The Rest Begins

After my last race I am exhausted and looking forward to a break.  That breaks begins not long after the Orca Auckland Half Ironman when I am sipping on a beer as shown below.

I underestimated the mental impact that the season would have on me and to be quite honest, I was mentally and physically exhausted by the end of it.  I had been looking forward to the end of the Auckland race but another piece of me was going to miss the training that had been done.  The fact that I was going to miss it was a good sign, not missing it, hating it would be an issue.  I had decided to cut all ties from training and do nothing for at least 4 weeks.  By that stage I would be craving a run or ride and if that was the case I was ready to get back into the training for another season.  I would enjoy the sleep ins and late morning starts.  I would enjoy the early evenings and glasses of wine with dinner. Would four weeks be enough?????

16.03.13 Orca Auckland Half Ironman

Sorry for the absence of my blogs after the last couple of months but I thought I would give you a quick refresher starting with my last race of the season in the Orca Auckland Half Ironman.

Pre Race
It had been a long week at work yet it was only Wednesday and I still knew that I needed to come home, pack up my bike and get ready for the flight to Auckland the next day.  The bike was quickly put in the bike box (getting good at this now), taped up and the case packed.  I arrived in Auckland on the Thursday evening after a busy day at work, eventually chilling out at my Mother in Law's before having an early night in bed.  I woke up the next morning feeling pretty good and relatively relaxed.  I had to register today and the registration was taking place in town.  It was a quick drive into town to the Triathlon shop where the registration was taking place.  A couple minutes later I was down the road ordering a nice coffee and a muffin and then sitting on Mission Bay beach enjoying the sun.  We went back home and then it was time to do the official gear pack for the following day.  Again this did not take long as after two races already, I had a technique in place.  Before not too long all bags where packed and ready for the race the next day.  This race there were two bags however as for the first time I had to pack a transition bag which is a bag you pick up from transition 2 as it would be located in a different location to transition 1.  You had to ensure that all your gear for the bike was in the bag as if it wasn't you may find yourself doing the run leg with no shoes...  The car was packed and the bike put on the back of the car and after a quick dinner it was into bed.

Race Day
I was really looking forward to this race.  The two main reasons where the fact that it was a low key race, not all the razzle dazzle of an Ironman Half Ironman, and the fact that the swim start was just around the corner from my mother in laws, in fact it was on the beach that I have swum in on numerous occasions.  I was feeling pretty good fitness wise also.  The fact that I was mentally exhausted and this was the last race of the season also provided added incentive and of course there was that cold beer that I had been waiting over 2 months for.  I drove down to the start line with my mum and the first thing I noticed about the low key event was the ability to park right out the front of the start line.  I looked on the grassy patch to my left to see what looked like a fairly small transition area which I thought had not been set up yet but quickly realised that it was finished, just very small.  It was not going to be a big field today, less than 300 competitors on my count.  Low key and I was loving it.  Yep, today was going to be a good day and I was going to go hard on the bike.  I really wanted to get a good time and after all the training I had been doing, felt like I deserved a good time.  That dream was quickly shattered though when the announcer started talking about the course, explaining that it was not a fast course and the bike course was a hilly one that would take it out of you.  The best time by a pro was around 4:15 which in comparison was 30 minutes slower than the pro best time in Tauranga...it was going to be a long day!!  I was going to enjoy it though, there was a break from all that training just around the corner, I just had to get through 5.5 hours of pain first.  Whilst getting ready the announcer saw one of the competitors and recognized him as Garth Barefoot who was one of the owners of Barefoot and Thompson Real Estate.  He had just competed in the New Zealand Ironman and unfortunately DNF due to coming in after the 17 hour cut off time, just 5km from the finish!  He talked about his race and the course and everybody just stood there in awe listening to him.  He managed to calm everyone down and by now everyone was pumped for the race start.

The Swim
The weirdest thing about this race was the fact that the race did not start until 8:00am.  The main reason was that it was still dark at 7ish so was unsafe.  By the time that 8:00am came around, the sun was shining and it was warm, not the nicest conditions to be in when wearing a full length wetsuit.  It is race start and everyone starts together.  No seperated age groups or men or women.  If you are racing then you are in the pack and ready to go.  The hooter sounds and I am quick into the water, duck diving before getting into my rythym and heading towards the first buoy.  I have sighted the course already and even though the sun is rising and making it difficult to see I am right on target for rounding the first buoy.  As I round the buoy I can see that there is a pack in front of me and a large pack behind me.  From what I can tell though I am near the front of the pack.  I start heading to the second buoy and half way through I am heating up.  The water is really warm and the sun is now beaming down on me.  I feel like I am sweating and if I am sweating then I am becoming dehydrated, something that I don't want on my first leg of a 5.5 hour race.  I make the second buoy before heading back into shore to complete the first lap.  I hit the beach, get out of the water, run around the turnaround and then back into the water ready for the second lap.  Although really warm, I am feeling good and decide to really push the rest of the swim leg.  Before I know it I am heading back into shore to Transition 1.  I enter transition and cannot find my bike anywhere.  I head up and down the short isles before realising where it is losing valuable time in the process.  I strip off my wetsuit, chuck on my helmet and glasses and bike shoes before packing up all my swim gear into a bag as nothing can be left in transition, it is all going in a truck down to the finish.  I wheel my bike out of transition and the bike leg begins.  The swim has taken me 38.11 minutes, the 35th best time in the open age group.  The swim leg is below
Auckland Half Ironman Swim by IronmanBarefoot at Garmin Connect - Details

Bike Leg
I jump on the bike and am looking forwards to the course.  I know half the course as when staying at my inlaws, I have regularly ridden it.  Past that point though, I have no idea of what is ahead of me.  I am feeling good on the bike.  I look down to see what speed I am doing as well as distance and realise that my watch is not working for some reason.  It has jammed and whilst the timer is working I have no idea of distance travelled or current speed.  This is going to be a tough bike leg.  What is making it enjoyable however is that all the supporter cars are now making their way to the finish line and with no roads closed for this event, they are cheering you on as they drive past.  It is nice to see my mum and wife and son drive by, stopping every now and then to allow me to catch up and cheer me as I go past to do it all over again 10 kilometers down the road.  I finally make it to Kawakawa Bay which is the half way point.  There is a crowd there and we get a good cheer as we go past.  Despite it being hot during the swim, the conditions are no longer that bad and it is quite a comfortable ride.  That is until I turn out of Kawakawa Bay and hit a hill.  This is a huge climb and something that I was not expecting.  After what seems ages, I see cars at the top of the hill clapping people and come to the conclusion I must be near the top.  As I pass the cars and turn the corner I begin my decent down hill.  It is starting to spit so I am careful heading down the slippery road.  I hit the relative flat and it is now a 15km time trial until the turnaround point.  The rain is pouring down now but it is humid and although I am soaking wet, I am very comfortable.  As I hit what I think is around 10km to go a person goes past me and I confirm there is indeed 10km to go.  He asks why I don't have a speedo and I quickly point out the issue with my watch.  He goes past me for a bit and then I catch him up before I disappear in front of him again.  I hit the turnaround and know that I have 25km to go and again it will be another 15km time trial back until the start of the undulating hills followed by the climb.  My back is killing me now.  I am over my bad position on my bike and decide that no matter what, after this season it is time to start looking for a new bike.  I make it to the base of the climb and begin stomping on the pedals.  The chain slips off as I am halfway up and I can't get it back on.  I am not pulling out of the race this close to the finish line and eventually manage to get it back on.  I continue the climb before reaching the top and my decent back down to Transition 2.  As I reach transition my back is really hurting and I can't wait to get onto the run.  I pull into transition, see me family who ask how I am and I tell them about my back.  I grab my back that I packed earlier in the day and put my bike on the rack.  I take my helmet off, put on my Vibrams, grab some energy gels and I am away.  It is a 3 hour 16 minute bike leg, my longest yet.
Auckland Half Ironman Cycle by IronmanBarefoot at Garmin Connect - Details

The Run
I am glad to be off the bike.  After the bike leg however, my watch has started working again.  At least I will have something to judge my pace on for the next two hours.  I begin the run and start to feel really good from the start.  It is a 3 lap out and back course so I begin to break it down.  It will be 3.5km to the turnaround and then 3.5km back to complete the first of 3 laps.  3.5km...I can do that easily.  I pickup the pace whilst feeling good and am averaging around 5 minute kilometers.  I pick up the pace before finding the nearest bush as I am busting to go to the toilet.  I hit the first turnaround and begin heading back to the finish.  There is a mixture of slight uphill and down hills but mostly flat and I am finding my rhythm.  I hit the finish line turnaround for the first time before heading back out onto the course.  As I head out I start to recognize the faces of people coming back the other way.  There are people hurting out there and I am starting to now overtake a few of them in front of me.  I go past one lady who yells out 'Geez, you are light on your feet.  I am like a bloody elephant compared to you'.  I reach the turnaround and one of the volunteers asks if I am on my way to the finish and I quickly explain that I have one more lap to go.  I am starting to hurt now but know that I have around 10km to go.  Knowing I am only halfway hurts mentally but as soon as I make it back to the finish line turnaround, I only have 7km to go.  I head back and see my family before heading back onto the course one last time.  I am passing quite a lot of people now, some people are really suffering.  My pace has dropped but I am happy with the 6 minute kilometers I am producing.  I hit the turnaround and remind the same volunteer that I am now on my way to the finish.  As I am heading back the thoughts that this is my last race for a while bring on emotions.  I am enjoying this last 3.5km.  On my way back I see Garth Barefoot and yell out to him ''C'mon Mr Barefoot".  He gives me a smile and waives.  I am heading home now, I can see the finish and really push the last 1.5km.  I reach the finish chute and see my wife and son cheering me on.  I grab Lachlan and run to the finish line with him.  Three Half Ironman races are now complete in my first season and it is time for a break.  The run has taken 2 hours and overall it is the longest race I have ever done at 5 hours 55 minutes and 8 seconds.  Auckland Half Ironman Run by IronmanBarefoot at Garmin Connect - Details.  Attached is the photo of me and Lachlan at the finish line.

24.01.13 Back in the pool

It is 4 days since my Ironman and the 5:00am wake up call is not something that I am happy to hear.  I put it on snooze and sleep for another 20 minutes before getting up.  I head downstairs and give breakfast to the cats.  I think about having something for myself but it is only the second session back for the year and I am sure that we will be easing into it.  I grab a banana just in case and head towards the pool.  It is nice and warm in the morning and seems like an eternity since I have last ridden my motorbike to swimming.  Usually it is a bike ride followed by a ride to work and then home however this week I am taking it a little easier.

I make it to the pool and catch up with a couple of people regarding what they have done over the Christmas break and the various races that they and I have completed.  I head into the pool area and there is no program.  We are told to jump into the water and do a 400 metre warm up.  This is followed by 300 metres worth of drills.  We are told that the next session will be 3 lots of 5 minutes of swimming.  Basically the first set is to swim for 5 minutes at 7 pace and see how far you can go in that time.  When we swim our level or exertion is based on a number out of ten.  Usually an easy swim is around a 6-7, a swim at a reasonable threshold is at 8, and a swim above threshold (absolutely flat out) is at 9-10.  The first set will be at 7 pace followed by a set at 8 pace and then a set at 9 pace.  For the next 15 minutes we are going to sprinting.

We complete the first set and I have gone around 275 metres.  We have a break and then start the second.  I am feeling okay from the first set but know this next one will be hard.  I am just hanging on to the person in front of me when time is called and I have swum around 290 metres.  We start the third set which will be flat out and my arms are killing me.  I push through counting down the laps and make it to the wall just as the 5 minutes is up completing 300 metres.  I am exhausted after this and it is only 6:40am.  We are soon told that we are repeating the sets.

I let out a sigh and can't believe that we are doing it all again!  I push through the second set of exercises, completing similar distances to what was completed on the first set.  We are finished and I complete a 100 metre backstroke warm down before heading to work.  I am officially back at training!! Why you ask, should I not now be resting??  No, as I have entered another Half Ironman in Auckland on March 18th and there is no time to waste!

20.01.13 The run of the Auckland Half Ironman 70:3

I quickly put on my Vibram's, take off my bike helmet, replace my gels and put on my hat.  I leave transition in 1 minute and 53 seconds and begin my run of the Auckland course.  I am not feeling great at this stage but I wasn't feeling great in Tauranga initially and that all changed after I got into my rhythm in the run.  I had my new Garmin watch on in this race and had set it up so that it was able to time my swim, transition, bike, transition and finally my run.  I had used it for the bike to view average speed however had not had much of a chance to look at it apart from that during the race.  I knew that for the run though I would want to use a few of the features including the pace per km and the heart rate function.  I had to make up some time that I had lost from the swim and the bike so wanted to push hard on the run.  Whilst I am not feeling great, I look down to see that I am doing 4:45 minutes/km pace.  That is fast for me and I am then motivated to push that little bit harder.  After 1km I see that the pace has now dropped down to 4:38.  I am flying in this first section and if I am going this fast for the rest of the race then I should have a good run.  I run past the crowds and Quay Street and they continue the enthusiasm I have experienced on the bike with their support.  I have run this run course many times before.  When I come up to Auckland for business, this is the same course I normally take and so I know that it is not a hard course but it is a question of how hard I can push.  With my current pace it could be a good run but only time will tell.  I come to a rise in the road before it drops away to a flat section and continues on parallel to the ocean.  I look down at my pace and it has now come back up to over 4 minutes 50 per kilometer.  

I am just not feeling it today I decide.  I don't know if it is due to this being my second race in as many weeks or the fact that my cold has reduced my energy levels.  Nonetheless I continue on.  I look down at my pace and it is now over 5 minutes per kilometer.  I am starting to fade and am only around 5km into the run leg.  I know where the turnaround is and focus on my stride length as well as my arm rotation to try to increase my pace but nothing is working.  I am glad to reach the turnaround and start heading back into town.  I am not sure what it is about heading back, maybe the fact that you can see the city, who knows, but it certainly make the run more enjoyable and feel a lot shorter than 6km.  I am back in town and again go past the supporters as I snake my way around the waterfront eventually into the back streets near the transition area.  Again I see Victoria and Lachlan.  I give them a smile as run past but I am not smiling about anything.  I make my way to the finish line where the turnaround is for the second lap.  It is heart breaking to see the finish but know you have another 11km before you will be able to cross over it.  I again see my support crew and tell them I will see them in an hour, this is going to be a slow run.

I begin the second lap and just feel like crap.  I am running and honestly thinking about pulling out of this race.  My body has had enough and I just don't think I can handle the monotonous 11km run that is ahead of me.  I somehow manage to keep going.  I am slowing down at every drink station by now and taking on a sip of water with the remaining water being poured over my head.  I grab a coke in the middle of transition and drink as much as I can before grabbing two more waters and take another sip and pouring the remaining contents over my head.    I can now see the turnaround which means I have 5.5km to go.  I hit the turnaround and start heading home.  I literally have nothing left and my pace has now slipped out to around 6 minutes per kilometer.  I don't care about time anymore, I just want to finish.  People around me are starting to go down also.  There are people walking, collapsed or just running through the pain.  I am glad that I am not the only one that is finding this race to be tough!  I come over the top of the rise before dropping down on the flat with the finish in site.  I am now running along Quay Street.  The crowds are not as boisterous as before and have started to thin out.  I am counting down the kilometers now.

According to my calculations I have around 1km to go.  I push on and start the dreaded snaking through the waterfront.  I have around 300 metres to go but something does not feel right.  I am nowhere near the finish so how can that be.  I come to the realisation that my watch must be wrong and I have longer to go than anticipated.  I hit the 21.1km mark and I must be at least 1km from the finish.  This demotivates me even more but I keep going.  I round the last snaking part of the course and run past the back streets of the finish.  Victoria and Lachlan are not in their spot so I am hoping they are near the finish.  I run the final straight stretch and then start to make my way to the finish line.  I hit the carpet and make my way to the finishing chute.  I see Victoria and Lachlan and give them a wave.  I turn the corner and there is the finish.  I run up the finish and hear my name called as I cross the line in 5:43.  The run has taken over 2:05 hours and I am exhausted.  I stumble after crossing the line before receiving my medal and heading into the recovery area for some rehydration and food.  I have pushed through the pain barrier and am now a dual Half Ironman.

Below is the run leg of the Auckland Half Ironman 70:3

Ironman Auckland 70:3 by IronmanBarefoot at Garmin Connect - Details

20.01.13 The Bike Leg

As I enter transition I am feeling quite good.  I have my wetsuit half off my body and begin to step out of the rest of it as I put on my bike shoes and helmet and stuff my chia seed mix in my back with a couple of gels.  The helmet is on, I un-rack my bike and run to the end of transition, I am away in 2 minutes and 26 seconds.  The start of the bike is through the streets of Auckland over cobble stones and tram tracks before heading along a bypass road parallel to the ocean and onto the bus lane that leads over the Auckland Harbour Bridge.  It is quite surreal that we are riding over the harbour bridge.  The climb is steep but not to bad.  I hit the top and start the descent down to the other side.  My speed picks up and I am traveling at 58km/h as I descend the bridge.  The next part of the ride is through the new bus lanes into the North Shore.  Before I know it we are off the bus lanes and into the residential area of    Windsor Park and Rosedale.

The support throughout the start of the ride has been amazing.  The Fulton Hogan boys that have been in charge of closing the roads are cheering you on but it is support from the local residents that blows me away.  As we are going through the residential area, there are crowds of people lining the streets.  Not only that, they have lined the numerous roundabouts that we are going through with BBQ at the centre and an amazing party atmosphere.  It is taking my mind off the fact that we are constantly turning left and right through the undulating streets which is preventing you getting into any consistent rhythm. I am looking at how far I have gone and I am at around 30km.  I am starting to wonder when we will be heading back to town as I am over the constant turning through streets.  I turn a corner and find myself back on the bus lane heading back into town.  It is now raining, not heavy but enough to be annoying as it hits you in the face.  It is not long until I am heading back over the bridge.  The legs are tired now and the hill climb over the top of the bridge seems a lot harder than before.  As is cross over the crest of the bridge, I now hit my 58km/h speeds again.

After the bridge we are heading back into town and I begin to notice the huge amount of volunteers that are cautioning us as we twist and turn through the slippery streets of Auckland.  For the first time I see Victoria, Lachlan and a couple of friends (thanks for coming Morgan and Mike).  I go past them as I come to some tight turning corners.  The volunteers are telling us to slow down as another rider with a full disk wheel goes flying past me.  I know that the turn coming up has tram tracks across it as I see him lean into the corner and the back wheel loses traction.  Somehow, and I still don't know how, he holds the bike upright.  As I follow him into the next right hand turn, he takes it a little more cautiously. We then hit the straight of Quay Street and begin our first lap of Tamaki Drive on our way to Mission Bay.  Again there is huge crowd support and I soon get into my rhythm as push on at around 40km/h.  There is a definite tail wind so I know that I will be heading back into a head wind on my way back.  I know this road well as it twist around the coast of Auckland and it is not long before I am at the turnaround.  As predicted there is a headwind and it is a hard slog back to town.  I look at my average speed for the race and it is below 30km/h.  It has definitely been a hard ride with the twist and turning of the roads on the North Shore but I felt I had made good time on the flat sections, obviously not.  At present I am going to do over a 3 hour bike ride which is around 10 minutes slower than Tauranga and I thought that this would be a fast course!

I am heading back into town and am now hitting the 60km mark of the bike.  My back was aching slightly at around the 40km mark and now is really hurting but on this race I remembered the Voltarin gel as I was getting ready.  I am not sure if it is working or not but I am glad that I at least put it on.  I was in agony in Tauranga at this point.  I am feeling OK now but I am looking forward to the end of the ride at this stage.  I again see my support crew as I head to the turnaround in town and begin my second lap of the race.  There is a tailwind again but my legs are tired.  I am trying to push through it as I see that my average speed is now above 30km/h, at least the ride will be 3 hours or less if I maintain this speed.  I again hit the turnaround at Mission Bay and start heading back into a headwind.  My average speed is dropping and I am pushing as hard as I can but just not feeling it today.  There is 10km to go and I cannot wait for it to end.  After around 15 minutes I have made it back to the city.  I do half a lap on the bike in the city before heading back for transition.  About 500 metres from transition I pull my feet out of my bike shoes and ride on the top of them.  I hit the dismount line for the bike and run my bike into transition.  My legs feel like jelly but it feels good to be off the bike.  I run the length of transition back to my area and rack my bike.  The ride has taken me 7 minutes more than Tauranga which is not much considering the fact that I am definitely hurting more today than I was in Tauranga.

Below is the graph of my bike.

ironman Auckland 70:3 by IronmanBarefoot at Garmin Connect - Details

20.01.13 The Swim

As I walked from transition to the swim start I was slightly excited about the upcoming swim.  The conditions looked really good, the weather looked good and I was feeling confident.  The swim start 'holding area' was on one side of the Maritime Museum hidden from the crowd whilst the actual swim start was on the other side.  We all knew our wave start positions, I was the next wave after the male and female pro's.  I was standing there knowing we had at least 10 minutes before we got in the water and there were people already fully suited up in the morning Auckland heat.  At the last possible moment I asked a fellow swimmer to zip me up and before I knew it we where being led through a gap in the building to the swim start.  We went underneath a mini tunnel and could hear the crowds on the other side.  It sounds ridiculous but it was like Gladiators just about to go into battle.  We came through to the other side and could now see and hear the crowds of people before we made our way to a small jetty and began jumping into the Auckland Harbour.

We had around 5 minutes to warm up before the start.  Not a great warm up as I like to swim for around 10 minutes as a minimum to get the wetsuit in the correct position and my heart rate up so I am not starting with a cold engine.  This is not going to be the case in this race.  Before I know it we are at the start line waiting for the whistle to go.  I am visualising the course in my head from all the times that I have reviewed it on the website when the whistle goes off.  The sprint is on but the field is defiantly smaller and more spread out compared to Tauranga and it is a good sprint.  I am heading towards the first buoy and feeling quite good.   I know the first buoy is around 300 metres away according to my calculations and I get into my rhythm quickly.  Before I know it I am at the fist buoy and turning for the second which is a good 400 metres away.  My goggles have been tightened so as not to have the same leaking incident that I had in Tauranga and I am feeling good.  I feel a pulling sensation on my head and in no time at all my swim cap has come off my head and is floating behind me.  I carry on a little pissed off that I have lost my cap as it was a good one.  I am nearly at the second buoy and still feeling good.  I round the second buoy and head towards the third buoy.  There are two distinct groups from what I can see and I am leading the second group.  We hit the third buoy and begin to make our way to the fourth buoy when the leaders of the age group behind start to pass us.  The fourth buoy is passed fairly quickly and we are heading back under the bridge we crossed to get to the swim start and the last buoy before transition.  I am heading towards the bridge but it doesn't seem to be getting any closer.  I keep looking up and eventually I pass beneath it.  I see the last buoy which is around 40 metres from the finish.  I round the buoy and head into shore.  I swim for around 30 metres before I hit the stairs and I am on my feet running up stairs from the ocean to the transition area.

Below is the link to my swim:

ironman Auckland 70:3 by IronmanBarefoot at Garmin Connect - Details

20.01.13 Race Day

I wake up on Sunday morning to the alarm going off next to me.  It is 4:40am and I have had a good sleep care of the Mercure Auckland.  I turn off the alarm and head out to the lounge room to make my breakfast whilst Victoria and Lachlan stay asleep.  I perform the same routine as two weeks ago as I prepare to make my way down to the Auckland Waterfront for my second Half Ironman in two weeks.  The first thing I do is collect my Ironman tattoos from the table and make my way into the bathroom.  I read the instructions and before too long I have a semi permanent tattoo of the number 146 on my arm and my age group on my right calve.  I cover myself in sun cream to hopefully ensure that this time I do not get burnt.  I then start the job of fueling myself ready for the race in 1hour and 30 minutes time.  No porridge this time as we are in a hotel room and it is too hard however weetbix, hot milk and honey is on the cards.  After finishing my breakfast it is time to get dressed in my clothes that I have laid out the night prior.  Before long, it is time to collect the rest of my gear, put my drink bottles from the fridge into my bag and leave to go and get ready.  I kiss Victoria goodbye and walk out the door grabbing my bike pump as I leave.

As I reach the Auckland streets at 5:40am I start to see what was causing some of the noise I could hear  from my room earlier in the morning.  There are people all around town in all states of intoxication and me walking to the waterfront in lycra with a bag full of gear.  Let me just say that it was frustrating knowing that you were about to work your ass off for the next 5.5 hours and there were people still making their way home from Danny Doolans from the night before!  As I am walking towards the race start I don't see any other athletes and begin to panic.  It is around 5:50am, surely there should be more people heading to the race start.  I head around the corner and begin to see people carrying bags as big as mine with bike pumps in their hand.  Before I know it I am nearing the footbridge that we will be swimming under in around 40 minutes time.  I enter transition and start to prepare my transition area ready for the race.  After completing a race 2 weeks before and races in the past you start to learn how to set yourself up and today's setup was no different to two weeks ago, in fact it was identical.

It is around 6:10 by now and I start to put on my wetsuit.  I have to ensure I have everything for the swim, everything for my transitions and everything else that I brought with me is going back into my bag which will be handed into the bag drop inside the convention centre.  The last thing I do is put half a tub of vaseline on my neck to stop a rash from my wetsuit before walking out of transition to the bag drop and then make my way to the swim start.