A video of pics taken by Sally (if you can't see this on your phone click on this link
Wow. These international planes are massive. I am always amazed at how such a huge piece of metal weighted down with all of our crap flies - blows my mind but I guess it is just physics. I am so pumped for this trip. For me personally this trip is what really kicks off the year and where the real endurance kicks in. The first two races were well spaced and relatively easy as far as logistics were concerned. I used to get scared on take offs and landings, but have become more comfortable with all the travel I did in 2010. This is my first big international flight in over 10 years. We each have our own TV, remote controls, movies, music and video games. I think I am a pretty good traveler and do a good job at just sitting and being bored. Who knew that my experience of 10 consecutive days on a giant Ferris wheel at the Calgary Stampede would be valuable experience now.
Landed safe in the rain and headed to snag my rental car. Prior to leaving San Fransisco I did a smart thing and called my bank to let them know that I would be flying out of the country and to not shut my card off when a few international charges went through. I immediately found myself in the exact situation I was trying to avoid. My card would work at the car rental counter. With limited cash on hand I bargained, or so I thought for a 500 minute international calling card which should have been more than enough time to complete a call with my bank. Unfortunately my 500 minutes were eaten up in less than 8 minutes due to pay phone charges. When the sweet voice chimed in and said 'you have 60 seconds remaining on this call' I panicked knowing I didn't have enough cash and no access to my card to buy more phone time. I quickly said 'I hope you have all the information you need to activate my card. I don't have any more money and instead of clearing my card for travel you deactivated it, please help' As I uttered my last words pleading for help our call was disconnected. A beeping in my ear was a clear indication that my call was over. I slowly walked over to the car rental counter, slid my card across the counter, closed my eyes and started to pray. Success! My card was turned back on. I ran through the rain to my car, loaded it up and quickly got in the car all set to go. I looked up only to find I had no steering wheel in front of me and I was indeed sitting in the passenger seat.
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| On air live at the radio station |
This may be a long week......
I had little problem finding my way through the country side from Auckland to Taupo and successfully completed the 3 hour drive. I headed straight to the radio station to meet Sally (my host for the week) and the crew. They welcomed me with open arms, quickly showed me around and took me to lunch.
After lunch I built my bike and headed to check out the expo and get myself all registered for the race. Lake Taupo is a fresh body of water and before we were allowed to check in we had to have our 'clean wetsuit' tags. There was a station for us to dip our suits in and pass inspection. They are trying to prevent something called didymo or 'snot rocks' from entering the water system. We also had to get our bikes and helmets checked and tagged for safety. They don't miss a thing here in New Zealand. Classic radio was hosting a Thursday night Johnny Cash tribute night at the local natural mineral hot springs. Not really knowing any J Cash songs, I thought it would be a good idea to have a nice hour soak. I recognized some of the music and really enjoyed the natural springs.
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| Wetsuit checked and cleaned. No Didymo here! |
Friday - race prep... Our so I thought. I had a relaxing morning and did my final 1 hour bike and 30 min run. I felt great and was anxious for Ironman #3 on the year. I was surprised and taken to a fancy lunch by the radio station. New Zealand hospitality is like none other.
I has heard so much about this beautiful weather, but so far I have only witnessed high winds, clouds and showers. My fear is that they will cancel the swim and my day will not count for the record. I consulted with a few people and I decided that if they cancelled the swim I would pull out of the race and not participate in the 112 mile bike and 26.2 marathon run.
I gathered all my nutrition and gear and separated them into my T1 and T2 bags. As I dropped them off to the volunteers tent, it was time to head to the convention center for a very important announcement. The room was packed and silent waiting for the obvious news, that the swim was going to be cancelled. To my surprise the following words came over the loud speaker, "Blah blah, weather, blah blah, 140km winds, blah blah, a storm like Taupo has never seen before, blah blah, the Ironman will be cancelled!"
I was sitting on the ground and just put my head in my lap. Then they announced they were going to do the race on Sunday. The place erupted with clapping and cheers before the race director could finish. I, for one was very relieved that the trip wasn't going to be a wasted of time, money and effort. The room then filled with mixed emotion as the race director continued with her announcement and concluded that the race on Sunday would be cut in half and run as a 70.3 event.
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| Does that say 70.3? Ah Crap-o-la. |
I hadn't prepared for this outcome. I knew I wouldn't do the event if it meant 10 plus hours on my feet, but 5-6 was a different scenario.
We were then instructed to go and remove our bikes from transition due to the projected high winds. I returned home to Sally, Grant, and the kids and they had already heard the news. They were anticipating me to be very upset with the new race news. I wasn't upset, just disappointed in a situation that was out of my control. Mother nature has the last say and in this case she was speaking loudly and the out come wasn't in my favor... or was it? Everything happens for a reason, so we shall have to wait and see exactly why this happened. I was actually more sad and disappointed for the athletes who had trained long and hard for this one big race of the year or their first Ironman. For me..... I will be in Australia in 2 weeks building my bike up for an Ironman there.
Sunday - a new race day.
New Zealand time is only 4 hours difference that MST in Utah. Really it's a day and 4 hours but that day doesn't matter. If it was noon at home it was 8 am here. With my body not yet adjusted, the new 8 am start time was like a noon start to me. I went to bed early and got more that 9 hours of good sleep. I ate a light breakfast and rode my bike down the hill to the race start.
The swim. The jury is still out on both my arms and I have been in pain all week. I just don't know what to do. The water temp was low 60's and I was in no hurry. I started WAY left and avoided all the people who were 'racing' today. I swam slow and avoided contact for most of the swim except at the two turn buoys at the far end of the swim. The water was a little cold. I was smarter this race and put some blue seventy bike shoe covers on my bike shoes so I shouldn't have cold feet for most of the ride. Part of the swim was past a golf floating hole in one contest platform. I could see some of the missed balls resting at the bottom of the lake. Even with all the time triathlon consumes, part of my heart is still with golf!
It was a long run from waters exit into the change tents of T1. Personal record alert. I took my sweet time changing my clothes, putting on gloves, arm warmers, skull cap, compression socks and anything I needed for a comfortable 56 miles in the saddle. When all was said and done I posted a career slowest 12 minutes and change T1. Look for this record slow time to hold up for the year!
Bike. The ride was nice and scenic and I had the time to take it all in. I continue to be amazed at the amount of drafting in an Ironman race. Soon they will have to call these races IronMen and not Ironman races. They modified the course to an out and back instead of 2 loops. Once we hit the turn around, the wind has picked back up a little and was dead in our faces. It would have been near impossible to bike in the winds from the previous day. I finished the bike fresh as a daisy and was welcomed into T2 by a member of the classic radio music crew, who happened to be volunteering at the finish of the bike.
The run.... Only 13.1! The weather was perfect for running and I felt great. We had decided that my pacing for the day would be the same as if I was doing the full. No sense putting extra wear and tear on my legs than needed, today was like a training day. I locked in my IM run heart rate and just held it steady. My last 3 miles were my fastest which always makes me happy. The cowboy hat was a hit once again and helps me to be more visual. I felt solid throughout this perfect lake side run.
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| Big Finish! |
The volunteers and crowds were fantastic!!! I crossed the finish line with plenty of energy to claim my medal and t-shirt. I grabbed some food, took a few pictures then headed home for a quick shower before an afternoon of planned activities.
Sally had arranged for me to take a jet boat ride to Huka falls and on giant swing ride. I was pretty excited to do both. The jet boat ride was a blast! We did high speed 360 spins and sharp turns up and down a picture perfect backdrop. We finished at the base of the famous Huka falls. What a sight and man what a ride!! The video and pictures do not do this justice.
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| I guess we are gonna get wet! |
My second activity was the swing... But I would call it more of a drop then swing. After getting all harnessed up and put into position, without much warning, I was dropped out of the sky. I screamed like a girl on my way down and loved it! What a fun rush! I have never done anything like that and have a goal to bungee and sky dive before years end. Again the pictures and video do not do this justice.
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| Moments before my jump... what a rush! |
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| Looking down from the swing platform |
Thank you so much Jen and Sally! If you are ever in Taupo, you have to do both of these activities. There was plenty more to do, but we simply ran out of time. I will do more of these activities when I take Sunny back to do the race another year....I now have some unfinished business and a medal and T-shirt that I only half earned.
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| Crew at Classic |
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| Long way to go for this not to count.... |
I woke up well rested and feeling great. A quick break down of the bike and off I went to say my final farewells to the guys at the station. They were perfect hosts and I couldn't have been matched up better!
Thank you Taupo Town Center, Classic Hits 98.6 and Sally, Grant, Ashley and Jake. I left New Zealand at 10:45 pm on Monday night and arrived in Salt lake City Monday night at 8:45 pm, arriving before I left.... I just time traveled folks ;)
