You'll be hearing from Lisa again soon!!
Lisa writes below!!
Andy and I made our way over to Melbourne on the Friday morning arriving Midday.
It was a much more relaxed feeling leading into this race is it was not an ‘A’ race for me, just a chance to get back
into it and most importantly have some FUN!
After a quick engagement dress shop in the city, we caught up with Karl Hardy and Heidi – Schnell for afternoon
drinks and dinner. We were shown over the course, given some local tips and shown around the area which was
great!
Saturday was the usual registration, pre bike/run before setting up the bikes and packing the bags ready for the
Check in on race morning.
The GKEndurance crew that made the trip over from Perth all rocked up into transition with our new GKE trucker
caps on and set up in the dark!! As usual time flies and we found ourselves heading to the swim start for a brief warm
up and then on the start line!
The swim course took place at Brighton Beach just south of the Green Point Reserve. It was a mass start for
the females so I went hard at the start and found myself in a little pack of 6 girls at the first buoy. I felt like I was
swimming well and sticking with these few leading girls before looking up and having to be re-directed back on course
by the life guards! – Lesson learnt!
Swim – 31.30
It was quite a run to transition as we headed up the ramp towards the Transition Area in the Green Point car park. I
was on the toes of one girl in my age as I ran past her to mount my bike and take off!
T1- 3.35
The 90km out-and-back bike course starts by heading south for the first of three laps on the bike course. We headed
southbound past Sandringham and Black Rock before turning at Centreway and returning to transition. The course
was beautiful. Awesome conditions and it felt fast! or was the just my Schnell wheels??!! Schnell = Fast!
Karl had told us it is a tail wind out, head wind back so I wanted to take advantage of the tail wind! Heading back
there was not much of a head wind at all. As I completed my first lap, roughly 2 km’s down the road I had just got into
a rhythm and then a FLAT! My first puncture in a race. I pulled off to the side and changed this pretty quick! I was
proud of myself. I didn’t panic and it was great experience for me as I have always worried about this in a race. Andy
has taught me well! I stopped two times after just to check on my clincher as I wasn’t too sure if I had done it right as
it didn’t take me too long.
Back on my bike I rode hard for the remaining 55km not knowing where I was now sitting in my age. I was ‘hunting’
any girl down thinking surely some had passed me during my flat.
Bike – 2.31.50
After my final transition I was onto the 21.1km run, continuing along the beach pathway towards Sandringham the run
course consisted of three, 7 km laps. A shower straight away and aide station with sponges and ice was great and I
kept reasonably cool from the start.
T2 – 1.49
My cheer squad mum and dad were there and they were great!! I felt good, quick and reasonably fresh. Again, I ran
hard as I did not know where I was in the field. To my surprise we ran the first 2km or so on the path before heading
onto a dirt track that was windy, uphill, downhill, steps, a steep decline and then a long uphill run before returning
back onto the path along the coast again and onto the next lap! It surprised me but I had great fun on this congested
but exciting course. I also felt like a local! Awesome supporters, loads of cheering and some from some boys who
Andy knew but I did not! It was awesome. I loved it. I pushed hard for the remaining 3km on the run and finished
strongly with mum and dad waiting for me at the finish line! Always my favorite part.
Run – 1.31.17
I had just enough time to get back on course and watch Andy finish, then the rest of the GKE crew, Kate and Ruth.
By then it was really starting to heat up. We stayed for presentations as Dad had gone to check the results and to my
surprise I had finished 1st in my agegroup, 4th amateur female and 11th female overall.
It was great to get up on a ‘podium’ with a finishing time of 4.41.00, placing 1st Also being an inaugural event I
am proud to have set the course record for my age and hope this can remain for a few of years!
