Race report - Part 3 - T2 and the Run

Transition 2 (3.29)

I felt pretty good coming off the bike, and was dying to get onto the run, so I made my way quickly through T2. I decided to change my socks, just in case it had been the socks that added to the hot feet. (I don’t think it was) I grabbed my cap, which contained my gel flask and a ziplock bag with electrolyte tablets, caffeine tablets and  spare sweat band. And I launched myself out onto Alii Drive with a big smile!!

The Run (42.2 km)  

Time – 4.28.46

1314/1918 overall

304/476 females

57/78 in 35-39 Age Group

So on to “my leg”. I have been blessed that although I was a sprinter or middle distance runner as a kid, endurance running, during my 6 years of triathlon has come very easily to me. Time and time again I have been shocked by my good run results in triathlons, and marathons, and rarely have I suffered a bad run in a big race.



Starting out strong



With a 3.28 run in Ironman France under my belt, I knew I had a good run in me. So, brimming with confidence, but obviously planning to start conservatively, I started out on Alii Drive at a comfortable pace.

I had not taken on any water in transition, just to make sure my stomach could settle, but I did throw a cup over my head to keep the cooling process going. I had actually run out of water during the final 15-20 min of the bike (the last aid station was quite a way before town) and I can remember feeling very thirsty within the first kilometre or so. At the first aid station, I took a very little sip, being careful not to have too much, and got a cup of ice to put in my tri suit to keep me cool.  I settled into a nice rhythm, and was feeling really strong when I got to “team Hawaii”, our super support crew, outside the Wyndham hotel. (4 km into run) Sean happened to be going the other way at this time, and helped himself to the seat that our crew had put out, while he did his shoelace up!! This really confused me, as he crossed the road to do that, just as I was going past, and I hoped he was ok!!

Running with Alison at about 15 km

It was another 4 km to the turnaround at Kamoa point, near the old church. By the time I got here, I was beginning to feel that I was getting my temperature under control (although it was really hot, and I was heating up in between every aid station). I had been joined by a lovely American athlete called Alison, who had qualified at Ironman Coeur D’Alene. We ran together for about 8 km, and were talking a bit, and fairly comfortable at about 5.20-5.30 min/km pace. We passed the crew at the Wyndham, and within the next kilometre, which I think involved a bit of a climb, I was really struggling. I didn’t feel like my legs could survive the pace I was running at, and was getting strange feelings, like aching in the arm and hand that were holding the cup with ice in it. (Now I may not be THAT strong, but surely I can carry a cup of ice?) I told Alison to go on, I was going to have to slow down. She said “Oh no!! But you’ll catch me later – I’m sure”. I said “I’ll try”. She went on to hold a similar pace and finished in 11.20, with a 3.58 run.

I slowed to about 6 min/km, and turned off Alii Drive towards Kuakini Highway and Palani Drive. I remember telling a much older guy that I was struggling, and the run was usually my strong leg. He said “in that case, be patient, you will get back into it”.  At this point, Pete and Lyndsey were on their bikes on the side of the road. I had told them I was feeling really bad, and I said to Pete “I want you to come with me”. (The plan had been for him to ride out on the Queen K, wait for me to come flying past, then head back to the finishline to wait; it would have been a LONG wait!!). Pete headed off up Palani to meet me on the Queen K and Lyndsey, bless her just rode near me, while I shuffled up (I refused to walk!!). Occasionally she said some words of encouragement, but I think she knew how much it was hurting.

But I reached the top, and headed left, onto the Queen K. This was about 17 km into the run – still a LONG way to go! I really don’t remember much about the next 10km to the turn off for the Natural Energy Lab. Pete rode on the other side of the highway. Close enough to shout encouragement over the road. But most of the time he just rode, silently. It must have been so hard for him. I changed my race plan, to “plan B”, which was to run, no matter how slowly, but walk for 1 minute AFTER every aid station. This was so that rather than slowly walking through the aid station, there would be some purpose to the walking sections. I stuck to this regime without fail, although there were stages where I got Pete to remind me that the minute was up, so I didn’t end up extending it too much!! At some point I was bursting to pee, but didn’t know where the nearest loos were, so had to go on the side of the road, holding onto a pole!! There’s no shame when you feel that bad!! I remember seeing Sean on his way in, and shortly after him, Kristy was FLYING home. She looked amazing, and I remember telling her that. After my pit stop, I did feel slightly better. On that note, I had to go twice more in the next 10km. I have never had to go during the run of an Ironman before, and considering my weight was the same when I finished as when I started, (despite copious bladder evacuations), I suspect I was hyponatremic, or low in blood sodium. I have kicked myself ever since the race for not actually looking at the balance of electrolytes I was taking more carefully, and as a scientist, I am determined to learn more about what happened. But on a positive note, hyponatremia can have really nasty consequences, and I got through it ok.



On the way out to the Energy Lab

Once I started to feel slightly more “with it” I remember that I started to talk to Pete occasionally. I remember saying that I was OK with how the run was going, as it was all part of the Hawaii experience, and if it wasn’t hard, it wouldn’t be such a special race. I also started to make a conscious effort to really encourage other athletes, especially those that were passing me. (It is usually me that is told I am “looking really strong!”).

At the 27km mark, I reached the entrance to the Natural Energy Lab. Pete could not ride into it, and he told me that he would be waiting for me and I had to stay really strong. He really was amazing. I actually relished going in there – it was the only part of the run that I hadn’t seen before the race. It involves a gradual 2km descent, then the same 2 km climb back. It is notorious for the stifling heat, but this applies to the pros, which go through it at least 2-3 hours earlier. By the time I got there, it was approaching sunset, and it didn’t feel hot at all. The support form the volunteers at the aid stations down there was phenomenal – they had been out there for so long, and they were so enthusiastic. It made me vow that I would volunteer at an Ironman – probably Ironman Melbourne, and I told Pete this when I saw him again. (Just one of those random things that must have REALLY made him think I had lost my mind!!)

All this time, although I didn’t feel as dizzy or sick as I had earlier, my legs still wouldn’t allow me to run any faster – my heart rate was sitting no higher than 120 beats per minute, and most of the time it was about 110-115. (I had raced Ironman France with a heart rate of 128-130). I really started to hurt muscularly as I approached the end of the Energy Lab, which was the 30 km mark, so understandable. Pete had posted a motivational message for me “WINNERS TAKE CHANCES”. One of my mantras. I laughed when I saw it, and thought “I’m not really capable of “taking chances”!! But it still gave me a nice little boost.

I came back out of the Energy Lab and Pete said I had got back there faster than he expected. We resumed our positions, with me shuffling along the left side of the Queen K, and Pete riding along on the right. I was determined to make the most of this final 12 km, regardless of how much it hurt. At every aid station I thanked the volunteers, and even managed a little “dance” through one aid station that had music!! It started to get dark, and this made it harder to stay so positive. (One of my race goals had been to finish in the light, or sub 11 hours). But I plodded on. My pace had slowed to nearly 7 min/ km by now. Every now and then when I slowed even more, Pete would just say “keep going, little girl. I’m so proud of you”. I remember asking him if it had been hard to watch. “He said, “only because I don’t like seeing you hurting like this, but I’ve really enjoyed it”.  I joked at one point that at least I wouldn’t be trying to chase a time, and I was going to walk down the whole finish chute! This gave me something to really look forward to, and although everything in my body was hurting by now, I was relishing the thought of getting back to town. It was amazing that there were still people coming the other way, who still had nearly half the run left. You forget that 12 hours is still way up the field, even in Kona. At one point, near the end of the Queen K I asked Pete if I was going to miss the 12 hour mark, one of my secondary goals. He said “Maybe”. I said “well, it doesn’t matter”. But even at this point I kept trying to eek out something else, just in case I could still do it. But the numbers tell the story. In France, my final 5 km was faster than the previous 10 km pace had been. In Hawaii, each 5 km split got slower, even to the end. I had nothing left.

I got to the top of Palani and Pete said “I’m going to leave you now and go to the finish. You stay strong, and when it really hurts, look at your wrist and remember what you can do”. We and all our friends got “M dot” tattoos (the emblem of the Ironman) after our first Ironman in 2008. Pete and I got them on our right wrists, and there have been several times since, when things are hard, that looking at that has given me strength.



Big high fives



The run down Palani HURT!!! But as soon as I got to the bottom, I knew I had less than 2 km to go, and I started to get excited. But wow, what a slow 2km!! It seemed to go FOREVER!!! There was lots of support as I turned onto Alii Drive, and past the Banyan tree. And there it was. The finish chute of the Hawaii Ironman. The mecca of endurance sport, and I knew Mike Reilly was there waiting to call me in. I DID walk that chute. I “high fived” every hysterical American I could see. I absolutely savoured every single second of it. Mike Reilly called me in, and for once I had the time to hear him. “Come on Jo Coombe. JO, JO, JO, YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!!!!!”

My Race in a sentence :

The most amazing but hardest thing I have ever done, it made me realise that this is more than just a race, or a sport for me; it is and I hope will always be a major part of my life.

Postscript:

There is no way I could have come this far or achieved what I have without a lot of support from some very special people in my life. I am going to thank just a few, but to ANYONE who was in any way involved with this journey,from training with me, just to caring enough to ask and listen to me talk about it, you all know who you are and I thank you all.

Specifically, my parents – thanks for instilling drive and determination into me. I would never give up, and for that I thank you.

All my team mates – for support, shoulders to cry on, coffee and breakfast!! Especially Kristy Hallett, who inspired, supported and was an amazing Kona buddy.

My supervisors and Mel at Uni – for making sure I didn’t feel self indulgent chasing this dream, and respecting how important it was to me.

My amazing coach, Sean Foster – So intuitive with what I needed in my training, but also so enthusiastic, and has given me some of the best mental skills, so important to excel at this sport.

And last but obviously not least, my rock – Peter, my husband. I wouldn’t do ANY of this without you. It is a wonderful journey we began together, and this phase of it keeps getting more exciting! I see us both at Kona in 30 years, trying to beat that 17 hour deadline together!!

And the future? Well clearly this sport means so much to both of us. It is more than a sport. We train so we can race, but we race so we can experience life. The Hawaii Ironman was the ultimate, but I don’t want the fact that I have done it to mean that I have reached the end of the journey. I still have unfinished business out there, and I still have improvements to make. For now, I will set my sights "lower" (or shorter anyway). I’ll try to pull off some good performances at shorter distances. I will sign up for another Ironman, but I will choose one for its destination, and one that Pete and I can enjoy together. If I can’t qualify for Kona again at the next one, it will just make me more appreciative and hungry when I do eventually get back there.