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BUSSELTON IRONMAN 2004 THANK YOU!! Dear Andrew, The journey was a magnificent one! Thank you so much for making it possible in the way that you did. From the outset I knew that your professional approach suited me and I appreciated the programme you tailored for me. I have never had a coach for an individual sport before, and while I’ve been around Triathlon since 1983, it was the best preparation I’ve done. The accountability to the programme certainly prepared me well. There were a few landmarks along the way, which I now cherish. After I did the Long Course in Darwin I commented to you that I questioned my ability to run a marathon after a long cycle, as I found the run in Darwin tough. Your response that we were early into the programme was right. Sharing the Donnelly River Camp proved to be a highlight. It was good to feel welcome and the people there were great. The encouragement during the tough hilly rides did provide some good mental toughness, which I did draw on during Busselton. It was during the Donnelly Camp that I twigged with nutrition. Up to then nutrition was mainly water and electrolytes with a few bananas and gels thrown in for good measure. My long rides from that weekend on were calculated to nutrition, and during Busselton it paid handsome dividends during the run. The session we had at camp where others gave their experiences and you provided other information was invaluable. It was good to soak up Ironman information, where some lead in information meant fewer surprises. A couple of weeks out from Busselton your encouragement and advice regarding preparation was taken on board. I felt very well prepared and while I still didn’t know if I could run a marathon, I was ready. The last minute hic-up with my ribs thankfully did not affect me too much. The last training session and meeting at Busselton Jetty on the Saturday morning set the scene for the race to follow. While we were competing as individuals, there was a feeling of team spirit, and your final words of advice and the camaraderie of the “Trysport” squad was special. It was time to go and do an Ironman! MY RACE I kept wide in the swim and was happy with my pace. Like everyone I copped a few arms and legs, including one in my ribs, but the swim went OK. The first two laps on the bike were a dream, and I consciously tried to keep smooth and with good cadence. My third lap on the bike saw me drop off a bit, but still I was OK. I had a “flat spot” at about 160 km for about 5 minutes, but that soon passed. Taking in the event was enormous. The crowd, humour, support, it was all there as you said it would be, and I drew on everything around me. I was basically cruising all day, and enjoying the experience. While I was tired in the latter part of the bike leg, I was surprised how good I felt when I started the run leg. The advice to begin steady was acknowledged, and I was moving very freely. After running the first lap, I set a goal to try and run the whole marathon, which I did. I now know I can run a marathon. I hit one flat spot around the 30 km mark, which lasted about 6 minutes. I shuffled along, and it did go away. I was actually quite amazed at how many people were walking. I take nothing away from their endeavours, but I was buoyed by it. Coming back into my last lap when you came across and called out was fantastic. I was relaying prearranged hand signals to my family and support crew to let them know how I was travelling. We had joked about these the night before, and the communication to them and me drawing on their encouragement was fantastic. The last 6 kilometres was joy! Running that long stretch towards the East was broken up into sections, and adrenalin kicked in early. I was on cloud nine from the turnaround all the way home. I passed mates of mine who had been well ahead of me, and had not quite had the day they had hoped. You were right. What a joy it was to run down that finish chute! Thank you for being there to greet me at the finish. You must have had quite an incredible day yourself with all your athletes out there, all traversing different race experiences. Your genuine greeting and congratulations was special, and to me reinforced the professionalism you represent. Thank you. The journey was a good one. The learning before the race, the event, fun, celebrations, and being part of the adventure will never be forgotten. It is right up there with a number of journeys I have made. Andrew, thank you for your programme and support, which culminated in me becoming an Ironman!!
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