So last Sunday I packed up my life on the Sunshine Coast and left the last 6 years behind me. I left on a rough note having battled the worst case of gastro I've had in years the night before I left after having the best week of training I've had since pre-pelvis. I managed a little easy training the Monday but still felt pretty ordinary with my tummy upset. An early 3:30am start Tuesday morning to get to the airport by 6am I had no problems checking in my 32kg bike through to South Carolina (thanks Dane, best travel agent ever!). Down to Sydney and then on the long haul 19hour trip to LA. I felt pretty good until about the last 4 hours on the plane, when I found myself intermittently running to the toilet for a few more chucks, thank god you pick up a day travelling to the USA and that I left with quite a few days to spare. Crazily enough at the delta terminal at LA I saw a girl run past and thought, gee that looks like Katya Meyers (another triathlete I met a couple of years ago in Malaysia), sure enough she had a helmet on her bag and after she missed her flight she was walking past me and stopped to ask if there was free wi-fi- ‘I know you, you’re Katya!’. Thanks girl for helping pass my nauseous stop over hours at LA.
Back on a plane to Cincinnati, I slept the whole way, had about a 40min stop over, then my final hour flight to Greenville, South Carolina. I was met at the small airport by Howard, my homestay’s father-in-law and no bike! AGAIN! Sure enough it was still in Cincinnati as it didn’t make it onto the next plane in time. The Delta baggage lady assured me it would arrive the next afternoon. Howard then drove me the 45mins or so to where I was staying in Anderson. A gorgeous lake house about 10km from the race site. I cannot believe how lucky I’ve been with amazing homestays this year. Gina and Scott who own the lakehouse, live in another home about 20miles from here with their 3 beautiful daughters and have spoiled me more than my family does. I cannot thank them enough for driving me over the bike course, taking me to the pool, transporting myself and my bike around the area and stocking the lakehouse with enough food to feed an army!
Battling a nasty case of jet-lag, having 9 then 5 then 11 then 4 hours sleep as well as taking a while to get my appetite back after being sick, I took it pretty cautiously with the training/ taper week. Tenille Hoogland, a Canadian triathlete, also arrived a couple nights later to keep me company pre-race and before we knew it it was Saturday, the day before the Rev3 South Carolina Half IM. Race morning was fresh, but it was a non-wetty swim for the pros. I found out my helmet is NOT CPSC approved so a big thankyou to Rev3's Eric for finding me an approved helmet race morning. A little warm up and I thought I was good to go. There were about 20pro girls on the start line, the biggest pro field I have ever raced. My plan was to try and stick with Kate Major for the swim, but by the first buoy she was already about 20m in front of me. The swim felt long and I spent 90% of it out on my own. Got out about mid field and 2mins down on where I was hoping to be so not the start I was hoping for. The bike leg was quite technical with multiple sharp 90 degrees turns throughout the first half. About 5km in I caught Kate whislt she was serving a 2min stop/ go penalty so my plan was to pace behind or beside her for the remaining kms. This was my first race that was raced according to the stagger rule- which means as long as you are on the opposite side of the road as far as possible to the person infront you can ride side by side. We caught Nina Kraft around the middle of the bike and then at about the 40mile mark I really started to flat line and Kate broke away from me. 5mile later another girl passed me and I had nothing in me to go with her. Off the bikes I actually felt ok. Got the heads up the 8 girls were in front of me and I could see 8th in front and I was ever so slowly gaining on her. Run was a bunch of little loops and at the begining you could get a good look as to where you were. Two girls behind me were moving fast through the course so I was trying pretty hard to keep the gap. The first one passed me about 6miles and then the next at about 7.5miles. At this point I had caught the girl infront too and we ran together for the next mile. Then it all became undone. I felt my left hammy twitching and took a salt tablet to keep the cramps at bay. I lost the pace of the girl I was running with and I just kept thinking hold on for 10th. Top 10 and a little cash would be a good result today. The last mile I knew there was another girl slowly gaining but I was pushing hard to hold her off just a little longer. Up the carpet to the finish chute and woosh! Another girl i didn't even know was there zoomed past me, taking 10th from me by 2seconds. I was gutted, my heart sinking and dissappointment already overcoming me. Straight to the ART tent to have my hammy and messed up body treated, then to the Recovery pump tent for more TLC for my body. That afternoon consisted of watching Titanic and picking up some mental pieces.
The beautiful Lake house (the kind where slasher flicks are made!)
Fat arse leacing T1
Homestay mum Gina, me and Angie post race
So this is what IM training feels like, Gina- last long ride pre IM Florida-
GOOD LUCK!!!!
I need to recognise that I'm not the athlete I was this time 12months ago having spent 4months injured. Not to mention the severe case of GI upset a week before and the 33 hour travel fresh in my system. I decided to do this trip and 3 races to get fit so I can't expect to be killing it as I just don't have the training or miles in me. The 70.3 points will be nice if I decided that I want to do a world championship race in 2012. But I am my own worse enemy and I need to stop being so focused on results and money, otherwise I'll never get anywhere!
A big congratulations to the lovely Magali Tisseyre for the win and my roomie Tenille Hoogland for leading for about 98% of the race but holding on for 2nd (I know how much you needed this!!).
I have recovered really quickly from the race and had an easy day yesterday followed by a solid day today which has gone 10 times better than expected. I have one more day left here in Anderson before heading to Austin for 2weeks to stay with friends and get prepped for Austin 70.3.
Rachie xo
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