Ironman NZ 07 Race report

IMNZ 2007 Race Report (From right near the back of the back of the pack)

3am Ironman morning – a beautiful full moon smiling on a mirror-like lake.No wind, no swell, and surprisingly no fear. For the week leading up to this point I’d been experiencing waves of fear – perhaps these hot sticky sweats and palpitations are what menopause will treat me to in a few years?

3.30 I had an interview with a documentary maker. We sat lakeside and chatted. The fear stayed away – perhaps it was going to gang up on me at the start line? I had my breakfast of hammer perpetuem. Not the poached eggs that Cam Brown swears by, but this is what I trained with.

5.30 body painting. FF on the leg. Checked the bike. It’s all a bit unreal. Said ‘hi’ to Cameron in T1. Pumped tyres, checked out the hot bods and very cool racked bikes. Despite the loudspeakers and rocking music everything seems eerily quiet. No one (including me) looks anxious. Perhaps I got the day wrong?

6.30 wetsuit on. Hi to some friends and into the warm, still water. Being a very nervous swimmer I had planned to start from shore and give the pack a minute or two. Coach Wendy had told me better to go deep and to the rear, and start on the gun. I felt so serene I could almost have handled the punch up near the pros, but stuck to the deep water plan. The waka and the karakia caused tears to well up. Other athletes were crying. Still it was quiet… The crowd counted down …

7.00 the gun went off and we were at it – Ironman 2007.

What a buzz!I smiled through the whole swim. At one point I rolled onto my back and laughed. A year ago I couldn’t put three strokes together. Three months ago I freaked out in the Rotorua Half Ironman swim and seriously thought of giving Ironman a miss for a year. It was happening now – I was living the thing I’d dreamed about and trained for.

8.41 Out of the swim. There were still people in the water behind me!

I walked to T1 as Wendy said she’d slap me if she heard I’d run it, as my Achilles tendons were inflamed and very sore. The announcer was another coach and friend. We hugged. I got onto the bike, my smile as wide as it could be and headed out through the crowd. I was wearing pink, and had a pink Allen bike. I thought people were yelling ‘Go Vicky’. Later I realised it was ‘Pinky’ .

The first quarter of the race went by quickly. I was passed by almost everyone I beat out of the water, and in the whole 8 h 24 I was on the bike passed no-one. It was an awesome experience none the less. Briefly – before I was lapped going back through the forest into town – I was the first rider behind the ‘lead cyclist’ vehicle. I wish I had a photo of that!

Fellow athletes were amazing with their support too. I heard encouraging remarks from a good portion of the field as they rode past in the other direction – usually a good couple of hours ahead of me.Turning at Reporoa the second time I was told that Cameron Brown had won the men’s race. No one knew the result of the women’s race.

The wind was getting up and it was hot, but the only way home was one pedal revolution after the other. Having never done anything like this before I was uncertain how much I needed in reserve to get through the run, so determined not to cook myself on the bike. I quietly believed that I would get home. I hadn’t come all this way to leave without a medal…

It was disconcerting to see the Portaloos being taken away from the bike course while I was still riding. Had to nip into the forest for a nervous wee in case there was no toilet at the next support station.

1720 Finished the bike 10 minutes before cut off. Got a great reception from the crowd as I set off on the run. I think they were sufficiently lubricated by early evening to pour out their love all over the back of packers.. it was wonderful to feel their support.

An Achilles injury meant I had a run-walk plan in place. The tendon tightened up so much when I attempted a jog that I changed plans ands walked the full distance. The crowd was amazing – so supportive, lots of positive vibe all the way till

23.36.38 when I came home.

What a day – the weather was an apology for last year. The organisation went well, and the fellow athletes – many of whom waited at the finish for the tail-enders were fantastic. The Taupo crowd couldn’t be bettered.

All in all an AWESOME day. I will be back next year – hopefully considerably faster. I hope to catch up with you all there. Perhaps I could even pass one or two of you ;-)

Special thanks to Jack McKenzie for your encouragement pre-race. Let’s co-ordinate our outfits next year?