Waikiki Enduro - Sunday 15th January 2006

My last race report is a distant memory, so it is pleasing to be able to sit down and compile one again. Many times I have heard it, even from the great Brad Beven - no less - racing is so much different to training. It is no surprise that the cliché “race fitness” is bandied about ad nauseum.

I know that I am fit, I can tell that from my training performances, but it is always a different kettle of fish when you front up on race day. I have been doing some specific short course training, as it is not in my best interests to front up and make a fool of myself under any circumstances, but it is so very difficult to prepare yourself to be at high end racing intensity for an extended period of time.

I was absolute toast after the first cycle, held on valiantly for the first run, suffered on the subsequent swim and cycle leg, and surprised myself by having something left for the last run. I would be sure that quite a few athletes had a very similar day to this.

It would probably be a better strategy in terms of overall performance to utilise more even pacing, but as my colleague Jemani Francis said to me after the race, “you have to be in the game”, or words to that effect.

I was reasonably happy with the first 750m swim, getting out with the main group.
I have been swimming solidly in training - just a little more top end work needed to be really comfortable over that distance.

What I wasn’t happy with was my first transition, or any of them for that matter. No surprise there though, as the extent of my transition training was a few flying bike mounts down the driveway the day before the race - and boy did it show! On the second bike mount, a slippery seat made for a spectacularly inept flying mount performance. I have no idea how I managed to stay upright - in the space of 3 seconds, I had thought of how I was going to commando roll my way out of serious impact trauma no less than three times. I was thankful for the miracle that I stayed upright but extremely embarrassed at the same time - it is not good enough for a so-called “professional” athlete.

At the end of the day, if you don’t make transition training a regular part of your schedule for some parts of the year, don’t expect to be able to transition like Robbo.
So…. I have some work to do in the next few weeks, as I am planning on racing the draft legal leg of the Perth national series. I will be better prepared for that.

Returning to the race - after standing up with the likes of Robbo and co. after the first swim, when I finally mounted my bike, the deficit was around the 20 - 30 second mark to Robbo and Sean’s group and a further 10 - 20 seconds or so to Dave Dellow and Jemani.

It took me 12 - 13k to erase the deficit to Robbo, Sean and a couple of others and a further 4k to peg back young Steve Bishop. By the time we reached the end of the first cycle leg, I had a group of 4 -5 in tow. Sean and Steve took the initiative into transition and were first to start the 5km slugfest.

It wasn’t long before Robbo asserted himself, firstly passing Jemani and Steve in quick succession, with myself following suit. A little further down the road, Steve was Robbo’s next victim followed by Sean a short time later. I also eased passed both Steve and Sean and held Robbo to a 20 metre lead out to the first turn around. At this point in time Sean was hanging tough 50m back.

At the 3.5k mark I eased up onto the back of Robbo and stayed there for 500m or so before he decided to put on the afterburners for a minute or so and gap me by 50 metres prior to transitioning for the second swim. As this was all happening, Sean was lurking 50 - 60metres back and biding his time.

Robbo entered the water with a significant advantage and by the time I had reached the waters edge, Sean had erased his deficit and we entered the water together. Sean had the wading edge, but once we commenced swimming, I eased ahead, only to have Sean tack onto my feet and then outwade me again as we exited the water.

When I had finally mounted my bike (after just about falling off) for the final 10k cycle leg, Robbo was close to out of sight and Sean had in the vicinity of 20 - 30 seconds lead. I was quite tired at this stage (who wasn’t though!), but still managed to peg back the deficit to Robbo and Sean a little bit and started the final run 10 - 15 seconds the better than I started the final cycle. However, it wasn’t enough.

Although I was reeling in both Sean and Robbo for most of the final 3k, Sean found another gear towards the finish and held me at bay, and Robbo was just sitting and doing what he had to do to secure a stylish victory.

My vote for the most credible performance on the day was that of young Sean O’Neill. He impressed the hell out of me all day with his gutsy and intelligent racing display.

I was also very happy to have my two brothers, Tim and Jeremy, and their children spectating today. The support was fantastic - even though, in the big picture, they think I am probably wasting my time with the sport. Sometimes I think the same myself, but I am the eternal optimist and still have the drive to keep training and competing to the best of my ability - that is what life is all about after all.

You never know what is around the corner.

Thanks to Dave and Chris from Trievents for allowing me to compete today and I must also indulge myself and thank my sponsors, Ryders Eyewear, Carboshotz Sports Nutritition, Kensington Travel, Cannibal Clothing and the latest addition, Sports Fever - Subiaco, Cottesloe and Applecross.

After a horrible year in 2005, I am eternally grateful that all my sponsors have hung in there and shown faith that I can get the job done in 2006. Murray, from Sports Fever, a passionate triathlon competitor himself, is all too familiar with the struggle facing fringe sport athletes in this country, playing hockey at the elite level for many years. As a result, he has helped me out significantly in the last few months and shown his support of triathlon in this state by sponsoring a number of events.

I was looking at my packet of breakfast cereal the other day and the promotional tool for a children’s triathlon series was a cricketer. A sport in which you can indulge in the odd cigarette, carry a few extra kilograms and still compete at the elite level.
Mmmm … that pretty much sums it up really.

Next on the agenda is the Perth national series race, so good training until then.

Take care all.