Blog » Ironman New Zealand 2015
Ironman New Zealand 2015
About 5 years ago I thought everyone that raced iron-distance was pretty much bats#$% crazy.
Over the 2 ensuing years I begun to realize that my stubbornness towards racing that distance was going to have to change and the decision to attempt the final frontier was made, but only once... The year was 2013 and the race was Challenge Wanaka and the rest is history.
I could barely walk, let alone run up until about a week after that first iron-distance race and the thought of doing another anytime within the foreseeable future made me feel sick. I would look at guys who would back up iron-distance events in that 2-4 week period and once again I thought they were all bats#$% crazy.
The last 2-3 weeks of my life have been pretty full on, but actually a tonne of fun. My decision to do the double (Challenge Wanaka & Ironman New Zealand – 13 days apart) was as much about my love of racing at home as it was about earning a living and achieving the Kona dream.
I have to say that I feel like one of the luckiest triathletes in the world as I write this. Over the past 3 months I have raced 3 of the best races this planet has to offer, Auckland 70.3, Challenge Wanaka, and Ironman New Zealand, all of which are (pretty much ;)) in my backyard and with the support of so many family and friends.
As can be read on my previous blog, my recovery between the 2 was actually a lot faster and better than I thought possible. By the time race morning came around I had no real worries about any lingering fatigue and I was simply super excited to be on the start line racing my first Ironman NZ.
I had been feeling good across all 3 sports and the plan was to do what I usually do and race my own race.
When the cannon went off I found myself in the unusual position of, well, 3rd position. I instantly thought, uh oh, perhaps the body isn’t going quite as well as I had thought… But, luckily enough I kept things under control and made my way to the front at about 400m after a pretty hectic start by Todd Skipworth and Graham O’Grady.
It was actually pretty nice to have some company out of the water and GOG and I had a little chat about pacing and the speed at which Todd had set off at.
Through transition I was the only one of us three who put socks on and ended up jumping on the bike about 45 seconds behind them.
It was a little frustrating to be dangling behind the 2 leaders, but experience told me that I should keep the blinkers on and ride my own pace. I could see that I was slowly pulling them in and my first and probably only mistake of the day came when Terenzo caught me about the 40km mark. I made the call to follow him to the front and get there sooner rather than later. After 10km’s of this we had only pulled back another 15 seconds and I realised that it wasn’t worth the extra effort. I let Terenzo go and I slowly pulled in Todd by the 80km mark. It was about this time that Cam Brown also caught me and he disappeared in to the distance with Terenzo and Graham also ahead and out of sight.
Coming in to end the first lap I was still feeling pretty good and had held back a bit after my early effort with Terenzo in a hope that I could ride a good second half.
At the 100km mark I had my first realisation that something had to give from 2 weeks earlier. I started to lose power and the headwind that was now blowing on our second leg out to Reporoa was giving me a lot of grief. Over the remaining 80km I went in to damage minimisation mode and I was passed by Alex Reithmeier, Mike Schifferle, and Todd again. I was bleeding time to everyone and there was nothing I could do about it.
I was rather happy to get in to T2 and off the bike. My legs definitely didn’t feel as good as they had 2 weeks earlier, but I had fuelled well during the ride and set the plan to settle in and hold back for the first 2 laps.
My lack of technical skills with my Polar V800 watch meant that GPS mode had been switched on overnight and I found a flat watch awaiting me in my bag. I have always managed to pace myself well though, so that’s what I relied on.
I had Todd and Mike just in front of me out of transition and settled in to a good rhythm quickly. I pulled them both in by 2-3km and then set my sights on 4th and 3rd. This was when I realised my chase might take a little longer than I hoped. Both Graham and Alex were pulling away from me and with no idea of my actual pace I didn’t know if this was because I was running slowly or they were running fast! I kept telling myself to be patient and hold back until lap 3 of 3, where most people would fall apart. Sure enough I started getting splits to Graham and word that he was suffering. At around 25km I caught Graham and I saw him in a state that I know well, a state that would mean he shouldn’t be a treat any longer. At the start of the last lap I was still 6.15 down on Alex. Over 14km I would have to take 30 seconds a km out of him to be ‘safe’.
Half way through the last lap I was still 3 minutes down and the body was starting to seize up. With about 4km to go I got my final time split of 2 mins. I needed 30seconds per km at least and I basically hadn’t been doing that the entire race, let alone the last 4km. This was the first and only point that I almost gave up the chase.
I composed myself through to the next aid station, downed some Pepsi (yip, Pepsi!), and opened it up! I have never run that fast in any of my previous marathons, not even downhill. I don’t know what it was, but I felt as though I was flying. I only caught a glimpse of Alex about 500m from the finish line and when I was about 50m behind him.
Once I caught him I ran straight past him, but I knew from the cheers that he was sitting on my shoulder. It didn’t take him long to come around me and start the sprint. At first I checked myself before I wrecked myself, but realised that I was able to go with him pretty comfortably and I wasn’t in the mood to draw out the sprint, so I made my move straight away and that was the last I saw of him.
Sorry Alex, great race by you mate!
After all that it was great to be able to enjoy the finish line. A few fist pumps were thrown, which is very unlike me, so I must have been a tad happy about making the podium.
I guess it wasn’t my usual kind of race, I was chasing the whole way out of the swim and I didn’t have the luxury of knowing I was on the podium early on.
Congratulations to Cam Brown who I think delivered one of his most complete performances yet. He was solo all day and did that at 42 years young! Congrats to Terenzo for backing up a mighty win in Dubai a week earlier and of course to Meredith for her 4th win in a row, Gina on backing up Wanaka also with 2nd, and Mel on her 3rd.
Also to the boys Carl and Chris for backing up Wanaka and delivering another couple solid results.
Thanks for the amazing support out there on course and over the net.
A massive thanks to IMNZ for giving me the opportunity to race and to the 2000+ volunteers who made it all possible.
Special thanks to my support crew who travelled from near and far and of course to my awesome team of sponsors.
See you all next time!
And just to clarify it is now pretty apparent that I am also bats#$% crazy!
Cheers
Dylan
Images thanks to: Getty Images
