Iron Jack

I am officially entered in the 2011 NZ Ironman. Am really excited and completely petrified at the same time.

But at least I’m in, unlike many other people who have missed out.

For the first time ever, the NZ Ironman event has reached capacity and it sold out in just 13 days! It caught many people out, many who will be first-timers whose goal was only ever going to be doing “an Ironman”. From now on, if you even think you’re going to want to do an Ironman, you’re going to have to be ready to enter as soon as it opens - you won’t have the luxury of waiting until October (or even later) to decide if you’re ready or if you’re injury free.

It’s going to change the nature and culture of the NZ event forever.

Approximately 800 entries had been filled in the first five days, with the vast majority of those going to Australians who had already experienced their two Ironman events selling out - one sold out in less than 24 hours. So there may well be more Ozzies than ever before, and potentially, less of the average back-of-the-packer who simply wants to survive. Those people have always been at the heart of NZ Ironman so I hope that doesn’t change too much.

It also means that relatively new, local events like Challenge Wanaka are also in for a sudden increase in numbers, as those who seek to simply complete an Ironman look for a new event to enter. Challenge Wanaka sounds like an amazing event in stunning scenery, but how will its unique experience be impacted by a sudden influx in numbers?

At the same time, setting early goals and planning to achieve them isn’t a bad thing. Surely there’s nothing like the motivation of being entered to keep you going?

So I do have mixed feelings about what this means for the event.

But as a result of entering, I am living, breathing, eating and freaking out about Ironman more than I ever have before. I dream it - or rather I have nightmares about it; my training programme has gone up a huge level; I’m reading everything I can get my hands on - and unfortunately I’m not sure that is helping! I’m also sick and have already missed three days of training which doesn’t help!

I’m sure this panic phase will pass. There are still 287 days until the start line. How bad could the training possibly be?? Yeah right!

Anyway, I’m lining up alongside some fantastic friends and training buddies for next year’s event. Here’s the list so far:

Mary Ann Patterson - my fairy god mother and constant motivator, supporter and friend. She may have moved to Palmerston North, but that hasn’t stopped the banter and phone calls and us giving our coach grief!

Alison King - the journalist I was never going to be, fellow redhead and training buddy. 2011 will be her fourth - yes fourth! - Ironman and she’s after new times that shes not yet ready to share - I know she’ll get them too.

Ben Shaw aka Binga - one of the key people in the whole Ironjack journey. Ben did his first Ironman in 2005 and was meant to do his second in 2006 - the year the swim was cancelled. He’s been battling injuries and babies ever since but is determined to get back to the start line. He’s always been my inspiration to do triathlon, and then Ironman, and I’m stoked we’ll be lining up together next year. He’s also married to one of my closest friends.

Ingrid Tiriana - one of the first people I met at RATs - and quickly discovered we had a common friend! Ingrid is a true Ironman inspiration (I say that a lot don’t I? I guess its because pepole who do Ironman are completely inspiring!) Anyway, Ingrid did her first Ironman in 2009 - after suddenly discovering a random heart problem during her training for 2008. Despite this, she achieved her goal of finishing in 2009 and now she’s back for more!

So the countdown is now well and truely on for 2011 NZ Ironman. Even though there are moments of real panic, I am also extremely excited. It’s time - bring it on!

Start line 2010 Ironman

I am sore. Very very sore. Challenging bunch ride for me on Sunday which left me not only feeling stiff and sore in every part of my body, it also left me quite disheartened. But that’s a blog post for another day.

Important to move onwards and upwards and what better way to restore the faith than by a run on part of the Ironman course in Taupo!

Whenever I go to Taupo for work I always make sure I drive through Reporoa along the Ironman cycle course. By travelling it every second or third week I’m starting to get quite familiar with its dips and dives. Of course, that will be nothing to actually riding the course on my bike, but its a good start.

Today I also had enough time to take a very early lunch break and fit in my run down there as well.

I set off at a decent pace - heart rate zone three to be exact - and managed to maintain that for most of the run. I started just up from the swim/start finish, and then ran along the lake front until I got to the Napier/Taupo Highway - a good milestone turnaround point, and exactly 25 minutes, theoretically making it a 50 minute round trip. The loop back was slightly faster so I finished in just over 45 minutes, having run just under 6km. This is getting slightly faster for me, so I’m pleased with today’s effort.

Of course, the big reality check is that isn’t even one quarter of the Ironman marathon, but it still felt great. I’m a big one for visualisation, and as I was running I could literally picture the path on the day, with crowds of people on either side. I could feel the heat, and the exhaustion, and while it was nowhere near an accurate re-enactment of the day, I do feel like it was a good start. Even just realising I would be running on cobblestones for around half of the Ironman run was an important note to take.

So all in all, a good day out.

Postscript: Having the theme song to Rocky coming on the MP3 player may have been over-doing it just a little however.

Set your calendars, book your accommodation, the date for the 2011 New Zealand Ironman in Taupo has been set:

7am, Saturday 5 March, 2011

According to the countdown, 366 days, 12 hours, 20 minutes and 33 seconds to go.

Hmmmm.

Now’s probably a good time to include another inspiration quote from Stu’s site:

“The purpose of the swim is to get you on the bike. The purpose of the bike is to eat for the run. The purpose of the first run lap is to put money in the bank to pay the monkey that will jump on your back the second lap.

“The Second Lap Monkey. He is very a big monkey. If this is your first Ironman, you have probably felt in your training everything that you will feel on race day, except the Second Lap Monkey. You can’t train for that. The Second Lap Monkey carries a big stick, and its name is Pain. Love it, hate it, get angry at it. Breathe it with every breath, feel it with every step and use it.

“It lets you know you are still alive, more alive than most people will ever be in their whole lives. The clock keeps on ticking and everything bad must eventually come to an end. All you have to do is keep running in a straight line until someone tells you to stop.”
(Anon)

Also, here is a link to my friend Stu’s blog about his incredible journey towards and through 2010 NZ Ironman. Its a fantastic read and very real insight into the journey leading up to the event - and more importantly, on the day. Hopefully he doesn’t mind me sharing!

http://no-more-shadows.blogspot.com/

Enjoy and happy training.

What an incredible weekend. Its hard to know where to start. Ironman 2010 in Taupo, New Zealand, was everything I thought it would be - and more.

It was exciting, exhilirating, nerve-wracking, exhausting and most of all, absolutely and utterly inspiring.

I think I’m still digesting the weekend and what it means for me, as I visualise lining up at the start line this time next year. I was completely excited about going to watch the event - but also completely petrified. I hoped it wouldn’t scare the living daylights out of me.

Well, most importantly, it hasn’t. If anything, I actually feel a lot more comfortable about the whole thing. Comfortable and confident that if I do the hard hards, I will be crossing the line to hear the announcer say, Jacky James, you are an IRONMAN! I can visualise the steps in my mind and how most of it will come together. There is still a massive amount to learn about training, racing and this particular endurance event.

I’ll probably download some more later, but here are some highlights:

• Coach won his age-group! Wahoo! And he’s qualified for Kona! Double wahoo! Absolutely incredible to watch him race - I don’t think I had quite warned him enough about my passionate sports supporting, but he certainly couldn’t have missed my cheering!
• A number of RATs members crossing the line, but most heartwarming for me was Clarrie - an “older” competitor, determined to do his Ironman. We used to be in the same lane at swim squad and he is the dearest man. He had a great race, finishing in just over 14 hours. Awesome.
• Ripping around on bikes to catch all our people racing and making sure we didn’t miss a bit.
• Finding an amazing kebab shop for tea!
• And along with Coach’s efforts, the biggest highlight for me was my friend Stu from Kapiti Coast - we met through the Twitter triathlon network, we both work for the same Government organisation and we’re both working towards Ironman after battling demons - Stu this year and me next. I’ve followed his progress with growing excitement and respect. Even with all is training and busy family life, he still finds time to shoot me his latest inspirational thoughts. Eight months ago Stu couldn’t swim. Today, he is an IRONMAN! I met his wife for the first time at the swim exit - and saw him for the first time then as well! We followed his progress throughout the race, and I even rode out to near the run turnaround because I thought he might need some support on the last stretch. He had an incredible race, finishing just under 13 hours - 12h53m. Awesome.

And one final highlight…Mike wants to do an Ironman now too and is talking about 2012! Wahoo!

Forgive me father for I have sinned…its been over two weeks since my last blog post!

But that doesn’t mean that the training has stopped - it just means that our lives are even more manic than usual, and that I may have even broken my own record in my level of busy-ness.

The new job is amazing - I’m in my happy place and I feel like its the job I’ve been waiting my whole life for. I don’t think many people get to say that about their place of work so I do feel very privileged. Its also regularly a manic adrenalin rush, which has taken me closer to my triathlon goals than I ever would have thought - and I mean literally closer, as in right on top of both the Ironman and the Half Ironman course!

With five minutes notice, last week I found myself holed up in the Mt Maunganui police station, overlooking the swim course and transition area for the Tauranga Half Ironman in January. If I squinted my eyes I could just picture the excitement and chaos of race day. And it only scared me a little bit!

The week before, work had taken me to Taupo. Rather than just drive straight down State Highway 5, I decided to drive into town on the Ironman cycle route - I’m still not sure if that was a good idea or not! The turnaround point for the Taupo Ironman cycle stage is Reporoa, a tiny country town that is home to a dairy factory, a school, a general store, veterinary clinic and not much more.

We’ve based ourselves at the turnaround point for two Ironman events so far - the first time to cheer on a close friend (and accountant!), and this year to see the leaders go around for the second time. That’s right. Its not just a long way into town - you have to do it twice!

Now that I’ve spent a bit more time on the bike, I’ve started looking at these roads in a whole new way. The route is certainly a lot flatter than I remembered it being the last time I drove that way. For the most part, its long and straight, with just a few undulating hills - apart from the climb out of Taupo township on the way out. It seemed to take a very long time to drive that day. And this time I’m not afraid to say I was scared just a little bit.

The main training highlights in recent weeks have been on the bike and in the pool. Apparently I’ve made a massive improvement in my swimming stroke, so hopefully that bodes well for improving my times. Swim squad at 6am is going really well. In fact I love it and I really struggle now to swim on my own.

And, the bike has indeed become my friend and I miss it if I don’t get out on it several times a week! Hills are also becoming my friend, and I’m getting much faster. I rode around Lake Rotorua on Sunday - 50km - and I did it 20 minutes faster than the last time, which gave me a huge boost.

The other big highlight has been the people I’ve met and the new friendships I’ve made just in the last couple of weeks. The online triathlon community just keeps getting stronger and is hugely supportive and motivating. At the same time, I’ve met many like-minded people here in Rotorua with similar goals and speeds and we’ve formed new little training groups for swimming and cycling. Its much easier to get out the door when you know you’re due to meet someone at Lane One! I’ve also met new people around New Zealand who are also working towards big goals. Its good to share the good times - and the bad - and it all helps make you feel like you’re not the only one slogging it out every day and weekend to get to the finish line. What a team.