Getting to the start line in Kona is hard..finishing it is even harder.
I love Ironman training. I wouldn’t be in this sport if I didn’t. I have had some great race experiences over Ironman and some not so great ones too… that’s what keeps making me want to come back to it. There is just so much to learn and I’d like to think that you CAN teach an old dog new tricks!
I arrived to a buzzing Kona 5 days pre race with my support crew of Jane and Linda. They were on “Mission Ironman prep” for the days leading into the race, tolerating a no AC zone in the condo and car, adapting to my timetable and getting stuck in to all the pre race excitement that goes on during race week. The first of which was the Parade of Nations on the Weds, where I donned my Irish team shirt and met all the other Irish that were competing,.. all 13 of us. There were words of advice from the seasoned Kona pros and lots of chat about the heat and the wind. I had cycled on the Tuesday in some fierce winds that terrified me…I had my fingers crossed that it would be calmer on race day.
You can go to Kona and hide away from the buzz and get your game face on…but where is the fun in that? I loved the early morning swims in Dig Me beach and breakfast after with our little gang of Paddys. We had some kickass shamrock attire for the underpants “run” and had such a laugh seeing what people turned up in.
I had a few short training sessions to get in pre race. I wasn’t feeling great at all ..probably a combination of jet lag and generally being a bit under the weather. I certainly felt the heat was going to be a challenge. I did a run session out in the energy lab and it was ok (this reassured me a little)…this is generally where people seem to suffer on the run as it is at the 30km mark..usually the point in the race where it all starts to unravel.
Race morning came, I had got a good sleep. Early breakfast down the hatch and a calm walk down to T1 in the dark. I prepped my bike and found a patch of grass to relax on pre race. I heard the canon go for the start of the pro swim but couldn’t see them set off. The adrenaline was seeping and I was starting to get switched on.
Shortly after I was getting into the water with all the other ladies, excited to start the day ahead..”bring it on” I thought…, lets do it!
The swim was really great, I was on good feet for the first half. It was busy but not boisterous ( the men had set off in an earlier wave ). I lost my rhythm a little on the way back and felt I had swam slower than hoped (82mins). It turns out that there was quite a swell and swim times were generally a bit slower than normal. I didn’t notice the swell to be honest. Overall it was an enjoyable swim and I was happy to be there in the thick of it.
Out on the bike and I was feeling great. I had a plan to stay conservative for the first 60km and then build if I was feeling good. That’s what I did and was climbing up to the turnaround point at Hawi feeling solid. This is when the heavens opened, I’m pretty sure I was smiling. I couldn’t believe it! Wind and rain- just like the Sally Gap. I lapped it up and passed people who were slowing down due to the conditions. The downhill after Hawi was so great- there was a head wind going down the hill, so I was down on the bars fighting the wind and rain again for a bit. Then as if God clicked his fingers there was the searing heat and sunshine again..where were the clouds gone ? Come back my friends! It was a hot slog back to town but I was feeling good, in control and still conservative with my watts.
Bike time 5h 48 mins.
T2- my legs were complete jelly on dismount which alarmed me a little and I hoped I would have run legs for what lay ahead.
I started out on the run nice and easy. I didn’t wear a watch as I didn’t want to see how slow I was going..unless my watch tells me I am amazing I don’t want to know! I was passed by the men’s leader as I headed off…he was finishing and was eating up the road.
It was hot..I wasn’t feeling so hot.
The marathon was a really tough one for me. I never got into the pace I hoped for, not even close. The one time I tried to pick up the pace to stick with another Irish athlete, Gretta, I suffered and had to pull back to avoid collapse. It turned into a survival jog for me.
I was jogging along the Queen K highway, regretfully watching the big ball of fire go down..much and all as that sun killed me during the day- I really wanted to finish while it was still burning. I tried to embrace the unique experience of running along the highway in the dark, thinking that not everyone gets a chance to don a glo band on the Queen K in the middle of the lava fields in Kona Hawaii..how lucky was I!
The support out there on the dark highway was sparse but so so amazing. “You got this Aileen!” I was told…yes… I have got this, one foot in front of the other..no tears now ! Once I turned into Kona I knew I was close to the finish so I tore it up for the last 2 km. Jane and Linda were at the finishing shute , having a had a long long hot day supporting me on the course. They handed me a huge tricolour which came over the line with me..it was over, I was upright and although it took me 12 hours I was so proud to get over the line.
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