I have no idea on were to start with this race report for once, as most of you know I raced IM frankfurt at the weekend. And for the first time in my tri life I have a DNF after my name.
Even now looking at the letters DNF is making me wince!
This year Frankfurt was my A race, my planned ticket to Kona. Things leading up to the race went really well, my training was in my opinion perfect. After my very poor swim in Kona last year I worked hard on my swim, i improved my power output on the bike and was even running faster... way faster!
So as you can imagine i was in a really positive frame of mind, my thoughts were not only on getting to Kona, but winning my AG as well. I certainly believed I would place top 3. I had no reason not to think other wise.
I arrived in Frankfurt on the Wednesday pre race, all niggles had gone and i was feeling good.
The only thing concerning me was the weather, the forcast was for rain race day, I was hoping that was wrong, I think us Irish athletes have to train year round in bad weather, its not to much to ask for a little sun come race day.
RACE DAY
I arrived at the swim start in plenty of time, I was lucky enough to be selected to go off at 6.45am with the pro and top age groupers. All week i was itching to get going and now was my time, I didnt expect to break any swim records, i just wanted to swim to near enough my potential. I decided to start far left in direct line with the buoys as i tend to drift right whilst swimming. This was a gamble as i watched the 2011 swim start on U tube and this is were the boxing was. I didnt care, I can box as good as anyone.
The starter gun fired and I was of. A little shoving and pushing but nothing bad at all. After the first 200-300m everything settled and I was amazed I was swimming in a straight line:)
All the time when swimming I could see the dark clouds looming. All I am thinking was, please please please..no rain! So swim over and up that bloody sandy bank, which was harder than the swim itself!
T1 no probs onto the bike and off i went. As per normal I was doing all the passing. Normally my swim lets me down and most of the fast bikers in my AG have a good head start on me, so i spend my day chasing. Once the far side of the city one guy passed me so i went with him, we seemed pretty equal in power, heading up the first climb still picking of people a little drizzle started, which turned into a fully fledged monsson. The wind picked up to and the scene was set for a really horrible bike ride. I was in a group now or 5-6 I noticed how we had not passed anyone in a while, so by my reckoning we were pretty much well up the field. All was going to plan in my mind, despite the storm! Then my worst nightmare... Bang went my front wheel. I cant print my exact words, but you can guess what they were! My hands were numb with cold which made it very difficult to get the tub of. All the time I can see Kona going down the drain. Eventually I got it fixed, back on the road shivering with the cold. I put in real good effort, as my legs were still feeling strong. 1 lap of the bike done and this is were the beginning of the end started to unfold. I started to head up were my special needs would be. Everyone who knows me I am pretty much obsessive in my prep for pretty much everything I do. My race nutrition is as you can imagine one of the most important parts of racing IM. So there is no long story about this, someone made a mistake and there was nothing there for me.
A few more expletives, but there was no other way but forward. In IM no matter how many times you race it always throws a curve ball, After a few seconds I gathered my thoughts and went to plan B. I picked up the race supplied drink, its just horrible and was making me sick. All the time I am still pushing hard to make up for the punture. I was really pleased that mid way on the 2nd lap, firstly it stopped raining, but more importantly I had caught and passed 3 of my orignal group.
I was back in the game! But with not having my own nutrition I could feel the effects, I was not feeling bad, but if this had of being a training ride I would have being stopping at a shop!
I now was relying on the fact I had extra gels and high 5 mix in my T2 bag, I got of the bike side by side with one of my original buddys!! Happy days I was thinking... I caught 4 out of the group:)
So onto what is my strong point, the run. I started to take on board gels earlier than planned as I knew I was fairly well down on calories. But something was just not right. I was getting that red bull feeling, the one I normally get just before I explode. In my mind the whole time now was just keep running, I will get through this. I can remember mile 3 beeping on my watch, after that its all a blur. The next thing there is someone slapping my face telling me to stay awake.. another person shining bright lights in my eyes. I can tell you lying in the back of an ambulence watching the race continue was pretty upsetting... GOOD BYE KONA!
They took me to hospital for about 3hrs give me 2-3 IVs, done a load of tests and that was that.
What was really the nail in the coffin was the front door of the hospital was on the run course... F**k me! Here I was still in my race gear heading back towards the athletes area... right past the finish line. I could not even bare to look at it!
I showered ate some food and said.. Thats me done with IM! which still may be the case.
The only chink of light to my day was the fact my wife was still on course, racing her first IM in the toughest of conditions.. It cheered me up to see her smiling her way round the run.. It gave me huge pleasure and pride to see her running up that chute, I even forgot my own woes for a while. So congrats to her, and all the Irish first timers out there. You guys really did earn that medal!
So whats nexts for me?? Apart from my wife I am lucky to have 3-4 really good friends, all of whom I sought advice from, each of them came back with the same answer, almost identical advice in fact... I thank them greatly for that, you know who you are!
Physically i am in ok shape, mentally I cant stand the thought of standing on another start line, not for a while at least.
But sure lets see what the future holds!
I read a poem today... maybe I should heed it!
Success is not achieved by winning all the time. Real success comes when we rise after we fall. Some mountains are higher than others. Some roads steeper than the next. There are hardships and setbacks but you cannot let them stop you. Even on the steepest road you must not turn back.
Even now looking at the letters DNF is making me wince!
This year Frankfurt was my A race, my planned ticket to Kona. Things leading up to the race went really well, my training was in my opinion perfect. After my very poor swim in Kona last year I worked hard on my swim, i improved my power output on the bike and was even running faster... way faster!
So as you can imagine i was in a really positive frame of mind, my thoughts were not only on getting to Kona, but winning my AG as well. I certainly believed I would place top 3. I had no reason not to think other wise.
I arrived in Frankfurt on the Wednesday pre race, all niggles had gone and i was feeling good.
The only thing concerning me was the weather, the forcast was for rain race day, I was hoping that was wrong, I think us Irish athletes have to train year round in bad weather, its not to much to ask for a little sun come race day.
RACE DAY
I arrived at the swim start in plenty of time, I was lucky enough to be selected to go off at 6.45am with the pro and top age groupers. All week i was itching to get going and now was my time, I didnt expect to break any swim records, i just wanted to swim to near enough my potential. I decided to start far left in direct line with the buoys as i tend to drift right whilst swimming. This was a gamble as i watched the 2011 swim start on U tube and this is were the boxing was. I didnt care, I can box as good as anyone.
The starter gun fired and I was of. A little shoving and pushing but nothing bad at all. After the first 200-300m everything settled and I was amazed I was swimming in a straight line:)
All the time when swimming I could see the dark clouds looming. All I am thinking was, please please please..no rain! So swim over and up that bloody sandy bank, which was harder than the swim itself!
T1 no probs onto the bike and off i went. As per normal I was doing all the passing. Normally my swim lets me down and most of the fast bikers in my AG have a good head start on me, so i spend my day chasing. Once the far side of the city one guy passed me so i went with him, we seemed pretty equal in power, heading up the first climb still picking of people a little drizzle started, which turned into a fully fledged monsson. The wind picked up to and the scene was set for a really horrible bike ride. I was in a group now or 5-6 I noticed how we had not passed anyone in a while, so by my reckoning we were pretty much well up the field. All was going to plan in my mind, despite the storm! Then my worst nightmare... Bang went my front wheel. I cant print my exact words, but you can guess what they were! My hands were numb with cold which made it very difficult to get the tub of. All the time I can see Kona going down the drain. Eventually I got it fixed, back on the road shivering with the cold. I put in real good effort, as my legs were still feeling strong. 1 lap of the bike done and this is were the beginning of the end started to unfold. I started to head up were my special needs would be. Everyone who knows me I am pretty much obsessive in my prep for pretty much everything I do. My race nutrition is as you can imagine one of the most important parts of racing IM. So there is no long story about this, someone made a mistake and there was nothing there for me.
A few more expletives, but there was no other way but forward. In IM no matter how many times you race it always throws a curve ball, After a few seconds I gathered my thoughts and went to plan B. I picked up the race supplied drink, its just horrible and was making me sick. All the time I am still pushing hard to make up for the punture. I was really pleased that mid way on the 2nd lap, firstly it stopped raining, but more importantly I had caught and passed 3 of my orignal group.
I was back in the game! But with not having my own nutrition I could feel the effects, I was not feeling bad, but if this had of being a training ride I would have being stopping at a shop!
I now was relying on the fact I had extra gels and high 5 mix in my T2 bag, I got of the bike side by side with one of my original buddys!! Happy days I was thinking... I caught 4 out of the group:)
So onto what is my strong point, the run. I started to take on board gels earlier than planned as I knew I was fairly well down on calories. But something was just not right. I was getting that red bull feeling, the one I normally get just before I explode. In my mind the whole time now was just keep running, I will get through this. I can remember mile 3 beeping on my watch, after that its all a blur. The next thing there is someone slapping my face telling me to stay awake.. another person shining bright lights in my eyes. I can tell you lying in the back of an ambulence watching the race continue was pretty upsetting... GOOD BYE KONA!
They took me to hospital for about 3hrs give me 2-3 IVs, done a load of tests and that was that.
What was really the nail in the coffin was the front door of the hospital was on the run course... F**k me! Here I was still in my race gear heading back towards the athletes area... right past the finish line. I could not even bare to look at it!
I showered ate some food and said.. Thats me done with IM! which still may be the case.
The only chink of light to my day was the fact my wife was still on course, racing her first IM in the toughest of conditions.. It cheered me up to see her smiling her way round the run.. It gave me huge pleasure and pride to see her running up that chute, I even forgot my own woes for a while. So congrats to her, and all the Irish first timers out there. You guys really did earn that medal!
So whats nexts for me?? Apart from my wife I am lucky to have 3-4 really good friends, all of whom I sought advice from, each of them came back with the same answer, almost identical advice in fact... I thank them greatly for that, you know who you are!
Physically i am in ok shape, mentally I cant stand the thought of standing on another start line, not for a while at least.
But sure lets see what the future holds!
I read a poem today... maybe I should heed it!
Success is not achieved by winning all the time. Real success comes when we rise after we fall. Some mountains are higher than others. Some roads steeper than the next. There are hardships and setbacks but you cannot let them stop you. Even on the steepest road you must not turn back.
