinman swim I was completely off-balance and very wobbly. I tried to shake it off during the run into transition, but had to keep holding onto my bike just to stay upright! Lesson learnt, earplugs from now on!

I eventually managed to get out onto the bike. And had an absolute blinder of a ride. My new bike is absolutely incredible - there is no doubt in my mind that this improvement was all about the bike, not me!! I managed to use the aero bars for most of the ride, and passed lots of people in the process. I had a blast and came back into transition with a grin from ear to ear!

I had been dreading the run – I’d only managed about three runs in the previous few weeks so didn’t have high hopes of a great time. One of those runs had been around the Mt and it would be fair to say that I struggled so after doing a swim and then a ride, my goal was simply to run the whole way.

Looking at my watch, I didn’t think I would have a hope of making last year’s time, so decided to make a toilet stop – “at least I would be comfortable on the run” I remember thinking. I should have kept going. The run was definitely a challenge, but it was fine, and I had no problem keeping going. Coming off the Mt I discovered I was within minutes of last year’s time. I put on a bit more speed to try and get as close as possible – and finished the race in 1.47.44 – just under one minute longer than last year! If I hadn’t stopped to go to the loo, I would have beaten my time – without the six months training I had put in the previous year!

It would be fair to say that I was stoked. Absolutely stoked. It’s a great race and I’ll be back next year. Incidentally, so will Kathy and Di – they loved it too, with Di actually winning our age-group and Kathy coming third! The 2012 challenge is on!