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Pre Game

As with my other IM experience, you are on the go from the day before you leave, until 6pm the night before the race, and then you have a few minutes to relax, a few more hours for nerves, and at 4am you’re awake.  I wasn’t very nervous, as I’d done all that I could, woke up and ate ‘the usual’ oatmeal with salt stick.

Drove to the venue, body marking here = stamps with paint.  I find a quiet spot, and go through my race in my head, and make my way to the water to get some swimming in before the start.  After swimming out a bit, I stop to watch the sun rise over the volcano, and realize that Craig Alexander (eventual winner) is watching it beside me.  We chat, and I’m the last guy to wish him luck before the start (as Scott Tinley paddles by an a surfboard).  The pros leave and the 1650 remaining people rush out to the starting line.  A continuous line of paddle boarders keep us in line, but as more athletes from behind pushed forwards the last 10 minutes I found myself amongst a large throng of really aggressive guys pushed so close together, that we’re like pencils, pushing and dunking each other.  It was enough to make me a little nervous (which isn’t normally the case) so I moved over to a quieter spot.  Looked up at the peer and could see everyone covering their ears, so I started swimming and 0.5s later the cannon boomed.

Swim

I managed to stay within a body length of the people around me (no feet to head) but after 50m peeked up and could see guys 50m ahead of me… that was a fast start.

The current was pushing us into the buoys, and I was going well.  I assumed that there would be a constant stream of swimmers, but at the turn I drifted ‘back one more set of feet’ and found myself swimming alone.  I was happy to see the bottom coming back up towards me, and then get into a small pack

Bike

My transition was about a minute longer than others as I put on a 2XU compression top, and met up with my very good friend, the Specialized Transition.  The first 80-90km of the bike went really smoothly, but at that point I started to slow down a little, and eventually lost around 5 minutes to the pace I had been on.

A)    I wasn’t as adapted to the heat (or the heat was greater than I had adapted to)
B)    I was having a good but not great day
C)    Simply I over estimated the wattage I was able to sustain for a 180km bike

I don’t have my powertap data here, but I will go over it with a few bike dork friends, and will have a much better idea of what is attainable, and what I can do to train myself better for this.
That aside the bike was really cool because I passed all but 1 of the amateurs, was interviewed while riding for Canadian TV coverage, passed all the pro women/ and many of the men.  Coming back from Hawi it was windy.  I don’t know how this compared to other years,  but I was taking up a full lane with all the wind gusts, but I didn’t have anyone around me.  For other people with 2 and 3 abreast I can’t imagine how scary this would have been.

Run

I got off the bike with the 2nd placed amateur, and put some time in him during transition.  I knew the pace that I had to run to be top 30 overall, but also knew that at no time in the first 8miles of Ali’I drive should I feel like I was working.  My thought process was this:  Run the pace, even though it wasn’t quite comfortable.  If my legs did come around later then I would be in position to do well, and if they weren’t going to come around, well I would be leaving that much bigger of an impact crater.

The climb up Palani drive, was a tough go (from the picture, you can see that I am suffering, it’s possible that my eyes aren’t even open) and at the top I wasn’t able to get my pace back up for a while.  At the bottom of the Energy Lab, with 14 km to go (and 108deg heat) I had reduced my deficit from 5 to 2 minutes on the post bike leader, and was still in 3rd.  By the top of the hill with 11 km to go it was lights out, and I simply couldn’t go.  Eating/ drinking/ ice nothing helped.  I wasn’t cramping, I just COULDN’T GO.  From this point back I lost at least 1minute per km to all the people around me.

When I finally got to the crowded finish line, I high five’d all the kids/ adults, and everyone out there, and cried while I crossed the line.  (Why do they need such a big ramp at the line, couldn’t it just be flat?)

Post Race
(this contains gross stuff, don’t read if this bothers you)

I went to the IV tent, but I had gained 4 lbs so they wouldn’t give me one.  I couldn’t pee, and 2h later I found out where all the fluid (and bloating) were coming from when I started the butt pee.  This went on for around 18h at really regular intervals.  I also managed to vomit a few times in the window a few hours after the race.  Eventually I got some chips and a sandwich down, and that seemed to calm things down.

Here is the official story:
http://c3online.ca/faulkner.shtml

This whole season literally has been a dream come true.  13 months ago when I hatched the concept I want to do IM Hawaii I couldn’t swim more than 50m with out my arms cramping.  I still have to get more run base in before being a contender at this distance.  I’ve got a little more respect for the distance, and this event specifically.  I also have a better idea of things to change and improve for next year.

huge thanks to:

#1 my Mom and Dad.  Thanks for all the things that you have an will put up with.  All those times when I call you from (fill in the blank) town and ask you to dig through box x and mail me item y, and you tell me that you’ll never mail another package around the globe again.  Thanks for still mailing them.

Caron Shepley: Caron is always happy and supportive, and allowed her husband, and my Coach, Barrie to miss Thanks Giving to fly to Kona and support me.  Thanks so much Caron.  If you are interested in triathlon specific Yoga videos, or live in the GTA and are interested in attending one of Caron’s classes, they are really good.  www.bluedogyoga.com

Barrie, and the C3 Team: Thanks for welcoming me into the team and making me a part of the family even though I had NO triathlon experience last November.

Team Tracker Burner Racing, Courage Sport, and Jim Cooke, the Dogs and owners of Chelsea Dog Walking.  I’ll see you with fresh tales in 2 weeks.

The many C3 sponsors of equipment (Sable Swim Goggles, Specialized Bikes and Helmets, 2XU Clothing, K-Swiss Shoes) and race resources (Restaurantica; Kinetico; Subaru Triathlon Series, Royal Containers; Personal Best; Riverdale Fitness Mill and generous Friends of C3 Donors) along with support from the C3 BOARD, C3 HP TEAM-MEMBERS and Coaches.