12 months of preparation and 3 months of daily (sometimes twice daily) training sessions finally culminated in reaching the start line of the New Zealand Ironman in Lake Taupo.
The days leading up to the event really built the excitement for the race as I joined 1250 athletes and 465 first timers in an event that is known as one of the toughest endurance events going around and has a time limit of 17 hours to complete.
The professionals started the swim 15 minutes ahead of the age groupers, who all started at the same time, which was an amazing feeling. Lake Taupo was crystal clear, even hundreds of metres from shore. The perfect conditions for the swim eased the tension and actually made the swim enjoyable.
I finished the 3.8km swim in 1h20m, which was 10 minutes quicker than I had expected, so I was really happy with my time and that I hadn’t expended too much energy.
The 180km ride involved two 90km laps which I was hoping to complete in under 6 hours. The 1st lap went well as I completed it in 2h53m, however the wind picked up significantly on the second lap and I ended up finishing the ride in 6h11m. I was still happy with this effort as I felt I had plenty of energy left for the marathon to finish the race.
The 42.2km Marathon was looming as the toughest part of the race, particularly when the rain started coming in sideways for the second half of my run. The three lap course along the banks of the lake was tough, especially the last 28kms as my feet and legs started to really hurt, slowing my pace considerably. Thankfully there were plenty of spectators (including my wife Angela) that gave me encouragement and kept me going right to the end. I completed the marathon in 4h46m and the overall race in 12h36m32s.
The feeling of finishing the race was unbelievable, all the training had paid off and helped me complete by far the toughest physical challenge I’ve ever encountered. I can now call myself an Ironman!
Thank you to everyone who donated to my chosen charity, Autism Spectrum Australia. The generosity of friends, family, colleagues and even some strangers helped me to raise $3,720 for a great cause.
If you’re interested in a more detailed account of the race and the lead up, you can read my blog at trironman.wordpress.com.
Now for a bit of rest and relaxation!
