Just as the announcement was made that we have about 2 minutes left, we heard the gun fired. At first we were wondering if the race has started but judging by the commotion afterwards as everyone is jumping into the water, we realised that the gun has been fired and we are still on the deck! The start point is in the water, about 20meters away. I told n_evets that the race has started and so we jumped into the water and started our swim. The water was still dark as we did our first few hundred metres. Unlike other races where everyone hit into each other, it was generally calm and I was able to swim front crawl throughout the start. I was relatively calm too.

Mid way through the swim, I looked up and realised that I went off course, so I tried to do a checked every now and then to stay on course. Along the way, I saw a Caucasion guy doing breast stroke and he was as fast as my front crawl. So I decided to use him as my guide for the navigation. I managed to keep up with him all the way until the U-turn. On the way back after the U-turn, I was on my own again. I slowed down by quite a lot, judging by the amount of people around me as I swam my way back to the transition area. Just before I reached the end of the swim leg, I felt some itch on my shoulder and arms but I try to stay focus and finished my swim. As I reached the end of the swim, I had to climb up some wooden stairs with the assistance of some people to get on to the deck before running into the transition tent to change.

Can't think of any but perhaps I could go faster with more swim training.

There were many people in the tent when I went inside. I didn't realised that I took such a long time to change. I was in the transition for about 12minutes! I dried myself before changing into my cycling gears. Then I stuffed the food that I wanted to bring along during my cycling into the back pockets of my cycling jersey. Felt like peeing so I rushed to the toilet first before I head back to the tent to put on my cycling shoes.

When I reached the bike, I turned on the GPS, pull the bike out of the rack and started pushing the bike out of the transition. As I pushed the bike out, I realised that the bike computer is not registering the speed. I find it weird. I took a look at the magnet and I saw that it is away from the transmitter. I was a bit puzzled. At first I wonder if I have put on the front wheel in the wrong direction but decided to continue cycling.

Prepare the food in the cycling jersey. Check the tyre before depositing it at transition. Check the cyclometer.

It was tough trying to get used to cycling immediately after 3.8km swim. I was feeling exhausted still. However, I cycled slowly and pick up my speed as I go along. About 4km away, I hit the first long slope. I used the small chain ring which I have never use during my training cause I was told that only a small chain ring can bring me up the slope. Somehow I managed to get to the top of the slope without getting out of the bike. At the end of the slope, I knew what was coming and I started to feel nervous. Yes, it is the daredevil downslope! As I get down the slope, i can feel my heart pumped faster. The speed gets faster and faster like a roller coaster ride except that I have to stay focus and control the bike. As I get down the slope at nerve wreaking speed, I can feel that I am loosing control of the bike. It seems like a long downslope. I prayed very hard and stay focus on where the bike brings me. I almost hit the mid road metal bums as I get down at a curve. It was a narrow escape! When I reached the bottom of the slope and the speed stabilised, i was glad that the first greatest hurdle of the race is over. I was not hurt but it left me with flash back of the nerve wreaking experience for the rest of the day till the next day. There were some other slopes along the way before the 10km mark but it was not as bad as the first one.

After the first U-turn, there was another steep slope that I had to climb but I can feel that my energy is running low, so I get out of the bike and pushed it instead. When I reached the peak, I get on the bike again and continue cycle. Before I even finished the climb, the pros were already passing me on their 2nd lap of the course. Along the way from the bike transition, I keep myself well hydrated with water and electrolytes. Every 20km I took banana and power gel. As I reached mid way through the 55km loop, I saw n_evets making his 2nd loop. I feel like a very long road ride before reaching the 2nd U-turn of the loop. I stop the bike after the 40km mark to check my wheels as I am still not satisfied with the fact that my bike computer is not registering the speed. I find it tough to look at the watch while riding. I realised then that the front wheel was indeed assembled wrongly. I did the correction immediately and it was ok thankfully. As I reached 60km, my stomach start to feel bloated from the bananas and water that I was consuming. I stop eating banana from then onwards and limit my water intake.

On the way back to the first loop, I had to do another steep decent. It was not as bad as the first one but I still have to stay focus and prayed hard as I get down. After getting through the slope, I have thoughts of giving up the race cause I wasn't sure if i could stay focus for the next 2 lap of the downslope. I felt that I slowed down for the remaining loop and I was not able to pick up speed there after. The heat was merciless. I can feel it biting into my skin even though I did apply sun block at the transition before I start the bike leg. Along the way, I saw people having cramps at the first aid stations. As I hit 90km, I wasn't sure if I could complete the bike leg in time before the cut off. While doing my 3rd lap, the road gets lonelier. Saw Murphy who stayed in the same hotel as me. He is having cramps. He asked me if we are able to meet the cutoff time. I told him that it is quite unlikely.

As I reached the 2nd U-turn on my 3rd lap, a marshaller on a scooter asked me if I am ok. I told him that I am. He asked if I want to give up but I told him that I am not. So I continued with my struggle. As I reached the 160km mark, I know that I want to finished the course no matter how long it takes. I know that I can't make it for the cut off but I want to finish the bike course. As I reached the 175km mark, I saw the U-turn for the run course and I can see everyone is suffering from the heat as they run. Many people were walking. The traffic to get to the transition was bad cause the road was not closed. I saw Steven who is doing his 2nd lap of the marathon and looking at his watch as I passed him. I think he knows that I had passed the cut off. When I reached the transition area, they asked me to cross the mat and the time was 10:55hrs. Yes, I was late by 25mins so I was not allowed to continue the marathon. I DNF for the first time in a race! I DNF for my first Ironman attempt.

Train more on hills and longer distance. Have more cycling mileage

Not able to cycle faster. Need more mileage.