Ironman 70.3 California 2009

Unfortunately I am reporting a DNF from the race today in Oceanside, however, on the plus side of things I had a great swim/bike out there which has given me a good indication of how I am travelling right now. I have had a problem in my lower leg for a month now, and although it is getting much better and I have been running up to 40minutes, it wasn’t worth pushing since the leg isn’t perfect yet. It does, however, still suck to pull out of a race, BUT – there will be many more races this year, as I have been told many a time throughout the course of today. Onwards and upwards.

My race got off to a great start in the water till, oooo, lets say 100m, when I got the good ‘ol dunkin in the water and the goggles ripped knocked off. It’s a long time since that has happened, but it – as ‘they’ say – is racing, and you must deal with it. It happened again midway and I really became unsure of where I was in the state of play. As we neared the jetty I realised I was probably in a good enough spot and sure enough as I ran up I heard the announcer explain that Olly Freeman was mere seconds in front. Safe.

Onto the bike in 3rd and I just found a really solid pace early doors. This always helps set the tone I find. Quite quickly I could see the two leaders in front and by 10 miles I had passed them, but had also in turn been passed myself by Björn Andersson doing something of a rocket-impression. Off he went. I soon ended up riding on my own for a few miles, until at 25 I was caught by the group of very capable bike riders that had formed behind.

This is something I am still having to work at in my racing – an ability to really dig deep when on my own and capitalise on any gains I may have made in the swim. – I can ride a very quick pace when I am able to pace off of another rider (I said pace not draft) but on my own I struggle to really push that extra gear necessary. It will come in time.

We rode up and over the hills which dominate the second half of the race, and I was determined to really work them as hard as possible. I love that sort of terrain and I had forgotten how good a course this really is. – A really solid, honest bike course, where drafting really won’t be much of an issue I doubt. At 45 miles the Swiss athlete Ronnie (for I cannot spell or pronounce his surname) who was 4th at Hawaii last year zoomed on by and I made an effort to tag along. This effort expired around the 50 mile marker and I was then sucked back into the group of 6 as we entered T2.

I started the run, simply so that I didn’t have to stop in T2 and look like the village idiot who didn’t undertstand what he needed to do. – Run like the rest of them! So I got myself down to just past the first mile marker and walked off the course, which, as I said, sucked.

All in all it was worth it for sure, and I am bouyed by my swim/bike effort. There are no dollars to show for the racing, but I will get my head down and continue to hit the rehab work hard. 

Jog along son. Jog along.

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