Race Wrap Up - The Swim - All 3.8kms & the night before.....

I was a bit anxious about the swim and the washing machine effect leading up to Ironman.  I always thought once I have finished the swim I will be OK - but how things change.

 

In my mind the race started the night before, as I was looking out the window and watching the wind blowing.  Everyone kept saying the wind is going to drop but we would need a northerly to calm the lake.  With people texting and calling in, going to bed was the hardest but everyone kicked me out of the lounge at 9pm and off to bed I went.  After reading for a while I had a pretty good sleep.  Around 2am I was looking out the window to howling wind and waves rolling in on the lake and here is a comment I put on FB at that time  - 'Mmm wind blowing Zane snoring a good start to Ironman 2014. Surf board looking look at the moment but have a few more hours fingers crossed wind drops' I did think that if it was cancelled I would have to come back next year!  However I woke to a beautiful day and a calm lake.

I couldn't believe how calm I was - just cruised through breakfast, talked to who ever was up, gathered my gear and headed to the registration tent.  After handing in my special needs bags, it was off to the bike transition to pump up tyres and load food into my feed bag, then a loo stop before putting the wetsuit on.

We headed to the marina where there was some light to see what I was doing, then on to the lake where I found the Ironmaori flags.  What an awesome group and after a Karakia which brought tears to many of us it was through the gate and into the water.

I hung around the jetty talking to my family and Doris Bragg and had some photos taken with a few other Ironmaori Ironman, along with being filmed by my own personal cameraman - Zane.

I was surprised that I wasn't nervous and in the last 5 minutes before the cannon I made my way to the left hand side where it was quiet shallow and talked to those around me.  The plan was to start shallow and head towards the buoys at an angle and try and avoid the washing machine effect.  I had the perfect swim - as long as there were people on both sides I knew I wasn't off course, (sighting is not my strong point).  not far into the swim I ended up swimming next to a yellow cap for most of the 1700m to the turn around.  In my mind this was my amazing Ironman buddy Steff who always swims in a yellow cap.  I knew it wasn't her as she had pink today, and she is faster than me, but I swam thinking how cool I am next to Steff - those who train together stay together -

Once I hit the turn around buoy and for the next 50m to the buoy I did have the washing machine effect.  then I was around the buoy and on the long straight back.   I did end up getting bumped a bit and my goggles were knocked but I held my line and swam on.  For those that know my swimming I always avoid groups, never swim on peoples feet and stop when someone is close - well this swim I nailed it, I just swam and held my place when squished between 2 people.  I did get some free water half way along and once again came across a yellow swimming cap.  May have been drawn to yellow caps but those yellow caps kept me in my happy space and then I was around the last buoy and heading to the shore. 

Looking at the time of 1:23:37 as I left the water - that had me buzzing as I had thought about 1:38 for my swim.  As planned I left my goggles on my cap and jogged the 400m along the green mat to everyone cheering me on - it was a great feeling.  As I walked up the stairs to transition I started undoing my wetsuit yelled out my number and was handed my bag.  The tent was packed so I headed to the end, found a chair and pretty much had to sort myself out - where were all these volunteers to help:)  Guess my swim was a bit quicker and I came in with a big pack.  An Army medic came and did what she could for another swimmer and me, but there was no panic and I got myself out of the wetsuit, became an Ironmaori Princess and did the full strip into dry cycling clothes then headed out to my bike.   I excited the tent besides another Ironmaori & Rotorua athlete Shirley Day so a how are you going and off to the bikes we went.  Finding my bike was easy as being in the "older age group" I was second row in from transition and half way down.  180km bike will be another blog and another story...

 

I nailed this swim, and loved every moment of it:)