Photo by BrakeThrough Media. When I was told in March I needed major surgery to fix a kinked common iliac artery which lead to my DNF in Kona last year I was actually excited. Excited to have an answer and a fix! I went ahead with the surgery in March and a couple months post-op I got confirmation that the surgery didn't work. I would have to go back in again and be re cut right through my abdominal wall again plus this time also having a vein removed from my calf and inner thigh to patch the artery. I was pretty upset. And annoyed. Not only did I have to go through excruciating pain again, this would really cut into my Kona prep time. I had no other option though as the problem had now become worse than pre op. The artery was even narrower now with scar tissue restricting blood flow to my left leg even at rest. I did the calculations and thought I could still be ready for Kona with the ITU Long distance World Champs in Aug and the IM 70.3 World Champs two weeks later as my lead in races.
Kinking common iliac artery. My first operation in March, 6 hrs after coming out, I was rushed back in as I had a blood vessel burst which was causing painful internal bleeding. Pretty unlucky the surgeon said. I thought I knew what I was in for by the second operation in June but I was thrown another curve ball which had me questioning if the universe was somehow trying to prevent me from racing this year. When I woke from the operation in June I knew something was not right. I couldn't move, I couldn't even open my eyes. And I felt really sick. I later found out that the 90minute operation actually took 4.5hrs. The surgeon had accidentally knicked the internal iliac artery which started spurting blood. He had to hold his finger on it to stop me from bleeding to death until help arrived 45min later. A lot of blood loss and a lot more anaesthetic meant my body was so weak that opening my eyes was a struggle. I lied there like a vegetable. I could hear but not move. After a day went by and four blood transfusions to keep me alive, I still didn't have the energy to hold a cup of water I was given. Unfortunately though, I was still loosing 100mL of blood an hour at two days post op. Waking after the last op was the worst feeling ever and I begged the surgeon to not cut me open again. He said he had too, there was no other option because I was still losing too much blood. As I was being wheeled back into theatre (for the four time) Jared said to me "your like a heavy weight boxer that just keeps getting knocked down, you just need to get up one more time". When I finally left the hospital, I looked like I'd had a fight with Wolverine with long slices all down my left side, but I knew nothing would be as hard as what I'd just been through. I now have a 20cm cut right through my stomach, 15cm down my inner thigh and 10cm down my calf. Battle scars I'll never forget.
Top section of my abdominal scars. I did everything right to get myself strong so that I could hop on the plane and head to Boulder ASAP. 8 weeks the surgeon said before I could get back into decent swim, bike and run again. Two weeks post op I was doing very basic Core exercises with the muscles I had available with a tight corset holding my stomach in . Dry land paddle work before I could get in the water. Jared even had me doing simple muscle contractions of my quads and calfs when I was still in my hospital bed. I was taking iron to help replace the blood loss. Probiotics to offset the antibiotics and anaethetic. Jared's mum was amazing and made me Keffir, kombucha and bone broths to rid my body of the anaesthetic. I was going to be on the starting line in Kona. AND, I was going to cross the finish line!
Hiking up Mt Sanitas in Colorado Four weeks after the op I was given the all clear to fly so I headed to Boulder alone to start sucking in that thin air to get some sort of benefit while I still couldn't do much training. I thought being at altitude would speed up the healing and my fitness levels. It was tough though and I was in tears on the phone to Jared almost as much as I was training. I didn't know what was wrong with me... I didn't have the energy to train. I'd go for a run and have to walk home. I'd ride a couple hours then sleep the rest of the day. It was not me, at all. I never usually sleep during the day, I usually cant sit still for an entire movie and if Jared didn't hide my skateboard I'd probably be skating around my neighborhood between training sessions. I'd never felt like this before so I started questioning if it was my motivation that was lacking. I found this hard to accept as I kept telling myself "you didn't go through all those painful ops just to give up now".
Training for Ironman World Champs. Photo by TriMag. It wasn't until my second wada drug test (since the June op) that we realized (we are able to check blood results online) that my blood count (haemoglobin and hematocrit levels) were still extremely low. The blood transfusions were enough to allow me to walk and talk but not train for an Ironman. I stuck it out in Boulder, doing what I could, preparing as best I could, and then it was time. I needed to get in some races.
The ITU long distance World champs in Penticton, Canada was first. Tuesday night, 5 days before race day I was up all night throwing up. Saturday, the night before the race I was also. I knew it wasn't food poisoning or a virus because this was not the first time since the op. I also threw up for no reason after the first op in March as well. Something to do with damaging nerve innovation to the intestines. During the ITU race I felt like a zombie. It was like I was watching from above, just "getting through". The last time I raced the ITU Ld world champs I won. This time I finished a disappointing 9th.
The ITU long distance World champs in Penticton, Canada was first. Tuesday night, 5 days before race day I was up all night throwing up. Saturday, the night before the race I was also. I knew it wasn't food poisoning or a virus because this was not the first time since the op. I also threw up for no reason after the first op in March as well. Something to do with damaging nerve innovation to the intestines. During the ITU race I felt like a zombie. It was like I was watching from above, just "getting through". The last time I raced the ITU Ld world champs I won. This time I finished a disappointing 9th.
Photo by KoruptVision.com Two weeks later was the IM70.3 world champs in Chatanooga, Tennessee. I've won this race twice before and last year I came 2nd. I hoped this year I'd reclaim the world title. Instead of going back to Boulder between races I stayed down at sea level to hopefully absorb all the altitude work and help my body get its blood levels closer to normal. Race day was much better than Penticton. I felt human again. But I just wasn't fit enough. I finished 10th but my bike and run splits were in the ball park so I knew I'd made some improvement.
I went back to Boulder for three weeks after 70.3 Worlds. I got in some good sessions but I knew I was way off the fitness level I was last year. I stopped looking through my training diary and started working on my mental preparation. Time had run out and I had to start convincing myself I'd done enough. I was getting fitter & healthier but was I fit enough to beat the best in the world? Two more drug tests in Kona, another 6 tubes of blood (as if I hadn't already lost enough) showed my blood count was getting closer to normal, but still not quiet there yet. Even though it still wasn't back up to normal it gave me promise that I was in much better condition than my previous races. Double the distance though, I had no idea what to expect. For the first time in my career I didn't know what I was capable of. Could I pull off the impossible? My surgeon said it'd be unlikely I'd be able to race an Ironman this year. I thought to myself, I'm different.
I went back to Boulder for three weeks after 70.3 Worlds. I got in some good sessions but I knew I was way off the fitness level I was last year. I stopped looking through my training diary and started working on my mental preparation. Time had run out and I had to start convincing myself I'd done enough. I was getting fitter & healthier but was I fit enough to beat the best in the world? Two more drug tests in Kona, another 6 tubes of blood (as if I hadn't already lost enough) showed my blood count was getting closer to normal, but still not quiet there yet. Even though it still wasn't back up to normal it gave me promise that I was in much better condition than my previous races. Double the distance though, I had no idea what to expect. For the first time in my career I didn't know what I was capable of. Could I pull off the impossible? My surgeon said it'd be unlikely I'd be able to race an Ironman this year. I thought to myself, I'm different.
Beginning of Ironman World Champs run leg. Photo by Witsup.com I still thought top five in Kona was a possibility. Definitely top 10. I knew I had to be patient and not rush. If I spiked my watts or ran too hard at the start I knew it could ruin me. A year ago I never would have attempted to race an Ironman off such little training but I thought after what I'd been through this year I'd be mentally stronger and that'd count for the lack of training. I swam as fast as I could - I still need to work on my swim. I was 6minutes behind the main pack. I averaged the exact power Jared had told me to on the bike, which was obviously quite a bit lower to what I'd have hoped to be able to do this year but that was where I was at. I passed a few on the bike to get off in 17th place. To run 3hrs was the goal. Maybe it was a little ambitious. I hadn't been able to do many solid brick sessions in the lead up. My first 15km was on pace but then the wheels fell off. I hadn't run 15km off the bike in training this year, let alone 42km, and I didn't have any base to fall back on. I was now in very unfamiliar territory. I walked through quite a few aid stations to try and re group and push on. It was a loooong, hot, tough day but I finally made it over the finish line in 14th place.
Ironman World Champs finish line. photo by finisherpix I took my medal and my Hawaiian necklace, found a shady piece of grass and curled up in a ball to quietly escape the world. Not the result I wanted but it's given me massive motivation and drive to go back there next year, fit and healthy and show that island what I've really got. The exciting thing for me now at this point is that I've made it through the worst of it all. My health and fitness is improving week by week. I'm looking forward to getting closer to full speed in the next couple months... now that 'my season' is just starting to fire up.
A massive thank you to all my friends, family, fans, followers and sponsors that have been behind me all year. Thank you for all the lovely messages. Can't wait to show what I can do with two fully functioning legs and normal blood levels in my systems!
A massive thank you to all my friends, family, fans, followers and sponsors that have been behind me all year. Thank you for all the lovely messages. Can't wait to show what I can do with two fully functioning legs and normal blood levels in my systems!
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