Race Report: After a week of rain in Immenstadt South West Germany, Saturday dawned a foggy day for the 1/2 iron man German race, a shorter distance race and a preview for the pain that was to follow the next day. The temperature got up to about 25 degrees and I was hot standing on the hill out of Immenstadt cheering on the locals in a singlet and shorts and worried how I was going to cope the next day with 30 degrees forecast.
Sunday as forecast didn't disappoint with a still morning greating athletes as we braved the 16 degree water, ( A week of rain had taken it from 24 - 16) I found my self pushed forward to the front of the swim start. as the gun went off I pushed hard to try to ensure that I was not run over.. ! about 150m into the swim I eased off the gas and tried to regain my breath, the next 1550m to the first turn was good where I found some feet to swim off for around 750m. I was wide on the first turn and the second and found it hard to find feet to swim off on the return to shore, I was feeling quite good coming out of the water and was very happy to see 1:05 on the board, not a bad swim for 4000M when swimming is my weak point.
I had a terrible transition, had trouble getting my left leg out of my wetsuit and my calf then cramped.. great only 130kms on the bike to go... I managed to regain my composure and get everything packed away and grab my bike, and proceeded up to the main road, where there is a nice down hill before hitting one of the big hills for the first time.
this is the best feeling I have ever had in triathlon, as you approach and take the last left hander to the hill you can here the music and the chanting of the local fans, it is truly amazing they say that they get up to 30000 supporters along the race route, they are charnting UP UP UP, as you hit the steepest part of the hill around 15% and they are lined up 1-2 meters either side of you was just simply amazing. and the legs that I didn't think I had after the swim were found and I was off on to the down hill section before some of the more technical sections through the villages.
The rest of the bike ride was a blur, a few things stand out, the cobblestone section riding through oberstaufen and the 18% section in the first big loop, and of course coming up the other 2 big climbs for the second time at around 90 and 105kms with allot less gas in the tank.
I also remember how hot I was getting ever aid station 1 bottle of water would be designated to go into my helmet. it was only 10-11 am and probably already in the mid 20s.
It was a great bike course and to be honest took some of the money out of the sport, ment that if you didn't have a 5k bike you were not at such a disadvantage for once the motor was the most important thing!
about 100kms into the bike I started to develop some cramps in my quads, I quickly downed some salt tabs and a couple of gels and slowed down to try to let my body recover, I remember thinking oh my god, I still have to cycle another 30kms with 2 big big climbs including the 5 km climb that ends in 18% and then run 30 kms.
A few things happened on the bike that cost me a few minutes, a team mate had an issue with there bike, and I stoped as they were coming the opposite way to lend a hand, the other was my chain came off down one of the faster down hill sections, as I was going 80kph and it was looking like it would end up in my wheel I had to stop to put it back on, I also have to learn how to pee when I bike and run, I know this sounds gross, but I stopped once on the run and the bike to pee and each time it was 2mins, plus getting going again, this lost me time and probably a top 10 Finnish in my age group.
Coming back into town again I could hear the roar of the crowd as I headed in, and was happy though when I was not directed to the hill but to the stadium where transition and the finish was located.
the run was broken up into 30 10km laps, with a lap of the track at the stadium a 3km loop through town then a section beside the river. The run went to plan, I knew with my injuries from my bike crash that I could not fully stride out so I concentrated on staying forward and trying to keep a good cadence.. The run was getting hotter and hotter, I was melting, I was taking gels and trying to keep taking my salt tablets at every aid station, I could feel the salt starting to build up every time I squeezed a sponge or tipped water over my head the taste of salt was apparent.
There was something that I thought while I was running through town as I saw one of the 35 New Zealanders running, I would not like to be wearing black today!
Every time as you came through the stadium the support was great, the crowd was chanting, truly amazing! As I got to the last lap, I stated to take it all in this was probably the hardest race I have ever done, and I had done it, I had come through my crash 2 weeks ago and had managed to make it to the finish line, it was a great feeling, and I just missed out on my goal which was to be first Canadian, (which I was) but to also beat all the NZers home, I think one beat me.
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