IM AZ 2013 Race Report

NO GUTS......NO GLORY!

What was he thinking, I hear you saying! racing two IM races within 5 weeks of each other. And to be honest I was questioning the sanity of it myself.

This year in the build up to Kona I had gotten myself in good shape, the best shape of my life I thought. I decided one day whilst out on one of my long rides it would be a wise choice to make the most of this and go for broke. I had a few other reasons I wont go into here but the main one being getting my 2014 Kona ticket stamped. This was all dependant on how my recovery went from Kona. I can tell you that when on the run going out the Queen K I was swearing I would never do another IM, and having a laugh to myself about my mad idea of racing IM AZ 5 weeks later! The day after Kona I felt good, a lot better than other years were I was simply wrecked, a few days of drinking beer and good food followed. when I got back home i was still unsure how I would cope with getting straight back into training, My body felt good but in IM especially takes a huge mental strain and I did not know if I was up for it. Only one way to find out so back to the pool and just take it day by day. I had made the decision that if things did not feel right, I would pull the pin and put my feet up. Everything was going fine but it was not until two days before I was meant to leave and i had to pack I made the final decision to go. I did not tell anyone apart from Ash, I was putting enough pressure on myself and did not want any outside peer pressure. Maybe I am crazy but I was taking some comfort in knowing I would be racing and no one would be watching. 

I arrived in AZ early to give myself the best chance of shedding jet lag, and in the build up to the race I felt really good from a physical point of view, but mentally I was getting tired of having to keep going. I think if the race had of being another week away I may have said no go!

Race day came and I just wanted the cannon to fire.. And fire it did! I had lined myself right at the very front line ready to give the swim a good effort, that lasted 30sec! The usual boxing almost drowning period followed and I went into "just get the swim over mode" The water was pitch black and i mean pitch black which left me swimming into and on top of a lot of people. This slowed me a lot but i was not to bothered. My planned or hoped for time was 1hr to 1.05 i got out on 1.07 and that did not bother me at all. I had looked at last years times and knew roughly what over all time I would need to get my slot. 9.27 was my target which was exactly what I done in Kona.

T1 was uneventful and I was soon heading out onto the bike..Just before the mount line I heard Mike Reilly announcing Ivans name. I was not to sure if he was just ahead or just behind me, but my exact thoughts were SHITE! This was all I needed to get into a battle

(friendly battle) so early in the day. I rode the course earlier in the week and it was as flat as they said apart from one 10 mile section which was a up hill.. the day I rode it was  very very windy, also the dust and sand left it really hard to get a breath. I was hoping now as i made my way out of town that the wind would be friendly. I was very careful for the first 30 min or so watching my power. In Kona this year Quarq replaced my entire setup prior to the race promising me that the numbers would be the same.. It turned out there was 30w in the difference which left me pushing far to much power in the early stages of the race, which i believe was a major factor in my below par run. So mindful of this i was conservative hoping to save my legs for what I believe would be the deciding factor in the race.. The run! I was doing the usual passing everyone in sight, until just before the climb when a guy in my AG came past moving nicely.. I jumped and went with him. Us two became 3 and we all took our share of the work, it was obvious they were experienced IM racers as when behind me they kept there distance, 1st lap down and i was feeling very fresh indeed. Onto the 2nd lap and the field was now a lot more packed.. We picked up a lot of cheats who didnt seem to understand what was legal and what was not. I kept back as not to get a card and made my mind up at the bottom of the climb for the second time that I needed to distance myself from these clowns! On the 1st lap there was a headwind going up the hill, this time it was a tailwind.. It was hammer time for me and although not going full gas I was determined to shed the free loaders, at the same time hoping the original two guys would be strong enough to come with me.. They were not and it was back to just me again! the bike course was very conjested and at times dangerous there was quite a few accidents. On the bike I was more mindful of getting more calories in than i did in Kona thankfully this went well with no GI issues. I felt good..Damm good! Toward the end of the 2nd lap I was with another guy you was racing honest, and i was good with that. The wind and temps were perfect and coming into T2 I was feeling pretty confident I judged my pace power and HR correct. I got of the bike with 2 other guys, when we got to the change tent I was suprised that there were only 3 of us in there.. I am thinking at this stage, It is either going very well, or really bad!

Onto the run and I knew it was going really well. Only one guy in front, one of the guys who entered T2 with me, and that was it. I was extremly mindful as not to make the same mistake i did in Kona and go out to hard, then die later in the run. My plan was to run 7min/m for the 1st half of the run then if I had anything increase the pace to 6.50. I caught the guy by mile 1 an noticed he was in my AG when I passed him he must have noticed I was in his AG and increased his pace, i could hear he was breathing hard and I was comfortable, so my plan stayed the same.. just hold pace and all would be good! he fell behind maybe after 2/3 mile and the only people I was passing were pro.. that made me happy:) As I approached half way I was starting to tire, not from a physical point but my mind was starting to play tricks on me.. You know what i mean.. The little man was on my shoulder telling me it was to hot..to hard.. why are you doing this to yourself.. sure ya can just do another IM and get your slot! all the negative thoughts of the day. As I was passing through the main spectating area i looked up and seen a Cuchuliann Cycle jersey ( CCC) my bike club for those of you who do not know. My first thought was" A fuck sake now i am seeing things again" Then I got a big shout from Chris Quinn which gave me a big boost.. Seeing the jersey quickly put he fight back in me and it was back to the job at hand. I reverted back to plan and increased the pace, when I done this I was getting bad tummy cramps and decided it best to run at what i could hold and not risk blowing up. Then my thoughts turned to Ivan.. By this stage i knew he was not ahead as there was points in the run were you could see people going the other way. There are only two people I do not want to get locked into a run battle with in the world. Both are Irish Martin Muldoon is one, and Ivan is the other! I was suffering and did not fancy any more suffering than needed! After the race Ivan said he seen me.. thankfully I didnt see him as i would have increased my pace.. maybe blowing up in the end! At mile 20 a female pro passed me like i was standing still, sort of like how Ivan passed me in kona at mile 24. I wanted to go with her but at this stage i was one paced, but apart from bad tummy cramps my legs were feeling very strong. At mile 23 i could see i was closing the gap to her, and there was my carrot.. I made my mind up i would give it my best shot to catch and pass her, at mile 24 i was fresh.. all the time now getting faster.. I passed her at 25 as if she was standing still.. Take that was my exact thoughts! Then I just went full gas to the line, still having no idea of what my time would be.. i looked and seen 9.05 on the clock, thinking if that does not get me Kona I do not know what will. I crossed the line shattered but was met by Camm loos the 2nd placed guy in my AG who confirmed my position... KONA BABY!!! It turned out 40-44 was 1 2 and 3 overall in the AG rankings  in the race, a fact I am very proud of. I finished 34th overall.

So now i have my next years objective done, I have no idea what is next.. one thing I do know is it will not be another IM in 5 weeks.. It is officially the off season for me. I know in about 3-4 days I will want to get back on a bike..maybe even a wee off road run! Or maybe i will just drink beers! Having my slot secured takes a huge amount of pressure of me, it is not easy to get a slot.. In fact its bloody hard..But like I said at the start... If you have no guts, there will be no glory! I took a big gamble, at the same time having supreme confidence in my ability.. So what start of as a very bad year, with me ending up in hospital after TX has turned out to be my strongest and most successful to date. I already have my main target set for next season.. And I dont mind saying it out loud.. Top 10 in Kona AG simple as that.. I know what needs to be done to do that, and will do my very best to achieve this.. Aim high I say.. If you miss to moon you can only hit the stars!! 

Over and out for now!