video IM Austria

Clifford Lee's vidoe clip of IM Austria pre race withpics of me at the pasta night and swimming in the lake on friday morning

The Day after....

6 July 2009

I am sore as hell but managed to get my bike down two floors ....great choice staying on the 2nd floor of the hotel .I did an hour easy ride and went down to the expo again.

Still reeling from the bad day yesterday but enjoying the atmosphere and the many athletes who did exceptionally well.Löve the war stories.

As Bella Bayliss said at the award night ..for those who did not finish or achieve their goals ,just shake off the disappointment and get on with the next challenge.

The awards night was a little tame .One of the girls from our travel group got a Kona spot doing a 10.49 in the 40-44 age gp.

Lydia Miller won her age group 60 plus but did not take her spot.

A guy from Spore Dex did back to back Im races ...France and Austria with a 11.27 IM Austria result and a 3.45 marathon run.

The evening went by following the awards just chatting with everyone in the travel group ...the next day everyone left .I took a train to Munichand on the trip met Nick Kensington .he did a PB sub 9.30 at IM Austria ,his 13 IM Race .Nick is a Kiwi living in London and by all accounts an exeptional athelete.He did China earlier this year and got his kona spot ...well done.He is heading to Roth and then Kona in October and finishing the year in Mexico doing Corumel .That is 5 IM races in a year.Enjoyed my conversations with him on the train ride and has inspired me to keep at it ..not that I was going to quit.Thanks Nick for the advice and Its nice to know everyone has bad races .

Will be watching Roth and Kona .

For now its just relaxing in Munich before I fly back on friday.Friends have gone their separate ways but the memories remain.As I was leaving for the station karon one of the tour leaders asked if I would return to do IM Austria again...probably not soon but one day i would like to return to have another crack at this course.For atmosphere and beauty it is clearly one of the great IM races.

This time it would be nice to have the family as well.

IM Austria Race Report ( How to survive)

Its the day after the race and the only good point is I finished IM Austria .
The time was 13.43.

In a nutshell I should have had a good race but from the start of the bike leg I was having lots of difficulties with cramping and despite the electrolytes I was taking I could not stop the cramps which just continued thru the run.

The swim started on a beautiful day but with 2500 plus atheletes it was crowded .It took 500 metres before I found any clear water ...so there was lots of breast stroking whilst everyone just spread out abit.Otherwise despite the slow time I thought I did pretty well in the swim .The course was a 1400m swim out then a left turn for 400 meters and then back to shore and the last 900 meters in a canal.the canal section was amazing with the crowd at the side and over the swimmers on bridges .It wasn't deep at all and just got pretty congested with a bottleneck at the exit.I finished the swim in 1.32 but I was happy with the swim and got out feeling good.I think most people would have had a slow swim time . Transition was quick but there was a long run to the exit because of the enormous transition area.


The bike course was a 90km 2 lap course with a climb of 800 metres hence a total climb of 1600mts. There were two major climbs on the route with a gradient maxing out at 11 and 12 %.I had driven the course and it looked manageable. The course itself wound its way thru the Carinthia Canton of Austria and around the many lake systems in this region and has to be one of the most beautiful bike courses for an Ironman.It was onece a leg of the Giro D'Italia.(not sure how long ago but well before ironman Austria)

I started comfortably and felt I was making good time with the expectation of a 530 to 5.45 time .Unfortunately at around 60 km I started to cramp up badly and after that it was just a matter of survival. despite electrolytes I kept getting cramps and had to stop several times.The second lap was much slower and I finished the bike leg in 6.28 .There were a few crashes and saw someone being taken in the helicopter off one of the hills .Fortunately it was dry and going down the hills was great.
By the time I started the run I wasn't able to hold down much in the way of nutrition and my legs were just completely cooked. The weather during the day steadily got hotter and with the combination of my lack of being able to hold down much , the cramps and heat the run rapidly became one of jogging a few minutes and walking a few minutes.

There was some respite in the evening with a short shower . The crowds on both the bike and run course were amazing and there was horns and cowbells and cheering ,especially at every hill encouraging you on.It was truly everyone in the area pitching in and doing something be it on the aid stations or just sitting outside their home cheering .The run course wound its way to Krupendorf a village 7 km from the start and then back to klagenfurt town square where we run along the canal and then round the dragon in the square and thru the piazza. It was great to finish this race which was by far my toughest not for the course but just the level of cramps which I had not experienced to this extent .The finish area was amazing as always with a cheering crowd and strobe lights .I missed the fireworks in the end ...just too dead tired.

Many lessons to be learnt and I would recommend this race for the atmosphere .The bike course is challenging but not bad and one can post a good bike time . The heat took its toll and I ended up in the medical centre with 2 drips but otherwise Ok.There is always a first time .

It hasn't put me off Ironman races but I think I learnt alot from this race in so far despite all the preparation ,anything and everything does go wrong .Be prepared to deal with them as best as you can. There was no question of not finishing ...just what time I did.

In the end I was just too tired to laugh or cry.I do know that a year ago I would not have finished this course so I don't look at the training I did as wasted ,I am defintely better for all the training and the experience .Like life you can't always get everything you want .On the positive side of the trip as always I meet truly amazing people in the Triatlon family. It is universal and there is a sense of respect and commonality for the effort everyone who rocks up for a race had to put in .I wouldn't be here but for the support of the guys I train with , their cammaderie definitely makes all those lonely rides more tolerable , Ross Pedlow for the advise and balance , and most of all my family who tolerate the absolute obsession I have.

Bike Check In

4th July 2009

The race briefing was this morning and nothing new accept that with 3 infringements you are disqualified . Otherwise it was pretty standard.







Race Briefing this morning in English




I have just checked in the bike and my bike and run bags....always a nervous time as Iam never sure if i have everything I need .
But I think I got it all .The bike area is massive and it will be a long run down to collect my bike which is fortunately near the start of the bike course.

Done everything and as the presenters at the race briefing stated " Don't Forget To Enjoy The Race"

The day before.....IM Austria 2009

Pasta Party IM Austria 2009

INDEPENDENCE DAY
Iam at the Expo using the computer/internet access whilst the German briefing is going on so its nice and quiet.

It was a rest day on my programme so I didn't do much but did have a swim out on the lake with enrico and the guys.water was a very nice 22C and was great again.
went down to the expo and had a look around and then went into the city for a wander.
there was a slight drizzle but the weather was otherwise hot.

Started to put my gear together and went for the Pasta party .Again chatted with lots of Americans and Canadians who are over for the race.

Lydia Miller the oldest woman athlete is in the tour group and got called up on stage.
The Pasta party was really good .A danish school group marched in with the flags of atheletes participating in IM Austria ...49 countries.

They then did some acrobatics and dance.
There was the standard interview of the number one ranked triathlete ...Marino V
Sat with the Spore guys and food wasn't too bad .Lots of pasta and for desert fruit and an Austrian strudle type dish with a type of pancake I think.

Posted some shots on Facebook.

Today I got up early and did a short run and ride ...but no swim .Shoulder a little sore but not really going to affect the swim . Weather forecast is for rain in the arvo .I hope Iam off the bike course by then. Getting my nutrition plan together and hope it all goes well.

The rest of the day will just be resting up and bike check in this evening.

Happy 4th of July to the Americans and viva the tour which starts today.

1 DAYTO GO

swim on 3 July at the lake at the public entrance




Dinner 2 July with the singapore squad carbo loading at the hotel krupendorf



At the top of one of the climbs whilst driving the ride course.

2 July 2009
The night before I met up with the Singapore Group with Enrico and the guys doing IM Austria.We had dinner at their Hotel Rosenheim which was a 5 min walk from the Hotel Karnten.

The next Day I went down to the Expo and registration which was amazingly quick .Did not have to pay the 6 euro license fee as i had my Triathlon Australia and Triathlon Singapore membership . thanks Craig for the tip.

Then spent the whole morning wandering around the expo which was the largest I have been so far .
Lots of gear and bought a great IM Austria haversack and some cycling gear .If you can't be fast ,just look good. So I am now atleast uber good.

The weather has beeen fabulous and it is expected to be just as good on Sunday with a shower in the afternoon .

After the swim today I caught up with Milton an age grouper winner from Canada and had an enjoyable time talking about how he took several years to get to his peak despite thinking when he was younger he had done his best times.

My luggage with my modified bike box ala wheels somewhere in suburban Munich after I got off too early on my way to Munich Central Station from the airport 29 june 2009



Klagenfurt gets ready for Ironman austria 2009



In my room with my bike about to go for a ride.30 june 2009



On the train to Klagenfurt 29 June 2009