Hawaii Race Report

3 weeks before the race I stopped running. It was the Thursday before this that I did my regular fartlek hilly run. A few km warm up and then about 15km hard up the hills.

After this run I was extremely tight and sore. I ran my 8 x 400 efforts on friday but they were crap. It was a real struggle. I was tired and tight, in particular my right leg. A pain in my calf caused weakness through my leg.

I picked up a little bit and ran my 15km effort on Sunday. The pain in my calf subsided once I got going. But after that I was stuffed for days.

I knew something was pretty wrong after the Thursday run, but I got through my runs knowing I was seeing the physio on Wednesday, and he would fix me. He found the arch of my foot incredibly tight, and worked hard and I felt better, but not great.

At this time I was also feeling very tired. I skipped bike sessions because mentally and physically I couldn’t get out the door. Sunny days made little difference. I didn’t run because I couldn’t. I was limping. I still swam reasonably well. I knew I would have a good swim in Kona, but that’s all I knew.

I ran that Friday and Saturday, very slowly and laboriously. I had some hope though. I saw the physio twice the next week, but couldn’t run. Still too tired to do much else – stretching/self massage included. I did a good bike session on both Fridays on the windtrainer. Still some hope with one week till race day.

I got my iron checked on Wednesday, and results on Saturday that it was 48, just below the minimum acceptable level of 50. Not too bad the doctor says, but I now believe this to be well below my minimum level. Every time your foot hits the ground while running red blood cells are destroyed. I got an iron shot in my butt which would make little or no difference as it takes around 10 days to absorb, but would help my recovery and get me back on track sooner.

I packed my gear on the weekend with very little training, almost none. Flew to Hawaii on Monday, arriving Monday night after several hours delay at airports.

Tried to run Tuesday afternoon, couldn’t. Wednesday, no better. Spent 30 minutes in secluded car park doing drills and jogging on the spot.

I took two massage balls with me to hawaii, and only once there I found that when stretching my glute with my ankle over my knee while on my back, with just slight pressure on the ball I got an enormous referral and sensation of discomfort. It was incredible the reaction. When standing after the massaging my leg felt better. Had I found the source of the problem in my piriformis with just a few days to go?

Of course by this point my expectations had dropped from top ten. I knew I was not in good enough shape to race well. I was well rested, but I’d missed a lot of training in the last 3 weeks before the race, and had not run well, and only twice, in that time.

The race started well. I felt great when the gun went and I knew I was swimming well. I jumped to a lead from those around me and could see Andy Potts and Ben Sansoon off to my left, and I was even with them. After a few hundred metres I realized the best thing to do would be to jump on their feet, so I cut a hard left for about 15metres and I was there.

They swam shoulder to shoulder and I just coasted behind on the wash. But it wasn’t all that easy, and the emotions, thoughts, and physical feelings I had at times were tough and resembling those which I experience when I have my fatigue.

I rode ok at first, took it easy until the pack caught me, then at 80km I popped off the back, just through the rolling hils before the long uphill to Hawi turnaround. I was left alone for a while, rested, and as people caught me I tried to pick it up, but I couldn’t stay with anyone. Then my lower right back got very tight and uncomfortable, weak, and painful. I was hating every minute of the ride back to Kona, and there were a lot of minutes!

I was going to finish. And as I jogged my leg didn’t feel too bad. I jogged then walked, then jogged behind Belinda Granger from 7km – 23km, then I had to walk. I would have walked a lot sooner had I not had someone I knew running at a pace I could handle and to motivate/drag me through to finish hours earlier than I otherwise would have. After walking 5minutes Bek Keat caught me so I jogged with her, then Belinda fell apart and we passed her while she was in the toilet. I walked and waited for her as Bek ran on. Then Belinda and I caught Bek as she got slower. We jogged back to the line together. Again, I would have walked a lot more if I’d been on my own. It made a huge difference to have company, not so painful and pointless.

In conclusion, I wasn’t 100% going in to the race. Nowhere near. It is vital that from now I replenish my iron levels with another shot, then maintain them with tablets. I must also stretch more, self massage more, I mustn’t rely on my physio to do all the work.

My training program had been good. Really good. I was working hard and improving well without feeling tired all the time (until my oversight about my iron). But now that I have longer until my next Ironman (not sure which qualifier for Hawaii I will do, but I am doing Quelle Chanllenge Roth again) I will increase the amount I am riding for a few months, starting this week.

Thanks very much to all my supporters and sponsors. Paul Brandon of Brandon Building, Bruce Annabell of JR Pharmacy, High 5, Xentis, Rudy Project Pedals Plus bike shop, and all my friends amd family, and Jaimie, who is everything.

One step back, equals two steps forward.

PETE.