This might be quite possibly my last post. It's only been 12+ years. But here it is. Finally!
Its Christmas day here is Aus and around the world. The team are outside demolishing the back deck and so I figure it's an ideal time to write a race report.
To set the scene.... Many, many moons ago, I saw myself completing at least 3 Ironman events. Having completed 2 x Port Macs, I wanted flat and fast and so of course Busselton 'Busso' was calling. Those magical huts and the long jetty, super flat and fast bike course might have seen a 6-hour bike time and then a flat run along the beach with views for days. But a chronic ITB issue and then a torn meniscus, and never being able to run held me back. On top of this my old job and a bully got in the way. And then a life change and study were calling. Oh yeah, add menopause and I went from a svelte athlete to an average midlife lady with a little too much weight. On the flip side, my career progressed and took on a lot more responsibility. While I don't regret my current position. The third and final Ironman itch had never been scratched.
Friends would ask me if I would ever do another Ironman? My answer was always "Never say Never!" But as the years passed, the question stopped being asked. And even I stopped dreaming of a comeback.
It didn't stop me having adventures though, and I have had an amazing time. Mostly cycling but hiking as well. So, the legs remained strong. The tear was fixed as good as gold and the years made the chronic inflammation ease. Additionally, we threw in Covid and the indoor trainer became our go to, to keep fit.
With so many kms, years and events under my belt. AND, feeling particularly fit and energized one day, I signed up. I didn't tell anyone for quite some time. But finally announced / confessed to the team that I had signed up. This was well before Kez had truly started training, but now she was keen to train with me. And in two minutes decided she may as well join me and do the event. Flipping back in time in a previous post where she completed her first Ironman in Cairns.
2 years of Covid and life in the way. Even after Cairns I held my breath and waited to see if the fire lit in my belly once again. Kez was headed for Busso. Could I join her. Funnily enough the swim was daunting. First time ever, I was worried about the distance. I knew it would hurt. With no river swims under my belt and max distance for sets being approx. 1500-1800. Well under cooked. Biggest ride 100kms and run......8kms every week with one 14km run. Yes, well undercooked.
Trying to manage my menopause and excess weight gain, I had engaged the support of a Naturopath. Part of the regime was a couple of supplements that were trying to manage the stress of work, reset cortisol and stress hormones as well as lose weight. No shift in the scales across the final 6 months of training as I was hitting the protein through shakes and eating for energy and fuel. But noticeably was the calmness I felt.
We packed Lil Cervi, Miss Scarlet and Ollie and headed for Busso. I was calm. I stayed calm all the way up to the start line. I literally stood on the sand with Kez and chatted happily. I knew it was going to be a long day. But we were together.
My 'why' had changed. Now no longer interested in beating times and competing and heading for podiums, I was focused on an amazing day with my beautiful daughter, and I got exactly what I asked for.
We ran into the water together. Excited and playing p to the camera. The water was incredible. Warm and clear. I could see every detail. We swam under the jetty that we had walked along just days before and headed for the long back straight down to the far buoy. It was a tough swim. Flat on the surface, but the tide was pushing us out and we had to fight the entire time. We rounded the buoy and back to teh start, we ran out of the water to do the in and out and quite honestly, I was spent, but knew I had to go again. another 2kms to go. Back into the tide, 1:37 swim.
T1. Kez was cold. She was struggling to get her cap off even. I helped her out of her wetsuit and cap before focusing on getting ready for the bike. Even my T1 time and ride kit told story of 'here for a fun time, not a fast time.' We headed out for the ride and into a head wind. It was a tough day. 45km winds with bullets gusting sideways with very little tail wind. We stopped regularly (even to go to the toilet) ate lots of lollies and chatted. I sat on Kezza's wheel the entire time. Together with our legal distance respected, we covered the 180kms comfortably. I even felt like I still had energy as we came into T2. Now that was unexpected, but I was really happy to feel like I had legs. 7:04 moving time.
T2 saw another costume change. Into matching running gear, we headed out into the sun. Yes, it was still sunny. We managed 2 laps before the sun started to set. It was a great run course. Flat, broken up with lots of features, D.Js, jetty, Centre of the spectator hub, great volunteers and really well-placed aid stations. We laughed, grunted and Fartlek'd our way through the kms. A Marathon can feel a very long way at times. But it is funny how the hours tick by. The course grew quiet, the spectators thinned, and we kept out jog / walk plan up to the end. A few places were too dark for confident running, and I was fearful we would join the walking dead, but we managed to keep going, even after my right knee gave up and Kezza's knee too. I looked at my watch to discover that if we kept the pressure on, we would beat my previous marathon time, I didn't tell Kez, but it kept me moving forward, 6:34, just under.
It was finally our turn to go left instead of straight. We turned into the chute to be met by the wining female. But we didn't care. We were winners. We had spent the entire 16:20hours together, laughing and celebrating out life together, our achievements, our love. We hugged and told each other our "I Love You's" and then walked hand in hand triumphantly for the red carpet. It was easy to find Jess and Gaz as there were only a handful of people at the finishing line now.
Our medals swinging proudly, we headed home to bed.
So, my mind turns to my WHY.
No longer caught up in the race or life, but the quality of life. Quality spent with family. It's time to say I'm done and I'm ok with that. I don't see myself competing again. But I will always be an Ironman and a hero to my beautiful girl.
