photo by Getty Images 1st 4:19:12
Swim 28:53 (5th)
Bike 2:21:16 (1st)
Run 1:24:37 (1st)
photo by witsup.com I prefer to race in the heat, humidity, dry roads and calm waters. You can throw all that out the window when you race in Melbourne. It was dark, cold, and raining. The wind was whipping through at 30kph. And the beach looked more like the middle of the ocean during a cyclone. What had I got myself into? I'm half way through the 1.9k swim (or however far I swam) and I feel like Marty and Alex from Madagascar being dumped in the middle of the ocean with no shore in sight. The swell was so big I could only guess which direction to swim in. As I got air off one of the waves I could see a yellow buoy in the distance... But which yellow buoy was it? There were four and I was after 'the third one'. I saw a kayak nearby as I was flying over the next wave so I yelled out "which way?". He pointed me right so I headed for the yellow buoy to my right only to find out half way there that I was actually being sent to the fourth buoy. From there, I had to back track to the third and then return to the fourth.
photo by CCTS It's all back to shore from there. I sighted the big TV screen and headed straight for it (or as straight as I can swim when I'm being thrown all over the place). A couple more times I'd lost sight of anything so I'd quickly roll onto my back and do some backstroke while looking for Kayaks to direct me the right way. I swam right into a massive pack of age groupers on my way back. No idea where I was but figuring I must be way too far right (heading back to the start, not the finish) or they were way to far right. I climbed over and under them (sorry to any age groupers I might have head butted) and took a sharp left. I just wanted to get back to shore, wherever I came out I didn't care, I'll run the rest along the beach. It was more like survival out there than racing. I totally forgot I was racing at all. All I wanted to do was get back to shore and tell the news crews about my incredible survival story. Finally I felt the sand and thought "I made it, I'm back, thank god, I'm done!". Before quickly realizing - I'm supposed to be racing. Get a move on, you must be at least 10min behind the leaders by now. Just do the run of shame to your bike, get the sympathy clap and then get to work.
photo by witsup.com As I got to my bike I didn't even look to see if there was other bikes still there... I just assumed they'd all be gone. I saw Jared and wasn't sure if he'd want to tell me how big the deficit was. Then he said 2:30. WHAT! Instead of hanging my head down trying to not be seen, my eyes lit up. Whoa! Maybe I wasn't the only one that had NO IDEA which way was up out there. I'm was still in the game.
photo by witsup.com Out onto the wet and windy roads I knew I'd have to get warmed up quick or I'd seize up so I got out of my saddle and danced on my pedals for a bit trying to get some heat into my quads. It was not only raining but really windy so I then got down low and started working hard. By about 40km I'd moved into second with Christie Sym out in front. The bike leg was 3 out and back laps so you could see your competitors but you had to look hard as the age groupers started to fill the course. It wasn't until I was coming back down to complete my second lap that I saw the lead motorcycle riding next to Christie. Once I got safely around the u-turn I took the lead with 30km to go. After the final lap, I returned to T2 with a 1:30 lead over Christie. In transition, I sat down on the soggy carpet next to a bucket full of water. The same bucket that also had my belongings floating in - shoes, socks, cap, gel, race belt etc. I couldn't help but smile while sitting there, ringing them out to put on my shoes and socks. Lovely day to be outside hey!
photo by witsup.com The run course was really cool. 3 laps and all terrains. Concrete path along the beach which at times I thought I was gonna get pummeled by a wave. Then a windy dirt trail before a sandy out and back section, a steep up hill then a lap of the grass oval and back along a paved path alongside the cycle course. I couldn't believe all the spectators still out there in the rain and cold. They must have been freezing. I was far from warm and I was moving. I felt pretty good the first two laps of the run but the third started to get tough as the body had had enough of the conditions. It was telling me it was time for a hot chocolate by the fireplace.
 As I approached the finish chute all the little Challenge kids jumped in behind me to run the final straight. It was still wet and miserable but the kids all had huge smiles on their faces. Once I crossed the line I was handed a massive jug of bear. I've seen this before... "do I really have to tip that over my head?" I politely asked Marcus. I definitely did not need to be wet anymore than I was. He nodded so I lifted it up... And turned it upside down (luckily I was a bad aim and missed my head!). |  photo by witsup.com |
 |  photo by witsup.com I was pretty stoked to take the win in conditions I dread to race in. When I saw the beach before race start I was sure it'd be called off or at least shortened. But nope, it went ahead with an alternate swim course layout. Everyone dived into that crazy washing machine and almost everyone came out on their own. And all the spectators hung around to support the crazy ones. They must have been wet, freezing and uncomfortable but they were not gonna miss out on the action. It was all pretty amazing and hats off to the Challenge Family, in particular Dave Hansen, race organizer for putting this all together is such crazy conditions! That's Melbourne. |
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