Ironman Western Australia - TriathlonFull Ironman

As I was standing in the water waiting to start it was weird, I wasn't nervous at all. I felt ready go, just wanted to get started on my goal that I had thought about for the last year. I must have got all the nerves out of my system the day before. I was smiling and enjoying the beautiful sunrise. They sang the Australian National anthem and then 1 mind later the race was off. The jetty isn't strait it curves to the right and we swam on the left hand side to start.
When I rounded the end I checked my watch it was at 29 min, I wanted to swim in under 110. So I was right on schedule. It is curved by quite a bit so I didn't want to follow it in so me and a few other swimmers went off a bit to the left, the sun was directly in our eyes and I couldn't see where the buoy was to aim for. I got a bit off course and the kayak were pointing me back, so I got a little off course. My wetsuit was burning my neck in two places that was a bit of a distraction. The salt water didn't make it feel any better. I got back the to buoy and rounded it and made the final push for the beach. It was nice to see the end finally. The water was really nice and calm thankfully. Got out of the water and jogged up the beach and under the showers. It was nice to get the salt taste out of my mouth. Got the top half of my wetsuit off and ran found my bag and headed into t1

Try to stay on course a bit more

Found a seat right away and the helpful volunteer pulled off my wetsuit and helped put my swim stuff in my empty bike bag. I tried to hurry here but not rush, I didn't want to forget anything. I had gone though my routine here in my head for days before the race. Ran out and found my bike, I had made sure to count racks and was running towards the bike exit.

Not much, for my first Ironman I was happy with this.

My first lap according to my watch was 1:52 I was shooting for 2 hours I know I was going a bit hard and I would have to slow a bit on the following 2 laps. My friends and family were stationed near the the end of the laps. It was nice to see and hear them cheering as I went by. It helps a lot! I waved, smiled and went off on my second lap, It was getting warm by now. Sunny and no clouds this day, about 85 degrees and while on the 2nd lap the wind started to pick up. I was taking in water, Gatorade and bananas at pretty much every aid station. I made it though them ok, we had to ride on the "other" side of the road and had to grab everything with my left hand, a bit tricky at first. I pretty much stuck to my nutrition plan, 2-3 gels, 2-3 bananas ,1 power bar per lap and as much Gatorade and water as I felt nessiary. I stopped to pee once after I got my special needs bag, I had a few advil in there and wanted to take them. My knees were aching a bit and my saddle area was starting to go numb. I knew that may not be a good thing but it didn't hurt any more. It was a fun game of tossing empty water bottles at the kids who were trying to catch them at aid stations. Helped pass the time. Saw a few people who had gone to hard the first two laps and they were paying for it in the heat. Puking in the ditches, being taken off in ambulances, I may have not broken any speed records but I had to save some for the run. It went faster than I thought it would. I never hit any wall, I kept looking at my plans sheet taped to the top tube of my bike. -3 to 400 calories an hour, -have fun- stay areo-HAVE FUN and I had a photo of my boyfriend who couldn't come. It helped me to stay focosed.

I would like to get a better fitted bike so "that" area is so sore all the time.

Hopped of my bike and handed it to a volunteer, hobbled towards the bags, my legs didn't want to run at all. The volunteers had my bag and handed it to me as I ran into the tent. Dumped everything out and removed my bike shoes helmet and gloves the volunteers put that into the bag as I put on my shoes hat and lathered me up in sunscreen. I didn't rush to much here also so I wouldn't forget what I had gone through in my head.

Not much

This is where it gets hard for all Ironman competitors I know. Heading out of the transition tent trying to get my legs to run was difficult. My parents and friends were there cheering for me and I smiled and talked a bit as I ran by. My plan was to run to each aid station which is 2k apart then walk 3 min and repeat. I made it to the first 3 aid stations but it was so hot by this time of the day I couldn't bring my self to run that much. It was early afternoon and there still were no clouds. The first lap was probably 30/70 run walk. And when I say run I mean slow jog, I am by no means a runner. It is always the weakest part of my triathlons. My family and friends were in front of the cabin that we were staying in, it was near the turn around so they sat there during the entire run. I looked a bit rough the first time I ran by. I know they were a bit worried about me, I walked after the turn around. I told my self to make sure I run by them the next 2 laps just so they don't worry to much. It is hard to prepare for the heat when I was training in Wisconsin in November. I just kept grabbing ice and water at the aid stations. At the end of the 1st lap it was hard to look down the finisher shoot and know that I have two more laps to do, as I walked by the announcer stand with my head down he called out my name and number and said that as bad as I feel now it will all be worth it when I finish. I cried a few tears and started running again. It started to hurt to walk now, even more so to run. I ran until I hit aid stations, I started grabbing Cokes and waters and bananas. The Cokes made me want to pee, which is a good thing, I think I had a lot of water in me. I switch to mostly Gatorade and coke mixed with ice. Funny thing when going into the port-a-potties I smelled worse than the potty, I wanted to pee with the door open! ;) This race only had about 850 competitors so I only had to wait once for the potties, I have read in other race reports of people having to wait. As I made it past my second lap I was starting to feel better, the sun had started to go down a bit, I got my second scrunchie (yippee) and knew the next time I would be running down that shoot. The second lap was about 40/60 run walk. I wanted to finish before it got dark so and as I said before it hurt more to walk. So I took that as a hint, run more and with the temp going down that got easier. The first half of the last lap was about 60/40 run/ walk, ran by my friends and family. They were yelling like crazy, "almost done!!!" I was smiling and joking around, and I told them they better hurry to the finish line I was getting my 2 wind or something like that. The last half of the last lap was almost run entirely. It helps to know you are almost done. They had signs but they were in kilometers, my mind didnt feel like doing any math, so I just kept looking for the land marks that I had run by the 2 times before. I passed a lot of people this last lap, It feels good to pass people on the run. That doesnt happen often for me. It is such a rush when you realize that you are going to finish. I came around the last turn and had about .5 mile to go, I walked for 30 seconds. I wanted to have a bit of extra energy to run hard once I hit the 100 yards of grass. I can hear the music and the announcer saying the words we all have been waiting to hear. I got into the shoot and there were 4 others walking and clapping hands with the crowd. I really wasn't planning on passing people here but I wanted to get my best time, and I had that little bit of saved energy. I gave it all I had, it was a fast run and my legs were cramping the whole way. As I finished I looked at the time and heard the magic words "Mindy you are an Ironman" I had the biggest smile on my face as I was running down the shoot, I was so happy to be done, I could hear my family and friends yelling. I gave them a wave as I ran by. Got my medal and towel.

As always I am working on being a better runner. Train with heat.

Found my supporters and hugged them got some photos. I went and got my finisher t-shirt and street bag. Got some weird food, don't know what in the world it was. It wasn't gu, banannas, powerbars or cookies so it was ok. Made my way to the showers to rinse the stink off of me.


For my first one I am happy with my preformance. I may have tried to run more but I did't want to pass out. I have had that happen before and I just wanted to finish so bad.


Great race, just is on the other side of the world. Traveing there is hard if you don't live in Australia. I would recomend this race though, very friendly community and very pretty.