I can’t believe it has been less than 3 weeks since my
race. Really? Life has been a huge rollercoaster ride with
so many ups and downs since. But this
post is not about the post race ride, it is about the race ride.
As you know when I went to do my Ironman 70.3 in East London
and I didn’t make it and I was SO gutted.
I just couldn’t believe that after 6 months of training and so much
sacrifice, so much faith, I was a DNF.
Did.NOT.Finish. WTF? DNF? At the time I compared it to being a jilted
bride. Another athlete also blogged about
her traumatic experience and used the same analogy. When I look back at my race, I am now able to
give myself kudos. At the time I was
awful to myself, full of criticism and doubt. Me=LOSER! Later I took a step back and I saw someone who
got severe hypothermia, who spent 30 vital minutes in medical with a
thermometer up her butt and who got on the bike last of 3000 athletes at just
35 degrees which is still not optimum. I
saw that person cycle her heart out past all those who had already quit knowing
they would not make the cut off. 90km in
the wind up and down the hills never quitting and completing the cycle on her
own terms. Me? I did that?
So God didn’t desert me after all.
Then I decided to enter again. I took the risk of being that crushed with
the added pressure of so many willing me to finish. Training in the winter was damn hard. 6 weeks before my race I changed coaches and
I worked my arse off. And then we were
off, so excited and expectant. Durban
was divine, great weather and great vibe.
Last time I bought nothing at the expo.
This time I was so positive so I did.
I prayed a lot less desperately, I did not presume I would definitely finish
but I did know God and I would do this race together. Race day, 4.30am wake up. 5.00am trying to eat but so nervous I could barely
swallow. Last minute check of bike and
time to get in my wetsuit. On the beach
with Gary waiting our turn. And then it’s
us and we run into big surf and try and get out to the backline. I have no idea where he is and we each race
our own race. When I faced the beach to
come back in I got so badly dumped I thought that wave would never spit me back
out again. Cap off, clutching my R400
goggles I make it. I am not
freezing! I see my friend grinning on
the side-lines, as excited as I am that I can get on my bike. I stand in my trisuit in transition and wee
like a pro before getting ready for the bike.
And I cycle and I love it and I smile for over 3 hours. I keep looking at my speedometer thingy. 26.9 average?
Me, that fast? No forking way! Its undulating hills but nothing hectic. I hold nothing back and I just pedal my butt
off using everything I have. I see Gary
on the course on the other side of the road and we are both thrilled we made
the swim. I finish the bike in 3:23 and
I am so damn stoked I sit in the transition area just grinning as I psyche
myself up to run 21km. And then I run
out knowing I have got this. I have more
than 4 hours to complete a 21km run. My
goal time is 2 hours but my legs are not thanking me for that bike. My watch beeps at every K and it takes forever. Eventually I get to 4km and I feel
wasted. I have 17km to go! Do NOT walk, do NOT walk I tell you. You keep on running! I have the hugest blister on the ball of my
foot from the bike. The pain becomes
hectic. You have Dystonia 24-7, it is unlikely to ever
end. This is 2 hours, suck it up you big
baby and RUN. So I do, I run but I get
slower and slower and I know I will not make the 2 hour goal time. I see Gary, he is faltering. If I had anything left I would try and beat
him but I have nothing. At 18km I want
to collapse but I don’t and I keep on getting slower and slower. At 20km I only have 1 to go but I start to
think I might be that desperate undignified crawling finisher. I run that last km in so much pain and then I
do it, I cross that damn finish line with a 2:11 run. Melanie Novitzkas 6:34. Bam!
My legs give way and the medics and Gary pick me up till I can stumble
off to get my medal. It is done. I have done an Ironman 70.3. He holds me when
I cry like he held me the last race when I did not finish. I am over whelmed. I have swum 1.9km, I have biked 90km and I
have run 21km. Me? I am so very happy and so grateful and so
tired.
The cool bit is now I enjoy that post race oh my word I
really did that feeling. I know very well
I only get this once as next time it will be about trying to better my time or
evaluate the race and my performance. My
very 1st triathlon was 2 years ago and I had the same feeling. The swim was only 800m, the bike 20 and the
run 5km but I lay in bed high fiving myself that someone non athletic like me
could do a TRIATHLON. Every race post
that has been about times and performances and how I did compared to others
until this race. Except for now! Now when people say that’s frikkin awesome I
am like….I know! How awesome was I? I am so darn chuffed with myself I am
allowing myself to feel it and be it and not worry if I sound braggy or
arrogant or not humble. Me, Miss C team hockey not very sporty did sweet
f-all for decades did an ironman 70.3 in a very respectable time of 6:34. AND, I am now an average biker and not a
totally shite biker. Average never
sounded so sweet.
But let me do a quick acceptance speech before I walk off
the stage:
God 1st of course…for strengthening me and for giving me a healthy body and extra thanks for the no puncture on the bike!
My Gary who was initially so reluctant about me entering but who came around and supported me
My girls who sacrificed endless hours while Mom trained
My friends and family who rooted for me and willed me on. I felt the pressure but with that came the support. When I hit the run my friend Jacob jumped straight into the start area and gave me the happiest hug to know I was on the run and going to finish. My fellow athletes so stoked for me.
And my coach of course. Mr Glen Gore from Trilab who is a phenomenal athlete himself and so patient with my endless questions and doubts and insecurities.
Thank you, thank you. Bows, queue music, walks off stage.
God 1st of course…for strengthening me and for giving me a healthy body and extra thanks for the no puncture on the bike!
My Gary who was initially so reluctant about me entering but who came around and supported me
My girls who sacrificed endless hours while Mom trained
My friends and family who rooted for me and willed me on. I felt the pressure but with that came the support. When I hit the run my friend Jacob jumped straight into the start area and gave me the happiest hug to know I was on the run and going to finish. My fellow athletes so stoked for me.
And my coach of course. Mr Glen Gore from Trilab who is a phenomenal athlete himself and so patient with my endless questions and doubts and insecurities.
Thank you, thank you. Bows, queue music, walks off stage.
