Noosa Triathlon 2012

It has been one of the most talked about races on the calendar and I was lucky enough to secure a spot at this years 30th Annual Noosa Triathlon. I remember reading an article in Triathlon & Multisport Magazine that said it was one of the must do triathlons in the southern hemisphere, so when entries opened in November last year, I was one of the 7000+ competitors to sign up. The race sold out in a mere 3 hours.

Fast forward to November 2012 and I was ready to finally experience my first Noosa Triathlon. I had competed in three Olympic Distance races before but I had heard so many positive things about this particular event; a festival spanning over five days and something for everyone to participate in. I was pumped to race. My main goal was the same as it has always been; to not get a flat tyre and go hard/hold on for as long as possible.

RACE MORNING
We had compulsory bike racking the day before so it was nice to arrive to transition on race morning without the hassle of extra gear. All I needed to do was pump up my tyres and get everything I needed out for the bike and run. We arrived about half an hour before transition closed so it was perfect timing. I don't understand why people spend so much time in transition. Get in get out. That's my motto.

Because there are so many people in this race, the wave starts are spread out over 3 hours; the pro's kicked off at 6:15am and my wave wasn't until 8:05am, with the last wave (teams) going at 9:30am. But this gave us a chance to relax a little, take our time, watch some of the competitors and enjoy the atmosphere. Until it started to rain! We got news that Craig "Crowie" Alexander  had crashed on his bike at one of the roundabouts on the course and had to pull out. We ended up having a chat to him at the airport on our way home to Sydney and he said it was a mixture of rain, a bit of oil on the road and going too fast around the corner. Poor bloke.

THE SWIM - 1.5km
It was a non-wetsuit swim which I was very happy about; more even playing field. Even though wetsuits provide more buoyancy, I find them such a hassle and I always feel like I  can't swim properly when I wear one. The swim was a 1.5km loop through a canal so it was relatively flat. The water was a bit murky but I was lucky enough to be on someone's feet for most of the swim which helped massively. I actually couldn't see where I was going; I was just following the fluro caps and hoping for the best!

I got out of the water in 29:01; a PB of almost 1 min (those dreaded open water swims must be helping. Thanks Bern)!

THE BIKE - 40km
Thankfully the rain had stopped by the time I was on the bike but my shoes were soaked. Unfortunately you cannot control the weather conditions in a race so rather than think about blisters and wet shoes, I just got on with the job and hoped for the best. I took my bike off the rack and ran straight out of there as fast as I could. I had practiced jumping on my bike the day before so I felt ok about it and just had to trust that it was going to work and that I wasn't going to fall off. On my way to the mount line, I overtook a few blokes and I could see people ahead of me who were stopping to clip their feet in. I ran past the fumblers on the mount line and jumped straight onto my bike, no fart-arsing around trying to run in cycle shoes or stop to get on my bike (all thanks to Coach Waino). It was brilliant. Had a couple of issues with my bike shoes touching the ground briefly as I was trying to get my feet in but aside from that it was smooth sailing. I only learnt how to successfully jump on my bike a few weeks ago and it is SO much faster!

The course itself was mostly flat, a few undulations, a 3km climb up Garmin Hill and then a huge descent on the way back into town. I felt good on the bike. I pushed the pace for the first 10km, was breathing heavily and just trying to maintain consistency. I took it easy on Garmin Hill, granny gear and all, because I didn't want my legs to be too smashed for the run. I was looking forward to going a bit harder on the way back to town because of the Noosa Hill descent. We had ridden down it on Saturday and I clocked 67km/hr. I had never ridden that fast before on a bike. I was half shitting my pants and half having the time of my life because at that speed, if anything happens to you, you're a goner. I love me some downhills and really wanted to see if I could get to 70km on race day. I was trying to keep my eyes on the road and the people in front of me; I had my knees tucked in, my head down, and when I looked at the speedo for a split second, I saw 76km/hr! No fear. AMAZING!

I got off the bike in 1 hour 14 mins; a 3 min PB.


THE RUN - 10KM 
The run was a flat, one lap, out and back course through Noosa Sound. It took me about 4k to warm-up due to a very tight achilles/calf that I felt was going to rip on every step. But I overtook a couple of girls in my age group at the start and decided I would set a faster than normal pace and just see if I could hold on. Not sure what pace I was going (I don't like wearing a watch on the run) but my goal was to run off the bike in less than 48 mins (my time in Sydney in April, 2012). Within the first kilometre, I ran over the bridge and got the shock of my life; a woman had been hit by a bike trying to cross the road and all I could see was people yelling at the cyclists to slow down. I kept running and there she was; a limp body, lying face down, motionless, with her head in pool of blood. I felt sick in the guts. I turned away and kept running, as I could see people were calling the ambulance and clearing the area. I started getting really emotional as it was obviously something I wasn't expecting to see. I saw Willo who was on her way to the finish line and warned her not to look at the accident. For the first 3kms of the race, my mind was on this poor woman, wondering what had happened and how. Once I got my head sorted, I started focusing on who was in front of me and tried to pick people off one at a time. The sun started to come out and boy did things heat up. QLD sun is blistering and people even had hoses out to try and call everyone down. I was conscious of trying not to get my shoes too wet as I didn't want to get blisters. But tried to pour water in my face and on my head at every aid station.

The run felt like it went on forever. I didn't feel like I could push but when I saw there was only 2kms to go, I just went for it. The one thing that kept me going was a guy dressed as Superman and another guy dressed as Warwick Capper in the full Sydney Swans outfit and blonde mullet! The main road was packed with spectators so I was trying to lap it up as much as possible. The kids were the best, high fiving everyone and cheering so loud. I got to the finish line and when I was done, I headed straight to the water to soak my aching body!

I ended up running 46:20 off the bike; a PB of almost 2 mins.

Overall time - 2 hours 29 minutes, 57 seconds - first time I have ever gotten under 2.5 hours.

I didn't find out my results until a couple of hours after the race and I was completely and utterly surprised. I am still in a bit of shock and can't quite believe it as I didn't feel fast at all. Sure it was no podium finish but that's never the goal as I am so far from being at that level. There were 191 girls in my age group and I got 28th which I was pretty happy with. The fastest girl in my AG did it in 2 hours 17 mins! I still have a lot of work to do and things I want to improve, especially my swim, but I feel like I have started the season off well and looking forward to what the rest of the season holds. The consistency and hard work is paying off.


THE VERDICT
A definite must do race. I highly recommend the Noosa Triathlon to everyone. It is such a great atmosphere and the whole weekend was just a buzz. And if you don't get into the actual triathlon, there's an ocean swim, a fun run and heaps of events going on. We had great weather, felt very relaxed the whole time and I am so excited to do it all again next year. Entries open at 10am on Thursday!

Thank you to my coach Mel for helping me start off the season on such a high, my friends who put up with me all weekend (especially Willo and Rachel who were the best housemates and travel buddies ever) and to everyone for your support and kind messages. Thank you for following the journey of this middle of the range age-group battler!

FONGINATOR'S 5O THINGS

I've decided to throw in a post out of left field, completely unrelated to the world of triathlon. 

A few months ago, I was inspired to come up with a list of  things I wanted to do before I die. A friend of mine told me about a website called 100 Things (http://100things.com.au/about/). A guy by the name of Sebastian Terry had dedicated the last 3 years ticking things off his "100 Things" list, all while raising money for Camp Quality. And he's still going. Some of the things on his list were as crazy as marrying a stranger in Vegas and throwing a dart on a map whilst blindfolded and travelling to the place that it landed on. It got me thinking, how cool would it be to start my own list?!

I got to about 80. I honestly couldn't think of anything more that I wanted to do. Most of the things I had included were really just fillers so I decided to narrow it down to "50 Things."

Now, I've never really been a goal setter. In fact, I always thought goal-setting was so cheesy and didn't think it actually worked. I was fortunate enough to work at lululemon for almost a year, who's culture embraced goal setting. I received so much support, from friends and strangers, simply by putting my plans out there in the open for all to see. Had it not been for this, I would never have achieved half the things I wanted to do this year.

So I urge all of you to get out a pen and paper and start writing down a list of 50 things you want to do before you die. Its harder than it sounds. There are some things on my list that I may never achieve but hey, you never know who in the universe can help you.

There are no limits. DTBA - Dare To Be Awesome.

FONGINATOR'S 5O THINGS (in no particular order)

1. Party in Vegas, Hangover style

2. Be part of a dance flashmob

3. Eat sushi in Japan

4. Go on an African safari 

5. Meet Channing Tatum

6. Get backstage at a concert

7. Learn to shoot a gun at a firing range

8. Catch a fish

9. Write an article in a magazine

10. Be a presenter at Filex (the biggest fitness convention in the southern hemisphere)

11. Go skydiving

12. Become a certified Triathlon Coach

13. Try Cross Fit

14. Represent Australia in Triathlon at the World Age Group Championships 

15. Complete a Diploma in Massage

16. Be on stage for Body Attack & Body Pump at a Les Mills Quarterly Workshop

17. Learn to ride a motorbike

18. Run the NYC Marathon

17. Compete in the London Triathlon

18. Do the Sydney Harbour Bridgeclimb

19. Run 10km in 40 mins

20. Learn how to do a backflip

21. Be able to do 5 proper chin ups

22. Buy a time-trial bike and customise it in bright yellow

23. Become a lululemon ambassador

24. Do a race in full fancy dress

25. Spend a week at a health retreat

26. Compete in a Stand Up Paddleboard race

27. Climb Uluru

28. Make a video about my first Ironman

29. Have a training session with Ironman World Champion, Chrissie Wellington 

30. Learn to ride a unicycle

31. Be a passenger in a Formula One car

32. Run the City to Surf in 60 mins

33. Compete in a triathlon overseas 

34. Be on the sidelines in Kona for the Hawaii Ironman

35. Compete in a boxing match

36. Play drums or guitar in a band on stage

37. Learn how to sing

38. Ride in a hot air balloon

39. Go four-wheel driving on Fraser Island 

40. Break a Guiness World Record

41. Swim with dolphins

42. Ride the largest roller coaster in the world

43. Be in a music video

44. Donate blood

45. Be in the audience of Ellen

46. Create an iPhone app

47. Be a trainer on The Biggest Loser

48. Be a DJ for a set @ Retro

49. See a psychic

50. Inspire 50 people to write their own 50 Things list

I promise this one was not on my list...

TRANSITION TRAINING FOR YOUR FIRST TRIATHLON

There's just over a week until Triathlon Pink hits Sydney and I am so excited to be a part of this event. I've been competing in triathlons for about 5 years now and this is still my favourite race on the calendar; no ego's, no expensive time trial bikes or sperm helmets, no prizes for coming first. Just a bunch of ladies, raising money for an amazing cause and having a crack at the sport of triathlon. For the first timers, its such a fun and exciting day. To be able to race in three disciplines is a huge effort in itself and a great way to get started in the sport. I have participated in Triathlon Pink about 4 times now and each year I get more and more inspired by the women that take on the challenge of swimming, biking and running. I hope the first timers get hooked on it as much as I did in my first race.

Whether you are racing long, medium or short course (or you're a sucker for punishment like me and signed up for all three races), the key is to have a good time. You only get one chance to experience your first triathlon. Triathlon Pink is such a fun day out so enjoy the atmosphere, rally up your friends and family to come and cheer you on (because let's face it, we always go faster if someone is yelling at us) and relish in the fact that you will soon become a triathlete! 

If this is your first time racing, you may not care about your time. Your goal might be to just survive and finish! However, if you like a bit of friendly competition, you can be one step ahead of everyone else. How? I don't know about you but I like to be fast in my transitions. My motto is "get in, get out, as fast as possible." Here are my Top 10 Tips for a Fast Transition:

1. Practice your plan
   As the old saying goes, “Those who fail to plan, plan to fail.” Practice, practice, practice. SWIM TIPS – Try and swim close to the feet of the person in front of you (otherwise known as the drag zone). The splash from their kicking might annoy you at first but they are actually pulling you along, therefore requiring less effort from you. When you exit the water, take your cap and goggles off as you run into transition to save a bit of time. Women are naturally multi-taskers and this should be no different!
   BIKE TIPS – Practice taking your drink bottle out of the cage and putting it back whilst riding your bike. You always need to be aware of who is in front of you and who is around you. There's nothing worse than looking down, losing your sense of balance and crashing into someone because you weren't watching what you were doing or where you were going. In the race, always remember to stay left and to only overtake on the right.
   RUN TIPS – Keep your body nice and tall, switch your core on and remember to control your breathing. When you get to the finish line, jump in the air and celebrate your amazing feat!
2. Less is more
   Minimise the amount of unnecessary things on your bike that you won't need on race day (baskets, lights, backpack holders etc). They will just make the ride that much harder as the bike will be heavier, especially if you are racing on a mountain bike or hybrid. Make sure your bike has been serviced before the race too. There's nothing worse than rocking up on race day with a broken chain, punctured tyre or gears not working.
3. One outfit for every occasion
   We all know tri suits aren't the most flattering outfits that ever existed but they ARE practical, which means you can stay in the same outfit for three legs without having to change. We all come in different shapes and sizes, but at the end of the day, no-one is going to be worried about what you look like in lycra.
4. Body Glide/Vaseline
   This stuff is a god send if you want to prevent any kind of chafing. You should be putting it under your armpits where your tri suit/swimming costume sits, between your thighs and around the ankle that the timing chip will be on. I always have some spare in transition, just in case I need to apply more. You should also put vaseline on the inside heel of your shoes to make your foot slide in quicker.
5. Elastic laces
   Genius invention. They allow you to simply put your shoes straight on without worrying about tying up laces. They do require practice though and are slightly less supportive for your feet than normal shoelaces. Make sure you practice running in them (just up and down the road is enough) so you can get a feel of how tight they should be.
6. Nutrition
   Only use gels or electrolyte drinks (like powerade) if you have practiced using them in your training. For races as short as these ones, you may only need water and perhaps some lollies on the run for a bit of an energy hit. Don't try anything new on race day. It may wreak havoc on your gut.
7. Helmet
   Make sure your helmet fits your head properly. It shouldn't be half way off your head or be down so low that you can't see. Practice clipping it on and off. The last thing you want is having to stop to get off your bike to adjust your helmet (ladies with longer hair, I highly recommend low pony tails or braids so your helmet fits on your head properly. High pony tails just get in the way).
8. Identifying your bike
   There are going to be hundreds of people racing so you want to be able to identify your bike in transition. I've seen people use a helium balloon, a bright towel on the bike rack or perhaps a bright ribbon. Failing this, you should be able to spot a landmark or sign that is adjacent to your bike. You will probably be a little frazzled when you get out of the swim so try not to forget which rack your bike is on.
9. Entry/Exit
   Arrive to the race nice and early so you can figure out where you need to exit/enter transition during the race. It can be a little overwhelming knowing where to go and what to do. Don't be afraid to ask people around you. You might even make a new friend or perhaps a potential new training partner!
10. Make a check list
    Pack the night before, not the morning of. Here are the things you will typically need:
    - Tri Suit
    - Goggles
    - Bike
    - Helmet
    - Cycling shoes (if applicable)
    - Running shoes
    - Water bottle/s
    - Race belt (alternatively, you can use pins for your race number)
    - Change of clothes (for after the race)
    - Sunscreen (apply after you have been body marked with a race number)
    - Vaseline/Body Glide
    - Towel (transition)
    - Any other nutrition you plan to use during the race

Optional extra's:

- Bike Pump

- Clothes to change into for the bike/run (if you aren't wearing a tri suit)

- Ear plugs (I use these in the swim because I hate getting water in my ears)

- Socks (won't make you fast in transition but will help if you are prone to blisters)

- Sunglasses

- Running hat/cap

- Post-race nutrition (could be a sandwich, muesli bar, fruit).

If you have any questions on race day, please don't hesitate to come up and say hello. I will be more than happy to help. Just look out for me in the yellow tri suit (see picture below).

 

Happy training and see you next weekend - let the countdown begin!

Paleo for Triathletes

The Fonginator is back! Unfortunately I don't have any exciting training or racing news but I thought I would share with you a little experiment I will be conducting over the next few weeks.

There's been a lot of talk about the "Paleo" diet and I wanted to see for myself whether this type of eating would be suited to my training. My main goal is not weight loss but more to test energy levels, mood, recovery and seeing if the food is the right fuel for my current lifestyle. If I happen to shed a couple of kg's, that's just an added bonus.

So what is Paleo? Technically it's not a diet as such but more, a way of eating. From what I have been researching, I believe it can be sustained long term (subject to individual modification), unlike other crazy fads like Atkins. It's based on a modern version of a diet of plant and animal based food consumed during the Paelolithic era. Think hunter gatherer.

Being the Captain of Carbohydrates, I knew this was going to be tough. On a Paleo diet, you cannot consume any of the following:
Rice, pasta, noodles, couscous, quinoa (some allow it but I am not eating it) or any other refined carbohydrate, peas, potato (sweet potato is allowed in moderation), refined sugar (lollies, cakes, chocolate), dairy (which I can't eat a lot of anyway), soy and legumes. The list goes on. I am used to eating bread, rice pasta and/or noodles everyday so in order to be realistic, I set myself a goal of doing Paleo 6 days out of 7, for 4 weeks. This is what a typical day looks like:

Breakfast: 1-2 eggs, 1 cup wilted spinach, handful of cooked mushrooms. Water with lemon to drink.
Morning Tea: Home made juice in a blender consisting of 1 cup of frozen mixed berries, banana & water. Handful of nuts if still hungry.
Lunch: Tuna Salad or Salad with roasted veggies. Apple cider vinegar as dressing.
Afternoon Tea: Green Tea. If still hungry, a piece of fruit or handful of nuts.
Dinner: Beef and vegetable stew or chicken and veggie stir fry or fish and veggies or prawn stir fry.
Dessert: If I feel like I need something sweet, I will have some fruit but this is rare.
Water: Trying to drink 2L a day

Sample of my lunch last week

I survived week one relatively unscathed, mainly due to the fact that I had a major running stack at Track training with the BTC crew and had to take 10 days off exercise. I strained the AC joint in my shoulder and had some very swollen knee caps. This made Paleo slightly easier (I always find I get so hungry when I start training). But with my birthday coming up this weekend, I imagine its going to be very tough! New motto for the week: Stay Strong FONG!

The aftermath of my stack (the left picture is the skin I took off my shoulder)

I've been eating a lot more veggies than I normally would and I've had to experiment with different foods to compensate for the starchy carbohydrates I usually consumer. So on Sunday, I made a sweet potato and beef casserole from the following website: http://paleopot.com/2012/02/hungry-man-sweet-potato-casserole/. It was yum and I have heaps leftover for lunches/dinners!

(I wish mine actually looked like this, however, I stole this from the website)!

What's next? 3 more weeks of The Paleo Experiment and if it works for me, then I will continue. If not, I will learn a few things from it. I can't knock it until I try it. As far as events go, I am training for the  City to Surf, The Blackmore's Bridge Run and in, about 14 weeks, The Noosa Triathlon; they are my biggest targets for the year (plus some other smaller races for sh!ts and giggles).

Stay tuned and thanks for reading! I hope I have enough willpower this week to stick with it!

"BELINDA FONG - YOU...ARE...AN...IRONMAN!"

I did it. I actually can't believe I did it. I swam 3.8kms, rode 180kms & ran 42kms, totally exceeding all of my expectations & finishing in under 13 hours. Here is a preview of my first ever Ironman. Sit back, get comfy & be prepared for about 20 nins of reading. The Fonginator doesn't do anything in halves, and this is no exception. You have been warned!

Sunday 6th May was a day of firsts; the first time I had ever ridden 180kms on a bike and the first time I had ever run a marathon. I always said the only time anyone would catch me running 42kms was if I a) got into the NYC marathon or b) ran it at the end of an Ironman. 

HOW IT ALL CAME ABOUT

Ironman Australia entries opened in May 2011 & a group of us from Balmoral Triathlon Club (BTC) had decided to take the plunge & enter together. A handful of us had done one or two long course/Half Ironman races & we figured there was no time like the present to sign up. We had the remainder of 2011 to build a base, without having a full-on training program, and then four solid months of pure Ironman focus (long swims, long rides, long runs & no social life). 25 of us from the club (10 of whom were first-time Ironmen), signed the forms, handed over the money & the rest, they say, is history.

THE TRAINING

My training started on 1st January, 2012. But 6 months prior, I was trying to recover from an ankle injury which ended up needing surgery. I had to pull out of a lot of races but with patience & a good attitude, I made a full recovery. Within 6 weeks of getting the bandage off my foot, I started running. But I was sensible. I hadn't run for about 4 months so my return to running was very gradual, and even including walking. I was completely ok with this & was still confident I could run the marathon, if I listened to my body & did all the things my physio said. 

I was willing to do whatever it took to get to the start line of Ironman. But I also told myself it would be ok if I couldn't race. After all, there would always be other races. I was willing to be patient (and that's hard for me!) & I have to say, it was the first time in my life where I felt more determined than anything to kick this injury in the ass.

So many people have supported me throughout this whole training cycle & I really wanted to be able to come home & say that I did it in true Fonginator style - all or nothing. The amount of support I managed to get from posting my training on Facebook every week was awesome. Call it a cop out but I just love training with other people. The Tuesday morning BTC girls ride (or as Owain would call us, The Photography Club!) got me out of bed every week. The company on the weekend long rides made it all so worthwhile. Just knowing that someone else was there made me push harder & keep going. Those 7.5 hour rides were tough!

THE HIGHS & LOWS

Like everyone, I always knew that there were going to be times where I loved training & times where I hated training. The sheer sound of knowing I was going to be an Ironman made me feel somewhat hardcore at times. Just the reactions on people's faces when I told them what I was training for was priceless. People are just in awe, but to me it didn't really seem like a big deal because I was either surrounded by other people doing the same thing or it it was just another crazy adventure I wanted to tick off the bucket list. Over time, I began to realise it actually was a big deal, especially considering I never really came from an endurance background. I loved Sprint & Olympic Distance triathlons & when I first started racing in this amazing sport, Ironman was something I would only ever dream of doing. And now it was becoming a reality.

Towards the end of my training, I lost so much motivation & I started missing sessions (mainly the swimming) because couldn't be bothered. According to Mel, I had two personalities; one minute I was saying Ironman training was the best thing ever, and the next thing she knew, I was texting her saying I was sad!

On top of training for an Ironman, I was also trying to teach group fitness classes. Body Pump really helped build my strength & endurance, but I would never fully recover properly from Body Attack & end up going into a big weekend of training feeling sore & exhausted. After a few weeks of this, I decided to drop a few classes in my biggest training weeks. It was getting ridiculous, to the point where some days I was doing 4-5 training sessions a day. I wasn't recovering properly & really suffered physically. Because teaching is my job, I never really thought about the impact it was going to have on my other training.

THE DAY BEFORE THE RACE

We rented a house about 1.5kms from transition that had the most amazing jacuzzi! That was a massive selling point for me when we booked it 12 months prior. The house ended up being in a great location, only a few mins drive from transition. 

Frankie says, RELAX

We registered, signed our name on the wall, got our IM wristband & then it all started to sink in. That afternoon, we racked our bikes in transition & put our gear bags in. Ironman is like no other triathlon; there are two separate transitions, both of which you need to be prepared for in advance, unlike Sprint, Olympic & even 70.3's where you have everything in the one place, next to your bike. 


I don't know what came over me but in the week leading up to Ironman, I was just EXCITED! Now to those who know me, that's pretty normal. I get excited about everything! But it was like I was in denial that I was racing. I was just happy to be there, injury-free and ready for the experience. After numerous YouTube clips of Rick & Dick Hoyt and inspiration from friends who had competed against the best in Kona, I felt ready. Ready to experience something extraordinary that would never compare to anything I would ever do in my life. I knew from the start it was going to be amazing. I don't know how or why, but I just knew. And I knew it was going to hurt.

RACE MORNING

I was pumped! I was clapping, I was dancing, I was smiling. I felt awesome. And at the same time, I could tell I was pissing people off who were really nervous. I couldn't sleep that night because I was too excited. It kind of worried me in the beginning that I wasn't nervous. But then I realised my attitude to racing has been the same since I started this sport ; all for fun & fun for all. And anything extra is a bonus. I had no control over what was going to happen on the day so I figured I may as well enjoy it as much as I can.

There were a lot of nervous athletes in transition when we arrived at 5.30am. It made me antsy. And I didn't like it. It was cold & dark & everyone was making sure their kajillion dollar bikes were in order. Talk about bike porn. I saw so many time-trial bikes that probably weighed less than my back wheel. As usual, I was the only one who looked ready to have fun. I don't mean to disrespect people who get nervous, please don't get the wrong idea. But I think I have become immune to nerves. I guess that doesn't make me a "serious" triathlete. To be honest, I'm glad I'm not.

THE 3.8KM SWIM (Goal time: 1h15. Actual time: 1h13)

The start of the swim was a bit emotional. A very good friend of ours, also called Bel, had been involved in a serious bike accident a few weeks before, leaving her with a broken jaw and losing most of her front teeth, having to pull out of her first Ironman. She had come down to watch us race & the realisation that she couldn't be there in the water with us was indescribable. Once we headed down to the waters edge, a slow walk with 1600 people, I now had Bel B in the back of mind - make her proud.

I was one of the last ones into the water, but I didn't want to get stuck right up the back. I decided I would go a bit wide to avoid the human washing machine as much as I could. Before the gun went off, we had a few mins to soak it all in. The sun was rising & when I looked behind me, there was literally a wall of people, about a kilometre wide, of spectators waiting for us to start. It was insane! Hundreds of people who had gotten out of bed at a ridiculous hour to watch their friends, spouses and family members for this. I smiled, thinking of how lucky I was to have so many people supporting me out there & the fact that I had actually made it. I made it to the water to start the swim of my first ever Ironman.

Heading into the water

3.8km swim - DONE!

Strangely enough, I felt like I had a clear path for most of the 3.8km swim. There were numerous occasions where I would get bashed in the head (one blow which made me stop momentarily, but the guy actually apologised). If it wasn't someone hitting me in the head, it was someone grabbing my legs. But for the most part, I had a good rhythm. I was really scared about the swim as I don't like mass starts. So anytime I saw a gap of clear water, I would pick up my speed. The sun was up & I couldn't see a thing in front of me. I literally had to follow the splashes of water. I couldn't see where we were supposed to go but when I started the second lap, I actually felt great. On my way back, I was looking out for my coach, Mel who I knew was going to be in the water for patrol. As I turned my head, I saw her sitting on a board so looked up, gave a little “Hey Mel” with a wave & continued on my merry way. I must admit, seeing her made me swim a little bit faster!

When I saw the finishing chute out of the swim, I started sprinting & when I finally exited the water, I screamed “woo hoo!” I saw my parents (who have never watched me race) behind the fence & gave them a wave but as I ran towards transition, I couldn't get my wetsuit off. A guy running next to me saw me struggling so he asked if I needed help. He grabbed the zipper & yanked it down. What a legend! I thanked him & went to go find my gear bag, with the help of three screaming friends who were volunteering in the tent; Rhona, Tammy & Carol. When I got inside, Rhona emptied the contents of my bike bag. She knew I wanted to keep it quick! I told her in exact order what I needed. Once I was done, I stood up, gave her a big hug & ran out of the tent as fast as I could to find my bike. I got to the mount line to a huge cheer of “Go The Fonginator.” I was excited to be out of the water & couldn't believe I was about to ride 180kms. TRANSITION TIME: 4m17s.

THE 180KM CYCLE (Goal time: 7 hours. Actual time: 6h55m)

The first 90kms felt amazing! And I usually dread the bike. I only really started training for & riding a road bike properly two years ago. And everyone knows how much I detest it. My odometer broke a few weeks prior & as Ironman was squeezing all the funds out of me, I couldn't afford to buy another one, so I relied on a Garmin, borrowed from my friend Mel Dunn from BTC (I had dropped mine a couple of months earlier & cracked the screen. Just call me Captain Clumsy). I was averaging about 30kms an hour & felt awesome. I was overtaking guys on time-trial bikes but I had to keep reminding myself not to go too hard because it was going to be a long day. 


The one thing that got me through the bike was my nutrition, or as its commonly called, the "rolling buffet." My coach had sent me a nutrition plan the day before – a gel after the swim, a few sips of electrolyte every 20 mins for an hour, then a gel or a vegemite sandwich. Then repeat. When I ran out of electrolyte, I would conveniently be at an aid station or close to it to fill my bidon with water or grab more electrolyte. Mel was a genius. I never felt like I was too full or under nourished. I wanted to go into the run feeling like I had eaten enough to fuel my body for the first 10km. And I did. I had a couple of wee stops along the way but overall, felt good. 

As I cycled out to Town Beach, I could see the BTC Tent & as soon as I got there, they whole cheer squad came out onto the road, yelling, screaming, clapping, taking photos & generally being loud. It was amazing! I was so pumped & happy. It was just the boost I needed to continue.

                                       (photos courtesy of Dani French)

Most people who have cycled in Port Macquarie know that its hilly & the road surface is generally pretty awful. Being in the aero position made my neck & lower back really sore but sitting upright was slowing me down. I must have switched positions hundreds of times during the first lap. When I got to Matthew Flinders Drive (the steepest hill in the world!), I started preparing myself mentally about how I was going to get up it. I had done the hill a few months before & prior to that, was a couple of years before. I was definitely stronger now & it was time to beat this beast!

There were literally screams of people yelling my name everywhere I looked! I actually felt like I was riding in the Tour De France. I was completely and utterly floored at the amount of people who were shouting & encouraging me to ride up the hill. My coach Mel said to me the look on my face was priceless; I was genuinely shocked & couldn't believe these people, some of who I didn't even know, calling out “Go The Fonginator!” It fired me up & I smashed that hill to pieces, and I think I smiled the whole way up. There was LJ in her Team Fonginator tshirt, there was Kerrie in a yellow cape holding up a “Harden The Fong Up” sign, there was Bel B, Lucie & Tarn who stood up & cheered from the start of the hill, there was Dee trying to chase me up the hill! I've never experienced anything like that before. 

When I finally got to the top, I felt like my heart was going to come out of my chest, but I kept pedalling (thanks Tracy!) and a guy rode past me & said, “Geez, you're popular.” I laughed & told them I paid them a lot of money.

 

As I rode back into town, I got excited that I only had one more lap to do. But within about 10kms of the second lap, my legs really started to hurt. My quads felt every pedal stroke. Everything started to ache; my neck, my lower back, my butt, my lady bits. I distinctly remember shouting out to the BTC crew at the top of Town Beach, “Riding 180kms is not good for your fanny!”

The last stretch coming back from Lake Cathie felt like it went forever. The wind had picked up, the road surface was so bad, I started getting pins & needles in my forearms. I was really uncomfortable so I just tried to focus - one pedal stroke at a time. Along the course, there was a couple of big music stations so I made a point of having one arm in the air to dance as I went past. There were a group of people on part of the ride who were dressed up as farm animals, and were singing (really bad) kareoke. It was hilarious but made for a good distraction from the pain. As I cycled through one of the music stations, the song Sweat by Snoop Dogg came on & it made me think of my friend Catherine Pritchard. Cat was also racing Ironman that day but a week before, had a bike accident, suffered a major concussion & left her with bruising on her tail bone, scars to her face & nausea. The poor girl was basically in pain from the word go. I was thinking of her & wondering how she was feeling (turns out Cat managed to pull through & cross the line in just over 14 hours - bloody inspiring)!

As the clock ticked to 100km, then 120km, then 140km, then 160km, I started to realise that I was getting close to finishing the bike. I couldn't believe I was about to ride 180kms. I kept saying ohmygod I am actually going to do this. Even during the race, I had a few moments to myself where I just smiled because I couldn't believe I was racing in an Ironman. Even to thise day it still feels surreal. 


I got to Matthew Flinders Drive the second time, and I was sad. My body was hurting everywhere & I wanted to stop. I thought for sure there wouldn't be many people left cheering on the hill. And I started seeing people walk up. I thought, oh no, are my legs going to buckle or cramp? Low & behold, they pulled through & the one thing that got me up there was LJ who ran beside me the whole way up, with her “Go The Fonginator” sign. And there were still people screaming my name. The same people who were there on the first lap. It was amazing! A couple of minutes later, after I had gone over the hill, a guy cycled past & asked if I had just ridden that hill for the second time. I said yes & he told me how impressed he was. For the first time ever, I felt like I was doing well on the bike.

Thanks LJ for making this awesome sign!

The last 15 or so kms were just painful; rolling hills that seemed like they went for eternity. I started to get sad again then I looked up & saw Todd (my coach's husband) & the Nicholsons; Nat, Matthew, and the kids (Taj, Jett & my god daughter, Scarlett). They were all dressed in Team Fonginator tshirts & holding up yellow signs. It really picked me up so I waved, gave them a thank you & headed back into town.

I looked down at my watch & I was on par to going sub 7 hours for the ride. I had to keep checking my watch to make sure I had it right. Could this really be? I got off the bike & remember running to get my gear bag, and my legs actually feeling pretty good. I ended up seeing a woman in transition who used to go to the gym I worked at in Willoughby many many years ago. While I was rushing to get my stuff on, I said, "Karen? Is that you?" She yelled in excitement & we had a brief chat before I had to go. Small bloody world! I got my shoes & hat on as fast as I could & I was out of there. TRANSITION TIME: 1m44.

THE 42KM RUN (Goal: no walking, except through aid stations. Goal achieved in 4h41m).

Funnily enough, I was never worried about the marathon in my training, even though I had never run more than 25kms. I guess I just blocked all the pain out of my head. I knew I could run & I believed I could run 42kms but I didn't realise that it was going to be painful pretty much the whole way. I started running at 5 min k's then realised I would blow up soon enough, then each lap just got slower & slower. I was happy for about 8kms, then it all turned bad!

I got to Town Beach towards the end of the second lap & as I was running up the hill, I saw Moseley in his yellow hazmat suit (!!) & even though it made me laugh, I was in a sad place. I got to the top of the hill to see the rest of the gang & started crying. I wanted it to be over. My legs were in agony & every single step hurt. I wanted to stop & walk but I would've felt like a failure in front of everyone. Especially when I knew I could do it, but my mind was simply giving up. Julia told me I was half way & at first, that made me even more depressed because I still had 21kms to go! But once I turned the corner, I realised I only had two laps left. Rather than focusing on how much longer I had to go, I just took it one lap at a time.

By the third lap, it started to get dark so I grabbed my arm warmers from my special needs bag & tried to keep shuffling along. Just one foot in front of the other. I felt like I was going nowhere. I got out to Settlement Point & it was pitch black & hardly any supporters left as most of them had headed to the finish line. But out of nowhere, I saw Tarn, Lucie & Bel B! I wanted to cry again! But seeing Bel somehow made me battle on. That and the fact that Willo was closing in & catching me on the run! I started to feel ill from all the gels & lollies so I moved onto flat coke. When I was sick of that, one of the volunteers yelled out, "tomato soup!" I thought, I must try it. And it was absolute gold! I could've sat there & drank the whole box!

One person I distinctly remember on the run was a guy called Simon. We just ran together, side by side, not uttering a word, for what seemed like an eternity. It definitely kept me going. Just having someone run next to me made me push a little harder & not let myself give up.

The final lap went on forever. When I got back to the bridge after doing Settlement Point, I found a pace runner who stayed with me for a couple of kimoletres. We had 4 more to run & if we picked up the pace, we would be able to crack 13 hours. So I started running for my life. 


I got to Town Beach & lost him, then started panicking. If there was a chance that I could make sub 13 hours, I was going to give it my best shot. I yelled out to anyone, "Who's got the time?!! Who's got the time?!!" One guy looked at his watch & said, "12:55." Oh sh@$! I had 5 minutes to run the final 1.5kms back into town. I thought for sure I had been running faster than any other lap. There was no way I only had 5 mins left. But I thought, f#$% it, I'm going. I ran as fast as I could down the hill towards Town Green Inn. There were only a few people left on the sidelines but man, did they make some noise! There were people were yelling at me - "Go girl! You can do it! You're on fire! Sprint finish!" The weird thing was, I was on so much adrenaline, there wasn't a moment during that whole sprint where I felt out of breath at all & I couldn't feel any pain in my legs. It was the most surreal experience ever.

I grabbed the final black wristband & knew I still had about 200m to go to the finish. I started getting confused, as the final loop was a bit deceiving. I didn't want to run out to the break wall again. What if I missed the chute? I got to the corner & there was Owain & Moseley, yelling at the top of their voices, "SPRINT! YOU'LL MAKE SUB 13!" So I dug deep & went for hell! 

THE FINISHING CHUTE (beyond all expectations)

I always said I would dance down the finishing chute of my first Ironman but I got so caught up trying to crack 13 hours. But when I woke up the morning of the race, I told myself that the finish line is going to be something I would never get to experience for the "first time" again so I was going to make sure I soaked it all in. 

I got to the finishing chute & there it was; I was sprinting as fast as I could but at the same time, I felt like everything was going in slow motion. I was welcomed into a sea of noise like I have never seen or heard before; cheering, screaming, banging against the barriers, feet stomping, hands clapping, music blaring. I felt like a rockstar at my own concert. I had to run past that chute 4 times before actually getting to experience it for myself & now, it was MY turn.  

I don't remember seeing anyone's face. Except Bel B for some reason. I know I gave a bunch of people in yellow a high five as I started running down the chute. And according to one of the photos, my parents tried to high five me! But the rest was a blur. 

I got about 10 metres down the chute, and looked at the clock - 12 hours 56 mins. I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT! Not only did I crack 13 hours, but I didn't even need to sprint the last kilometre! I remember turning my back to the clock to see all of the supporters who lined the chute to cheer. I put my hands on my head in pure shock & amazement. Was I really here? Was I really about to finish an Ironman? I sprinted my tired little legs to the ramp & jumped as high as I could, running into the arms of my coach Mel (who looked more excited than I was)! All I could think about was, "I hope the photographer got a good shot!" Haha! 

 (photos courtesy of Myza Wong - thank you)

When the announcer called out those magic words, YOU ARE AN IRONMAN, I couldn't believe it. I had done it. 3.8kms of swimming, 180kms of cycling, 42.2kms of running. All in under 13 hours. Couldn't have been any prouder. I walked through the tent, grabbed my clothes to get changed into something warm, ate some soup & bread & went outside to see my friends who had come to watch me race. I had a massage afterwards, managed to eat a meat pie & some chips, before heading home to sit in the jacuzzi with the rest of my house mates, completely gobsmacked that we had just done an Ironman. Wow.

THE SUPPORT

I am going to keep this brief because I could go on forever & name every single person who cheered for me on Sunday! The personal thank you's are coming. But I have to say this: the support was pretty much the only thing that got me through the day. Everywhere I went, I felt like someone was screaming my name. Sure, it was plastered all over my tri suit & my race number but the fact that people had spent 15 hours on the sidelines cheering just blew my mind. Balmoral Triathlon Club, Team Fonginator & everyone who made the trip to Port Macquarie to cheer for me, and my friends who raced along side me.... thank you so much!

For the people who couldn't make it but anxiously waited online to see where I was and those who kept everyone in the loop on Facebook. To anyone who sent me a message from across the globe back to Sydney, tagged me in a post, made a poster, chalked my name on the ground or simply just took an interest in this crazy Ironman & the training I had to do for it over the last few months...thank you. I am still so overwhelmed by all the love.

If it wasn't for my coach, Mel I would never have made it to the start line. She got me to my first Half Ironman (Port 70.3), my second Half Ironman (Busso 70.3), and has put up with many a tantrum in the last few months but seeing her excitement at the finish line of my first Ironman was the best feeling ever & I felt like I finally did her proud.

THE DAY AFTER

I was limping for two and a half days. I had to walk down stairs sideways whilst holding onto the rail. And I needed to hold onto something everytime I needed to sit on the toilet! I thought the marathon was the most painful thing I ever experienced; until I felt the aftermath of my legs the next day. Imagine the worst pain your body has ever been in, times it by 10 & that's where I was!


People keep saying I will be back for more. And I won't completely rule it out in the future. But right now, I have absolutely no desire to do another one. I think it was one of the  most incredible experiences of my life & I am so happy & proud to have done it. But I have kicked a major goal, am happy to tick the box, bask in the glory & get back my social life. If I only ever do one, then I definitely gave this one my best shot. I am not one for analyzing my races. I couldn't have gone harder & I wouldn't have changed anything. Except maybe a dance down the finishing chute! I honestly couldn't have asked for a better first race. Time to move onto the next goal. Not quite sure what that will be but in the mean time, The Fonginator is going to pay it forward and be the best damn cheer squadder around. Time to bring back the fancy dress I think. Watch this space!

HERE ARE THE 5 MOST MEMORABLE EXPERIENCES OF THE DAY:

• Having so many supporters cheering from the sidelines, including my parents who have never seen me race before. Nothing compares to the feeling of being surrounded by people who are genuinely proud of what you are doing.
• Seeing signs & Team Fonginator t shirts all along the course.
• Getting caught by my coach, Mel at the finish line. To celebrate the day with someone who has been on the journey with you just makes it that little bit more special.
• Sitting in the jacuzzi, realising that I had just done an Ironman. Still blows my mind!
• The finishing chute. Nothing will ever compare to this moment.

Thank you again to everyone who has made this journey so special. I will never ever forget my first Ironman experience! I can't believe I AM AN IRONMAN!

MY FINISH LINE VIDEO (courtesy of Dani French)