A technique that all triathletes and sports professionals use is called tapering. This is basically reducing the load created by training before your race so you are ready for the big day. Well I like to use the technique for work before I go on holiday. The funny thing is, I have never seemed to pull it off.

 

We made our way to Phuket Thailand after departing Sydney and the flight is quite long, approx ten hour so I was happy when I had my new book and the TVs for watching movies to pass the time. Unfortunately I never got to see the end of a kid’s movie called Despicable Me and wished the plane would do some circles around Phuket airport for 10-15 mins so I could catch the ending.

 

Needless to say the captain wouldn’t wait for me and we landed to the Thai evening time. My new Garmin running watch was easily adjusted to the local time and I was excited to get moving. It’s my second time in Thailand and Anna’s first but it was a long time ago it was still exciting. The resort we were staying at is 5 star and Ironman have done a great job of securing the event at that location. There are 6 different hotels in the private area with free boat and bus transfer between them throughout the day.

 

We got our room key and made our way to the room. Once in the bags were dumped and I promised Anna that I would get her bike done straight away. With a click of the fingers, it was built up and all the bolt torque settings were carefully reached with aid of my favorite tool the torque wrench. The rest of the night comprised of a Thai meal great company and some much needed sleep.

To my amazement we woke up at the usual early hour of the morning regardless of the time difference and Anna was raring to go for her first organized bike ride. I on the other hand had a different agenda. First was to get the race program and work out were the run course was in relation to our hotel. I soon discovered that the course hadn’t been marked out that early so I decided to use the race program and work out where it would be. I think it’s really important to go over the course and get familiar with every part so there are no surprises on the big day.

 

I covered 8km on the first day and when I got back to our room I was sweating profusely and Anna said that it was important for me to have some of her Endura opti sports drink after training. I knew about the reduction of sodium and the importance of magnesium replenishment but I would have been content to let the amazing powers of water do its work with the combination of some food.  The great part about of Anna’s generous offer was its chocolate flavor. You’re drinking something that is completely beneficial and it tastes of chocolate, does it get any better I thought. The usual stretching was done before the rest of the day and some rest.

 

At this point I have to tell you that the furthest distance I had ran was 14km on a usual training week, because we were going on holiday and work commitments I dropped off two running days per week for the past two weeks. This race was going to be a combination of a few things, a much needed holiday, my first race, valuable race experience, our first race as a team and a chance to see an amazing country together.

 

My thoughts are focused on a race next year and I have been slowly increasing the running distances to allow my body time to get used to running and prevent injury. The decision that was going around in my head was to stick with the training and use this as a training run therefore keeping on course or go for it and do my first half marathon. I decided to go for it and go for the full distance therefore if I couldn’t make the distance I would have made the distance what was next on the training schedule anyway. A win win situation either way. 

 

That was it I was fully focused, I would learn the course backwards and ask Anna questions, trying to learn as much info as possible. Anna has done a fair few Half Ironman races so is no stranger to running the distance after the swim and bike ride, so as a beginner I was grateful to have her suggestions. As the race day drew closer the thoughts of completing the distance in the high temperature did pop in my mind a few times. My training running is normally at night due to the temperature difference for the Australian midday heat waves, so coming up with a pre race strategy with the temperature was therefore paramount. This starts with proper hydration pre race but drinking too much water before hand can reduce the body’s sodium level, which in turn can increase the chances of cramping. To my excitement there were organized water and fuel stop every 1.5 or 2km. This was excellent, never before had I ran with outside aid so hydration would be a much easier, I just had to come up with a plan and stick to it. 

My last run before the race was to cover the top part of course, the problem was the course only had a few arrows and with the map in hand I ran making sure this followed the course map. Next I was at a dead end and now I was glad I used the Downhill pre race strategies of fully learning the course. Luckily I found a swimming pool with some employees talking away. I asked one of them if he could kindly show me the correct way and without any hesitation he said he would personally show me while we talked about the race and this location that it was being held. He seemed happy that the complex was holding such a great event and wished me all the luck for the big day. Great service and something that I would begin to remember was one of the things that I loved about Thailand.

 

Back at the hotel room after the run I remembered what Anna had said with regards to my favorite new recovery drink MMMMMMMM. Opening the tub I noticed that there wasn’t much powder left so I checked the other Endura tub. More powder in that tub that she brought so I had a read what the label recommended. I thought 2 and 2 equals four and would stick to what Anna said and made another recovery chocolate drink.  

 

The next few days were spent sitting at the beach relaxing and having some great food and checking out pre race debriefing which ended up being quite funny because it was so boring one of the athletes had fallen asleep and was snoring loudly.  

Race day and we woke up early and I mean early 4am to get breakfast before making  our way down to the race. Anna had put her bike in transition the previous day and had everything ready as she normally does. Back at the hotel room we gathered everything together for Anna’s swim and bike legs. She went through the pre race list that she had made and then stopped. “Where is my Endura Opti?” she asked. I told her that I had made another recovery drink.

Next “can I have my water bottle?” I checked and thought “Oh no” I had lost it.  Double mistake “Oops”.

 

We got ready and went to the start. It was pitch black apart from the race lights and because it was the Kings birthday there was a tent with pictures and a monument for the king lit up. There was a queue for the toilets and Anna asked me to hold her race bag with her swimming gear and hydration gear while she went to the toilet. As per normal the gents were queue free and I quickly went. While walking out I mentioned to Anna, still in the queue that I was going to take a picture and would meet her here in a few mins. At this point I walked around the corner and took a few pictures of the kings tent and then back to where I was meeting Anna.  As I waited for her, over the loud speaker came “all athletes should be over to the ferry to the beach”. Knowing how organized Anna was I thought she was already over at the beach. I waited and checked for her at the toilets and then checked the queue for the ferry. No sign of Anna. I really wanted to see her to wish her luck. As I searched through the sea of swimmers and array swimming caps I forgot I had her swimming gear. Up and down the beach but still no Anna. Eventually I spotted her but in all fairness she didn’t want to talk apart from telling me I had to pay for her new cap and goggles to say the least. I left and paid for them at the Expo tent as well as buying her a new Ironman water bottle to replace the other one I lost.

 

She was off racing and the sun had risen without me even realizing so I managed to get a good picture of her finishing her swim.  I had worked out that I had to be at the transition for 11:30am and it was 7:30am so it was time to get back to the hotel room and relax. When I mean relax, I mean elevate my legs and watch a movie. In-between this I worked out when the best time to eat and hydrate. I told Anna that I would meet her at 11:15am therefore 15 mins early. Time passed and I managed to get the end of the movie before getting ready for the run.

 

The plan was to catch Anna at the bike transition and get the timing chip and swap it to my ankle.  Due to the race the free bus was stuck in a traffic jam so I jumped off early and thanked the driver. While walking towards the transition tent I saw some riders just finishing the ride leg and checked out their bikes. Their bikes weren’t high end race bikes but more recreational bikes and I tried hard to understand why Anna would be behind these riders. This continued to play on my mind and I thought something must have been wrong. As I turned into the transition area I could see Anna in the distance waving me to hurry up. I started running and she asked me where I had been. I told her I was watching a movie and was 15mins early. She was in a rush and told me she had finished ages ago, and that I was 40 mins late. Oh well, another minute wouldn’t matter then!  So, I gave Anna her new water bottle and my tube of Pringles that I stopped her eating the day before as a sorry for earlier.

 

I asked how her race went and she laughed and told me to just go. A kiss and I was off. At first I looked down at my watch to check my pace and I was running way to fast for the start and a rookie mistake. I made a point of slowing down and got in a groove. Runners passed and as much as I wanted to pick up the pace I remembered what runner friends had told me, stick to your race plan. That was it and next thing I was at the first water stop. The plan was to drink at every stop but not stop. Water then sports drink depending on how I felt but stay hydrated at all times. The first thing that I found really funny was trying drink from the cup while running. It’s is the funniest thing and I recommend trying it if you don’t mind most of it down your front. Still it was something that I would have to master and master I did. Most people were stopping to get the drinks but I was determined to not stop running at any cost.

 

Sponges soaked in cold water were also supplied and I started to store them between my back and running top. A small squeeze was all that was required to give an instant cold rush down my back. The KM’s past and next I was at the end of the first lap were I spotted Anna, she taking pictures and telling me I was doing well. I thought she might have had the Pringles in hand but she was to busy clicking away with her new camera.

 

Lap two and I was sticking at the same pace and began passing people who had previously flew past me. I had to keep reminding myself that I was only doing the run and these people had had the swim and the bike as well. All of a sudden I was at the 14km point and felt good, now all that mattered was getting to the 15km point and then anything after was a bonus.  A sense of achievement came over but my legs were still feeling good and I pushed on. I thought it was about time for some energy and I called out for a energy gel and water. MMMMMMM chocolate gel, perfect for a boost but I remembered that the gels must be taken with water, for the next few stations all I took was water.

 

Then the strangest experience happened, the digital display on my watch was showing that I was running 45 seconds less per km, then 1 min less. The same effort but the speed was climbing and climbing and next I was overtaking runner by the bunch. I could not believe it and then I caught a lady and over took her but she wasn’t having that so she caught me and then over took. This went on for a few hundred metres until I got to approx the last 3-4 km and decided to run as fast as I could until the finish. It’s quite amazing how fast those last km rolled by when you are running knowing that you will make the end. Down the road, right past the wedding building and up into the shopping area, across the road, right again into grass, past the elephants and home straight was only a few hundred metres away. I sprinted as hard as I could up towards the blue carpet, which is surrounded by spectators seats and the finishing arch. As I turned the last right hand corner I heard a lady clapping and shouting great running. Words of encouragement just spur you on at these times and I sprinted down the finish line overtaking one runner and catching the second quickly. The second runner must have heard my footsteps because he turned around and shouted “go for it” By this time I was almost out of breathe and crossed the finish line taking the finisher tape with me. 

 

To be honest all I wanted to do was find Anna and I searched around looking for a short while.  No sign and I thought she might be watching a movie with her feet up. To be honest I wouldn't have blamed her either. The sense of completion and surprise of finishing with a sprint for so long blew me away. I remember thinking to myself “I just finished my first half marathon” and it felt great. The legs did stiffen up a little but the post race plan kicked straight in I went straight to the food tent, then drink tent and then for a massage. There was a queue for the massages as there always is but I was more than happy to take my trainers and socks off and eat the food while letting others in front first.

 

Next it was my turn for a massage and the lady went through a 15min Thai massage. It was only going to do one thing and that was making the next day better. I finished the massage and headed out back to the start line double checking to see if Anna was possibly around. I turned to look at the finish line seats and here was Anna playing with her iphone. I managed to get her attention and she came down quickly to see me. I asked her if she seen the finish and got any new pictures on her fancy new camera she bought for the holiday. She had been waiting at the finish line for 90 minutes and didn’t even see me finish. I thought we should have changed the name of our team from Bikeology to team dumb and dumber and had a laugh to myself.  

 

Anna couldn’t believe that I had finished, had a massage and had been finished for about 30mins. She had been worried that I wouldn’t make the cut off time and thought that my pace after the first lap may have been too fast. She asked if I got my finisher medal and picture, which I completely forgot about when looking for Anna. We managed to get a finisher picture together, which I thought was better anyway and I picked up my medal. We grabbed Anna’s bike gear and she rode back to the hotel while I jumped on the bus, both happy after such a crazy exciting race.  

Next personal running goal is the Great Wall of China marathon in may 2011, which is scary but exciting at the same time and I will be doing in my Mums name. 

 

Jimmy