Brutal. Brutal. Brutal. Those are the only words I have to describe the race. I have my fair share of endurance events around the world, but IMNZ 2011 ranks up there (finger points to sky) as one of the most brutal and miserable ones. It was a race that tested, stretched, and almost snapped my limits. A race where I was that oh-so-close (eyes narrow to a slit) to giving up or getting cut off, but miraculously found the foolhardiness to finish it just in time. A race where, for the week after, I was so mentally drained that I felt no urge to resume running - which is rare for a hyper-bunny like me.
Race Day Morning
It rained the entire night and continued into race day morning. Not a good sign. The weather forecast was for heavy rain and I wondered how that would be, relative to the tropical downpours we have in Singapore. We got up, fed ourselves silly with breakfast and walked to the race site for body marking. I decided to put on my wetsuit in the comfort of the room and as an added insulation against the cold. It was a 10-15min stroll. We had our markings, pumped our bicycle tires and checked in our Special Needs bags. Then we made our way to the swim start. The rain was a heavy drizzle that never stopped.
Swim
Perhaps it was the excitement of the race. Or that I had been walking around in my wetsuit. The water did not feel as cold as I anticipated. I only just waddled into the lake when the canon blasted and the race began. The lake was clear and visibility good. I could see the swimmers around me, and soon many overtook me from behind. I plodded on. Siew Ling was next to me, I could recognize her by her swimming gear. I did not know how many buoys there were in total. They were marked in ascending order, so I just counted and made sure I got to the next buoy and aimed for the next. I managed to swim in a relatively straight course because the buoys were easy to sight. I did not dare to look at my watch and simply looked ahead, secretly hoping that I was not the last. I exited the lake at 1:51h and realised that it was still raining. Yeah! Swim cleared! Supporters were at the swim-exit, happily cheering us on despite the weather. I brisk walked the 500m path to the transition tent.
Bike
The transition tent volunteers yanked the wetsuit off me (thanks!). I dried myself and changed into my cycling gear - an UnderArmour coldgear long-sleeved top, a CWX compression long tights, and an Orca cycling shorts. Then the accessories like gloves, shoes and race belt. I underestimated the weather and did not have any protective gear with me. My running jacket was in my run Special Needs bag! Argh. I stepped out of the transition tent and promptly got drenched.
It was cold and miserable. I struggled through the first 10km of rolling hills. I started shivering from the cold and it got so bad that I had problems controlling my bicycle. The kind of shivering that starts with simply feeling chilly, to involuntary shudders from internally. I thought I might black-out or fall off the bike. I took 1h to cover 20km (what?!) and seriously contemplated giving up the race. At that speed, there was no way I was going to cover 180km within the cut-off time. I was seriously losing it. But there was no chance to quit. An ambulance zoomed past me, and obviously I did not look like I was in enough trouble for it to stop by me. Cyclists flew by on the opposite side. The pros made it seem to easy. Several of them were in sleeveless tri-suit and I really wondered if they felt cold at all.
I stopped at 20km. There was an aid station across the road and a volunteer ran up to me. I asked if she had a poncho - I was desperate - and bless her, she found one and helped me put it on and tied the loose ends. I psyched myself to continue pedalling, step by step. So there I was, riding in the rain like a crazy woman with a flapping plastic sheet. Friends who saw me on the opposite road later told me that they did a double-take at my ridiculous 'outfit'. I told myself that that could not be worse than attempting a mountain summit in the howling winds. No guide was there to tell me I could not make it or turn me around. If anyone decided to go or quit, it was me alone. So move that butt and keep pedalling!
I thought that I should at least stake it out to the u-turn point and see what 45km looked like. I physically stopped at every aid station and ate a chocolate bar. Bananas could not generate enough body heat like the chocs did. Then I filled my aero-bottle with coke, and it was coke-choc-coke-choc all the way. I lost count of the number of choc bars I took. And for a person who does not take soft-drinks, I must have filled my year's quota of coke!
Miraculously I made it to the u-turn. Then I thought that I should at least get back to the starting point if I wanted to quit, or be stranded in the middle of nowhere with the grazing cows. Meanwhile, the rain continued unabated. It sometimes drizzled, sometimes poured and the chilly wind attacked us. I kept my poncho, never mind the (lack of) image. My speed was unglamourously low and I kept making mental calculations of the distance and time remaining. I cleared the first loop, and there was no way one could stop in the city with so many people cheering us on. Just as madly as the athletes. It was admirable, the supporters.
So I went on my second loop even as many riders completed their bike leg. The pain of the slopes repeated itself. I was panicking now because the prospect of being cut off was very real. My mental calculations refreshed themselves every 10km, counting down the speed I needed to maintain. Girl, keep riding and keep that speed at XX. At one point, I made an erroneous calculation and had a major panic attack, only to realise that I had counted an extra 10km. It was down to that level of granularity and emergency planning. Still, I was on Mission Urgent to make it back to the transition tent. My abductors cramped a few times. In the last 20km, I decided to push my bike up a particular slope for fear of cramps affecting the last segment. I needed those legs to pedal all the way back. I packed my running shoes all the way across a 10h flight and I must use them! I fought against time, never before so intensely, and finally crossed the timing mat at 10:25h, with 5min to spare. 8:15h on the bike. Whew! I knew I was not a strong cyclist, but never expected to be so waylaid. I was the second last to complete the bike leg and it was a hallelujah moment. Almost proud.
Run
It was with great joy that I put on my running shoes. Once I had them on, I knew I would be able to complete the race. I had about 6:30h left and I targeted 6h for the marathon. That would be my longest marathon timing ever. But in a race like today, I realistically only aimed to survive and finish within 17h. Nothing more.
I shuffled those legs. I started with 6.5min pace, not bad I thought. But then slowed to 7min and eventually close to 9min. It was one of those dilemmas where I would love to stroll a little, but risked shivering once I stopped. So I kept moving. The aid stations had cups of salted chips and pretzels and they were way more appetizing than powergels and lemon-lime-anything. I changed my poncho a few times at the aid stations.
10km. 15km. 21km. Friends had completed but I was just on to my second loop. Funny how I never thought of giving up once I was on the run. A marathon? Yeah, bring it on, it was the only thing that kept me in the race thus far. Keep going, hanging on. There was only one thing playing through my mind - shuffle, shuffle, and shuffle. 25km. 30km. 32km. After that it was just counting down every km. Winnie, Lynn and Henry were slightly ahead of me. I hoped not to see and overtake them because it meant that they were walking and we were all cutting it close to the 17h. They did not disappoint and kept their place in front of me.
Finally, round the bend and toward the finishing chute. It was one hell of a race, totally mentally and physically drained. So I think I truly deserved that finishing moment of running in with my hands raised in some sort of a wild victory wave. 16:44:44h. It was so close. The weather put a spoiler in my race and I was not sure if I could make it. IMNZ was really something.
Post-race, we found out that we had a completion rate of 97%! For a race so tough and demanding, it was a marvelous achievement for everyone. Thanks to all for their cheering along the way. :) Congratulations!
Showing posts with label ironman. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ironman. Show all posts
Monday, March 7, 2011
Monday, March 1, 2010
Ironman Langkawi (Race)
27 Feb 2010
IM Langkawi lived up to its reputation of being "the toughest show on earth" (so-claimed the organizers). It was indeed challenging, made tougher by race support.
In addition to the heat and terrain, one had to be prepared for Malaysia-boleh style support. The traffic control and road marshals did an excellent job on race day, staying on until the last runners came through. The aid stations, however, were really on a low-budget this year. 2-3 stations ran out of water during the bike course. Overheard a caucasian competitor exclaiming, "Out of water again? What a joke!". Yes, even in an ironman race. Water and gatorade supply on the run course ran short of cups and were served up by the bottles, depleting the supply even faster. Food on the bike course was non-existent, as were portaloos. Food on the run course comprised cut up powerbars that had melted in the heat, oranges and bananas turned soggy together in ice-melted pool, and powergels that vanished after my first round.
The race flag-off for non-pro competitors was 7:45am. We reached the bike transition at 6am and set up our gear for the day. The swim was a deep-water start off a floating platform. We swam against the current going forward and took such a long time. The return swim was easier, but still, I took 2:12h to complete. I came out of the water to Kat, Rachel, Ronnie and several supporters cheering me on. We were so nervous at the impending cut-off time of 2:20h.
I spent about 11min in the transition tent, putting on my attire, sunblock and stuff. Oops. By the time I set off on my bike, there were very few left. Everytime I hopped on my bike after an IM swim, it was somehow an emo moment. Like I somehow survived yet another long swim and finally on my wheels.
My legs were fresh from the long break, and I might have pushed on too hard in the first loop. The weather today was relatively good compared to the previous days. There was a slight overcast and wind, so I tried to take advantage of the cooler weather while it lasted. Maintained at 30-33kmh on the average flat and caught up with several cyclists ahead. But I would pay the price later, for it was more than my usual training speed. Hit all the slopes and was on the lookout for the killer one after a shrimp farm, landmarked by 2 giant shrimps at its entrance. Voom! the slope rose ahead. I saw some cyclists pushing their bikes up and decided to do likewise. I was already down to my lightest gear and nowhere near half the slope. Some cyclists dug in deep and rode up beside me, but I eventually caught up with them again after the slope.
Supporters by the roadside were fun. Japanese/ Korean supporters thought I was one of them. Others thought I was a Malaysian Malay/Chinese. And then some of our Singaporean supporters kept shouting "Go Pinkie go!" because I was in a hot-pink long-sleeved top. (btw, loved my new UnderArmour top!)
Doing decent on the time-check for 2 laps. Then the clouds parted and the sun shone through. And people started to melt. My quads started aching and by the 3rd lap, cramps set in. There was a flat stretch along the airport and the continuous pedaling 'conditioned' my thighs to seize up when we hit the slopes thereafter. I dropped all my gears and went lightly at 18-20kmh on the flat, while sucking my Nuun salt tablets and stretching my legs. But to no avail. First the right abductors above the knee. So I transfered weight to the left leg. Then the left abductors above the knee, and it pulled all the way to the other end of the big muscle near the groin area. Ouch ouch. But I could not stop pedaling in the midst of an upslope, so I had to grit through the pain. Every pedal stroke tightened the cramp. Finally I dismounted and pushed. A media vehicle promptly pulled up alongside and snapped pictures, how totally unglamourous! I managed to get through the Lap3 interim cut-off, whew. Repeated the same cramp cycle for the 4th lap (can die!) before returning to the race transition area. Total push: 5 times. Total time: 7:27h.
I did not know how I held my bladder for so long since there was no portaloo along the bike route. Or maybe all the water I drank had vapourised in my sweat. I changed, used the toilets and started my run. It was exactly 10:00h into the race. Which meant that my marathon timing would determine my race time. I made the dumbest mistake of leaving behind my 2 powergels in my run bag, thinking that there would be gel supply along the way. I forgot this was Malaysia and not IMWA.
It was very demoralizing to see other competitors with multiple lap-wrist-bands while I had none. Sigh. My quads were better and did not cramp. I managed to run decently in the 1st lap. But I was low-sugar, low-energy. The food at the aid station was revolting. I had some cookies but their effect did not last long. My tongue was deadened by all the powerbars and Gatorade, I was craving for savoury snacks and iced-milo. The run was painfully humid and I nearly fell asleep. It took tremendous effort to force myself through. I walked so much, it turned out to be my longest marathon ever. The aim was to collect 4 wrist-bands, run 5 laps, and straight through to the Finish chute. The route had long gradual rolling slopes which during normal circumstances would be irrelevant to me. But today was not a normal day, and gradual took on a new meaning. I saw friends on the opposite side, but was too zoned out to wave and smile. I managed a couple of wrist-flick acknowledgements...
I had sugared cracker biscuits in my special needs bag. Six precious pieces of them (I should have packed more or threw in powergels and milo!) The sugar rush enabled me to run a couple of kms, and then I walked, like a wound-down toy. I saved 2 pieces for my last lap.
Finally my 5th and last lap! Munched 1 biscuit, hopefully to last me until the 4km u-turn point. I very carefully held on to the other piece and ran with it. I strolled a little, and a Korean competitor behind shouted my bib number, "491, keep going!" and nudged me along. We ended up pacing each other three-quarters of the way. Passed the u-turn mat, and gobbled my last biscuit with much happiness. Last stretch now. I tried to jog all the way and not stop. 1km more to go, I literally did a tempo-run to the finishing banner. Coming through, I remembered to raise my hands and look up for a good photo finish. Run time: 5:59h (exactly 1h slower than IMWA). Total race time: 15:59h.
Whew! What a day! One more IM medal earned. Pity there was no eagle medal this year.
Lesson learnt: messed up nutrition & failed my run.
Total-15:59:37; S-02:12:33; B-07:27:05; T2-00:08:59; R-05:59:58; 8th/9 category finishers
IM Langkawi lived up to its reputation of being "the toughest show on earth" (so-claimed the organizers). It was indeed challenging, made tougher by race support.
In addition to the heat and terrain, one had to be prepared for Malaysia-boleh style support. The traffic control and road marshals did an excellent job on race day, staying on until the last runners came through. The aid stations, however, were really on a low-budget this year. 2-3 stations ran out of water during the bike course. Overheard a caucasian competitor exclaiming, "Out of water again? What a joke!". Yes, even in an ironman race. Water and gatorade supply on the run course ran short of cups and were served up by the bottles, depleting the supply even faster. Food on the bike course was non-existent, as were portaloos. Food on the run course comprised cut up powerbars that had melted in the heat, oranges and bananas turned soggy together in ice-melted pool, and powergels that vanished after my first round.
The race flag-off for non-pro competitors was 7:45am. We reached the bike transition at 6am and set up our gear for the day. The swim was a deep-water start off a floating platform. We swam against the current going forward and took such a long time. The return swim was easier, but still, I took 2:12h to complete. I came out of the water to Kat, Rachel, Ronnie and several supporters cheering me on. We were so nervous at the impending cut-off time of 2:20h.
I spent about 11min in the transition tent, putting on my attire, sunblock and stuff. Oops. By the time I set off on my bike, there were very few left. Everytime I hopped on my bike after an IM swim, it was somehow an emo moment. Like I somehow survived yet another long swim and finally on my wheels.
My legs were fresh from the long break, and I might have pushed on too hard in the first loop. The weather today was relatively good compared to the previous days. There was a slight overcast and wind, so I tried to take advantage of the cooler weather while it lasted. Maintained at 30-33kmh on the average flat and caught up with several cyclists ahead. But I would pay the price later, for it was more than my usual training speed. Hit all the slopes and was on the lookout for the killer one after a shrimp farm, landmarked by 2 giant shrimps at its entrance. Voom! the slope rose ahead. I saw some cyclists pushing their bikes up and decided to do likewise. I was already down to my lightest gear and nowhere near half the slope. Some cyclists dug in deep and rode up beside me, but I eventually caught up with them again after the slope.
Supporters by the roadside were fun. Japanese/ Korean supporters thought I was one of them. Others thought I was a Malaysian Malay/Chinese. And then some of our Singaporean supporters kept shouting "Go Pinkie go!" because I was in a hot-pink long-sleeved top. (btw, loved my new UnderArmour top!)
Doing decent on the time-check for 2 laps. Then the clouds parted and the sun shone through. And people started to melt. My quads started aching and by the 3rd lap, cramps set in. There was a flat stretch along the airport and the continuous pedaling 'conditioned' my thighs to seize up when we hit the slopes thereafter. I dropped all my gears and went lightly at 18-20kmh on the flat, while sucking my Nuun salt tablets and stretching my legs. But to no avail. First the right abductors above the knee. So I transfered weight to the left leg. Then the left abductors above the knee, and it pulled all the way to the other end of the big muscle near the groin area. Ouch ouch. But I could not stop pedaling in the midst of an upslope, so I had to grit through the pain. Every pedal stroke tightened the cramp. Finally I dismounted and pushed. A media vehicle promptly pulled up alongside and snapped pictures, how totally unglamourous! I managed to get through the Lap3 interim cut-off, whew. Repeated the same cramp cycle for the 4th lap (can die!) before returning to the race transition area. Total push: 5 times. Total time: 7:27h.
I did not know how I held my bladder for so long since there was no portaloo along the bike route. Or maybe all the water I drank had vapourised in my sweat. I changed, used the toilets and started my run. It was exactly 10:00h into the race. Which meant that my marathon timing would determine my race time. I made the dumbest mistake of leaving behind my 2 powergels in my run bag, thinking that there would be gel supply along the way. I forgot this was Malaysia and not IMWA.
It was very demoralizing to see other competitors with multiple lap-wrist-bands while I had none. Sigh. My quads were better and did not cramp. I managed to run decently in the 1st lap. But I was low-sugar, low-energy. The food at the aid station was revolting. I had some cookies but their effect did not last long. My tongue was deadened by all the powerbars and Gatorade, I was craving for savoury snacks and iced-milo. The run was painfully humid and I nearly fell asleep. It took tremendous effort to force myself through. I walked so much, it turned out to be my longest marathon ever. The aim was to collect 4 wrist-bands, run 5 laps, and straight through to the Finish chute. The route had long gradual rolling slopes which during normal circumstances would be irrelevant to me. But today was not a normal day, and gradual took on a new meaning. I saw friends on the opposite side, but was too zoned out to wave and smile. I managed a couple of wrist-flick acknowledgements...
I had sugared cracker biscuits in my special needs bag. Six precious pieces of them (I should have packed more or threw in powergels and milo!) The sugar rush enabled me to run a couple of kms, and then I walked, like a wound-down toy. I saved 2 pieces for my last lap.
Finally my 5th and last lap! Munched 1 biscuit, hopefully to last me until the 4km u-turn point. I very carefully held on to the other piece and ran with it. I strolled a little, and a Korean competitor behind shouted my bib number, "491, keep going!" and nudged me along. We ended up pacing each other three-quarters of the way. Passed the u-turn mat, and gobbled my last biscuit with much happiness. Last stretch now. I tried to jog all the way and not stop. 1km more to go, I literally did a tempo-run to the finishing banner. Coming through, I remembered to raise my hands and look up for a good photo finish. Run time: 5:59h (exactly 1h slower than IMWA). Total race time: 15:59h.
Whew! What a day! One more IM medal earned. Pity there was no eagle medal this year.
Lesson learnt: messed up nutrition & failed my run.
Total-15:59:37; S-02:12:33; B-07:27:05; T2-00:08:59; R-05:59:58; 8th/9 category finishers
Friday, February 26, 2010
IM Langkawi (Pre-race)
(24-26 Feb 2010)
I was totally unprepared for the race, having just touched down from New York the day before. 32hrs later, I was in the hot and humid island of Langkawi, less than ready to take on another IM challenge.
We deposited our bikes in a multi-purpose hall that the City Bayview Hotel had set up for guests. It was mind-boggling to see the array of bicycle transport cases. The Japanese had their usual huge contingent at IMLKW and with their tinkering culture, many brought interesting looking cases that had been self-constructed or modified! Most participants were just arriving in Langkawi today. Some of those who came earlier were already out on the roads for acclimatizing rides. There was an old beaten bike in the hall. On closer examination, however, we saw two IM-Kona stickers on its top-tube! We assembled our bicycles before heading out for a seafood dinner.
The next morning, many athletes donned their various IM finisher tees at the breakfast hall. I was going gaga over the IM-races and faces – IM France-Nice, IMWA, Korea, Japan, China. There was a full-time flight attendant from Europe, and several under-stated, weathered-looking veterans from Japan. We headed for the race registration at Seaview Hotel. The registration process was smooth, beginning with a simple medical check-up and declaration, followed by race pack collection. There were a few booths selling race merchandise, and a bicycle support tentage operated by Bike Boutique.
We rented a mini-van and drove along the bike course. It was daunting just staring at the rolling slopes through the windows. The killer slope where many cyclists pushed their bikes up was certainly going to be a challenge. *faint* That evening, we attended the carbo dinner at the jetty. The sight of the giant eagle adorning the Langkawi jetty greeted us. A magnificent monument, it was a reminder that we were fast approaching “the toughest show on earth” – the tagline for IM Langkawi.
I was apprehensive at not having tested my bike and new apparel. So I woke up early and took the bike to the road. I cycled to the jetty and back, then ran the same route. My new Under Armour Heatgear Compression long-sleeved top felt decent in the sweltering heat. *whew* A quick breakfast later, and we were at the race briefing. Last words of advice and caution and the last thing left to do was bike and gear check-in.
We waited until 5pm for the check-in as we did not want our gear to be baked unnecessarily under the sun. First a bike mechanic did a simple check on each bicycle, then we dropped off our Bike/ Run transition bags, racked our bikes, and we were done. The point of no return! Counting down to the race flag off….
I was totally unprepared for the race, having just touched down from New York the day before. 32hrs later, I was in the hot and humid island of Langkawi, less than ready to take on another IM challenge.
We deposited our bikes in a multi-purpose hall that the City Bayview Hotel had set up for guests. It was mind-boggling to see the array of bicycle transport cases. The Japanese had their usual huge contingent at IMLKW and with their tinkering culture, many brought interesting looking cases that had been self-constructed or modified! Most participants were just arriving in Langkawi today. Some of those who came earlier were already out on the roads for acclimatizing rides. There was an old beaten bike in the hall. On closer examination, however, we saw two IM-Kona stickers on its top-tube! We assembled our bicycles before heading out for a seafood dinner.
The next morning, many athletes donned their various IM finisher tees at the breakfast hall. I was going gaga over the IM-races and faces – IM France-Nice, IMWA, Korea, Japan, China. There was a full-time flight attendant from Europe, and several under-stated, weathered-looking veterans from Japan. We headed for the race registration at Seaview Hotel. The registration process was smooth, beginning with a simple medical check-up and declaration, followed by race pack collection. There were a few booths selling race merchandise, and a bicycle support tentage operated by Bike Boutique.
We rented a mini-van and drove along the bike course. It was daunting just staring at the rolling slopes through the windows. The killer slope where many cyclists pushed their bikes up was certainly going to be a challenge. *faint* That evening, we attended the carbo dinner at the jetty. The sight of the giant eagle adorning the Langkawi jetty greeted us. A magnificent monument, it was a reminder that we were fast approaching “the toughest show on earth” – the tagline for IM Langkawi.
I was apprehensive at not having tested my bike and new apparel. So I woke up early and took the bike to the road. I cycled to the jetty and back, then ran the same route. My new Under Armour Heatgear Compression long-sleeved top felt decent in the sweltering heat. *whew* A quick breakfast later, and we were at the race briefing. Last words of advice and caution and the last thing left to do was bike and gear check-in.
We waited until 5pm for the check-in as we did not want our gear to be baked unnecessarily under the sun. First a bike mechanic did a simple check on each bicycle, then we dropped off our Bike/ Run transition bags, racked our bikes, and we were done. The point of no return! Counting down to the race flag off….
Thursday, December 3, 2009
From Perth & Busselton
1/2 Dec 2009
We arrived in Perth almost midnight. There was a sizable group of IM participants on the flight. When the customs officers saw our 10 giant bike cases, they simply waved us through. *whew* no need to open up the wheels and luggages for checks. By the time we settled in our apartment, it was 3am. Yawn. Tested my brand new running shoes in the morning in the gym treadmill. Nice, did not have to break them in. We had a late lunch of fish & chips, did some grocery shopping, wandered around King's Park and had dinner at a friend's house. Chicken rice in a foreign land. Bliss. :)
3 Dec 2009
The drive to Busselton took about 3h. We arrived rather late at 12noon & headed straight to the registration tentage. It was a great IM ambience at the IM-Village, with lots of merchandise and athletes milling around. Went to our resort & set up our bicycles. Managed to do a short 45min test ride. Gosh, the winds are free! We went for the athletes' parade and caught the Singaporean group along the way. There was a moment of national pride with the Flag proudly displayed and our anthem being played during the carbo dinner. :)
We arrived in Perth almost midnight. There was a sizable group of IM participants on the flight. When the customs officers saw our 10 giant bike cases, they simply waved us through. *whew* no need to open up the wheels and luggages for checks. By the time we settled in our apartment, it was 3am. Yawn. Tested my brand new running shoes in the morning in the gym treadmill. Nice, did not have to break them in. We had a late lunch of fish & chips, did some grocery shopping, wandered around King's Park and had dinner at a friend's house. Chicken rice in a foreign land. Bliss. :)
3 Dec 2009
The drive to Busselton took about 3h. We arrived rather late at 12noon & headed straight to the registration tentage. It was a great IM ambience at the IM-Village, with lots of merchandise and athletes milling around. Went to our resort & set up our bicycles. Managed to do a short 45min test ride. Gosh, the winds are free! We went for the athletes' parade and caught the Singaporean group along the way. There was a moment of national pride with the Flag proudly displayed and our anthem being played during the carbo dinner. :)
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