Melbourne 70.3 and Covid

this race i deferred to from geelong 70.3 and was a bit of a risk considering it was only three weeks out from busselton ironman.  my training had not been great.  bike was okay but i really started to hate swimming and running was barely happening.  i didnt taper but just went straight into it.  

found a great bnb right in the middle of st kilda and five minutes from the race start.  only negative it was a bit noisy.  built my bike up and then took it into the bike shop down the road the day after arriving.  usual weather in melbourne.  sunny one minute then raining in the afternoon.  did the usual of hitting woolworths for supplies which was two minutes from my little pad.  back to pick up the bike which looked great and by all accounts ready to go.

thursday i decided to go for a run and explore the neighbourhood.  headed down to the beach and then towards the city.  cut through and past some beautiful terrace houses to albert park.  then back around to home.  i think about 8k and it actually felt okay.  walked back down to the race location and checked in - picking up another blue shirt and not much else.  afterwards walked down past the old luna park and acland street.  picked up some supplies and back for another early night.

friday i caught up with my cousin lee and we headed back down to ackland markets and a nice little italian place for lunch.  

saturday i got out on the bike and headed down the infamous beach road and race course with thousands of others.  something was wrong with my tri bars and they seemed to be at a different level.  i looked and tried to correct but i didnt want to screw around with things too much so i left it.  i would have to ride while feeling like i was leaning forward.  did final checks and then took the bike down to check in then home to rest, organise gear, pasta and an early night.

The finish line

the weather looked okay if a little windy.  up early and walked down.  set up my transition, got the wetsuit on and then dropped off bag.  then heard the news that due to the swell and wind the swim would be reduced to a 900m swim.  okay with me.  the beach did look pretty rough and quite a few waves and swell.  i should of been worried but didnt really give it a second thought which was really strange.  as my turn came i ran out and dived through the waves and started heading out.  that was the hard part.  after turning the first buoy it was a bit nasty as i had to breathe to my least favourite side so had to be careful to stay on course.  a few people got in my way as usual.  i felt okay swimming which again was surprising.  once i turned the last buoy things were good as we swam with the swell and waves.  a 20 minute swim which wasnt great but not terrible either.

the run/walk up to transition was very long and very painful.  they had the odd bit of carpet but most of it was bitumen and rocks. ouch on the feet.  so then i was on the bike and facing a windy two lap ride on weird feeling tri bars.  it is a nice course with a few lumpy bits and decent roads.  few too many newbies drafting and doing stupid shit though.  i was as bit disappointed with how i felt and my bike.  road just over 3 hours and glad to get it over with.  back in transition i spotted lee who had come out to cheer me on which was really nice.  the run felt like it was going to be a real bitch but in fact it was the part i enjoyed the most.  i ran the whole way except for the aid stations.  jogged really but it wasnt walking.  so i was super happy with this effort considering i hadnt even run 10k after cairns.  

another finish line crossed and collected another towel and a very pretty medal.  garmin had the cheek to tell me my effort was unproductive.  how rude.  lee helped me carry my gear back to the bnb and then headed off after giving me a bag of goodies.  too generous and i couldnt believe she stayed the whole time.  

so a bit of rest and then started packing the bike up as having to fly out the next day.  it was actually a late flight and should have organised a late check out.  felt okay the next day and not too bad considering.  legs a bit sore but otherwise all good.

arrived back in perth to discover my bike had gone to brisbane.  so major stress and freak out.  in the end they dropped it off the next morning all in one piece.  picked cooper up from the holiday doggie camp.  he had a great time having a couple of swims in the dog pool.  also picked up sylvester from kitty prison.  back to work and caught up with the JV swim squad.  felt okay too.  wednesday still feeling alright but didnt train.  as soon as i woke thursday i knew something wasnt right.  still got dressed and went into work and did a rat test. boom.  positive for covid.  back in the car and home for what turned out to be 10 days.  damn plane and feral people.

Cairns 2023

 my third trip to cairns with the last being 9 years ago in 2014.  the day it rained.  this event has grown into being totally awesome.  very much on a equal footing with new zealand for crowd support.  nz has the better swim but the cairns bike course has better views.  the runs come out about equal.  while my result was very slow (the slowest so far) i had a great time.  i loved where i was staying and enjoyed the town and the race was just fantastic.  

landed late on the wednesday and grabbed a taxi to my hotel.  bike survived flight and was okay so i started to unpack as i had to get to the bike shop early.  had booked into the giant shop and they were great.  expensive but did a great job.  while waiting for the bike headed down to the esplanade and grabbed some breakfast before wandering across to the expo and then to check in.  same backpack as busselton but with a nicer coloured cairns logo.  picked up the bike and then headed off of  to the shopping centre to grab some supplies.  i am staying in a great central spot but still had to do a bit of walking.  dinner down at a local brewery bar with fantastic burgers.

friday was an easy day with relaxation and just getting things organised for transition bags and gear as saturday was going to be busy.  went for a ride early to make sure the bike was running smoothly.  then had to drop it off to be transported up to palm cove.  once that was done then drop off run bag at the transition in cairns before catching the bus up to palm cove to check the bike had arrived okay and drop off the bike transition bag.  back to cairns and just rest up.  pretty well organised so ironman have it set up well.  first time staying in cairns central and it works well.  then just rested up, had pizza and tried to get an early night.  didnt feel that stressed at all so that was a good sign.  

up at the crack of dawn and with wetsuit, drinks etc it was a five minute walk to the bus stop.  didnt have to wait long and we were on  the move.  pretty quiet on the bus so a few nerves maybe.  i was feeling okay.  got to my bike and set up drinks and food then headed down to the swim start and the porter potty.  the water wasnt as flat as the above pics taken on the saturday which would have been nice.  had to wait around as the 70.3 people go first.  got the wetsuit on and waited in line talking to a guy who was doing his first ironman and his first triathlon.  crazy person.  didnt sound like he did that much training and i never saw him again.   before long i was in the water and the day had begun.  

same old murky water and people swimming all over the place and not keeping a straight line.  i think i swam around 1.17 which seems standard for me.  once in transition not much to do but wipe the brown sludge off the face, grab shoes and helmet and on my way.  still took 12 minutes.  WTF ?

the ride wasnt too windy and most sections are protected.  not really hot either but probably swaeting more than i realised and felt that when i got off the bike.  they have changed the course so we do not go into port douglas but take a detour to a plantation estate that is quite surreal.  we do this part of the course twice including riding over rex's look out twice.  the worst part for me was my back.  this hasnt happened in a very long time so i was surprised.  but it fucking hurt and was very painful for probably 75 % of the ride.  as per usual the last 20k back in to cairns was heading into a nasty wind and was quite an effort to keep up the pace.  bike time was 6:53and mainly due to the back.  stopped a few times to stretch.  last time i rode just under 6 hours. bit disappointed with this.  felt terrible in transition so took my time - a whole 13 minutes.  who gives a fuck.  i am not there to win anything.

so out on the run and it was just fucking awful.  i felt like shit.  there was alot of walking.  some running. then a bit of shuffling.  the crowd were awesome.  especially the drunk girls out the back part.  everyone was calling out your name and cheering you on.  no stupid comments about hanging in there or not far to go.  the view of cairns looking over and across the wharf at  night was spectacular. i loved this run but i have to admit i never felt very good.  i dont think i drank enough on the bike or even ate enough.  i didnt count on sweating so much.  i was covered in salt. talked to a few people who were not having a great day or just hadnt trained enough to run the whole marathon.  no matter how bad though i had a great time.  the triathlon alley was great fun and support.  i would have to put this event up with new zealand.  last time it rained so much the crowds were very quiet but this was a whole new experience.  i did not feel like i was away racing on my own but had alot of people cheering me on.  

so finally crossed that finish line in 15:11:52.  first time i have a fifteen hour finish.  whooo hoooo.

so that is two 12 hour, 2 thirteen, 3 fourteen and one fifteen hour finishes.  i have to make sure it doesnt keep going up.  

After the race i managed to grab all my gear and head back to my room.  so glad it was close.  my whole body was pretty sore and back spasms.  next day up and collected the bike. started the packing and managed to enjoy a nice swim in the hotel pool.  back to the brewery bar for a giant burger and a beer.  basically had a great race and a great trip.  really enjoyed this little adventure. back home the next day and the bike made it so the trip was perfect.  ironman number 8 done.