New Balance 1/2 Ironman - Triathlon1/2 Ironman

Had a huge anxiety attack as I hit the water. Tightness in my chest, hyperventilating etc. Came out of nowhere. Really tough to get into a rhythm with breathing or even keep my head under water for any period of time due to the shortness of breath I was experiencing. Was crazy!
Spent most of the swim on my back or head up breast-stroke...very draining. As I watched my heat pull away, I became distinctly aware of the remaining heats coming in rapid succession behind me. Balancing the panic of becoming a human speedbump and just getting my heartrate and breathing back to a manageable level, I braced myself for the oncoming slaughter. You know how you talk about the idiot doing backstroke in a race and you have to swim over them…yeah, I became that person out of necessity. I was able to swing wide of the pack at first, but by the time I hit the first buoy, I encountered some of the 400-odd competitors that would use me like a small child’s bath toy. It was humbling, embarrassing, exhausting, scary…in addition to the massacre my ego was taking from a year of training and preparation and being reduced to pseudo dog paddle to get back to T1.

Not have an anxiety attack?
Plan to get to the event more than an hour before start time.

After making it to shore, a sense of relief flowed over me…maybe I could shake this off and put up a fight for the rest of the race. Fluid had built up in my lungs by this stage, I couldn’t get a full breath, so my transition was quite laboured and deliberate. (slow). Getting out on the bike I thought I could blast off the cobwebs and enjoy the rest of the race.

My state of mind – I was pretty down. Although it was super easy finding my bike!

Every climb induced a bout of coughing that shook my core, and there was quite a lot of climbing. My test ride around the course a few weeks before took about 3:20, so I knew I wasn’t coming close to that, but how much would this lack of oxygen hurt my time? A bathroom break on the first loop was a much needed relief – by this time I thought let’s just bring this in under the cutoff! I was trying to stay as aero as possible, but that was compressing my diaphragm and I’d break into another round of lung busting coughing. I had a great support crew who’d put signs around the course to keep up my spirits, who knew how much I’d need them!
By the final lap, there weren’t too many bikes left on the course, I passed 2 girls on the final turn, changed down for an upcoming hill and dropped my chain. Any ounce of ego I had left evaporated with that. I popped the chain back on, got back on my bike and spun the last 5k back to T2, hoping I’d made the cutoff…JUST!


The course wasn’t that technical, but my effort was hampered substantially, so I wasn’t really that taxed muscle-wise. Maybe it was a twisted way of forcing me to conserve for the run?

T2 was fine, I was exhausted, but resigned to the fact that I was finishing this race. Just a shoe change and some fresh socks and I was off.

What could I?

Started off at a walk, coughing every time I started to trot/jog. My chest was burning, Gatorade ripped my throat as I sipped it at the first drink station…the first lap was frustrating as people were slapping my back saying – you’re almost there! I’d mutter under my breath, almost halfway, you mean? On the second lap I actually came across some people left on the course, even the aid stations were packing up shop, spectators were drifting away. I heard the race time being called out as some folks were finishing so it gave me about an hour and a bit to knock out the last 10k. I caught up to this lady named Mary and we encouraged and paced each other for the rest of the way, it was a relief, coz I thought I was going to defeat myself if I had to survive that last 10k alone, and it was lonely…not even spiritual lonely. Crossing the line was brilliant, that medal was the only thing I had strength left in my legs for…then they had to remove the chip from my prone form laughing like an idiot.

Not much I could do. Race plan – schmace plan.

Warm down…getting some calories and fluids and trying to stretch out a bit


Hmmm I dunno - New lungs?


I didn’t have a prob with the race or the organization – it was very well done, transition security was awesome – (always a bone of contention with me). The safety was harped on enough that you felt relatively safe on the roads. I’d do it again…just better prepared and trained this time. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!