Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Andrea "The Machine" Hopkin Talks us through her day At IM Busselton

Andrea talks us through her day At Ironman Busselton. (It might not have been the day Andrea had hoped for, but we're super impressed with the effort) Andrea had a massive year with a 4th at 70.3 Worlds and a 4th in Kona.... She's a machine. Congratulations on an amazing 12months Andrea!

Andrea's words below



Post Kona I was riding an Ironman high. In the immediate days following when the opportunity came to race IM Busso I jumped at the chance. I couldn't wait to race again and had hoped to be able to qualify again for the following year. But as the days and weeks passed for the first time all year I had many negative thoughts. I kind of knew that was not a good sign. Positive thoughts breeds positivity. And likewise for negativity. I hadn't had this before. I was tired. I was back to fitting in working 5 days a week and trying to find the motivation to train after the most amazing trip of a lifetime. Reality hit and so did the post Ironman blues - big time! I skipped a couple of sessions, something I never do. I cut a couple of sessions short. I didn't put in the effort required. I always give my all. The tomorrow I'll start eating better sort of never really came. I knew I couldn't maintain the exact race fitness and weight I had from Kona for another 8 weeks but I still hoped I was carrying enough from Kona to get me through. It was a roller coaster ride for 8 weeks. Ups and downs and tears shed.

As much as I race and do triathlon because love it, I recognise I'm a high achiever. I race to goals I set myself and I wanted to win my age group and qualify again. I'm a competitive person. Competitive with myself mostly. I like pushing my boundaries and limits.

Busselton was a tough day out there physically, but also mentally, knowing I wasn't going to achieve them.

As they say hindsight is a wonderful thing and I was probably being a bit ambitious and asking a bit much of myself to pull off another good race. I'd had an awesome 18+ months with no real "off season" since starting this triathlon caper. I think it was worth the risk and although I didn't get what I'd hoped for I'm proud to have stuck it out and not giving up. I wanted to stop - A lot! But I didn't. I had some great on course support, from family, friends and fellow competitors. My niece and nephew were there watching too, and I didn't want to have to explain why I quit and didn't get a finishers medal for my nephew to take in for news just because I wasn't winning or having a good day. During the race I was so angry/annoyed at myself for not having the race I had hoped for. But I also I know I would have been more angry at myself if I had given up. A lot of mental lessons learnt for me from this race.

Anyway to the race itself...

Swim: I started way to the right. And that's where I stayed. Way too far!! I had a lot of open water and no feet to swim on. I also had a long swim to the first turning buoy but then made the same mistake swimming back in. I always breathe to the left so could see the jetty the whole way, but for some reason it was always so far away. I just didn't put myself amongst it like I should have. I knew I wasn't haven't a great swim. I just didn't "feel it".

I exited the water in 1:09:41. Only slightly slower than my Kona non wetsuit swim. Not happy. I entered the transition tent and it was super busy!!

Bike: Out on to my bike. My favourite leg, probably because it is normally my strongest. I spent the first hour being angry at myself for having such a bad swim. The plan today was to hold back a bit and save my legs a bit for the run. I still only work to perceived effort and was trying to watch my speed a bit knowing what I've raced previously. I knew I made a bit of ground on the bike but nowhere near what I normally do. Again I just didn't "feel it" and felt something was lacking the whole ride. Although I knew I wasn't going as fast I normally did, I felt I didn't have the power. Not to worry I told myself. I've got the run to go.


So 5 hours and 24 minutes later I was in to the next transition. A few less people in the tent this time! The volunteers as always were awesome. Sunscreen applied and off I trotted on to the run.

Run: And trotting I continued..sometimes I even strolled! I struggled for the first out and back section with a pesky cough that wouldn't go away. And then a toilet stop. One of my main goals for this Ironman had been to run a time I was happy with. It's frustrating me a bit coming from the running background and a sub 3hr marathon that I still can't run in to even a 3:30 something time. Hence the idea to hold back a little on the bike. But the theme of not "feeling it" continued and I now knew this day was well and truly over for me. I started walking the aid stations early to get nutrition in and just have a bit of a break. It kept me going seeing my family each time. I stopped and had a quick chat them on one lap when my niece and nephew weren't there. My sister went and got them for when I came back from the short out and back. High fives to them and off I went again. I saw one of the girls in my age group having a great race so I just yelled out to her each lap. It was nice to see at least someone I knew having a good day!! On my last lap I caught up to fellow GK Endurance athlete Jarrad at an aid station. We ran together (and walked) the last 8km. Sharing that last stretch with him would have been the highlight of my day - thanks Jarrad! It was so awesome to see him finish his first Ironman and achieve all his goals. I finished my run in 4:13:01.



Next up....Well firstly a lot of rest and recovery for the body and mind. It's been a big year. I'm under strict instructions to take the rest. It's hard though!! The first week was easy as I was so busy in Perth catching up with friends and family. But now back in Melbourne I'm finding I'm getting itchy feet. I snuck in an easy run, then told the coach after the run. I kind of knew I shouldn't have run. And as confirmed the feedback from the coach came, more rest still to be had...oops!! Take it while I can!

It's been a great journey this year and it's probably a good time to sit back and reflect what I've done. So two weeks post race and I've done just that. 2014 you were awesome!!! One bad race in my eyes isn't too bad, and as many people have said, you've got to have the bad ones to make the good ones good.  My bike is unpacked now and I'm ready for an easy unstructured week of exercising.

I'm looking forward to 2015 now!! Thanks to CEEPO I have been afforded a great opportunity to race Strongman in Japan in April. Following that, I will race IM Cairns in June. If anything, not getting the result I'd hoped for in Busselton will give me a bit of extra motivation for my next one. I'm already pumped!!

As always..lastly but by far not least thanks to everyone - family and friends and coach Kate for your support and encouragement!!

Friday, December 19, 2014

Janine Kaye, Reports on IMWA "Through the eyes of a Spectator"

Janine Kaye, Is probably the best spectator in the world. She could teach us all a thing or two on how to write an amazing blog as well. Have a read through Janine's blog about Ironman WA "Through the eyes of a spectator" You won't be disappointed. Girl got skills!! (To top it off she takes an amazing photo too)


If you want to read more of Janine's antic's, Check her out here: http://levelzero.com.au and
http://www.janinekaye.com.au


IRONMAN WA 2014 – THROUGH THE EYES OF A SPECTATOR..

The journey towards his first Ironman for my hubby Brad has been relatively easy in someways. He hadn’t suffered any injuries and had been consistent & dedicated in his training.  He had the amazing wealth of knowledge and support of our coaches, Kate & Guy from GK Endurance, behind him and he seemed to be taking everything in his stride. I was beyond excited for him to give it a crack! And WOW! What a weekend we had in Busso!!

I wanted to document this through my eyes.. being a supporter and spectator is tough work and very emotionally and physically exhausting. Sounds ridiculous compared to the actual competitors suffering through it, but it is hard to explain. Watching someone you love “endure” and seeing the depth of their spirit and courage is quite amazing, a little terrifying and creates a whole lot of nervous energy. Strap yourself in for a big blog post..;)
Our “weekend” away (which was actually 4 days) started when we drove down to Busso on Friday lunchtime. We had 2 cars full to the brim with bikes, nutrition, club tent, kids, crap, crap and more crap! Our beautiful friend Amanda joined our adventure with her 2 gorgeous kids. We arrived in Busso at around 2pm and unpacked and then headed in to the rego tent and to explore the merchandise area! I think this was the first time the enormity of the station hit Brad.. the signage everywhere, lots of athletic people wandering around in ironman gear and the mammoth amount of barricades everywhere to mark the course out. The kids had a ball on the “red carpet” goofing around, although Lucy didn’t enjoy us trying out an aero helmet on her quite so much (note the death stare;))Rego time.. hoping Brad doesn’t CRASH & BURN!
Back to our accommodation to relax and get settled before an early night.
Saturday saw us up early to head in for the Ironkids rego and race. The kids had a ball..there were cows on the beach (odd but awesome). The kids scored all sorts of free stuff from the sponsors including a mammoth amount of free flavoured milk! They do the Ironkids event so well ! They get to run and ride on the course and they even change the signage over the finish line.  Pete Murray commentated.. getting them warmed up and calling their name over the line. My kids had an absolute blast… except for maybe the bazillion flies that were bugging us all! 
Brad caught up with our awesome coaches and GKE athletes for a gentle ride, run and ocean swim…. and I of course, had to capture some of it:)Last minute pep talk from the coach before heading home for lunch, rest and to get his gear and nutrition ready for tomorrow. We came back in around 3pm to drop of his bike and transition bags. This was weird and very unfamiliar and the nerves started to kick in then.. It was odd to pack everything into a bag and leave it there overnight, and even though we both looked at it a hundred times,  the fear of forgetting something was lingering. Racking his bike and seeing ALL off the racks almost full with bikes was quite spectacular! Gear dropped off, bike racked and tyres let down.. then home to carbo load and get his tattoos on:)Obligatory tattoo mug shots:Early to bed and surprisingly we both slept pretty well… even with the hill top hoods concert wafting across the darkness outside! 4am the alarm went off and we bounced out of bed and prepared ourselves for the day. Lucy decided to come with us to get Brad settled in transition and to be there while he waited.. and Jack was coming down later with Amanda to watch the swim start. The sunrise was beautiful … the sky filled with colour and light as people bustled around getting themselves into transition, nutrition on the bikes and tyres pumped up. Brad was pretty quick and came out and was quickly nabbed by a volunteer who started slathering him in sunscreen. The the special needs bag drops as well as his street gear bag before getting in his wetsuit and the walk down to the waters edge to watch the pro’s start and cheer on Kate & Guy. Lucy didn’t leave Brad’s side from that point. He was calm but very quiet. I could tell he was nervous but was fighting to stay relaxed. She just wanted to hold his hand and not let go.. And then they were called onto the beach.. We wished him luck and I watched him walked onto the sand and quickly got swallowed up by 1899 other competitors in a sea of colourful swim caps. At this point I was fighting tears and the nausea that was washing over me. I really wanted him to have a great day, and a good swim! First timers were asked to wave their hands and I searched for him with no luck,.. and then within moments the gun went off and they all took to the water in a mass of chaos, colour and splashing. Time to try to relax and get a coffee before heading around to the exit to watch the pros come in followed by the age groupers. It is really quite something to behold.. like the crest of a boat disrupting the water.. a wave of colourful caps and swinging arms, converging towards the shore along the side of the most spectacular jetty! Such an amazing thing to witness!We spent ages trying to spot Brad.. studying every yellow capped person that exited the water and suddenly it was him! Way quicker than we all expected. 1:07:39 swim!! WOOHOO!!
We bolted around the back of transition to try to beat him before he got to his bike. ( note to self : running in thongs with a heavy arse camera is challenging..;)) We saw him run up his aisle and grab his bike.. we were screaming and yelling at him (poor bloke) and he let out a massive yahoo that he had made it through the swim, a big grin and then he was on his bike and gone!  Back home to wait, have coffee and breakfast. Lucy and I tried to time our trip back in to see him between lap 1 and 2 but we missed him by 1 minute:(DOH! We hung around and watched the other age groupers and then finally the pros came in to start their run. It was HOT and the flies were RIDICULOUSLY relentlessly annoying… but we were having so much fun! The vibe was awesome! My phone was going flat fast from the over-checking I was doing of the tracker app I have. A little while after he hit the 151km mark, I wandered around to wait for him at the bike entrance. The wait wasn’t too long.. he was FLYING on the bike and it was great to see him smiling as he came off the bike and he looked strong as he made his way (via the loo) into the transition tent. Bike: 4:54:51 !!!! Brad’s folks had arrived and it was great that they were there to see him come out onto the run and cheer him on through the 4 laps of the course. It really is a sensational course for spectators as they loop past you 2 times each lap and I am sure it is good for the spirits of the competitors to have barricades lined with people cheering them on! I loved the energy of the people around me.. happy and positive mixed with weird nervous emotions. I must admit,waiting for Brad to return on the last 2 laps was tough.. wondering if he was slowing down because of pain or if he was still even moving forward. It was always such a relief to see his face and he was still grinning and looking strong, even though he was cramping up and struggling to hold his pace.  It was beginning to get quite HOT! There was a slight breeze picking up which bought a little relief from the flies but we were all fading a bit from standing and waiting for so long. I am super proud of my (and Amanda’s) kids.. they stood there and cheered and clapped everyone who passed by. A few quick dips in the beautiful blue water to cool themselves down but otherwise they stood and endured (in our cool team kaye t-shirts!)! When Brad  hit the last lap, we made our way around closer to the finish shoot. When he came into sight he gripped his arm and yelled out that he had 4 bands to us.. meaning he could head to the finish chute. We bolted across to the chute while he made his way around the back, and I dissolved into tears of pride and relief as I watched him run towards us and the finish line. As he ran past us, I tried to pull myself together and I must admit I giggled as I watched him jump up and high 5 the timing board. Run- 4:18:26.Total Time-10:27 !!!! OMG! So proud!
He was ushered off into the recovery tent and it seemed like forever until he exited (slowly) and gave us all massive hugs. His face was lit up with joy. I was completely in awe of him and my heart was bursting with pride!! He was hoping for around 11 hours, and he smashed it. His run wasn’t what he hoped.. the first 20km was great but after that he struggled with cramping. His bike was awesomely strong and his swim was so much better than he expected. He is thrilled with his result… as he should be. He did his first enticer triathlon in January 2013 and could barely swim, had just bought a bike and was a casual runner at best. And now he has completed his first Ironman with an amazing result! The medal is pretty awesome too.. After he hobbled to the car, we headed home for him to shower and get a well deserved beer! Our house was at the far end turn around point of the run course and we then sat on our balcony and cheered all the amazing competitors as they passed by, hoping to inspire them as much as they were inspiring us!As the sun set and the glow sticks came out, we kept on cheering anyone who came past.  I couldn’t help but reflect on what an amazing journey Ironman has been for our family and for Brad. Hours of training, juggling life, time, money, commitment, dedication and sacrifice.. but it was so worth it to see the sense of self fulfilment and pride on my husbands face. It is hard to explain the places that ironman takes you too.. highs and the lows.. It challenges your idea of what you might be capable of, what you can endure and what sort of “stuff” you are made of. Watching people bent over and hobbling but still moving forward towards the finish line was one of the most powerful things I have ever witnessed. Determination and self belief are challenged more than anything during this event and it is so inspiring to see people reach that finish line and celebrate their success over their mind and their bodies!
And just because CRAZY seems to run in the family, I took myself down the next morningand signed up for IMWA 2015! (Holy crap!!!!) So it’s my turn to see whether I can conquer my inner demons and get myself to that finish line. Strap yourselves in for what I expect to be a LONG , possibly emotional and totally awesome 2015!

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Brad Kaye, Busselton Ironman Race Report

Brad Kaye Talks about his day out at Ironman Western Australia. Great read, well written and emotional. All with only 2 years of racing under his belt...damn!!!

BK Race day report

It was one week after IMWA 2012 that I had my first introduction to triathlons, all be it as a spectator supporting my beautiful wife in her first every tri at Hilary’s over the enticer distance.  I knew people that did them, but did not really get why or expect to ever participate in one myself  - it involved swimming (which definitely was not high on my recreational enjoyment list), I had never ridden a road bike in my life, and after too many years of football in my younger years, completing  a 10K run was a massive achievement.    Nothing was further from the realms of possibility or thought then that one day I would been lining up at the start line of an Ironman event.

Fast forward two years and the day was here.  Standing on the start line, the nerves were there but controlled, helped considerably by standing next to two of my new mates and fellow GKe athletes,  Alan and Jarrad.  All of us first timers, but eager to hit the water and trust that the months of hard work would be rewarded by days end.  A few fist pumps and back slaps and we were ready to go!   The gun fired and we hit the water.  I had expected it to be like a melee for the first 500m, but the field was quite dispersed and was surprised at how quickly I slipped into a good stroke rhythm.  My two goals for the swim were simple - make the cut off time, and ensure I did not burn too much petrol in the process.   I quickly found a “guide” for the swim, a guy with a green cap and sleeveless wetsuit (who if I ever meet I will owe many beers) and stuck to him like glue.  He was swimming reasonably straight and at a good pace so I settled in on his toes for the duration.  Before long we had hit the end of the jetty and were making the turn to head back to shore, green cap was still dragging me along, only needing the occasional tap on the toes to push him along when his pace slowed.  The sense of achievement and relief was high as I saw the shallow water emerge as we neared shore, and as I stood and jogged out of the water I felt reasonably fresh, and got a buzz hearing them call the name of another GKe athlete in Justine Bolton’s finishing right behind – she had joked with me at the camp she was going to draft me all the way and looked like she had !  A swim time of 1:07:39 was much quicker than my expectations and was a great way to start the day.





Bike –I ran out of the change tent straight into the smiling face of Jarrad who looked as excited as me to have ticked the swim leg off.  We both strode out to collect the bikes and head out together to start the grind. The plan for the bike was simple – sit on my target power output and try to pace off some other riders when the field thinned out.  The first lap was hectic, plenty of passing and being passed, only to have to then pass them again (is it me that speeds up after being passed, or them slowing down.. )  Jarrod stuck right on my tail and would pull alongside occasionally for a chat, a good mental break for us both and an opportunity to make sure that we were on target for nutrition, salt intake etc.  It went by surprisingly quickly though, having ridden the course on the camp a few weeks earlier was a massive psychological advantage. Lap two started with a quick stop for my spare bottle of Infinite from special needs (rookie error #1 – should have yelled my number when I went past to make sure they had it ready).  Jarrod went past and kept spinning, but I was able to catch back up and we were back in formation by the time we hit the outskirts of town.  The field had spread a lot by this stage making it hard to find a suitable pacing bunny, so focus remained on maintaining steady power and keeping up with  the nutrition intake  (the mars bar at the 140km mark the highlight of the day !) .  As I closed in on town on the way back the goose bumps raised slightly as for the first time in this Ironman adventure I was 100% confident of finishing, even a mechanical failure on the bike could be managed from this close to the end, and I had plenty of time to drag my butt along the 42km run awaiting me. Feet out of shoes, hand the bike to the catcher, a quick detour by the toilet and it was done .  Bike 4:54:51




Run – one word, sucked.  Well the last 20K did, up until then the legs felt good and focus remained on fluid intake and Guys continual drumming into me of the importance of pacing myself . Band 1 collected, feeling great, band 2 collected, legs are getting sore but pain is manageable, my mind is racing with calcs on my timing splits – keep up this pace and I am going to smash 10 hrs in my first IM, this was never on the radar.  Past the crowd and family support, words of encouragement giving me another boost.  And then whack – I hit the aid station at around the 22K mark, there are people everywhere all stopped, I slow to a walk for the first time since the race had started to grab some fluids, and then as I tried to hit my stride again, then mind and legs win their first battle.  Every step feels like knives are being driven into my quads and my toes start curling in cramp to add to the enjoyment.  I knew the legs would recover, it was just how long it would take, and how long they could then sustain anything above a shuffle/walking pace.  Kate had said that lap 3 was going to be hard – boy was that the understatement of the day.  The next lap and a half were slow and painful, but every step was one less I needed to take.  With about 3K to go I ran past Kate and Guy supporting all their athletes through the final stages. An encouraging pat on the back from Guy and Kate’s cheers released the last ounce  of energy and mental pain suppressions that I had available to push me to the finish line.  The 4th band collected, a quick flinch from another toe cramp at the Goose and then it was time to stride out, letting out the last final scream to the family that I had the 4 bands and was heading to the finish chute.  Some high fives on the red carpet with the crowd (including the family that is unfortunately a bit foggy in the memory) and the finish line and clock were there.  I somehow even managed to leap into the air to high five the clock as I crossed the line.  Run 4:18:26. Total time 10:27:01. 





Recovery time, hugs and kisses with the family, and then back to the balcony of the house we were staying at which was right on the run turn, for a cold beer to watch the real ironman champions continue, those that can keep the mental fortitude to continue into hour 15, 16 and beyond.

The experience has still not sunk in, and may never fully.  My whirlwind introduction to triathlons was complete, within two years going from a supporter, to a competitor in my first  tri on Australia day over a novice distance (which included a 400m swim that I was able to walk about 200m thanks to low tide), progressing to doing the run leg in the teams event at busso70.3 (first time running 21K), to a few solo 70.3’s to finally Ironman finisher.

Whilst Ironman is a solo event, it is defiantly something that cannot be embarked on individually. A massive thanks goes out to the GKe team; to Guy for managing to keep me focussed and training consistently right up until the big day, which even included stints in 5 different countries for work during the lead up to the big event (which resulted in the development of some very creative training plans); and to Kate, who provided the insights into the focus and determination required to complete this challenge, which remained front of mind in those last few laps - your body only hurts if your mind lets it! To the family that put up with me being either at work, training, asleep, training or present but grumpy over the last few months, I hope the experience of the day was enough to make up for this sacrifice.  To the friends that supported me all the way to the end, by either traveling to be there from start to finish, and those that couldn’t so doing remotely, tracking me through every checkpoint and facebook update. But the real hero is my wife – the girl I had a crush on the day I met her in year 8 at school, the girl who took me to the circus for the first time at 25, pushed me out of a plane at 30, made me buy a road bike for my first tri (you are not riding your mountain bike!), surprised me with getting a TT bike made up for me  (how many wife’s do that!), then installed a power meter on the bike to ensure I would not explode on the ride (I really have to stop travelling for work – it gets very expensive …) and has pushed me the whole way along to ensure that I believed in myself and could reach my potential.  The highlight of 2015 will be getting to repay that love, support and dedication as she commences her journey to also complete an IM, with her already signed up for IMWA2015.

I was determined that IM was definitely only going to be something I would do once  – many more experienced IM athletes had laughed at me when I expressed this .  I think I now understand why ….

Saturday, December 13, 2014

Jarrad reports on IMWA

Jarrad Bolton reflects on IMWA. Jarrad has come along way and only been under our guidance since the middle of the year!! Plenty more PB's on the horizon for this young man. Well done buddy!!





Tuesday morning was a good morning for me as i was heading home ready to compete in my first Ironman, this week was very relaxing with a few massages, sauna and chilling at home. Can't forget the last few dreaded training sessions. Before I knew it, it was friday the last day to check in!!! Driving from Margaret River to Busselton late friday afternoon thinking I would have a nice relaxing Saturday morning check- in and training session with all the GKE athletes. 
When driving to Busselton, a mate rang to ask weather I was heading to the athletes dinner? He also asked have I checked in, thinking nothing of it as I read the program list for the days leading to it and read that I could check- in and compulsory bike racking saturday... DIDN'T see the ironkids bit. Panic arose and I started freaking out, I rushed off to check in arrived at 5.30pm!!! They wouldn't let me in, didn't know what to do so I called Captain Awesome. Thinking it was Telstra he didn't answer.. I managed to convince the volunteer to let me race, he informed me that i must come back the following day. 
Saturday morning we all gathered around for a bike, run, swim.. I was awarded the dreaded turkey "George". Completing the training session, feeling a little happier that I would be able to compete Sunday. I decided to head over to the checkin where I received my race bag and entry tag, (so relived)I could go home and finally pack my bags and get ready for IMWA. 

Sunday morning, having the usual breakfast with the added toast, I made my way down to the bike racks. To the surprise of Guy, I was in and ready to race. Seeing a few familiar faces made me a little more relaxed. Suncream and wetsuit on, I was ready and making my way down to the start line. I stepped into the pen and watched the pros leave, they had gone and this was it, it was the "Age Groupers" turn... A fellow age grouper came up to me and asked "do we swim around the white thing in the ocean" my reply was simple, "i have no idea"! It looked so much further then the end of the jetty. After this I began to freak thinking there is no way I am going to swim all the way and live to tell the story, I began to walk towards the jetty ready to pull out when Brad, found me.. (Thanks Brad) We chatting for what seemed like forever then gun finally went off. 

Swim: I hit the water running knowing that I have done the training with some of the best in the business, I got into an early rhythm following someones feet! I also had someone on my feet for most of the way out scratching at my feet each stroke, I began to get really frustrated . I picked up the speed a little and managed to shake him off, I found a nice rhythm again and was swimming comfortably, turning both the bouys with no trouble at all I was on the home straight, sticking on someones feet for the journey home. I suffered two bad cramps and had to stop for a short time, but I came out of the water and into transition thinking that wasn't so bad. Having everything done for me in T1 I left feeling relaxed and ready to have a good bike... 


Bike: Heading out of the T1 change rooms I managed to find Brad a fellow GKE athlete, I was to stick with him and use his power, we left out onto the road and as always I went to hard, feeling a little out of breathe I managed to settle down after crossing the first bridge on the way to taurt drive. The ride was a little out of my comfort zone but I wanted to stick with Brad as long as I could, having completed the first lap still only 12M or one place behind Brad we powered onto the next lap. Sticking with brad for another 50kms until began to loose him finding it hard to catch him again! I opted to sit behind another strong rider dropping 3km/hr average over the last 30 to 40 kms. coming into T2 I never felt so happy to see a crowd.



Run: Leaving the transition area I could barely run, it felt like I was going so slow, but I was a little over paced. I completed the first lap feeling comfortable and was slightly into a rhythm. Turning around at the east end on the 2nd lap I began to hit the wall, I managed to run past the family where I shouted " this is Fu*****" feeling the pinch a little earlier then I was hoping. After seeing coach just before the next aid station he shouted "walk the aid stations" I can't express how grateful I was to hear those 4 words. Another 2 laps past before a fellow competitor caught me (Andrea Hopkin), I was so happy to see her and have someone to run with, the last 3 aid stations were all that was between me and the finish line. Hoppy and I were determined to get through the pain and to the finish line. We walked each station and each time we began to run it hurt more and more. Following the last aid station about 1km to go I said to Hoppy, "Iwould like to go under 11hrs", so I put in one final effort and crossed the line with a big jump and a fist pump. Waiting at the line for Andrea to finish in style also, nothing could beat the moment of watching a true champion cross the line. 


Kate Luckin Reports on IMWA

Our Little Kate Luckin had great day at IMWA and has been bouncing off the walls every since!! Well Done Kate!! (Kate's words below!!!)



First, I want to thank my sponsors….ummm….oh….ahhh… I have none! Haha That’s right! (Do Mum and Dad count?! They spend a lot of moolah on me!)
Okay, okay…
Let’s start by saying that this blog isn’t just about December the 7th 2014. This has been a very long time coming – since my first triathlon years ago I have dreamt of doing an ironman. This journey has been a crazy rollercoaster of which I never hope to hop off. 
I believe that all ironman athletes out there on the day have a story – no matter how big or small, we have all overcome something in our lives and or had a driving force to complete such a gruelling event. It is true when people say “Ironman is a drug”. It has certainly been mine. It’s no secret I have had some tough times, but my incredible family and training has pulled me through. It has saved my sanity and been a release when things get hard. Knowing what it is like being unable to train has only made me appreciate my body and triathlon more. Instead of giving up or turning to other sources, I trained more and can honestly say that right now; I have never loved my body, my mind or triathlons more. 
Race week was perfect. My version of heaven. I spent the week being super organised with bike/bags/nutrition etc packed a week early. Having little events like ‘ironman breakfasts’ with squads gave me a little boost and I was feeling quietly confident and ready. Wednesday came around and a car trip with the company of Claudia (Kylie Kwong) along with some Katy Perry, The Script and Coldplay was cranking. Swims and rides with Tan and the GK crew in Busselton made me feel like I had been let out of jail. I specifically remember my Thursday ride with Tania De Abreu where we just couldn’t help but smile for the whole hour. The family, Andy and Dan soon joined me Saturday night. They placed their bets on my times (Thanks Armando for the 12:30 bet…), gave me some great advice and pumped me up. Claud had done my hair, Lisa and Mark had given me some great advice and Mum and Dad were…still in shock I was doing this whole thing I think! (Poor them – I did keep it a secret for a while)
Race morning. I thought there would be tears. Instead, I was quite calm – very emotional inside but calm. Last good luck hugs from every body and I went with Tania to join the 1898 other athletes. A last hug from Tan and that gun went off. 
Wow. I am doing it. I smiled in the water. Don’t do that. You only eat seawater and it’s not fun. 15 minutes later I realised Tan and I were swimming side by side – a quick “Hi Tan….Bye Tan” she was off. Of course I was kicked, lost my googles and swim cap, swam off course (somehow I missed that big thing called a huge jetty) etc – true Kate style but I was so content out there! Out of the water I saw a 1:09 on the watch – woops slower than I thought but that’s okay! 1/3 down! T1 I found Courtney who helped me with a smooth transition.
Off I ran down the sexy red carpet (Lisa had to yell to slow down and remember to get my bike – Thanks Lisa!) to my sexy baby Chrissie – I grabbed her and said “Chrissie – ready for the ride of your life?” 180km never felt so good. My family, Dan, Rob and Ash (surprise!) were at all the turn arounds which really broke it down for me. I did get a little confused where the frick I was with all the turn arounds! Nutrition went down a treat – Damn Kylie Kwong (Claudia) can make good vegemite sandwiches. I was feeling great. Every athlete out there that passed me or I passed smiled and chatted. 150km in and the last turn around – I yelled to the crew “30 (insert @$#%*)km to go! That’s nothing!”. I felt good and judging by what I had seen established I was coming second in my age group. I thought of the marathon ahead…ease up Kate. Hold back. I found a comfy 30km/hr and sat on it the way in. I smiled  the whole time…this was going better than I could’ve dreamed. 

Off the bike – wow – hello legs. Another smooth transition thanks to Felicity and I was on the run course before I knew it. My core supporters on the day – Lisa, Mark, Andy, Dad, Mum, Dan, Rob, Ash, Ty, Claud, Jace and Armando. They got me through. Their support out there was amazing. I just felt incredible. I quickly found my happy pace and stuck to it. Who likes Maths? “Just get it done. You are an ironman.”  Takes 5 seconds to think. That’s all I thought for the first 30km. That’s 2160 times I thought that and that only. The legs ticked over and I was running comfortably. I have never run a marathon. I never let this cross my mind. I was feeling good. That’s all that mattered. Aid station after aid station…water, ice, coke, gel, electrolytes. Just get it done. The crowd was incredible. Seeing the likes of Adam, Ruth and Tan out there lifted me. A little bum tap and “go Beyonce butt” from Tan was great. 21km. 35km. 30km. I think I shocked every one with how comfortable and well I was going. I could feel Lisa and Mark were proud, and that meant a lot. 12km left. I yelled “12 (@^#$#%) kms!!!! To Kate and Guy and I was still running. I knew from the transition and scouting on the run I was second. I also knew first place had a Kona spot. I couldn’t comprehend it. Was Kona mine to take? The thoughts made me emotional. More maths…”KONA” for 12kms. That’s another 2160 times it went throw my mind. 

I couldn’t have loved the lady who gave me that sweet 4th wrist band more. One last high five to Lisa, mark, Andy and Dan – I saw Lisa had tears in her eyes and I started to loose it. The finish chute was mine. I had run a whole marathon. I had swam my whole 3.8kms. I had ridden my 180kms. I had held my emotions together so well. I was 99% sure that Kona spot was mine. Down the chute I high fived every kid. I hugged Simon. I found Rob and Ash and hugged them. My family…the biggest, happiest hugs possible. Pete Murray told me I was an Ironman and I crossed that sweet finish line to give him a huge hug too! So many emotions my little 23 year old self can handle and I felt I was going to explode. I grabbed the volunteer for a photo for some reason and smiled my way through the finish area. I didn’t care about Mince Chow Mein they were serving (really??) I just wanted my family and friends. More hugs, more tears. I stayed standing to see many friends come down the line and the beautiful Tan become an Ironman – you go girl! First place in my age group – Cammie, told me she had a Kona spot, so it would be mine. Confirmation. Joy. Overwhelming. I still can’t explain that feeling – euphoric. I just couldn’t stop smiling.

I can honestly say I have never been more proud of myself. It wasn’t just a race to me. It was setting a goal. A dream – and not giving up. I achieved many things that day – my first marathon. My first Ironman. Kona. KONA. KONA. I have to repeat that because it just isn’t real yet. I am proud of my journey and what I have achieved. There was nothing but hard work, sweat, tears, fails…and triumphs. Getting back up. Going again. Never stopping. That is just who I am and what I do. I do this to see what I am made of and to push myself and discover myself day to day.


I wouldn’t have been able to do this without these incredible people;     
The crew at GK Endurance – both athletes and coaches for incredible support and guidance!
BK and EFS for the swims and support 
Every one at work – Brad, Chris and Megs for race wheels, use of facilities and support – love that place!           
Dani, Bronnie, Nikki, Poppie, Brooke, Tessa - for being my girls and talking non – triathlon to me J
Ruth and Maz – Ruth, you were my first riding buddy! Whilst you turn into Ruthless with a needle for treatment and Pilates I do love you 
Dan – you have put up with so much and your support is just incredible! THANK YOU for every thing that you do for me – it means the world 
Adam Mullens, Tania de Abreu for being my training friends and simply being there for me – you support and guidance has been essential on this journey and to share this with you is unbelievable. Thank you Ty, Claud and Armando for your help (thanks Ty for the make up and Claud for the hair and drunken times)
Rob – Where do I begin? The man who started it all. Words will never be enough for what you have done. Thank you for pushing me to my limits in training and supporting me through every step
Mum, Dad, Lisa, Mark and Andy – I love you. I couldn’t imagine the stress I put you through having a sick relative try to complete a gruelling day. Lisa and Mark - you are my inspirations. I mean it when I say I did that marathon because you did. My family have picked me up every time I have fallen xxx




Now let’s see what this little Luckin is made of. Let’s get this body ready and BRING ON KONA!