A big few weeks

With a wedding on the horizon it may have been a crazy idea to decide to do an Iron distance race at Challenge Taiwan, but with fitness in the bank and a wedding we want to enjoy coming up very soon it seems to be the only option.

A crazy option, with our home town race just 1 week later at 70.3 Busselton. (Which is now done and dusted, post to come)

Before we knew it Kate and I were on a plane again heading for one of our favourite race destinations in Taitung, Taiwan. This marked my 9th time racing in Taiwan and I find myself comforted by the fimlarlity of things. I know where to eat, how to get around, what the accommodation is like. So it makes the travel experience less stressful on you mentally and physically.

We got in a good 3 days before the race and I was surprising relaxed.
Having had a few injury niggles over the past 5 months with a stress fracture in my foot, shin splits and a bicep tear, my race fineness hasn't quite been there!!
I knew with the work I'd done between March and the end of Arpil I was getting close to being "race fit" again.


Race day
Swim: Got a great start and then Ritchie Nicholls, Freddie Cronenberg and Myself worked together to build a 5min gap on the rest of the field.
Bike: I was happy to start peddling and find that my legs decided to show up for the party. Sometimes I do everything right and they just disappear on race day. BUT NOT TODAY!! YAY

Ritchie dropped off around 40KM as he wasn't having the best day, then Freddie and I swapped 10KM turns at the front for the next 140-KM. We worked well together and built a lead to around 8-9min at T2.

Run: Over the Iron distance the run has proved to be my nemesis.  I went our steady and knew I was racing myself for a podium finish. I kept saying "don't do anything stupid Guy, just keep running" I held myself back for the first 20KM and when Dougal Allen passed me he said "don't worry mate they'll have to run a 1:15 second half to catch you" I immediately thought "unless I explode and start walking".  I got that thought out of my head and kept trucking on as fast as I could. I finished the marathon in 3:13, by no means a fast run, but solid enough to keep me in 3rd place with a finishing time of  8:23:47

Finish: After a bout of sickness and an IV, I felt MUCH better and was able to enjoy the awesome vibe of Challenge Taiwan.

Thanks again for all those that help me do what I do. You are all legends.