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A long way down - IM South Africa 2013
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Preamble:
At this point, I’m working my way through bucket-list events, and IMZA has been on the list for a while. A major bonus, was that I could wrap it around a work trip, thus keeping the costs to a minimum.
However, signing up for this back in November, I knew that training was going to be very poor and it would primarily be an event of survival.
Weekends are shot with kids sport, and I’m beyond the enthusiasm required for 4am starts for long bikes and runs.
So, longest session was a 3 hour run, while the bike topped out at a 2hr 30 turbo and swim was a couple of 3.8km efforts.
However, getting through the Donadea 50km in reasonable shape, gave me hope that I had the mental and aerobic capacity to get through most events.
Race Week:
Was seriously touch-and-go as to whether I would get going at all. I was summoned to yet another “must-attend” meeting in San Francisco on the day after the IM, but I quietly mentioned I couldn’t make it and waited for the formal summons. It came, but only after I was en route to Jo’burg, so dreadfully sorry, and all that….
Two stressy work days in Jo’burg, meant I didn’t even think of the event, until I was re-packing for the flight to Port Elizabeth.
Lots of tanned, skinny racing types on the flight, but I had them fooled with my pale winter coat…
Arrived mid-day Friday – bike was in reasonable order, although I forgot to tighten the handlebars to the stem for the bike check – cue near death hilarity as I was desperately fumbling for the brakes on floppy bars while hurtling down-hill.
Nice feel to the whole set up. Super logistics (aside from the small matter of getting to PE) – cheap hotels, all within walking distance of the race site/expo/reg and a single transition (Roth, for example, is a fantastic race, but the logistics are a royal pain in the ar$e.).
Race briefing was uneventful – although at one point, they said, “don’t worry if you see black shadows and bubbles underneath you in the swim – these are divers and are there for your protection”
Ehhh, protection from what, exactly?
Also, very friendly crowd – I’m here completely solo, but being one of only 2 Irish registered, the Saffers have been great. Avoiding Castle-fuelled discussions about rugby was my primary challenge up to that point.
At breakfast on Sat morning, a very unsteady elderly chap sat down and proceeded to tell me about his 11 Comrades (another who swears the “down” is harder…) – probably explains the walking stick – something we can all look forward to.
On to the beach for the acid test – will I fit into the wetsuit?
Surprisingly, yes, followed by a nice 750m swim. The locals were moaning about the cold water – they don’t know how lucky they are.
Switched to the bike for a 50min spin, was seeking out the climbs which are at the start of the course, but the first one wasn’t too bad, so I left it at that and came back along the seafront to check out the run course. No rattles from the trusty steed, so looks like we are good to go.
Bike checked-in now just hang around and wait.
Back to the room, dodging a couple of my new SA buddies (non-participating) who are knee-deep in Castle, while on their 12th Super 15 match of the weekend.
50th check of the gear, turns up a “no goggles” alert. Fu*k! I had them for the practice earlier, but nowhere to be seen now.
Leg it back to the expo which is just closing up and grab a pair – the guy is giving me the full pitch – “make you go 10% faster etc…” – great, I’ll take them.
Race Day:
Nice and leisurely start – up @ 5am, breakfast and in transition by 6am. Quick practice swim, to test my new, “go-faster” goggles and then watch the pros start @ 6.45am.
Swim: 1:19:13
2-loops of 1.9km in the sea. This course, can be quite varied with chop, winds etc., so was a little apprehensive.
I was actually keen on doing an IM with a sea swim – the lake/canal sites of my previous 2, weren’t quite respecting the traditions of the Waikiki Rough Water swim – this certainly ticked that box.
Usual IM mass start – much prefer this to the wave start – it is a real feature of IM to have a couple of thousand bodies piling in at the one time.
A few tasty breakers in the first 100m that knocked a number of people over (head over heels in a couple of cases), perfect for the novice swimmer
First turn was after 300m – complete chaos. We all had to breaststroke for a couple of minutes and plenty of kicks and punches as an added bonus. 700m to the next turn and things had not improved – full-on contact again.
Just after the 3rd turn (1.1km in) I felt a pressure release on my wrist and I look down in disbelief as I see my Garmin 310, head towards a watery grave.
Fu*k, fu*k, fu*k!
How did that happen? What the fu*k am I going to do now?
Once I talked myself off the ledge, I rationalized that the Garmin wasn’t hugely important – It wasn’t really going to make me go any faster, but it is a psychological crutch on which I rely a lot during the bike and run.
Back to the swimming and exit first last – ask the guy beside me, what time he’s got – 38min. Solid.
Things spread out for the 2nd lap although just when you think you have some free space, some clown beside you decides to start breast-stroking, delivering a painful head kick from the side. Breast-stroking should be up there with drafting, if you ask me
T1: 6:33
Uneventful and suitably leisurely.
Bike: 6:30:04
3 loops of 60km.
3km of flat, before the climb. This is about 10km long, but very gradual, aside from a ramp at the beginning and the end. Once past this, you head into the country side, before dropping back down to the coast, for a spectacular 20km spin along the coast, wondering how we did a swim with those waves crashing on the shore.
The road surface was pretty rough in these parts, so there was bike debris all over the place.
In one of the more remote parts, going up a gentle climb, I spotted a small snake trying to make his way across the road.
What I didn’t see, was his less fortunate mate, who was in 2-D about 10 meters ahead.
Bang - front wheel gives way, and I’m on the floor.
Thankfully, I was going slow, so no lasting damage done.
Once I started paying attention, the place was full of monster bugs and other wild creatures.
Passing the finish area for end of lap 1, I’m again asking fellow competitors (I could see from their look – “how the fu*k can you not have a watch???) for the elapsed time – 3.30, which would mean an approximate 2 hour first lap. Still going OK.
For lap 2, the heat is really building, and although I had buckets of sun cream on my arms, the sweat rate was such, that I could feel the burning already. From 80km onwards, I was really beginning to flag in the heat and at half way, I was never so glad to get off the bike to water the grass (I know, I know, I should have gone on the bike, but all I could think of, was getting off the machine for a couple mins break).
End of lap 2, had the elapsed time around 5.40 – definitely slowing down.
The climb for lap 3 was hell – it is now 1pm and the heat is murderous. Once out in the wilderness, things generally flatten out, and looking ahead, I see a group of small primates (I’m presuming baboons, as they are very common in the Cape area) hanging out at the side of the road, looking intently at what is going on.
Turns out the object of their desire was a discarded banana and one brave chap makes a run for it, probably fearful that I am hurtling towards him to steal his prize. I expected him to pick n’ run, instead he just stops to eat it. A couple of evasion manouvers later and I’m in the clear – my primate friend non-the-wiser to my panic.
Approaching the end of lap 3, I’m feeling OK and if I can get in 10mins below 8hrs elapsed, I may have a shot at sub-12. Running is pretty standard for me – my last 2 IM runs have been 4.07 and 4.02 and I felt worse case, I’d be 4.15 here.
I’m looking at the clock, which is saying 7.55 elapsed, which is reflective of some more suffering on the bike and cutting it fine for the run.
I’m so busy working out the time permutations, I miss the dismount line and I’m being screamed at about a penalty. I perform an unnatural act to get off the bike, and TWANG!, a massive pull on my left hamstring.
I crumple to the ground, clutching my leg, wondering what happens now?
I hobble to the transition tent and slowly get my gear on, hoping that this is some kind of temporary problem. Runners on and I start to move, but I can just about walk, let alone any kind of run.
T2: 6:37
Run/Walk 5:18:36 (ouch!)
Out of transition and I head straight to the medical station @ 1 Km. They try to massage the area and apply the South African version of Deep Heat, but no material difference.
What to do?
If this was a “home” event, I’d have bailed at this point, but given that I’d nothing else to do and I knew that I’d finish well inside the cut-off, I kept going.
This was crushing. Surrounded by people hoping to go 12 hours, I was walking from the start and the mortification of thousands of well-oiled Saffers who lined the streets screaming your name to get going – I won’t forget that for a while.
Once I’d mentally accepted the position, I felt better – started to engage with the crowd and my fellow competitors, some of whom were also in a bind.
The first lap (14km) was pretty much all walking, but I pushed it a little on lap 2, with an upgrade to a shuffle in some parts.
By lap 3, I was largely back to the walk, but was in a much better place mentally.
Managed to bump into my baboon friends (they weren’t the same ones…?) again in the university grounds and made the error of chucking them the ½ banana I was about to eat.
Cue 10 baboons running beside me for 100m or so, waiting for more:)
So, 10km to go, the highlight being 2 beers consumed from spectators and boiled potatoes rolled in salt – fantastic.
Also got to spend a couple of km in the company of the fantastic Kevin Garwood and his son Nikki, who do the event together each year, in the same vein as Dick & Rick Hoyte – unbelievable bond between father and son.
Great finish area and given it was pitch dark at this point, a super atmosphere.
Try to look good for the cameras (just as well – family Izoard were huddled around an iPhone watching the finish, live – wonders of the internet) and it is done.
Finish in 13.21 - nearly 2 hours outside PB!
So, not the way I wanted to finish the race, but certainly memorable. Couldn’t praise the race highly enough – probably the only thing it lacks is a Solarerberg or Heartbreak Hill on the bike.
The IM itch is well and truly scratched and given I’ve an 11.x, 12.x and a 13.x finish, time to step away for a while and figure out what’s next, before I end up with a 14.x
The bucket list still contains the Alpe d’Huez Long Distance Tri (unfinished business on that mountain) and Comrades (although I’d need a bit of persuasion there), but Lost Sheep is hopefully the next on the list.
Thanks for the support and interest and I’ll keep flying the flag on Boards for all the tri bluffers and blaggers
Till the next time, stay classy, tri-heads.0 -
Great report and well done for keeping going with the damaged leg. Tracked you and assumed something was wrong when I seen your run splits. I tend to agree with Fink on these things when he says the longer you take to do an IM the better value for money you get
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Marthastew wrote: »Fabulous race report Fergal, I really, really enjoyed it. Congratulations:D
I'm sure the kids loved hearing all about it. Baboons and snakes, it really doesn't get much cooler than that, that's a story for the grandkids (and I'm not implying you're old because you're not)
When you are explaining, you are loosing, MS
While it was my slowest by a country mile, definitely the most eventful.
All the best for London - just a shame the events in Boston have cast a long shadow over all this stuff.0 -
Ah, you've put a smile on my face Izoard. You've got one of the best attitudes out here, and thank you for sharing it and your humor with us. Super, super report....if you can't PB, then the next best thing is a big adventue. I'd say this snake, goggle, babboon, garmin, divers-to-keep-you-safe (wtf??) checks the big adventure box. Well done on so many levels. 0
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His name is Fergal?? Oh...that's even hilarious!
Ah here, you can mock my times, but my name???:)
Speaking of name hilarity, I work with a chap based in the US who goes by the moniker of eh, Randy Mickey.
Conference calls when there are a few Paddies on the line, are always interesting...0 -
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