Ok so Mike didn't get my age right ( 22 years 11 months but what are you going to do.)...but he pronounced my name right which was cool. I came in at 11:13. 42 doing the "Blazeman" log roll, after PR-ing on my marathon (3:50 and change). I'll have a whole long winded race report posted when I get back, also Catherine has some action shots from the bike and run so those will be posted shortly. No Kona slot unfortunately, but I'll see how roll down goes granted it's an early season race so there aren't many qualifiers from other races, but hey there's always the lotto...that and I think I might be making this one a yearly event ( granted I hope to work out my finances better next go round....
Some things I learned about Kiwi culture
Coffee is instant coffee. ( Depending on who makes it.)
ALS is referred to motor neuron disease down here so the War on ALS togs on the bike got some blank stares.
House is as big here as it is in the US.
Rugby=Life!
Flat White=Awesome.
Lamb lasagna is actually quite good.
a $2 dollar coin down here is about as big as a $1 dollar coin back home ( It was confusing on the first day when I handed the clerk a $5 and she took the two coins out of my pocket...one good thing no pennies.)
L&P soda is world famous....in New Zealand
The first question I kept getting from a lot of guys was if I was going sky diving or bungee jumping after the Ironman ( sadly I suffer from a deadly fear of heights.)
Drivers on the main highway rank somewhere between NY drivers and Massholes. ( like the mini van that barreled through the road block near the town pool.)
The guys at the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation rock!
To get into the left grandstand at the finish line there is a two drink minimum.
It isn't windy down here until there are surfers on the Lake.
Also to answer some questions:
I spotted Jo Lawn after an interview also she races in a Speedo so she was kind of the easiest female pro to spot on race day. She actually lapped me as I came into start my second lap of the marathon. I also bumped into her at the med tent after finishing.
On a completely different not I bumbed into Luke Bell at the finsh (He DNFed with a bum knee)
So I've got a nice photo of that.
Alright that's enough for now, I've got to break down the Bitch Stomper and pack up for the flight home tomorrow.
The Latic Acid Filled Ironman.
R.D.
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9 comments:
Can i be your strength coach?
Yaaaaay! I'm still on a vicarious high from your finish. I'm also WICKED jealous of the whole trip.
1. Massholes are not bad drivers, it's a killer survival instinct from having to brave the jungle of roundabouts and constantly shifting one-way streets up here. Lay off, or I'll run you over!
2. I hear you on the heights thing. Why would someone jump out of a perfectly good plane? Please stay inside yours tomorrow.
Congratulations again!!! That marathon time is AMAZING! I'll have to buy you dinner and pick your brain when you get back.
I guess I shouldn't tell you that the lotto closed 2 days ago (I think), but there's always Eagleman!
PS will you please send me a list of your personal worsts so I can pin them up on my wall as inspiration? You know what I'm talking about :)
again..AWESOME JOB!!! YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!
Glad you are enjoying those flatwhites, i did warn you about the instant coffee. Pretty gross, huh?
Ah yes...crazy kiwi drivers. I went from driving in that insanity to driving in MA...maybe that's why it didn't seem *that* different aside from it being on the other side of the road when I got back.
Looking forward to hearing the full tale. Enjoy the rest of your trip, you deserve it.
And now here's my list...
I'll join you and SR at the party on the second floor, I'm not good with heights, either. if it's any consolation, I read somewhere once that there are two instinctual fears that every human being is born with: fear of high places, and fear of loud, sudden noises. I'm not phobic about all that, but I'm not jumping out of a plane anytime soon, either.
I believe the NZ driver observation. Also, during the live webcam thing, there was a gray Audi that was parked right at the start of the running course, in the middle. So they don't know how to park there, either. However, it was funny hearing the announcers making frantic pleas for the owner to move the car (which they eventually did).
If you have any 'personal worsts' left to list, send 'em my way, too.
And one more thing. I watched a LOT of people finish, and I was amazed how many looked perfectly fine as they crossed that line. Ironman folks are from another planet. I was expecting to see pain, fatigue, boredom, relief, but no, everybody I saw looked like 'well, it's over, I guess'. Having not been through it, I don't know how I'd react, but I imagine I'd be either a blubbering idiot or an angry asshole ready to price handguns.
Well, congratulations on running a sub-4 hour marathon after more than 7 hours of previous exercise, I can't imagine doing that myself. Sorry you didn't get a slot at Kona, but you've got plenty of time to accomplish that.
Great job, Bob-O...
Awesome job!!!! Can't wait for the full report!
:-)
Jodi
CONGRATULATIONS!!!! Awesome job in NZ! I can't wait to read the full race report. Way to go on an amazing accomplishment.
Ok... so I am wicked jealous that yopu actually have interesting things to write about... the only people who ever read what I write are you and crissie and I'm pretty sure that was only once... lol... I may need to take up a sport... how about the lunge (I think thats what it's called... the one where you go down a snowy hill head first) I'm sure people would read about THAT
Dude! You went FAAAASSSTT! Congratulations!!!
Angry: Yes you can be my strength coach, anything that can get me to pound pedals with more force will be greatly appreciated. Just give me some recovery time.
Speed:Buying me dinner right after a Ironman might not be a wise financial decision but what the Hell. My personal worst bike split was probably the 42min 10 miler i did on a mountain bike, my worst swim the 15 min off course excursion in Niantic last year and my worst run was the gut check 48 min. 10k at the end of Park City 07
Pants: Your info was invaluable although Blair managed to make Nescafe damn near platable.
Satan: When I got off the bike I wanted to hurl it over a cliff, that damn 21 mph headwind at the turnaround was a mixed blessing. It would kill your momentum heading into the turn but shoot you out like a rocket heading back. The marathon I guess the reason every one looks so happy is they are high on coke and sports drink,( I know I was )and who wants to look bad in the race photo, when you go to the med tent the mood is "I'm glad I finished but I never want to see another banana, gatorade bottle, gel, or cup of flat pepsi as long as I live." or the " Holy Shit I tore my foot open on the run!" or "I don't care doc just stop the hurt." The finish line is where we feel like gods, the med tent reminds us that we are mortals.
Jodi & Runner Girl: I will write a race report, it going to probably be a 3 parter.
Liss: I think you meant luge and skeleton is the race where you go head first...good luck with that....I can drop you off at the training center if I do Lake Placid.
Ken: Thank You, I'm sure you would love this course. the swim is awesome with a nice current to pull you back in at the finish. The Bike's Easier than Placid, a throw back to the Granby rides, the run was fairly flat too and had a lot of supporters all over the place, as one pro put it " It's the next best thing to Kona."
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