Limits Redefined... How Apt!
******
The organisers were apologetic about the change in the entire race course.
They could not get the permit for the original bike route, which was from East Coast Park F2 to Changi Coast Road.
Given the chaotic mess we created during Aviva Ironman 70.3 Singapore 2011, I am not the least surprised.
Aviva IM 70.3 Singapore 2012 Race Route will be an interesting one...
******
The day did not start on a good note.
I left my "race shoes" in the office.
I tore my tri suit while putting it on.
Settled for Asics Kayano and my backup tri-suit.
Reached CarPark 7 at 5:50am.
Phew, still have car park lots available.
Set up transition area and went around mingling with friends.
2 minutes to start time, I could feel the royal rumble and was planning to go for the royal flush when the organisers ushered us into the Starting Pen.
The sea looks calm but the under current is horrible.
In the exact opposite to what we have encountered at East Coast Park, swimming inlands is a lot tougher than swimming out.
Learn from the first lap, apply the changes on the second lap saves me tons of distance.
Swimmng inlands, where the current is pushing you eastwards, change to breaststroke and swim at the lane markers will ensure that you are doing a shorter distance as the lane markers has already been stretched eastwards during to the current.
It may look and feel strange, but I promise you, it works!
Right from the start of the swim, I am already lagging behind.
So it kinda surprised me when I completed the swim and find the transition area half full.
Out on the bike, I was feeling strong.
Rolling terrain along Changi Aviation Road should be easy peasy, but the cross winds take a toll on the cyclists.
If that is not bad enough, headwinds towards Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal is the real killer.
Gotta reduce my cross section area, I keep telling myself...
Having gone on aerobars only once since my last December crash and not liking it...
I decided that it is "Do or Die"...
Went down on the aerobars and was pleasantly surprised to feel less or the drag and be able to pick up speed!
Turning back towards Changi Village was a relief...
The tailwinds is helping heaps.
Royal Rumble came calling again....
Stop at the port-a-loo only to find it locked using cable ties.
No matter how hard I pull at it, it just won't budge...
Geez...
The only other port-a-loo available is situated across a drain, which means I have to jumped across a rocky terrain in my cleats...
6 boring loops entails...
I do not look forward to the ride towards TMFT...
Sights of GY and LG along the route does bring your spirits up.
They stand under the rain cheering us on!
Hehe, seeing LG meant that I could finally have more nice (aerobar position) photos. =p
Zipped up my tri-suit, sucked in my tummy and went down on aerobars on my last bike lap towards CV only to find LG has left to take photos for the run. Bummer... Haha...
The bike route could be what we may encounter during IMWA... Thus it is a good training test for all of us.
Rode into T2 right behind BFG.
Again, I took my own sweet time in T2.
Out on the run, the pain in the right leg which has be hurting throughout the whole bike leg came on stronger...
It is only then did I realise that I could have pulled my ITB!
(Like the runners would say, you won't know where ITB is till you pull it.)
First on the side of the thigh, then at the side of the calf and finally at the gluteus maximus...
Started to walk to wear the pain off...
Got the spray from the medics and it helps to numb the pain.
The run route is a little chaotic...
Can hear a lot of complaints from runners about the confusion...
Part of the run route is extremely narrow...
I guess the organisers has done their best they could given the circumstances.
Change of bike route means a change in the run route.
It was a very technical run with lots of turns and bends.
Given the ITB, I am keen to give up after 1 run leg...
Unfortunately, the first Long Distance Finisher has not completed yet, thus I cannot "fake" my finish.
Decided to do just 2 legs of the run...
No point injuring myself more.
Completing the 2nd leg, I decided to complete the entire distance as I could no longer feel the pain...
Was surprised to see 6 competitors behind me...
There goes my "Dead Last" Finishing. =D
Completed the race in 9 hours...
Happy! =)
What helps?
My Kayanos saved my knees on a hard day.
My 2XU tri-suit keep the core muscles in. Making for a much better day...
No comments:
Post a Comment