Sri Chinmoy Triple Triathlon Race Report

Canberra – 18 November 2007

There is a lot more that goes into this race than a single day so I will start with the most important part. The thankyous:
First and foremost to my support crew (Julie, AT, Paul, Mum, Dad, Stephen & Becki) for believing from the beginning. Without these guys I would not have made it to the start line, let-alone the finish. To Andrew & Amanda who gave up part of a well earned holiday to meet me along the way. To team FWS for sharing the day and the pre-race dinner. To Pete M and Graz for being awesome training partners. To Pete J for all the training and swimming tips. To all my mates who put up with my grandpa hours and wished me well. To Mark and the crew at Martin Place Physio for keeping the legs well oiled. To Annette, Shannon and the team at ING. To Tash for dealing with my gut issues, time and time again. To Barry from LineBreak for the top of the line garments that provided constant comfort & recovery. To Lance, David & Di for dealing with my troubled feet. To all the fellow competitors who provided support out on the course. To the volunteers and SES who manned the transitions and road crossings. Finally to Prachar and the Sri Chinmoy team for providing the opportunity.

Leg 1 – 1.5km Swim
Time: 0:27:06 Leg place: 5
Things to do next time: Make sure the toilets are open at 5 in the morning
After enduring a night of nerves, fuelled by ‘the party next door’ which only seems takes place when you really need sleep, we fronted up pre-dawn to Lake Ginninderra.
Like a nervous puppy I awaited the start knowing that come 5:30 it was game on, no stopping till the end.
The water was warm, my support crew was waiting around the corner, so after a moments meditation all I had to do was relax and swim.

Leg 2 – 35km Mountain Bike
Time: 2:10:39 Leg place: 5
Things to do next time: Nothing but the same
After a flawless transition I started out on the 1st bike leg. Having completed this leg for the last two years I knew what I was up for and that if I stuck to the game plan (high cadence and easy on the up hills) all would be well.
Push bike hill lived up to its name but I laughed in the face of Black Mountain. On the way up a fellow soloist jumped out of his saddle and passed me, smashing his legs and perhaps forgetting that there was over 140km and many more hills to go… I caught him on the way back down. We tagged this way until the transition.
Things flowed easily on this leg. Both the bike and the legs were feeling great, fuel was constant and sitting where it should be and my confidence was on the up. Black Mountain, one of the 10 big hurdles, was fading in the distance. Bring on the run!

Leg 3 – 20km Run
Time: 1:59:04 Leg place: 4
Things to do next time: Remember to Gurney Goo the feet
Confident or not this was one of the most daunting legs. It takes in two of the three highest peaks in Canberra and follows tracks that are more suited to goats than people, and that is the easy bit… The descents were even more demanding, proving relentless on tired quads.
After 16kms of hills the grass of the War Memorial and the path around Lake Burley Griffin was like running on air (almost).
With one tri down and an achievable swim to come I was ahead of my estimates and feeling great.

Leg 4 – 3.5km Swim
Time: 0:59:26 Leg place: 3
Things to do next time: Sun cream or zinc
After 55kms on the legs I was truly looking forward to this swim. My estimate was well over an hour in the water and while some may shudder at either the water quality or the distance, I was just happy to let the arms do all the work.
I reached the end in less time than it took me last year! Those extra pool sessions must have paid off.

Leg 5 – 43km Mountain Bike
Time: 3:14:05 Leg place: 3
Things to do next time: Sun cream or zinc, more food, drink lots more water and don’t forget that it is a really long way
This leg will henceforth be known as the destroyer as it hurt a lot of people, me included. With temperatures in excess of 30 degrees, no shade and hard packed earth it was like riding inside a convection oven.
This was the toughest leg of the race (even including the last) and potentially there are many things I could have done better (drink more, eat more, and don’t lose all my gels after going over the handlebars…) but that’s racing. It was my darkest 3 hours and it crossed my mind more than once that maybe I was not cut out for this.
Stresses aside I still found the time to enjoy the Mt Stromlo single track, used for the SCOTT 24hr, and this leg also exemplified the true camaraderie these events with competitors and supporters alike helping each other make it to the end.
The last quarter of this leg was mainly flat (with the obligatory hill to push your bike up) and seemingly never ending. I pushed on and as with everything that feels as such the end was just around the corner. Never say die.

Leg 6 – 12km Run
Time: 1:28:27 Leg place: 3
Things to do next time: Drink more water
At 855 meters Mt Taylor looms over the 2nd run course like a fat kid over a cupcake, ready and waiting to chew me up. I’m not ashamed to say that I walked all the way up, the cool change had still not set in and after the last leg I knew that walking was as good a recovery as I was going to get.
As with the 1st run, coming down the other side gave no relief so it was a mixed blessing to hit the base of the hill for the run through the suburbs. By this stage my stomach had decided that it was time to close up shop for the day meaning that in addition to running there was a new challenge – swallow fuel… and keep it there.

Leg 7 – 1.2km Swim
Time: 0:25:34 Leg place: 2
Things to do next time: Eat bananas, they settle the stomach
Watery bliss is the only way I can describe this leg. I had been cooked then reheated and now it was time to cool off.
Having the ability to pull yourself through the water using only your arms is a great advantage at this stage of the race. As I stroked across Lake Tuggeranong I tried not to feel too pleased as I passed a couple of teams, knowing my crew was waiting at the end and thinking that surely I could afford a quick stop in at KFC.

Leg 8 – 24km Mountain Bike
Time: 1:51:30 Leg place: 2
Things to do next time: Eat more at the start of bike legs, especially when the start is flat
Only two legs remaining and thanks to course familiarisation I knew what was in store for this leg… a bunch of flat and then some really, really steep hills. I kept good speed through the initial part knowing that a higher average now meant less to worry about later.
According to the leg descriptions Mt Stanley is the steepest climb of the entire course. The picture to the right sums it up nicely.
Once at the top the rest is mostly down hill. High speed and recovery was the order of the day and by the time I was heading towards the under-road tunnel I knew that with a single leg left I was going to finish.

Leg 9– 13km Run
Time: 1:37:01 Leg place: 2
Things to do next time: Don’t kid yourself, after 12+ hours 13kms is a long way
After the initial punishment of the climb/descent of Red Hill all that remained was an easy flat run to the finish, right?… wrong. The smiling faces of my crew met me for the final time at the base, I was feeling good, not far to go, right?... wrong again.
I ran for eternity to reach the next aid station. “How far to go mate?”… “oh, just over 6kms… but there is another aid station in 3”.
Damn, 6 is a long way when you are expecting 2…
As I left, Simone from team Pulse Inner City Cycles turned up. I picked up my pace and she slowed so that we were running together (to be fair she slowed a lot more than I picked up J). This was fantastic as it took my mind off the relentless slog. At the higher pace I was flagging and really needed to slow. We parted ways but I will be forever grateful for the company, thanks Simone!
It seemed to take me so long to get to the next aid station that I was convinced that it was a lot further than the promised 3kms. Wrong again, 3 to go and my whole world was simply about getting one foot in front of the other.
Even in my delirious state I recognised that these last 3kms along the lake were beautiful. There were trees and birds, the breeze was cool… If only I did not have to run.
And then the magical and seemingly elusive finish line. My crew was there, my mates in team FWS were there, people I had met and who had kept me going out on the course were there and then… in 14 hours and 12 minutes and in 3rd place… I was there.
The end of a Journey
So there you have it. From the initial and hesitant comment of “I think I might solo the triple tri” to crossing the finish line I have been on an amazing journey. Commitment, determination and support from those around me provided the wind for my sails. I’m not sure where it will blow me next but I am looking forward to it all the same.

Pictures courtesy of www.pearsephotography.com.au