So the gun went and I waded a little got some free water and started to swim. Instantly felt relaxed and calm! (completely diffrent from last year)
I got a few big kicks and hits to the head in the first 400m's but starting out wide I found free water pretty quickly and just settled down to swim. its an awesome experience swimming alongside the jetty with SO many people up on the jetty cheering!

No need to site in this swim just turn your head to the right make sure the jetty is still there, have a look at the people cheering and off you go again.

I got to the first bend in the jetty quite easily but then some dude kept grabbing my leg and pulling me backwards, propelling himself forward in the process. I thought it was a mistake the first few times. but after he did it roughly 8 times I was getting peeved. I ducked around and moved to the left a couple of metres to get away from him. unfortunately he found me again and started pulling my leg again. by this stage I was not impressed at all, it sucks that you can't get the numbers from people while swimming because I would definitely report him. so he pulled my leg and me backwards a few more times. I then moved to the right to get away from him, he followed and I thought how the h#ll am I going to get away from this dude. when he pulled my leg again I stopped swimming, he swum halfway over the top of me and I aimed a very well timed kick in the general groin region! Ddin't see him again for the rest of the swim. (dont' mess with the princess! yes harsh but he would have pulled my leg at least 15 times!)

so back to the swim I settled back down and was finding feet to draft off but kept finding that I was going quicker then the feet so I tried to find clear water again. I got out to the endo f the jetty alot quicker then I was expecting. I got there at 27.3mins in training a few weeks ago I was on about 34mins at the end of the jetty. Its like a whirlpool swimming round that jetty with 1000's of others.

so turned to head back in and had to make a decision do I cut the corner of the jetty swimming out wide to the left cutting off about 300 - 400m's of the swim or do I swim back along the jetty with a draft advantage.

I looked up and saw two groups of people so realised I'd get a draft with either choice. I headed out to the left but halfway back to the jetty decided to cut across closer to the jetty. not sure why just felt better close to the jetty looking up at the people cheering and felt like I was going faster closer in. No real reason why.

Before I knew it I was turning at the last buoy to head along the beach, absolutely clear water all around me except for one dude who decided that with all the clear water he had to swim on top of me. He grabbed the rip cord on my wettie and pulled me up out of the water practically. choked a little and was really quite shocked, I stopped he stopped and I just looked at him and said "why the @#$# did you do that mate?" he looked bakc and said you were in my way! what the.... Again I really wish you could report people from teh swim, but no numbers.

so I moved way clear of him and headed in towards the beach. little rattled by the 2 bizarre swimmers. never had anything like that happen before. it was a really clear swim with lots of open water just two morons to spoil it a little.

I sped up a little getting closer to the shore could hear the commentry and the crowds! I checked my watch dashing up the beach and was in two minds. Was stoked to see 1hr4 on my watch, (I did 1hr7 last year) but was also a little disappointed as I felt like i'd been swimming alot faster. I think the current on the way back in was different from last year plus was a little stop start with the moron incidents.

really was happy with a good swim!

pick a better line and stick with it on the way back in. not look at the starfish and crabs on the bottom :)
Swim faster!

I had the LONGEST transition in history. roughly 9min transition. I completely changed and spent a LONG time putting on suncream and trying to get my crap together. I got absolutely no help from the volunteers one of them was actually quite rude.


get my stuff together a little better and focus. Next time round I'm wearing my tri suit the whole time.

I felt fantastic out on the bike zoomed along trying to keep the pace down on my first lap. I had a bit of a goal in mind, a 27 or 28k/h ave. It just seemed to be rolling quite easily no wind on the first lap and I kept my cadance between 90 and 95 and was rolling along at 30k/h. AWESOME
I loved the borrowed zipp wheels! don't know how much difference they actually make but it felt like I didn'teven have to pedal the bike at times.

I started out really well with the nutrition plan working out. before I knew it I was rolling back into town at the end of my first lap. 60k done, 2hours! an awesome 30k/h average!

I had the most fantastic supporters out on the course, was really enjoying all the screaming and yelling from them. headed out onto my second lap the wind was still very light and I was rolling away, getting a little less enthusiastic about being on the bike but still keeping that 30k/h ave. My stomach started to go a bit dodgy on the way out on the second lap. I kept to the plan but added a little bit more water instead of high 5.

suddenly without any warning I had to turn my head for a bit of a power spew off the bike. directly hitting the dude on a bike behind me drafting! I said sorry but then thought hey hang on you shouldn't have been sitting on my wheel :) (gee I'm all class)

that spew was the start of my nutrition plan falling apart. I tried to gulp down a gel but it just did not settle right in my guts. tried solid food after that and that was not good either. I just tried what I could spewed another 2 times on the bike, not onto any drafters though.

was still riding along very solidly on the second lap, feeling great came screaming through town trying to keep the 30k/h ave for the second lap almost dead on came through in 2hours 2mins! 120k done and dusted.

Set off on the last lap the wind picked up by the time I was out in the unprotected spots. my speed dropped and I just tried my best to hold the cadance on 95 but it was harder and I was getting tired.

there was soo much chalk messages out on the course for Princess Mel! I had an awesome time just reading all my messages. kept me occupied on the last lap in when I was heading into the headwind. I struggled with my feet and shoes. I got some nasty pressure point problems in my feet (moral of the story don't wear new bike shoes that you have only had for 3 weeks before an Ironman!)

My speed dropped to 28k ave on the last lap. was pretty happy though to clock in at 2hrs 15 for the last lap! not as big a blow out as I could have had. and and AWESOME PB from last year for the bike! I was really happy getting off the bike, 1 because my feet hurt and 2 because I had a great pb!

Ride faster, get my nutrition issues sorted. try not to spew on the dude drafting behind you. Not wear new shoes.

I had another super long transition! ridiculously long! I again changed completely into my new trisuit and sunsleeves, suncreamed up and was ready to go 9mins later!

not change, not take so damn long. hopefully get some helpful volunteers

So heading out onto the bike course I was very aware of how the calf was feeling and was very conscious that I could have alot of problems with my calf.

heading out of transition though I felt pretty good and was bouncing along glad to be off the bike. the wind seemed to drop as soon as I handed over the bike, it got HOT when I started running. Was very glad to be wearing the sunwings but also aware that they were a little hot.

the first 6k out to the first turn around were great, my guts felt good I managed to eat and keep down a gel, my calf felt good and I was happy to be reading the chalk messages on the course and listening to the cheering from all my friends.

Every aid station I grabbed a water to drink, a water to pour on myself and a cup of ice to go under the hat and down the trisuit.

coming round the far turn around at the 6k mark I felt my calf go, princess tears immediately started pouring down my cheeks, it hurt and I had a real moment of Oh god what happens if I can't get through this thing (I suddenly realised that even though I knew I was going to be racing with a dodgy calf I still believed I was going to get to the finish line!)

I walked and stretched for about 50m's knew it was not going to ease up so just started running again, it HURT a whole lot but after I got up and running again it did ease off slightly and I was trying very hard to pretend it wasn't hurting. I was managing an all right pace considering I had a massive knot the size of a tennis ball in my calf.

there was alot of thoughts running through my head at this point (probably 10k into the run) I'm really glad the you will do this voice won because It was touch and go there for a while.

I had another couple of spews out on the run course. gels were just not working for me. dumped my gel flask off on the way because I knew it wasn't going to stay down. I decorated a few busselton driveways (sorry)

was looking forward to runninfg back through busso town to get some cheers and support from my club and to pick up that first scrunchie.
when I actaully got to my club tent I actually got very intimidated they were all there screaming and being very supportive, dressed in Hawaii
gear they created a bit of a guard of honour tunnel kinda thin about 20 or so and it was intimdating! awesome but I just wanted to get through them as quick as possible.

I spent lots of the next lap thinking about how awesome they were though how wierd is that.

Picked up my first scrunchie (1hr 30 )and set off for my second lap. in pain, a few more spews and tears and a whole lotta heat. it just got hot out there. only 28C on the temp scale but it just felt like the hottest day ever. I was pouring ice down my trisuit and under the hat and even started holding blocks of ice in my hands as I was running. Halfway through this lap I noticed my feet really starting to hurt. (which took my mind of the awful pain in my calf) the road was so hot you could feel the heat coming up through the road and into your shoes!

I knew there were a few blisters forming. ouch not fun. I stopped at a first aid tent at the turn around and got some tape put on the ball of my foot to stop the massive blister getting worse. Off I went again and struggled on.

it really was a battle of voices inside me, I just wanted to stop and go to sleep, I didn't want any more pain in my calf and I didn't want to throw up anymore.
BUT I kept on going. finding Nemo's just keep swimming really helps when you just need to repeat something over and over.

got through my tri club tent again in tears this time, hoping they weren't noticing. I got lots of GO MEL you are looking awesome looking strong and running really well. I looked at them like they wre crazy so felt like I was doing the cliff young shuffle. (apparently from all reports I actually looked like I was running well, it was just my face that looked terrible)

got through the club and was so excited to pick up my second scrunchie! (1hr 40) however once I had it firmly on my arm I had a BIG moment of WHAT AM I DOING THIS FOR? this hurts and I just don't want to do it. had a dilemma type conversation in my head. along the lines of I just don't want to be here, I don't want to do this anymore. but then I kept thinking, well what are you goign to do pull out now. you've got 14k to go, suck it up and keep going. so I did.

It didn't get any easier on the last lap but on the other hand it did not get any harder either. I had figured that I could keep coke and high 5 down in my guts. so just focussed on coke and water at one aid station and hten high 5 and water at the next. ice ice and more ice at each aid station.

plodded along and was at the far turn around before too long. One of my friends rode alongside me for a little bit I could not talk back to her I had no words but it was comforting to have a friendly encouragemet for a bit. a little bit further down another of my friends on his mountain bike joined me for a bit cheering me on. an official yelled at him and said are you riding with her you'll get her disqualified if you are. I was ready to push him off his bike if I'd bene disqualified. I just plodded on. got to the far turn around and kinda breathed a sigh of relief I knew I could get there from that point. I knew it was goign to hurt but I knew I could do it.

had asked my friend on the bike to calculate my times for me. I kknew my first lap was 1hr30 and second was 1hr40 I guessed I could maybe hold 1hr50 for the last lap. and I just could not for the life of me work out what that added up to. Was disappointed when he worked it out for me. really lost a bit of spirit after that. But then I started thinking about my year and how tough it was and started to just think you can do it.

each foot was one step closer to that finish line. there was an awesoem chalk message on the course that said left foot, right foot, left foot right foot. then 20ms further on the same person ahd written, just keep running, then another 20m's further on the same person had then written or just HTFU. that made me crack up and it was very motitvating for some reason.

I just kept putting one foot in front of the other, was very tunnel visioned I could hear friends cheering and yelling on the way back to that jetty but didn't respond and couldn't really focus on them
got through my club tent few tears there knowing I was so close to the finish.

after waht seemed like an eternity, I passed my friend who was holding the tiara, swapped my stinky run cap for my princess tiara and was at the mouth of the finish chute! so many people were yelling go princess, kids wanting to high 5 were yelling go princess. I took a big breath and trotted down the chute! the pain seemed to vanish and I was just estatic to have made to the chute!

heaps of people I knew were there yelling but I couldn't really focus on them. however one friend halfway down the chute, Yelled WAY TO GO Princess, think about the year you've had you are awesome you are an Ironman. After hearing that I did actually have my year flash before my eyes and had a moment of WOW how did I get myself to the finish line! this is awesome.

I crossed the finish line super happy to see 12hours 45 on my watch. Simon Beaumont and Pete Murray both commented on Princess Mel and my awesome tiara, but I didn't get for a second time You are an Ironman (I'm just going to have to do it again till they tell me I'm an Ironman)

I crossed the line and some awesome busso locals caught me. I just dissolved into tears, they carted me off to the tent thinking I was going to pass out. I coudln't quite explain to them if they were happy tears of tears of relief or tears of pain. it was really a mixture of all three! I was so happy to not be running anymore my calf wasthanking me, I was estatic i'd actually finished and I was SO damn happy to have made the finish line and made it faster then last year!

not do an ironman after a massive year of injuries! run faster, run without an injuury. do more run training ......
work out my nutrition issues

I had an awesome massage and chat etc in the recovery tent. headed off for a shower after I started feeling pretty rubbish. the people in the medical tent weighed me when I started feeling pretty crap I'd lost 5kgs over the course of the race. thats not good and they wanted to give me a drip I couldn't htink of anything worse at the time, as I'd had 5hours of pain I really couldn't face the idea of a needle! or sitting there with no one to talk to.

I met some awesome people in the recovery tent as a result of the tiara! planned to meet up with them all at the after party (which I did :) )


a year full of injury!
I am seriously stoked that I had a faster swim and a faster bike! I know if my calf had held up I could have gone faster on the run too! Now a week later I am definitely sure I'll have to do anotehr one just to prove to myself that I can go under 5 hours for a marathon!


I really love this race! it was again seriously hard work but its an awesome supporter race! I had so many of my wonder friends and triclub memnbers down there cheering me on! I think I might take on IM NZ in 2010 but it just won't be the same without my cheer squads!

the big thing I learnt this year is that you can do anything if you put your mind to it! It might hurt but you'll get there. an awesome sign on the run course was. If it was easy everyone would be an ironman!

Not everyone is an Ironman but I am now times 2! super proud of that effort! And the fact that I actually really enjoyed the swim and the bike and just survived the run!